Rebirth of a Lost Nation: Princess, Please Respect Yourself

Princess Zhao naturally would not miss the good opportunity to discredit Ning Yunxiao, so she knelt down and spoke.

"As a child, it's understandable that they are more playful. If the Emperor, the Empress Dowager, and the Empress want to blame me, please blame me!"

What this means is that Ning Yunxiao is not delayed with his important business, but is instead doing something else.

After Princess Zhao finished speaking, Emperor Shengwu's face turned so dark that ink seemed to drip out of it, but Empress Dowager Jiang smiled.

"It's a beautiful day, what's the point of saying anything strange? Come on, get up."

"The Queen Mother is so generous." Princess Zhao refused to go down the easy path and insisted on kneeling on the ground pretending to be a loving mother.

"But I dare not be too arrogant. Yun Xiao did not come to celebrate my grandmother's birthday today. If I cannot wait for my son to atone for his sin, I am afraid that rumors will spread everywhere tomorrow!"

Princess Zhao's words made it seem as if Queen Mother Jiang was deliberately allowing rumors to spread if she didn't punish her.

Empress Dowager Jiang was in a dilemma. After a long while, she considered her words carefully: "In that case..."

Jiang Lige grew up by the side of Empress Dowager Jiang, so when he saw this, he guessed what Empress Dowager Jiang's decision was. But if he really punished him, the rumors about Ning Yunxiao being unfilial would probably spread even faster!

Thinking of this, Jiang Lige quickly stood up and spoke.

"Your Majesty, Queen Mother, and Empress, please allow me to inform you that Prince Zhao's failure to arrive today is not an act of unfilial piety, but rather a sign of great filial piety!"

"Oh?"

Upon hearing this, Emperor Shengwu's expression finally brightened. He looked at Jiang Lige with satisfaction and asked, "Where does this filial piety come from?"

"Your Majesty, Prince Zhao wanted to present a precious treasure to the Empress Dowager as a birthday gift. This item is so precious that he left the capital a few days ago to welcome her. It was meant to be a surprise for the Empress Dowager, but now I cannot bear to see the Crown Prince suffer injustice, so I have taken the liberty of revealing this."

When Princess Zhao heard this, her face froze.

"It is true that Ning Yunxiao left the capital. He left in a hurry, and I didn't even inform you. Although the intention is good, the thought is very crude. What kind of gift is it if you give it to me after my birthday?"

Jiang Lige retorted swiftly, "If the princess had cared more about the prince, she wouldn't be so clueless. Besides, the birthday banquet isn't over yet, so why isn't it called a congratulatory gift?"

"Princess Zhaohua, are you trying to sow discord between us, mother and son?!"

"Princess, you're worrying too much. Zhaohua is just speaking the truth."

Princess Zhao frowned and questioned in a stern voice, but Jiang Lige responded calmly and effectively, leaving Princess Zhao with no place to vent her anger. After all, she was still in the palace, so she didn't dare to go too far and had to swallow her anger for the time being.

Unfortunately, there are some people who don't understand the form.

"The barbarian nation of Southern Chu truly doesn't understand the rules! When the elders are talking, how can the younger generation interrupt?"

The person who spoke was Qiu Yuyan, the brainless girl next to Jiang Chuchu.

"Fortunately, the Emperor has granted me a marriage. The Crown Prince and I were originally engaged. My fiancé has been wronged. What's wrong with me speaking up for him?"

Jiang Lige raised her eyebrows when she heard that and asked back.

"Ms. Qiu, this matter is ultimately the royal family's own family affair. When did it become the turn of an outsider to interfere?"

Qiu Yuyan was so angry that her face turned red after being ruthlessly accused by Jiang Lige.

"I just can't stand your sweet talk! What gift? It's clearly just something you're trying to fool us with! Lying in front of the emperor is a crime of deceiving the king!"

"I didn't lie. It's Miss Qiu who behaved in such a way that was inappropriate in front of the emperor."

