Chapter 51

Chapter 51: The Imperial Petition "Don't you dare speak nonsense. Rongjia could never do such a thing." Princess Consort Rong assumed an imposing stance. "Whether Rongjia was pregnant or not, the fact that Song Yu collided with her is an established fact. You can't just slander Rongjia to protect your own daughter." By deliberately bringing up Song Yu at this moment, Princess Consort Rong was warning Cui Lingrong—if she let go of her daughter, she would let go of Cui Lingrong's daughter. If Cui Lingrong insisted on a fight to the death, she would drag Song Yu down with her. The Rong Prince Mansion could still protect Rongjia, but did Cui Lingrong have that kind of power? Their eyes met, and Cui Lingrong could see the calculation in Princess Consort Rong's eyes. The current Princess Consort Rong was insisting that Commandery Princess Rongjia herself hadn't known she wasn't pregnant, but had been deceived by others. If that were the case, then she couldn't accuse Commandery Princess Rongjia of faking a pregnancy to harm Yu-jie, so she needed to establish that Rongjia had known all along. "That's what I should be asking you, Princess Consort. Wang Shanxi's Wife kept saying that Doctor Xu had served the Rong Prince Mansion for many years and would never harm the Commandery Princess. If there were truly enmity, how could Doctor Xu have endured for so many years?" Cui Lingrong's presence was no less formidable than Princess Consort Rong's. "Or is it that you're the one trying to shield Commandery Princess Rongjia, deliberately finding a scapegoat to cover up her attempt to harm my daughter?" Her logic was clear, and she was in no way inferior to Princess Consort Rong. Princess Consort Rong sensed how troublesome this was becoming and knew she needed to take drastic measures to resolve it. "Fine, since you don't believe it, then Wang Shanxi's Wife and the others will all be taken down for interrogation together. Is that acceptable?" Their lives and livelihoods were all in her hands, and she believed no one would dare betray her daughter. Moreover, only Wang Shanxi's Wife and He Qingxue knew about the faked pregnancy. In front of everyone else, her daughter had maintained the appearance of a genuine pregnancy. Whatever Princess Consort Rong could think of, Cui Lingrong could think of as well. "Their indentures are all in the Commandery Princess's hands. Who would dare betray her? The interrogation would just be going through the motions—who knows if it's genuine or not?" "This won't do, that won't do either. Have you claimed all the reasoning for yourself?" Princess Consort Rong couldn't out-argue Cui Lingrong, so she turned to her son-in-law Song Shulan. "Song Shulan, do you not believe Rongjia either? Or is it that in your eyes, Rongjia is a malicious and vicious person?" Song Shulan immediately shook his head. "I naturally believe the Commandery Princess." "Very well, then what do you suggest we do?" Just as Princess Consort Rong finished speaking, Prince Rong arrived. Upon hearing it was Prince Rong, Song Shulan hurried out to receive him. Prince Rong entered with a fierce bearing, not even glancing at Song Shulan as he walked in, but going straight to look at Commandery Princess Rongjia on the bed. "Father." Commandery Princess Rongjia saw her father as if seeing a savior. "Sister Cui doesn't believe me." Prince Rong's brows carried a murderous edge as he whirled around. Princess Consort Rong then whispered a few words in Prince Rong's ear, and he understood the situation. "I've brought Doctor Xu here. Since your Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion doesn't trust us, you can interrogate him yourselves." In all that Cui Lingrong had learned since childhood, interrogation was never among it, nor had she ever heard of questioning criminals. If she were to conduct the interrogation, she feared nothing would come of it. At that moment, she thought of Xie Yunting. If Xie Yunting were willing to help, perhaps he really could uncover something. But before Cui Lingrong could speak, Song Shulan made the decision first. "Your son-in-law naturally trusts the Commandery Princess. This matter must be the work of villains, and Yu-jie was also mistaken." Prince Rong snorted coldly. "At least you know your place. It's just that some people refuse to let things go." At this, Prince Rong deliberately looked at Cui Lingrong. "Lady Cui, your two sons—I was the one who recommended them to the Guozijian. Have you forgotten?" He wasn't asking Cui Lingrong to repay a favor; he was threatening her. Besides Song Yu, her daughter, Cui Lingrong had two sons. Prince Rong was a member of the imperial family and on good terms with the Emperor. If he truly made a move, he could ruin the futures of Xuan-ge and his brother. Cui Lingrong was suddenly struck with alarm. Song Shulan shot her a fierce glare. "His Highness's great