Chapter 271

Chapter 271 Xie Run stepped forward two paces. "So you're saying the Eldest Young Master deliberately intended to harm Consort Sun?" Chang Kuan was so frightened by these words that he fell to his knees. "Your servant wouldn't dare speculate—I only reported what I saw with my own eyes!" "They said Consort Xie is lenient and merciful, and that if I confessed now, I might receive a lighter punishment. Otherwise, once the Prince returns, I fear even my life may be hard to keep..." It was precisely because the people around him kept muttering about this that Chang Kuan, with his mouse-sized courage, dared to come to Spring Mountain Courtyard to turn himself in. "Your servant dares to swear to heaven that there is not a single word of falsehood in what I've said!" "Though I have no evidence, the people around the Eldest Young Master can testify on my behalf!" Xie Run said, "I will naturally send someone to question the people around the Eldest Young Master. It's not as if whatever you say goes." Xie Run thought for a moment. "The Eldest Young Master's current situation is also related to your knowing and not reporting, and your negligent service. In any case, you cannot escape this punishment." "Your servant is willing to accept punishment, I only beg Consort Xie to spare my master's life." "Your crime isn't that severe." Xie Run said, "Then go receive twenty strokes of the board first." She thought for a moment: "You can no longer serve by the Eldest Young Master's side from now on. Go to the stables and help wash the horses." Upon hearing this, Chang Kuan kowtowed repeatedly, expressing his gratitude. This punishment was actually somewhat heavy. Xie Run felt that Chang Kuan was rather innocent as well. Though the Eldest Young Master was young, he was stubborn and vicious—not someone a mere servant boy like Chang Kuan could admonish. The Eldest Young Master's closeness to Chang Kuan might well have been because Chang Kuan lacked opinions of his own and was easy to manipulate—tell him east and he wouldn't dare go west. Chang Kuan was the Eldest Young Master's servant. Even if he knew the Eldest Young Master was doing something wrong, how would he dare to go against his master's wishes? But in matters like this, reason couldn't be argued. Chang Kuan was the one who served the Eldest Young Master. If the Eldest Young Master got into trouble, then it meant he hadn't served well, and he deserved punishment. What the household staff muttered wasn't wrong either. Falling into Xie Run's hands meant merely receiving a punishment. If they waited until Prince Jing returned to the residence and investigated who was responsible, they feared even their lives might be at stake. After all, no matter how wrong the Eldest Young Master was, he was still Prince Jing's own son. By punishing Chang Kuan heavily now, when Prince Jing heard about it later, at least his anger would be appeased, and he wouldn't fly into a rage and make trouble. Xie Run punished Chang Kuan, then had someone write down his confession and press his fingerprint on it. Two copies were made—one sent to the Princess Consort, and one sent to Guard Jin Yuan at the front courtyard. Xiaoshu teased from the side, "I've been in the Prince's residence for quite a few years now, but this is the first time I've seen you handle matters this way, mistress." "It's like trying a case at the Court of Judicial Review—a bit troublesome, but who did what and who said what are all perfectly clear. They won't be able to change their stories later!" Xie Run smiled, thinking to herself that she wanted to leave a paper trail, to prevent anyone from changing their story later and splashing dirty water on her. She was not the Princess Consort. She didn't have the authority accumulated over years, nor the power to have her word be final. She could only use such methods to protect herself. Dantao collected the confession and organized it carefully: "According to what Chang Kuan said, the Eldest Young Master wanted to harm Consort Sun, but who would have thought he'd end up harming himself instead." Xie Run walked to the window, looking at the newly sprouted flowers. "Do you remember where the Eldest Young Master and Consort Sun were standing?" Both Dantao and Xiaoshu showed curiosity in their eyes. "When we rushed over, a group of people were all tumbled together. We truly didn't notice that detail." Xie Run's fingertip rested on the newly emerged flower bud as she said softly, "I deliberately looked at the rockery twice at the