Transmigrated as the Villainess, She Made the General Blush - Chapter 16

“Commander Xiao, you have brought troops to surround Jiaofang Palace-what is the meaning of this!”

Wei Qixuan stood on the steps, looking down at Xiao Pingnan, who was clad in iron armor below.

At this moment, the scent of blood from his unborn child clung to him, making him even more displeased.

And when he thought of how Xiao Pan’an’s child had yet to be lost, and that once the imperial heir carrying the Xiao Family’s blood was born, the Xiao Family might use the young prince to force him to abdicate and seize control of the court!

Thinking of this, and seeing Xiao Pingnan now daring to mobilize the Imperial Guard at will, Wei Qixuan felt that the day of the Xiao Family’s usurpation was not far off.

“Your Majesty, please calm your anger. This humble general would never dare to surround the Empress’s Jiaofang Palace.”

Xiao Pingnan cupped his hands and bowed to Wei Qixuan, performing a proper salute, then straightened and said-

“This humble general only surrounded the Imperial Medical Bureau and Consort Mu’s Yunguang Palace, found some evidence of Consort Mu deceiving Your Majesty, and hurried here to report.”

Of course, he dared not surround the Empress’s Jiaofang Palace, because residing there was their Eldest Sister, the eldest daughter of the Xiao Family.

Though she was only the eldest daughter by a concubine, she was still their father’s first child, and her status was extraordinary.

Before irreconcilable interests arose between Xiao Caiyi and himself, he would certainly not do anything to oppose Xiao Caiyi.

Respect and deference were the proper attitude toward their Eldest Sister.

Hearing Xiao Pingnan’s words, Wei Qixuan felt his breath catch in his chest, neither rising nor falling.

“You-outrageous! How dare you mobilize the Imperial Guard in the palace without permission!”

Xiao Pingnan cupped his hands and bowed again, replying, “Your Majesty, this humble general was only concerned that Your Majesty might be deceived by a treacherous consort, so I acted first and reported later. I beg Your Majesty’s forgiveness. Your Majesty is benevolent and wise, and will surely understand this humble general’s intentions.”

He was certainly adept at flattery.

Xiao Wangshu had just stepped out when she heard Xiao Pingnan’s words, and immediately gained a deep understanding of the phrase used to describe him in the book: “the son of a powerful minister, looking down upon the king with arrogance.”

“Your Majesty, Consort Mu knew full well that the imperial heir in her womb was afflicted, yet concealed it and did not report. She even used the dead fetus as bait to harm the healthy imperial heirs in the wombs of other consorts. When her plot failed, she resorted to false accusations!”

Xiao Pingnan raised the confessions with fingerprints high in his hand and continued, “Each of these crimes is punishable by death! This humble general boldly requests Your Majesty to deal with the treacherous consort and restore peace to the harem!”

To have Wei Qixuan personally deal with Mu Chuxue was practically tearing lovers apart, carving flesh from the hearts of the male and female leads with a blunt knife.

This drama was truly spectacular, and Xiao Wangshu found herself intrigued.

She was the vicious supporting character-she enjoyed watching such bloody scenes.

“Commander Xiao, are you forcing me to act? What business is the harem to you!”

“Of course it concerns me! Your Majesty is the ruler of the nation; even Your Majesty’s family affairs are matters of state!

“This humble general believes that Your Majesty has merely been deceived by a treacherous consort. The crimes committed by Consort Mu, especially those targeting the imperial heir in Consort Xiao’s womb, surely have nothing to do with Your Majesty!”

Seeing Wei Qixuan remain silent, Xiao Pingnan added, “Since Your Majesty finds it difficult to decide, this humble general will not trouble Your Majesty further. At this moment, all the officials are on their way into the palace. As for how to deal with the treacherous consort, Your Majesty may listen to their advice.”

“What?!” Wei Qixuan’s expression darkened completely. “Xiao Pingnan, you have mobilized the Imperial Guard without permission and summoned all the officials to the palace-who gave you this authority!”

Now, even one of Xiao Hong’s sons dared to act so brazenly before his throne!

First Xiao Hong, now Xiao Pingnan.

Truly, treacherous ministers held sway and power had slipped from his grasp!

