After Transmigrating As The Scumbag Alpha In An Ancient Pregnant-And-Run Novel - Chapter 15

“An imperial daughter who breaks the law is punished the same as a commoner”—that saying had always been nothing more than words.

When had an imperial daughter ever paid any real price for killing someone? Let alone when the person killed was a maid in her own household.

Never mind the imperial family. Even in ordinary noble families, the life and death of servants who had signed death contracts would only stir up a little gossip at most. How could it count as any major matter?

Anyuan led people to search the homes and residences of the stewards and older servants, and no one felt anything was wrong with it. This was the majesty of the imperial family.

The evidence against Steward Qian was irrefutable. Shen Liunian ignored Yun Chenghuai’s sincere gaze and instead asked, “What does Your Highness think should be done?”

Should the nine familial clans be exterminated, or should only the individual be punished without implicating others?

This was also Shen Liunian’s test. Punishing servants was a very small matter. To the imperial clan, it was not even worth mentioning.

But this time, there were several thousand people throughout the prince’s manor. How many of them could truly withstand investigation? Even if they were not punished severely, there were far too many servants. This would definitely draw outside attention.

Yun Chenghuai was currently grounded in the prince’s manor and should mainly keep a low profile. If she made a high-profile move and punished a large number of servants, it would certainly attract attention.

If punishing the servants in her household truly drew the attention of those imperial daughters, or even the Emperor herself, would that not be a loss greater than the gain?

Everything depended on Yun Chenghuai’s choice. Shen Liunian asked this in order to test her attitude again.

Since Yun Chenghuai had completely handed the authority over the prince’s manor to Shen Liunian, no matter how Shen Liunian decided, she would support her.

If it triggered a series of consequences, she absolutely would not let Shen Liunian stand at the front and take the blame.

“Madam may decide. Everyone in the prince’s manor is at Madam’s command. I will naturally cooperate.”

Yun Chenghuai filled the cup with water and ingratiatingly handed it to Shen Liunian. “Madam, have some tea.”

Shen Liunian gave a light snort. “What if my handling of this matter makes your grounding last even longer?”

Wouldn’t that be exactly what she wanted? Yun Chenghuai’s eyes lit up.

A short period of confinement could let her make more preparations. In any case, for now, her food, clothing, and daily needs were all the best. It was not miserable at all.

After all, once her grounding ended, she would still be a Southern Qin prince and the biological younger sister of the Crown Princess. Who would dare slight her?

The original owner’s ten years of confinement had been miserable because ten years was far too long. The Crown Princess had died, a new emperor had ascended the throne, and no matter what, the original owner’s days would not have been easy.

Yun Chenghuai calculated it. Her grounding period was nearly halfway over. Once she went out, she would have to directly face the dangers of the succession struggle.

If she could really be grounded for a few extra days, that might not necessarily be a bad thing.

Yun Chenghuai smiled. “Madam may handle it however she likes. Since I have already said that everyone in the prince’s manor will listen only to Madam’s words, then no matter how Madam handles it, I will support you.”

“So what if I’m grounded? Aren’t I already grounded right now?”

Shen Liunian studied her for a while, not knowing whether she believed her words or not. Then she turned to the stewards and older servants in the courtyard and said, “You all heard the prince’s words.”

“Steward Qian embezzled items bestowed by His Majesty and the late Empress. Send for people from the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review.”

The Ministry of Justice? The Court of Judicial Review? Everyone panicked. Once the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review became involved, the sentencing would certainly not be light. A servant who stole could be beaten to death with a staff. If what they stole was officially manufactured, that was a major crime punishable by the extermination of three familial clans. Steward Qian had not only stolen officially manufactured items, but also imperial-bestowed objects. She would absolutely be sentenced to the extermination of nine familial clans.

As a prince, if Yun Chenghuai wanted to deal with the servants in her own household, why would she need to involve the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review? If internal household matters were brought outside, it would likely become a laughingstock.

When the noble families heard of it, who would not mock her a few times?

The original owner had always loved face. She definitely would not agree to hand the matter over to the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review.

But Yun Chenghuai was not the original owner. Her generation was different from the older one too. In her view, substance was far more important than face.

Moreover, her mind reacted instantly. Her eyes lit up, and she leaned mysteriously toward Shen Liunian’s ear, not caring in the slightest about the other woman’s disgusted gaze.

The fact that Shen Liunian did not dodge away was already giving her a lot of face.

