The驸马's concubine offered no resistance as she was dragged away, likely recognizing her captors.
As a mere concubine of the驸马, she had no power against these royal nobles. Her only hope was that the 驸马 would learn of their plight and come to rescue them, or at least spare her child if he couldn't save her.
The princesses' gazes were filled with anger and contempt. She didn't know if the eldest princess was among them, but they, the princes and princesses, could never understand the desperation of someone like her.
Seeing her son about to retort, she quickly stopped him.
They couldn't afford to anger these people further. In their eyes, their lives were no different from ants.
The princesses boarded their carriages, followed by the eldest prince. The concubine and the boy were bound and dragged behind the carriages.
The carriages moved slowly. The concubine tried to hide her face, but the guards walking beside her loudly announced her identity, filling her with shame and despair.
However slow the carriages moved, they eventually reached their destination. The Zhuang Guogong family, having received the news, was waiting in the main hall.
"My lord, what should we do about this situation now?" Lady Zhuang Guogong was beside herself with worry. She truly hadn't expected things to unfold this way.
She had anticipated the eldest princess's arrival and intended to use her position as the mother-in-law to make her yield. But she never expected the eldest prince and all the married princesses to show up.
"What should we do? What do you think we should do? When that rebellious son of ours took this action, you should have sent that concubine away. And now you ask me what to do?" Zhuang Guogong felt utterly disgraced.
He heard that the concubine had been dragged along the street, subjected to the stares of all the common folk, along with her child.
"But, but she was pregnant! The princess has not conceived since her marriage, which is why I wanted to keep this child. My lord, you agreed to it as well, didn't you?" Lady Zhuang Guogong felt extremely wronged.
She had thought that the princess, having suffered a chill in the past, would have difficulty conceiving. That was why she allowed the concubine to bear a child, intending to have it adopted by the princess under a collateral line if the princess remained childless.
Who could have imagined that after four years, the princess would conceive and give birth?
Before Zhuang Guogong could vent his anger, the gatekeeper reported that the eldest prince and his entourage had entered Chang Jie.
"Has the second young master returned yet? Hurry and send someone to call the second young master back." This matter needed its originator to resolve it. As long as their son could appease the eldest princess, and the princess interceded with forgiveness, there shouldn't be any major issue.
However, Zhuang Guogong was fated not to wait for the second young master.
The Zhuang Guogong's second young master, the驸马 himself, was currently being detained. His detainers were none other than several princes.
Not his wife's brother, the third prince, but all the adult princes except the eldest and the third prince.
After being beaten by these princes, he was tied up and thrown onto a carriage.
It was only at this moment that he felt a flicker of fear.
Listening to the princes' words, he deeply felt that his actions had been too careless. He should have sent Lady Liu away much earlier. And hadn't the third prince said he had already made arrangements with the princess?
He thought the matter had passed. Although the eldest princess had been avoiding him recently, he had only assumed she was angry with him and would be fine in a few days. He never imagined she would lodge a complaint with these princes.
Weren't these princes known to be at odds with each other? Why would they all come together to beat him?
A line of luxurious carriages stopped at the entrance of the Zhuang Guogong mansion. Although Zhuang Guogong did not come out to greet them, the heir was already waiting at the gate.
He welcomed their arrival with a smile, though inwardly he resented his brother's foolish actions.
"Greetings to Your Highness Prince Jin and all your Highnesses the Princesses."
"The heir is too polite," the eldest prince said casually to the Zhuang Guogong's heir after alighting from his carriage.
"Heir, there's no need for such ceremony. We are not here as guests," Princesses emerged from the carriages behind, clad in their court robes, assisted by their maids.
Upon hearing this, the Zhuang Guogong's heir knew their intentions were not friendly.
"Father and Mother are waiting in the main hall. Please proceed, Your Highnesses." He had no choice but to lower his stance further.
Outside the main hall, Zhuang Guogong and his wife were already waiting at the entrance. Seeing the woman being led in, Lady Zhuang Guogong's face showed a hint of heartache.
"Grandfather, Grandmother, please save me and my mother! Save us quickly!" The boy, upon seeing the Zhuang Guogong couple standing there, cried out anxiously towards them.
In his heart, his father and grandfather were incredibly powerful and would surely be able to save them.
Hearing the boy's words, the faces of Zhuang Guogong and his wife paled further. The Zhuang Guogong heir, who had just entered, inwardly exclaimed, "This is bad!"
"So, Duke Zhuang has acknowledged this bastard? I wonder if his name is on the family tree before Cong'er? My eldest sister has only been married to the 驸马 for a few years. Looking at this child's age, Duke Zhuang has deceived my father the Emperor quite thoroughly!" The quick-tongued Second Princess spoke with biting sarcasm, making Duke Zhuang and his wife's faces flush with embarrassment.
His daughter-in-law was the eldest princess, and this Second Princess was her junior. To be berated like this by a junior, he couldn't retort, which was extremely frustrating.
"Second Sister, your words are not quite right. Perhaps they have other intentions. Otherwise, how could the status of a concubine's son be worthy of their precious grandson?" Another princess chimed in with mockery.
"Indeed. Look at how this bastard calls out 'Grandfather' and 'Grandmother' repeatedly. It doesn't seem like they've met only a few times. The affection developed from living together might even be more than what Cong'er has!"
The princesses hurled barbed insults, leaving no room for Duke Zhuang and his wife to interject. The eldest prince remained silent.
Zhuang Guogong was an elder. Although they had come uninvited, they truly couldn't do anything to Duke Zhuang.
At this moment, the 驸马, who had been tied up, was also pushed into the Duke's mansion.
"Father, Father!" The boy was the first to spot the 驸马.
"My son, who beat you? Who beat you so badly!" Lady Zhuang Guogong, seeing the wounds on her son's face, forgot about the others in the courtyard and rushed to him, inquiring.
The 驸马 also saw the others in the courtyard at this moment, especially his concubine, Lady Liu, and his eldest son, who were similarly bound.
Lady Liu's hair was disheveled, and she looked at him with tear-filled eyes. Her gaze was filled with grievance, but she bit her lower lip tightly, refusing to let her tears fall.
As for his eldest son, although a庶子, he was his first child. Seeing the child he had watched grow up being held down on the ground, looking at him for help, calling out "Father" repeatedly, his heart ached.
"We beat him. Does the Duke's wife intend to avenge the 驸马?"
Several princes stepped forward, looking mockingly at the Duke's wife who was doting on her son.