For this occasion of the Crown Prince welcoming his secondary consort, the Emperor gave the Fang Family great face. He put down a large pile of memorials and specially came to join in the festivities.

A smile appeared on the Empress’s face. The Emperor giving face to the Fang Family was also giving face to the Eastern Palace, letting these people know that the Crown Prince’s position as heir apparent was stable and unshakeable.

Under the Ministry of Rites’ management, after Fang Xinyan offered tea to the Emperor, Empress, and Crown Princess, the ceremony was considered complete.

The secondary consort was sent into the bridal chamber. Fine wine and delicious food flowed like water as they were brought out. Everyone took their seats one by one according to status and rank.

Yun Chu sat together with Madam Lin.

Madam Lin had heard of the Empress’s intentions, and her expression didn’t look too good as she said, “I didn’t expect the Empress would harbor such thoughts.”

Gongsun Ning was not a good match. The Empress’s move was truly rather disgusting.

She didn’t want her daughter to have just come out of the wolf’s den that was the Xie Family, only to turn around and enter a tiger’s cave.

The mother and daughter dined quietly.

Amidst the toasts and exchanges, the banquet gradually came to an end.

Yun Chu stood up to visit the lavatory.

Qiutong followed along with her. Halfway there, Qiutong’s throat tightened. “Miss, someone is following us.”

Yun Chu’s brows furrowed.

This was the Eastern Palace, and moreover the Emperor and Empress were both here. Who was so bold as to dare cause trouble here?

She rounded a flower stand, then suddenly stopped and turned back. She saw the lavishly dressed legitimate eldest son of the Gongsun clan, Gongsun Ning.

Having been discovered, Gongsun Ning didn’t feel embarrassed in the slightest. He waved his folding fan and approached. “To encounter Miss Yun here is truly fate.”

He had finally managed to get Empress Aunt to play matchmaker and bestow a marriage for him. Yet his aunt actually told him that Yun Chu had refused to marry into the Gongsun Family.

His father was the current National Uncle, his aunt was the mother of the nation, his cousin was the future emperor. With such status, how many women flocked to him, yet the woman before him had actually refused.

However, he could understand her refusal. After all, she was the capital’s foremost beauty, the Yun Family’s legitimate eldest daughter. Naturally she had a proud backbone.

“Miss Yun, you lost your husband, I lost my wife. You and I are a perfect match.” Gongsun Ning stepped forward. “Once you become the First Lady of the Gongsun Family, I’ll have Empress Aunt come forward and ask His Majesty to restore your Yun Family’s innocence.”

Yun Chu lowered her head. “The innocent are naturally innocent, the guilty are naturally guilty. The Yun Family matter will sooner or later come to light. There’s no need to trouble Lord Gongsun.”

Gongsun Ning’s expression turned cold. “Miss Yun, you’re refusing the toast only to be forced to drink the forfeit. You should know that countless women want to be my principal wife, yet I’ve only taken a fancy to you. You’ve been married before, yet can still become the First Lady of the Gongsun clan. This is your honor. If you refuse, I can’t guarantee the principal wife position will still be kept for you.”

As he spoke, he closed his paper fan. That paper fan slowly approached Yun Chu’s chin, attempting to lift her face.

He really wanted to carefully examine just how extraordinarily beautiful this face was.

However.

Just as his paper fan was mere inches from her chin.

A gust of forceful wind attacked.

Gongsun Ning only felt his wrist ache, followed by a kick to his chest. His entire body fell to the ground.

He raised his head and saw Prince Pingxi standing there. His tall figure completely blocked Yun Chu’s form.

“You!” Gongsun Ning was furious. “Prince Pingxi, you and I have always minded our own business. Yet you actually struck me. I’m going to tell Aunt!”

Chu Yi spoke calmly. “Be my guest.”

His utterly unperturbed appearance made Gongsun Ning even more furious. He climbed up from the ground, turned around, and walked toward the front.

Chu Yi turned back. “Are you all right?”

Yun Chu shook her head. Before anything could happen, this man had appeared.

Like a great mountain, standing before her, blocking all wind and rain for her… although she had long since ceased to fear wind and rain.

