Counterattack of the Cannon Fodder Chambermaid

Untitled Part 168

"The only abnormal part is his majesty." The Jing Duke finished his thought. He had also thought the same thing.

The fourth lord nodded, "Right. The only abnormal part is his majesty. His own woman was blackmailed but he showed no reaction, as though he didn't care about it."

"Could it be the prime senior concubine didn't tell him about it?" The eldest madam interrupted.

She was a woman, and thus understood a woman's thoughts very well. They would be keen to bury their dark pasts and wouldn't tell their man about it. No man would be able to tolerate such things, especially one who was the monarch.

"That wouldn't quite make sense. Sister-in-law, what would you do in such a situation?"

What would she do? She would use her influence to crush those presumptuous people.

"Definitely either sweep things clean or raise an objection. But that prime senior concubine didn't do anything."

The eldest madam revealed some doubt, "Well, she doesn't have a maternal family, and had only been conferred her status recently. How could she go against a marquis's madam outside the palace...." As she spoke to this point, even she felt something wasn't right.

"Her status is something sought after by countless people. Any random household with more influence than the Jinyang Estate would be sufficient to deal with them. But she never made a move, and never even invited anyone into the palace."

"What fourth brother means is that the prime senior concubine and his majesty came up with a scheme together?"

The fourth lord nodded.

"None of those households were acting, they truly had their own schemes. The only issue is the prime senior concubine who acted as if nothing happened and the Jing Emperor who didn't bother with this situation despite things developing to such an extent." He fell into his chair and continued speaking: "Once the rumors became wild, his majesty grew enraged and ordered the three departments to hold a joint hearing. Those on trial were none other...than those who "started the rumors"...." As he spoke to this point, he revealed a bitter smile.

No one had forced them to do so. They were the ones who rushed ahead for their own selfish desires. Perhaps this had all been included in his majesty's calculations. Including the fact that the Jinyang Estate would honestly confess, and that the Chengyang Estate, in order to preserve themselves, would implicate the second lord's wife instead of the oldest madam who was much more intelligent.

The few men present pretty much understood the situation. Only the eldest madam still had some doubts, "But doesn't that senior concubine care about others ruining her pure reputation?"

Pure reputation? What was the use of that? First of all, men never cared about such trivial matters when doing great things. Secondly, since the Jing Emperor set up such a scheme, he definitely had a way to clear his own favored concubine's name.

The Jing Duke said bitterly: "Then what's his goal?"

There was no need to clarify who he was asking about.

The fourth lord sighed and said: "If this investigation continues, our family will be revealed as the ones causing mischief. The Jing Duke's Estate will lose a lot of face, though it isn't quite sufficient to strip our noble status. His goal is probably eldest brother's command of the capital guard office...."

The capital guard office was responsible for keeping the peace and safety of the capital and its surroundings. The commander was the highest station. If the Jing Emperor managed to gain control of this position, it meant that he would control two-thirds of the capital's military power.