"My lord, I have evidence."
The one who spoke these words was Chu Yue.
"Why is it her?"
When the people discovered that the speaker was Chu Yue, all the members of the Chu Heavenly Clan were surprised.
Even Chu Feng hadn't expected that Chu Yue would stand forward at a time like this.
"Chu Yue, what nonsense are you stirring up?"
An angry shout rang out — it was Chu Hanqing.
At this moment, his furious eyes were filled with menace as he glared viciously at Chu Yue.
He was signaling for Chu Yue to shut her mouth.
Facing a Chu Hanqing like this, there was no way Chu Yue wasn't afraid. But after hesitating for a moment, she spoke again.
"My lord, I have evidence." Chu Yue repeated.
Seeing this, Chu Hanqing's gaze turned ruthless.
Chu Yue's actions were practically declaring herself his enemy.
"Sister Chu Yue, forget it. Don't get involved in this matter." However, at that moment, Chu Feng spoke up.
Chu Feng knew full well what Chu Yue was about to say, but it would be useless. She couldn't help him, and if she insisted on trying, she would only drag herself down with him.
Chu Feng didn't want to pull Chu Yue into this.
Even he himself didn't know who had been impersonating him, nor did he have any evidence to prove his innocence.
All he wanted was to use Wuming Fenghuo's authority to suppress Chu Hanqing and the others, buying himself time to investigate the truth.
He simply wanted to clear his name — openly and fairly.
He wanted to uncover the truth and prove his innocence through proper means.
He had no intention of relying on others to absolve him.
"Brother Chu Feng, I have to say this, or my conscience won't let me rest." After saying this, Chu Yue turned back to Wuming Fenghuo. "My lord, I truly do have evidence."
"What evidence do you have?" Wuming Fenghuo asked.
"I am the evidence."
"When the Clan Master was poisoned, Brother Chu Feng was inside his own palace chambers. So the one who poisoned the Clan Master could not have been him — it was someone impersonating him," Chu Yue said.
"Oh? Is that so?" Wuming Fenghuo's gaze shifted slightly.
"Chu Yue, are you telling the truth?" Chu Xuan Zhengfa's eyes lit up with hope. He had long wanted to clear Chu Feng's name but had found no way to do so.
Chu Yue stepping forward now was practically an opening breakthrough for him. If someone could testify that Chu Feng wasn't present at the time, then it could be concluded that the poisoner had been an impostor.
"Chu Yue, you're speaking utter nonsense! What has this Chu Feng given you that you would tell such a outrageous lie to protect him?" Before Chu Yue could even answer, Chu Hanqing let out an angry rebuke, flatly declaring that Chu Yue was lying.
"My lord, I am telling the truth."
"What I am stating is fact. Not only can I testify to this, but they can as well. They accompanied me that day when I visited Brother Chu Feng."
Chu Yue then recited the names of the younger generation who had visited Chu Feng with her that day.
"Guards."
Chu Xuan Zhengfa called out loudly, intending to summon all of those individuals.
"Guards — I will go bring these people here myself. I'll see whether their accounts match yours."
However, before Chu Xuan Zhengfa could even finish his sentence, Chu Hanqing had already spoken up to take charge.
Seeing this, Chu Xuan Zhengfa furrowed his brow, then said: "Punishment Hall members — go along with them as well."
He did this because he feared Chu Hanqing's people would secretly threaten those witnesses, so he insisted his own people accompany them.
But at Chu Xuan Zhengfa's move, a cold smirk crept onto Chu Hanqing's lips.
Before long, all the juniors who had visited Chu Feng alongside Chu Yue that day were brought to the plaza under the escort of Chu Hanqing's subordinates and the Punishment Hall members.
"Speak the truth and don't feel any pressure. With Lord Wuming Fenghuo present today, no one will dare give you trouble," Chu Xuan Zhengfa said, worried they might feel burdened.
"My lord, to tell the truth — that day I was secluding myself at home. I never visited Chu Feng at all," one of them said.