482 Step Forward And Introduce Me To Zhang Shuangshuang
She remembered that the moment she sank, she saw Li Jing jump down. He did not save her, but her sister.
He was her fiancé, wasn’t he?
Zhang Yufei’s eyes were filled with sadness. She said weakly, “Second Sister, you were beside me at that time. I felt someone push me, so I lost my balance and grabbed you in a hurry… I wanted you to help me stabilize, but we both fell into the water. If you didn’t push me, why would I fall?”
Zhang Shuangshuang retorted weakly. “Why should I push you? I didn’t do it. There were several people on the boat. They were all watching.”
The two people testifying for Zhang Yufei stood up and pointed at Zhang Shuangshuang. “We saw it. You reached out and pushed Yufei. We couldn’t stop you in time.”
The others still shook their heads. “I didn’t notice. I didn’t see anything.”
Zhang Shuangshuang had no one testifying for her, but Zhang Yufei had.
Zhang Shuangshuang’s argument was weak. Her face was pale. “I didn’t push Eldest Sister.”
“Wicked girl!”
An angry voice cut in. A middle-aged man in an official uniform came over and pointed at Zhang Shuangshuang angrily.
Zhang Shuangshuang looked hurt. She gritted her teeth and still said firmly, “I didn’t push her.”
She was not stupid. She knew that if she could not explain herself today, she would be ruined.
But no matter how she explained, it was useless. No one believed her.
Zhang Heng turned around and apologized to the empress. “Your Majesty, please forgive me. I didn’t raise my daughter well. Please punish me, Your Majesty.”
Zhang Heng did not even ask and directly pinned the blame on Zhang Shuangshuang. He only heard the one-sided story from the palace servant.
Zhang Shuangshuang’s face darkened. “Father, I didn’t push Eldest Sister. Why don’t you believe me?”
Qing Mei gritted her teeth and retorted. “Master, you’re too biased. You punished Second Miss without even asking. You never believe Second Miss. Second Miss didn’t push Eldest Miss.”
Qing Mei kowtowed to the empress. “Your Majesty, please investigate this. This won’t do Second Miss any good. Why would Second Miss do such a thing?”
Zhang Yufei said weakly, “I’m not lying. Someone really pushed me. Second Sister was by my side at that time. I don’t know if it was Second Sister.”
Zhang Shuangshuang was beside her. Who else could it be but Zhang Shuangshuang?
Zhang Yufei did not explicitly say that it was Zhang Shuangshuang, but her meaning was obvious.
Su Yanyu whispered to Liu Sanniang, “Second Miss Zhang can’t justify herself now. Shifu, is Eldest Miss Zhang lying?”
Su Yanyu was so engrossed in watching the show that he forgot that he had yet to become a disciple of Liu Sanniang.
He didn’t even realize it himself.
Liu Sanniang looked at him and said calmly, “Young Marquis Su, I need your help with something.”
Su Yanyu was instantly excited. “What is it?”
Liu Sanniang looked at Zhang Shuangshuang and said calmly, “Step forward and introduce me to Zhang Shuangshuang.”
Su Yanyu immediately understood what Liu Sanniang meant. He smiled. “Leave it to me.”
Su Yanyu opened his fan with a whoosh and walked into the crowd. “Aiya, it’s hard to say who’s right and who’s wrong. What’s the point of arguing? Eldest Miss Zhang said that Second Miss Zhang pushed her and caused her to fall so she pulled Second Miss Zhang. On the other hand, Young Master Li jumped into the water to save the beauty. You’re engaged to Second Miss Zhang. It’s not right for you to do that, no?”
When Mrs. Su saw Su Yanyu meddling in this matter, she had a bad feeling. She looked at him and Liu Sanniang before responding. “You brat, get over here.”
Su Yanyu fanned himself. “If Second Miss Zhang feels that you’ve been wronged, there’s someone who can clear your name. You’ve heard of the Xuanyi Department, right? After all, this concerns your reputation. Report it to the authorities for a thorough investigation.”
Seeing that Su Yanyu didn’t listen, Mrs. Su walked over and pinched his ear. “Behave yourself.”
Su Yanyu said to Zhang Shuangshuang, “There’s only one person who can clear your name, and that’s Miss Liu, Liu Sanniang!”
Mrs. Su patted Su Yanyu. “Shut up.”
She said to the Empress, “My son is being naughty. Please don’t mind him, Your Majesty.”
The Empress replied calmly. “It’s fine.”
This wasn’t the first time Su Yanyu had done this. If he wasn’t Marquis Su’s only son, she would have punished him long ago.
Zhang Shuangshuang looked at Zhang Yufei and said firmly, “Eldest Sister said that I pushed you, but I didn’t. If I want to seek justice for myself, I can only report it to the authorities.”
Zhang Yufei responded weakly. “I believe that Second Sister didn’t do it on purpose. We’re family. Why do you have to do this? I don’t blame Second Sister. This is all my fault.”
Zhang Heng raised his hand and slapped Zhang Shuangshuang. “Unfilial daughter, you unfilial daughter!”
Li Jing cupped his hands and knelt down. “Lord Zhang, I, Li Jing, will definitely be responsible for Eldest Miss. This concerns Eldest Miss’s reputation, so I definitely won’t shirk my responsibility. Second Miss is vicious. I’m afraid I have to end the engagement with her.”
Zhang Shuangshuang widened her eyes and looked at Li Jing in disbelief.
He was breaking off the engagement with her.
Qing Mei was furious. “How can you humiliate my Miss like this? You, you…”
Zhang Heng looked at Li Jing. In this situation, Li Jing indeed needed to be responsible. His eldest daughter was gentle and virtuous. He naturally didn’t want her reputation to be ruined.
As for Zhang Shuangshuang, she deserved it.
Zhang Heng looked at Zhang Shuangshuang and said fiercely, “You wicked girl, you’ve made such a fool of yourself. After you go back and break off the engagement, go to the nunnery and repent.”
Once Zhang Heng finished speaking, he turned to the Empress and said, “Your Highness, I will definitely punish my wicked daughter properly. Don’t let this trivial matter ruin the birthday banquet.”
Zhang Shuangshuang shed tears. After a moment, she looked at the empress firmly and said, “Your Majesty, I’m innocent. Please show mercy and allow me to report this to the authorities. If Your Majesty doesn’t agree, then I can only prove my innocence with my death. I didn’t push her!”
Zhang Shuangshuang pulled off the hairpin on her head and pressed it against her neck forcefully. The force was so great that it pierced through her skin and blood flowed out instantly.
Zhang Heng was furious. “Are you crazy? You unfilial daughter!”
Xia Qiluo was shocked by Zhang Shuangshuang’s actions. She frowned and stepped forward. “In that case, let’s investigate.”
The empress frowned. What was there to investigate? Even if Zhang Yufei was lying, the Zhang family would still protect Zhang Yufei. Zhang Shuangshuang’s biological mother had already passed away and she was not loved by her father. There was no need to investigate this matter.