Even the crown prince is getting a marriage of convenience? Why are you in such a hurry to stop bein

Seeing that she was still in a daze and couldn't come to her senses, Xiao Lie knew that he had achieved his goal.

As long as Lin Wan'er isn't stupid, she wouldn't think of going against the Duke's Mansion in the current situation.

Xiao Lie tapped his fan, then turned and left with a leisurely air.

As time passed, the impact of this event became increasingly profound. The Prince of Kang was sidelined at home, and the emperor showed no intention of allowing him to return to court, which finally made some people restless.

Inside Chaohua Palace, Consort Xian sat at the head of the table, exuding an imposing aura without anger, and ordered Shen Qinglan to kneel down.

Shen Qinglan straightened up and replied calmly, "I don't know what my daughter-in-law has done wrong that Your Majesty must punish her like this?"

"If Your Majesty cannot find a reason and is merely making things difficult for no reason, then I am afraid I cannot comply."

The blatant opposition caused Consort Xian's face to darken. Her aunt glared at her, took two steps forward, and shouted sternly.

"How dare you talk back to your elders! Is this how the Grand Tutor's family raises its children?"

"Your Majesty is your elder, and all your words and actions are naturally reasonable."

Shen Qinglan bowed and said gracefully.

"Then please explain, Your Highness, so that your daughter-in-law may be aware and make corrections in the future."

Consort Xian sneered and slammed the unfinished tea onto the small table beside her.

"Since you don't understand, then I'll explain it to you."

"King Kang had an affair with a disreputable woman, and you did not dissuade him, which has led to his fall from favor and ruin of his reputation. This is your lack of virtue; you have failed in your duty as a wife to advise and assist him."

"King Kang has been neglected by His Majesty for so long, and you, as the eldest daughter of the Grand Tutor, have not thought of running around to win people's hearts and help your husband return to the court. Instead, you have stood by and watched coldly without doing anything. This is your injustice."

"Is it not allowed for me to discipline such an unvirtuous and unjust Princess Kang?"

Shen Qinglan bowed again.

"Your Majesty's words are beyond my ability to refute. However, a wife is bound by the husband's authority. Your Highness is infatuated with Lin Wan'er, so how can I possibly stop you? Your Highness has no feelings for me, and even if I had the will, he wouldn't listen. As Your Majesty's birth mother and one whom he respects, Your Majesty is naturally the best person to advise him."

"As for assistance... It is Your Highness who has done wrong. If Your Highness does not repent and changes your ways, even assistance will be of no use. Besides, His Majesty asked the Prince to reflect in his residence. Isn't what His Highness wants precisely for his repentance? If Your Highness truly repents, it will be worth more than the assistance of several Grand Tutors' mansions. If Your Highness does not know this, no matter how much help others give, it will be of no use."

"Your Majesty, I pray before the Buddha day and night, hoping that His Highness will recover quickly. How could Your Majesty feel that your daughter-in-law is standing by indifferently?"

His words, though seemingly gentle, were barbed and refuted all of Consort Xian's rebukes, leaving Consort Xian so angry she nearly fell backward.

She pointed at the woman below, her fingers trembling, and let out a series of cold laughs.

"Look at her, this is my good daughter-in-law. She speaks ten words in response to my every word."

"The lintel of the Grand Tutor's mansion is so prestigious that I can't even reprimand him."

Her aunt, standing beside her, echoed her sentiments in a sarcastic tone.

"Yes, Your Highness, the Princess Consort is so rebellious. Perhaps it's because she thinks she doesn't need to be filial to you anymore after His Highness lost power. In my opinion, Your Highness is too lenient. You haven't disciplined or taught her much, which has allowed some people who don't know manners to take advantage of you."

"Your Highness, since the Princess Consort is so stubborn, why don't you teach her proper manners and let her understand the difference between superiors and inferiors?"

Hearing the master and servant working together to condemn her to the pillory, Shen Qinglan couldn't help but sneer inwardly.

This is what is known as a "virtuous concubine." When her own son misbehaves and gets into trouble, instead of reflecting on her own mistakes and reprimanding her son, she first picks on her daughter-in-law's faults.

King Kang was stubborn. Even though his beloved had married a minister, what good was her advice? She might even end up resenting him.

This Consort Xian and her son were both incredibly difficult to please, like a living hell to her. Now that she had seen through their true nature, Shen Qinglan couldn't even be bothered to pretend anymore.

She immediately knelt down, straightened her back, and remained indifferent.

"Your Majesty is willing but powerless. Since Your Majesty wishes to punish me, as your daughter-in-law, I cannot utter a single word of objection."

This means she accepted the punishment, but she would never admit her mistake. The virtuous concubine's punishment was due to her own arrogance and mistreatment of her daughter-in-law.

Consort Xian sneered, "Fine, fine, I never knew you had such pride. Since you can't recognize your mistakes, then go stand outside and come back when you've thought things through."

The maid Yunxiu looked anxious and was about to speak to beg for mercy on behalf of her mistress when she saw Shen Qinglan gently shake her head at her.

It's no use. Consort Xian just wants to wear down her spirit and strip her of her claws. If she gives in, Consort Xian will only think that she is submissive and will be bullied even more.

Shen Qinglan gave her a wink, then silently spoke, uttering the words "Your Majesty" to her son.

The maid was taken aback, then nodded almost imperceptibly.

She followed Shen Qinglan out, and after a while, when everyone had forgotten about her, she glanced around and quietly escaped from Chaohua Palace.

Yunxiu asked for directions from both sides and finally found the Imperial Study.

Ignoring the guard's attempts to stop her, she gritted her teeth, knelt down with a thud, kowtowed repeatedly, and cried out.

"Your Majesty, please save Princess Kang! Your Majesty, please save my master!"

The emperor was preoccupied with state affairs when he suddenly heard a commotion outside. He learned that the person who had come was none other than the personal maid of Princess Kang. He frowned and ordered the maid to be brought in.

The emperor sat upright, tapping his fingers lightly twice on the table, exuding an air of authority without anger.

"As the Princess Consort of Kang, Lady Shen is of noble status. What trouble could she possibly cause? If you cannot explain yourself and create trouble for no reason, do not blame me for turning ruthless."

Upon hearing this, the maid trembled, but still mustered her courage and recounted everything that had just happened, revealing many old stories in the process.

"This is not the first time. In the past, when Consort Xian was angry, she would find any excuse to punish the Princess to vent her anger. As a daughter-in-law, the Princess was bound by strict etiquette and dared not disobey."

"Over time, the Princess Consort has suffered a lot of grievances. Even with the Prince's matter this time, the Empress Dowager didn't ask about the facts, but instead summoned the Princess Consort and said that she had failed to fulfill her duty of assisting and admonishing him."

"But the prince has always neglected the princess. In such matters, how can the princess have a say? Moreover... because the prince has someone else in his heart, he has not yet consummated the marriage with the princess. Furthermore, the virtuous consort often insults and makes things difficult for the princess on the grounds that she cannot bear children..."

The emperor frowned, never expecting that Lady Shen, as the legitimate daughter of the Grand Tutor's family, would be caught between Consort Xian and her son, living such a difficult life.

This isn't a marriage alliance, it's clearly a feud.