Father, who is both a heir and a descendant, is still biased; the bound system has gone berserk.

"Is the third day of the third lunar month the wedding day of Hai Mujin and Prince Feng?"

In the Jiang family, Princess Qinjiang sat at the head of the table and spoke to Jiang Huaixiu beside her.

Jiang Huaixiu said, "That's right, our family also received a wedding invitation."

A dark look flashed across Princess Qinjiang's face. "Brother, are you just going to watch Jiang Baiqiu's daughter marry into the Princess's household?"

With the Eldest Princess and Marquis Feng as her backers, who can touch her now?

Jiang Huaixiu gave a wry smile. "Sister, even without the Eldest Princess and Marquis Feng as our backers, we can't afford to offend the Hai family alone."

"The Hai family, Hai Qiongyan..." Princess Qinjiang gritted her teeth.

Jiang Baiqiu's mother was only a second wife; the person his father truly loved was always their mother.

Their mother died young, passing away during childbirth. To commemorate her mother, her father named her Nianqiu.

My mother's name contains the character "秋" (autumn).

Later, her father married a second wife, who was Jiang Baiqiu's mother. After Jiang Baiqiu was born, her maternal grandparents arranged for the daughter born to the second wife to be named Jiang Baiqiu.

Paying homage to Qiu naturally means always paying homage to their mother.

A second wife is always a second wife; she can never surpass the first wife.

In the following years, under the oppression of their maternal grandparents and father, the second wife finally went insane and drowned in the lotus pond.

Normally, Jiang Baiqiu would only be able to live in her shadow for the rest of his life.

Twenty years ago, she plotted to marry Jiang Baiqiu to a sixth-rank official as his second wife. At that time, the official was over fifty years old and had killed six of his wives.

If Jiang Baiqiu marries into that family, she will be the seventh.

But she never expected that, by a twist of fate, the official of the sixth rank in his fifties failed to succeed, but instead brought about a happy ending for Jiang Baiqiu and Hai Qiongyan.

Afterwards, Hai Qiongyan went to Jiang Baiqiu's house three times to ask for her hand in marriage, but was rejected by the Jiang family each time.

The Jiang family naturally did not want Jiang Baiqiu to marry Hai Qiongyan.

Hai Qiongyan is especially outstanding in every way. He is handsome, talented, and has an excellent reputation. Most importantly, the Hai family does not take concubines.

They want Jiang Baiqiu to be humble and subservient, so how could they allow her to marry well?

Hai Qiongyan had failed to marry Jiang Baiqiu three times, and they thought he was going to give up. Unexpectedly, an imperial decree was issued to the Jiang family, and the emperor directly granted marriage to Jiang Baiqiu and Hai Qiongyan.

With the imperial decree bestowing the marriage, the Jiang family naturally dared not disobey. Despite their reluctance, they still prepared a magnificent dowry and married Jiang Baiqiu into the Hai family.

Princess Qinjiang, who had recently married, sent back a pill that would prevent her from having children, and instructed the Jiang family to secretly give it to Jiang Baiqiu.

However, the Jiang family couldn't find a suitable opportunity until Jiang Baiqiu gave birth to Hai Mujin. Under the pretext of visiting the child, the Jiang family successfully gave Jiang Baiqiu the infertility pill.

Sure enough, Jiang Baiqiu did not conceive again for the next ten years or so.

It was thought that Hai Qiongyan would take a concubine, but unexpectedly, for more than ten years, Hai Qiongyan has been staying with Jiang Baiqiu alone.

Jiang Baiqiu, what gives her the right?

Princess Qinjiang felt as if she had a pent-up anger in her heart, which she couldn't let go of, especially when she thought about Prince Qinjiang's romantic affairs. Her hand holding the handkerchief tightened involuntarily.

Jiang Huaixiu glanced at her and said, "It's not just the Hai family, but also the Crown Prince. The Hai family is the Crown Prince's maternal family, so they will naturally protect the Hai family members. Hai Mujin is the Crown Prince's cousin, so we can't touch her."

