“Madame Dowager, Your Highness, Master, Second Master, Second Madam…”
Concubine Yao’s voice, sharp and piercing, instantly drowned out Dong Bing’s wails.
“Fourth Young Miss grew up under your very eyes! To think a young lady of the Murong estate could be plotted against like this… I beg you to uphold justice for her! If Fourth Young Miss’s innocence cannot be restored, how is she supposed to go on living?”
Concubine Yao might as well have said: if we mother and daughter don’t get justice today, we will go die right now.
From Murong Dan’s words, Concubine Yao had guessed the mastermind behind today’s incident was Murong Yan.
Her daughter followed Murong Yan around every day and was somewhat familiar with that scheming look in Murong Yan’s eyes.
When that country bumpkin left the banquet, Murong Yan’s expression had changed—
Her daughter had thought following the bumpkin might lead to some entertaining drama, never imagining Murong Yan would be so incompetent!
Not only did she fail to trap her target, but she allowed the other party to harm her own daughter instead—
Her poor daughter!—
Today, she would absolutely not give up fighting for a way out for her daughter just to save Murong Yan’s face.
Even if she had to ruin the Murong family’s reputation, her minimum demand was to secure the role of the victim for her daughter, have the Murong family prepare a generous dowry, and marry her daughter into the Dong family!
As long as her daughter could live, she would accept even twenty cane strokes from the Princess afterward!
So, Concubine Yao repeatedly instructed her daughter not to speak carelessly and mustered all her strength to make this scene in the main hall.
As for the Murong Dowager seated in the place of honor, and the Second Branch couple standing nearby, they had initially genuinely wanted to seek justice for Murong Dan.
But seeing Third Princess’s strange expression and Murong Yan’s even more flustered face, they were clever people and understood in an instant.
They were seething with frustration inwardly, their resentment towards Third Princess growing even stronger.
Just think, their Murong family was a prominent, established clan! The third son held great power, guarding the frontier. The fourth son was a Salt Censor, fawned over by so many.
There were countless outstanding talents among the collateral branches, all serving as officials.
The Murong family’s status had not slighted Third Princess in the least. Yet, ever since marrying in, Third Princess had constantly put on airs, acting high and mighty all these years.
Now, she didn’t even spare a thought for the Murong family’s dignity, scheming behind their backs like this and causing a disaster that harmed their own young lady—
What was even more infuriating was that they still had to help cover it up.
Because if a thorough investigation really took place, some of the clever people present would surely notice something amiss.
If the Duanmu family got hold of any leverage, the Murong family would likely become the laughingstock of the entire capital.
That would affect the third and fourth sons’ official reputations and futures.
Therefore, the Murong family absolutely did not want this matter blown out of proportion.
Having to swallow a loss themselves—the bitterness of that was indescribable.
But the imperial son-in-law, Murong Wenhan, was oblivious to all this and glared fiercely at the Sheng family—
This made the Murong family feel even more exhausted—
Murong Yan knew the whole story. She was filled with regret and hatred for underestimating that wretched girl!
Not only did the wretch escape, but she also turned around and trapped a young lady of their Murong family.
But right now, she first had to placate Concubine Yao and send her away, and also coax her father properly, to keep the two of them from causing any more trouble.
That way, they could properly compensate the Dong family and minimize the whole affair.
After some time, they could just marry Murong Dan into the Dong residence. That should stop the gossip and minimize the impact on the Murong family.
After all, Murong Dan was just a concubine-born daughter. Wasn’t she a suitable match for a concubine-born son?
In Murong Yan’s heart, only the Murong family’s interests mattered—or rather, her own interests.
She wouldn’t spare a single thought for how much harm her scheme today had inflicted upon Murong Dan.
She walked up to Concubine Yao, intending to help her up while softly coaxing her.
“Concubine Yao, Grandmother, Father, Mother, Second Uncle, and Second Aunt are sure to see justice done for Fourth Sister. You should go back now and keep Fourth Sister company…”
“County Princess, a young lady of the Murong family has suffered such a plot. If we don’t get to the bottom of this, how will the young ladies of the Murong family ever hold their heads high in the future?”
If not for the risk of exposing that she herself had guessed some of the truth, Concubine Yao truly wanted to scratch Murong Yan’s face and spit on her.
Hypocritical, pretentious, selfish, despicable wretch!
You harmed my daughter and now you think you can trick me, stop me from seeking justice for her?
Concubine Yao only had Murong Dan. Murong Dan was the very apple of her eye.
Now that her precious heart was about to be ruined, she was ready to throw her life away. Why would she care about rules or face?
She could afford to offend anyone!
Agitated, she broke free from Murong Yan’s grasp.
She crawled to Murong Wenhan’s feet, wrapped her arms around his legs, and cried.
“Master, you must uphold justice for Fourth Young Miss!—
You held her when she was first born, just a tiny little thing. You even said back then she looked most like you—
When Fourth Young Miss was little and learning to talk, the first word she said was ‘Daddy.’ She respects and loves you the most—”
These words stirred Murong Wenhan’s memories, making this grown man’s eyes turn red. He slammed the table and stood up.
“Rest assured, Little Four is my daughter. Even if I have to appeal before His Majesty, I will get justice for her!”
It’s not the god-like opponent one fears, but the pig-like teammate.
Hearing this, the Murong Dowager, Second Master, and Second Madam’s faces darkened another shade.
Those unaware might think the Murong family was simply furious, but in truth, these few were livid with Murong Wenhan.
Sheng Yong finally couldn’t hold back any longer and stepped forward to speak.
“Madame Dowager, Your Highness, Imperial Consort—
Today, this official originally came to the banquet happily with his family, never expecting… such a thing to happen—
Murong Fourth Young Miss insists my Seventh Daughter harmed her. I wonder, is there any evidence?”
As the head of the family, with his “daughter” publicly slandered, and Murong Wenhan vowing to seek justice for his own daughter, Sheng Yong, this “father,” even if he wished more than anything not to offend the Murong family, had no choice but to step forward and speak for Huang Yaning.
Otherwise, in the future, the Sheng family would be trampled into the mud.
Hearing Sheng Yong’s words, Concubine Yao’s expression turned ferocious as she pointed at Huang Yaning.
“It’s her! She holds a grudge against Fourth Young Miss!
Fourth Young Miss had words with her before, and she bore a hatred—
Today, she went to Xia’an Pavilion to deliver clothes. She saw the drugged Dong Bing inside and ran away—
Then she saw Fourth Young Miss nearby, bore that grudge, knocked Fourth Young Miss out, and viciously sent her inside instead—”
As she spoke, Concubine Yao cried. Though her eyes were full of tears, intense hatred and a vicious, devouring ferocity shone through.
In truth, Concubine Yao wasn’t far off the mark.
But how could Huang Yaning possibly admit it?
These past days, out of consideration for Master Dale and Lin Zhijing, she had tolerated Sheng Mingzhu’s provocation and hadn’t taken the initiative to act against her.
So, she had already been feeling quite stifled.
Today, Murong Yan and Lin Zhijing, not knowing what was good for them, had tried to scheme against her. Naturally, Huang Yaning had to strike back hard!
And since Murong Dan happened to cross her path, she had sent her in.
In her past life, Murong Dan had been no good either! And just now, Murong Dan’s expression suggested she had guessed something and was preparing to watch the show at her expense.
Therefore, Huang Yaning felt not a shred of regret or the slightest bit of apology.
