Chapter 10 Divorce Permission
Gu Nianting knelt on his knees, his face solemn and serious.
Due to his serious injuries, his body looked particularly weak and pitiful.
"Reporting to the Emperor, although I was not involved in the matter of the dragon robe and the secret decree, I am suspected of knowing about it but not reporting it."
"My mother, Consort Zhong Shuyi, has always been ambitious and conceited. She insisted on preparing the dragon robe and secret decree. Although your son tried his best to stop her, your mother still insisted on having her own way."
"As a son, how can I not be filial?"
"I am a foolish son. I thought that I was being filial to my mother by not reporting the truth. I never imagined that it would lead to such a disaster."
"However, please rest assured, Father and Uncle, I have tried many times to stop Mother and Concubine, but I have not allowed her to do anything unorthodox."
"The die has been cast, and it is impossible to reverse the situation. I, as a son, feel deep regret."
"But the accusation that I have fled in fear of punishment is really unfair to you, my son."
"After the fire in Prince Chen's mansion, I fell into a coma, so mother took the opportunity to send me away."
"When you wake up, I will know that something is wrong and will try my best to return to the capital to ask for punishment."
"Along the way, I heard about the theft of the imperial seal."
"I thought that if I could get the imperial seal back, I might be able to please my father and comfort my uncle, so I tracked him down all the way, risking my life at the hands of the bandits, to get the imperial seal back."
"However, I have neglected to practice martial arts, and when I fought with the bandits, I was covered in wounds."
"I did this not to make amends for my crime or escape responsibility."
"Knowing the truth but not reporting it is a serious offense. Father and uncle, please punish me severely and do not tolerate me!"
Gu Mengzhen nodded without changing his expression.
"It turned out to be a misunderstanding."
As he spoke, Gu Mengzhen turned his head and gave Yan Yu a tentative look.
"What do you think, my brother?"
Yan Yu smiled calmly, "We are not plants or trees, so who can be heartless? Prince Chen is my brother's second son, and also my nephew. But seeing that he is covered in wounds, I no longer want to pursue the matter."
Gu Mengzhen heard the key point, turned to Gu Nianting, and reminded him sternly: "Why don't you thank the emperor's uncle for his kindness?"
Gu Nianting kowtowed repeatedly: "Your Majesty, nephew, kowtows to thank the emperor's uncle for his great kindness!"
Yan Yu ignored him and only talked to Gu Mengzhen: "Brother, do you want to continue selecting female officials?"
The goal was achieved, Gu Mengzhen smiled with satisfaction: "The fire in Xiangzhu Garden has implicated many people, which shows that this matter is ominous. The matter of selecting female officials will be discussed later."
After saying that, Gu Mengzhen turned to everyone again.
"Prince Chen, I will not pursue this matter. It is a gift from Prince Dijin."
"Zhong Shuyi deserves death for her crime and cannot be forgiven lightly."
"Come here, tell Yin Sitai to deal with Zhong Shuyi impartially."
"In addition, the consorts who committed crimes cannot be buried in the consort tombs. Even though Zhong Shuyi was once the mother of the country, she is still no exception."
"Princess Chen..."
Gu Mengzhen hesitated to speak.
Yan Yu hinted, "I have fulfilled my brother's wish."
Gu Mengzhen understood his intention and announced: "Draft an edict. If Princess Chen is willing, I will allow her to divorce Prince Chen."
Gu Nianting was horrified.
"Father..."
Gu Mengzhen frowned and scolded: "There is no rule. I and Prince Dijin are here, how can you have the right to speak?"
Gu Nianting closed his mouth reluctantly.
Ning Yunxi knelt on her knees, deliberately keeping a suitable distance from Gu Nianting.
"I am willing to divorce Prince Chen. From now on, I am only the third daughter of Ning, and no longer the Princess of Chen."
"Your Majesty, I bow to thank you for your grace!"
Gu Mengzhen's dragon eyes were as deep as a pool, showing only a hint of a smile, without revealing a single bit of his inner feelings.
