Rebirth of the Cannon Fodder in the Entertainment Circle
Chapter 515: Cannon Fodder Princess Consort (8)

Chapter 515: Cannon Fodder Princess Consort (8)

Since Princess Consort Chun had given birth to a son, Duke Dingguo had started to show off, with his flouncing about becoming rather unsightly.

Yet, constrained by the military power in the man’s hands and his marital ties to Prince Rui, and lacking any significant dirt on him, he would have already taken action otherwise.

Now, Fourth Princess Consort had willingly brought forward evidence against Duke Dingguo—excellent!

He wondered whether his fourth brother would be so infuriated upon learning of this—how he looked forward to it.

Before long, Luo Ning and the Marchioness were summoned to the imperial study to see the Emperor.

Other than the Emperor sitting at the head, Prince Chen was also seated to one side.

The two women paid their respects, "Greetings, Your Majesty!"

The Emperor smiled kindly and raised his hand, "Sister-in-law, Marchioness, please rise."

He got straight to the point, "Fourth sister-in-law, what brings you to seek an audience today?"

Luo Ning tersely recounted the events at the Marquis Mansion, including her conversation with Duke Dingguo.

After stating her case, she wore an expression of injustice and slightly bowed.

"Duke Dingguo does not hold me, the Fourth Princess Consort, in regard. He shows disrespect to the Royal Family. I implore Your Majesty to render justice."

The Marchioness also said, "Your Majesty, I wish to charge Duke Dingguo with favoring his concubine and mistreating his wife. I seek a divorce from him and ask Your Majesty to render justice."

A woman scorned changes her heart if love from her lord is absent—she had just encountered her son at the palace gates.

Both her son and daughter supported her decision to leave the Marquis Mansion.

She was truly disgusted by that despicable pair; she had endured it for the sake of her children all this while.

Now that her daughter was married and those two sought to harm her and her children, she could no longer bear it.

The Emperor hadn’t expected the Duchess Dingguo to charge her husband and seek a divorce.

His thoughts swirled, and a trace of anger crossed his face.

"To think Duke Dingguo cannot even manage his own household—a disgrace indeed."

He then turned to Lu Xun, "Prince Chen, you are to investigate the Marquis Mansion to confirm whether the allegations made by the Fourth Princess Consort and the Marchioness are true."

Lu Xun stood up, "Understood!"

With those words, he glanced at the resolute Luo Ning before striding out of the imperial study.

The Emperor continued with words of comfort for the Marchioness and Luo Ning.

He promised them, "If your accusations prove true, I shall deliver justice on your behalf."

Luo Ning and the Marchioness bowed once more, "We thank Your Majesty."

The two then left the palace, coincidentally running into Duke Dingguo, who had been eagerly waiting at the palace gates.

At that moment, he felt the urge to eliminate the Marchioness and Luo Ning.

Yet he dared not act; he had not expected that his uncherished wife and daughter would have the audacity to seek an audience with the Emperor.

He couldn’t wait to ask, "What did you say to His Majesty?"

The Marchioness looked at him with cold eyes, "If you’re so curious, then go ask His Majesty yourself."

"You!" Duke Dingguo choked on his words.

Swallowing his rage, he softened his tone slightly, "We have been husband and wife; must you turn this into a spectacle for all of Capital City to ridicule?"

The Marchioness shot him a disdainful look, "The Marquis Mansion has long been a joke."

Duke Dingguo’s indulgence of his concubine at the expense of his wife was hardly a secret, especially after Luo Chun had become a concubine, and his brazenness had only increased.

"Can you not speak civilly?" Duke Dingguo couldn’t help but retort angrily.

The Marchioness had had enough of his manner, "No, you only have the courage to shout at women and children, a fool of a man who favors his concubine and mistreats his wife."

Duke Dingguo had never been scolded by the Marchioness like this before and his face darkened instantly, "You are insolent! Who gave you the courage to speak to me in such a manner?"

