Jin Wang Dotes on His Concubine

His colour changed and his body became covered in a layer of cold sweat. He protested his innocence and asked to see Emperor Hongjing, but no one paid him any attention.

   Meanwhile, in Qing Wang Manor, with him taken away by people from the palace, chaos ensued and no one realized that someone from the manor was missing.

   A very plain-looking carriage was travelling on a deserted path outside the city at this time.

   Besides the driver, there were only two women in the carriage.

   Side Consort Han sat in the carriage. Her hands were clenched into fists hidden in her sleeves. She had removed all of her fancy clothes and jewelry and was only wearing a simple cotton dress. If it weren’t for her fair skin, people would hardly recognize her as the beautiful and elegant Side Consort Han.

   No one spoke. The woman who looked like a maid sitting next to her was also very nervous.

   When she said something indistinguishable, Side Consort Han glanced at her. “I’ve told you many times, don’t speak Goryeo. Once or twice is fine, but if it becomes a habit and you slip up in front of outsiders what would happen?”

   Aggrieved, the maid opened her mouth and said, “We are from Goryeo. Everyone knows that.”

   Indeed it was as she said. What was she so worried about? She had already left that manor.

   “Niangniang, are we going to Tongzhou?”

   Side Consort Han nodded.

   Once she arrives in Tongzhou and gets on the boat, she would go as far away as possible. The world was so big. With a deep sense of crisis in her heart, she could feel that she must go to Tongzhou and stay as far away from here as possible to be safe.

   He must have found out by now that she was the one who stole his seal and framed him. He probably hates her to death. But she was also reluctant to do so… 

   The sound of the carriage wheels squeaking was very loud. To avoid unwanted attention, this carriage was just an ordinary one and was very uncomfortable to sit in. Over the past few years, Side Consort Han had been pampered ever since living with Qing Wang. She was long accustomed to beautiful clothes and fine food and had forgotten what it was like to live before meeting Qing Wang.

   As the carriage jolted up and down, Side Consort Han had to hold the window tightly to stabilize her body.

   Suddenly the carriage stopped, almost throwing the two women out of the carriage.

   “What happened?”

   “Niangniang, there’s someone blocking the…” 

   Before she could finish speaking, there was a sound of fighting. The driver was fighting with the opponent, and the sound of swords clashed loudly.

   Side Consort Han subconsciously touched the dagger attached to her leg. Her maid also took out a knife and went to lift the curtains of the carriage. The situation outside suddenly appeared in front of her eyes. There were more than a dozen men in blue clothes blocking their path. She couldn’t even sense their presence until they appeared in front of her carriage. it was obvious that the other party had come well prepared.

   Side Consort Han pretended to be frightened, and said with a pale face: “Who are you to block our way? This place isn’t far from the capital, and there could be people passing by at any time. Are you not afraid of being discovered? If young sirs are interested in money, you can just say so. I’ll give you everything I have, so please don’t make it difficult for me.”

   No one paid any attention to her. The men who were riding on the horses didn’t do anything. They just looked at her and smiled.

   “Who the hell are you? I’m the side consort of His Highness. I’m making this trip to burn incense, and I don’t want to attract people’s attention, so I’m dressed more plainly. Are you aware that it’s a severe crime to attack members of the imperial family? Please let me go and leave…”

   “That’s enough. Side Consort Han, you don’t have to pretend.”

   Side Consort Han’s face suddenly changed colour. From pale to green to red, she scolded: “Tell your master that I have already done what I should do. Let me go! Otherwise either the fish dies or the net breaks!”

   One of the men in blue clothes said with a disdainful smile, “Either the fish dies or the net breaks? You must be thinking too highly of yourself. I’m not afraid to tell you the truth. Since we stopped you, we don’t plan to let you leave alive.” As soon as he finished speaking, he raised his eyebrows and scolded, “What are you dawdling for? You can’t even deal with a driver?”

   The two who were fighting with the driver immediately increased their speed. The driver soon fell unconscious into a pool of blood, twitching.

   On this side, seeing that the other party refused to yield to both soft and hard methods, Side Consort Han also gave up. She jumped out of the carriage with her maid and fought with the men like a cornered beast. They didn’t expect that she’d want to try and seize their horses to flee.

