After being forced into a marriage with a wealthy family, the virtuous wife caused a huge uproar.

Rong Yingluo looked towards the source of the voice. Several young men were walking from another path. The man in the lead was dressed in a crimson robe with dragon and cloud patterns. He had a face like jade and was quite handsome, but the words he spoke greatly diminished his noble image.

"Your subject greets Your Highness the Crown Prince." Gu Ce showed no sign of annoyance and bowed deeply.

The others also greeted him.

"No need for formalities," Crown Prince Yuwen Yi said with a smile, offering a helping hand.

Rong Yingluo stood up with everyone, and when she looked up, her eyes met those of Yuwen Yi, who had a half-smile on his face.

She could tell at a glance that the other person's smile concealed ill intent and contempt.

Yuwen Zhang was right to remind him; this person clearly didn't get along with Gu Ce.

"So you're Gu Ce's new fifth wife?" Yuwen Yi approached Rong Yingluo, his gaze full of scrutiny.

"Your subject, Rong Liuli, greets Your Highness the Crown Prince." Rong Yingluo curtsied again.

"She is quite beautiful, not unworthy of Prince Gu. It's just that her status is really mismatched."

Should I find you a nobleman to be your godparent, so you can elevate your status?

Otherwise, if the young master Gu gets tired of you one day, you won't even have anyone to back you up." Yuwen Yi openly looked down on Rong Yingluo's status, yet "kindly" wanted to help her elevate it.

The words were veiled insults, implying her lowly status.

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness." Rong Yingluo bowed again, then straightened up and looked directly at Yuwen Yi. "Your Highness, as you know, there are many things in this world that can be chosen, but no one can choose their birth; it is all given by their parents."

As the saying goes, a dog doesn't mind a poor home, and a child doesn't mind an ugly mother.

If someone is born into a bad family and despises their own parents, choosing instead to adopt someone of higher status as their parents, then that person is worse than an animal.

"My love for my biological parents surpasses that for anything else in the world, so I appreciate Your Highness's kindness." After saying this, Rong Yingluo bowed again.

In a short period of time, she performed the ceremony four times, demonstrating her knowledge and manners perfectly.

But she remained calm and composed, showing no sign of servility, which highlighted the prince's unreasonable behavior and petty conduct.

Yuwen Yi's face instantly darkened, choked by Rong Yingluo's words: "What a sharp-tongued little mouth."

"Sister-in-law, quickly apologize to His Highness the Crown Prince. How dare you speak to the Crown Prince like that!" Gu Qingya was shocked and flustered by Rong Yingluo's audacity.

Their mother had repeatedly told them, the siblings, never to offend the Crown Prince.

This female merchant is truly ignorant and arrogant.

Rong Yingluo merely glanced at Gu Qingya before turning to Yuwen Yi: "Your Highness, did I say anything wrong?"

My wife once saw a dog on the estate. Its owner was too poor to keep it any longer, so he wanted to give it away. But after several attempts, the dog always came back on its own.

Later, the owner stopped feeding it and left it to fend for itself. The dog went out to find excrement to eat, but it would still return to its owner's house at night to guard the property.

After saying that, Rong Yingluo blinked innocently, putting on a naive and innocent expression, waiting for the Crown Prince to refute her.

Yuwen Yi was so disgusted by Rong Yingluo's words that he didn't know how to respond.

No one had ever dared to speak so rudely in his presence.

Everyone present stared in shock at the innocent Rong Yingluo.

"Rong Liuli, how could you utter such vulgar and offensive words, offending all of our ears?" Gu Qingya couldn't stand it any longer and shouted loudly.

"Every word I said was the absolute truth, how was it vulgar?" Rong Yingluo's expression became even more innocent.

Gu Ce leaned close to her ear and whispered a reminder: "Never say the word 'shit' in front of important people."

"Oh," Rong Yingluo deliberately drew out the sound, and bowed to Yuwen Yi again, "Your Highness, I was impolite. I am not well-read and do not know how to use elegant words. I will use another way to say it: things that are subject to the cycle of the five grains."

"You... Gu Ce, you've married a wonderful wife, she's a perfect match for you." Yuwen Yi was still thinking about shit, and angrily turned around and left.

He doesn't want to eat a single bite of food today; it's too disgusting.

He had only taken a few steps when Yuwen Yi felt a wave of dry heaving.

Rong Yingluo noticed that his walking posture seemed less steady than before. She had only said one word that ordinary people say, so why such a big reaction?

"Husband, was I too rude and offend His Highness the Crown Prince?" Rong Yingluo blinked again, seeking affirmation from Gu Ce.

"It's alright. The Crown Prince is the heir apparent of the country and has a broad mind. Otherwise, how could he treat his thousands of subjects well in the future?" Gu Ce comforted him, speaking loudly enough for the Crown Prince, who had only taken a few steps, to hear clearly.

Yuwen Yi's eyes grew even more sinister.

The fact that a merchant woman dared to speak those words to him with such confidence shows that she and Gu Ce had a very deep relationship, and that Gu Ce gave her that confidence.

He then thought, could it be that Gu Ce has taken a liking to his new wife? If their relationship is deep, wouldn't that create a weakness? That would be a good thing.

Thinking of this, Yuwen Yi didn't feel so disgusted anymore.

The little incident didn't cause much of a stir.

"Let's go and pay our respects to Her Majesty the Empress first," said Madam Guo.

She was also worried for Rong Yingluo just now.

My nephew's wife is incredibly bold.

The Crown Prince and the Heir Apparent were at odds in court, but her husband had privately told her that their second branch of the family must not offend the Crown Prince.

The Emperor deliberately orchestrated the Crown Prince's confrontation with the Heir Apparent in court. The Emperor currently only has two sons; the Fourth Prince is of lowly status and has been deposed.

The crown prince is basically the emperor's only heir. Once the crown prince ascends the throne, the heir apparent will likely not have a good ending.

Whether he will retain the title of heir apparent is uncertain.

Second Master had repeatedly told her to be very careful when traveling.

After walking for a while, seeing that there was no one else around, Guo stopped and took Rong Yingluo's hand.

"Liuli, this is your first time entering the palace, and there are many things you may not understand. The way you spoke to the Crown Prince today may have offended him. You should be more careful in the future."

The Crown Prince was born to Consort Cao.

We will go to the Empress's palace to pay our respects in a little while. If Consort Cao is also there, you must not speak as you did just now.

Consort Cao, relying on giving birth to the Crown Prince, was treated with deference even by the Empress in the palace.

For many years, she has assisted the Empress in managing the six palaces, essentially making her no different from the Vice Empress. Guo Shi explained to Rong Yingluo in a low voice.

I hope she won't make a mistake later.

"Don't worry, Second Aunt, I know what I'm doing." The way she spoke to the Crown Prince just now meant that she already knew he and Gu Ce didn't get along.

Furthermore, the Crown Prince had never met her before, yet he spoke so harshly upon their first meeting, clearly intending to bully her. What's wrong with a merchant's daughter? Can't a merchant's daughter be an upright person?

Seeing that she had taken his words to heart, Guo said no more.

They arrived at the Qiwu Palace, where the Empress resided.

Many ministers' families were already there, chatting and laughing.

Rong Yingluo suppressed her imposing aura, appearing cautious and timid. She didn't dare to raise her head and knelt down to pay her respects behind Madam Guo.

"Your humble servant greets Her Majesty the Empress, Her Highness the Imperial Concubine, and all the other ladies of the palace."

"No need for formalities," a gentle female voice rang out.

Rong Yingluo was startled when she heard that voice.

Is the Empress so gentle?