“Your Majesty, everything this humble general has done is for Your Majesty’s safety! The evidence is as solid as a mountain. Such a treacherous consort who deceives the sovereign and plots against the imperial heir must not be allowed to remain. Since Your Majesty cannot bear to deal with her, this humble general can only resort to this last measure and let the officials handle this calamity!”
If the imperial heir in Mu Chuxue’s womb truly died at the hands of the Xiao Family, then this matter must be suppressed, suppressed again, and suppressed yet again-no hint of it can leak outside the palace.

If this matter has nothing to do with the Xiao Family, and Mu Chuxue brought it upon herself, or even nearly harmed the Imperial Consort’s imperial heir, then the matter must be made public, made public again, and made public yet again. It would be best to plaster the evidence all over the streets and alleys, leaving everyone speechless.

Clearly, the current situation is the second kind.

“You-!”

Wei Qixuan’s heart surged with anger, but he was helpless. He could only flick his sleeves to express his fury, then ignored Xiao Pingnan and strode back into the hall to take his seat.

Xiao Pingnan smiled indifferently, turned to face Fang Qin’er and Xiao Caiyi, and offered a salute from afar.

Fang Qin’er and Xiao Caiyi nodded at him.

Xiao Wangshu gave him a curtsey, then continued standing aside with Fang Qin’er and the others, watching like a spectator, calmly observing the progression of this drama.

If they were to quietly deal with Mu Chuxue in the palace now without making a sound, when word reached outside, it might turn into something else.

The Mu Family could turn the tables, accusing them of framing Mu Chuxue and harming the imperial heir.

The only solution now is to throw out the evidence and let the civil and military officials offer the emperor a method of handling it. That is the optimal way to distance the Xiao Family from the matter.

No matter how Mu Chuxue is dealt with in the end, it will be the result of the officials’ deliberation, approved by the court, and the deserved outcome of Mu Chuxue’s own crime.

It has nothing to do with the Xiao Family.

“Wangshu, it’s hot now. Your wound shouldn’t be exposed to the sun, or it might fester.”

Fang Qin’er clearly wasn’t interested in watching this drama. She only wanted to take Xiao Wangshu to rest and recuperate.

Seeing Xiao Wangshu still wanted to stay and watch, Fang Qin’er added, “You’re a young lady, and you’re still injured. It wouldn’t do for the officials to see you like this. I’ll take you to sit upstairs in the pavilion. Would you like to watch from above?”

The officials wouldn’t be able to enter the palace for a while yet; they would still have to wait.

Moreover, even if the officials entered, since outside ministers could not freely come and go from the inner palace, they wouldn’t judge Mu Chuxue outside Jiaofang Palace. The venue would definitely have to be changed later.

The midday sun was the most intense. If the girl sweated and sweat soaked her wound, she would suffer greatly.

So as not to worry Fang Qin’er, Xiao Wangshu nodded cooperatively and left with her.

—

Because the summer afternoon sun easily makes people drowsy, and after waiting almost half an hour with the officials still not assembled, Xiao Wangshu fell asleep at the window before the drama even began.

She was injured, and Fang Qin’er couldn’t bear to wake her over such a small matter.

Even later, when the officials finally gathered and the venue was changed, Fang Qin’er, afraid Xiao Wangshu would be disturbed, closed the doors and windows for soundproofing.

By the time Xiao Wangshu naturally woke up, the heavily described chosen heroine in the book had already permanently exited the stage.

She was executed after unrelenting petitions from the officials, with Wei Qixuan personally bestowing the White Silk and strangling her in public.

During the judgment, of course, there were also officials from the Mu Family pleading for mercy, claiming Mu Chuxue was mentally unstable due to losing the imperial heir, trying to absolve her of guilt. But all these voices were drowned out by the unyielding protests of the Xiao Family’s faction.

Some officials from the Xiao Family’s faction even turned their attention to the Mu Family, demanding the Central Secretariat Director Mu Han be taken to the Censorate for judgment, to hold him responsible for failing to discipline his daughter and for allowing her to act violently and harm the imperial heir.

In the end, it was only because the emperor did everything possible to protect him that the matter was barely let go.