jdhmnovel Chapter 138 Is it a bastard?
Chapter 138 Is it a bastard?
Before Song Benan finished speaking, he heard a noise coming from the crowd.
Xiao Mu, a tall man with a stern face, strode into the hall.
"Master Song."
When Song Ben'an saw Xiao Mu suddenly appear, he started to think. General Xiao was a person highly valued by His Majesty, and his appearance might be His Majesty's intention.
He quickly stood up and saluted.
"I pay my respects to the general."
"Lord Song, there is no need to be so polite. His Majesty has ordered this general to come and see him off in person."
Xiao Mu waved his hand, and the crowd slowly dispersed automatically. A monk in a monk's robe was brought over by two officers.
The monk looked terrified and his eyes revealed anxiety.
Song Benan looked at him, understood, and asked in a deep voice,
"Are you Huineng from Jing'an Temple?"
The monk nodded quickly and said in a trembling voice,
"I am Hui Neng."
Song Benan ordered someone to bring a throne and respectfully invited Xiao Mu to sit down.
Xiao Mu nodded slightly and took his seat calmly. His majestic aura made the atmosphere in the entire hall even more solemn.
Song Benan sat down again after Xiao Mu sat down.
Song Ben'an looked at Monk Huineng and continued to ask,
"Hui Neng, Zhao accused Concubine Wen and her husband Chen Zicong of having secret meetings in Jing'an Temple for many years, and bribed you to cover up for them. Is this true?"
Huineng's face turned pale instantly and he shook his head to deny it.
"Sir, I have never done this. I have been practicing in Jing'an Temple for many years and have always strictly followed the rules and regulations. I would never do such a thing."
Zhao pointed at Huineng angrily and said angrily,
"How dare you, a monk, quibble! I have already sent people to investigate and found out that you accepted benefits from Concubine Wen and provided convenience for their secret meeting."
Xiao Mu narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at Huineng, his eyes seemed to be able to penetrate people's hearts. Huineng became more and more nervous under Xiao Mu's gaze, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
Song Benan asked again,
"Hui Neng, you must think it through. If you conceal anything, you will bear the consequences yourself."
Huineng bit his lip and insisted,
"Sir, I really don't know about this. I have never seen Concubine Wen and Chen Zicong have a secret meeting, nor have I received any benefits from them."
When Concubine Wen first saw the monk, fear seeped into her bones. This, this person?
Xiao Mu spoke at this time, his voice was low and powerful,
"Hui Neng, His Majesty takes this matter very seriously. If you tell the truth, there may be a chance for a lighter sentence. If you insist on concealing it, then your crime will be even more serious."
Huineng's body trembled slightly and his heart was in a fierce struggle.
Whether he admits it or not, he will probably die. However, if he admits it, his fellow disciples in the temple will probably be implicated by him.
Just when Huineng was hesitating, Xiao Mu said,
"Hui Neng, you have practiced for many years, you should know the law of cause and effect. If you confess now, it will not only be for your own sake, but also for the reputation of Jing'an Temple. You don't want this general to interrogate everyone in your temple, right?"
Xiao Mu's voice was very soft, but to Huineng it sounded full of threat.
These words seemed to hit Huineng's heart.
He thought of his fellow disciples in Jing'an Temple and his years of practice. He finally made up his mind.
Huineng fell to his knees with a plop.
"My Lord, General, I know I was wrong. I did accept money from Concubine Wen and provided convenience for her to meet with Chen Zicong. But I was also forced to do so. Concubine Wen threatened me that if I didn't help her, I would not be able to stay in Jing'an Temple."
"No, it's not..."
Concubine Wen struggled hard, trying to step forward to stop the monk from speaking further.
Xiao Mu glanced at her sideways and motioned Mo Feng behind him to come forward.
Mo Feng took the order and stepped forward, standing in front of Concubine Wen. He nodded quickly, and Concubine Wen could not utter a word.
When the onlookers saw this, they secretly wondered in their hearts, was this a case of the mute point being pressed?
After hearing Huineng's words, Song Ben'an became even more certain of Concubine Wen's guilt.
He looked at Xiao Mu, waiting for his instructions.
Xiao Mu nodded slightly.
"continue."
Huineng wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"They usually meet in the guest rooms in the back hills of Jing'an Temple, which is quite remote and not easy to be discovered. Every time they meet, Concubine Wen will give me some money and ask me to keep watch for them."
Song Benan asked again,
"How long have they been meeting in secret? Does anyone else know about this?"
Huineng thought about it, then spoke hesitantly.
"This has been going on for a long time. The two have been meeting in the temple for thirteen years, but in recent years, I haven't seen them come. As for whether other people know about it, I don't know, but every time Concubine Wen goes to the back mountain, there is a nanny with her, so I think she must know about it."
Song Ben'an frowned. Murong Jin was seventeen years old this year. If what the monk said was true, Concubine Wen and Chen Zicong had been secretly together after she gave birth to Murong Jin.
Then Murong Jin should be the descendant of Prince Shun, right?
"Are you serious? Did these two really have a secret meeting in the temple thirteen years ago?"
Huineng did not dare to lie at this time and quickly replied,
"Yes, I can confirm it. It should be thirteen years ago."
Song Benan looked at Xiao Mu, waiting for his instructions.
He naturally knew that His Majesty was suspicious of Murong Jin's background, but according to what this monk said, I'm afraid there is no other evidence?
Xiao Mu pondered for a moment, looked at Monk Huineng with deep eyes, and then glanced at Concubine Wen who had a face full of despair.
"Mo Feng."
Mo Feng immediately understood the general's intention, stepped forward and untied the acupoints of Concubine Wen, then quietly retreated behind Xiao Mu.
"Concubine Wen, do you have anything else to say? Were you involved with Chen Zicong before you entered Prince Shun's mansion?"
Xiao Mu said this lightly, but when the onlookers heard it, they started talking about it.
If Concubine Wen had a secret meeting with someone after entering the palace, the worst that could happen would be that she was unfaithful to her husband and she would be the only one who could be punished.
But if she had an affair with someone before entering the palace, then the daughter of Prince Shun, the former Princess Pingle, would she be a bastard?
Concubine Wen could obviously speak at this time, but she seemed hurt by these words. Her eyes were blurred with tears and she looked pitiful as if she was framed.
"I didn't, I..."
When the onlookers saw this, they didn’t know who to believe for a moment.
This Concubine Wen looks really pitiful. If she was really framed, it is possible.
"Xiao Mu, what are you going to do?"
Prince Shun shouted angrily, and the crowd quickly dispersed, only to see him rushing into the hall in anger.
Xiao Mu stood up, looked at Prince Shun calmly, and bowed slightly, saying,
"Your Majesty, please calm down. I am only following orders. Your Majesty attaches great importance to this case and ordered me to come and assist Lord Song in trying the case. Now that the evidence is solid, it is clear that Concubine Wen and Chen Zicong had a secret meeting. Please don't stop it, Your Majesty."
Prince Shun's face turned pale and he turned to look at Concubine Wen. Even though he wanted to kill this bitch in his heart, he had to pretend to be ignorant and wonder if he could protect her and save his own face.
Concubine Wen quickly knelt down beside Prince Shun and cried,
"Your Majesty, I am innocent! This monk was clearly instructed by someone to deliberately frame me. I have absolutely nothing to do with Chen Zicong."
Xiao Mu sneered.
"It seems that Concubine Wen still refuses to acknowledge me! Lord Song, His Majesty asked me to bring another person with me. Can I ask him to come forward?"