Luo Ning interjected from the side, "I did."

Duke Dingguo was so angry he staggered backward, "You unfilial daughter."

If it weren’t for this unfilial daughter causing trouble today, how could things have escalated to this state?

Luo Ning noticed Lu Xiao approaching quickly from a distance, and deliberately snorted, "If I am the unfilial daughter, then what is Prince Rui in your eyes? A scourge?"

She then raised her voice on purpose, "You dare to be disrespectful to me, a Princess Consort, right at the palace gate, showing no regard for Prince Rui. It seems you have no fear or respect for the Royal Family at all. It’s no wonder, being the Marquis who controls thousands of troops, you are so arrogant."

Duke Dingguo’s face changed, "Stop talking nonsense."

As Luo Ning implied, as the Marquis with military power, he did not take the Emperor seriously, accusing him of arrogance.

If the Imperial Censor were to hear this, he would surely submit a report, and what would the Emperor think of him after knowing this?

This unfilial daughter’s words were frankly a direct attack on his heart!

When had this damn girl become so quick-witted and bold? She was infuriating him.

Lu Xiao arrived just in time to hear Luo Ning’s words, causing his expression to change as well.

He hurriedly said, "Princess Consort, Duke Dingguo is your father; don’t speak recklessly."

He knew that his Brother, the Emperor, was not one to overlook small details. If this reached his ears, he would surely hold a grudge against Duke Dingguo.

The Emperor had already sought to reduce the Marquis Mansion’s military power; Luo Ning was practically handing him the perfect excuse.

Luo Ning turned to Lu Xiao, her eyes suddenly welling up with tears, stepping back as if struck by a blow.

"Prince, you always say you treasure me, but it was all a lie."

Lu Xiao: "..." What is she talking about? What does this have to do with anything?

He frowned, "Ning’er, stop this nonsense!"

Luo Ning huffed, "I am not causing trouble. It is Duke Dingguo who has no regard for you. He insulted and disrespected you, and I am upset on your behalf. I chose righteousness over family, and yet you still blame me?"

Duke Dingguo: "..." When had he ever insulted or disrespected Prince Rui? He was unaware of any such thing.

Thus, he couldn’t help but retort, "That’s utter nonsense."

Luo Ning confidently declared, "Prince and I are husband and wife, and as one, disrespect towards me is disrespect towards him. By insulting me and calling me an unfilial daughter, aren’t you suggesting a lack of respect for the Prince and implying he’s a scourge too?"

Lu Xiao, Duke Dingguo: "..." Her argument sounded so convincing, they nearly believed it themselves.

Duke Dingguo immediately tried to explain to Lu Xiao, "Prince, she is talking nonsense because she is angry today. I have always been respectful to you, it’s not like what she said."

Lu Xiao forced a smile, "Of course, I trust you, Marquis."

Luo Ning was having none of it, "Prince, you trust him over me? Are we no longer husband and wife? Was your so-called love for me all fake?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Xiao looked at Luo Ning with a hint of inquiry, wondering if she had discovered something.

Feeling slightly guilty, he said, "Stop this now, let’s talk about it when we get home."

After all, they were at the palace gates, and any commotion would quickly reach the Emperor’s ears.

Luo Ning threw a tantrum, "I am not making a fuss. Since you don’t believe me, then you might as well live with him."

With that, she took the Marchioness by the arm and walked away. Before Lu Xiao and Duke Dingguo could react, she had already boarded the carriage.

Both men’s faces darkened at the same time.

Lu Xiao felt extremely aggrieved but had always played the role of a loving husband to Luo Ning, so he could only hold back.

He sighed helplessly, "The Princess Consort has been spoiled by me."

Duke Dingguo was on the verge of going mad, not caring whether she was spoiled or not.

He wanted to know what the mother and daughter had said to the Emperor.

So he recounted the day’s events to Lu Xiao in a low voice, "Prince, I will need your help to explain things properly to His Majesty. Those two women completely lost their minds today."

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