Kneel

"Your Princess Consort, are you alright?!"

Upon hearing the news, Madam Chen rushed over, her hairpins disheveled.

But she couldn't care less anymore.

Holding Lin Yunwan, Qi Zaijun's face was extremely cold as she questioned Madam Chen, "Why were outsiders allowed into the Duke's mansion today for a banquet?"

Madam Chen bit her lip, unable to answer.

A son-in-law is not considered an outsider.

But the Duke said he would never allow her to openly admit that Bao'er was her daughter.

"This..."

Madam Chen gritted her teeth and walked to Lu Zhengliu's side, her face dark as she scolded, "Are you crazy! How dare you barge into the inner courtyard?"

Let's calm the Princess Consort down first.

The Stewardess cleverly stepped forward and said, "Your Princess Consort, this is the husband of our Young Madam's younger sister..."

Cuiqin said bluntly, "What kind of relative is this from the Duke's Residence? It's all so confusing."

The Stewardess blushed.

Madam Chen knew she couldn't just say that, so she came over and repeatedly apologized.

A servant from the Front Courtyard rushed in and whispered, "Madam, the Prince has arrived."

Madam Chen was so frightened that her scalp tingled.

Why are you here at this time!

Lin Yunwan had already heard this and prepared to carry Qi Zaijun back to the manor. She only instructed Cuiqin, "Go and say hello to the Crown Prince Consort."

They no longer need to stay at the Duke Xingguo's Residence, but they cannot neglect the Crown Prince Consort.

Cuiqin said "Yes".

Madam Chen panicked and said with a forced smile, "Your Princess Consort, please wait, the banquet hasn't started yet, you should have already eaten..."

Cuiqin turned back, her face grim, and said, "Is Madam trying to confine our Princess Consort?"

"No, no, no."

Madam Chen quickly waved her hand; she would never have meant that.

As soon as Qi Lingheng arrived at the Duke's Residence, he sent someone to the inner courtyard to look for Lin Yunwan. After waiting for a long time without any news, he became anxious. Seeing the servants stammering and looking very unwell, he asked, "Where is the Princess Consort?"

The servants only glanced at the Second Gate and learned that the Princess Consort and their mistress seemed to have a conflict, but they dared not say anything.

Qi Lingheng was already very impatient.

The second master of the Chen family quickly said, "Why aren't you going to fetch the people around the Princess Consort?" He was trying to appease Qi Lingheng.

Qi Lingheng could no longer sit still and said in a cold tone, "Please take me to fetch the Princess Consort."

That's polite of me, but if the Chen family doesn't allow it, I'm afraid Prince Huan will immediately lead his men to storm the Chen family's Inner Residence.

After weighing the pros and cons, the second master of the Chen family said nervously, "... Your Prince, please come with me."

He quickly gave someone a meaningful look, signaling to his mother, Madam Chen, to inform her.

No matter what happens, we must appease Prince Huan Consort before Prince Huan loses his temper.

Meanwhile, Madam Chen overheard a servant saying, "The Prince is coming in person." She immediately knew that the Prince Huan's storming into the Chen family's Inner Residence was not a visit.

She acted decisively. "Hurry up and invite the Prince in!"

To avoid embarrassing the Duke Xingguo's Residence's Mansion, especially since the whole thing started because of her unfortunate son-in-law, and if her husband found out, who knows how things would end.

The number of people near the Second Gate is increasing.

Lu Zhengliu gradually realized his situation and felt a pressure he couldn't bear.

Madam Chen still wanted to appease Lin Yunwan, so she stepped forward to explain and say kind words.

However, she was used to being domineering in the Capital and couldn't bring herself to act servilely. So, she maintained a certain air of dignity and said, "Your Princess Consort, you are a lady. It wouldn't be good if the servants saw you here and made fun of you. Why don't we move to the Warm Pavilion to talk?"

Madam Chen immediately pointed at Lu Zhengliu and said, "That's a relative of my daughter-in-law's family. His first wife died, and he suffered from hysteria. How can you, a woman, bother with such a person? It's beneath your and the Prince's dignity!"

