The fool has become a spirit, and she can speak

Chapter 1746 Shang Xi visits Su Aixiu in prison

At first, Cheng Xinhe didn't want to go with Da Yan, but Da Yan took out wedding candy, and Cheng Xinhe went with him.

When the room returned to silence, Wan Lianxing was already holding his forehead, his suppressed anger enough to give Cheng Feng a hard time. Seeing this, Cheng Feng didn't linger. His mind was in complete turmoil; if his uncle scolded him a few more times, he wouldn't be able to take it anymore. "Uncle, I'm going to the mourning hall to keep vigil for my father!"

Wan Lianxing didn't even glance at Cheng Feng, he just waved his hand, "Go! Go!"

"Uncle, there are many people and things to do in the mansion. If you are tired, you should go back to the palace to rest. I can take care of things here."

"I know, go ahead!"

Cheng Feng glanced at the old steward serving him, who waved back, "Your Highness, rest assured, this old servant will accompany His Majesty back to the palace in a little while."

Cheng Feng then went to the mourning hall.

Shang Xi was still burning paper money there, while Cheng Youning, exhausted from crying, had fallen asleep on the coffin.

On the other side of the coffin knelt Hong Jiutong, her makeup ruined and her spirits low, looking exhausted from crying.

Cheng Feng whispered to Shang Xi, "There aren't many people around these days, why don't you go and rest for a while? I'll keep watch!"

"Mother, are you alright?"

"I almost died along with my father, but thankfully the imperial physician arrived in time."

In just half a day, the news kept coming, each more shocking than the last. Shang Xi had stopped crying. Her mother-in-law was still in good health. She hadn't expected the old couple to have such a deep bond. "Should I take care of her?"

"My sister's here, don't worry. I don't know what happened, everything just happened all at once!"

Shang Xi said, "Let's hold Dad's funeral first, and put everything else aside for now."

The two didn't say it outright, but they understood each other implicitly.

At the funeral, everyone cried their hearts out. After the funeral, except for Madam Wan who was still wiping away tears, everyone else stopped crying. However, they had not yet recovered from their grief, and everyone was very depressed. The entire Prince's mansion was deathly still.

Cheng Feng and Shang Xi sat in their chairs, lost in thought. Only Yu Hua walked back and forth in front of them, glancing at the two of them from time to time, as if she had something to say.

After holding it in for so long, Yu Hua, unable to keep anything to herself any longer, finally spoke up, "Cheng Feng and Shang Xi, I heard that Su Aixiu is refusing to confess and is determined to die rather than admit it!"

Shang Xi's blank eyes twitched slightly, showing some reaction. "That means there's more to the story."

"Your brother Chen and I think so too. Do you think Su Aixiu is being framed? I don't think she's a murderer at all, but we have the evidence, it's irrefutable." Yu Hua looked at Cheng Feng and Shang Xi, who showed no reaction whatsoever, and she paced anxiously. "Hey, you two, why don't you analyze this!"

Shang Xi sighed, "I'm exhausted these past few days. I can barely speak, so what can I analyze? The government has the best methods for handling cases, and it's their responsibility. Let's wait for the trial results."

"The authorities certainly have a lot of tricks up their sleeves. I heard from your brother Chen that Su Aixiu has suffered a lot in prison. Don't you plan to go and see her?" Yu Hua was kind-hearted, and what she really wanted was for Cheng Feng and Shang Xi to go to the prison to see what was going on and hopefully find out the truth. She was inclined to support Su Aixiu and hoped that she was innocent and had been wronged. These past few days, that little girl Cheng Xinhe had been crying and calling for her mother every day at their house, and Yu Hua's heart had been melted by the little girl's cries!

Cheng Feng finally reacted. He was not one to sit idly by, but he had been too heartbroken and exhausted these past few days to care about this matter. He said to Shang Xi, "Wife, you should go to the yamen. It's inconvenient for me. The other day, because of the Cheng family's matter, my uncle reprimanded me and did not want me to interfere with the yamen's trial."

Shang Xi had been exhausted both physically and mentally these past few days, and she had lost weight. She gripped the armrest of the chair and staggered to her feet. Yu Hua quickly stepped forward to support her, "Oh dear, Shang Xi, are you ill? Should we call the imperial physician to take your pulse?"

Shang Xi shook her head: "These past few days of keeping vigil, kneeling every day, have made my legs a bit sore. Come with me to the prison to see Su Aixiu and see if she's lying!"

Yu Hua had been waiting for Shang Xi to say this. Su Aixiu had taught her embroidery, and she knew that person well; she wasn't the kind of person who would murder for money. Her heart always unconsciously leaned towards Su Aixiu. "Then let's go. I'll have someone prepare a carriage."

The carriage sped along and finally stopped at the entrance of the yamen. Shang Xi, holding her waist token, passed through without any hindrance.

As soon as the prison door opened, a musty smell that had accumulated over the years rushed into her lungs, making her feel suffocated. Shang Xi quickly covered her nose with a handkerchief. Looking down, she saw that the ground was covered with puddles half an finger deep. Stepping into the puddles made a "squeak" sound, and Yu Hua grabbed Shang Xi's arm tightly in fright, whispering, "My God! So this is what prisons are like! Why is it so cold and smelly?"

"Prisoners live in darkness and are constantly exposed to cold and damp conditions. You can see that the prisoners here are all moldy and smelly."

Some prisoners were lethargic and sluggish, like people who were about to die; others were irritable and easily angered, and when they saw someone visiting them, they wanted to rush out through the cell door.

With a clang of the chains, Yu Hua ran from Shang Xi's left to her right, nervously asking, "Shang Xi, aren't you scared?"

"My first prison visit was just like yours."

The jailer leading the way stopped in his tracks. "Princess Consort, if you want to see the person, then lock them up inside!"

Shang Xi nodded slightly. "I'll just say a few words to her and then leave."

The jailer, realizing the situation, left.

Su Aixiu leaned against the wall without moving. The light was too dim for Shang Xi to see Su Aixiu's face clearly. Yu Hua called out, "Su Aixiu, your aunt and I have come to see you."

With a clang of the chains, Su Aixiu reacted, scrambling to her feet. She stumbled to the gate, stretched her hand out to the people outside, and sobbed, "Auntie, Yuhua, I'm innocent! I didn't kill my mother-in-law! Please help me!"

Su Aixiu's fingers had been tortured and were now bleeding, making her look disheveled and pitiful.

Shang Xi kept scrutinizing Su Aixiu. If she knew whether what this person said was true or false, she would say, "Aixiu, we also want to help you, but investigations are all about evidence. Now the evidence is conclusive and you have no way to defend yourself unless you really didn't kill anyone and can produce strong evidence."

"Auntie, I really didn't kill him. I was framed by He Bao."

"Framed?" This was something no one expected, because it was He Bao who filed the report.

Su Aixiu gripped the hand of the person outside tighter, as if grasping at a lifeline. Yu Hua, impatient as ever, said, "We came here to find out what exactly happened that day. How can we help you if you don't tell us the whole story?"