The saintess is pregnant, what does that have to do with me, a spoiled brat?

Xu Nuo stepped across the high threshold of the Golden Palace.

He wore a dark red brocade robe and stood tall and straight.

He walked at a leisurely pace, his gaze fixed straight ahead, and went directly to the center of the main hall.

"Your Majesty, I grant your request."

He clasped his hands together and bowed slightly, his manners impeccable.

The main hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

The civil and military officials on both sides were secretly sizing up this notorious playboy who was famous throughout the capital.

Many people began to have doubts.

Rumor has it that this guy's body has been ruined by alcohol and women, and he gets out of breath after just a few steps.

But the person in front of me was full of energy and walked with a brisk pace.

Facing the pressure from the court officials and the emperor, he strolled leisurely, his expression calm.

How could this person be considered a brainless idiot?

The emperor sat upright on the dragon throne, his sharp gaze fixed on the people below.

"Promise".

"Shen Wanshan impeached you for leading troops to break into the Shen residence yesterday and forcibly abducting Shen Qingyi, the eldest daughter of the Shen family."

"How do you explain this?"

The atmosphere inside the hall instantly became tense.

Shen Wanshan stared intently at Xu Nuo's back, a cold smile playing on his lips.

The officials held their breath, waiting to see a joke unfold.

This good-for-nothing is one thing if he acts arrogantly on the streets, but once he's in the imperial palace, a few words from him will expose his true colors.

With his limited intelligence, even if he wanted to lie, the officials would instantly expose his lies.

Xu Zhentian, standing at the front of the military ranks, was also sweating with relief.

He knows his grandson all too well; he's always getting into trouble.

But if he really gets into such a big situation, I'm afraid he might get carried away and talk nonsense.

If all else fails, I'm afraid we'll have no choice but to hold on for now.

Xu Nuo raised her head and met the emperor's gaze.

His expression was innocent, and his tone was extremely natural.

"Your Majesty, this is absolutely not true."

"My wife came with me willingly."

A deathly silence fell over the main hall.

Everyone was stunned.

The officials looked at each other, wondering if they had misheard.

voluntary?

Do you fucking think the entire court of civil and military officials are idiots?

Everyone in the capital knows that Shen Qingyi is the most talented woman in Dali, and she is proud and arrogant.

Everyone knows you promised to be a good-for-nothing who's good at everything from eating and drinking to gambling and whoring.

Would she willingly marry you?

Would they really go with you willingly?

Shen Wanshan was the first to jump up, pointing at Xu Nuo's nose and cursing loudly.

"Nonsense!"

"Your Majesty, this boy is a complete liar, deceiving the emperor and utterly audacious!"

Several censors immediately stepped forward like sharks smelling blood.

"Xu Nuo! Yesterday, you led your troops to break down the gates of the Shen residence. The entire capital witnessed it, and you still dare to deny it!"

"To forcibly abduct a woman in broad daylight, and now dare to spout such nonsense in the imperial palace! Do you even have any regard for the laws of the Great Li Dynasty?!"

"We implore Your Majesty to severely punish these madmen in order to restore order to the court!"

His spittle almost landed on Xu Nuo's face.

Xu Zhentian's brows furrowed into a tight knot.

He cursed inwardly.

This little brat, I asked you to make up a reason, and you came up with something so outrageous?

That's great, we've handed them leverage over our weaknesses.

The emperor's face darkened, and his voice betrayed his displeasure.

"I promise you, in the imperial palace, I will not tolerate your empty words."

Xu Nuo scoffed.

He turned his head and looked Shen Wanshan up and down.

"Lord Shen, what's the rush?"

"Your granddaughter willingly married me, and you, as her father, didn't know that? It just shows that you haven't cared for her enough."

"What's with all this shouting and yelling? What kind of benevolent father are you pretending to be?"

Shen Wanshan was so angry that he trembled all over, and he couldn't speak for a long time while pointing at Xu Nuo.

Xu Nuo then turned to look at the few officials who had spoken out against him, his eyes filled with contempt.

"And you guys too."

"Were you eavesdropping under the Shen family's bed yesterday? Or did you sneak into the bed in my Duke Zhenguo's mansion?"

"Making such a racket, anyone who didn't know better would think you're stealing their wives."

Several officials were speechless, their faces turning ashen.

He promised to ignore them and turned to face the dragon throne.

"His Majesty."

"Whether it's voluntary or not, arguing about it all day won't make a difference."

"Why don't we just call my wife here and confront her face to face?"

The words fell.

A low snicker echoed through the hall.

Mocking gazes were cast from all directions toward the young man in the center of the hall.

Xu Zhentian raised his hand to rub his temples and sighed heavily.

He looked at the tall, upright figure in the center of the hall, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

Xu Zhentian didn't think his grandson was wrong.

The men of the Xu family can just snatch whatever they want.

The fault lies with myself.

These past years, they've been stationed on the northern border, leaving this child alone in the capital—that's too indulgent.

He wasn't taught how to play mind games in the court, which led to his current situation of being publicly besieged.

On the other side, Shen Wanshan was trembling with excitement.

He suddenly knelt on the ground with a thud, his voice high-pitched.

"His Majesty!"

"Since you have promised to demand a face-to-face confrontation, I humbly request Your Majesty's permission!"

