Chapter Seven, Clearing the Innocence

As he spoke, a mysterious glimmer subtly emanated from his gaze, directed towards the crimson pupils.

Ning Jiang turned around again, staring intently at Ning Ji and the others. Among these individuals, some were already secretly regretting their actions. They had originally thought that Ning Jiang, who had just come of age and had little experience of the world, would be easy to deceive. However, they did not expect that overnight, he seemed to have transformed into a different person. Yet, at this point, the situation had reached a critical juncture; it was either a fight to the death or a complete collapse. If they did not defeat Ning Jiang today, once he became the head of the family and the patriarch of the Ning clan, they would not have good days ahead either.

Ning Jiang's righteous demeanor and bold invitation for them to testify further led them to begin believing that he was indeed wronged and framed. However, they were unaware that this was also a part of Ning Jiang's psychological strategy. Under the clear sky, in front of everyone, he openly expressed his trust in them, which not only elevated their sense of pride and honor but also instilled in them a subconscious desire to uphold justice for the young master of the Ning family, thus unwittingly aligning them with Ning Jiang's side.

And a great deity above her shouted: "Chao Hong ... ... "

Ning Jiang stood beside and forcefully pushed him away, shouting at the pregnant woman named Zhao Hong: "Zhao Hong, people are watching, heaven is watching, and the elders and fellow villagers are watching. I ask you, whose child is in your belly?"

Zhao Hong shrank back, panicking as she glanced at Ning Ji, then at Ning Jiang. Ning Jiang stared at her and coldly said: "You better think carefully. Do not say that the world has no black and white; there are deities three feet above your head! If you dare to publicly slander and frame the loyal and good, you will surely enter the Tongue-Pulling Hell after death, suffering a thousand cuts and mutilations, and will not be able to be reborn"

Zhao Hong was already terrified to the point of losing all color in her face. Suddenly, she felt as if she were truly in hell, surrounded by demons wielding hooks for pulling tongues, scissors for cutting tongues, and knives for slicing flesh, all ominous and fearsome in appearance

"Is it I who am not abiding by the law, or are you the ones who are wantonly slandering me with the intent to frame me?" Ning Jiang spoke loudly, "Yesterday was the day of my crowning ceremony, and you casually found a few women I have never seen before, accusing me of calling for courtesans during the period of mourning, completely denying me the opportunity to defend myself before pushing me into the lake. Even for the crime of deceiving the emperor, there is still a trial by the three divisions; yet you frame me and still do not allow anyone to speak in my defense?"

Ning Jiang pointed at the five women and said sternly: "If I, Ning Jiang, am truly unfilial, I would rather die in a crash. But what if they are wrongfully accusing and framing me?"

Zhao Hong shuddered and suddenly fell to the ground, crying out: "The child in my womb belongs to Young Master Cheng!"

The crowd shouted: "Strip them of their clothes and drown them!" "Take them away and put them in pig cages!" "Isn't that Xiao Fengxiang from the Fenxiang Building? If what she says could be true, even sows would climb trees." "Isn't that Zhu Jie'er from the Hongyao? What wouldn't she do for money? For that little bit of money, she'd strip naked and parade in the streets for you!" "Young Master Ning has already signed his death warrant; if they are framing us, we will kill them." "Yes, yes, this is only fair; let's all take action together, the authorities can't do anything about it." ... ...

The five women listened to the clamor of voices around them, each one trembling with fear, completely at a loss as to what to do.

They took on this business solely for the sake of money, yet who would have thought it would escalate to a life-and-death situation, a gamble for their lives? Each of them is of low status, and if the public were to become enraged, they might truly rush forward together to kill them; the authorities would likely just adopt a policy of not holding the crowd accountable.

Ning Ji was silenced by a remark from Ning Jiang and the laughter of the crowd, unable to speak. However, the few people beside him had all been promised benefits by Ning Ji. If Ning Ji did not become the head of the family and the leader of the Ning clan, the grand prospects he had painted for them would also come to nothing

The crowd shouted in unison: "No!"

