Demoting my wife to a concubine? After being reborn, I turned around and married into the imperial f

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone looked at Chu Xunzhen with surprise and uncertainty.

Especially Nangong Xinghe and Nangong Xingchen.

Both of them were somewhat bewildered.

Chu Xunzhen's voice was icy: "Chen Lianxin, you need evidence to spread nonsense. Just now, the two maids said that you confined the princess, and even food could only be passed in through the window and placed on the table. Do you know that the little princess is only a little over a year old and can't reach the water and food on the table at all?"

Chen Lianxin frowned, her voice aggrieved, and pointed at Chu Xunzhen: "I never gave such an order. Your Highness, I know you don't like me. But you can't frame me like this just to get rid of me."

At this moment, Nangong Yue returned.

He rushed in from outside.

Nangong Yue asked worriedly, "How is Xingyuan doing?"

Chen Lianxin immediately shouted, "Cousin, you must stand up for Xingyuan! Xingyuan is in such a terrible state, she's been confined by the Princess and can't even get food. She still has a high fever and is on the verge of death."

Chu Xunzhen's expression changed.

Nangong Yue suddenly looked at Chu Xunzhen and said softly, "Sister, you tell me."

Chen Lianxin's face twisted instantly.

On what grounds?

She rushed over and grabbed Nangong Yue's dark sleeve, saying, "Cousin, you can't listen to her. Chu Xun is lying to you; he wants to possess you all to himself."

Nangong Yue's eyes flashed, and she suddenly laughed: "Then tell me, how did she lie to me?"

Chen Lianxin pointed at the two maids and said, "The Princess ordered the two maids to confine Xingyuan to her quarters. She instructed the servants to stuff food in through the window and place it on the table by the window. Now that Xingyuan's body is injured and she has a high fever, it's because she hasn't had enough rest and food."

Nangong Yue glanced at Anshun.

An Shun flashed forward and immediately grabbed the two maids and brought them in.

The two gatekeeper maids were thrown to the ground, and the intense pain instantly brought them back to their senses.

They looked up and saw Nangong Yue in a dark blue robe.

"Your Highness, spare me! Your Highness, spare me!"

"What exactly happened? Why are you taking such good care of the young princess? If you don't tell the truth, we'll drag her out and feed her to the dogs."

The two gatekeeper maids trembled with fear.

One of the maids immediately said, "It's Her Highness the Princess. Her Highness dislikes the young princess, believing she isn't her own flesh and blood, which is why she ordered me not to enter the side room to serve the princess."

Another maid spoke up: "We were following the Princess's orders to prevent the two young masters from entering the room to visit the young princess. We deliberately shifted the blame onto Miss Lianxin so that the Princess could take the opportunity to get rid of her. Your Highness, please forgive us. Your Highness, please forgive us. We will never dare to do it again."

Nangong Qing's voice suddenly rang out from outside the door.

"Guards! Seize this two-faced, heartless princess and lock her in the dungeon!"

As she spoke, she maneuvered her wheelchair into the room.

The guards of the Prince's Palace immediately surrounded Chu Xunzhen.

Upon seeing this, Chunxi turned pale: "Your Highness, the Princess Consort did not do it. She is innocent. Please investigate!"

Sitting in his wheelchair, Nangong Qing said, "Hmph, such a wicked princess, Yue'er, you should divorce her. Otherwise, how can you live with yourself if something happens to Xingyuan?"

With a thud, Chunxi knelt down and kowtowed repeatedly to Nangong Yue: "My young lady is truly innocent, Your Highness."

Chu Xunzhen's expression changed, and he quickly pulled Chunxi up: "Chunxi, get up. I believe in His Highness."

Chen Lianxin rushed to Nangong Xingyuan's bedside, grasping her small hands, her voice trembling with tears: "Poor Xingyuan, you are in so much pain, yet His Highness still protects the Princess. Xinghe and Xingchen, remember this, Xingyuan is like this because of the Princess. And your father, the Ninth Prince, does nothing."

Nangong Qing glared at Chu Xunzhen and said, "You shameless woman, how can you treat a one-year-old child like this? Doesn't your conscience hurt?"

Nangong Yue's expression suddenly changed, and she coldly shouted, "How dare you!"

Nangong Qing wore a smug expression.

Even Chen Lianxin felt a little smug.

Even if Nangong Yue likes the princess, Nangong Xingyuan is his Achilles' heel.

Moreover, with everyone watching, even if he wanted to protect Chu Xunzhen, he would have to consider the consequences.

Nangong Yue's face darkened, and she exuded a sharp aura as she coldly addressed Nangong Qing, "Who gave you the audacity to speak to my queen like that?"

Nangong Qing gripped the wheelchair armrest tightly with her left hand, clutching her chest with her right, her voice shrill: "Your aunt is doing this for your own good. How can the Princess Consort, so jealous, be a good wife to you? Will your mother's spirit rest in peace?"

When Nangong Yue's mother was mentioned, a flash of anger crossed Nangong Yue's eyes.

His voice was as cold as ice as he said, "Guards, seize Chen Lianxin and lock her in the woodshed."

Upon hearing this, Nangong Qing's expression changed drastically, and he angrily shouted, "Yue'er, you're mistaken! The one who should be arrested is the Princess Consort, not Lianxin!"

Chu Xunzhen was also somewhat puzzled.

Nangong Yue believed her? She believed her to this extent? She didn't even need to investigate before trusting her?

