The Crazy Emperor's Pampered Cousin

Geriletu walked and cursed, seemingly harboring immense hatred for Shen Tinghe despite only glancing at her once.

"That damned vixen, it must have been her who made His Majesty punish me by making me kneel there."

"What kind of empress is she, the mother of the nation? I think she's just a treacherous and vicious woman! She puts on a saintly face, but her heart is full of venom!"

"Princess, do you know what your crime is for slandering the Empress of our Great Zhao? Even being dragged away and flogged a hundred times would not be too much."

At the corner of the corridor ahead, a person was standing there.

Geriletu saw that she was an old woman with her hair neatly combed and a dignified demeanor.

The nanny serving beside her wore a light blue jacket made of excellent material, but it was not the standard style worn in the palace.

Geriletu squinted and sized up the newcomer.

Which family's Lady of Imperial Decree was she?

She was seething with anger and had nowhere to vent it.

"And who are you?"

Geriletu raised her chin, her voice filled with barely suppressed rage: "I am the princess of Mengqi, a concubine of the Great Zhao. It is not your place, some unknown official's wife, to point fingers and commit insubordination. What punishment should you receive for what you just said?"

The old woman did not speak.

I just watched her quietly.

Geriletu's heart skipped a beat under that gaze. Before he could think it through, the old woman beside him had already made her move.

Step forward and raise your hand.

Two slaps, quick and crisp.

Geriletu's face was slapped to one side, and the burning pain spread from his cheek to his ear.

She was stunned.

Ha and Ye were also dumbfounded.

The old woman withdrew her hand calmly, as if she had merely brushed away a speck of dust from her sleeve.

"This is Grand Princess Zhaorong, His Majesty's great-aunt. Princess, you'd better recognize your place."

Grand Princess Zhaorong.

Geriletu stood frozen in place.

The burning pain on my face suddenly turned into an icy chill.

Grand Princess Zhaorong.

Xie Linghua.

Every Monkey knows this name.

"Even your grandfather wouldn't dare speak to me like this when he was alive."

Grand Princess Zhaorong paused, her gaze falling on Geriletu's face, which was gradually losing its color, and the corners of her lips seemed to lift slightly.

"It seems that old man didn't tell you how I shot him off his horse back then."

Geriletu's throat tightened, and he couldn't utter a single word.

That year, the previous dynasty was on the verge of collapse, and the Xie family launched northern and southern expeditions, waging war on all sides.

King Mengqi thought it was a golden opportunity and personally led 100,000 cavalry south, intending to get a share of the Central Plains.

The general sent by the Great Zhao to meet them was a female general who was only twenty-seven years old.

King Monchi laughed at her for overestimating herself.

With 100,000 against 50,000, winning is a given, losing would be a laughing stock.

Then, when they actually arrived on the battlefield, after several exchanges, he was shot down by that woman and became a prisoner.

In the end, a ceasefire agreement was signed, and a considerable amount of compensation was paid to get King Monkey back.

Geriletu lowered his eyes, not daring to look at that calm face any longer.

Princess Zhaorong suddenly laughed.

"The Empress is my granddaughter, the apple of my eye. If you dare to harbor any ill intentions towards her, I will never let you off the hook."

"You probably wouldn't want to know how I tormented your grandfather back then."

Geriletu stood motionless, his previous arrogance nowhere to be seen.

Granny Duanxi took the arm of the Grand Princess, and she walked with ease, pausing as she passed Geriletu.

"I have a piece of advice for you. Understand where you stand now, and know your place. If you still think of yourself as the princess of Mengqi whom everyone respects, you will suffer the consequences later."

"Duanxi, you stay here. Her words were disrespectful and she deserves to be punished."

Duanxi lowered her head: "This servant understands."

The Grand Princess's figure gradually disappeared into the depths of the corridor, the light of the palace lanterns casting a long shadow behind her.

Duanxi turned around.

Geriletu raised his head, his lips moved as if he wanted to say something.

Duanxi's voice was respectful yet indifferent: "Princess, please forgive me."

She didn't give Geriletu a chance to speak.

Two stewardesses silently stepped forward from behind, one on each side of Geriletu's arms.

Duanxi raised his hand, and when it fell for the first time, Geriletu turned his head to try to dodge, but was gripped even tighter.

"Ugh—"

The crisp sound of flesh scraping echoed in the empty corridor.

"You bitch..."

The second time.

"The princess is indeed unruly; it seems I'll have to put in even more effort."

The third time. The fourth time.

Geriletu's cheeks were swollen high, blood seeped from the corners of his lips, and his sobs were broken in his throat, no longer able to form a complete sentence.

Haheye knelt down, crawled forward on his knees, grabbed Duanxi's clothes, and tears streamed down his face.

"Granny, Granny, spare her! The princess... she was just confused for a moment... Please, Granny, have mercy! The princess is weak and can't take it."

Duanxi glanced down at her but didn't pull away.

"My young lady is also delicate; how could I allow her to speak so presumptuously!"

The Xingqing Palace was in a state of chaos.

The desk was overturned and the jade brush washer shattered into pieces. Broken porcelain, broken wood, and scattered scrolls covered the floor.

Geriletu stood in the middle of this mess, his chest heaving violently.

She was originally very beautiful, but now her delicate face was filled with ruthlessness, making her look somewhat ferocious.

All the maids she brought with her from Monchi knelt on the ground, trembling like leaves, and no one dared to utter a sound.

The only thing these maids could be thankful for was that they were now in Dazhao.

Back in the tribe, if you angered the princess, dragging her out and beating her to death was just a matter of a few words. Fortunately, the princess can't act as recklessly as before.

"Bitch! You're all damned bitches! Ah—"

Geriletu grabbed the last small table beside him and threw it out hard.

The wooden horn struck a maid in the shoulder, causing her to groan and lower herself even further.

Geriletu clenched his fist, his nails digging into his palm.

Three days. She's only been here for three days.

However, the humiliation and harm they suffered were countless.

She Geriletu, the most noble princess of Mengqi.

But here, she is nothing.

"Princess." Haheye's footsteps trod over the broken porcelain as he quickly entered the palace.

Geriletu whirled around: "How's the investigation going? Is Shen Tinghe really Xie Linghua's granddaughter?"

Haheye: "Yes, Your Highness..."

"This servant has learned that Her Majesty the Empress comes from the Prince of Dingshan's mansion. Her grandfather was the Prince of Dingshan, her maternal grandmother was the Grand Princess Zhaorong, and her maternal grandfather was Minister Ning Ke..."

Geriletu's pupils suddenly contracted.

"Ning Ke, is that the strategist Ning Ke that my grandfather always praised?"

"Yes." Haheye lowered his head.

Geriletu clenched her handkerchief tightly, the silk fabric twisting into a crumpled ball in her palm.

She never imagined that the few legendary figures of the Great Zhao she knew were all related to Shen Tinghe.

Since the founding of the Great Zhao Dynasty, she has possessed all the advantages of royal bloodline, meritorious descendants, and a family of strategists.