Appointing a General as a Concubine: Where Can General Xiao Escape?

Xiao Wenbo put on a smile and was about to speak up for Lin when Xingzi, who was kneeling below, took out something that looked fine to everyone except Lin.

"This is what Aunt Lin promised to give me as a reward after I finish this task."

She presented a Hundred Flowers Hairpin with both hands, which made Xiao Wenbo and Murong Shu feel stunned.

This thing was given to Xiao Wenbo by the Queen when she was happy because he wrote a poem for her on her birthday.

Murong Shu went to the banquet with him at that time, but he did not give this thing to her. Instead, he returned to the mansion and gave it to Lin, who was more favored than her.

Xiao Wenbo did not tell her that this was a reward from the Queen, so she did not know the special feature of this hairpin.

I just think it looks nice, so I wear it on my head every day as if it were a piece of jewelry.

With this physical evidence, Lin could no longer find a suitable excuse.

If you talk about giving things as rewards to people in your own courtyard, that's fine.

But who is this person? She is a maid from her mother's family. If they don't have some ulterior motive, it is impossible for a maid, not to mention a married daughter, to have such close contact with the master's family.

Seeing that things had come to this point, the maid who was cleaning the room suddenly kowtowed to the ground.

"Every word I said is true. Aunt Lin used my family to threaten me. She didn't give me the 100 taels of silver she promised, and she even tried to harm me."

The person he trusted turned the tables on him. Lin was so angry that he gritted his teeth and raised his hand to hit him.

"You cheap bastard, when did I ever promise you a hundred taels? It was clearly fifty taels, and I've already given the money to your brother!"

Ling Su, who was standing next to her, quickly blocked her from slapping him.

After reacting and letting the cat out of the bag, Lin fell to her knees with a plop, looking at Xiao Wenbo pitifully: "Master..."

Xiao Wenbo looked at her disappointedly, ignored her pleading, and turned his back.

"I, your humble concubine, have deliberately attempted to murder His Royal Highness Prince Chen. I ask Your Highness to punish me according to the laws of the land."

Seeing that he didn't save her, Lin quickly said that she had not intended to harm Qi Yue.

In order to reduce her guilt, she confessed the whole process of murdering Xiao Mo and Lu Huai.

After Xiao Xiang heard about what happened in the front yard, she hurried out.

Seeing such a big scene in the hall and hearing Lin explain everything in detail, although she was afraid, she still stepped forward without hesitation and protected Lin behind her.

"These schemes were all thought up by my daughter alone. They have nothing to do with my mother. Dad, if you want to punish me, punish me!"

With red eyes, she begged the man in front of her who usually treated her like a treasure.

Seeing that Xiao Wenbo had no intention of paying attention to her, she turned around and knelt towards Qi Yue.

"It's all my fault. I was too fond of His Highness Prince Jin and was jealous of his love for my sister, so I lost my mind and did such a shameful thing."

She shed tears as she spoke: "This matter has nothing to do with my mother. Please have mercy on her, Your Highness, and forgive her."

Qi Yue looked at her with disgust. Before he could speak, she turned to Xiao Mo again: "Sister, I was confused for a moment. Please forgive me..."

Seeing that she was still silent, Qi Minxiu thought she had softened her heart and asked softly, "Amo, what do you think of how to deal with these two people?"

Xiao Mo protected Murong Shu and looked coldly at the person kneeling on the ground: "Isn't there a law in the country? Just deal with it as it should be dealt with."

Hearing this, Xiao Xiang, who had originally pledged to admit her mistake, suddenly changed her expression.

"I thought my sister was a tolerant and broad-minded person, but I didn't expect her to be so narrow-minded. I am responsible for my own actions and will accept any punishment."

Upon hearing her words, Lin rushed over crying and said, "Silly child, what nonsense are you talking about?

"Mother is old, but you still have a future and plenty of youth. If it is ruined now, how can I live?"

With tears on her face, she crawled to Xiao Wenbo's feet and tugged at his clothes, begging him.

Xiao Mo didn't want to watch the affectionate mother-daughter drama, so she helped Murong Shu back to the backyard.

Qi Minxiu looked at them coldly, "You intentionally murdered others, the circumstances are serious, and the crime is to be demoted to slavery."

"Plotting to murder the prince is a more serious crime and should be beheaded in public." Qi Yue added.

After saying this, he looked at Xiao Wenbo again and said, "As for the Prime Minister's guilt for his incompetent rule, I will report this to my father and let him make the final decision."

Xiao Wenbo gritted his teeth and closed his eyes, suppressing his inner emotions. He saluted Qi Yue and Qi Minxiu in a calm tone and said, "Farewell, Your Highness."

Xiao Xiang, who was so scared that she collapsed, sat on the ground, tears falling like pearls from a broken string.

"I have liked you since I was eight years old. Every Chinese Valentine's Day I would embroider a mandarin duck purse, hoping that one day you would like me.

Originally, as the only daughter of the Prime Minister's Mansion, I was qualified to become the Princess of Jin.

The Imperial Concubine has praised me more than once. If Xiao Mo hadn't come back suddenly, I would have been able to marry into Prince Jin's mansion even as a concubine.

She shouldn't have come back, she shouldn't have existed, and without her, my life would have been perfectly happy."

Xiao Xiang's tone became more and more ruthless as she spoke, and in the end, she even gritted her teeth.

Qi Yue looked at her with a frown, his eyes flickered slightly, but there was no trace of pity in his eyes.

"Although children's marriages are mostly arranged by their parents and matchmakers, the most important thing is that the two parties are in love. If not, your happiness is just a four-character phrase."

Xiao Mo, who had not walked far, heard their conversation and couldn't help but stop and look over.

I can't believe these words came out of Qi Yue's mouth.

No wonder he, as a candidate for the crown prince who was second only to the emperor, did not use force to force her even though he bothered her every day.

It turns out that they have the same view on love.

Qi Minxiu pursed his lips with a faint expression, staring at him with cold eyes, then lowered his eyes as he thought about his words.

When he lowered his eyes, he accidentally caught a glimpse of Xiao Mo, whose half body was hidden by branches not far away.

His eyelashes trembled slightly, he narrowed his eyes, retracted his gaze, and pushed the wheelchair in front of Qi Yue.

"Why waste so much time talking? Are you moved by her words?"

Qi Yue raised his eyes and looked at him, frowning: "Yuan Mu, go to the palace quickly to report to your father and tell him everything that happened today in detail. He will make the final decision."

Yuan Mu took the order and left, and soon returned with the imperial edict and palace servants.

"By the providence of Heaven, the Emperor decrees that the civil official Prime Minister Xiao Wenbo is lax in his management of his household and lacks the ability to govern his subordinates. He is hereby demoted to the rank of Third Rank Minister of the Imperial Secretariat.

His family member Lin deliberately plotted to murder the prince and was sentenced to thirty lashes. His daughter Xiao Xiang, an accomplice, was sentenced to twenty lashes and demoted to a lowly slave. This is my decree."

My father-in-law's sharp voice was particularly harsh in the quiet courtyard, but what was even harsher was what he said.

Xiao Wenbo's face turned pale and blue, but he still kowtowed to express his gratitude.

He took the imperial edict, but before he could stand up, Lin and Xiao Xiang were taken away.

In Suqi Courtyard, after Shen Yun told Xiao Mo and Murong Shu the result, Murong Shu was not happy at all, but became worried instead.

She took Xiao Mo's hand and asked with concern: "Thirty or twenty lashes, they are so delicate, won't they be beaten to death?"