Chapter 130: Shocked
Thanks for the peace charm from Hot Love^^...
When she said this, Qing Jin's expression was ethereal, and just then a gust of wind blew by, the large pieces of Manjusaka flowers embroidered on her green robe swayed in the wind, looking eerie and beautiful. However, it made everyone present feel a chill in their hearts, to the point where wherever her gaze fell, people unconsciously parted ways, revealing that woman who was slandering and inciting trouble in the crowd.
That old woman didn't expect Qing Jin to find someone to talk to in such a crowd, and she was flustered inside, but pretended to be calm on the surface as she parted the crowd. When Qing Jin's gaze locked onto her, she immediately reacted and shouted towards Qing Jin: "The concubine is innocent..."
"Unjustly accused?" Qing Jin asked seemingly puzzled.
The old woman saw Qing Jin's expression and was convinced that Qing Jin had only happened to look in her direction, but couldn't be certain that she was the one who spoke. She no longer felt afraid, lifted her head, and maliciously accused Qing Jin: "This old slave doesn't know where she offended the Consort, there were so many people speaking just now, why did the Consort unjustly accuse this old slave of being disrespectful? This old slave is innocent!" The implication was that Qing Jin had not found the right person, but was going to take it out on her instead. She also reminded Qing Jin that even if she had said something, with so many people speaking at once, it wasn't fair to only pick on her and let the others off scot-free.
Qing Jin naturally understood the meaning of the old woman's words. She stared at the old woman, as if considering what she had said.
When the old woman saw Qing Jin's thoughtful expression, she felt a sense of relief. Looking at Qing Jin's young and beautiful face, her fear of Qing Jin instantly dissipated. To put it bluntly, the opposite Cui Ce Fei was just a little girl after all. Thinking again about what she had just said, there was no contradiction between the front and back. With even more confidence in her heart, she became convinced that Qing Jin did not dare to punish her, and instead made a wronged loyal servant's appearance.
Qing Jin couldn't help but sneer at her appearance, saying: "What a good servant, who taught you to speak to the master of the house like this? I didn't plan on pursuing this matter, but you dared to insult me in front of everyone and now you're trying to deceive me with clever words. Guards! Take this insolent servant away... Flog her to death!" As soon as she finished speaking, two guards appeared and quickly walked up to the woman before anyone could react. They dragged the woman away to be flogged to death.
The people present knew that something was amiss when they saw the two guards suddenly appear, and they couldn't believe that Consort Gu would actually kill someone. The crowd was stunned into silence, with all eyes fixed on Qingjin in a mixture of shock and terror.
The woman who was being carried out by the guards finally came to her senses. She struggled, wanting to escape, but was tightly held by two guards on either side and dragged away. As she struggled with all her might, she shouted at Qing Jin without repentance: "Concubine Gu, you can't beat me to death! Even if I have done something wrong, the one who should be in charge of the household affairs in the Jing Wang Fu is the princess, what right do you have to deal with me?"
Qing Jin heard her shout. Without even looking at her, he calmly said: "Take her away!" The two guards heard Qing Jin's order and silently dragged the woman out.
That old woman finally realized that Qing Jin was indeed going to kill her, and she could no longer hide the fear on her face. She shouted loudly at Qing Jin: "Gu Sui Fei... I won't accept it... I'm innocent..." But she saw Qing Jin remain unmoved, and she knew she was about to be dragged away. The shadow of death made her afraid and frantic, and looking around at the people in the courtyard as if they were all against her, she shouted wildly at Qing Jin: "Gu Sui Fei, you're killing an innocent person! Even when I'm a ghost, I won't let you off!"
"Wait—" Qing Jin heard her words and, as expected, opened her mouth to shout at the two guards.
The two guards stopped in their tracks, respectfully hearing Qing Jin's words. The woman thought she had no way out, with the gates of death open before her, but unexpectedly, Qing Jin spoke up to stop them. Thinking that Qing Jin was afraid, her desire to survive made her speak coldly and viciously to Qing Jin: "Consort Gu is so arrogant and bullying, trampling on people's lives... even if I die, I won't let you off..."
Qing Jin looked at her with a cold and venomous gaze, opening her mouth calmly: "I, Qing Jin, do not fear what others think of my actions. This is the Jing Wang Fu, I am the side consort personally sought by the Jing King, the side consort granted a title by the Emperor. In the Jing King's estate, I am the master, you are the servant. Even if you have done nothing wrong, if I say you are wrong, then you are wrong. If I say you are wrong, not only should you bow your head and admit your mistake, but also kowtow and thank me, because I am the master and you are the servant. However, you made a mistake and did not promptly admit it, instead shouting that I was framing you and bullying you with my power. So, if this is the case, then I, as the side consort, have indeed framed you and bullied you with my power. What can you do about it?" The people present couldn't help but gasp in shock, looking at Qing Jin with fearful eyes.