"In that case, let's go back to the palace."
As soon as he finished speaking, a eunuch shouted, "Go back to the palace!"
When the crowds have dispersed,
Ning Yunxi returned to Xiangzhu Garden, sat in front of the dressing table, and casually opened the wooden drawer on the right.
All I saw was a blue chalcedony silver hairpin, which was exactly the same as the one that killed Gu Nianting.
The blue chalcedony and silver hairpins came as a pair when I bought them.
One was thrown into the sea of fire in Prince Chen's Mansion, and the other was left by her at her mother's home.
She still remembered the origin of the silver hairpin.
"Xi'er, you know that the Duke is a title. No matter how you talk about it, it's just an empty title."
"In fact, your father is short of money, and the treasury in the palace is not rich either."
"This is the hairpin your father and I bought after saving up money for several months."
"I give it to you today to celebrate your coming of age."
When she was fifteen, Mu Rong personally handed her the pair of blue chalcedony and silver hairpins.
Over the years, she has treated it like a treasure.
It was not until the year Ning Wanshan reached the age of 15 that they presented her with a Qin purple jade and gold hairpin, a rare treasure.
"Your fourth sister is ill and has suffered a lot. You are the elder sister, so you should give in to her."
This is Ning Hanwang, the person who said the most words.
Why can't I, as an older sister, get the love of my parents?
Is it really just because Ning Wanshan is weak?
Then why, even though she cured Ning Wanshan's illness in her previous life, she was still ruined by these so-called closest relatives?
The pain from the past life lingers in my ears and cannot be shaken off.
Mu Rong's soft cry brought her back from her thoughts.
"Xier."
The address remained the same, but the tone was cold and frosty.
Ning Yunxi stood up as she was told and bowed slightly: "Mother."
Mu Rong had sharp eyes and at a glance she spotted the inconspicuous blue chalcedony silver hairpin from among the many jewelries.
"Time has passed, but you still can't let it go?"
"I have already explained the matter of the blue chalcedony and silver hairpin."
"When you came of age, your family did encounter difficulties."
"It just so happened that when Ning Wanshan came of age, the family's treasury was a little more affluent."
"Even if you hold a grudge, you should have troubled Ning Wanshan. Why are you targeting my Feng'er?"
Ning Yunxi smiled coldly.
Who can fail to hear such sophistry?
Who wouldn’t say it?
"Mother, you are too serious. My second brother is my elder brother. How dare I confront him?"
"The fire at Xiangzhu Garden was caused by Liu."
"Aunt Noble Consort has already found out about this matter. Mother was just there. How come she didn't hear it?"
"As for why my second brother appeared in Xiangzhu Garden, it was naturally Liu's intention."
"Even if you hold a grudge, you should have troubled Liu. Why are you blaming me?"
"Could it be that Second Brother is your biological son, and I am not?"
Mu Rong frowned and glared, with a look of disappointment in her.
"Ah……"
"Since you were little, you must have questioned this a hundred times, right?"
"Just because I treated you harshly, you became suspicious."
"Little do you know that my earnest teachings and patient guidance are intended to sharpen your mind."
"Without me, how could you be so resourceful today?"
"Even the fact that you opened a clinic and saved lives is my credit."
"Alas, how can you, as children, understand the love that parents have for their children?"
"All children in the world are like you. As long as their parents criticize them a little, they will question whether they are their biological children."
"It's just that other people, by your age, have already grown up."
"Only you, at the age of twenty-two, still have the innocence of a child, and you don't know the depths of the matter."
Ning Yunxi frowned slightly, looking particularly serious.
"Blood relationship, I have already tested it."
"I thought that after more than 20 years of living together, even though we were not blood relatives, my mother still loved me deeply."
"I never thought that after more than 20 years, or even more than 30 years, my devoted efforts could not warm you even a little bit."
A trace of guilt flashed across Mu Rong's eyes.
"Blood relationship, have you tested it?"
"When was it measured? How was it measured?"