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| Rebirth: Back to Zero Author: 祎庭沫瞳 (Yi Ting Mo Tong) |
Chapter 22 Strategic Constraint (Part 3/3)
"Your
Highness." The two retreated slightly and greeted together.
Jun
Liche did not acknowledge the greeting. Instead, with a voice dripping with
frost, he muttered, "Who allowed you to come in?"
Concubine
Helian, who had just been rowdily shouting, did not even dare to breathe.
Instead, she stutteringly muttered, pushing the responsibility away, "I
followed Sister to here to visit you."
Hearing
the accusations, Concubine Zhao's eyes widened. She immediately clarified,
“Sister Helian misheard an unflattering rumour. She insisted on pulling me
along to investigate the issue. As I have seen Your Highness for many days, she
missed you and was worried. So I followed along."
"Rumors?"
Jun Liyuan's tone became colder, piercing even. For rumours to circulate
without fear of authority was a failure on his part.
Concubine
Helian could feel her presence balling up in fear as Jun Liyuan spoke. She hid
behind, leaving Concubine Zhao to defend the two of them. “Recently, there has
been a rumour in the mansion that you want to take another concubine. it's just
that she's temporarily living in your yard, awaiting the Emperor's decree.”
"Presumptuous.
As a concubine, you should be restraining and helping to quell this rumours.
Not only did you fail to live up to your duty, but you also dare to break the
rules and come here. Ridiculous!" Jun Liyuan glared at them and hissed
sharply.
"It
is our fault, Your Highness. We were wrong." The two concubines
immediately fell to their knees. Ever since they moved into the manor, while
Jun Liyuan never got affectionate with them, he had never been angry at them.
Alas, the blazing anger in his voice now was unmistakable.
"Investigate
this. Fish out the culprit behind this rumour. Give him 50 strokes of the cane
and sell him to slavery at the border.." Jun Liyuan ordered.
"Yes!"
The attendant and the housekeeper immediately responded and began the
investigation.
"As
for the two of you, you have failed to meet your duty as a concubine. You
blindly listened to the instigation of baseless rumours and disrupted the order
within the manor. I will report this to Empress Mother. For now, go back to
your yards and wait for the verdict. Without my permission, you will not leave
the house, not even half a step."
"Your
Highness, we know our mistakes. Please, Your Highness, spare us. We will never
do it again." Hearing Jun Liyuan's decision, Concubine Zhao immediately
kowtowed, begging and pleading in tears.
The
dumbfounded Concubine Helian finally understood her situation. She broke into a
peal of tears and cried profusely. Crawling over on her knees, he grabbed onto
Jun Liyuan's legs and begged, "Your Highness, please spare me. I've served
you for a very long time. Please, take our loyalty into consideration and give
us another chance ."
Jun
Liyuan looked expressionlessly at the two people on the ground, begging for
mercy. He said coldly, "There is indeed someone living in my yard."
As he
spoke, the crying from the two concubines stalled. They stared at Jun Liyuan,
aghast. Their hopes crushed and hearts sunk into a bottomless pit. At this
point, they would prefer if Jun Liyuan never said anything.
Jun
Liyuan continued, "But he is a man. Our Empire was rules written in black
and white. As a concubine, you know the consequence of meeting other men
without the husband's permission. It is an unfaithful and undignified act. If
you went in today and met him, I have all rights to divorce you and send you
away. This matter will end here, I don't want to say more. You two, get
yourselves in check."
After
speaking, Jun Liyuan waved his hand. Several people came up and pulled the two
concubines away.
As the
crying and begging faded into the distance, Jun Liyuan heaved a long sigh.
"Third
Brother, don't worry. Empress Mother will know what is best." Jun Liche,
who watched the whole farce said in consolation
"It's
okay. I never liked them anyway. If it weren't for Emperor Father's insistence,
they would not have stepped even a step into this place." Jun Liyuan shook
his head and went out with Jun Liche.
"In
the royal family, some things cannot be avoided." Jun Liche comforted his
Third Brother, "Marriage had long been a bargaining chip for strategic
use. If Third Brother did not take this responsibility, then it’s either me or
Lixuan."
In
fact, the princes had always been used as a chess piece to restrain the
courtiers. The Emperor would have the final call for which Prince and which
courtier's family would tie a knot, and it could not be refuted. While they
were princes and sons of the Emperor, they were also powerful pieces in this
game of political warfare. The three of them understood their circumstances and
knew that they only had each other for support.
Jun
Liyuan lowered his gaze and said nothing.
"I
know Third Brother is planning for Lixuan and me. In the beginning, Lixuan and
I were too young to be of aid to you. Now, even Lixuan is married. It's time
for you to allow us to share the burden." Jun Liche chuckled and patted
Jun Liyuan on his shoulder.
Jun
Liyuan looked at him and wore a relaxed smile, "We are brothers. We don't
talk about this."
"Alright."
Jun Liche nodded.
As they
approached the door, Jun Liyuan spoke again, "Help me find out how Mo
Qingge was injured. He didn't want to say, and I don't want to force him."
Jun
Liche smiled and said, "Yes, I will have someone check it as soon as
possible."
Jun
Liyuan patted him on the shoulder affirmingly.
"Then,
I will leave first." Jun Liche said.
Jun
Liyuan nodded, "Go ahead. Be careful."
Jun
Liche left the mansion under the protection of his shadow guard. Jun Liyuan
watched Jun Liche until he could no longer see the diminishing silhouette. Only
then, he turned around and went back to the house. Now, he just had to wait for
Jun Liche's investigation result.
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Translator's Notes:
Yikes, concubines fighting for power is sooo shameless! Reminds me of the yucky Imperial Noble Consort!!!>< If you are curious about Ling Qiyang's Father, you can rest assured. His background is rather impressive! You can look forward to it. Thank you for reading. Leave me a review on Novelupdates and share this novel with your friends!
Bonus Weekly Chapter, Chapter 23 is up! Press next down below to get a head start before the other readers!
Que maravilla de historia, me gusta la integración y desarrollo.
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