Chapter 209: Never Been This Angry Before

Xiao Ningshu's hair at the temples was slightly disheveled, her expression twisted, her face full of resentment and madness.

The sound of gongs and drums suddenly ceased.

Everyone fell silent.

She turned to face the watching crowd, raised her hand and pointed at Cheng Ru'an, who was still standing inside the gate, her voice trembling with tears as she shouted loudly:

"Please, elders, be my judges! She! Princess Consort Ning Cheng Ru'an, outwardly virtuous, but in fact vicious!"

"She mistreats the concubine daughter, and has my birth mother imprisoned somewhere unknown, her life or death uncertain!"

"Now she even disregards that I am of the Prince's Mansion bloodline, forcing me to marry a farmer, intending to ruin my whole life!"

"She is unfair in her dealings, jealous to a fault! In this Ning Prince's Mansion, there is no place for my mother and me!"

The whole venue erupted in uproar!

Everyone's gaze instantly turned to Cheng Ru'an.

"No way? Princess Consort Ning is famously gentle!"

"But this girl is crying so pitifully!"

"Indeed, although she is a concubine daughter, she is still a Prince's Mansion lady; marrying a farmer seems rather suspicious."

"Perhaps there is some hidden story?"

Cheng Ru'an's complexion instantly darkened.

Xiao Er frowned, stepped forward a few paces, and positioned himself between her and Tuan Tuan.

Tuan Tuan, seeing this, became frantic and shouted loudly: "She is spouting lies! My mother is not like that!"

Amid the countless probing gazes around, Cheng Ru'an's face gradually turned pale.

The matter of Fang Qingyan could not be spoken of, but precisely because of that, Xiao Ningshu's marriage arrangement was indeed hard to convince anyone.

Grandma Liu stepped over Xiao Er and approached the crowd.

She pointed at Xiao Ningshu, her voice bright: "Fourth Miss! How can you slander so viciously!"

"Has the Princess Consort ever mistreated you? Your birth mother is gravely ill, only sent out to recuperate! How can you speak of unknown life or death!"

"The Princess Consort is benevolent, considering your youth, she has never withheld anything from you."

"She even assigned two nurturing grandmothers to teach you attentively every day—food, clothing, expenses—everything she gave you, raising you in silk and jade!"

"Look at the material of your wedding dress, and the ornaments on your head and hands; which part looks like mistreatment?"

Grandma Liu is a long-serving elder of the Prince's Mansion, exuding an aura accumulated over many years.

The crowd, seeing Xiao Ningshu's undeniably exquisite wedding dress and ornaments, couldn't help but think her words were not false.

"Grandma's words make sense, this girl's whole attire is worth quite a sum!"

"Indeed, with such delicate skin, how could she have endured hardship?"

Xiao Ningshu, seeing the unfavorable turn, glared at Grandma Liu and shouted: "Of course you'd say that! You've been by her side for years, you're in the same camp as her!"

"Everyone, don't listen to her lies; those nurturing grandmothers were watching me! They never let me step out of my own courtyard!"

She then glared at Cheng Ru'an: "What silk and jade! When have you ever seen a Prince's Mansion lady marry a farmer? Don't be fooled by her seemingly virtuous demeanor!"

Tuan Tuan shouted: "You're the one who lies!"

She ran to the dowry chest, tiptoed, and with effort tried to lift the lid—it was too heavy: "Second Uncle, help me open these!"

Xiao Er went over and lifted the chest lids one by one.

Brilliant golden jewelry, neatly arranged silk brocade, a full set of candlesticks and lotus-patterned bronze mirrors… everything was present.

Tuan Tuan pointed at the items in the chest: "These were all prepared by my mother herself while I watched! How can you speak of her that way!"

The surrounding people crowded forward to look: "Wow! So many ornaments!"

"Truly complete!"

"The Princess Consort's dowry is indeed substantial! For a concubine daughter, it's exceedingly generous."

Xiao Ningshu's face changed, she clenched her teeth, this was the last chance: Mother, no matter what, I will rescue you!

She shouted to the crowd: "I come from the Prince's Mansion! No matter whom I marry, these items are rightfully mine! They have always been mine!"

She again pointed at Cheng Ru'an: "Didn't you say my mother went to recuperate? Then tell me, where is my mother?"

"The Prince's Mansion is so vast, the imperial physician can be summoned! Why send my mother out to the outside for treatment?"

"If today you let my mother appear before me, I will take the sedan chair and marry; otherwise, don't think I will settle peacefully!"

Xiao Er turned his head to look at Cheng Ru'an, while Grandma Liu remained silent.

The color drained from Cheng Ru'an's face.

