GBP Chapter 190 Counterattack
Chapter 190 Counterattack
The Emperor was also taken aback, then gave Prince Duan a meaningful look and laughed loudly, "Very well, I grant it! Everyone here is your witness! In the future, if Prince Duan wrongs you, you can propose a divorce! If he refuses, you can go to the Imperial Clan Court to request a divorce!"
Zisu respectfully kowtowed three times to the Emperor: "Yulin thanks Your Majesty for your great kindness!"
After the emperor ate the boiled corn, he left with his entourage.
Prince Duan escorted the Emperor to the Hall of Mental Cultivation and then returned to his residence.
Seeing that he looked gloomy, Zisu asked with concern, "What's wrong? Is something on your mind?"
Prince Duan rolled his eyes at her unhappily: "Why did you tell the Emperor that if I take concubines, secondary concubines, and maids in the future, you should ask him to allow you to divorce? In your eyes, do I am so untrustworthy?"
This was the first time he had ever given Zisu a hard time since he had known her.
Zisu: "It's not that I don't trust you, it's that I don't trust your mother! Tell me, since we got married, how many times has she tried to intimidate me? Yesterday, she kept asking me again, saying that if I don't consummate our marriage and give her a grandson soon, she'll choose two daughters from prominent families as your concubines!"
Prince Duan: "What? She actually did this? If that's the case, why didn't you tell me?"
Zisu: "You've been so busy, I just haven't found a suitable opportunity to tell you. Today, a good opportunity has come along. Wouldn't I be a fool not to take advantage of it? I don't want there to be another woman between us one day!"
Moreover, a man's feelings are the least trustworthy and the most fickle. When he likes you, even if you cry your eyes out, he'll find it charming and beautiful. When he doesn't like you, even if you're smiling like a flower, he'll find you extremely irritating and annoying.
Prince Duan couldn't help but sigh: "From now on, whatever you're thinking, you must tell me! Don't keep it to yourself. We can discuss things properly! What you've done today makes the world think of me?"
Zisu quickly apologized: "Okay, I understand, I won't do it again!"
Prince Duan pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly: "You have to believe me, I will cherish you for the rest of my life and I will never get involved with other women!"
Zisu: "Okay, I understand."
When Consort Qin heard that Zisu had given up a county fiefdom in exchange for making such a request to the Emperor, she was furious and nearly went mad: "Shangguan Zisu, you're ruthless! Are you deliberately trying to prevent me from having a grandson?! It's fine if you don't want to consummate the marriage, I won't force you! But all I wanted was to choose a concubine for the Prince, did you have to go to such lengths?!"
Consort Qin was so angry she jumped up and down.
Since you're showing me no respect, then I won't hold back anymore. I'm determined to make Hao'er my concubine! Moreover, everything from the betrothal gifts to the wedding ceremony will be prepared according to the standards for the principal wife!
Consort Qin gritted her teeth, determined to give Zisu a good beating and dampen her arrogance! She also wanted to show Zisu just how much power and ability she, as her mother-in-law, really had!
In the days that followed, Consort Qin hosted several summer banquets at the Prince's residence, inviting ladies and young women from prominent families and noble households throughout the capital to attend.
Hongcha was frantic: "Your Highness, the Dowager Consort's intention in doing this is clearly to select a concubine! What should we do?"
Zisu was also quite unhappy. The Prince's mansion was holding a summer banquet, and as the mistress of the mansion, she had no choice but to attend. However, she really hated those who tried to curry favor with her for the position of concubine, and those who challenged her for the same position.
She found all kinds of people extremely annoying and didn't want to see them.
After thinking it over, she made up her mind and went to the banquet hall with black tea and red beans. It rained from time to time in the summer, and it was very sunny when it wasn't raining, so the banquet was held in the banquet hall, instead of in a garden full of flowers like the autumn banquet.
This time, Zisu ignored everyone who was trying to curry favor with her or provoke her. She stood directly in the middle of the banquet hall and waved her hand vigorously at everyone: "Please be quiet, everyone. I have something to say to you!"
The noisy scene immediately quieted down.
Zisu's sharp gaze swept across the entire room, and she spoke loudly and deliberately, "I know what the Dowager Consort's purpose is in holding this banquet, and I also know what the purposes of many of the ladies and young women attending are. However, I must state this in advance to avoid wasting everyone's time and energy!"
He paused, then his sharp gaze fell on the faces of the several young ladies who were jumping around. He laughed arrogantly, "Just recently, my new crops yielded a bumper harvest. His Majesty originally wanted to reward me with a county as my fief. However, I refused and made a request to His Majesty. Do you all want to know what I asked His Majesty for?"
"What are the requirements?" someone asked curiously.
Zisu: "My request is that if Prince Duan takes concubines, secondary concubines, and maids in the future, please allow me to divorce Prince Duan!"
"Huh? That's the requirement?!" The person who asked the question exclaimed in surprise.
Everyone present was stunned.
Some of those present had heard about it, because when Zisu made this request to the Emperor, there were more than a dozen court officials present. After returning home, they mentioned it to their wives and children. However, hearing about it from others was completely different from hearing Princess Duan say it herself.
What's particularly striking is that Princess Consort Duan actually said it all in front of everyone. She's incredibly bold! Moreover, the purpose of the several summer banquets held by Consort Qin is crystal clear. Did Princess Consort Duan really intend to divorce Prince Duan if he took concubines, secondary consorts, and maids?!
Several girls clapped and cheered, and Yu Cailian, the Empress's niece, said with a smile, "Princess Duan truly deserves the title of Princess of Yulin and is worthy of the reputation of a heroine. She is a good role model for us women!"
