Xiao Li followed the eunuch as he walked to the Empress Dowager’s Changchun Palace. Inside, people were already seated, each dressed in luxurious clothes, with the person at the head of the room possessing a dignified and imposing presence.
Having watched countless palace drama series, this scene didn’t frighten her.
She glanced at the lavishly decorated palace, then at the people who instantly frowned when they saw her.
A three-court session of review.
The Emperor and the Empress Dowager sat at the highest seat. Several people on the left looked familiar, as did those on the right.
Before Xiao Li could distinguish them carefully, she saw Lu Yanzhi, with bandages wrapped around his head and a somewhat pale complexion.
Among the crowd of people dressed in luxurious clothes, his white gauze was quite striking. During the day, his face was even more handsome, especially now, looking pitifully injured, he was even more attractive.
She retracted her gaze and walked forward gracefully.
“Empress Dowager, Imperial Brother.”
Before Xiao Li could finish her greeting, the Empress Dowager immediately reprimanded: “Why did you attack the Consort? And you beat everyone else! Where is your etiquette and upbringing? Is this how I taught you?”
As expected, she didn’t ask about the whole story, but scolded her readily.
Xiao Li stood up, looking at the Empress Dowager, who had become the shadow of the original body. She was of high status and noble rank, in her forties, not old, but her eyes were too harsh, and her expression too unpleasant.
Then she looked at the Emperor, wearing a bright yellow Dragon Robe, luxurious and noble but lacking in authority. Instead, he possessed a refined and cultured air, like a scholar, and his narrow eyes revealed calculation.
Although she disliked them, she couldn’t shake the power these two held over life and death at the moment.
Forget it, she would endure it for now.
Xiao Li glanced in Lu Yanzhi’s direction, looking puzzled and full of mockery: “Lu Yanzhi, what makes you think you have the right to come to the Palace to file a complaint?”
Lu Yanzhi’s expression was aloof and cold, and he didn’t even bother to look at her.
The Empress Dowager frowned and scolded: “I am asking you a question! Do you even have any respect for me?”
Seeing this, a middle-aged man next to Lu Yanzhi stood up.
“Empress Dowager, Your Majesty, let this matter drop. The Princess likely didn’t mean it. Disputes between husband and wife shouldn’t be taken so seriously. Let them resolve it themselves. The injuries Master Lu sustained are minor and will heal with a few days of rest.”
Don’t take it seriously? It already escalated to before the Emperor! Now he wants to act like a good person?
Hypocritical.
Xiao Li looked at him, paused for a moment, and recognized him. He was Lu Yanzhi’s father, and Lu Yanzhi’s grandfather was the current chief advisor, the Minister of Rites. And his father wasn’t bad either, he was the Vice Minister of Rites.
The Lu Clan was the largest family in the civil official faction, with more than twenty officials serving in the court, which is why the Emperor both feared and courted them, showing them respect.
He said he wouldn’t hold a grudge, but could the Emperor really agree?
Of course not.
The Emperor immediately showed a face full of anger: “Lord Lu, you are truly magnanimous, but Princess Xuanyang’s behavior is outrageous. This matter absolutely cannot be let go so easily.”
“Then what will my Imperial Brother do? Kill me?”
Xiao Li’s gloomy voice rang out, and everyone’s eyes instantly focused on her as she slowly raised her head, a cold, mocking smile playing on her lips.
“Taking it seriously?” She turned her head to look at Lord Lu: “Does Lord Lu know why I hit him?”
Before Lord Lu could answer, she turned to Lu Yanzhi, her gaze sharp.
“Consort, would you dare to tell them what happened last night?”
Lu Yanzhi’s pale lips tightened. He had indeed done something wrong last night, something that couldn’t be made public. But wasn’t Zhang Jing already dead? What was the Princess making a fuss about?
“Princess, you…”
“You don’t dare to say it, do you!”
