Did the Seventh Prince attend court today?

Not only Prince Duan and Princess Duan, but even Emperor Wulong and the Empress were very surprised.

Cang Shuyue's lips curved into a barely perceptible smile. He knew that someone was about to suffer.

Youlu gave Emperor Wulong and Empress a reassuring look, and then, under the surprised gazes of Prince Duan and his wife, she smiled and said, "What Princess Duan has said is really just three points."

"First, he reprimanded his father for his moral failings, which harmed his mother and Consort Ling."

"Secondly, it's a way to show affection and highlight the deep love between the princess and the prince."

"Thirdly, I want to ask for a pardon for Consort Ling."

He counted on his fingers, "Let's start with the third point—"

Upon hearing this, the Prince Duan and his wife's lips twitched slightly. Shouldn't they usually start from the first one? Why is this Seventh Prince so unpredictable!

You Lu curled the corners of his mouth, thinking that it was unreasonable and that he was just deliberately messing with you guys.

He continued speaking to himself, "It's not impossible to pardon Consort Ling. I can not only get Father to lift her confinement, but also get him to release her from the palace."

"Really?!" Princess Duan was overjoyed.

Lu nodded kindly, "The premise is that she should leave the same way she came. She can't take a single brick, tile, or needle from the palace. What does Princess Duan think?"

Princess Duan's smile froze, and without thinking, she retorted, "No way! Lingxiang is just a weak woman with outstanding looks; she'll definitely attract unwanted attention. If she doesn't have anyone to rely on, she won't survive outside the palace!"

Lingxiang was the maiden name of Consort Ling; her full name was Ying Lingxiang.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Wulong sneered disdainfully.

It turns out that Princess Duan also knew that Ying Lingxiang couldn't survive outside the palace. Seeing her so confidently accusing him, he thought she didn't know.

"Doesn't she still have parents and siblings?" Youlu asked, feigning innocence.

"Lingxiang's parents and brothers are all greedy wolves, otherwise they wouldn't have sold her back then! Once Lingxiang returns to the Ying family, they will definitely do the same thing again!" Princess Duan said indignantly.

"I don't care. It's not like Father Emperor can pardon her, give her freedom, and then reward her with gold and silver to make a living, is it? She committed a crime, not performed a meritorious service."

"One cannot have it all. Besides, Consort Ling is a person of high moral character. She may not care about the money given by Father Emperor. In the end, she will say that Father Emperor insulted her."

Youlu blinked and said with a smile, "However, I do have a suggestion. Princess Duan was willing to risk serious offenses to plead for Consort Ling, so she must be like a sister to Consort Ling. Why don't you take her back to the palace and take care of her?"

Princess Duan was speechless for a long time before stammering, "Lingxiang would never want to live under someone else's roof. She has always been proud and cannot bear such humiliation."

"Not necessarily." Youlu shook her finger and analyzed clearly: "You keep saying that she was forcibly taken into the palace back then, but she didn't commit suicide. In fact, she endured humiliation and lived for more than ten years, and she is still plump and healthy. It can be seen that she has a strong ability to endure."

"But she was once a concubine. If she lives in the Prince's mansion, it will surely cause controversy." Princess Duan struggled.

"You can help her change her name and surname, so that others won't know she was once Consort Ling, right?" Youlu offered enthusiastic advice. "Besides, since you and Prince Duan are rarely at home, she can help you look after the house after she moves in."

Princess Duan tugged at her handkerchief, forcing out a sentence: "There's no need for a steward; the Prince's residence will certainly treat Lingxiang as an honored guest. It's just that she'll inevitably suffer some injustice..."

"No, you won't feel wronged. Consort Ling will definitely be more than happy to oblige. You can ask her if you don't believe me." Youlu smiled more brightly than a flower.

"..." Princess Duan was speechless.

Prince Duan looked troubled, but did not object.

Youlu looked at Emperor Wulong and asked, "Father, what is your opinion?"

Emperor Wulong didn't know what he was planning, but he still nodded and said, "I grant your permission."

With the decision finalized, Princess Duan had no choice but to grit her teeth and accept it.

"Now let's talk about the second point." Youlu held up two fingers.

Princess Duan immediately straightened her back, and the arrogance in her eyes returned. When it came to marital affection, she was not going to lose!

Lu smiled and suddenly asked curiously, "Where is Prince Duan's son? Didn't he come to the palace for the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet today? I'd like to meet my cousin."

Princess Duan was taken aback. Was this still the language of Dayong? Why couldn't she understand it?

Prince Duan's hand, which was resting on his knee, trembled slightly.

Emperor Wulong and Empress Wu's eyes lit up; there was some juicy gossip!

Youlu seemed oblivious to everyone's odd behavior, praising sincerely, "The royal uncle and royal aunt truly have a deep affection for each other. They don't even bring their children along when they go out to play. They truly exemplify what it means for parents to be true lovers and children to be an accident, hahaha."

The laughter sounded somewhat fake, and Emperor Wulong and the Empress had to pretend to drink tea to hide the upturned corners of their mouths.