"Summon my daughter to the palace, and let all the officials hear how this madman is twisting the truth!"

On the dragon throne, the emperor almost couldn't help but burst out laughing.

He had been emperor for so many years and had never seen such a stupid person.

The crime of deceiving the emperor is a capital offense punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family, yet this kid is eager to pin it on himself.

The once illustrious reputation of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion is about to be completely ruined by this incompetent fool.

The emperor suppressed the smile on his lips and spoke with an air of authority.

"Granted."

"Guards, go immediately to the Duke of Zhenguo's residence and summon Shen Qingyi for an audience."

The hall fell silent once more.

But there was a suppressed excitement hidden beneath the quiet.

Everyone is waiting.

Waiting for that renowned first lady of talent in the capital to ascend the throne, and for the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion to be completely disgraced.

Xu Nuo stood there, yawning listlessly.

After a while.

A eunuch's high-pitched voice announced something from outside the hall.

"Summon Shen Qingyi to an audience."

All the officials turned their heads in unison to look at the entrance of the main hall.

A white figure slowly stepped across the threshold.

Shen Qingyi wore a plain white dress today, without any makeup.

However, the way she walked was extremely strange.

With each step he took, his legs trembled slightly, and his brows furrowed tightly.

His face was as pale as paper, revealing an undeniable weakness and exhaustion.

She looked pitiful.

Seeing this scene, the civil officials in the hall were heartbroken.

Heartbroken.

It's worse than swallowing a fly.

This pure and noble flower, the white moonlight in the hearts of countless talented men in Dali.

It's unbelievable that Xu Nuo, this good-for-nothing who has no knowledge, has ruined him into this state!

Look at those weak steps, look at that pale face.

What inhumane things did that beast do to her last night?!

Several young officials had red eyes, staring intently at Xu Nuo, wishing they could pounce on him and bite him to death.

Shen Wanshan was moved to tears and rushed forward to greet him, immediately beginning the performance.

"Qingyi! My granddaughter!"

"You've suffered!"

Shen Qingyi avoided Shen Wanshan's outstretched hand, enduring the soreness between her legs, and walked to the center of the main hall.

"Your subject, Shen Qingyi, pays her respects to Your Majesty."

The emperor looked down at the weak and exhausted Shen Qingyi, a hint of sympathy flashing in his eyes.

He softened his voice.

"Shen Qingyi, raise your head."

"I ask you, yesterday the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion led troops to break down the gates of your Shen family and forcibly abducted you."

"Is this true?"

Shen Wanshan immediately spoke loudly from the side.

"Qingyi, don't be afraid!"

"His Majesty is here, and all the officials are here; we will surely uphold justice for you!"

"If you have any grievances or injustices, just tell me!"

The hall was completely silent.

Everyone was waiting for Shen Qingyi's accusation.

The moment she opens her mouth, any promise she makes is a crime of deceiving the emperor, a crime that even a god couldn't save her from.

Xu Zhentian clenched his fists, veins bulging on the back of his hands, ready to pounce and snatch the person at any moment.

Shen Qingyi knelt on the cold gold bricks.

She turned her head slightly and caught a glimpse of Xu Nuo standing to the side, looking at her with a half-smile.

That look in his eyes was as if he were looking at a toy that belonged to him.

humiliation.

anger.

unwilling.

A mix of emotions churned within Shen Qingyi.

She wished she could draw her sword right now and tear this bastard who had stolen her innocence and destroyed her pride to pieces.

but.

The chill that had tormented her for over a decade did not flare up last night.

When she woke up this morning, her stagnant cultivation level even showed faint signs of a breakthrough.

If we now identify the promise.

Promises will surely lead to death.

But she herself will also return to that state of being worse than dead.

She had no choice.

Shen Qingyi closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

When he opened his eyes again, all the struggle in them had vanished.

She raised her head and looked directly at the emperor on the dragon throne.

The voice was cold and clear, yet it resonated throughout the entire Golden Palace.

"Return to Your Majesty."

"What happened yesterday was not forced."

"This humble woman... truly went with the Crown Prince of her own volition."

The words fell.

Shen Wanshan slapped his thigh and burst into laughter.

"Hahaha!"

"Did you hear that! My granddaughter said..."

His laughter stopped abruptly.

The ecstasy on his face froze instantly, like a male duck whose neck had been suddenly grabbed.

He suddenly turned his head and stared intently at Shen Qingyi, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets.

"Wh...what?"

"Qingyi, are you crazy? What nonsense are you spouting!"

It wasn't just Shen Wanshan.

The entire Golden Palace was deathly silent.

The entire court was dumbfounded.

Those officials who were preparing to beat a drowning dog stood there with their mouths open, unable to utter a sound for a long time.

The emperor on the dragon throne suddenly leaned forward, his dignified expression almost faltering.

Voluntary?

The most talented woman in the Great Li Dynasty was kidnapped by a good-for-nothing playboy who led his troops to break down the gate.

Then, in the imperial palace, in front of all the officials, he said it was voluntary?

Xu Zhentian's tense body suddenly stiffened.

He stared with his large, bell-like eyes at Shen Qingyi, then at Xu Nuo, who stood calmly to the side.

My mind is full of questions.