"Whether I'm lying or not will be revealed after the birthday banquet. Princess Zhaohua, do you dare to promise that if Prince Zhao hasn't returned by then, you will ask for a caning."

Qiu Yuyan said this, looking at Jiang Lige provocatively.

"Why, Princess Zhaohua is not really lying, right?"

Jiang Lige's expression remained calm, but he was speechless in his heart. What an unexpected disaster!

Although Qiu Yuyan's statement was a bit absurd, everyone in the banquet hall focused their attention on her, looking forward to Jiang Lige's answer.

Indeed, gossip is human nature.

"Miss Qiu, there's no need to provoke me. What am I afraid of?"

Jiang Lige smiled and calmly threw the question back.

"What if the prince returns on time? Miss Qiu, do you dare to bet with me on the punishment of caning?"

As soon as Jiang Lige finished speaking, everyone on the field turned their attention to Qiu Yuyan.

Qiu Yuyan didn't expect Jiang Lige to drag her into this, but now that things have come to this, if she backs down, how will she have the face to stay in the capital in the future?

"Alright, let's bet! Whoever loses will receive ten strokes of the cane!"

"Okay, ten strokes of the cane is enough."

Jiang Lige nodded upon hearing this, and smiled as he looked outside the hall, "It's getting late, and the prince should be here by now."

Qiu Yuyan glared at Jiang Lige fiercely and was about to mock her for being "mystical" when she saw a man in a moon-white suit with bamboo sashes walking towards her.

His hair was tied with a golden crown, his appearance was elegant and graceful, his figure was as straight as a pine tree, and on the jade plaque made of mutton-fat white jade was carved a bright word "Zhao".

He came from the vast moonlight, like an ink painting with a profound artistic conception, floating out of the world.

With such appearance, it is no wonder that despite the difficult situation, Prince Zhao is still the favorite of the noble ladies in the capital.

"Ms. Qiu can now accept her punishment."

Everyone's eyes were on Ning Yunxiao, except Jiang Lige, who was not surprised at all.

If she hadn't seen the corner of clothes passing by just now, only a fool would have agreed to let Qiu Yuyan be beaten with a stick!

While thinking, Jiang Lige secretly glanced at Emperor Shengwu.

When Ning Yunxiao appeared, Emperor Shengwu was obviously relieved.

Although it was fleeting, Jiang Lige, who had "planned it for a long time", still caught it.

Jiang Lige withdrew his gaze and silently considered whether the rumors about Emperor Shengwu in his previous life were true or false.

On the other side, Ning Yunxiao had already politely bowed and greeted everyone. After clapping his hands, someone brought up a birthday gift.

The palace maids worked together to lift up a screen. In the large blank space was a character for longevity made of pieces of cloth of various colors.

Although the craftsmanship is excellent, the material of the cloth is uneven, and most of them are coarse cloth with a darker color, which does not look festive at all.

Qiu Yuyan sneered, "If the prince hadn't prepared a gift, that would be fine. But why would he bother to use something like this to please the Empress Dowager? This is not only unfilial, but also disrespectful!"

Although Jiang Lige was a little puzzled, he couldn't bear to see Qiu Yuyan slandering his teammates in the same trench, so he naturally stood up to defend Ning Yunxiao.

"The prince hasn't even opened his mouth yet, and Miss Qiu already thinks he's being perfunctory? If I were to ask you, the most perfunctory person would be Miss Qiu's brain."

If you have a perfunctory brain, then you are stupid!

Those with a low sense of humor in the audience had already laughed out loud. When Qiu Yuyan realized this, her face immediately turned red.

"You! You are a woman, yet you openly speak for a man who doesn't belong to you. Do you still have any shame?"

"Miss Qiu, you've probably forgotten that the Crown Prince and I were married under the order of His Majesty, so there's nothing wrong with me speaking on his behalf. But Miss Qiu, what's the point of holding on to my fiancé for no reason?"