NFBE Chapter 247 Who is the Pawn in the Game?
Chapter 247 Who is the Pawn in the Game?
King Xiang was escorted out of the palace by the imperial guards, his back view showing a disheveled state.
Princess Xiang was about to leave with them, but the moment she stepped out of the Imperial Study, she was stopped by a soft call from Consort Xian.
"Ying'er, come with me to Liuxia Palace for a chat."
Princess Consort Xiang, also known as Wang Nongying, was stunned for a moment, then silently followed Consort Xian to Liuxia Palace.
Unlike the other concubines who loved porcelain paintings, Consort Xian only loved wielding swords and spears. The Liuxia Palace was filled with swords and weapons, but they were all unsharpened.
Emperor Wenjing's affection for Consort Xian allowed her to retain her unique hobbies, but he did not trust that the sharp blade in her hand would never be turned against him.
Consort Xian led Wang Nongying to the martial arts training ground of Liuxia Palace. She tossed Wang Nongying an unsharpened longsword, raised her chin, and said, "Will you spar with me for a few moves?"
Wang Nongying held the long sword, her eyes showing a hint of helplessness.
She doesn't even know how to hold a longsword, how could she use it?
However, she raised her eyes and met the Empress's gaze, nodding with a slight smile, "Yes, your daughter-in-law will keep you company."
When Consort Xian saw that she had agreed, a hint of approval flashed in her eyes. Then, she moved like lightning and attacked first.
Her moves were fierce, each sword strike carrying a powerful gust of wind; though unsharpened, they were still incredibly powerful.
Wang Nongying was flustered and could only barely parry; the long sword in her hand seemed extremely clumsy.
After several rounds, Wang Nongying was panting heavily and her clothes were disheveled.
Consort Xian showed no sign of stopping, her attacks becoming even more ferocious. As she attacked, she said, "In this palace, in this royal family, how can one survive if one doesn't even have the power to protect oneself?"
Wang Nongying bit her lip, dodging the attacks, and replied, "Your Majesty, I understand, but I have never practiced martial arts."
Before she could finish speaking, a sharp "snap" rang out, and the long sword in Wang Nongying's hand was knocked to the ground by the Consort Xian.
The virtuous concubine deftly sheathed her sword, gazing intently at her, "As long as you're alive, you can learn anything you don't know."
“Rui’er is still young. With a mother like you to guide her, I am very relieved.”
Upon hearing this, Wang Nongying froze, her eyes trembling uncontrollably.
She slowly lowered her head, trying to hide the complex emotions in her eyes.
Her voice trembled slightly: "Your Majesty, what...does it mean?"
She knew that as the Princess Consort of Xiang, she had failed to protect him at a crucial moment and instead betrayed him. If this got out, even if it was true that the Prince of Xiang had committed evil, others would still condemn her as cold-blooded and heartless.
Consort Xian only had one son, Prince Xiang. Now that she had harmed Prince Xiang, how could Consort Xian easily forgive her...
Thinking this, Wang Nongying was filled with fear.
She wasn't afraid of being punished or dying; she was only afraid that Rui'er would be implicated by her.
She knelt down immediately and said urgently, "Mother! Rui'er... he's just a child, he doesn't understand anything."
"If your daughter-in-law is wrong, she is willing to take full responsibility. Mother, whatever punishment you wish to give her, she will accept!"
Consort Xian seemed to be startled by her sudden action.
He frowned and pulled her up.
When did I say I would punish you?
Wang Nongying subconsciously let out a soft "ah".
Consort Xian picked up the long sword from the ground and handed it to Wang Nongying, her eyes filled with deep meaning: "The one who deserves punishment and death is the one who is wrong. You have done nothing wrong."
"Even if Li Ming is sentenced to death this time, you don't need to feel guilty about his fate."
"He is where he is today not because of your evidence, but because of his own many evil deeds."
"No one is worth giving up your life for."
Wang Nongying held the sword, her fingers trembling slightly, and hot tears welling up in her slightly reddened eyes.
"Mother, how did you know..."
