Li Hui slowly raised her head, her gaze calm as she looked toward Prince Xuan.
She then shifted her eyes to Su Wan standing nearby, and deep, seething hatred gradually surfaced in her eyes.
At first, her voice was like a soft murmur, but it slowly grew sharp and piercing.
“Why did I do this? Hahaha… of course it was for revenge! You are a prince, and we are all your women—but do you know what kind of lives we actually live?”
Li Hui’s voice carried both despair and bitterness.
“Three years ago, yesterday, I was punished just because I accidentally bumped into Su Wan. She forced me to kneel under the scorching sun for an entire day. My poor unborn child… died just like that. After she learned of it, she even forbade anyone from summoning a physician for me. I barely managed to cling to life. But she still wouldn’t let it go. She secretly sent someone to poison me with a sterilizing drug, leaving me unable to bear children for the rest of my life.”
At this point, Li Hui’s tears burst forth like a broken dam.
Su Wan’s face darkened upon hearing this. She twisted her handkerchief tightly, glaring at Li Hui as she angrily shouted, “You’re talking nonsense! Do you think fabricating old stories and dragging me into them will let you escape punishment?”
Then she turned to Prince Xuan and said coquettishly, “Your Highness, you mustn’t believe her wild accusations. Yes, I did punish her to kneel back then—but I had no idea she was pregnant! As for everything after that, I know nothing about it. I didn’t do any of it. She’s slandering me.”
At this moment, the Princess Consort spoke coldly, “Since the murderer has been identified, and everything she says is nonsense, then beat her to death.”
Chu Mengyao thought to herself that Li Hui couldn’t be allowed to continue speaking. A deep unease stirred in her heart.
Prince Xuan frowned, sinking into contemplation.
Just as the guards stepped forward to drag Li Hui away, he suddenly raised his hand. “Wait. Let her continue.”
Sure enough, Chu Mengyao’s premonition was correct. Li Hui’s unrestrained voice rang out again.
“Hahaha! Do you think killing me will keep your wicked deeds hidden? I’ve long stopped wanting to live! Hahaha! Everyone thinks entering the Prince’s Manor means endless wealth and glory. But who knows that this manor is actually a dangerous wolf’s den? When you’re favored, everyone schemes against you. Once you fall from favor, everyone tramples on you. Every day we eat leftovers—our lives are worse than servants’!”
Chu Mengyao’s face turned pitch-black. She slammed her hand on the table with a loud bang.
“Insolent! You’ve gone mad—”
Before she could finish, Prince Xuan raised his hand to stop her. His face had turned extremely gloomy after hearing Li Hui’s words.
“Why didn’t you report your situation to the Princess Consort?”
“Hahaha! You think I didn’t? After I spoke up, the consequence was starving for two days. After that, I never dared to say anything again. Hehehe… You don’t know this, do you? Your precious Princess Consort enjoys watching the concubines fight each other the most.”
“Shut up!” Chu Mengyao shouted angrily.
She never imagined she would fall into the hands of a mere concubine.
“Why should I shut up? I won’t! Since I’m going to die anyway, I might as well expose everything today! I also know that many times, you deliberately instigated them to fight one another!” Li Hui screamed recklessly.
“Hehehe… You didn’t expect it, did you? I know everything.”
She wanted to make sure none of them would have it easy. She wanted to drag all these filthy secrets into the open.
Chu Mengyao was so furious her hands trembled slightly.
But with the prince present, she couldn’t immediately have Li Hui executed. She gritted her teeth and said, “You want to die so badly—have you thought about your family? What will happen to them after you’re gone?”
She thought she could restrain Li Hui by threatening her family—but she was wrong.
“Hahaha! Do you think I’m still afraid? My father is already dead. Dead—he died of illness. Isn’t it laughable? His daughter was a concubine in the Prince’s Manor, yet he couldn’t afford medical treatment. A minor illness dragged on until it became fatal. He was dragged to death alive.”
Hearing this, Shen Jingyi felt deeply stifled and indignant on their behalf.
In this era, although concubines could no longer be casually bought or gifted like in earlier dynasties, encountering a vicious principal wife still meant relentless torment.
Besides, no legal wife ever truly liked concubines.
In the end, it all came down to idleness—having nothing better to do, people entertained themselves by plotting harm against others.
After hearing everything, Prince Xuan understood perfectly. He scanned the room, looking at everyone present.
He noticed two women quietly wiping their tears. Judging from their clothing and appearance, their circumstances were clearly not good either.
Very good—so this was how his Princess Consort managed the inner court.