She spoke. “Beware of the villain accusing first. Your Highness, we should hurry over.”

Chu Yi slowed his pace by a step and walked shoulder to shoulder with her. When they reached an open area, only then did he widen the distance.

Neither of them noticed that in the flower grove, a figure sat quietly, dressed in light green clothing, almost blending in with the flowers and grass.

The man’s face showed a sickly pallor. Supporting himself on a tree branch, he stood up. His form seemed as if it would topple with one gust of wind.

It was precisely Chu Rui, who had petitioned to revoke his own title.

“Master, this servant has finally found you. The wind is strong here. Be careful not to catch cold…”

The young eunuch supported Chu Rui as they walked out of the flower grove.

Chu Rui’s gaze still looked toward the direction where Yun Chu had disappeared.

He wondered, between the Yun Family’s divorced eldest daughter and Chu Yi, why were they so familiar with each other?

The celebratory banquet in front was almost over.

The Emperor had chatted with several ministers for a while and stood up, preparing to leave.

At this moment, the Gongsun Family’s eldest son rushed in, covering his chest with an indignant expression on his face. With a thud, he knelt before the Emperor and Empress. “Your Majesty, Empress Aunt, please uphold justice for this subject!”

The Empress had always doted on this nephew. She immediately walked down the steps and helped Gongsun Ning up. “What has happened?”

Gongsun Ning covered his kicked chest and coughed violently several times before making his complaint. “Aunt, it’s…”

Before his words were finished.

A woman’s crying voice came through.

Gongsun Ning’s words were interrupted. He turned to look and saw Yun Chu kneeling beside him, crying.

Such a great beauty—with just a little crying, she was truly like pear blossoms in the rain. It could be said that she was like an amorous peony bearing spring tears, or a powerless rose leaning on morning branches—evoking pity.

Gongsun Ning completely forgot what he was going to say.

“Your Majesty, Empress Your Majesty, the Yun Family has been loyal for generations, protecting home and defending the nation. Now this subject’s daughter’s father has only gone missing and hasn’t been convicted. Why would someone dare to humiliate a Yun Family daughter like this…” Yun Chu knelt on the ground, sobbing as she cried. “Lord Gongsun’s marriage proposal failed, and in his humiliation and rage, he toyed with this subject’s daughter. If Prince Pingxi hadn’t happened to pass by, this subject’s daughter could only have suffered humiliation and taken her own life to prove her innocence!”

As she spoke, tears fell drop by drop.

Gongsun Ning was already staring stupidly, wishing he could pull the beauty into his embrace and comfort her well.

But he was viciously kicked by the Empress. Looking up to meet the Empress’s cold gaze, he shivered and came to his senses.

He immediately said, “It was—it was her who seduced this subject. This subject was unmoved, so she became angry from humiliation and framed me. Prince Pingxi was also deceived by her and kicked this subject!”

Madam Lin anxiously stepped forward. “Impossible. Chu’er could never do such a thing!”

The Empress said coldly, “The descendants of my Gongsun Family would absolutely never humiliate a woman. There must be a misunderstanding in this matter.”

“I saw it with my own eyes.” Chu Yi’s voice was low. “According to the laws of this dynasty, anyone who harasses women shall receive thirty strokes of the rod. If it causes a woman to take her own life in shame and indignation, the crime warrants strangulation.”

Gongsun Ning’s vision went black. He hadn’t even touched a single hair on Yun Chu’s head. How could it count as harassment?

The Empress said calmly, “Yi’er, what you alone saw may not necessarily be the truth.”

“In response to Empress Your Majesty, I also saw it.” Chu Rui, supported by the young eunuch, walked forward. “It was indeed Lord Gongsun attempting to humiliate Miss Yun. However, before he could commit his improper act, he was stopped by Prince Pingxi.”

Although he no longer had the title of Prince Zhuang, he was still a member of the imperial family. He had always rarely appeared at such occasions and even less participated in such disputes. His words still carried some weight.

First Prince Pingxi said he saw it with his own eyes.

Then Chu Rui said he also saw it.

Two people of extraordinary status both stepped forward as witnesses.

The Empress’s expression finally changed somewhat.