Everyone understood what Fang Qingyan had done, and her present outcome was just punishment.

But for the Prince's Mansion, that would be a colossal scandal, absolutely cannot be made public.

Xiao Ningshu, seeing their silence, intensified: "You all saw, didn't you? They can't say where my mother is! Hand my mother over!"

Voices of discussion rose all around.

"The girl makes a reasonable point."

"If she truly is recuperating, why not within the mansion?"

"But the dowry is indeed generous!"

"A generous dowry doesn't mean the person is safe!"

"This deep courtyard mansion seems to harbor many sordid affairs!"

Tuan Tuan looked up at her mother with her small head, then glanced at Xiao Er.

She tugged Xiao Er's sleeve: "Second Uncle, where did that black old woman go?"

Xiao Er crouched down and whispered in her ear: "Consort Fang Ce committed a grave mistake, so the Prince locked her up."

"But if the Princess Consort were to reveal these matters, the Prince's reputation would be damaged, so the Princess Consort cannot speak of them."

Tuan Tuan nodded, understanding.

Mother was protecting father, so she stayed silent, but this wicked older sister forced mother to speak.

Xiao Ningshu continued shouting, "Hand over the person! Mother, Princess Consort, why have you fallen silent? Have you run out of arguments?"

Cheng Ru'an's body trembled slightly, almost unable to stand steady.

Seeing mother's aggrieved expression, Tuan Tuan became angry, very angry.

Never have they been so angry!

Clearly this wicked older sister is lying, so why does everyone look at mother with that kind of gaze?

Why doesn't the heavens strike you with lightning!

Just then, the once clear sky suddenly let out a muffled "Boom—"!

Everyone startled, looked up, the azure sky was spotless—where did that thunder come from?

Tuan Tuan also looked up and thought, "Huh? I was only thinking hard, and it actually happened?"

Just right!

She clenched her little fist, looking at Xiao Ningshu with fury: "If you dare utter another lie, watch out for lightning striking you!"

Xiao Ningshu sneered, "Who are you trying to frighten? What I said is no lie. She mistreated me! She harmed my mother and me!"

No sooner had the words left her mouth than "Crack—!!"

A blinding white flash, without warning, tore the clear sky and struck precisely in front of Xiao Ningshu's feet!

Shards of stone splashed, and blue smoke rose.

Xiao Ningshu let out a sharp "Ah" and collapsed onto the ground.

Her jeweled crown atop her head was shattered, her splendid wedding dress was scorched by the scattered lightning fire leaving streaks of burns, her face was covered in dust, a complete mess.

Everyone was dumbfounded.

"Heaven, heaven's punishment!"

"Indeed, what that girl said was false!"

"But she is an Immortal Envoy of our fiery nation!"

"The Princess Consort prepared such a lavish dowry for her, yet she defames her own mother!"

"Even Old Heaven Lord cannot bear to watch!"

Xiao Ningshu trembled all over, staring at the charred hem of her clothes, unable to utter a single word.

Young Master Zhao stepped forward from the wedding procession, bowing respectfully to Cheng Ru'an: "Princess Consort, please forgive us! I have seen clearly what happened today."

"Although the Zhao family is a respectable household, we still know propriety and honor. A woman who rebels, is unfilial, and publicly slanders her mother—I would never dare to marry such a person!"

He turned, looking down at Xiao Ningshu: "Fourth Miss, this marriage is hereby called off!" He then took the marriage contract from his chest and tore it apart on the spot, "From now on, the marriage and any ties are severed!"

Having said that, with no lingering sentiment, he waved his hand to the wedding procession: "We leave!"

The Zhao family members quickly departed, even abandoning the flower sedan.

Everyone pointed and whispered at the distraught Xiao Ningshu:

"Serves you right! You ruined a perfectly good marriage yourself!"

"With such character, which family would dare to take her in later?"

"Truly, they've disgraced the Prince Ning's Mansion's reputation!"

Cheng Ru'an lifted Tuan Tuan's hand, patted her little head, and ordered Liu Grandma: "Send Fourth Miss back to Defying Frost Pavilion for strict supervision, and issue further orders when the Prince returns to the mansion."

Liu Grandma, with two maids, dragged Xiao Ningshu inside.

Cheng Ru'an scanned the crowd: "I apologize for the embarrassment. The Prince Ning's Mansion does not govern the household strictly; I, the Princess Consort, will plead guilty to the Prince."

Everyone bowed in turn:

"Princess Consort, you speak harshly!"

"It is that concubine herself who knows no good, what does it have to do with the Princess Consort?"

Soon, the crowd dispersed, and everything returned to calm.

After returning to the mansion, Tuan Tuan suddenly began babbling nonsense, shocking the entire household.