"Has the Crown Prince gone to complain to the Emperor?" Mu Chenshuang said mockingly.
Feng Xilan wouldn't be so incompetent as to report the Crown Prince's family affairs to the Emperor; who else could it be but Xiao Qingyu?
Feng Xilan's eyes narrowed as she stared at Mu Chenshuang. She said she was afraid he would abandon her, but her words were barbed, especially her gaze, which was distant and cold, devoid of any warmth.
"Who are you?" Feng Xilan asked in a cold, deep voice.
Mu Chenshuang chuckled softly, "Who else could I be? Of course, I am your Crown Princess!"
"You are not her!"
The woman in front of him bore no resemblance to Mu Chenshuang, except for her identical face.
Mu Chenshuang's sarcastic smile deepened. "If I'm not Mu Chenshuang, then who is? From the moment the Crown Prince married Xiao Qingyu, my heart died completely. Having died once, does the Crown Prince really expect me to cling to you again?"
As Feng Xilan listened to her words, his brows furrowed even more.
"Your Highness can rest assured, I will not disturb your love affair with your concubine. As long as your concubine does not provoke me, I will not do anything to her. If she is unruly, then don't blame me for being ruthless."
Feng Xilan stared at Mu Chenshuang with narrowed pupils. These words sounded so harsh to him that he clenched his fists. "Do you think I would believe your nonsense?"
"If Your Highness does not believe me, then I have nothing to say."
She was too lazy to waste any more words with him.
"Since Father has summoned me, I shall enter the palace as soon as possible."
Feng Xilan flicked her sleeves, gave a cold snort, and strode away.
Xuanwu Palace.
"Your subject/your daughter-in-law greets Your Majesty!"
Feng Guche wore a dragon robe, exuding a majestic and powerful imperial aura. Even though he was over fifty, his features remained sharp and cold, and he possessed an extraordinary bearing.
The young and beautiful woman sitting next to her in a purple gown was none other than Qi Rong, the Consort Rong, who was currently enjoying great favor.
Also present in the hall was Lady Song Liu, the wife of the Duke's mansion, who was staring at Mu Chenshuang with an extremely cold gaze, as if she wanted to devour her alive.
Feng Guche put down his teacup and said in a deep voice, "Rise!"
"Thank you, Father Emperor."
Feng Guche looked at Mu Chenshuang and asked, "Crown Princess, I heard that you used the gold medal I bestowed upon you yesterday to beat Consort Yu with a cane."
Mu Chenshuang replied neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Indeed, I never expected that my reprimand of a concubine who did not follow the rules could disturb Father Emperor."
"Who is breaking the rules, the Crown Princess or Consort Yu?" Qi Rong questioned sharply, his tone stern.
"On the day of the Crown Prince's wedding to Consort Yu, you not only pushed Yu'er into the lake, but also beat her so badly that she couldn't get up. With such a vicious heart, how will you be able to rule the world as the Crown Princess after the Crown Prince inherits the throne?!"
Qi Rong's aggressive questioning was filled with anger, and even a beautiful woman in a fit of rage could be so moving. Seeing this, Feng Guche quickly clapped his hands and comforted her, "My dear consort, be careful not to upset yourself."
Then, his stern eyes turned to Mu Chenshuang, and he said, "Shuang'er, what explanation do you have?"
"First of all, let's talk about the rules. The Crown Prince married Mu Qingyu with a ceremony that goes beyond that of a principal wife, which violates the rules established by our ancestors."
The Crown Prince's wedding ceremony required approval. Even though the Emperor knew it was against the rules, he still acquiesced to the Crown Prince's actions, which is enough to prove the Emperor's intention to suppress the Mu family.
The Mu family had made outstanding contributions, and some even praised the Marquis Mu's achievements as surpassing those of the emperor. This was something that emperors throughout history had always been most wary of: merits that overshadowed the emperor's.
Mu Chenshuang's words caused Feng Xilan's expression to change drastically, and she stared at Mu Chenshuang with a fierce look in her eyes, "You..."
These words made Feng Guche's expression darken.
Mu Chenshuang glanced at the father and son, a cold glint in her eyes, and continued, "The Crown Prince truly doesn't take me, his Crown Princess, seriously. Consort Yu was pushed into the lake, and before the Crown Prince could even investigate, he tortured me based solely on one side of the story."
Consort Yu disregarded social hierarchy and etiquette, swaggering into my palace. Relying on the Crown Prince's favor, she ostensibly came to deliver tonics, but in reality, she was flaunting her current favor with me.
Every word was clear and logical, conveying a composed and dignified demeanor.
Her words made Feng Xilan's face grow even uglier, and she clenched her fists.
"The Crown Princess is simply slandering my Yu'er. Yu'er is kind and compassionate, as everyone in the capital knows. How can the Crown Princess slander her without any evidence? On the contrary, the Crown Princess, relying on her little military merit, threatened the Crown Prince to marry you, separating Yu'er and the Crown Prince. On their wedding night, Yu'er was beaten by you and could not have the wedding night ceremony. The Crown Princess is so cruel."
Song Liu spoke with choked sobs, unable to hold back her tears, looking utterly heartbroken.
Immediately, he knelt on the ground and pleaded with Feng Guche, "Your Majesty, please do justice for my Yu'er! The Crown Princess, relying on her golden token, beat my Yu'er so badly that she made the Crown Prince kneel. If this continues, won't the Crown Princess take control of the Eastern Palace? Will my Yu'er be able to live peacefully in the future?"
With a sorrowful and pained expression, she accused Mu Chenshuang in every word, implying that Mu Chenshuang had used her merits to bully others and oppress the Crown Prince.
If the Eastern Palace were to fall into Mu Chenshuang's hands, it would mean it would fall into the hands of the Marquis's mansion, and that would be disastrous.
As expected, Feng Guche's expression became more serious.
Mu Chenshuang suddenly laughed, her laughter chilling.
"What are you laughing at?" Feng Xilan shouted coldly.
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