She's skilled in medicine, martial arts, and even understands animal language—the abandoned dau

Once everything was ready, Shen Man led Su Yao out of the courtyard. Zhi Mo was already waiting outside the door. When he saw her come out, a look of amazement flashed in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure: "Doctor Ding, the carriage is ready. Let's set off now."

Shen Man nodded slightly, her figure elegant, and with Su Yao's help, she gracefully stepped towards the carriage.

Today, she wore a moon-white brocade dress with intricate patterns embroidered in silver thread at the hem, which shimmered like moonlight as she moved.

She wore a light purple gauze cloak, with delicate floral embroidery on it peeking through, adding a touch of femininity without sacrificing elegance.

Her long, black hair was styled into an exquisite bun, with a jade hairpin inserted diagonally inside. The tassels swayed gently with her movements, further highlighting her beautiful face and exquisite features.

After the two women were seated in the carriage, Zhi Mo personally drove the carriage for them, and they set off for the Ministry of Justice.

The carriage rumbled along and soon arrived at the Ministry of Justice.

At this moment, all sorts of people had already gathered at the entrance of the Ministry of Justice, resembling a bustling market, yet filled with a solemn atmosphere.

Many of them were court officials in their official robes, of varying ranks and with different expressions.

Some frowned, seemingly lamenting Zhou Yu's death; others whispered among themselves, discussing the high-profile case, their words filled with speculation about its future.

In addition, well-informed citizens flocked to the scene, crowding the area outside the Ministry of Justice's office. They chatted amongst themselves, pointing and whispering about the people inside, their eagerness seemingly trying to ignite the tense atmosphere.

As soon as Shen Man stepped off the carriage, she was like a jewel appearing in the world. Her magnificent clothes and stunning beauty shone with their own light, instantly attracting everyone's attention.

Amazement and curiosity flashed in people's eyes, and for a moment they forgot to speak.

Men were captivated by her stunning beauty, while women were more interested in her clothes and jewelry.

After a long while, someone finally came to their senses and broke the silence, "Who is this woman? Judging from her overall demeanor, you probably can't find another one like her in the entire capital..."

"The dress she's wearing is the latest style from that brocade weaving workshop. I saw it in their shop a few days ago, but it was too expensive, costing a thousand taels of silver each, so I couldn't bring myself to buy it!"

"What? Her clothes are worth a thousand taels of silver? Just who is this woman?"

"I heard he's a key witness in this case, and judging from his appearance, he doesn't come from an ordinary family."

Shen Man listened to the murmurs of the crowd, a faint smile on her face, and walked into the courtroom without looking to the side.

From the discussions of the crowd, she knew that Master Kong's shop in the capital was quite successful, and she would definitely go and see it once this case was resolved.

Thinking this, Shen Man continued walking forward. But before she could reach the witness stand, someone blocked her way: "Who goes there?"

Shen Man looked up and saw that it was a yamen runner from the Ministry of Justice. She was neither humble nor arrogant, gave a slight curtsy, and said softly, "I am Ding Man, a witness in this case."

The constable sized her up, his gaze lingering on her magnificent attire for a moment. He seemed somewhat surprised that such a noblewoman would be a witness, but he didn't make things difficult for her. He stepped aside to let her pass.

Shen Man walked steadily forward, with Su Yao following closely behind. Zhi Mo waited at the entrance of the courtroom, his eyes scanning the surroundings warily, on guard against anyone taking advantage of Shen Man's unpreparedness.

Once Shen Man stood in the witness stand, she looked around the courtroom and saw that Yuan Kai, the Minister of Justice, was sitting above her with a stern face, like an angry Vajra, exuding authority without anger.

He wore a scarlet official robe embroidered with cranes poised to take flight, signifying his high rank and generous salary.

Seated next to him were Prime Minister Xiao Kuo and Duke of Xingguo Cui Chengdao, both of whom were very important figures in the court.

Chancellor Xiao Kuo, dressed in a deep blue robe, possessed a refined and scholarly air, like a clear mountain spring, flowing gently with a serene and composed demeanor. His eyes held a sharp insight into the world and a resolute commitment to justice, giving people an inexplicable sense of peace.

On the other side, Duke Cui Chengdao of Xingguo wore a dark gold brocade robe, with a jade belt inlaid with rubies around his waist, exuding an air of nobility. At this moment, his gaze was fixed on Shen Man, his eyes deep and unfathomable, making it difficult to fathom his thoughts.

Shen Man did not recognize the three presiding judges sitting at the head of the table. She had only heard Zhi Mo mention them on the way here, and she remembered them.

In the center of the courtroom, Lin Simiao knelt, dressed in a white prison uniform. His hair was disheveled, his face was covered in stubble, and his eyes were dull and empty; he was no longer the handsome young man he once was.

On the left and right sides of the courtroom stood the families of Lin Simiao and Zhou Yu, respectively.

At this moment, the women of the Lin family were sobbing, their tears soaking their handkerchiefs and ruining their makeup. Their sorrowful appearance evoked pity; the men, on the other hand, had furrowed brows, were worried, and their eyes were full of anxiety and unease.

On the Zhou family's side, only a woman with two children around ten years old stood there in mourning clothes, silently shedding tears. The deep sorrow emanating from them made the atmosphere in the courtroom even more somber and oppressive.

Shen Man guessed that they must be Zhou Yu's wife and children.

Shen Man glanced around and noticed that Chu Zhiyi and Qingyang Hou were not in the courtroom, which made her somewhat suspicious.

It's understandable that Marquis Qingyang didn't come, since he is Lin Simiao's father-in-law and should avoid suspicion.

However, Chu Zhiyi is one of the most important witnesses in this case. If he doesn't come, it's unlikely that his testimony alone will be enough to convict Lin Simiao.

“Ding Man, as a witness, you shall truthfully recount the details of this case as you know them. If there is even a single falsehood, you shall be severely punished.” Minister of Justice Yuan Kai’s booming voice rang out, echoing in the courtroom.

Shen Man nodded gently, her expression calm and composed. She sorted out her thoughts and said, "Your Excellency, regarding the case of Lord Zhou's murder, His Highness the First Prince has already determined that the murderer is Lin Simiao when we were in Qirong."

However, just as Shen Man finished speaking, a commotion was heard from the left side of the courtroom.

It turned out to be Lin Simiao's wife, Shen Qing. Upon hearing Shen Man's words, she suddenly stood up, pointed a trembling hand at Shen Man, and shouted angrily, "You woman, don't you dare to make false accusations! My husband is usually humble and polite, how could he do such a heinous thing as murder? Someone must have ulterior motives and is trying to frame him!"

At first, Shen Qing was immersed in grief and kept her head down crying, completely unaware of Shen Man's arrival.

Only when she heard her point out her husband did she look up at her.

However, with just one glance, Shen Qing confirmed her identity from the striking resemblance between Shen Man and Shen Han's faces—the woman before him was none other than her younger sister, who had been abandoned by her mother for many years.

Shen Qing never imagined that her first meeting with this younger sister would be in the courtroom where her husband was being tried, and that the two of them would be on opposite sides.