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

Chu Xunzhen met Gu Changfeng's venomous gaze with a mocking smile.

Where did this go?

Is that what's annoying?

A man as heartless, ungrateful, and cruel as him, who didn't cherish his wife and harmed his daughter, deserves to be trampled on like a dead dog.

In her past life, she was the one who protected the Chongding Marquis's family from all sides. No matter how big a mistake they made or how terrible they were, she was there for them. In this life, not only will she not help this bunch of despicable people, but she will also become a sharp blade stuck in their chests.

"Sister, I will not sue the Crown Prince. These betrothal gifts are for my marriage proposal. I will not accuse him. There must be a misunderstanding. I trust the Crown Prince."

Chu Wanrou realized what was happening and immediately ran out. Her face, though pitiful, also looked extremely resolute.

Gu Changfeng's expression softened somewhat.

His Rou'er is indeed the wife he chose; she is much more sensible than Chu Xunzhen and knows how to trust him.

Gu Changfeng stopped looking at Chu Xunzhen and instead addressed Zhou Qing: "Lord Zhou, I have long admired Rou'er, and this betrothal gift was carefully selected and prepared. It is absolutely impossible for it to be of inferior quality. Now that the betrothal gift has been replaced, I will file a counter-suit against Chu Xunzhen, the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Ping'an, for being jealous of my second sister and replacing her betrothal gift."

"That's right. Chu Xunzhen is in love with my elder brother, but because she cannot become his legal wife, she turned her love into hatred and took a portion of the betrothal gifts. Please investigate, sir." Gu Songrong spoke these words without pausing for even a moment. Her gaze was sharp, as if Chu Xunzhen were the enemy who killed her parents.

Chu Xunzhen smiled deeply. Just a few days ago, she was calling her "sister-in-law" all the time, but now that something has happened, her face has changed instantly. No wonder they're from the Chongding Marquis's mansion. They're all equally despicable.

Lady Lu Ruoying, wife of the Marquis of Chongding, spoke up: "My lord, you are unaware of the truth. Chu Xunzhen often bullies Chu Wanrou in the mansion. She returned from the countryside, and her wild nature is hard to tame. She has never seen such a fine betrothal gift before, which is why she harbored evil intentions and committed this wicked act. Now she is crying 'stop thief' in the thief's cry, defaming my son and my Marquis of Chongding's mansion."

Chunxi spat, "Madam's words are utterly unreasonable. You're slandering my young lady with mere words. Does Madam have any evidence to prove that my young lady stole the betrothal gifts? If you have no evidence, you're just talking nonsense to exonerate yourself."

"Insolence!" Lu Ruoying sneered. "Who gave you permission to speak here, you lowly maid? What right do you have to question me, the Madam?"

Chu Xunzhen patted Chunxi's hand reassuringly, then stepped forward and sneered, "Madam, you have quite the airs. This is a public court, and everyone standing here has the right to speak. Indeed, someone like Madam of the Chongding Marquis's Mansion, who looks down on ordinary people, naturally thinks she's superior. It's a pity that the Marquis's Mansion's century-old reputation is about to be ruined by you. First, you allowed your son to break his promise and be ungrateful; then you failed to discipline him properly, allowing your servants to smuggle medicinal herbs; and finally, the betrothal gifts were substandard. Madam of the Chongding Marquis's Mansion should first reflect on herself and how she could have failed so miserably before questioning others."

After he finished speaking, the entire room fell silent.

The people stared in disbelief, and even the old man from Anshun's face froze in a smile.

As for the Lady of the Marquis of Chongding's residence, her expression was even more fascinating.

She was thirty-six years old. In all her thirty-plus years of life, this was the first time she had been insulted like this by a merchant.

Although Chu Xunzhen was the legitimate daughter of a marquis, she had been raised by merchants for so many years, and in her eyes, she was still tainted by the merchants' greed.

Being so harshly insulted by the merchants she had always looked down upon, Lady Chongding almost coughed up blood.

"Good, good, good!" Lu Ruoying stared at Chu Xunzhen as if he were a dead man. "This is the excellent upbringing of the Marquis of Ping'an's family."