time." "If the original crack in the rockery hadn't been repaired, Jiang Baobao should have fallen slightly forward." "That position would only have hit Consort Sun, not harmed the Eldest Young Master who was standing opposite her." "Though the Eldest Young Master is young, he's somewhat clever. He guessed that Nanny Mu was planning to scheme behind his back. Without revealing anything, he used Nanny Mu's scheme to drag Consort Sun into it." From beginning to end, the Eldest Young Master only wanted Consort Sun to suffer misfortune. As for him being hit, it was entirely because Xie Run had people repair the rockery in advance, causing Jiang Baobao's scheme to go wrong—an accident. In a sense, it was the same as Jiang Baobao—reaping what one sows. The two maidservants fell into silence upon hearing Xie Run's words. At that moment, the malice of a child was laid bare before their eyes. Xie Run continued, "Moreover, with the Eldest Young Master being this clever, who knows whether he's truly simple-minded or faking it." The two maidservants immediately looked up in shock. "Does mistress mean that the Eldest Young Master's dementia might be an act?!" Xie Run shook her head: "I'm only speculating." "A child full of malice and ruthlessness—I have no choice but to speculate about him with the greatest ill will." Dantao said uneasily, "Mistress, if the Eldest Young Master isn't truly simple but is faking it, what should we do?" "What should we do?" Xie Run smiled. "Do nothing." "They say to play the pig to eat the tiger, but if you play the pig for too long, sooner or later you'll become one with the pig." A simpleton—whether truly or falsely so—the education he received and the resources he obtained in the future would be far inferior to those of a normal child in the Prince's residence. Play the pig for too long, and he could only become a real pig. "Whether he is truly foolish or pretending to be, we must do what needs to be done." Xie Run pondered for a moment. "Once Chang Kuan's words are sent out, the Eldest Young Master may not be able to live in peace." Xiaoshu said, "Consort Sun has enraged Consort Jiang to the point where she has only one breath left. If she learns that her disfigurement was deliberately orchestrated by the Eldest Young Master, she will hardly let the matter rest." Xie Run could not allow anything else to happen to the Eldest Young Master for now; otherwise, when Prince Jing returned, he would likely view her with displeasure no matter what she did. "Go to the front courtyard and have Guard Jin Yuan send men to protect the Eldest Young Master well. Do not let him come to the rear courtyard unless necessary." The front and rear courtyards of the Prince's residence were strictly separated. As long as the Eldest Young Master stayed out of the rear courtyard during this period, Consort Sun's reach would not extend there for the time being. Xie Run sought only this temporary peace for now. As soon as the information Xie Run had uncovered was delivered to the Green Pine Courtyard, Consort Sun's side learned of it quickly as well. After listening to what her maidservant said, she was stunned for a long while, unable to collect her thoughts. Her hand unconsciously fell upon her veiled cheek. Even through the veil, she could still feel the hideous scar on that side of her face. Consort Sun's voice trembled slightly. "You're saying that the one who destroyed my face... the culprit behind it all is merely a child of a few years old?!" Tao Yao said uneasily, "Mistress, could it be that Consort Xie, in order to exonerate Consort Jiang, deliberately shifted the blame onto the Eldest Young Master?" Before Consort Sun could speak, Mama Du had already affirmed, "Impossible!" "Since when have Consort Xie and Consort Jiang ever had a good relationship? Why would she fabricate lies to frame the Prince's Eldest Young Master for Consort Jiang's sake?" "Moreover, observing Consort Xie's conduct, she has always been quite fair-minded... Since she dares to say that the Eldest Young Master harmed our mistress, the evidence must be conclusive." Consort Sun clutched a comb tightly in her hand, nearly crushing the ivory comb to pieces. "I calculated every possibility, guarded against every threat, yet never once imagined I would be ruined by a mere child!" "Because of this ruined face, I wished nothing more than to die together with Jiang Baobao, to slash her face to pieces as well." "Now she lies on her bed with only one breath left—she deserves it! It's retribution!"