"What is there that can't be touched? If Hai Mujin lost her virginity before marriage, why would the Princess want her as her daughter-in-law?"

Besides, brother, how many years have you been the General of Pingyuan? Don't you want to be promoted? His Majesty should have sent you to the border of Dongchen this time, but instead sent someone else.

"If Hai Mujin marries back, the Hai family will support you, even if it's just for Hai Mujin's sake."

Jiang Huaixiu hesitated for a moment, then said, "That's true, but..."

"Brother, how can you succeed if you're so timid? No buts, I'll arrange this matter. The Jiang family just needs to cooperate with me."

Jiang Huaixiu looked at her resolute expression, sighed, and said nothing more.

Inside the palace.

Emperor Cangxuan looked at the group of people who had rushed back in all the way, his face full of smiles.

His gaze swept across their faces one by one, and finally he waved to Ying Yufu and Wushuang.

"Huang'er, Fu'er, please sit down. You must be tired from this trip." Emperor Cangxuan's face was full of heartache.

The crown prince opened his mouth, "Father, I have also worked hard."

Emperor Cangxuan then beckoned and said, "Oh, Xu'er, you've worked hard too. Sit down and rest for a while."

The Crown Prince clearly felt his status declining steadily. He sat down next to Ying Yufu with a wronged expression and complained, "When my elder sister is around, Father Emperor can't even see me."

Ying Yufu blinked: "If Your Majesty can see me, then you can see me too."

The crown prince blinked, pondered for a moment, and said, "That makes sense."

Wushuang listened to their childish conversation with amusement.

Emperor Cangxuan looked at Young Master Jiang and Miss Jiang again, straightened his expression, and said, "You two are my cousin's children?"

Young Master Jiang and Miss Jiang quickly stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Nephew Cang Mingrui and niece Cang Mingzhu greet their Imperial Uncle!"

Emperor Cangxuan looked them over and saw that they both had rosy complexions and, although they were slightly tired, they were in good spirits.

This was completely unlike the scene when he met King Qinjiang and his queen.

They were dressed like beggars; no, they begged their way back to the capital.

There was no token of proof, and no witnesses.

If the Jiang family hadn't recognized Princess Qinjiang, the Prince and Princess Qinjiang would probably be begging in the capital.

It was truly a terrible sight.

Then she thought of the secret letter she had received from the Prince of Qinjiang, which said that the Crown Prince and the Princess had been assassinated and gone missing.

There was no disappearance; it was clearly a deliberate scheme by someone with ulterior motives.

Emperor Cangxuan sighed.

"Good children, get up. I am relieved to see you all back safe and sound. Do not follow your father's example."

When Cang Mingrui and Cang Mingzhu heard him mention their father, they instinctively shivered and bowed in response.

Emperor Cangxuan asked Shangguan Fei and the others one by one, and finally looked at Meng Wanli.

"You're Meng Wanli? Meng Zhenzhong's daughter?"

Meng Wanli immediately knelt down and bowed, "Wanli greets Your Majesty, long live Your Majesty!"

Emperor Cangxuan nodded. "I already know about your matter. What are your thoughts?"

Meng Wanli gritted her teeth, her eyes filled with determination, "Your Majesty, I want to sue the Meng family, my grandparents, my second uncle and aunt, and their entire family. I sue them for treating human life like dirt, for taking my marriage, for wiping out the Zhuang family, and for exploiting the people and committing treason and harming the people."

She enunciated each word with increasing force, her expression shifting from slight apprehension to growing increasingly cold.

Emperor Cangxuan gave her a deep look. "Have you thought this through? Do you really want to do this?"

"Your subject wishes to strike the drum to appeal for justice," Meng Wanli said.

Zhuang Cuiluo, who had been waiting in the corner, also knelt down and said, "I can be a witness."

Emperor Cangxuan looked at her again.

Ying Yufu then recounted Zhuang Cuiluo's situation once more.

Emperor Cangxuan nodded and looked at Meng Wanli, asking, "Are you really going to beat the Dengwen Drum?"