Nangong Yue's gaze fell on Chu Xunzhen, and she smiled: "Sister is the woman I've chosen. I believe she wouldn't treat Xingyuan like that."

Nangong Qing stared at Nangong Yue, her gaze almost spitting fire. She gripped the handkerchief so tightly that her sharp fingernails nearly tore it to shreds.

After a long pause, she angrily asked, "Yue'er, how can you be so unable to distinguish right from wrong? How can you be so biased towards the Princess?"

Chu Xunzhen smiled and addressed the two maids kneeling on the ground, trembling.

"The Milky Way and the stars can testify that when we first arrived, you two said that Chen Lianxin was behind all of this. I advise you to tell the truth. Otherwise, it will be too late if you try to say something later."

Chen Lianxin also spoke up: "Yes, you two should think this through. If you deliberately frame me, your cousin will definitely not let you off the hook when he finds out."

The two maids trembled even more violently.

Chu Xunzhen spoke up: "Eunuch Anshun, investigate whether the relatives and lovers of these two maids have been captured and blackmailed. Also, give me their indentures."

"Yes," said Eunuch Anshun respectfully.

Chen Lianxin's expression changed, and she staggered. Her hand holding the handkerchief accidentally loosened, and she almost lost her balance.

Nangong Qing said coldly, "Your Highness, this is unreasonable. The indentures of these two maids should be kept by Lianxin. How can they be given to the Princess? If the indentures are given to the Princess, she will not tolerate Lianxin and fear that Lianxin will become your concubine. She will surely plot against Lianxin."

Anshun's gaze fell on Nangong Yue.

Nangong Yue gave a mocking smile: "So, Aunt means that the Princess Consort doesn't even have the right to demand indentures for two maids?"

Nangong Qing was taken aback, then nodded: "That's right. Over the years, Lianxin has been managing the affairs of the inner court for you. Now, although you have been granted the title of Ninth Prince and have a princess consort, this princess consort is, after all, someone who has returned from the countryside. She is not of high status and cannot help you, Your Highness."

"How dare you!" Nangong Yue roared, looking at Anshun and saying, "Everything will be done according to the Princess's wishes. Furthermore, everyone in the Prince's Mansion, listen to me: the Princess is the one in charge of the household. As for Chen Lianxin, she does have the right to manage the household, but that right was granted to her by the Princess. If the Princess is not pleased, she can take back her right in an instant. No matter whose indenture it is, if the Princess wants it, it must be handed over to the Princess."

The two maids were terrified.

They chose Chen Lianxin, but now His Highness is clearly protecting the Princess.

Chen Lianxin finally realized that something was wrong.

She had previously mocked Chu Xunzhen as a clown, claiming that the power to manage the Prince's mansion still rested in her hands. But now, she finally understood that Chu Xunzhen truly treated her like the Prince's steward, ordering her around like that.

According to Nangong Yue's plan, she would have to work like a slave for Chu Xunzhen and manage the household for her. Unless Chu Xunzhen agreed to all the indenture contracts, Chen Lianxin would have no real control over the servants.

"Cousin, how could you do this to me? All these years, you've been ill, and I've diligently cared for you, looking after Xingchen, Xinghe, and Xingyuan. The day you refused to marry me, I didn't hold a grudge; instead, I tried to move you with my sincerity. But now, how can you hurt me like this? You trust the Princess, so why don't you trust your cousin?"

Nangong Yue ignored her and looked directly at Nangong Qing: "Aunt, this is the last time I will call you aunt. The princess is my wife. If you dare to say another bad word about Chu Xunzhen, I will have no choice but to ask you to leave the palace and find another courtyard for you and Lianxin to live in."

Chu Xun was somewhat surprised.

She could tell that Nangong Yue didn't actually trust them, yet she still treated them very well.

Nangong Qing's face turned ashen.

Seeing that Nangong Yue was protecting the princess, the two maids were so frightened that they blurted out, "Your Highness, spare us! Your Highness, spare us! I'll tell you, it was all Lianxin's doing. She's jealous of the princess. She deliberately persecuted the young princess to frame the princess! Please, Your Highness and the princess, spare us from being beaten for telling the truth."

Another maid also confessed: "It was the cousin's idea. The cousin wouldn't let us feed the young princess, saying she wanted to make a big fuss about this and cause the princess to lose power in the mansion."

Nangong Yue's gaze darkened, and she immediately said, "Guards, take Chen Lianxin away and lock her in the woodshed."

Having said that, his gaze fell coldly on Nangong Qing, his voice indifferent: "Aunt, if you continue to indulge Lianxin like this, it will only erode our past affection. When that time comes, don't blame me for being ruthless."

After speaking, Nangong Yue addressed the crowd: "From this day forward, you must all respect the Princess Consort and not listen to the slander of others. Anyone who dares to disrespect the Princess Consort will be beaten to death and sold into slavery."

Chu Xunzhen glanced at the two maids and said coldly, "Drag them away and give them fifty lashes. As for their relatives and friends who are being controlled by Chen Lianxin, rescue them all."

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness." The two maids cried and laughed at the same time. They cried because they had betrayed their mistress and would be severely punished, but they laughed because their loved ones were finally at ease.

Nangong Qing left with a livid face.

Chu Xunzhen turned to look at Nangong Yue and said in a gentle voice, "Thank you, Your Highness."

Suddenly, hurried footsteps came from outside the room.

Chu Xunzhen looked up and saw an unexpected person rushing in.

This person was actually Gu Changfeng.

Behind him, a large group of soldiers surrounded him.