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

The person lying on the ground, unable to move, was none other than the eldest prince.

"Brother, how could it be you?"

Nangong You was taken aback and couldn't believe it.

How could a prince plot against his own grandmother?

Chu Xunzhen waved his hand, and several guards pinned down the eldest prince and dragged him into Shou Kang Palace.

The lights in Shou Kang Palace were relit.

The Empress Dowager, dressed in a maroon palace gown, sat at the head of the main hall of Shou Kang Palace, looking down at the eldest prince.

The crowd stood around the Empress Dowager.

"His Majesty has arrived!"

"Her Majesty the Empress has arrived!"

The emperor and empress entered from outside the palace and sat on either side of the empress dowager.

The eldest prince knelt on the ground and rubbed his sore neck.

If it weren't for Chu Xunzhen, he could have escaped unscathed today.

He suddenly looked at Chu Xunzhen, a hint of hatred flashing in his eyes.

"presumptuous!"

The Empress Dowager slammed her hand on the table and shouted.

The eldest prince felt weak all over as the effects of the anesthesia gradually wore off.

He knelt on the ground, looking at the Empress Dowager with a terrified expression.

The Emperor's voice was heavy: "Empress Mother, this matter concerns you, so let Empress Mother conduct the trial?"

The Empress Dowager shook her head and said, "Emperor, I'm tired. Why don't you conduct the interrogation?"

The emperor nodded, his gaze falling on the eldest prince.

"Yu'er, why did you try to murder your imperial grandmother?"

Upon hearing this, the eldest prince, Nangong Yu, shook his head violently and said, "I had no intention of harming my grandmother. I just wanted to scare her."

The emperor's face was ashen, and he twirled the jade thumb ring on his right thumb repeatedly, coldly saying, "Your imperial grandmother is old. You frighten her like this every day; it's true you want to kill her, but you're just pretending to frighten her, aren't you?"

"My son doesn't."

The eldest prince shook his head violently.

The Empress Dowager spoke up, asking, "Yu'er, why are you frightening me like this? Have I done anything wrong to offend you?"

Upon hearing this, the eldest prince's expression changed, and he said, "It's all because of you that I lost my position as crown prince. Grandmother, how cruel you are. The position of crown prince clearly belonged to me, the eldest son, but you gave it to my second brother because I married Li Xianxian. Retribution has come; my second brother suddenly died in the temple, and now the position of crown prince is vacant. It's all your fault."

Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager turned pale.

The emperor's face turned ashen. He slammed his right hand on the table and roared, "Nangong Yu, I'm not even dead yet, and you're already thinking about the crown prince's position?"

The Empress Dowager's expression was grim as she slowly spoke: "Back then, you insisted on marrying Li Xianxian. I asked you, even if it meant losing your position as Crown Prince, were you willing to do it? You said that as long as you could be with Li Xianxian, you could overcome any hardship. I even gave you three days to carefully consider it. But on the second day, you came to me holding Li Xianxian's hand and said you didn't need to consider it. You've decided to marry Li Xianxian."

After a pause, the Empress Dowager continued, "After the late Empress passed away, you were raised by her. The Empress also advised you not to marry Li Xianxian. If you wanted to become the Crown Prince, you had to marry the legitimate daughter of a noble family. You said you only loved Li Xianxian and were willing to give up the position of Crown Prince."

Empress Ma spoke up: "Yes, Your Highness, you made your choice back then, so why are you acting so ridiculously now? Have you regretted it?"

The eldest prince looked furious: "Back then, I was young and ignorant. My grandmother didn't use force to coerce me into submission. I am the eldest prince, and the position of crown prince is mine."

The emperor was so angry he laughed, stared at him intently, and roared.

"Nangong Yu, now that you have been chosen, stop making excuses for yourself. As the eldest prince, you are unworthy of your position and have failed to set a good example for your younger brothers. Eunuch Cao, immediately draft an edict: 'The eldest prince Nangong Yu is morally deficient, arrogant, deceitful, disrespectful, and unfilial. He is hereby demoted to a commoner.'"

The eldest prince was dragged away.

Just then, Li Xianxian rushed in from outside.

With a thud, she knelt on the ground.

"Father, Xianxian is willing to divorce the eldest prince. I beg you and Mother to rescind your decree. I also beg Grandmother for your understanding."

The emperor was furious. Without even glancing at Li Xianxian, he coldly said, "Immediately banish Nangong Yu from the palace. I will pretend I never had this rebellious son."

The Empress Dowager's gaze was cold and deep; in that instant, she seemed to have aged more than ten years.

"Grandmother, please don't be upset."

Chu Xunzhen walked straight behind the Empress Dowager and massaged her scalp.

The gentle finger pressure and measured movements soothed her completely.

"You're too kind, Ninth Princess Consort. I'm fine."

"Grandmother, there are a few bear cubs in my residence. I'll bring them to you another day to show you and cheer you up."

Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager was first taken aback, then burst into laughter.

"Good, good, good! Ninth Princess Consort is very kind."

The Empress Dowager looked at Chu Xunzhen with increasing satisfaction and said to the Emperor, "This time, the Ninth Princess Consort has made the greatest contribution in capturing the thief who was pretending to be a ghost in Shou Kang Palace and trying to kill me. Your Majesty, you mustn't be stingy with your praise."

The emperor was both amused and exasperated.

Just moments ago, the Empress Dowager looked heartbroken, but now she's smiling.

The Emperor's gaze fell upon Chu Xunzhen, and his booming voice rang out: "The Ninth Prince's Consort is granted the privilege of freely entering and leaving the palace, and of not having to kneel before the Empress Dowager, myself, the Empress, and all elders of the imperial clan. Furthermore, she is bestowed with a plaque inscribed 'Unparalleled Filial Piety and Righteousness,' and a reward of one thousand taels of gold and three thousand taels of silver."

