Chapter 59: The Witness Appears in Court, Truth Encounters Obstacles

Chapter 59: The Witness Appears in Court, Truth Faces Obstacles

Lin Shiya felt as if an invisible hand had suddenly gripped her heart, sending a chill racing up her spine. Minister Li’s desperate cry of “Wait!” pierced the gradually easing atmosphere of the court like a sharp arrow, shattering the calm in an instant.

A fleeting gravity flickered in her clear eyes, but she maintained her composure, as steadfast as a mountain unmoved by wind and rain. On the court, every gaze surged toward Minister Li like a tide.

The officials whispered among themselves, speculation weaving a dense web. The tension was taut as a bowstring, ready to snap at any moment.

Lin Shiya drew a deep breath, forcing herself to stay clear-headed. She knew this might be the opposition’s final counterattack, and she must tread carefully.

Minister Li’s lips curled into a cold smile as he glanced triumphantly at Lin Shiya. He turned slightly and called out toward the doors, “Bring the man in!”

At his command, two guards escorted a slightly stooped middle-aged man onto the court. The man’s clothes were plain, his face haggard, but his gaze held a strange resolve.

He walked to the center of the court and fell to his knees with a loud thud, shouting, “I am guilty! I accuse Lin Shiya—she is the true traitor!”

The sudden reversal sent an uproar through the court. The wavering officials plunged once more into confusion. Some whispered, faces marked with doubt and uncertainty.

The middle-aged man, tears streaming down his face, accused Lin Shiya with fervor, claiming she colluded with Northern Yan in a plot to overthrow the court. Each word was a dagger aimed at Lin Shiya.

His expression seemed sincere and his tone full of anguish, causing some officials, ignorant of the truth, to waver and suspect Lin Shiya.

Her heart plummeted. An unprecedented pressure weighed upon her, suffocating as if Mount Tai pressed on her chest.

The conflict between her and the conspirators had reached a new peak; the atmosphere in the court was so tense it seemed a single thread could break.

She watched the man’s performance in silence, her gaze cold as winter frost. She knew this was a carefully staged farce by the conspirators; only by finding the key to break the game could she expose their true faces.

The man continued his relentless accusations, each word sharply targeted.

Lin Shiya’s nails dug deep into her palms as she struggled to restrain her fury.

At that moment, she saw Minister Li’s lips curve into a victorious smile.

Beside him, Guard Bai frowned slightly amid the crowd, sensing that matters had grown more complicated.

Lin Shiya scrutinized the man’s face and suddenly realized that he was no mere witness, but a chess piece planted long ago.

She raised her head, looking toward the assembly, and asked, “Does this man have any evidence?” Her voice was not loud, yet it rang clear in every ear.

The court fell silent, everyone holding their breath, waiting for the man’s reply.

Her words thundered through the silence, extinguishing the murmurs as if snuffed out by an invisible hand, leaving only suffocating quiet.

Her gentle words carried an undeniable force, intimidating all present.

At that moment, Lin Shiya felt herself surrounded by darkness and cold, every gaze from the officials like icy arrows piercing her, the pressure and helplessness threatening to engulf her.

She strove to maintain her composure, drawing a deep breath, her eyes sharp and steady as she observed the kneeling man.

His expression appeared anguished but betrayed a stiffness; his words were evasive, his gaze flickering with panic and unease.

Lin Shiya’s gaze dissected every nuance of his expression, missing nothing.

She silently calculated, recalling his statements, searching for flaws.

She noticed that his accounts of the details were always vague and contradictory, hardly the behavior of an ordinary person.

Her lips curled into a barely perceptible cold smile.

She spoke again, her voice clear and authoritative, “You keep accusing me of treason, but do you have any solid proof? Every detail you speak of falls apart under scrutiny—full of holes.”

Her words were a blade, striking at the man’s weakness.

He was visibly stunned, his composure unraveling into panic. He stammered incoherently, avoiding Lin Shiya’s gaze.

“You claim to have seen me meet with the envoys from Northern Yan, yet I have never met them! You allege I accepted their bribes, but you have no evidence!” Lin Shiya pressed on, her voice growing stern, each word carrying the weight of a judge’s verdict.

