She was too lazy to clean up after dressing up as a villain heroine

Lin did not show up at the family dinner on New Year's Eve, and no one in the Han family mentioned it to spoil the fun.

Concubines who were never allowed to attend family dinners in previous years were exempted this year. Although Aunt Lan did not sit at the table, she just stood quietly beside Old Madam Han and served her, which was already a big breakthrough.

Anyone with a little bit of insight in the palace could see that Duke Dingguo wanted to make her his concubine.

But now is not the time.

Lin had just been rejected by the Emperor and Empress, confined to An Garden, and bedridden for a long time. Now that her condition had improved slightly, if he promoted a concubine to be his second wife at this time, it would inevitably make the Duke seem overly impatient, and he would also gain a reputation for being cold-hearted and heartless.

After all, Lin gave birth to a son and a daughter for him.

Qiao Zhenzhen just watched from the sidelines, happy to be a spectator.

Even if Aunt Lan was really promoted to a concubine, or even if something happened to Mrs. Lin and she became the second wife, her son Han Rong would not be able to shake Han Zheng's position.

The old lady didn't mention Han Rong's identity as a concubine, but she felt uncomfortable in her heart.

Even Han Jun, the eldest son of the second wife, posed a far greater threat to Han Zheng.

Therefore, in Qiao Zhenzhen's eyes, all of Aunt Lan's business was just a show to entertain people.

As long as she doesn't get herself into trouble, she can tolerate all the ups and downs in the Duke's Mansion.

The focus of Qiao Zhenzhen's life has never changed: on the one hand, she is on guard against the male and female protagonists making trouble, and on the other hand, she strives to protect her own life and comfortable life amid the endless plot twists.

This point has never deviated from its direction.

Therefore, when Aunt Lan tentatively sent someone to get the account books of Suiyuan and claimed that the Duke had asked her to be in charge of the expenses of the main house, Qiao Zhenzhen did not hesitate to have someone press her outstretched tentacles back.

Aunt Lan has a shallow background, and her family relies on her to save up a small fortune. Compared with Lin, who has a decent family background, there is a world of difference.

But she knows how to take advantage of men's power.

Of course I have to whisper in the Duke's ear.

The Duke was unable to exert direct pressure on Qiao Zhenzhen due to her status as a princess, so the pressure naturally fell on Han Zheng.

Han Zheng was called to the outer study of Anyuan.

"Now that your mother is unwell, I have handed over the affairs of the first house to your concubine Lan. She just wants to look at the accounts of Suiyuan, not to interfere in the affairs of your courtyard. Go back and tell Fuhui to bring out the account books. Lanxin will return them after she has looked at them."

Han Zheng chuckled when he heard this:

"Father, why did you tell me this? You didn't even dare to summon Fuhui yourself and order her to hand over the account books, so how could you think I could do it?"

Duke Dingguo was choked by these words and was speechless for a moment. He said angrily:

"Asshole! Is this how you talk to your father?"

Han Zheng's face was filled with ease, and his former gloom was long gone.

Maybe it was because he married a "good wife" and inherited some of her temperament and ways of dealing with people.

He gave a false bow, but his tone was nonchalant: "Then your son is bowing to you. Is this attitude respectful?"

"you……!"

"Son, I still say the same thing. I can't make the final decision on Fuhui's affairs. Now she has the final say on Suiyuan. It's not my turn to say whether the account book is given to her or not. If Aunt Lan has the ability, take it yourself, and I'll be happy to see it happen. If you don't have that ability, don't even think about throwing this responsibility on my head."

He said jokingly, "I can't afford to offend Fuhui."

Duke Dingguo was so angry that veins on his forehead were throbbing. He pointed at him and cursed:

"How could I have given birth to such a useless thing as you! You can't even control your own wife! The principle of a married woman obeying her husband is something Fuhui doesn't understand, and neither do you."

A faint smile crossed Han Zheng's lips. "Fuhui was personally appointed as a princess by His Majesty. Although her surname is not Chu, she is included in the royal family, making her a legitimate member of the Chu family."

"The last time I entered the palace, His Majesty also said that Fuhui is a member of the Chu family and will not tolerate bullying. Father, did you read the imperial edict carefully that day?"

"However...if Father feels she's mishandling things, why not personally present your case to the Emperor? As long as His Majesty speaks, there's no reason why Fuhui won't comply. As for me—" He paused, "You think too highly of your son."

Duke Dingguo was his father after all, and with that natural filial piety weighing on him, even if Han Zheng was dissatisfied, it would be difficult for him to gain the upper hand.

But things are different now.

His wife is a royal family member.

The ruler is the leader of his subjects, and the father is the leader of his sons.

Now that he has the royal power, he can finally make his father feel a little bit of humiliation.

Maybe it’s because he has been with his wife for too long, and his ability to make people angry to death has gradually improved.

"You! Are you trying to use the emperor to pressure me?!" Duke Dingguo's face turned pale.

"I dare not." Han Zheng looked indifferent, but his eyes seemed to casually sweep towards the screen beside the desk.

A pair of purple embroidered shoes quietly appeared under the screen, with peach blossoms shining on the toes.

How could he hide the presence of the third person in the study?

"Son is just pointing out a clear path for you."

Duke Dingguo suddenly felt as if he had never known this son.

The silent and submissive figure in his memory had long since faded, replaced by the man in front of him who spoke sharply and looked lazy, leaving him speechless.

No one can handle the label of "disrespecting the royal family".

"Don't forget, this family hasn't been divided yet!" Duke Dingguo suppressed his anger and spoke in a cold voice, "Is Fuhui acting this way to separate Suiyuan from the Duke's Mansion? As long as I am Duke Dingguo, you are just the Crown Prince—I can establish you, and naturally I can also depose you."

Under the screen, the pair of purple embroidered shoes moved slightly.

"Depose me?" Han Zheng chuckled as if he had heard something funny. "If I depose you, who are you going to make your heir? Are you going to have another legitimate son with my mother? Or are you going to give my second uncle a chance."

He is no longer a young man who can be easily fooled.

His father's threats sounded ridiculous to him.

"You are not my only son."

Han Zheng raised his eyebrows and said sarcastically, "Oh? Are you saying... there are other legitimate sons? Or, that concubine's son?"

"Shut up!" Duke Dingguo shouted fiercely, "Whether Rong'er is a concubine's son or not is up to me!"

Han Zheng brushed off his robe slowly and calmly.

"Alright, then submit this memorial as soon as possible, requesting His Majesty to depose me from the throne and replace me with your beloved concubine's... illegitimate son."

Just like establishing a crown prince, deposing one is not a family matter that can be decided behind closed doors.

A memorial must be submitted to Emperor Kant's desk.

Han Zheng scoffed lightly: "Then let's try and see if His Majesty will approve it."

The faint smile on his lips was particularly glaring to Duke Dingguo.

"Don't think that just because you marry a princess, you can do whatever you want and disrespect your elders!"

"Disrespectful to elders?" Han Zheng raised an eyebrow. "I feel I respect my father enough. It's just that I don't want to obey the orders of a concubine, which in your eyes is disobedience. I don't know when a concubine can represent your majesty."