Chapter 207: Framed

Chi Nan Yi's voice was light, yet carried a hint of authority; his gaze calmly fixed on Jiang Wan Yue and the other, and Meng Qinghe felt a sudden sinking in her heart, realizing that such a look seemed familiar somewhere, her heart unable to stop trembling.

"Who are you?" those three words slipped out of Meng Qinghe's mouth instinctively.

"What does it have to do with you?"

"You... what are you, daring to speak to my lady like that!" Cai Pin stepped forward, lifted her chin and shouted, "My lady is the legitimate daughter of the Minister's Residence."

Chi Nan Yi turned his head and glanced at Qingmei; Qingmei understood immediately, raised her hand and forcefully slapped Cai Pin's face.

The force was so great that it sent Cai Pin sprawling, crashing heavily to the ground; along with Cai Pin, two of her lower molars were knocked out.

"Our lady also allows a maid like you to speak?" Qingmei looked down from above, her eyes full of contempt.

Striking her maid in front of Meng Qinghe, especially after she announced her family background, was no different from striking her face directly.

Meng Qinghe's complexion turned ashen, and she said in a deep voice, "Miss, what does this mean? Even when beating a dog, one must consider its owner! You are publicly insulting the reputation of the Left Minister's Residence."

"I am merely teaching you how to discipline a servant; if the upper beam is crooked, the lower beam will be bent," Chi Nan Yi said in a calm, unruffled tone, each word as cold as ice: "The reputation of the Left Minister's Residence is upheld by propriety, not by a barking dog shouting a few words to claim status. A servant who does not understand hierarchy, who knows neither advance nor retreat, and who spews reckless words in front of a crowd—if the Left Minister's Residence's rules were like that, being beaten would be entirely normal."

"I am the lady of the Minister's Residence; must I learn how to discipline a servant from you?"

"Lady of the Minister's Residence?" Chi Nan Yi sneered, "Can a lady of the Minister's Residence commit a scheme to frame others?"

"Frame? You are speaking nonsense! When did I ever frame you? Clearly it was you who pushed my elder brother down!"

A servant helped Meng Jue to his feet; the corner of his forehead was smashed, blood smeared half his face, looking extremely gruesome.

At that moment he was still muttering phrases like "little miss, little beauty," his voice not loud, yet the shop was dead silent, so even the guests on the first floor could hear him perfectly.

"Ah, this is the eldest son of the Meng Family! Isn't he the famous playboy of Jingcheng?"

"He drinks all day until drunk; where is the bearing of a nobleman's son?"

"I heard that a few days ago he got a girl pregnant, was taken back to become a concubine, and now he's taken a liking to this lady."

Meng Jue's shady deeds were numerous; anyone who mentioned him would sneer.

"I saw clearly just now; it was plainly the Meng Family's eldest son who tried to make improper advances toward this lady and ended up rolling down himself."

"I also saw it: the eldest son rolled down, and Miss 207 then pinned the blame onto someone else."

"Otherwise, why would they say they're siblings?"

The crowd exchanged glances and all let out low laughs.

Meng Qinghe, listening from upstairs, clenched her fists; she disliked Meng Jue and refused to be compared with him.

Now they even claim she is no different from Meng Jue?

To Meng Qinghe, that was an unspeakable humiliation.

Chi Nan Yi obviously understood her and knew how to tread on her sore spot.

Seeing her increasingly ashen complexion, Chi Nan Yi gave a faint smile and thought, "Can't stand this already? I haven't even begun my real revenge yet!"

"Since you claim I pushed your elder brother, let the officials come and see! I want to see how, under everyone's eyes, the lady of the Minister's Residence becomes overbearing and frames others."

Meng Qinghe's heart sank upon hearing her say she would report to the authorities.

She was merely jealous of the other's looks and temperament; when Meng Jue happened to go drunkenly berserk, she thought to watch him embarrass himself, never intending to reach the point of reporting to officials. Now the year-end is near; if she causes more trouble, her father will punish her severely, and her mother is still under house arrest, so she absolutely cannot cause any more trouble.

Seeing the change in her expression, Chi Nan Yi guessed her concerns; after all, Meng Xiangye was famous for being face‑conscious.

If he were to learn that his two legitimate sons and daughters had caused such a scandal outside, he would be incensed beyond imagination.

At that moment, a group of imperial officers entered with furrowed brows, grumbling, "What's going on? I heard someone caused a disturbance in the shop?"

Chi Nan Yi looked down toward the lower floor and happened to lock eyes with a man.

It was the man he had seen when he entered, who seemed somewhat familiar.

She suddenly recalled when she had first seen him.

Prince Li's mansion.

He is a follower of Mo Junyan.

"Who? Exactly who is causing trouble in the shop?" the officer's tone was clearly impatient.

The attendant who had benefited from Chi Nan Yi shifted his eyes, lowered himself, stepped forward, and with a bow said, "Sir, it was the upstairs guests who got into a dispute; it's not a big matter."

"Not a big matter? To cause a disturbance in Jingcheng, that's certainly a big deal," the officer shoved him aside and hurried up the stairs.

At that moment, all the shop's patrons were watching the spectacle; when the officer reached the upper floor, his face remained stern, brows furrowed. Upon seeing Chi Nan Yi, he clearly froze for a moment, cleared his throat softly, and in a slightly calmer tone asked, "What's happening?"

Chi Nan Yi didn't get a chance to speak before Meng Qinghe cut in.

"Officer, sir," Meng Qinghe shouted, "It was this woman who pushed my elder brother down the stairs. I was merely arguing a few words with her, and she spewed vile words, even disregarding our Minister's Residence. If you officials don't come today, I will certainly go to the authorities myself to argue the matter properly."

She deliberately enunciated the words 'Minister's Residence' with extra emphasis, fearing the officer might not notice.

"Minister's Residence?"

Sure enough, when he heard 'Minister's Residence,' the officer's complexion shifted, his face showing a hint of apprehension and hesitation.

Seeing this, Meng Qinghe's eyes flashed with a quick sense of triumph; her gaze at Chi Nan Yi turned contemptuous, and her voice sharpened.

"In broad daylight, someone dared to maliciously harm a person in Jingcheng. My elder brother is the legitimate eldest son of the Left Minister's Residence; he only wanted to speak a few words with her, yet she maliciously pushed him down, and his fate remains unknown. Her actions clearly despise the powerful, disregarding our Left Minister's Residence and the officials alike. If you cannot handle this impartially, when I return home I will report the incident to my father, and let my father seek justice for my brother."

Meng Qinghe's words seemed to demand fairness and justice, but in fact they were pressuring the officers here: they were people of the Left Minister's Residence; offending her meant offending the Left Minister's Residence, offending the Left Minister.

They are merely low‑ranking officers without even a rank; how could they contend with the Left Minister's Residence? If they truly offend the Minister's Residence, it's not a simple dismissal—it could be a matter of life and death.

The leading officer furrowed his brows, turned to Chi Nan Yi, and in a deep voice said, "Miss, do you have anything to say? If there is no evidence proving you did not commit this act, then you will have to come with us back to the yamen for investigation."