“Madam, what you mean is that if we hand this matter over to the Ministry of Justice or the Court of Judicial Review, although we’ll inevitably be criticized a little, no rumors about us treating servants harshly will spread outside, and outsiders won’t be able to seize any leverage against us either?”

Yun Chenghuai kept saying “we.” Shen Liunian tilted her head aside a little uncomfortably. Her ear felt itchy, and even the area around her heart felt itchy.

However, since when had Yun the dog become so smart? Smart in a way that did not resemble her at all.

Once the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review came, the Emperor would at most blame her for failing to manage her household strictly. To be honest, she had only married recently and had moved into the prince’s manor less than a year ago.

Previously, Prince Chuxiang’s manor had been managed by the Dianwei. Other imperial daughters had their own birth mothers looking after things and often sending momos to inspect their manors, but the original owner had none. When she took over the prince’s manor, it had already been a mess.

The original owner did not understand ordinary household affairs in the first place. The prince’s manor had been jointly managed by the steward and the Dianwei. The steward was elderly, and the Dianwei had embezzled. That the prince’s manor had not collapsed was all thanks to the fact that it was a prince’s manor.

If the prince’s manor’s operations truly collapsed, then apart from the prince herself, the several thousand people in the manor would likely be wiped out together.

Yun Chenghuai called out loudly, “Anyuan, send someone to invite the people from the Court of Judicial Review.”

Her voice jolted Shen Liunian’s ear, causing Shen Liunian to shift a little to the side.

“If you confess on your own, once the people from the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review arrive, the prince and this Princess Consort can plead for leniency on your behalf. Otherwise, you may simply stay in prison.”

Shen Liunian said this indifferently, then waved her hand. “Continue checking the accounts.”

The moment these words were spoken, among the stewards and older servants who had still been hesitating, one immediately came forward to confess.

Once there was a first, there was a second. Very quickly, more than half the people admitted to their crimes.

As for the remaining people who had not confessed, they were still weighing the pros and cons. Some felt that the masters behind them would not protect them and immediately confessed. Others felt that they held information their masters needed and gambled that their masters would protect them.

By the time the people from the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review arrived, most of the people had already confessed.

The personal guards worked together with the Shen family’s servants to record everyone’s evidence of guilt. As for those who refused to admit anything, the opportunity had already been given. Whatever outcome awaited them was something they had brought upon themselves. Yun Chenghuai would not be a saint about it.

“Song An, Vice Minister of Justice, greets Your Highness Prince Chuxiang and the Princess Consort.”

“Xu Tuo, Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, greets Your Highness Prince Chuxiang and the Princess Consort.”

The deputy heads of both the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review had come, which was enough to show the importance both offices placed on her, Prince Chuxiang.

Yun Chenghuai’s gaze rested only on Xu Tuo, the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. Naturally, it was not because Song An was older while Xu Tuo was young, fresh-faced, and had an excellent bearing.

It was because she had remembered the information about Xu Tuo, this important female supporting character in the novel.

Xu Tuo, Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, came from an aristocratic family in Qiantang. At seventeen, she had placed third in the first rank of the imperial examinations. Six years had passed, and at only twenty-three, she held the upper fourth-rank position of Vice Minister in the Court of Judicial Review.

Among those who had passed the imperial examinations in the same year as her, the ones who had reached the upper fourth rank had all been sent out to the provinces and held no real power. How could they compare to her, who had remained in Shangdu and was even the second-in-command of the Court of Judicial Review?

Part of this was due to Xu Tuo’s family background, but it was also inseparable from her own ability.

The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review was old. Barring any accidents, Xu Tuo would take over.

A third-rank official not yet thirty was rare across the entire court.

Since this matter concerned a prince’s manor, the Court of Judicial Review naturally would not send just anyone. The position of Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review was sufficiently important.

Moreover, no matter how much Prince Chuxiang was disliked by His Majesty, she was still the younger sister of the current Crown Princess. How would the Court of Judicial Review dare not treat the matter seriously?

Xu Tuo wore a crimson official robe as she stood and bowed. Her posture was straight and refined, making it clear at a glance what it meant to be an upright gentleman.

An aristocratic young lady, like jade and pine. She wore a pleasant fragrance, and Xu Tuo was especially good-looking too. What a noble young lady indeed.

For a moment, Yun Chenghuai’s mind was drawn in by that face, but she quickly snapped back to her senses.

So what if she was a noble young lady? She was nothing but a love rival!