sbdcsierra Chapter 1737 Who in the harem can still be trusted?
Chapter 1737 Who in the harem can still be trusted?
"They also colluded with the remnants of the Fatu Temple, secretly communicated with foreign enemies, and helped the traitor Jiang Wange to defect..."
With each charge he brought up, Jiang Xining's face grew paler.
Your crimes are too numerous to count!
Li Changde coldly replied, "His Majesty has decreed that the entire Jiang family be punished for treason and collusion with the enemy. Their nine generations will be exterminated!"
Jiang Changzai's pupils dilated suddenly as he stared intently at Li Changde: "You...you, what did you say?!"
Exterminate...exterminate nine generations of their family?!
Everyone who has Chiang Kai-shek's bloodline or is related to Chiang Kai-shek by marriage... must die?!
"no no!"
Jiang Xining cried out hoarsely, "Eunuch Li, you promised me!"
"You clearly said that if I confess honestly, perhaps, perhaps, I could save the family!"
"You're lying to me?!"
"Li Changde! You lied to me?!"
She didn't know where the strength came from, but she struggled and tried to pounce on Li Changde.
Her weak body caused her to roll off the straw mat and fall heavily onto the hard ground.
Jiang Xining looked up, tears streaming down her face, staring intently at Li Changde with boundless resentment in her eyes!
Li Changde looked down at her disheveled appearance, without a trace of pity on his face, and said indifferently, "How dare a mere servant of mine presume to presume upon the majesty of Heaven?"
"Jiang, you have committed heinous crimes, yet you still dare to dream of protecting your family? How laughable!"
"Go to the underworld and sincerely repent to your relatives who are about to go to the Yellow Springs with you!"
After saying this, Li Changde stopped looking at Jiang Xining and turned to leave the secret room.
"Li Changde! Come back! Come back—!!!"
Jiang Xining screamed frantically at his retreating figure, "Your Majesty! I want to see Your Majesty! I want to see Your Majesty—!!!"
But there was no response.
Jiang Xining's mind conjured up her father's stern face.
The mother's gentle, smiling face.
The elder brother's high spirits, the younger sister's innocent charm...
And then there are those relatives she doesn't even know, yet who, because of their blood ties, she's dragging into hell...
"what--!!!!"
Jiang Xining finally couldn't bear it any longer and let out a heart-wrenching wail!
I regret it...
She shouldn't have been so bewitched in that side room of Fatu Temple, giving her innocence to Xingchen.
I shouldn't have fallen in love with a lewd monk who spouts lies and tells the same sweet nothings to countless women!
She actually gambled away the entire Jiang family for a false sense of true love...
"I was wrong... I was really wrong..."
Jiang Xining collapsed to the ground, her fingernails digging into the cracks in the brickwork, the tips of her fingers breaking and bleeding: "Father... Mother... Brother..."
"I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry..."
Tears flowed freely, but could not wash away the sins.
Jiang Xining knew that no matter how much she repented or cried, it was too late.
The imperial edict has been issued, and the reputation and lives of the Chiang family will be destroyed because of her absurd and ridiculous "love"!
……
The news that Jiang was convicted and that his entire family, including nine generations of his relatives, would be implicated caused quite a stir in the palace and the court!
"Exterminate their entire family?!"
"Absolutely true! The decree was issued by His Majesty himself!"
"My God, how dare the Chiang family?!"
"It's a misfortune for the Jiang family to have such a daughter!"
"..."
Many people only remember that Chiang Kai-shek was beautiful and had a soft voice, but her favor with the emperor was mediocre.
Before she was deposed, she was just a lowly concubine, yet she was able to stir up a huge storm in the palace.
Yonghe Palace.
Upon hearing this, Consort Qin frowned and asked, "...Where did Jiang get such audacity?"
"How dare a mere fifth-rank official's daughter collude with the remnants of the Fatu Temple and even assist a deposed concubine who was imprisoned in an attempt to escape?"
"It's hard to imagine that no one was behind this..."
Green Ying was also puzzled: "This servant can't understand why Madam Jiang would do this."
"I've heard that the Jiang family's ancestors did not have any illustrious achievements, and Jiang's father was a cautious official, not holding an important position. Logically speaking, they should have no connection with the former Duke of Zhenguo's mansion."
"If there's no connection, why would the Jiang family risk the execution of their entire clan to help Jiang Wange escape?"
A thoughtful look flashed in Consort Qin's eyes, realizing that these matters were not as simple as they appeared on the surface.
However, she couldn't quite figure out the key to it.
"I have only recently been reinstated, and it is precisely the time for me to be cautious in my words and deeds and to safeguard the household."
Consort Qin instructed, "This matter is none of our business, do not ask any further questions."
“Keep the people at Yonghe Palace in check. Be vigilant these days and don’t gossip with others.”
Lü Ying respectfully replied, "Yes."
Like Consort Qin, many people felt that this matter had nothing to do with them, and were simply curious to hear about it.
The one who was truly frightened was Consort Tong of Jingren Palace.
The only saving grace was that His Majesty did not punish her, nor did he feel that she, as the Empress, had failed in her duty.
The lower-ranking concubines gathered together, filled with suspicion and uncertainty: "My God..."
Consort Tang's almond-shaped eyes widened: "Jiang speaks in such a sweet and coquettish way, and she even gave me a velvet flower hairpin last time. How could she help the deposed concubine escape, and even plot to harm His Majesty?!"
"What...what's she after?"
Also, is His Majesty's health alright?
Consort Tang has not seen His Majesty for some time. Upon hearing of this matter, she is even more worried.
However, as a noblewoman, she cannot simply meet His Majesty whenever she wishes.
Consort Tang could only worry in her heart...
Another concubine shook her head and said, "You can't know what's going on in someone's heart."
"Perhaps the Jiang family ancestors truly have some connection with the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion that we are unaware of? Otherwise, why would the Jiang family take such a dangerous risk?"
Consort Tang frowned and said, "Even if there is a connection, how many years has the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion been gone? Jiang was also imprisoned in Yawen Garden before, and became half dead."
"Is it worth Jiang risking her entire family's lives? I don't think she's that kind of person with integrity..."
Consort Zheng gently tugged at Consort Tang's sleeve, signaling her to be quiet: "Watch your words!"
"His Majesty has already made a decision on this matter; the rights and wrongs involved are beyond our comprehension."
"However... after this incident, we will probably have to be even more careful in the palace from now on."
"Who knows what the people around me are really thinking..."
These words sent a chill down everyone's spines.
Yes, sisters who used to laugh and joke together can turn into traitors and enemies in the blink of an eye.
Who in the harem can be trusted?
……
Yongshou Palace.
Qiuyue gently poured hot tea for Shen Zhinian.
Xiao Mingzi is reporting news from outside.
As Shen Zhinian listened, her heart sank lower and lower!
Even though she has lived two lives, she is not a god and cannot know everything like God.
Shen Zhinian only just learned that Jiang Wange had actually faked her death and had even escaped to the Xiongnu!
Things really did turn out the worst possible way!
Jiang Wange had so many wild ideas in her mind, what if she really helped the Xiongnu to become enemies with the Great Zhou...
Shen Zhinian dared not imagine the consequences.
She asked in a deep voice, "...Regarding the matter of the deposed concubine, has His Majesty issued any decree?"