As the sound of the voice faded, the entire Imperial Garden fell into a deathly silence. Suddenly, a shrill scream broke the calm, and only then did the stunned onlookers realize that a woman lay on the ground not far away, like a rag doll, her expression disheveled, her face pale, and blood constantly trickling from the corner of her mouth.
"Dare to show disrespect to my princess, courting death!" Long Xuan Mo’s features were cold and bone-chilling, his dark pupils filled with the fury of a raging storm.
Yang Chengrong and Yang Chengyou held tightly onto the enraged Yang Chengning, their gazes on the woman sharp as blades thirsty for blood.
Doctor Luo and others were seething with anger, yet wisely remained silent, well aware that the Emperor was present and that it was not their place to overstep, but they were quite satisfied and appreciative that Long Xuan Mo protected Yang Mengchen like this.
Meng Jinghui was about to take action when Meng Jingqi glanced at him with a timely, indifferent look, coupled with the low persuasion of his older sister, he managed to suppress his anger and stay still.
The rest of the onlookers had different expressions, some looking at that bold woman as if she were a monster, some secretly rejoicing in her misfortune.
Meanwhile, the woman’s family turned pale with fury, hastily walking to the center, kneeling towards the Emperor and kowtowing.
An elderly man, well past the prime of life, pleaded repeatedly, "Emperor, this humble official has failed in his teaching, leading to my daughter’s offense against Princess Chen. I beg you, considering Meimei’s young age and ignorance, to grant your mercy!"
Meimei had adored Prince Chen since she was young and wholeheartedly wished to marry Prince Chen and become his princess. They too had hoped to secure a connection with Prince Chen, thus they had permitted Meimei to approach Prince Chen.
But little did they expect that Prince Chen would unexpectedly marry a peasant girl as his Official Wife and remain faithful to only her in this life. They had originally planned to request the Emperor to rescind the decree after some time, and with the power and position of their family, not to mention being made an equal princess, Meimei could at least be a concubine.
They never imagined that Meimei would cause such public embarrassment to Princess Chen, disrupting their plans and proving herself to be a useless fool.
"Grant mercy?" The Emperor’s expression was calm, showing not the slightest sign of anger. "Master Zhuo must understand, it is not I who should grant mercy, but my daughter-in-law."
Those two seemingly light sentences sent chills down Master Zhuo’s spine, as if half of his soul had been scared away. He quickly turned to Yang Mengchen to kowtow and plead for mercy.
Rumors had it that Princess Chen was not only dearly loved by Prince Chen, but she was also extremely favored by the Emperor, the Empress Dowager, and the Empress. Now it seemed to be true.
Yang Mengchen watched the Zhuo family quietly, her eyes clear as water, her lips pursed slightly, giving no indication of her thoughts.
All eyes were fixed on Yang Mengchen, eager to know how Princess Chen would handle this, so they could have some idea of what to expect.
The Empress Dowager and Empress watched Yang Mengchen with anxiety and concern.
Jiujiu was indeed clever, but after all, she was a girl not yet seventeen, secluded in her boudoir; how could she understand the intricate and dangerous connections at play here? And since the distance was somewhat great, they couldn’t give her any hints, they could only look towards Sister Jin. Fortunately, Sister Jin looked back at them and lightly shook her head, and that’s when they were able to relax a bit.
Yang Chengrong and the others, however, were full of confidence, not the slightest bit worried, but they were absolutely furious at the Zhuo family’s coercive behavior towards Yang Mengchen.
Just as Long Xuan Mo was about to speak, Prince Duan had already begun to say earnestly, "Younger Sister-in-Law, Ms. Zhuo is young and acted rashly out of admiration for your talents, and I believe she had no intention of offending you. Besides, Master Zhuo has publicly kowtowed and asked for mercy, and your brother has severely injured Ms. Zhuo taking revenge on your behalf, so with your generous nature, please forgive Ms. Zhuo."
The Zhuo family was an aristocratic family for hundreds of years, and Master Zhuo, a prominent official serving three dynasties, had immense authority and countless disciples. His speaking on behalf of the Zhuo family at this moment would surely be remembered as a favor, and with such backing, the throne would naturally be within his grasp.
Lifting his eyelids and quickly glancing at Prince Duan, the Duke of Wuguo then lowered his head promptly, keeping his expression unreadable.
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