mtlumby2d Chapter 406 The Princess's Maid (10)
Chapter 406 The Princess's Maid (10)
"Yes."
Qi Ning nodded: "She is Ning'er, the maid who came with me for the marriage alliance. She secretly escaped that night, but I didn't expect you to actually catch her."
Upon hearing Qi Ning's words, Yun Jing, who was kneeling below, instantly understood.
It turned out that after she and Shen Yixiao left that night, Ning'er took her place and was mistaken for her by Yue Zeyuan, which is why Ning'er was dressed as a palace concubine.
As for her, Ning'er claimed that she was a maid who had run away.
Now, the two have switched identities in front of Yue Zeyuan.
Yue Zeyuan looked at Qi Ning with scrutinizing eyes: "Are you sure you haven't mistaken this person for someone else?"
Qi Ning said without changing his expression, "Of course I didn't mistake her. Although she wasn't my maid who served me since I was a child, she served me all the way from Chu to Yue. We spent more than a month together, so how could I mistake her?"
"But this person never admitted to this identity, saying that she was a refugee from a neighboring small country."
"Of course she wouldn't dare admit it. She had only heard about your patricide and murder..."
"Miss!"
Suddenly, Yulan called out to her.
Yulan was terrified. Although it was true that His Majesty had killed his father and brother, no one would dare to say such a thing in front of His Majesty.
She was terrified that Qi Ning would anger Yue Zeyuan, which would bring disaster upon everyone in the hall.
Qi Ning paused briefly, seemingly understanding Yulan's implication.
Yue Zeyuan remained calm and did not react much to what Qi Ning said.
Qi Ning twisted the handkerchief in her hand and said to Yue Zeyuan fearlessly, "It's a fact that you killed your father and brother. Everyone knows it. You can't just stop people from talking about it, can you?"
Upon hearing Qi Ning's words, Yu Lan, Eunuch Xu, and the others broke out in a cold sweat, their legs trembling so much they were ready to kneel down at any moment.
Yun Jing hadn't expected Qi Ning to say these things in front of Yue Zeyuan. Her eyes darted around, not understanding what Qi Ning was trying to do.
A cold smile crept across Yue Zeyuan's lips: "Continue."
Qi Ning continued, "She heard about your patricide and fratricide, and thought you were ruthless and cruel, so she dared not stay in the Yue Kingdom's palace and risked her life to escape."
"Now that she finally escaped, only to be caught by you, how could she possibly admit her identity? Wouldn't that be suicide?"
Yue Zeyuan chuckled softly: "According to you, there is some truth to that."
"But since you were master and servant after all, why don't you just cover for her and expose her directly?"
Qi Ning raised an eyebrow slightly: "Didn't you ask me? Why would I cover for her? You've already caught her; she'll be found out sooner or later. What's the point of hiding it?"
Yue Zeyuan neither agreed nor disagreed with Qi Ning's words; his gaze swept over Yun Jing, who was kneeling below.
"I will ask you one last time: who are you? And is the person sitting next to me your master?"
This question was asked of Yun Jing in return, to confirm whether what Qi Ning said was true or false, and also to confirm Qi Ning's identity.
Upon hearing this, Yun Jing clenched her hands hanging by her sides, her nails digging into the flesh of her palms.
She lowered her head, her mind racing, unsure how to answer.
Of course, none of what Qi Ning said was true, but if she denied Qi Ning's words and exposed her, then her own identity would also be exposed.
Before Yun Jing could figure out how to answer, Qi Ning said to her again, "Ning'er, you've already been caught, so you might as well confess honestly. His Majesty isn't as scary as you think. Don't worry, we've been master and servant after all, I'll put in a good word for you."
"But if you remain stubborn, I can't help you. Think about what will happen to you."
Yun Jing looked up and met Qi Ning's gaze.
Qi Ning looked at her, the implication in her eyes was self-evident.
She was trying to get her to admit her identity as a maid, otherwise if Yue Zeyuan found out their true identities, they would all be in trouble, and it would also implicate others.
Yun Jing had no choice, not to mention that Shen Yixiao was still in Yue Zeyuan's hands, and she didn't know what had become of him.
She gritted her teeth and bowed her head under the gazes of Yue Zeyuan and Qi Ning: "Princess, I know I was wrong. I shouldn't have abandoned you and run away on my own. Please forgive me."
Qi Ning knew that as long as Yun Jing didn't run into Chu Hanfeng and her love-struck mind didn't kick in, she still had a brain and knew how to make a choice.
She smiled slightly and said to Yue Zeyuan, "See? I wasn't wrong."
Yue Zeyuan glanced at Qi Ning, remaining silent, his thoughts unreadable.
Qi Ning looked back at me innocently: "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"nothing."
Yue Zeyuan then looked away.
His hand rested on the armrest, his slender fingers tapping lightly on it.
"Since this person is indeed your runaway maid, we cannot let her off so easily."
Upon hearing this, Yun Jing slightly raised her head.
"You don't mean to kill her, do you?" Qi Ning asked.
"if not?"
Yue Zeyuan retorted, "Why keep such a disloyal servant alive if she doesn't kill her?"
One of Qi Ning's tasks was to get rid of Yun Jing. She did want Yue Zeyuan to kill Yun Jing for her, but not at this time.
At this moment, although Yun Jing went along with her words and admitted that she was a maid without revealing her identity as a princess, if Yue Zeyuan really wanted to kill her and pushed her to the brink, she might change her story at any time before she died, and then Qi Ning's efforts would have been in vain.
"But you promised me that you would hand her over to me to deal with. Are you going to go back on your word?" Qi Ning glanced at Yue Zeyuan.
"I'm leaving it to you to handle?"
"Yes, she was originally a maid I brought with me. Can't I handle her as I see fit?"
"Then tell me, what are you planning to do with her? You're not planning to let her go back to Chu, are you?"
Yun Jing was still holding back her anger as she listened to the two people above discussing how to deal with her. When she heard Yue Zeyuan say that he would let her return to Chu, Yun Jing's eyes lit up slightly.
But soon, that glimmer of light dimmed again.
She was sent to Yue Kingdom by Chu Hanfeng himself, so how could she possibly go back?
Even if she goes back, she won't have a good ending; Chu Hanfeng and his sister won't let her off the hook.
In reality, Yun Jing's worries were unnecessary. Qi Ning did not intend to kill her at this time, but he also did not intend to let her go.
"Who said I was going to let her go back to Chu?"
"Then what do you think?"
"Um……"
Qi Ning raised his hand and touched his chin. After pondering for a moment, he said, "Why don't we punish her with a beating and then keep her here to continue serving me?"
Since we can't kill her immediately, nor can we let her go, keeping her under our noses is the safest option.
If Yun Jing stays to be her servant, then her life will still be in her hands.
Yue Zeyuan did not immediately agree to Qi Ning's words, as if he did not quite approve.
“It is right to punish her with a cane, but what’s the point of keeping such a disloyal servant around? She should be sent to the laundry department instead.”
Qi Ning frowned.
"You already said you'd leave her to me to handle, so why are you interfering?"
Her expression was full of dissatisfaction: "I don't know a single person in the palace. She is, after all, a maid who came with me from the State of Chu. I want to keep her by my side and talk to her, but I can't even do that?"
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