Tan Yu, the daughter of the Imperial Censor Tan, clapped and laughed, "The Princess Consort of Duan is indeed worthy of her reputation. She is a model for women. As a woman, you should be like this and not belittle yourself! If my husband takes a concubine in the future, I will divorce him immediately! Alas, men taking concubines is because many women willingly debase themselves."
"She wouldn't be a proper wife, but instead insists on becoming someone's concubine, stealing a man from the wife! If my own sister were that shameless, I would slap her so hard she wouldn't even remember her own name!"
As soon as these words were spoken, a sharp voice rang out: "Hmph! You two must be shills hired by Princess Duan, right? Men who take concubines should be divorced, how come such people are considered role models for women? In my opinion, such people are clearly jealous women, committing one of the seven grounds for divorce! If my sister-in-law were such a person, I would definitely make my brother divorce her, how could she possibly be the one to propose a divorce?"
Princess Consort Duan, I think you have a serious problem with your manners. You should read and learn about the Three Obediences and Four Virtues that women should follow! Oh dear, I misspoke. You grew up in the countryside, never attended a girls' school, and were exiled to the Northwest. I bet you don't even know a few characters.
No wonder, you must not have read it! Oh dear, how could Prince Duan, such a talented and beautiful man, have made such a mistake, marrying a woman as wicked and immoral as you! Oh dear, Your Highness, having such a daughter-in-law must be very distressing!
Yu Cailian whispered in Zisu's ear, "This person is the niece of Consort Xian, and her name is Du Wanyin."
Consort Qin smiled and looked at Du Wanyin, laughing loudly, "Hmm, Miss Du is right, that suits me very well, I like you very much! When you have time in the future, please come to the Prince's Mansion for a visit often! Ah, if you could be with me every day and be my daughter-in-law, how wonderful that would be!"
The implication was that they had their eye on Du Wanyin and would give her the status of a concubine. Only with the status of a concubine could she barely refer to herself as "daughter-in-law" in front of the Dowager Consort Qin.
Du Wanyin was overjoyed and quickly bowed respectfully: "Thank you, Your Highness. I am more than happy to receive this. I will definitely regard Your Highness as my own mother from now on!"
After saying that, he arrogantly glared at Zisu, his face full of provocation and smugness.
Zisu was utterly horrified, her anger nearly bursting. She gave the order: "Guards! Du Wanyin has committed insubordination and humiliated this Princess Consort. Drag her away and give her thirty strokes of the cane!"
Upon hearing this, Du Wanyin was terrified and turned pale. She quickly looked at Consort Qin with a coquettish expression and pleaded, "Your Highness, please save Wanyin! Wanyin doesn't want to be beaten! Wanyin doesn't want to be beaten for no reason!"
Her eyes were glistening with tears, giving her a delicate, tearful appearance.
Consort Qin felt a pang of heartache upon seeing this, but at the same time, she was filled with rage. Pointing her finger at Zisu, she rebuked her sharply, "Shangguan Zisu, how dare you defy me to my face? Do you even respect me as your mother-in-law?"
Zisu gave a cold laugh: "Your Highness, I am your daughter-in-law, the mistress of the Duan Prince's mansion. Du Wanyin humiliated your daughter-in-law in front of you, and you not only turned a deaf ear and a blind eye, but also went out of your way to promote her. Where do you place me?! In your heart, do you still consider me your daughter-in-law?!"
Upon hearing this, Consort Qin's heart sank. This scene was completely different from what she had imagined! How could Shangguan Zisu have turned the tables on her? Looking at Shangguan Zisu standing calmly in front of her, she wished she could just faint on the spot!
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, her face flushed red, and she forced herself to remain calm, saying, "I don't not consider you my daughter-in-law, you've misunderstood me!"
Zisu: "Whether it's a misunderstanding or not, you know the answer in your heart!" Turning around, she said to Hongcha and the others: "Why don't you drag them away and give them thirty strokes of the cane? No need to show mercy! Otherwise, won't any Tom, Dick, or Harry be able to bully me and act like a tyrant in the future!"
"Yes, Your Highness!" Hongcha responded crisply, and together with Hongdou, they each took one side of Du Wanyin, who was struggling, and easily pulled her towards the courtyard.
Du Wanyin's mother snapped out of her daze and immediately knelt down in front of Zisu: "Your Highness, please be merciful and forgive her this once! I beg you, please don't hit her! She has never suffered since she was a child, she can't bear such a severe punishment!"
Zisu snorted coldly: "Since you knew she couldn't bear the punishment, why didn't you speak up to stop her when she humiliated me just now? Don't you think it's too late to beg me for mercy now? Besides, for insubordination, thirty strokes of the cane is already considered lenient! If it were a more severe punishment, it would definitely be a hundred strokes!"
"Don't you dare shamelessly come begging to me, the Princess. Just now, when your daughter humiliated me, I clearly saw a smug smile on your face. Now that your daughter has caused trouble and is about to be punished, you still have the nerve to plead with me! Do you think I'm blind or stupid?! This is outrageous! This is utterly outrageous! There's no way to treat people like this!"
Meanwhile, in the courtyard, the tea ceremony had already begun, but after just one stroke of the paddle, Du Wanyin was already wailing like a banshee. Her shrill screams pierced the clouds and sun, frightening the ladies and young women in the banquet hall who harbored impure intentions.
Zisu's sharp gaze swept across the entire room once more, her voice icy and chilling: "This is the consequence of harboring ill intentions. Did you think that by pleasing the Dowager Consort, I, the Princess Consort, would lose my position? Did you think that by pleasing the Dowager Consort, you could ascend to the throne of the Duan Prince's principal wife? Or perhaps you thought that since I've been married for so long without a child, even the position of a concubine would be acceptable, so that once you become a concubine and give birth to a son, I, the principal wife without any offspring, would become nothing more than a decoration?"