That evening, the eyewitnesses in the East Market did indeed see the carriage I was in. During the ride back to the Prince Mansion, I did indeed have the coachman stop to pick up a woman. However, that person was not Meng Ying, but a maid from my household."
Li Shenbin pointed to one of his household's servants, singling out a maid of a similar age and stature to Meng Ying. "Her name is Xiao Ai," he continued. "For the Dragon Boat Festival, I gave all the servants in my house some money and let them have the day off, including her. While riding back home in the carriage, I saw her walking alone and stopped to give her a ride. Perhaps the eyewitnesses were mistaken and mistook her for Meng Ying."
Sophistry.
