In the bright and spacious main hall, the twelve lattice doors were open, and guards dragged a group of women and children in through the two central doors.
"Ah..."
"Wuwu..."
"Ah, Master, Master, save me..."
"Ah, Mother, I'm scared, Father, Father, Daddy save me..."
The main hall was filled with the sounds of crying.
Seeing this scene, Su Xiaoqi immediately guessed that these must be the three illegitimate wives that Liu Junsheng, mentioned by the Grand Princess earlier, kept outside and their children.
One, two, three, four, five...
Five, four, three, two, one...
If you add the illegitimate children in the Grand Princess's mansion, it's practically a reinforced platoon...
However, these matters were ultimately private between the Grand Princess and Liu Junsheng, and as an outsider, she felt quite awkward sitting here listening.
She was about to get up, not knowing whether to leave or stay.
Soon, the Grand Princess noticed her awkwardness and waved her hand, saying, "If people can do such shameless things and still not feel ashamed, then we who are just watching shouldn't feel awkward."
Hearing this, Su Xiaoqi had no choice but to sit down.
She glanced worriedly at Princess Huian, thinking, Fortunately, Bao Ge'er was asleep when they came, so he didn't see this scene.
Otherwise, it might leave a psychological shadow on his young mind.
However, Princess Huian, whom Su Xiaoqi was worried about, was watching the scene before her with a calm expression.
She wasn't stupid; she was just too well-protected by the Grand Princess before, with a pure heart and unaware of the wickedness of the world.
But after following Su Xiaoqi around in recent days, and having heard many things from Du Yiyi.
Coupled with Madam Xu intentionally or unintentionally instilling in her the ways of palace struggles from before, her once pure mind was now filled with colors.
Her own father doing such a thing, besides shock, she felt shame and contempt.
That's right, she felt immense contempt for the person she was supposed to call father.
Once Su Xiaoqi saw clearly, she immediately understood.
She first glanced at the Grand Princess, then at Madam Xu.
She suddenly understood that Madam Xu had been by Princess Huian's side, instilling things in her from time to time.
About how much glory and benefit Liu Junsheng had brought to their Liu family since becoming the Grand Princess's consort.
Yet, what he left for the Grand Princess and their two children were humiliation and pain.
At the time, Su Xiaoqi didn't understand all this, only thinking that Madam Xu merely wanted to tell Princess Huian about the matters between her father and mother.
She never expected it to be preparation for this very moment.
To be honest, she quite admired the Grand Princess.
Otherwise, with Princess Huian's former nature, if she were to find out these things abruptly without any preparation, she didn't know how heartbroken she would be.
But as Princess Huian absorbed what Madam Xu instilled.
Coupled with what she was witnessing with her own eyes, not only was she not sad now, but she only felt strong contempt and hatred for Liu Junsheng's actions.
So this world, not every father loves their children.
With this realization, Princess Huian intensely disliked Liu Junsheng, wishing he would die.
When someone dislikes another person, everything they do is wrong.
Even their breathing can be found fault with, just like Princess Huian's gaze at Liu Junsheng now.
As if on purpose, the Grand Princess did not have the guards gag the women and children in the hall.
She let them cry and wail as they pleased.
Crying, shouting, making a fuss, calling out.
It was quite a lively scene.
A hint of gloom flashed across the Grand Princess's face; she greatly enjoyed their tears and wails.
This gave her a sense of vengeful pleasure.
Indeed, the blood of royalty flowed in her veins, and what she liked to see was not peace and tranquility as before.
In her bones, she enjoyed trampling those who betrayed her under her feet, tormenting them a thousandfold, watching them suffer.
"Liang Man... stop it, stop it." Liu Junsheng, stimulated by these tragic scenes, could no longer maintain his hypocritical and deeply affectionate facade.
He roared and glared at the Grand Princess, calling her name three times in a row.
His full name.
This had never happened before they became husband and wife, nor after.
This was the first time, and it would be the last.
The Grand Princess snorted, "Hmph, you cowardly dog who dares to act but not to take responsibility, what else do you have to say now?"
"Let them go, it's all my fault." Liu Junsheng hesitated for a long time before bowing his head and saying.
"Kneel down," the Grand Princess commanded sharply.
Liu Junsheng was still hesitating.
Although he wasn't of high birth, he had married a princess and was a consort.
In the capital, outside the imperial palace, there were very few people who could make him kneel.
He had almost forgotten the feeling of kneeling.
But now, he had no choice but to comply.
Captain Li stepped forward and kicked him hard in the back of the knee...
He fell to the ground with a cry, landing among his illegitimate wives and children, enjoying this rare moment of family bliss.
"Liu Junsheng, for the sake of the two children, I will give you a chance.
Tell me truthfully, how many times have you poisoned me, how many times have you harmed my Bao Ge'er, and did you send people to turn my Huian into what she was before..."
The Grand Princess's voice was not angry; it was calm, as if she had reached the peak of her anger.
Liu Junsheng shook his head and denied it.
But at the Grand Princess's signal, Captain Li's rough, claw-like fingers were already on a fair-skinned, delicate-looking young woman beside him.
"Pan Xin'er, rumored to be your favorite illegitimate wife, bearing two sons and one daughter. You hide a hundred thousand taels of silver and ten thousand taels of gold with her, as well as many good items that I gave you.
Hmph, lowly creature, do you think you deserve to possess my things? Li Gui, send her on her way."
Anyone who dared to touch her belongings could only wash away their sins with death.
"Ah... no, don't..." Liu Junsheng was truly panicked now.
He lunged forward to grab Li Gui's hand.
But he was pulled back by the guards grabbing his legs.
He knelt on the ground, kowtowing, crawling to the Grand Princess's feet, begging for mercy like a lapdog, saying he would confess everything immediately, leaving nothing out.
"As expected, a spineless wretch. You don't know my power until you've suffered a bit," the Grand Princess snorted coldly.
It seemed that she had been too good to Liu Junsheng for so many years.
So much so that he forgot that she was a Grand Princess born to royalty.
Everyone said she was the most favored Grand Princess in the palace.
But Emperor Xingzhao had more than ten daughters.
She wasn't always so favored from the beginning.
Only she knew what had happened in between.
The past was unbearable to recall, but her conscience was clear, and it was best to live in the present.
The Grand Princess consoled herself and kicked Liu Junsheng, who was prostrating himself at her feet.
She coldly rebuked him not to get too close to her.
"You have poisoned me countless times, and I have long lost all trust in you.
Your proximity makes me want to kill you."
Upon hearing that this matter had been exposed, Liu Junsheng felt a chill in his heart. He was afraid.
He looked around, pleading with the Grand Princess to have everyone withdraw.
He would tell her everything he knew, in meticulous detail, without the slightest concealment.
The Grand Princess waved her hand, agreeing, and had Princess Huian and the crying illegitimate children dragged out again.
However, she kept Su Xiaoqi behind.
Su Xiaoqi's mouth twitched. Heaven knew she truly didn't want to know these royal secrets.