Chapter 496 - 496 Definitely not having them in the residence
496 Definitely not having them in the residence
Ruan Songling did not expect her daughter to admit it so quickly.
Her cold gaze swept across the servant girl kneeling on the ground. She must not be allowed to live.
“I did not instruct her to set the fire, but she said she wanted to.”
She had already noticed that Prince Jin’s expression was extremely unsightly, so she could not admit it directly.
The maidservant’s eyes suddenly reddened. “Princess Consort, didn’t you and the princess said that both of you really can’t take this lying down and that you want to kill all these lowly commoners in Heyang County, but His Highness didn’t agree. Y’all said that it’s all because of Shi Qingluo.
“Previously, you asked the prince to send someone to set the fire, but the prince didn’t agree. You didn’t have anyone on hand, so you ordered me.
“You asked me to handle this matter clean, otherwise, my entire family will die. How would I dare to disobey?”
She kowtowed to the princess consort. “Princess consort, I didn’t expect Xiao Hanzheng to find out about the arson and then arrest me.
“I only beg you to let my family go. I am willing to admit all crimes and die.”
Ruan Songling was so angry that she fell over. “B * tch, you really know how to distort the truth. You were the one who suggested setting fire to the Xiao family.”
The maidservant continued to kowtow. “Yes, it’s all my fault.
“Princess consort, I will bear all the responsibility. Please don’t forget what you promised me.”
Then, she suddenly took out a knife from her sleeve and stabbed it into her chest.
Blood spurted out and her mouth moved.
She glanced at the princess consort and then fell to the ground.
This scene frightened many people and caught Prince Jin off guard.
Xiao Hanzheng seemed to be shocked as well.
He immediately went forward to take her pulse and looked at the maid’s eyelids.
He then sighed. “She’s dead!”
Liang Yujun hadn’t expected this maidservant to be so fierce, actually committing suicide.
However, he felt that something was not right.
He knew that Xiao Hanzheng had medical skills, but he did not trust his judgment, so he asked the general physician to check again.
The physician came forward and did the same examination.
He then stood up and said to Prince Jin, “Your Highness, she is really gone.”
Liang Yujun looked at the maidservant on the ground, feeling extremely unlucky, and even more so, he felt an indescribable anger.
She was indeed dead, but it also validated the fact that Ruan Songling had allowed her maidservant to set fire to the county office with the princess.
He was furious. He looked at Ruan Songling and asked, “What did you promise her?”
From the looks of it, this fool must have promised her something before, which was why the maidservant said that she would bear the responsibility and then commit suicide.
Ruan Songling also did not expect her to commit suicide in public.
She seemed to be in a daze. When she heard Prince Jin’s question, she shook her head. “I didn’t promise her anything!”
She had ordered her to set the fire and promised her some rewards afterwards.
She had not promised her anything else.
Liang Yujun didn’t believe her, but there was no point in saying anything now.
Now that she was dead, there was no way to prove it.
If she hadn’t insisted that the princess consort and Ordinary County Princess had instructed her to do so without further prompting, it would have been better for her to die.
Now that she had confessed everything, what was the point of dying? Instead, it would backfire.
After all, there were so many pairs of eyes watching.
He didn’t know what kind of rumors would spread after this matter was over.
“Your Highness, we’ve never harbored any enmity against in Prince Jin’s family. However, your princess consort and her daughter have been constantly finding fault with us.” Shi Qingluo looked at Prince Jin.
“And now, they’re even sending people to murder us.
“What do you think we should do?”
Although she was asking what they should do, she was actually asking for an explanation from Prince Jin.
Ruan Songling knew what she meant.
She said coldly, “The person who set the fire had committed suicide. You are neither injured nor burned to death. What else do you want to do?”
Shi Qingluo raised his eyebrows and looked at her. “According to what you said, anyone can lay their hands on an official and a princess conferred by the emperor. If they are neither injured nor dead, they should not pursue the matter?
