Facing the little girl in such a state, Shi Muyuan always felt a bit soft - hearted.
"It's okay. It's just a piece of clothing. Hurry up and get up. The floor is so cold. You look so frail. If you accidentally fall later, outsiders might even think I'm abusing you."
The little girl quickly shook her head. "I guess you must be the Empress Dowager those people just mentioned. Lin'er admits her guilt."
Her innocent and big eyes managed to move many people in the grand hall.
When the Concubine Rui saw the little girl, she couldn't utter a single sound. She never expected that one day her biggest secret would be laid bare in front of everyone. If this little girl were to expose all the things she had done back then, her only end would be to be left exposed in the wilderness. No, it couldn't be. She wanted to live well. She hadn't yet managed to sit on that most noble position.
After some thought, with tears in her eyes, the Concubine Rui knelt on the ground and decided to admit her mistake first.
"Sister, please forgive me. I was just temporarily misguided back then. Moreover, I just kept this little girl in the backyard. I didn't do anything else."
Shi Muyuan had already heard from the guard who brought the little girl that there wasn't a single unscathed part on the little girl's body, and she was extremely afraid of the opposite sex. There must be some story she didn't know.
Her little face fell.
"Sister, you'd better tell the truth. Hiding things like this won't do any good. Oh, and you'd better remember not to lie. There are two witnesses here who can prove your actions."
The threat in her tone made the Concubine Rui feel terrified. She quickly racked her brains, hoping to come up with a reasonable excuse. But after searching for a long time, she still couldn't say a word.
Shi Muyuan had already guessed this outcome. Since she wouldn't say it, then don't blame her for getting others to speak.
"Your name is Lin'er, right? Can you tell me if you've seen this person?"
She pointed at the Concubine Rui. When Lin'er saw the Concubine Rui, she immediately shrank her neck and showed full resistance on her face.
"No, I don't know her. Ah, please stop torturing me. Let me go."
She hugged her head and squatted on the ground painfully.
Seeing this, Shi Muyuan quickly hugged the little girl.
"Don't be afraid. Don't be afraid. I'm here. I'll never let anyone hurt you."
These words were like a reassurance pill, and the little girl gradually calmed down.
With tears in her eyes, she made everyone around her can't help but rise a sense of protectiveness, including the Concubine Mo.
She hadn't seen such a person for a long time. It was obvious that this girl had been tortured before and left with a shadow. Although she had disliked the Concubine Rui for a long time and could endure it and take it slow before, but now she just couldn't stand this woman anymore.
With a cold face, while everyone was still in a daze, the Concubine Mo directly picked up a guard's sword and walked in front of the Concubine Rui.
"I don't think we need to ask anymore. She definitely won't admit it. It's better to just end it all and kill her directly. As long as she's dead, there won't be so many troubles in the future."
Shi Muyuan was a bit helpless. Why was her little sister always so impatient? If she wasn't by her side in the future, she might be plotted against like today again.
However, it was just such a little episode that directly gave the Concubine Rui an opportunity. She screamed in fear, as if the people around her would take her life the next moment. Well, judging from the situation, it wasn't just as if.
"Concubine Mo, you'd better be careful with that thing in your hand. Anyway, I'm still the mistress of the harem. If you directly attack me, aren't you afraid that it will spread and make the common people disappointed? How could there be such a cruel and heartless Empress Dowager in our royal family of the Great Liang?"
Her words had no effect on the Concubine Mo. After staying in Baotuo Temple for so long, she had already ignored other people's remarks.
"You don't need to threaten me with this. If I was really afraid, the late Emperor wouldn't have been so devoted to me back then. Am I right? Oh, I almost forgot. If I hadn't left back then, you wouldn't have been able to reach your current position."
Bringing up the old things and having the scars reopened, the Concubine Rui was so angry that she wanted to fight with the people behind her. But the Concubine Mo never intended to give her a chance. She slowly pointed her finger, and immediately the Concubine Rui couldn't move. How could she forget that the woman behind her was not afraid of anything? Her panic at this moment had instead given her an opportunity. Now that she couldn't move, she could only be at her mercy.
The Concubine Mo snorted. "Lin'er, I know you must have grievances in your heart. Well, I'll give you a chance to vent. Now the person is right here. You can do whatever you want. Even if you kill her to avenge yourself, I'll help you."
The little girl squatting on the ground slowly raised her head, and a glimmer of light appeared in her eyes. She still couldn't quite believe it.
"Really? Can I even kill her?"
"Of course. You've suffered so much because of her. It's only right for her to pay with her life today."
This was indeed true, and Shi Muyuan understood this truth. But if Lin'er really attacked the Concubine Rui, the consequences would be unimaginable. Not all of her remaining partisans had been rooted out yet, and it might lead to even greater troubles. Thinking of this, she quickly stopped her. "Lin'er, you can't! You mustn't do such a thing. The Concubine Rui will receive her due punishment. You just need to present evidence to prove what she has done."
Lin'er looked at the hand holding her arm, then looked back. Gradually, her eyes filled with tears.
"Why not? She did such excessive things to my father and mother back then. Should I just endure it all and wait for the Empress Dowager to uphold so - called justice for me?"
Shi Muyuan opened her mouth but couldn't refute Lin'er's words. If she had discovered this earlier, she would never have indulged the Concubine Rui.
Seeing this, Lin'er's tears kept falling.
"When I was just a six - year - old child, she discovered my talent in embroidery and said she wanted to take me to learn a skill. My parents happily sent me out of the house. They were fine just a moment ago, but as soon as I turned around, a group of black - clothed men rushed into our house. My father was hacked to death with a single knife, and his head rolled down. My mother was dragged into the room. One after another, those masked black - clothed men went in and out. Do you know how I felt when I saw all this with my own eyes?"
Suddenly, a picture appeared in Shi Muyuan's mind. A just - six - year - old little girl was watching her mother being raped one after another, while her father's head fell, his eyes wide open, staring straight at his daughter, dying with unfulfilled wishes.