Qing Jin could feel the fearful eyes cast on her from all around without even looking, she smiled with satisfaction, curling up the corners of her lips. She had never been a weak and timid white lotus flower transmigrator who liked to talk about equality among people. When you were in a situation where it was either you being bullied or bullying others, talking about deep-seated equality would only get you killed faster. As for bullying others or being bullied, as long as one wasn't an idiot, they knew which option to choose.
What's most important is that she's a lazy person who doesn't like to think too much, and would rather get things over with in one go. She hopes that after this time, those people will weigh their options carefully before trying to bully her again. In her past life, she was foolish, but in this life, although she has no resistance, she also has no desires. Even Long Han Yan doesn't matter to her anymore, let alone the back courtyard of Jing Wang Fu.
She knew that no one was indulging in this behind the scenes, and these people absolutely dared not to be so excessive. But what's the point? Since Long Han didn't care about his own backyard, Ningning cared even less. Moreover, now that she knew she was the balance point between Ming Emperor and Jun's family, although it wasn't a pleasant thing for her, on the other hand, it might not necessarily be a bad thing either.
Then come on!
Since they won't let her have a good time, she doesn't mind stirring up a huge commotion. In her previous life, for the sake of Long Hanshan, she had lived a stifling and powerless life, enduring and tolerating things in silence, which was truly an unpleasant thing!
"...... Consort Qi, by doing so, aren't you afraid of bringing trouble to the prince and being disliked by him?" Qing Jin thought about these things, and that woman's voice echoed in her ears.
"Disdain, don't you know that I have already been disdained by the prince?" Qing Jin came back to her senses and spoke with a smile.
"Gu Ce Fei, you..."
"Spare me the nonsense, you're not qualified to lecture me. I stopped you because your words just reminded me that in the future, I can use my power to bully and oppress others, trample on people's lives. Since you've awakened me, say your last words, I'll let you leave with two sentences as a favor." Qing Jin interrupted the old woman's words.
"...aren't you afraid of retribution?" The old woman's face turned pale upon hearing Qing Jin's words, her eyes filled with resentment and curses as she glared at Qing Jin.
"Revenge? If there really is revenge, then Zhang Pozi, the grass on your grave should have been tall long ago! Are you surnamed Zhang?" Qing Jin said nonchalantly to Zhang Pozi.
Upon hearing Qing Jin call out her surname, Zhang Pobao's eyes couldn't hide the despair, thinking that Qing Jin had discovered something, but she pretended to be calm and said: "Gu Sifei, I am innocent, you are framing me like this, even if I become a ghost..."
"You won't let me off even if I become a ghost, will you? I've taken note of that. However, when you're still alive and kicking, I'm not afraid of you; what's there to fear from you after you become a ghost? But it's you, Zhang Po, who doesn't seem to feel the chill behind your back, the icy hand grasping at your neck... shoulder... hair..." Qing Jin said with a stern tone, her eyes fixed intently on the space behind Zhang Po.
"Ah...... you deceived me...... I've never done anything wrong...... I'm not afraid of these things......" Zhang Pozi trembled and said to Qingjin.
Seeing Zhang's fearful appearance, Qingjin knew that she had been fooled. This Zhang must have done many things that couldn't be seen by people. She no longer intentionally scared her and continued to speak to Zhang: "You say you're innocent, I'll let you die with a clear conscience. Alas, why are there so many people in this world who like to see coffins but not tears? Originally, I only needed one person's life, but unexpectedly, you insisted on dragging your whole family down with you..." After saying this, Qingjin couldn't help but sigh.
Zhang Po heard Qing Jin's words and suddenly raised her head, staring at Qing Jin, and said: "Gu Ce Fei, I know my mistake, I should die, please spare my family!" Her words were heroic and righteous, as if Qing Jin was using her family to threaten her, and she had no choice but to "plead guilty" for the sake of her family.
Qing Jin looked at Zhang's wife and smiled faintly, feeling a sense of wonder in her heart. It was indeed true that one wouldn't shed tears until they saw the coffin; even now, she still couldn't forget about framing her.
Qing Jin no longer looked at Zhang Po, turned around and faced the direction where Zhang Po was standing earlier. She saw the people surrounding Zhang Po and smiled faintly. She opened her mouth to speak to those few servants: "Zhang Po just stirred up trouble in the crowd, saying I don't take your lives as my own, trampling on human life, being disrespectful to me, bullying the lower classes, you all must have heard, is there anything you want to say?"
Those servants heard Qingjin's words, looked at each other, and stole a glance in the direction of Zhang Baozi. Seeing Zhang Baozi's resentful and venomous gaze, they all lowered their heads under Qingjin's gaze.
Seeing this scene, Qing Jin knew that her status in the Jing Wang Fu was not as influential as a single concubine, but she didn't get angry. She stood quietly there with a smile on her face, waiting for someone who understood the situation to come forward.
Half a moment later, a small servant stood out and spoke to Qing Jin: "...... Consort Qi, what Zhang Paozi just said was disrespectful to the consort and incited... Slave heard it."