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Chapter 28 Punishment

A man turned around, looking at the people from the Dingguo Prince's Mansion with a mocking glint in his eyes. "What? Are you surprised to see this Young Master?"

This person was none other than He Qing, the heir of the Xiao Wang Mansion, who had clashed with He Jingheng at the wedding banquet.

"He Jingheng, have you fallen so low that you need someone to carry you now? I heard that both of your legs are completely useless."

He walked up to He Jingheng and was about to reach out to touch his legs when He Jingheng said leisurely, "He Qing, I think you don't want this hand of yours anymore."

He Qing's hand froze. The next moment, he became even more enraged. He couldn't believe that He Jingheng, now a disabled man, could still intimidate him.

"Insolent! You, a criminal, dare to speak to this Young Master like that!" He Qing said angrily. "Guards, arrest him and give him fifty heavy blows with the board."

Fifty heavy blows!

That was tantamount to a death sentence.

He was already seriously injured and not fully recovered. After fifty blows, would he even survive?

"He Qing, after all, we both bear the surname He. You and Heng'er are like brothers. Even if there were conflicts when you were young, there's no need to take his life," Concubine Qin stepped forward, her eyes filled with tears. "You used to come and play in the prince's mansion often when you were a child. Have you forgotten?"

"Hehe, Auntie, that was twenty years ago. You actually have the nerve to bring it up," he said with a sneer in his eyes. "Auntie, it's only been a few days, and you've become so haggard. If you hadn't come forward, I would have thought you were someone else's grandmother."

"You!" Concubine Qin's face paled. She never expected He Qing to be so ruthless with his words.

Zhang, listening from behind, couldn't hide the joy on her face.

The arrival of the heir of the Xiao Wang Mansion was really timely. It would be great if he could kill them all, especially Concubine Qin and He Jingheng.

Concubine Qin's maternal family was once extremely prosperous. Even though the old master of the Qin family had passed away, the Qin family, though not as glorious as before, was still far beyond what the Zhang family could compare with. Concubine Qin had married the Dingguo Prince. Although she was not as favored as Concubine Zhao, her life was much better than Zhang's. Coupled with the old princess's affection, Zhang harbored deep resentment towards her.

As for He Jingheng, it was even more so.

Since He Jingheng's birth, he was the heir to the throne. Over the years, he had achieved remarkable military exploits on the battlefield. In contrast, her son was mediocre in appearance and far inferior to He Jingheng in every aspect. Over the years, there were always people gossiping behind her back, and she could only pretend not to hear.

Now, with such a good opportunity for revenge, Zhang was naturally overjoyed.

He Qing looked at the female relatives of the He family. "Who? Which one is the concubine - born daughter of Prime Minister Shang?" On the day of the wedding, Shang Ruoyi had been wearing a bridal veil, and he hadn't seen her face.

Hearing this, Zhang was delighted. Finally, someone was here to deal with this ill - fated girl.

She quietly walked behind Shang Ruoyi and gave her a sudden push.

Caught off - guard, Shang Ruoyi stumbled. He Qing immediately noticed her.

"Are you the concubine - born daughter of Prime Minister Shang?" He walked up to her, his gaze lecherously sizing her up, and then looked at He Jingheng beside her. "I didn't expect you, He Jingheng, to be so lucky. Although she's a concubine - born daughter, she's even more beautiful than the top courtesan in Tianxiang Tower."

He had compared her to a brothel woman, expecting her to be ashamed and angry. After all, no noble lady would want to be associated with a brothel woman.

But Shang Ruoyi's expression remained unchanged. She just smiled and said, "I didn't expect the heir of the Xiao Wang Mansion to have such a taste. It really runs in the family from the Xiao Wang."

"What do you mean?" He Qing furrowed his brows. "Slandering the royal relatives is an aggravated crime! My father and mother are the most affectionate couple in the entire capital."

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"Oh, so the heir doesn't know?" Shang Ruoyi smiled. "Your mother was originally a singing girl brought back by the Xiao Wang from outside the domain. At first, the Xiao Wang's main concubine had already been decided, but he insisted on marrying your mother. But how could a proper noble - born daughter be willing to share a husband with a low - born singing or dancing girl? She would rather become a nun than marry into the mansion. Since then, no one has been willing to marry their daughter into your mansion. After all, who would want to pay their respects to a singing girl every day?"

Her voice was loud enough for everyone in the post station to hear clearly.

Everyone was stunned.

The princess of the Xiao Wang Mansion was a former singing girl?

This was something they had never heard of.

So, the heir of the Xiao Wang Mansion was born to a singing girl?

When they looked at He Qing again, their eyes were filled with a hint of contempt.

It should be known that in the Tian Shun Dynasty, status and birth were highly regarded. There was a clear distinction between the legitimate and the concubine - born, and birth was of utmost importance, especially for the royal bloodline.

He Qing, hearing this, flew into a rage. "Outrageous! Utter nonsense! Where did you hear such rubbish? How dare you put it on this Young Master? I think you've had enough of living."

"Rubbish? The heir of the Xiao Wang Mansion calls this rubbish?" Shang Ruoyi sneered. "Heir of the Xiao Wang Mansion, do you know that you've committed a serious crime?"

"What crime has this Young Master committed? You, on the other hand, are already a convict, and now you're even defying this Young Master. It seems that both you and your disabled husband have had enough of living." With that, he slightly raised his arm. "Despising the royal relatives is a crime punishable by death. This Young Master thinks there's no need for you two to go into exile. You can be executed on the spot."

"That so - called rubbish was personally said by the Emperor," Shang Ruoyi said unhurriedly. "Are you saying that what the Emperor said is rubbish?"

What?

Said by the Emperor?

He Qing furrowed his brows. "You, a mere concubine - born girl, how could you have seen the Emperor? It's all nonsense!"

"I may not have seen the Emperor, but my father has. The fact that the heir of the Xiao Wang Mansion is born to a singing girl was told to my father by the Emperor himself. As for whether it's true or not, the heir can go and ask the Emperor or the prince."

He Qing looked at her with a livid face, then turned to the people around him and shouted angrily, "What are you still standing there for? Kill them all!"

Hearing this, Zhang was overjoyed. Killing these two would relieve her hatred.

The guards around looked at each other, their faces full of hesitation.

"What are you waiting for? Do you want this Young Master to do it himself?"

Zhang Hu stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Highness, although the people of the Dingguo Prince's Mansion have been exiled, they haven't been stripped of their noble status. If you want to execute them, you need an imperial decree. May I ask if Your Highness has brought it?"

What? An imperial decree?

He Qing was stunned for a moment.

Where would he get an imperial decree?

He had come here today just to say hello to the Crown Prince and to mock He Jingheng while he was down, to vent his hatred of these years.

"This Young Master came in a hurry and hasn't obtained the Emperor's decree yet," he cleared his throat and said in a deep voice. "If I can't kill them, I can at least beat them, right?"

"He Qing, are you acting under someone's order?" He Jingheng said.

"Who allowed you to address this Young Master by name? Give him fifty slaps," He Qing shouted angrily. "Hit him hard."

The guard beside him stepped forward and was about to strike when He Jingheng raised his hand and grabbed the guard's wrist. The guard exerted all his strength but couldn't move He Jingheng's hand an inch.