Lin Yunwan smiled.

The Duke's Residence is now accusing her of being wrong?

Qi Zaijun couldn't stand it any longer. He got off Lin Yunwan and scolded Madam Chen with a stern face, "You old woman, how dare you speak to my Mother Consort like that?"

Before Lin Yunwan could even speak, Madam Chen was already drenched in a cold sweat.

The one speaking is the imperial grandson.

Everyone knows that Emperor Jingshun doted on Prince Huan the most, and also on his grandson.

Things seem to have deteriorated beyond what can be done by the rules.

Madam Chen quickly tried to appease Qi Zaijun, saying, "Your Heir Apparent has misunderstood. This humble woman did not offend the Princess Consort..."

"I don't know whether it's a misunderstanding or not? You dare to argue!"

Qi Zaijun was furious. He stood in front of Lin Yunwan and said, "Mother Consort, I'll take you out. Anyone who dares to stop me today, I'll chop off their head!"

He led Lin Yunwan toward the Second Gate.

"What Duke's Residence? I'm never coming here again!"

"I'll go tell Grandfather to confiscate your property!"

Although children speak without thinking, Madam Chen was so frightened that her legs went weak, and she would have fallen if someone hadn't supported her.

Second Master Chen arrived with Qi Lingheng.

He saw a group of people blocking his wife and son from leaving, his face darkening. He strode over, first protecting Lin Yunwan, and asked in a low voice, "Are you alright?"

Lin Yunwan shook her head.

It wasn't a big deal originally; she had so many servants around her, Lu Zhengliu couldn't do anything to her.

If Madam Chen hadn't made a mountain out of a molehill, fearing that the Princess Consort's sudden departure would bring shame to the Duke's Residence, things wouldn't have escalated to this point.

But she wouldn't casually say "I'm fine" in front of Qi Lingheng now.

She said in a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft, "There was an outsider in the inner courtyard of the Duke's mansion who offended me. I want to go back to the Prince's mansion, but Madam Chen won't let me and Jun'er leave."

Qi Zaijun nodded. "Father, it's Madam Chen and him—they've offended Mother Consort. Father, punish them immediately!"

Only then did the surrounding servants realize that it was Prince Huan who had arrived.

Qi Lingheng ignored the pale-faced Madam Chen. He slowly turned his head and looked at Lu Zhengliu with an indifferent gaze, as if he were looking at an ant.

The second master of the Chen family was also seething with anger.

He was Concubine-born Son, so he couldn't interfere in his stepmother's affairs, but he and his Elder Brother both hated the Lu family, those bloodsuckers.

He frowned and said, "Kneel down now."

Second Master Chen held no official position; although he was from a prestigious family, he was still a commoner.

He led the way by kneeling down. "Your Prince, Your Princess Consort Heir Apparent calm your anger."

The masters knelt down, and the servants knelt even faster, forming a vast, chaotic mass, their voices chorusing. "Your Prince, Your Princess Consort, Heir Apparent calm your anger."

Although Madam Chen was of high status and did not need to kneel, seeing her own family members kneeling made her feel submissive.

Lu Zhengliu stood there stiffly, like a rigid, withered tree.

He opened his lips, but those once hard, pursed lips remained silent.

Qi Lingheng looked at him expressionlessly and asked calmly, "Who doesn't kneel?"

Lu Zhengliu silent for a long time before kneeling down.

"Your Prince, Your... Consort."

He lowered his head.

Qi Zaijun frowned, "Father, let's go home first."

He'll have his Imperial Grandfather settle accounts with the Duke's Residence later.

Qi Lingheng hummed in agreement, holding his son in one arm and taking Lin Yunwan's hand with the other, and left.

Lu Zhengliu knelt on the ground, unable to lift his head.

Ge Bao'er arrived late, but she didn't see her own son, Lu Changzong, hiding in the Through Hall and secretly watching everything.