   Side Consort Han looked thin, so who would’ve thought that she’d be so good at martial arts? Even though she was fighting with two men at once, she wasn’t at a disadvantage. Her dagger skills reached the pinnacle of perfection and it was unknown how Qing Wang, who always believed her to be weak, would feel should he witness this scene.

   A scream rang out. The maid who was still talking to her just now soon collapsed, dead.

   Side Consort Han came to Dagan from Goryeo with only this maid, who always remained by her side. She was very loyal to her. Seeing the death of the person closest to her at this time, Side Consort Han could feel her heart burn with fury and her eyes were spitting fire.

   But it was too late to say anything now. She would have to break through this siege if she wanted to survive. Unfortunately, with so many people on the other side, she wasn’t their opponent at all. Soon, she fell to a disadvantage.

   “Your Highness…” A man dressed as a guard couldn’t help but say.

   It was obvious that she needed to remain alive for them to get any information from her but His Highness hasn’t given the order yet. Seeing that from the original three, there was only one person left and even this one was struggling, the guard couldn’t help but speak up.

   And just as he opened his mouth, the woman was stabbed and started bleeding profusely.

   Jin Wang narrowed his eyes slightly. Then he raised his hand slightly and signalled.

   With the sound of arrows flying through the air, the man in blue who was slashing at Side Consort Han suddenly fell to the ground without a sound. The scene was full of chaos as they tried to defend themselves. But Jin Wang’s men didn’t give them the chance. Countless arrows were shot, and four or five people soon fell to the ground.

   The leader of the group immediately knew they were in trouble. Realizing that they were at a disadvantage, instead of fighting back like cornered beasts, he ordered his men to retreat. Those who could still move, mounted their horses one after another. They lifted the injured people onto their horses and fled.

   “Chase!”

   A dozen men on horses rode out of the bushes, chasing after those who escaped. Jin Wang arrived in front of Side Consort Han.

   “So it’s you!” Side Consort Han laughed, and a mouthful of blood spurted out, wetting her chin. The fair and soft face immediately showed an expression of awkwardness. “I thought you didn’t care about him anymore.”

   “Others have no right to judge what benwang does.”

   “Indeed. After all, you have shared a brotherly relationship for many years.” Side Consort Han laughed again, and more blood flowed out.

   “Your turn. Who is the one that tried to kill you?”

   “Why should I tell you?”

   “You could have continued to stay in the manor. If it weren’t because your actions seemed strange, my people wouldn’t have chased after you.”

   Actually, it was quite a coincidence. Jin Wang had ordered people to keep an eye on the movements within Qing Wang’s mansion. As soon as someone from the palace arrived to summon him into the palace, he received news that Side Consort Han was sneaking out with someone. For a master of the household to sneak away as soon as the incident happened, Jin Wang was certain that there was something odd going on with this woman. This was why he personally led people to chase after them.

   He didn’t expect to see such a big play, but he also wasn’t too surprised.

   Side Consort Han smiled bitterly. If it wasn’t for the fact that she had nowhere to go, how could she have such a dangerous move? After handing over the seal, she knew that such a day would come. It’s just that she had been reluctant, wanting to drag on until Qing Wang was taken away by the people in the palace.

   Although Side Consort Han wasn’t exactly sure what happened, she knew it must’ve been no trivial matter for him to be brought into the palace. Qing Wang was taken away on the front foot, and she left on the back foot. What was unexpected was that the mantis stalked the cicada with the oriole behind, and another hunter kept watch on the oriole.

   “Why should I tell you?”

   “You don’t have to say anything. Benwang won’t make it difficult for you. However, a child born with Goryeo origins, I wonder what would happen to the child?

   Side Consort Han immediately became agitated and spat out a mouthful of blood. “You are despicable!”

   He was despicable? It wouldn’t be Jin Wang laying a hand on the child. Plus, Side Consort Han had done the same.

   Jin Wang’s expression was indifferent, and his eyes seemed to be pointing this out.

   Side Consort Han’s pupils tightened and her breath shortened. “If you keep my son safe, I will tell you.”

   “Benwang can’t guarantee this, because benwang doubts the child’s lineage.”

   “Sheng Ge’er belongs to His Highness. I only gave birth to him after carrying him for ten months in my belly…”

   Then, Jin Wang heard a story from Side Consort Han.

   Han Zhi’er was not Han Zhi’er.