“Chu Mengyao, Su Wan—do you have anything else to say?”
The two immediately stood and knelt, speaking in unison:
“Your Highness, I’ve been wronged! Ever since marrying you, I have done my utmost to manage the household and have never dared to neglect my duties. She’s framing me! Every household has a few unruly servants.”
Su Wan added, “Your Highness, Li Hui is deliberately slandering me. Someone must have bribed her to harm Tingting. Once the matter was exposed, she began spewing nonsense to confuse everyone. Yes—this must be it!”
Chu Mengyao pleaded, “Your Highness, we’ve been together for many years. I’ve borne you children. You can’t believe others’ accusations so easily!”
However, Prince Xuan remained unmoved.
“I will judge right and wrong myself. You may not know this—but I had already noticed these matters long ago. Due to the lack of solid evidence, and for the children’s sake, I merely gave you a chance to reform.”
He then swept his gaze over everyone present and said pointedly, “The same goes for all of you. Don’t think I know nothing about what you’ve done.”
Some people lowered their heads guiltily, while others forced themselves to stay composed, convinced their actions were well hidden.
“Li Hui dared to plot against the Prince’s commandery princess—her crime is unforgivable! Guards, grant her a cup of poisoned wine. Execute immediately!”
The prince’s voice was cold and commanding, sending chills through everyone present.
Li Hui’s face turned deathly pale. Her entire body trembled, yet she still forced herself to beg, “Your Highness, could you show mercy and allow me to be buried together with my father? This is my final wish. I beg you to grant it.”
Prince Xuan frowned slightly, remained silent for a moment, then nodded.
“Granted. I shall fulfill your wish.”
He waved his hand, signaling the guards to bring the poison.
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
She lifted the cup and drank the poisoned wine without hesitation.
After dealing with Li Hui, the prince turned to the wet nurse.
“Although you were coerced, you were still an accomplice. Give her a bowl of mute medicine, then sell her off. She is never to step foot in the Prince’s Manor again.”
The wet nurse wept and kowtowed repeatedly, but it was useless.
Soon, the two who had taken the medicine were dragged away.
Then Prince Xuan’s gaze fell upon the Princess Consort. Disgust flashed through his eyes as he said sternly:
“As the Princess Consort, you couldn’t even manage the Prince’s Manor properly. From now on, stay obediently in the main courtyard. You are no longer to interfere in household affairs.”
The Princess Consort’s face drained of color. She screamed in agitation, “No, Your Highness! You can’t treat me like this! I’m your lawful wife!”
Prince Xuan’s expression remained cold and unmoved.
“It is precisely because you are my lawful wife that I’ve been lenient. If it were anyone else, the punishment would not have ended with mere loss of authority.”
He then looked at Su Wan.
“Consort Su is confined to her own courtyard. Without my orders, she is not to step outside.”
“Your Highness, I refuse to accept this! Today’s matter has nothing to do with me! Weren’t we investigating Tingting’s attacker?”
Prince Xuan shot her a cold glance.
“Hmph. Ask your conscience—does it truly have nothing to do with you? Enough. House arrest is already the lightest punishment. If you cause further trouble, don’t blame me for being ruthless.”
Su Wan wanted to argue further, but upon meeting his icy gaze, she fell silent.
Then Prince Xuan announced, “Consort Shen saved the little commandery princess and deserves merit. Reward her with a pair of southern pearls. Reward Qiujv with one hundred taels of silver.”
Everyone inwardly seethed with jealousy.
Southern pearls were tribute from foreign lands—there were very few of them. The prince himself only had these two, and yet he gave them away so easily.
Especially Su Wan—she had asked for them before and was refused. Now they were given to Shen Jingyi, filling her with resentment.
Shen Jingyi ignored the jealous gazes, stood up happily, and said, “Thank you for the reward, Your Highness. And I thank you on Qiujv’s behalf as well.”
Haha—she had watched a grand drama unfold this morning, and even received rewards at the end.
Qiujv had absorbed snake venom and was poisoned herself. Though the imperial physician said it wasn’t serious, she was still advised to rest.
So Shen Jingyi granted her a week off.
Prince Xuan looked at the cheerful young woman, said nothing extra, and simply nodded.
After a moment’s thought, he added, “Chu Jiu, take men and thoroughly search every courtyard. Remove anything that could harm others—to prevent future trouble.”
“Yes, Your Highness!” Chu Jiu acknowledged and left.
The atmosphere remained tense and oppressive. No one dared speak, each secretly speculating what further actions the prince might take next…