Ning Jiang loudly questioned twice to elevate the atmosphere, greatly flattering the crowd. In the process of responding loudly, the crowd was completely unaware that they had transformed from "bystanders" into participants

The situation in Ningji's secret passage is dire, and Ningjiang has unexpectedly signed a death contract, wagering his life against those few women. The amount of money he has paid them is not sufficient to compel them to risk their lives for him. He hurriedly turned to the pregnant woman and asked, "Zhaohong, I ask you..."

Yesterday, at the Ningjiang ceremony, all those present were from Ningji. The vast majority of people here were actually unaware of what had transpired. They only heard afterward that the young master of the Ning family was publicly exposed, unable to explain himself, and in a fit of anger, accidentally fell into the water. It was only at this moment that they realized Ningji and others had not given him a chance to explain before pushing him into the lake, which left everyone feeling aggrieved

The crowd shouted in unison: "Agreed!" The atmosphere was as if ignited by a fierce fire, instantly reaching a climax.

"Chao Hong," Ning Jiang, looking down from a height, questioned Chao Hong, "Whose child is it that you are carrying?"

Under his soul-capturing technique, the morning red appeared as if placed in hell, wailing: "It is indeed Young Master Ning Yicheng."

A loud shout: "Everyone, what do you say, is it feasible?"

Suddenly turning around, he exclaimed: "Everyone, tell me, is there any reason for this?"

Several servants rushed down, and before long, five heavily made-up young women were brought over. Among them, one had a slightly protruding abdomen, clearly indicating that she was pregnant. Ning Ji stood up straight, straightened his waist, and was about to have them testify. However, Ning Jiang would not allow him to speak first. Suddenly stepping forward, he pointed at the five women and loudly declared to the crowd, "Dear villagers, it was these five who claimed that I, Ning Jiang, was fooling around with them in front of my father's spirit yesterday. Yet I, Ning Jiang, can swear to the heavens that I had never seen them before that day."

"Nonsense, she is talking nonsense," Ning Ji said, exasperated, "Cheng Er would never do such a thing..."

The reason people are busy and toil throughout their lives is simply for the sake of profit. Although these are not originally theirs, seeing the imminent benefits being compromised is like a cooked duck flying away; how can one accept such a loss? One elderly man stood up with a grunt: "Ning Jiang, the virtues of filial piety and brotherly love are the greatest principles in the world. Your father was the clan leader of the Ning family, yet you do not uphold the rites and laws..."

The surroundings suddenly fell silent, leaving only the sound of Zhao Hong's excessive sobbing on the ground. Ning Jiang took a couple of steps with his hands behind his back, looked at Zhao Hong, and slowly said: "The Young Master Cheng you mentioned, could it be Ning Yicheng?"

Unforeseen was the fact that in order to clear his name, Ning Jiang had even written down his death warrant. The crowd surged forward, eager to take a look. Those unable to see from the front pushed to the sides, and in an instant, Ning Ji, the elderly individuals beside him, and the five women were all encircled in the center, some with ashen faces, others pale as death

"To catch a thief, one must catch the stolen goods; to catch an adulterer, one must catch both parties!" As more and more local dignitaries gathered to watch the spectacle, Ning Jiang spoke sternly, "Today, all the esteemed elders and fellow villagers are present. People act, and heaven observes. I, Ning Jiang, not only believe in heaven but also in all of you esteemed elders. The eyes of the elders and fellow villagers are sharp as snow. Yesterday, they accused me of being unfilial; today, let them present their evidence. Right and wrong, all shall be judged by you, the fellow villagers."

"Please bring the witness!" the old man said, bracing himself.

Although only his soul successfully traversed back with the "Breaking the Universe" technique, at this moment, Ning Jiang's body was merely that of an ordinary youth. However, this fragment of his soul after rebirth had already reached the "Golden Soul" level, far surpassing that of an ordinary person. The eyes are the windows to the soul and the portals of the spirit. He used his powerful mental strength to perform the soul-capturing technique he had learned in Xiling on Chaohong.

Ning Jiang disdainfully said: "What about your son who is already locked up in prison?"

Pointing to the stone pillar beside him: "Today, if they can truly prove that I, Ning Jiang, have committed any act of filial impiety, I will die here before everyone, in honor of my father's spirit." Suddenly, he took out a piece of paper from his sleeve: "The death warrant is here, everyone may observe!"