Xiao Li laughed freely, her expression turning cold: “If you won’t say it, I will! You have the audacity to come to the Palace to file a complaint? I’m the one who should be filing a complaint!”
She turned around, speaking righteously: “I want to accuse the Lu Clan of deceiving the Emperor and forcing a disabled man to marry a princess.”
With that, she pulled up her sleeve: “Consort Lu Yanzhi is impotent, I want a divorce!”
Everyone was still shocked by Xiao Li’s madness, but they didn’t expect her to suddenly drop a thunderclap, causing chaos.
Lord Lu almost lost his footing.
The young man in brocade clothes, Prince Wei, directly sprayed tea from his mouth, stunned: “Imperial Sister, what are you saying?”
However, his gaze fell on a spot of bright, striking red, and he instantly raised his hand to cover his mouth, looking at Lu Yanzhi with suspicion, then downwards.
Almost everyone unconsciously repeated Prince Wei’s action.
Lu Yanzhi had never suffered such humiliation in his life. His usually aloof and cold expression cracked: “I…”
How could he be impotent? He was perfectly healthy!
But the piece of arm Xiao Li revealed was pale as jade, her skin like snow, and the spot of crimson was particularly striking.
A cinnabar mark! Proof of virginity.
Lu Yanzhi and the Princess had been married for three years, yet the Princess’s cinnabar mark was still intact.
No man could endure such humiliation, especially in public.
To say he was impotent was a great insult, simply uncouth.
“I…” Lu Yanzhi struggled to explain: “I just haven’t consummated the marriage with the Princess yet. I’m not…”
This is the downside of being arrogant. When he doesn’t like to talk, he has no words when he needs them.
Poor Lu Yanzhi, with his vast knowledge and extraordinary talent, had simply not learned how to defend himself against such slander.
No matter how much he sweated, everyone’s eyes were filled with shock, contemplation, and then sudden realization.
Impotent, of course, means he couldn’t consummate the marriage.
Three years without consummation means he is impotent.
That’s right.
“Outrageous!” The Empress Dowager was the first to regain her composure, angrily shouting: “Xuanyang, do you have any shame?”
Xiao Li’s performance had angered the Empress Dowager, shocking and infuriating her.
“Someone, someone, take her away!”
Fearing she would say something even more shocking.
Xiao Li didn’t resist being dragged away, but she didn’t back down either.
She looked in Lu Yanzhi’s direction, calm and indifferent, her words piercing: “Even if I’m at my worst, I am still a princess, of royal bloodline. After you married me, you ignored me, I tried to please you, but for three years you’ve been cold and distant, coming home late and barely looking at me.”
“Yes, I hit you, but I won’t apologize. I only regret not killing you last night!”
“I gave you my heart, tolerated you, and tried to warm your heart, for three years. Even a stone should have some warmth. I thought it was because I wasn’t good enough, but it turns out you’re just a useless man, and you still have the nerve to look down on me? Ha!”
The last word was devastating.
As Xiao Li’s sarcastic words fell, the entire hall fell silent, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Xiao Li doesn’t have feelings for Lu Yanzhi, and saying these things is just a straightforward recitation without any emotion. But these people have all seen Princess Xuanyang’s affection and devotion to Lu Yanzhi, and now her cold and sarcastic attitude perfectly portrays a person whose heart has turned to stone.
“Xuanyang!” Lu Yanzhi stood up, his eyes no longer holding that indifferent composure, but filled with murderous intent.
Xiao Li was satisfied to see this. Someone had broken down.
Lu Yanzhi’s public persona is cold and aloof, detached from the world, and has always been infatuated with the Female Lead, remaining chaste and never having been with another woman throughout his life, even knowing that a relationship with the Female Lead is impossible.
Remaining chaste is good, but how pitiful to be unknown?
She, his ‘loving’ wife, couldn’t bear to let his efforts go unnoticed.
Now it’s good, everyone knows that they are pure and always will be ‘spotlessly clean’.
She is truly a good person.
Making a small modification.
(*^__^*) Hehe…