Twilight dyed the Marquis's Mansion council hall a deep crimson. Jiang Rou slumped on the blue brick floor, the pearl hairpin in her hair askew, yet her eyes remained fixed on the wooden box in Jiang Wan's hands. The Marquis's knuckles turned white as he gripped the arms of his high-backed chair, and the guards stood with their hands on their blades, the air heavy enough to wring water from.
"Father! These were all forged by my sister!" Jiang Rou suddenly shrieked and lunged toward the desk, only to be blocked by the guards. "She has long coveted the position of the legitimate daughter of the Marquis's Mansion and intentionally set a trap to frame me!"
"Frame you?" Jiang Wan slammed a stack of letters onto the table, the edges of the rice paper sweeping over a spill of tea. "These are the notes exchanged between you and Meixiang. The handwriting has been verified by the accountant, and even your signature rouge stain is still here." She traced the lines in the letter: "When the Crown Prince's trusted aides search the house, lead them to Jiang Wan's boudoir." She looked up. "Sister, you truly know how to borrow a knife to kill."
Chapter 75