Gu Changfeng was furious: "Chu Xunzhen, why don't you kneel down and apologize to your mother? You were jealous and embezzled the betrothal gifts, which I know is because you love me to the extreme, so I don't blame you. But to publicly accuse your mother is not the behavior of a legitimate daughter of a marquis's family. If you don't apologize to your mother, you will truly have no chance of becoming my concubine."

Gu Songrong nodded hurriedly and said, "Yes. Chu Xunzhen, kneel down and apologize. Otherwise, I will disown you as my sister-in-law. In that case, you will only lose your brother and me."

Chu Mingli's voice rang out from outside the hall: "Kneel down and apologize, Chu Xunzhen, and drop the charges. Not only have you ruined your own chances of entering the Gu family, but you also want to harm Rou'er? Do you know that what you've done is affecting Rou'er? If Rou'er suffers in the Gu family because of you, I will absolutely not let you off the hook."

Chunxi's face turned pale as she watched the people around her accusing the girl, biting her lip tightly.

How could they force a girl like that?

Behind Chu Mingli, Li Yi's voice suddenly rang out: "Lord Zhou, I am the Lady of the Marquis of Ping'an's residence. Today's incident was entirely caused by that rebellious daughter, Chu Xunzhen, who, out of love turned to hatred, committed such a disgraceful act because she couldn't have the young master Gu. We will not pursue the matter further; we will withdraw the lawsuit. As for the betrothal gifts, our two families will settle this privately. Now, let's allow the Lady of the Marquis of Chongding's residence, the young master, and the young lady to return home first?"

Gu Changfeng and Lu Ruoying immediately revealed smug looks, as if they had already got Chu Xunzhen figured out.

Zhou Qing glanced at Li Yi, somewhat surprised, then looked at Chu Xunzhen, a thoughtful look flashing across his face, before speaking: "The one who filed the complaint is the eldest daughter, Chu Xunzhen, not you, Madam of the Ping'an Marquis's Mansion. I am afraid I cannot comply."

Li Yi was furious: "Lord Zhou, are you going to trample on the face of the two marquises? Today's incident was nothing more than that rebellious daughter Chu Xunzhen's own scheme, orchestrated out of love turned to hatred. She's the one who switched the betrothal gifts. Are you still going to protect her, sir?"

Seeing the crowd starting to murmur amongst themselves, Zhou Qing's face darkened. Just as he was about to explain, Chu Xunzhen's voice suddenly rang out: "Mother, His Majesty has punished you by confining you to the palace, forbidding you from leaving. How dare you come out on your own? Are you disobeying the imperial decree and defying the emperor's orders?"

Li Yi's face darkened. He said, "Shut up. My confinement has been lifted. Your maternal grandfather has shared His Majesty's burdens and rendered meritorious service. His Majesty is greatly pleased and has already lifted my confinement."

"Oh?" Chu Xunzhen's gaze turned cold.

Li Yi's father, who was also her maternal grandfather, was the current Minister of Rites.

In her past life, her daughter was murdered, and she had asked her maternal grandfather for help, but he openly supported Chu Wanrou and didn't even glance at his great-granddaughter.

Ah!

"That's wonderful, Mother!" Chu Wanrou threw herself into Li Yi's arms. The two of them, as if they hadn't seen each other for a long time, wept with joy.

Chu Xunzhen turned around directly and said, "Lord Zhou, the people from the Marquis of Chongding's mansion are eloquent, but they haven't presented any evidence. Now, besides physical evidence, I also have witnesses. Please summon the witnesses to the stage, sir."

As soon as Chu Xunzhen finished speaking, Li Yi's face turned red with anger.

"I have said this matter ends here. Chu Xunzhen, are you going to disobey your own mother? How can you be so unfilial?"

As soon as Li Yi finished speaking, everyone's expression changed.

The label of filial piety, like Mount Tai pressing down on Chu Xunzhen, was about to crush him.

Nangong Yue's childish yet indifferent voice suddenly boomed: "Lady of Ping'an Marquis, what a show of power!"

Upon hearing this, Li Yi immediately looked in the direction from which the voice came. Her expression changed, and she involuntarily took two steps back: "Greetings... Your Highness."