"Let Your Highness decide!"
Upon hearing Rong Xi's words, Song Gege knelt down on the ground with a thud, her face devoid of any luster.
"Madam, it's your responsibility to manage matters in the inner quarters!"
"If this is left to Your Highness's judgment, this servant will surely die!"
At this moment, Princess Li had lost all her arrogance. She had always believed that once she reached the Golden Core realm, she could cultivate with the Fourth Prince and become an aid to his cultivation. At that time, she would be able to obtain the position of concubine even without Rong Xi's involvement.
But in reality, she suffered a major setback.
She was actually thrown out of the room by the Fourth Prince.
Just thinking about that scene makes her wish she were dead.
To attract the Fourth Prince's attention, she wore a sheer, ethereal dress, her body's curves subtly revealed. The saying "The one I long for is on the other side of the water" perfectly captures this hazy, alluring beauty.
But the Fourth Prince showed no mercy and threw her out of the room, leaving her in the courtyard.
Such a commotion naturally alarmed many people.
Although the hidden guards did not show themselves, Li Gege knew very well that her embarrassing moment had been witnessed by everyone.
She remained dazed until Su Peisheng and his men escorted her back to her room.
Once she regained consciousness, if it weren't for the veiled clothes covering her, she would have preferred to believe that everything was just her imagination rather than what actually happened.
But in fact, facts are facts!
She was indeed thrown out of the room by the Fourth Prince.
Su Peisheng also brought instructions from the Fourth Prince: how to deal with her was up to the Princess Consort to decide. If the Princess Consort did not punish her, then this Prince's mansion would not tolerate a concubine who had climbed into the Emperor's bedchamber!
"A dead end?!"
Rong Xi stared intently at Song Gege, who was kneeling on the ground. "What did you do wrong?"
"This servant..."
Song Gege didn't know whether she should repeat what she had done.
"Alright, you don't need to say anything more!"
Rong Xi had no interest in listening to Song Gege repeat the story of climbing into bed. She simply looked at Consort Li, smiled slightly, and said, "Consort Li, what do you think is the most appropriate way to handle this matter?"
Rong Xi was truly unsure how to deal with Song Gege. Granny Xiang had given her some pointers, but what exactly constituted "following the rules"? She had no idea.
When Ulanara married the Fourth Prince as a commoner, she merely glanced at the rules and regulations and then disregarded them. In her eyes, she was just an ordinary woman who had only married the Fourth Prince because of her father's life-saving grace to Emperor Kangxi. She had already gained such a great advantage, so she couldn't afford to have any other expectations.
Therefore, Ulanara didn't take the rules and regulations to heart.
Rong Xi inherited everything from the Ulanara clan, including their complete ignorance of the rules.
However, this is not a big problem. It doesn't matter if she doesn't know the rules, Consort Li certainly does!
After all, Consort Li, like Consort Song, was a concubine of the Fourth Prince. They were required to follow the rules. Even if they were capable of spiritual cultivation, their lack of status and position was a major disadvantage.
“Reporting to the Princess Consort, according to the rules, such a matter warrants a severe beating!”
"What?!"
Rong Xi was taken aback when she heard what Consort Li said.
A severe beating!
This punishment apparently doesn't exist in history; it's a fictional creation in movies and TV dramas. Yet here, Rong Xi actually heard this rather cruel name from Consort Li's mouth.
The term "one-zhang red" refers to the use of a two-inch-thick, five-foot-long board to beat offenders, regardless of the number of blows, until the bones break and the area is covered in blood.
"Please have mercy, Princess! Please have mercy, Princess!"
"This servant knows she was wrong!"
"Please have mercy, Your Highness!"
Hearing Consort Li's words, Song Gege, kneeling on the ground, became even more terrified, her already pale face filled with anxiety. Whether the "one-zhang-red" punishment was truly as Rong Xi suspected, Rong Xi couldn't know. However, Song Gege's fearful appearance clearly showed that the "one-zhang-red" punishment was no minor offense.
"Consort Li, is she truly destined only for a severe beating?"
Rong Xi looked at Consort Li and spoke softly.
"Reporting to the Princess Consort, this is naturally up to you. Whatever punishment you choose, that is the punishment. The Prince has entrusted this matter to you, and your decision is the rule!"
Consort Li responded softly, "I was merely reciting what was written. In my opinion, the law is not without human sentiment!"
"Isn't the law just another matter of human sentiment?"
Rong Xi chuckled, "So, if it were up to you, how would you judge this matter?"
"..."
Upon hearing Rong Xi's question, Consort Li's calm and cautious expression faltered.
Should she decide?
"My lady, I am not worthy!"
"It's alright, I was just asking casually, and you just gave a casual answer!"
Rong Xi chuckled.
Meanwhile, as she and Consort Li exchanged questions and answers, Song Gege, kneeling on the ground, was filled with unease and could barely straighten up.
Now, she is like a fish on a chopping board, at the mercy of others.
She looked pleadingly at Consort Li, hoping the other would lend her a hand. In the past, she had looked down on Consort Li's weakness and cowardice, but now she knew that Consort Li was far more shrewd than she was. No wonder Consort Li had become a concubine, while she herself had ended up in this predicament.
One should not be too arrogant; one must know when to bow one's head.
After all these events, Song Gege truly had a profound awakening. However, she didn't know if she still had a chance to correct her mistakes!
“Your Highness, if that’s the case, then I believe that without rules, there can be no order. If you turn a blind eye to Song Gege’s matter this time, then others will surely follow suit in the future!”
"In my opinion, it is best to follow the rules!"
Consort Li pondered for a moment, but instead of pleading for Song Gege, she firmly believed that Song Gege should be punished according to the rules.
"That makes sense!"
Rong Xi chuckled.
Previously, Granny Xiang had also told her, through the magpie's mouth, to follow the rules.
If she were truly from the Ulanara clan, following the proper procedures would certainly be fine. But she isn't!
Having transmigrated from the modern era, she simply couldn't bring herself to make a decision that would cause serious injury to someone before the matter had even taken shape.
But if Song Gege isn't punished, this matter won't be over.
So, how exactly should the judgment be made?
Rong Xi is very worried now.
"My lady, I know you have a kind heart, but rules are rules!"
Seeing Rong Xi hesitate, Consort Li spoke up.
Song Gege knelt on the ground, her gaze fixed intently on Consort Li. In the past, she had looked down on Consort Li, but still considered her a sister. She never imagined that this very sister would now want to kill her!
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