The man was left speechless, sweat beading on his forehead, his former arrogance vanishing.

His panic was now impossible to hide, like prey stripped of its disguise, trembling with fear.

The court fell silent once more, all eyes fixed on the middle-aged man.

They began to realize that this so-called “witness” was not as simple as he appeared.

Doubt surfaced among the officials, surprise etched on their faces, even Minister Li’s expression turned sour.

Lin Shiya’s keen observations and decisive rebuttal eased part of the crisis, relaxing the tense atmosphere.

She was like a wild grass on the edge of a cliff, surviving the storm with stubborn resilience.

At that moment, Master Gongsun, who had stood behind Minister Li, stepped forward, his eyes gleaming with cunning. He smiled meaningfully and said softly, “Don’t be alarmed, sir. Think carefully…”

Master Gongsun’s smile carried a sly gleam.

He walked slowly to the man’s side, guiding him softly, “Don’t panic, sir. Recall carefully—you did see Lin Shiya meet the Northern Yan envoy. It was at the abandoned temple south of the city. Do you remember?”

The man’s panicked expression firmed; he nodded, as if recalling something crucial, and began again, “Yes, it was at the abandoned temple south of the city. I saw Lin Shiya and the Northern Yan envoy plotting—they exchanged a bag of gold, that bag…”

The officials resumed their discussions, doubts Lin Shiya had dispelled now resurfacing.

A strong sense of foreboding surged in Lin Shiya’s heart; she knew Master Gongsun’s intervention was no accident—it was a meticulously laid trap, and she had to find a way out quickly.

She reviewed every detail of her prior investigation, and all at once, her gaze settled on her sleeve, where she had hidden a piece of evidence—a fragment of cloth wrapped around a secret letter from the Northern Yan envoy, found in the abandoned temple.

The cloth bore a unique mark of the envoy, a symbol used to transmit confidential messages, which she had learned of by overhearing an accidental conversation.

Lin Shiya drew a deep breath and slowly withdrew the fragment, raising it high. Her voice was clear and resolute, “Gentlemen, this so-called ‘witness’ is lying! The abandoned temple exists, but I have never been there! This fragment was found by me in that temple—if I truly colluded with Northern Yan, would I leave such crucial evidence at the scene, inviting disaster?”

All eyes turned to the cloth she held.

Officials who had sided with the man wavered, exchanging uneasy glances.

Lin Shiya’s wisdom and resolve shone like a light, piercing the fog and illuminating the truth.

Master Gongsun and the man’s faces changed dramatically; they exchanged terrified looks, clearly rattled.

Lin Shiya’s eyes burned sharp as she turned to Master Gongsun, her lips curled in a cold smile. “Master Gongsun, your carefully staged drama ends here. I must ask, Minister Li, why have you instructed him to slander me—what is your true motive?” Lin Shiya pressed forward, her aura overwhelming, her gaze like twin blades aimed at Minister Li. “Minister Li, what more have you to say? You directed others to fabricate testimony and malign the loyal—what is your purpose?”

Her crisp, forceful words echoed through the court, each a heavy blow to Minister Li’s heart.

His face was ashen, lips trembling; he had not expected his scheme to be unraveled so easily.

He was speechless, sweat pouring from his brow, glistening in the candlelight.

The officials held their breath, eyes fixed on Minister Li, awaiting his response.

The air was thick with tension, as if a taut string might snap at any moment.

“Well? Minister Li, where has your eloquence gone?” Lin Shiya pressed him, her lips curled in scorn. “Or is it guilt that silences you?”

Minister Li’s face burned red; he tried to retort, but found no words.

He looked to Master Gongsun for help, only to find him staring down, avoiding his gaze.

Despair engulfed him, chilling him to the bone.

Just then, the long-silent Eunuch Wei stepped forward, his shrill voice breaking the silence, “Wait!” He pulled a letter from his sleeve and held it aloft. “Your Majesty, I have a report to present!” His voice was piercing as an owl’s cry in the night, sending shivers through the assembly.

Lin Shiya’s heart sank, an ominous feeling rising.

She saw the letter in Eunuch Wei’s hand and frowned slightly...