C60 Part2

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After receiving the pardon, the young talents were finally able to leave the Palace and return to their respective mansions, all in a swarm.

At this time, in the main Hall of the Wuying Palace, the short desks were withdrawn, leaving only the desk that Fan Xiao Wen had used, standing there alone, as if telling the deceased's wrongs.

Murong Ci and Murong Yu were still there waiting in the side Hall.

Shen Zhiyan was standing on Murong Ci's side, and a group of people from the Ministry of Etiquettes and Rituals were waiting on Murong Yu's side.

In such a comparison, the number of people was very different, and the momentum was also different.

Murong Ci and Shen Zhiyan looked at each other, while Murong Yu looked in her eyes, and suddenly felt bored.

All three of them knew that Concubine Rong could completely shirk the blame, and it was very difficult for her to confess her guilt.

"Concubine Rong is here!"

The insider's announcement came from outside.

The voice fell to the ground, and a woman in her thirties walked in neatly and smoothly, not like an ordinary beauty.

Although her appearance was dignified and beautiful, she wasn't really the most beautiful among the beauties in the Harem.

However, she was born in the Rong Clan, one of the Four Great Families, and it was only natural for her to be a member of the Concubines in the Harem.

The Emperor favored the daughters of the Four Great Families, in order to control and maintain a balance in the powers of the various families and multiple factions.

For the Four Great Families, having a daughter in the Harem was a guarantee and a consolidation of their court status.

Concubine Rong had been in the Palace slightly less than Concubine Qiao, but she was considered an old woman already.

Because her appearance was only average, she was not very favored at the beginning.

Ever since Concubine Xiao became the favorite of the Emperor, he didn't see Concubine Rong for half a year.

For so many years that she's been in the Harem, she only gave birth to Princess Jinyang.

She was a Concubine with lack of favor and thus her status wasn't any better of a "Straw-Bag Prince", let alone a powerful Royal King.

However, she didn't salute them, and just gave them a light ceremonial bow.

Murong Ci asked her to sit down and said with a clear smile,

"Concubine Rong, my apologies for making you come to the Wuying Hall all of a sudden."

Concubine Rong took a seat and said with a smile:

"How come? Your Royal Highness, Prince Regent, I don't know, what's the urgency?"

Duke Rong Guo, her elder brother, was a general.

In the past few decades, there were only three generals of prestige in the Country, and their fame lasted for a while with their reputation growing more and more.

Although Concubine Rong had been living in the Harem with its etiquettes and rules for so many years, her attitude and behaviors were still that of a member of her Rong Clan, and she acted very straightforwardly.

That being said, no one ever thought that the Rong Clan would actually produce a great talent like Rong Qing Ting.

"This Prince and the Royal King summoned you here to ask Concubine Rong about some things.

We have a few doubts, so please answer these questions."

Murong Ci smiled and waved outwards.

"Your Royal Highness, please ask.

This Consort will answer to everything that is in my knowledge."

Concubine Rong replied right away.

"I heard that the servant Xiao Yongzi was expelled from the Palace by Concubine Rong three years ago.

Is that true?"

"That's true.

Xiao Yongzi made mistakes again and again, and he was expelled by this Consort.

Later on, I heard that he was deployed to the Wuying Palace as a errand."

"I wonder, what are the mistakes he made?"

"Xiao Yongzi had been in the Palace for many years, and he was in charge of this Consort's bedroom at that time.

I always paid attention to the work of the servants in the Palace.

In those days, he was very competent, agile, and careful in his job, so I praised him and promoted him to be the chief of the servants, and asked him to take good care of my bedroom.

This Consort just couldn't have expected that a few years later, he would have started gambling outside the Palace, and ultimately would have set up a private gambling game in my bedroom.

After learning about it, I scolded him severely and beat him twenty times with a wooden board as punishment."

The Concubine sighed slightly, with a very regretful tone,

"When I saw that he had learned his lesson and seemed really repentant, I gave him another chance.

I could never have expected that he would still repeat his mistake and once again set up a private gambling game in my bedroom making it smoky and messy.

This time I hardened my heart and drove him out."

"It turns out that's the case."

Murong Ci looked at Shen Zhiyan, curled her lips and said,

"Then, Concubine Rong, have you never seen him again in the past three years?"

"I haven't seen him ever since.

I'm a very simple person, and it's rare for me to go outside the Palace or to the Imperial Garden.

After what he had done, how could I see him?"

Concubine Rong regretted finding out about these things, and then said,

"Oh, wait. I just remembered.

I did see him on pass by the Palace road a few days ago."

At this time, Xiao Yongzi was brought in and knelt down to worship the Lords.

His eyes glanced at Concubine Rong, and he instinctively retracted his gaze, seemingly guilty.

Concubine Rong remained calm with her complexion as usual.

Murong Ci asked,

"Xiao Yongzi, Concubine Rong is here.

So please explain your grievances face to face."

Xiao Yongzi had his head down.

Thinking of his family, his parents, and his elder brother's families who would be affected by him, he hardened his heart and gritted his teeth, saying:

"Your Royal Highness, this servant already confessed his sins, but I and Master Fan had no grievances or enmity, and I had no reason to kill him.

This minion wouldn't dare to harm him even if I had the courage to.

Concubine Rong instructed me to harm Master Fan."

Concubine Rong's complexion changed slightly, and her long eyelashes trembled, but she still didn't change her facial expression,

"Xiao Yongzi, how could you frame this Consort with nonsenses?

Why would I ask you to harm people?

Three years ago, this Consort was the most benevolent and righteous to you, chasing you out of the Palace, without reporting you or handing you over to the Internal Servant Bureau.

So how dare, now, you spit out lies to frame me?

This Consort must have really been blind back then when promoting you, and I ended up raising a dog that turned out to be a viscous and ungrateful wolf..."

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END of CHAPTER 60 PART 2

.....................to be continued