“If we are injured or dead, are we also deserving of it?”
Ruan Songling thought to herself that it was true, but she said, “I didn’t say that,”
“But that’s what you’re thinking in your mind,” Shi Qingluo said meaningfully.
Ruan Songling’s face darkened. “How dare you! Who gave you the guts to be so arrogant in front of me?”
Shi Qingluo rolled his eyes. “You are the wife of a first-rank official, and I am a first-rank princess. We are of the same rank, so why wouldn’t I dare to say it?
“Don’t think that in front of His Highness, you can hide the fact that you ordered your maidservants to set fire to harm an official and a princess.
“I’ve always believed that Your Highness is the most just and will handle matters impartially,” she looked at Prince Jin.
Liang Yujun remained silent.
He was clearly being roasted on purpose!
Although he had wanted to punish the princess consort in exchange for the trust of Shi Qingluo and her husband, he was able to take charge of the situation and decide on it.
Now, not only had he become completely unable to take charge, but he was also in a bad position.
However, if he didn’t deal with it, he would be accused of being unfair.
At this moment, Liang Yulin also walked in with his men. “Imperial brother, I really didn’t expect your princess consort to be so bold and vicious.
“Killing an official from the imperial court and a princess personally appointed by the emperor is a serious crime.”
The moment he entered, he had already convicted the princess consort of her crime.
Ruan Songling didn’t expect the person she liked to be so ruthless.
At this moment, she had casted away all her interest in him, her first blush of love, leaving her with just resentment.
“Prince Jin, don’t go too far. What does this have to do with you?” she said angrily.
Liang Yulin raised an eyebrow. “How is it none of my business?
“Other than being a witness, I am also a victim.
“I am also staying in that courtyard tonight. If Mr Xiao did not discover that your maidservant had set the place on fire, then wouldn’t I be burned to death as well?”
Then, he looked at Liang Yujun. “So, imperial brother, shouldn’t you give me an explanation as well?”
Liang Yujun was speechless.
If you could die so easily, you wouldn’t be standing here.
He glared at Liang Yulin coldly. “Then what explanation do you want?”
He hoped that his annoying brother would suggest punishing the princess consort.
Liang Yulin met his cold gaze.
His eyes were also cold, but he had a handsome smile on his face.
“This is my imperial brother’s princess consort. Of course you have to make the decision.
“But if I’m not satisfied, I can only submit a letter to the emperor and ask him to make the decision for Mr Xiao and I.
“Or are you the one who is reluctant to do so? Or do you also think that the princess consort is right?”
Liang Yujun’s eyes grew even colder.
Then, he saw Ruan Songling’s shocked expression, and his lips curled into a mocking smile.
This idiot really thought that the person she liked was kind.
His brother had never been a good person.
He was as cunning as a fox.
When he was young, he had framed him, quarreled with him on purpose, and grabbed his sleeve.
When his father appeared suddenly, this bastard had deliberately fallen into the lake.
After he was saved, he said that he had pushed him.
His father punished him as his father had doted on his brother back then.
This bastard had a stomach full of bad ideas since he was young, and he was especially annoying.
This fellow had no feelings for Ruan Songling, so he would naturally not stand by her side.
She was the only one who thought that Liang Yulin wouldn’t do anything to her.
Although Liang Yujun also hated Ruan Songling now, seeing how she had been dealt such a blow, and how her love had turned into hate, he was quite angry, and felt that he was cuckolded even more.
He would definitely not let an idiot like her have a good ending.
He quickly retracted his dark expression.
Instead, he looked at Shi Qingluo and Xiao Hanzheng and sighed.
“It’s all my fault for not disciplining them well and causing them to do something wrong.
“So, I’ve decided to depose the princess consort and divorce her.
“She will return to her maternal family. I’ll also strip Liang Mingmin of her position as Ordinary County Princess and demote her to a commoner. She’ll return to her maternal family with Ruan Songling.
“This would also allow me to give a fair outcome to you and the people.”