The First Auxiliary Road from the Imperial Examination

Chapter 1182 Confrontation

"Cen, Shi!" Princess Hong'an still had a bit of rationality before she met Concubine Cen. But after hearing Concubine Cen's words, the little rationality she had left collapsed in an instant. She was so angry that she didn't even care about the most basic decency and squeezed out a name that she shouldn't call out through gritted teeth.

Concubine Cen was not angry when she saw this. She gently rolled up her sleeves and looked directly into the other person's eyes filled with anger: "Hong'an, you disregarded the emperor's order and violated the rules to set foot here. It is already a crime. If you continue to ignore the emperor's authority and roar outside the palace, bringing shame to the royal family, that is a crime on top of a crime! The Jiangchu royal family has treated you well. The two previous emperors have treated you with great favor, and the current emperor also respects you. As an elder, are you going to make mistakes again and again and make the Jiangchu royal family lose face?"

"Cen! Aren't all the faults of this palace caused by you?! What confidence do you have to scold me so righteously?" Princess Hong'an pointed at Shu Yajing who was standing aside and questioned, "Shu has rarely appeared in public. All external affairs have always been handled by Nanny He who was appointed by the Empress Dowager. Since the prince Weixu entered the palace, Nanny He also left the capital and returned to her hometown on the pretext of recuperation. How did Shu know about the affairs of the palace?"

Concubine Cen glanced at Shu Yajing and said, "Hong'an, are you trying to say that the old woman told Concubine Shu that the prince was poisoned?"

"Whether it's true or not, we both know it, so why bother pretending?!" Princess Hong'an sneered and pointed at the other party, "I don't know why you hate Yongping so much, but don't forget that justice is clear! What's fake is fake! If you want to call a horse a zebra, you have to see if I agree or not!"

"What a clear justice!" Concubine Cen's patience seemed to have run out. She suddenly raised her voice and shouted, which scared Princess Hong'an.

"Hong'an, I originally wanted to save your face. If you are stubborn and refuse to calm down, then don't blame me for lifting the fig leaf of Yongping before the three judges take over!"

Princess Hong'an's eyebrows jumped when Concubine Cen said this.

Seeing her stunned, Concubine Cen seemed to soften her heart again. After a low sigh, she softened her tone and asked softly, "Hong'an, I want to ask you, are you sure you know everything Yongping has done?"

"What do you mean?" Princess Hong'an's expression became somewhat curious.

Although she thinks highly of herself, she knows that she cannot possibly know everything Yongping has done.

"What do you mean?" Concubine Cen snorted, took out a not-so-thin booklet from her sleeve, and threw it over. "This is the evidence of Yongping's crimes that the Internal Guard has temporarily obtained. Take a good look at it!"

When she said this, she did not lower her voice intentionally, so when the audience heard it, the sudden buzzing sound in the scene was like a pot of boiling water.

  Princess Hong'an's face suddenly turned pale. She didn't expect that Concubine Cen would convict Yongping in public!

If she had no one to lean on, how could Concubine Cen be so ruthless? !

Thinking of Concubine Cen's possible reliance, beads of sweat rolled down Princess Hong'an's forehead.

In an instant, the fog in her head that she couldn't figure out suddenly dissipated.

All the unclear reasons now have answers.

"Your Majesty..." Princess Hong'an was so excited that she almost blurted out her guess.

"The emperor is too lenient towards Yongping! Even if the inner guards found irrefutable evidence, the emperor still couldn't bear to convict her! But she herself is rebellious and incompetent, yet irritable and conceited, and she has failed the emperor's love and care!" Concubine Cen reacted quickly. When she heard something wrong, she hurriedly took over the conversation and blocked what Princess Hong'an wanted to say.

"Hong'an, I know you love your daughter dearly, but as the Grand Princess of the court, even if you can't sacrifice your relatives for the sake of justice, you shouldn't be irrational and biased. The world provides wealth for your Grand Princess's Mansion. What you and your daughter eat, wear, and use, which one is not from the grain tax of the people of Da Chu? Which one is not the favor given to you by three generations of emperors?

Since you have enjoyed this benefit, you should fulfill your due obligations! At the very least, you, Hongan, should be ashamed of raising an unworthy daughter like Yongping!"

Concubine Cen spoke all the words in one breath, her eyes never leaving the book in Princess Hong'an's hand.

"Concubine Cen, shouldn't this kind of evidence be handed over to the Three Judicial Departments? How could you give it to Grand Princess Hong'an privately? Could it be that you two are going to protect each other and make a big thing into a small one?!"

Shu Yajing found the opportunity, staggered to her feet, and glared at Concubine Cen and Princess Hong'an.

After her reminder, the attention of the surrounding spectators was once again focused on Princess Hong'an and the other two.

"Why are you so anxious?!" Concubine Cen looked at her, then looked around, "Although the old woman is old, she is not confused! She should be the first to obey the law and set an example for the royal family and noble relatives."

After saying this, she looked around for a long while before looking at Shu Yajing: "Of course, the internal guards cannot have only one copy of the evidence. The Third Law Courts must have another, more detailed booklet."

"Hmph!" Shu Yajing heard this and continued to glare at Grand Princess Hong'an, reminding Concubine Cen, "Then you should suggest that the inner guards conduct a detailed investigation. It is possible that Princess Yongping missed the gift, and about 90% of it was done by Grand Princess Hong'an and her husband!"

"Ms. Shu, you need to stop!" Princess Hong'an turned her head and looked over, staring at Shu Yajing hatefully, "You are just a little concubine of the Prince Zhao's Palace! You are lucky enough to give birth to the Prince Zhao's posthumous child, so you can have a seat in front of me, but don't forget your status! You are not qualified to say everything!"

"It's true that you are the Grand Princess appointed by the Emperor, and I am indeed nothing in front of you! But your daughter poisoned my son, and I am the victim!

This is a place governed by the laws of the Great Chu State. Do you think that the victims are inferior to you lawless criminals?!"

Shu Yajing said this, tears rolled down her eyes: "When the three judicial officials try the case, I will stand with you in the Dali Temple. You can see if there is any place for me to speak!"

"You, you, you... Good! Good! Good!" Princess Hong'an laughed in anger and nodded slowly, "I don't care who ordered you to do this. When the three judicial departments have investigated the case and cleared my son's name, I will make you pay for your nonsense!"

"That depends on whether you, the Grand Princess, have this opportunity!" Shu Yajing was not afraid at all. Her almond-shaped eyes stared at Grand Princess Hong'an, like a falcon looking for an opportunity to dive.

"All right!" Concubine Cen took over the conversation before Princess Hong'an could lose her temper. "Since both of you have your reasons, then go to the Dali Temple with me! It just so happens that I have a petition in my hand that I need to present in court!"