How did you know she wanted to commit suicide?
Consort Xian sighed softly, raised her hand to wipe away the tears from the corners of her eyes, and a hint of pity appeared in her eyes: "Ying'er, although you try your best to hide it, your eyes cannot lie. From the moment you stepped into Liuxia Palace, I noticed the despair and determination that flashed in your eyes from time to time."
Wang Nongying's lips trembled slightly, "Mother...don't you really think I'm the one who harmed the Prince?"
The virtuous concubine gazed at her, her tone firm: "As the Prince of Xiang, he should have been dutiful and protected his people, but he acted recklessly and committed many unforgivable crimes."
"You're just stating the truth."
Wang Nongying's tears instantly burst forth, falling like pearls from a broken string. She wept silently, as if she had finally found an outlet to release her inner pain and repression.
The Consort Xian stood quietly to the side, letting her cry and vent her emotions. It took half a cup of tea for Wang Nongying to stop crying.
She knelt down again and kowtowed to Consort Xian, saying, "Your daughter-in-law will remember your teachings, Mother."
Consort Xian pulled Wang Nongying to sit down on a stone bench and poured her a cup of tea.
While Wang Nongying was drinking tea, he spoke with a deep gaze, "You've endured so much for Rui'er all these years, why did you stand up and expose him this time?"
Wang Nongying's hand holding the teacup suddenly trembled, and a few drops of tea spilled out.
She parted her lips slightly, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated, ultimately uttering no sound.
Consort Xian looked at her, lowered her eyes, and said indifferently, "The day before yesterday, you met with the newly recognized legitimate daughter of the Duke of Anguo's mansion at the Jade Pavilion."
Her tone was firm; she wasn't asking questions, but calmly stating the facts.
Wang Nongying gripped the teacup tighter, and after a long while, she said softly, "Yes, Mother."
"Your daughter-in-law greets Miss Yu."
She said that a woman lives not for her husband or son, but for herself.
"I want to live for myself for once."
……
outside the palace.
Although no one deliberately publicized the news of the Prince of Xiang's confinement, everyone's eyes were on the progress of the rebellion by the Li people of Yuanbei, so they naturally learned of it immediately.
The Emperor ordered that Prince Xiang be confined to his residence and that the Court of Judicial Review, the Ministry of Justice, and the Censorate conduct a joint trial.
This means they no longer intend to protect King Xiang.
Yu Wan immediately shared this good news with Grandma Sheng.
Grandma Sheng burst into tears of joy, tightly holding Yu Wan's hand, and asked between sobs, "Miss Yu, now that the Emperor is no longer protecting Prince Xiang, can the Dali Temple also try Rong Xi's case?"
Yu Wan took a handkerchief to wipe away her tears and nodded with a smile, "Yes, Grandma, the Dali Temple has found enough evidence and will probably hold a trial soon. Everyone will know about the Prince of Xiang's evil deeds, and he will pay the price."
"Yes, yes, Miss Yu, thank you!"
"I'm so happy, so happy..."
However, her tears flowed even more fiercely.
"Rongxi, my dear granddaughter, those who harmed you will soon pay the price."
Grandma Sheng eventually fainted from crying.
Yu Wan had someone help her back to rest. When she turned her head, she saw Yun Shang standing at the courtyard gate.
He stood there quietly, his body as straight as a pine tree, his deep black eyes fixed on her, as if he could see into the depths of her soul.
Yu Wan felt inexplicably guilty for a second, then raised her voice and said, "It's not time to go off duty yet, why are you back?"
Yun Shang strode over, grabbed Yu Wan's wrist, and pulled her into the bedroom without a word.
He moved too fast; by the time Yu Wan reacted, Yun Shang had already pinned her against the door.
Yu Wan's dazed mind finally came to its senses, and she instinctively struggled a few times, asking, "What are you doing?"
Yun Shang lowered his head, leaned slightly closer to her, his dark eyes cold and deep, "Yu Wan, you have quite the nerve."
"They actually dared to treat the Princess Consort of Xiang and the Virtuous Consort as pawns."