I just want to be a princess, no, you want to be a queen

"Sir, please give me justice!"

Cries of injustice were heard in the hall. One body was carried in from the gate, then another, and four bodies in a row were placed side by side with the body from yesterday.

The cause of death was exactly the same as that of the body yesterday.

The woman's family members, standing behind the corpse, were filled with righteous indignation and complained about the tragic death of their daughter and sister due to domestic violence. The husband, kneeling on the ground and abusing her, pointed the finger at Lu Mingyang.

"How can the father of a lewd girl be a good person? When Marquis Chengyang saved my wife, I felt something was wrong. It's only now that I know that my wife had already been raped by Marquis Chengyang."

Like a flood, a group of women burst in from outside the mansion gate, kneeling in the courtyard, some with their necks or arms exposed, weeping and complaining that they had been unjustly beaten by their husbands because of Miss Lu's chastity. They requested severe punishment for the daughter of the Marquis of Chengyang.

The hideous face, the bloodstained white cloth, the overwhelming stench of the corpse, Lu Mingyang's head was buzzing. He had never been so terrified before, and his back felt as cold as if it were being cut by an ice knife.

If one body is an accident, can five bodies still be an accident?

There were also victims kneeling all over the courtyard. How could that be possible if someone didn't do it on purpose?

Lu Mingyang looked towards the back of the hall, the man he couldn't see, and sneered. No wonder he was so affectionate and wanted to marry her; it turned out to be all a trick.

Brother Yuanrui, I like it. It’s ridiculous, extremely ridiculous.

Lu Mingyang wiped away his tears, turned around and looked at the people outside, and said loudly: "You are all alive because of my father's grace. Why don't you sue your husbands who abused you, but gather together to demand the execution of the daughter of your savior? How can this be justified?"

Some women lay on the ground crying, not daring to look up; some timidly looked at their husbands behind them and began to curse Lu Mingyang for tarnishing their innocence.

Some even went so far as to say that the Marquis of Chengyang was a good man and that his daughter would definitely protect her father's reputation, and then begged her to die to save them from the disaster. This made Lu Mingyang laugh and cry.

Should I thank them for treating me as a good person?

"Silence!" The gavel rang out, and the Jingzhao Yin loudly said, "Daughter of the Lu family, do you plead guilty?"

Lu Mingyang turned around and straightened his back.

"Sir, I am a woman of the boudoir. According to the laws of our Great Sheng, women of the boudoir are not guilty of adultery or sexual immorality unless they are engaged. I am innocent, so why should I confess?"

"My Lord, are you going to punish me for this false reputation of private morality, which is against the law?"

The voice was loud and clear, neither humble nor arrogant, and Chu Mingzheng couldn't help but look sideways.

The Jingzhao Yin angrily said, "Although this is against the law, it is in accordance with public sentiment, so it can be sentenced. If you have no hidden agenda, and for the sake of upholding women's virtues, I sentence you to death by hanging as a warning to others."

What is public sentiment? It's a bunch of men who suspect their women of cheating and then put the blame on the source of the suspicion, a woman.

How funny.

What was even stranger was that the crowd cheered, and it wasn't fake; it was genuine cheering. Not just men, but women as well.

No one spoke up for her and she became the target of public criticism.

Should I pretend to know nothing and, as Song Wei said, give out Prince Ningyuan to save my life?

But even if you can save your life, can you still be a human being?

Otherwise, why not say that you are still innocent?

But if I do that, Prince Ningyuan will know that I am plotting against him, and the emperor will also know, which is a crime of deceiving the emperor!

Lu Mingyang's panicked eyes swept across Chu Mingzheng's face, his lips turned pale and he couldn't speak.

What should I do? What should I do? Who will save me?

A broad hand grasped the woman's purple fist.

"Wait!"

"Wait!"

A loud female voice drowned out Chu Mingzheng's low voice. Everyone looked over and saw a beautiful figure lifting her clothes, walking up the stairs and stepping into the hall.

The woman wore a white flower in her hair and a plain, shimmering brocade dress. Her belly was large, and she looked as if she was about to give birth, yet she didn't look at all plump. She was thin, her face frosted with the color of autumn.

But she was extremely beautiful. Even without makeup, she looked like the red sun dotted with cinnabar in a splash-ink landscape painting. Although it was covered by mist, its charm could not be faded.

Even when his life was at stake, Lu Mingyang was still shocked by this beauty.

She always thought that good looks came from good-looking facial features. For example, the aunties in the village all praised themselves for their beautiful eyes and pretty mouths.

But when they grow on the face of the woman in front of me, I feel that those eyes, nose and mouth are so lucky to grow on her face and be touched by the spring water.

"Who is coming?" Jingzhao Yin spoke, regaining everyone's attention.

"I am the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Chengyang and the wife of the Earl of Zhongxin."

Lu Mingyuan walked towards Lu Mingyang and raised his hand to smooth down her messy hair. The faint fragrance of orchids wafted into her nostrils, and Lu Mingyang's forced strength instantly crumbled.

"Eldest sister?"

"Don't be afraid!"

Lu Mingyuan wiped away his sister's tears, held her behind him, and pulled out a curved piece of iron from his bosom. He said in a loud voice, "This is the iron scroll of immunity from death bestowed upon me by Emperor Taizu for the Chengyang Marquisate. Please take a look, sir."

Zhuxin, the personal maid, took the iron scroll of immunity from death and presented it to the Jingzhao Yin.

"This..." The heavy iron scroll of immunity from death weighed heavily on his hand. Jingzhao Yin lowered his head, secretly looking towards the back of the hall, and forced himself to remain calm: "Madam Zhongxin, I'm afraid a woman can't use this iron scroll of immunity from death, right?"

"Emperor Taizu wrote in his own handwriting that all descendants and relatives of our ancestors, Marquis Chengyang, can use the iron scroll to save their lives. My sister is the direct bloodline of my father, Marquis Chengyang, so why can't she use it?"

Despite his frail face, his eyes were bright and powerful. Lu Mingyuan loudly questioned, "How dare you, my Lord, question the imperial edict written by Emperor Taizu?"

Jing Zhaoyin's face flushed red from choking. He had only wanted to curry favor with the Imperial Concubine and the future Emperor, but he hadn't expected to run into such a thorny problem.

He looked at Lu Mingyang, trying to hint at her. Lu Mingyang pretended not to understand and lowered her head silently.

"Please wait a moment, Madam. I need to present this to His Majesty."

The Jingzhao Yin had no choice but to pick up the iron scroll of immunity from death and leave through the back hall. He must have gone to seek Song Wei's opinion, but Lu Mingyang had no idea what he would say. However, she vaguely felt that she was saved.

But what if Song Wei comes to see me again?

"Eldest sister, I just wanted to save Fourth Sister!" Lu Mingqin's call interrupted Lu Mingyang's thoughts, and she stood up trembling. Lu Mingyuan raised his hand and hit her.

But even though she hit Lu Mingqin, she still protected Lu Mingqin behind her and bowed to King Ningyuan.

"My sister is ignorant and speaks nonsense. Please forgive me, Your Highness."

"My lady is in a heavy state, so there is no need to be so polite."

Chu Mingzheng raised his hand to support her, his eyes falling on Lu Mingyang behind her. Their eyes met, as if they had a thousand words to say, but they were both speechless.

"Goodbye!"

With a faint sentence, like a warning and a promise, Chu Mingzheng turned and left.