kindness is something we should hold dear in our hearts. Today's matter ends here. Go and comfort Yu-jie properly. From now on, no one is to speak of this again." "Marquis, you—" "Quiet!" Song Shulan, with his back to Prince Rong and his wife, mouthed the words "Xuan-ge" silently. Cui Lingrong's head immediately rang with a deafening boom. At this point in the proceedings, Song Shulan was no fool—he could sense that something was off. Still, he believed Commandery Princess Rongjia had been wronged by others. Though Rongjia had been willful in her youth, after marrying him, her temper had improved greatly. She wouldn't do something so harmful to others and herself. Moreover, there were witnesses to Yu-jie's actions. Now that the Rong Prince Mansion was dropping the matter, they should be relieved. Song Shulan walked to Cui Lingrong's side and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "If you keep pressing this, who can prove that Concubine Zhao was lying, or can you make Wang Shanxi's Wife change her testimony? Yu-jie foolishly did this thing. Fortunately, the Commandery Princess wasn't pregnant, and the Rong Prince Mansion is willing to let it go. Do you want to see Yu-jie ruined?" "In the Marquis's view, you still believe Yu-jie collided with Commandery Princess Rongjia?" Cui Lingrong asked. “And what else?” Song Shulan said quietly, his gaze fixed on Cui Lingrong. That was how he saw it. After all, Yu-jie truly did not like Princess Rongjia—anyone in the household could see that. Cui Lingrong understood now. Song Shulan did not care about the truth, nor whether Yu-jie was innocent. What mattered to him was his own future. And right now, Cui Lingrong truly could not let Wang Shanxi's Wife and the others betray Princess Rongjia. The matter was clear enough—some people simply refused to believe it, and others deemed it unimportant. Thinking of her two sons at the Guozijian, Cui Lingrong was sorely tempted to compromise, to tell herself as she always had: endure for now, wait for this to pass, then find Princess Rongjia's weakness. But what about Yu-jie? Her days ahead would be lived under suspicion—how could she stand tall in the Marquis household? Her children—every single one of them mattered! “In that case, send Doctor Xu to the authorities, and Wang Shanxi's Wife and the rest as well—have them all interrogated. Let the Magistrate of Bianjing determine what is black and what is white.” By now, Cui Lingrong had stopped caring about reputation. The reputation of the Marquis household. The reputation of the Rong Prince Mansion. To her, they all came after her daughter. At the mention of reporting the matter to the authorities, Prince Rong slammed the candlestick down hard, and Old Madame Song cried out, “No, you can't!” Song Shulan was utterly speechless, staring at Cui Lingrong as if he could not comprehend her. “What has gotten into you? If you report this to the authorities, do you want our Marquis household to become the laughingstock of Bianjing over tea and idle talk?” “Our household has long been the subject of gossip, hasn't it? When the Marquis took an Equal Wife, you didn't care about that—why think of it now?” Cui Lingrong raised her voice. Seeing Song Shulan lift his hand, she lifted her chin defiantly. “Right and wrong, the Marquis knows in his own heart. If you think I'm making a scene, then go ahead and strike me. I, Cui Lingrong, will protect my daughter today—no one is going to smear her name!” She swept her gaze across the room, looking at each person one by one, and said with deliberate emphasis, “I want my daughter to be able to stand tall and proud, to tell everyone that she has done nothing against morality, and to never be pointed at in scorn. That is my goal!” Song Shulan had never seen Cui Lingrong like this—so forceful, almost overbearing. It felt as though the old Cui Lingrong had been a hollow shell, and this was the real one. Outside, Cui Zeyu grew anxious listening in. Unable to enter, he called out loudly, “Sister, you're right! We've done nothing to be ashamed of—report it to the authorities if we must! We're not afraid!” Xie Yunting, who had been waiting impatiently in the courtyard, strode in. “This little matter and you still can't resolve it? Marquis Song, you truly lack backbone. No wonder at thirty years old, you're still a minor official of the fourth or fifth rank. Tsk tsk—the Rong Prince Mansion wants to throw its weight around, how shameless.” Xie Yunting's words landed like a sharp slap across the faces of Song Shulan and the Prince and Princess Rong. Before they could speak, he added, “Marchioness Song, don't worry. I can't stand those nobles. I'll take you to see the Emperor—we'll file a petition directly!” He relished the drama, growing more excited with each word. Cui Zeyu chimed in, “That's right, file a petition to the Emperor! We can't let Yu-jie suffer this injustice!”