Chu Xunzhen suddenly stepped forward and kowtowed to the emperor, saying, "Thank you, Father Emperor."

The Empress Dowager glanced at Nangong You and said, "Everyone else, leave. The Third Prince, stay."

Chu Xunzhen bid farewell to the Empress Dowager and left in a hurry.

Princess Jiamin followed behind Chu Xunzhen.

Chu Xunzhen stepped out of the palace gate, then suddenly turned to look at Chen Jiamin and said, "Princess Jiamin, why have you been following me?"

Upon hearing this, Princess Jiamin blushed.

"I... I just want to follow you. I have nowhere else to go."

Chu Xunzhen looked bewildered upon hearing this.

A princess of high rank—the daughter of the eldest princess—has nowhere to go? Are you playing around?

"My mother isn't at home; she's gone to the border. I'm all alone in the palace, and it's so boring. Cousin-in-law, can I...can I come with you?"

Chu Xunzhen was taken aback, then nodded and said, "Then I'll follow."

Upon hearing this, Princess Jiamin cheered and ran up to Chu Xunzhen, taking his arm.

Chu Xunzhen didn't mind her overly familiar manner.

"Sister-in-law, you're amazing! You know martial arts and you even caught Nangong Yu with your own hands. I could only watch helplessly."

She had been watching the whole thing.

Looking back now, it still seems unbelievable.

Chu Xunzhen was somewhat surprised and asked, "The Princess is a master, capable of fighting on the battlefield. Didn't she ask you to teach her martial arts?"

Upon hearing this, a hint of helplessness flashed in Princess Jiamin's eyes.

"My mother only comes back once a year, and each time she only stays for less than three days before leaving. I told the Empress that I wanted to learn martial arts, and she said she would find me a female teacher, but we haven't found a suitable one yet."

Hearing this, Chu Xunzhen nodded and said, "You are a princess, so naturally you should find a good female master."

Princess Jiamin lowered her head, her eyes filled with worry: "I'm so old now, and I haven't even started learning martial arts yet. I heard that my mother started learning martial arts when she was five. I'm afraid that after all this time, I won't be able to learn martial arts anymore."

Hearing this, Chu Xun felt a little regretful.

"Then go to Baiyun Temple and find Master Piaomiao. Tell her that I, Chu Xunzhen, sent you. Ask her to teach you martial arts." Chu Xunzhen paused, but added, "You must keep this a secret from the Empress. Don't tell her that you've found a master to learn martial arts."

Princess Jiamin felt even more embarrassed.

"Sister-in-law, after how I treated you before, why are you still so good to me?"

Chu Xunzhen was stunned, somewhat puzzled: "You hurt me before?"

"no."

Chu Xunzhen asked again, "Or did you say something bad about me?"

Princess Jiamin was stunned, shook her head, and said, "No, not either."

"That settles it then. So how exactly did you treat me that made you feel embarrassed?"

Princess Jiamin smiled.

She felt so relaxed.

"Sister-in-law, you're so kind."

It seems that as long as I'm with my cousin's wife, I never have to think about those scheming and backstabbing things.

My cousin really married a wonderful wife.

Princess Jiamin's eyes welled up with tears.

Chu Xunzhen turned his head and saw the beauty shedding tears.

Princess Jiamin, dressed in a pale yellow dress, shed tears like pearls falling from a broken string, a sight that evoked pity.

"Why are you crying?"

Chu Xunzhen was stunned.

Perhaps he was too moved?

Princess Jiamin said shyly, "I'm happy for my cousin. I'm sorry, cousin-in-law. I almost became your concubine. Can you forgive me?"

Chu Xunzhen shook her head and chuckled: "You said it yourself, it was just a near miss. What's wrong with you not becoming his concubine? Even if you had become his concubine, would it have been your fault?"

The two boarded the carriage.

Chu Xunzhen took out a handkerchief and gently wiped away the tears from her eyes.

Princess Jiamin was stunned.

Since her mother left the capital for the border region, no one has ever wiped away her tears again.

"If I can't marry my ninth cousin, then I'll have to be betrothed to my third cousin."

Princess Jiamin's eyes held a hint of disappointment.

"You don't like Nangong You?"

Princess Jiamin shook her head and said, "My third cousin is handsome, but his smile never seems to reach his eyes. He looks very calculating. The Empress wants to arrange a marriage for me, and I can't refuse. I never wanted to marry either of my cousins. Don't laugh at me, cousin-in-law, but besides wanting to marry someone with money, I also want to marry a handsome man."

Chu Xunzhen said, "How could I laugh at you? You're right, but it's not enough. You are the daughter of the Eldest Princess. Whoever marries you will have the Eldest Princess's life in their hands. I reckon the Empress Dowager still wants to betroth you to the Third Prince."

Chen Jiamin sighed, "My third cousin already has a principal wife and concubines. What good position could I possibly have if I married him?"

Chu Xunzhen smiled slightly: "You're quite clear-headed."

Just then, the carriage arrived in front of the Wanyao Pavilion.

"arrive!"

Just as Chu Xun was about to dismount from the carriage, a long arrow was suddenly launched from a distance.

Chu Xunzhen suddenly stepped back, pressed down on Princess Jiamin's head, and pulled her into his arms, rolling around in the carriage.

With a soft thud, the arrow pierced the carriage, striking Chu Xunzhen's hair and lifting a few strands.

"Be careful!"

As Princess Jiamin finished speaking, another whooshing sound rang out.