Yu Jingyuan raised an eyebrow, his eyes sweeping over Shen Qingtang with disdain. "She is the youngest daughter, with four older brothers, each holding military power and highly valued. She is the most favored in the entire royal family. She is a golden branch and jade leaf, pampered and raised, proficient in all the arts, and her beauty is unparalleled. Only a woman like her is worthy of my nephew's noble royal bloodline."
Yu Jingyuan nodded in agreement, his tone carrying an undeniable arrogance: "That's right! You're just a merchant's daughter. Even if you've made some money, you're still of lowly birth, uneducated, and unfamiliar with royal etiquette. How can you stand by my nephew's side? Princess Anle is not only a suitable match in status, but she also has four brothers backing her up. If my nephew marries her, he'll easily gain titles and power upon returning to the royal family. That's the long-term plan. And you? Besides your assets, what else can you give my nephew? Don't drag him down in the end!"
The two men spoke in unison, their faces full of disdain, as if Shen Qingtang were nothing more than a useless burden who had climbed the social ladder.
Upon hearing this, Shen Qingtang merely smiled faintly, but her eyes were sharp as knives as she looked directly at the two brothers: "Your Highnesses speak in a very high-sounding manner."
She deliberately emphasized the word "prince," her tone clearly sarcastic. "I am indeed just a merchant's daughter, but at least I have earned my current fortune through my own abilities, allowing those around me to live a good life. Unlike you two, who are nearly fifty, well into your forties, you are still just princes in name only, living a life of empty titles."
"Your own father has been emperor for so many years and has been reluctant to abdicate. You two brothers have fought for most of your lives, but in the end, it's all for nothing."
Shen Qingtang's voice was clear and loud, each word piercing the heart, "In terms of age, you are all much older than the current Crown Prince. In terms of seniority, you have been struggling in the court for so many years, but what has been the result? The throne is still not yours. Now you can only come to me, under the guise of being my nephew, trying to gain some benefits by borrowing his power, and even trying to climb up the social ladder by marrying into Princess Anle's family. It is both laughable and pathetic."
"You keep saying that Princess Anle is noble and that she is worthy of Pei Wuwang, but what are you plotting in your hearts? Do you think others don't know?"
Shen Qingtang sneered and continued, "They just want to use Pei Wuwang's marriage to Princess Anle to win over her four brothers, strengthen their own power, and dream of vying for the throne again. Too bad, you probably won't have that chance in this lifetime. The Emperor is in his prime, and the Crown Prince's foundation is solid. You've fought for so many years without success. Now you're middle-aged, your vigor has faded, and your connections and military power are far inferior to the Crown Prince's. To still dream of such a thing is simply wishful thinking!"
“You look down on my background and think I’m not good enough for Pei Wuwang, but don’t forget where you so-called uncles were when Pei Wuwang suffered all kinds of grievances in the Pei family. Where were you when he was desperate and almost lost his life? Now that he’s successful, you suddenly remember that he’s of royal blood and start planning for his future. Where were you all before?”
Shen Qingtang's words were like sharp knives, piercing their sore spots. "You are nothing but a bunch of sycophantic, opportunistic scoundrels. How dare you point fingers at me here? In terms of character, you are not even as good as me, a merchant's daughter!"
Yu Jingyuan and Yu Jingyuan's faces turned pale and then red after Shen Qingtang's words, their lips trembling.
He wanted to refute, but couldn't utter a single word.
Shen Qingtang's words struck at their weak points, exposing their hidden schemes, years of resentment and helplessness, leaving them utterly ashamed.
"You...you're being insolent!" Yu Jingyuan trembled with anger as he pointed at Shen Qingtang.
His chest heaved violently. "How dare a lowly merchant's wife point fingers at us brothers! She's utterly ignorant of her place!"
"I'm being presumptuous?" Shen Qingtang raised an eyebrow, her tone even colder. "Isn't what I said the truth? You yourselves are incapable of vying for the throne, so you try to take advantage of your nephew's happiness to achieve your own goals. You are the truly shameless ones!"
"Pfft!" Yu Jingyuan, who was already narrow-minded, was completely exposed by Shen Qingtang's words. He couldn't catch his breath and spat out a mouthful of blood.
His face turned deathly pale instantly.
Yu Jingyuan was so angry that his vision blurred. He clutched his chest and retreated repeatedly, his eyes filled with resentment and unwillingness, but he could no longer utter a single word in rebuttal.
Shen Qingtang was furious at the sight of the two of them.
Despite his disheveled appearance, his eyes remained unwavering: "I've made myself clear. Pei Wuwang is my husband, and our affairs are none of the business of outsiders. As for a marriage alliance, don't even think about it. If you dare to come here again to sow discord, don't blame me for being impolite."
Shen Qingtang straightened her back, her eyes blazing, her voice resounding throughout the hall: "Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river, never underestimate a young man's potential! You think Pei Wuwang only has the backing of the royal family to be confident? Wrong! His abilities and his status are all earned step by step by himself! Today you look down on him, but tomorrow he may very well stand in an even higher position. Not to mention the throne of this country, even the territories of more than a dozen countries in the Western Regions, if he wants them, I can help him take them all!"
She exuded a powerful aura and an overwhelming presence.
Her eyes gleamed with undisguised ambition and sharpness: "As for me, the lowly merchant's daughter you speak of, I am no ordinary woman. There is no reason why a woman cannot be an empress. What I desire has never been the wealth and glory of depending on men, but rather a vast empire I have built with my own hands! If I ascend the throne one day, I will be the only female emperor in this world, ruling the universe, commanding all directions, and making all those who despise me grovel at my feet!"
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