Did the Seventh Prince attend court today?

Once the past was mentioned, Princess Duan started talking non-stop.

"Back then, the eldest daughter of the Duke of Zhenguo was a woman of great talent and wisdom. She could fight on the battlefield and defend her home. She was a woman who was no less than a man and was admired by many young ladies."

Even today, people still talk about your heroic deeds back then.

"It's a pity that his natural talent was buried, his ambition and magnanimity were lost, and he was confined to this small world, spending his days bickering and being jealous of women. It's truly disheartening..."

With a clatter, Cang Shuyue slammed down his teacup and said coldly, "Are you done?"

Emperor Wulong remained silent, his fingers gripping the tea tray so tightly they turned white.

Princess Duan was ostensibly talking about the Empress, but in reality she was mocking him. However, he had no right to speak up, because the Empress's current predicament was indeed caused by him.

The Empress patted the back of his hand and gave him a reassuring look.

Prince Duan hurriedly apologized, saying, "Your Majesty, please calm down. Duke Zhenguo, please calm down. The Princess Consort is always outspoken and straightforward. She was just treating the Empress as an ordinary sister-in-law, which is why she misspoke."

She smiled helplessly and patted Princess Duan's hand, comforting her, "I know you admire the Empress and feel sorry for her long stay in the palace, but the Empress has her own difficulties. Please don't bring up those bygone days again."

Facing her husband, Princess Duan's arrogant demeanor towards outsiders vanished, replaced by gentleness and submissiveness. She said with a hint of reproach, "I only pity their misfortune and am angry at their lack of resistance. The women in this harem are all pitiful. Some are victims of the power struggles of the previous dynasty, while others are innocent victims, bullied by the imperial power."

At this point, a hint of disdain flashed in her eyes, but then her face lit up with happiness. She took Prince Duan's hand in return and said tenderly, "How fortunate Wan'er is to have won the heart of one man who seeks neither fame nor fortune, but to accompany her and roam freely among the mountains and rivers."

Prince Duan looked back with deep affection, and the couple held hands, oblivious to everyone else.

The Empress rolled her eyes, using the teacup as a cover.

Prince Duan and Princess Duan often traveled abroad, but whenever they returned to the capital, they would always visit her palace. She had heard Princess Duan's words before and was no longer surprised by them.

Just because she doesn't care doesn't mean others don't care.

All those present were elders, and as a junior, You Lu could only stand beside the Empress. After listening to Princess Duan ramble on about a lot of nonsense, he finally couldn't help but sneer, "Princess Duan is indeed quite lucky."

She became a mother without any pain and got a free son.

Sensing the sarcasm in his words, Princess Duan frowned slightly. "When elders are speaking, why does a junior like the Seventh Prince dare to interrupt? You must have grown up in the streets; you should really learn some manners."

"You know the rules, yet you go to someone else's house and make sarcastic remarks in front of the host." Youlu retorted with a smile.

"You!" Princess Duan stared wide-eyed in disbelief, her eyebrows furrowed.

She was born into a noble family and was a talented woman when she was still unmarried. Everyone fawned over her. Later, she got married. Although her husband was a leisurely prince, he was the emperor's only younger brother and had a noble status that no one dared to bully.

This was the first time someone had embarrassed her to her face.

Upon noticing the Princess Consort's flushed face, the Empress shook her head at Youlu.

A deer pouted.

I wanted to refrain from causing trouble in Fengyi Palace out of respect for the Empress, but Princess Duan was relentless.

As expected of a legitimate daughter of a prominent family, she is quite composed.

Princess Duan quickly softened her expression and sneered, "You're quite good at standing up for the Empress, but why don't you plead for your birth mother, Consort Ling? It's already Mid-Autumn Festival, and she's still imprisoned in Weiyang Palace, being tormented!"

"Huh?" Youlu feigned surprise. "Consort Ling was imprisoned for disrespecting the Emperor. Princess Duan asked me to plead for her. Does that mean she's implying that Consort Ling's disrespect towards the Emperor was justified?"

"I didn't mean that!" Princess Duan hurriedly denied.

"Since Consort Ling is wrong, she should be punished. Even the emperor is subject to the same laws as commoners, and the same applies to empresses and concubines. If I plead for Consort Ling, wouldn't everyone be able to follow her example and disregard Father Emperor in the future?"

"According to the law, disrespecting the Emperor is punishable by death. Confinement is already a great leniency. Could it be that Princess Duan is dissatisfied with the laws of Dayong?"

With these two heavy accusations leveled against her, Princess Duan broke out in a cold sweat, clutching her handkerchief tightly. She stammered, "Even if Consort Ling is guilty, His Majesty owed her a debt for being forcibly taken to the palace. And all these years she has been alone and helpless in the palace, with only you as her son. Shouldn't you lend her a helping hand when she suffers?"

The more she talked, the more she felt she was right, and she even turned to complain about the Empress, "Empress, if you had been able to control the Emperor back then, Consort Ling wouldn't have suffered such a miserable life. You also owe Consort Ling."

Emperor Wulong could no longer help but sneer, "Owe me? Back then, she was about to be sold into a brothel. I kindly saved her. Seeing that she had nowhere to go, I asked her wishes before bringing her back to the palace. I provided her with good food and drink and did not force her in the slightest."

"Over the years, the Empress has favored her in every way, bestowing upon her more rewards than I have! I have used her, but if she wants to leave, I will not force her to stay!"

"For over a decade, she has never mentioned wanting to leave the palace to either me or the Empress. Do you expect me and the Empress to beg her to leave?!"

"Besides, Xiao Qi was taken away when she was only a few months old, and she immediately adopted Lao Liu. Over the years, she has ignored Xiao Qi completely. After Xiao Qi returned to the palace, she refused to see her at all. What right does she have to demand that Xiao Qi fulfill her filial duties to her?!"

At the height of his anger, Emperor Wulong smashed a teacup with his fist, exclaiming, "If I had known this would happen, I should have just ordered Consort Ling to be executed!"

You can criticize him, but you absolutely cannot criticize his wife and children!

Youlu clapped inwardly, thinking, "Father should have shouted 'Slay!' and taken them all! That's Father's style!"

The sound of the teacup shattering was loud, and Princess Duan turned pale with fright. Seeing the blood on his hands, she became even more ashen-faced.

The Empress frowned, grabbed Emperor Wulong's hand, and pried open his bloodied fist.

Several shards of porcelain were embedded in my palm, but fortunately the wound wasn't too deep.

With a sigh of relief, the Empress glanced coldly at Princess Duan and said, "The magnolia headdress that Princess Duan is wearing today was a gift from His Majesty to Consort Ling. It seems that His Majesty's punishment was too lenient, as some people dare to give and others dare to accept imperial gifts."

Princess Duan's heart pounded, and she looked to Prince Duan for help.

Prince Duan sighed, stood up, and cupped his hands, saying, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Wan'er meant no harm. She was just unaware of the truth and spoke nonsense. I hope Your Majesty and Your Majesty will be magnanimous and not hold it against her."

"It's not something we should hold a grudge against," Youlu suddenly said.

Prince Duan and Princess Duan looked at him in surprise.