Princess Duan finally came to her senses and frowned, saying, "Seventh Prince, please don't joke. The Prince and I have no children."

Youlu feigned surprise, "Could I have seen wrong? No, my physiognomy is usually quite accurate. Judging from my uncle's face, he has a son who is older than me. Could he be an illegitimate son?"

At this point, he covered his mouth apologetically and said, "I must have been mistaken. There is only my aunt in my uncle's harem. How could there be a son born out of wedlock?"

Emperor Wulong chuckled and smoothed things over: "Although Xiao Qi has been quite accurate in his judgments before, and even Prime Minister Su is very convinced of him, there is always a chance that he might be wrong. Princess Duan, you don't need to take it to heart."

You Lu quietly gave a thumbs up, [As expected of my dad who always joins my group buys, he's absolutely ruthless! He even brought up Prime Minister Su, it's hard for Princess Duan not to have any doubts!]

Emperor Wulong returned his gaze with an arrogant look.

Princess Duan initially dismissed You Lu's words as nonsense, but Emperor Wulong's comment made her uneasy. However, this was the imperial palace, and despite her doubts, she didn't cause a scene. Instead, she calmly said, "It's normal for someone so young to be unskilled."

That concludes the discussion on this topic.

Having achieved his goal, he stopped dwelling on it and instead said, "Finally, let's talk about the first point."

Princess Duan thought he was going to defend Emperor Wulong again, and she had already prepared her rebuttal. But she saw him with a solemn, exquisitely handsome face, saying in a deep voice, "Father Emperor did indeed do wrong in handling the matter of Mother Empress and Consort Ling. He was too arrogant and self-righteous, and there is no way to deny that."

Emperor Wulong glared at him angrily, but did not refute him.

You Lu turned and glared back, saying, "Father, you don't think I was joking when I said he wasn't good enough for Mother, do you? I was very serious!"

The Empress lowered her head, suppressing a laugh.

Emperor Wulong, knowing he was in the wrong, pursed his lips and looked away.

Princess Duan was shocked. As the saying goes, a son should not speak ill of his father, let alone in the imperial family. The Seventh Prince actually spoke ill of the Emperor to his face, and the Emperor did not reprimand him even though he was angry. Is this still in the palace?

"But—" You Lu changed the subject, looking sharply at Princess Duan, "Princess Duan, you have no right to criticize the Emperor, because in terms of character and virtue, you are not as good as the Emperor."

"Wh-what?!" Princess Duan stood up in surprise.

Cang Shuyue, who had been silently standing in the background, raised his eyes, a hint of interest appearing in them. He was also curious about what Bao Bao would say, after all, it was the first time he had heard anyone say that the Princess Consort of Duan was of questionable character.

Youlu started counting on his fingers again, "As the saying goes, 'While parents are alive, one should not travel far.' Not only do you travel, but you are also away from home for many years, neglecting your elderly parents. This is unfilial, and that is the first point."

"When the Duke of Zhenguo went to the battlefield at the age of fourteen, you were enjoying sightseeing; when the Emperor was working tirelessly through the night reviewing memorials, you were enjoying sightseeing; when the people of Xiangyang suffered from a disaster, and the court officials generously donated money to help the victims, you were still enjoying sightseeing. You are supported by the people, yet you do not seek their well-being or contribute to the country. You only care about your own enjoyment and are even proud of it. This is disloyalty, and this is the second point."

"The reason you can travel freely and unrestrained across this beautiful land is because others are protecting your homeland and bearing heavy burdens for you. Not only are you ungrateful, but you also mock and criticize, which is unjust."

"Disloyal, unfilial, unkind, and unjust—you embody three of those four traits. You haven't even fulfilled the most basic responsibilities and obligations, which shows how selfish you are. Tell me, what right do you have to criticize my father, the Emperor?!" Youlu put his hands on his hips and raised his chin.

Kang Gonggong, who was standing by with his head bowed, secretly gave a thumbs up. The Seventh Prince had shown mercy; otherwise, the Princess Consort of Duan would have occupied all four of them.

Emperor Wulong clenched his fist excitedly. "As expected of his good eldest son, well said!"

Princess Duan turned pale and slumped back into her chair.

Youlu proudly tossed his head, "As for the Empress Dowager, just as Princess Duan said, even today, people still praise her bravery, and future generations will surely record her in history books. Instead of worrying about the Empress Dowager, Princess Duan should think about whether anyone will remember her after she passes away."

"In conclusion, arguing with you about what you said would be beneath my dignity!"

This sentence was absolutely devastating; Princess Duan nearly fainted.

Emperor Wulong grasped the Empress's hand tightly as if making a vow, and solemnly said, "Although the Empress has long resided in the deep palace, she diligently practices martial arts and studies military strategy every day. She has the confidence and ability to go to the battlefield at any time. As long as she wishes, I will fully support her!"

"Well said, Father!" Youlu clapped.

The Empress couldn't help but tear up; this father and son were always saying things to please others.

Cang Shuyue glanced at Emperor Wulong indifferently, and snorted inwardly, thinking that the old man was smart enough to know what was good for him.