That was why Gong Si had once been jointly condemned by all the clans of the Northern Territory.
There was solid evidence for this. Unlike the matters concerning Gong Xi, which were all nothing but rumors and hearsay, if things had been more serious, a nationwide kill order could have been issued to hunt Gong Si down.
It was only because Gong Shaojun had suppressed everything that there was the surface peace of today.
Gong Si frowned, seeming to have something difficult to say.
Just as she was pondering how best to explain herself, Gong Xi, the other protagonist of those rumors, suddenly stepped forward.
The moment Gong Xi appeared, he immediately drew everyone's attention.
Gong Xi bowed respectfully and said with neither servility nor arrogance, "I was involved throughout in Fourth Sister's disappearance. I failed to tell Your Majesty the truth and made Your Majesty labor in vain. I ask Your Majesty to punish me."
Surprise appeared on the faces of Gong Qi, Gong Si, and the others.
What surprised Gong Qi was that Gong Xi had never been able to wash his hands clean of Gong Si's disappearance to begin with. Wasn't he a little too eager to come forward now and confess without being prompted?
Gong Si was surprised as well, though clearly for a different reason than Gong Qi.
Gong Si even seemed somewhat excited. She took two quick steps forward and blocked Gong Xi's path. "Big Brother, this cannot be blamed on you. You helped me out of kindness—how could you be punished for it?!"
Gong Qi: "?!"
If she remembered correctly, the rumors outside all claimed that Gong Si's disappearance had been Gong Xi's doing. His goal had been to silence her forever, eliminate a rival, and incidentally take Gong Qi away as a