He wasn't wearing a hat, but his hair was tied up and a few strands hung down to the sides of his cheeks. She was frowning, angry and unwilling, and the anger in her eyes caused her teeth to clatter.
The young duke Xiao He followed behind, his upper body also bare. With his hands behind him and thorns on his back, it was possible to clearly see the scars on his back and chest.
The citizens on Zhengyang Street were all pointing and watching. They hadn't thought that this illustrious and illustrious duke would come to ask for the punishment of a direct daughter of the general's estate.
Today, Lian Yue's name was going to shake the capital!
Xiao Zhenhai and Xiao He walked over with smiles on their faces. She clearly saw the unwillingness on their faces. Their Xiao family had never been humiliated in their lives. They had always been high and mighty.
And such a lofty family of Xiao was the mastermind behind the torture and abuse she had suffered in her previous life!
"Duke of Xiao, you've come." Lian Yan Qing walked out and stood in the middle of the door as he condescendingly said.
"…" Xiao Zhen Hai shot a cold glance at Lian Yan Qing before turning his head toward Lian Yue. Lian Yan Qing's expression changed.
Xiao Zhenhai raised his head and said to Lian Ru Yue, "I have come under the order of the Emperor to apologize to Lian Ru Yue of the Lian family."
Xiao He followed and said, "Long live Xiao He who came to ask for forgiveness. Long live the Emperor."
The father and son duo made it very clear that they had only come because of the emperor's orders. After saying this, they prepared to throw away the thorns on their bodies, and the guards behind them prepared to bring their clothes over.
Lian Ruyue had a faint smile on her face as she slowly said, "Then did the emperor tell the two of you the correct way to ask for punishment? We still have to kneel."
When Xiao He heard this, he suddenly raised his head and said angrily, "Lian Yue, don't take things too far. You have only won with some insidious methods, but when our Xiao family fought hard outside to establish a meritorious service for the emperor, you were still working as a woman in the backyard. Letting a military officer give you a punishment is already a violation of the rules, so to make us kneel on our knees now is simply the biggest joke in the world. Moreover, I, Xiao He, am kneeling to the heavens and the earth, kneeling to my parents and to the Emperor; it's absolutely impossible for me to kneel to a woman! "
"The young duke has spoken of himself well." Lian Ruyue smiled, then said solemnly, "What you mean is, if it wasn't for the Xiao family's efforts, the Emperor wouldn't be able to protect our Zhou Dynasty? You did not make any mistakes in your military exploits, but don't forget that your Heavenly Treasure Great General's battle record was made for you out of the blood of thousands of nameless warriors.
"You!" Xiao He was choked by Lian Ru Yue's words, and he angrily said, "Don't even try to talk nonsense in front of me. I, Xiao He, don't care about your words; even if it's in front of the Emperor, I'll still say this!"
"He'er, kneel down!" Xiao He was about to remove the thorns and leave when he was stopped by Xiao Zhenhai.
"Father!" Xiao He looked at his father in disbelief. He, a great general, had gold beneath his knees. "I, Xiao He, would rather be beheaded by the Emperor than kneel to a woman!"
"This is the emperor's order!" Xiao Zhenhai looked at Xiao He with bloodshot eyes. It wasn't easy for him to keep his position and title, but now that the Xiao family was in front of the Emperor, they were on thin ice. If they didn't show modesty and caution, the Emperor would be furious and would pursue this matter at any time.
"As a man, I will kneel today if you will allow me to submit!" Xiao Zhen Hai bit down and his knees bent and he kneeled down, feeling humiliated. Xiao He stood there with his head held high, not moving and not willing to kneel.
"Forget it, there is no need to kneel. We will end today's request for punishment. Eunuch Feng can go and report to the Emperor." Xiao Zhenhai was stunned. He suddenly raised his head and saw the Emperor's most trusted eunuch, Feng Degui, come out from the gate of the Prime Minister's Estate.
Although this Feng Degui was just a eunuch, he was also trusted by the emperor by the people who accompanied him. If he were to mention the matter of his Xiao family showing off their achievements to the emperor, the consequences would be unimaginable —
This was because the Emperor hated princes and subjects the most, and they were proud of their achievements.
He raised his leg and kicked Xiao He's knee, causing Xiao He's leg to bend as he heavily knelt on the ground. Xiao He firmly gritted his teeth as his eyes bulged and stared at the moon with a crimson color.
Feng De Gui cupped his hands towards Lian Rue and said, "County Lord Rong, this servant will return to the palace and report to the emperor. The prince and his son have already finished asking for punishment."
"Thank you, Eunuch Feng." Lian Ru Yue slightly bowed as she said.
"There's no need to be so courteous, this old servant is following the emperor's orders." Eunuch Feng said.
After the father and son of the Xiao family had finished apologizing, they took a carriage back to the Xiao family's residence. Xiao He was still brooding over the fact that he had kneeled down Lian Ru Yue, and his face was ashen.
Xiao Zhen Hai said, "Lian Ruyue made you kneel to her just to strike a blow to your arrogance. If you really do clash with her, then Feng De Gui's few words to the emperor will be the same as falling for her! You only need to remember the shame of today, and return it a hundred times in the future! "
Xiao He slapped his palm on the table. "I won't forgive her!"
"Of course not! "He'er, now you know that I won't let you marry Princess Eleven right? If Princess Eleven was a man with a split position, how would she have watched her future husband and father-in-law suffer such humiliation?"
The reason why Xiao Zhenhai wanted Xiao He to go with him to the Lian Residence was because Xiao He wanted to break his thoughts about the Eleventh Princess bit by bit.
Whereas Xiao He went silent when he heard this.
At this moment, Madam Xiao walked in. When she saw the unfriendly expressions on the faces of the father and son, she knew it was because they had taken the blame.
she said. "Here comes your honor, my lord."
"Guillotine is here?" Xiao Zhenhai was startled. He raised his head and saw a tall and sturdy man with eyes like the stars. A handsome young man walked in.
This person was the person Lian Ruyue had met at the temple. He was the eldest grandson of An Ping, Wang Lu Shang, and the son of Madam Xiao's eldest brother, Lu Mao. He was Lu Jingyao.
Lu Jingyao, who was eighteen years old and one year older than Xiao He, was the most important descendant of King Anping. He held an important position in the army and had followed King Anping to war since he was young.
"Uncle." Lu Jingyao clasped his hands at the Duke of Xiao.
Lu Jingyao had called him 'uncle-in-law' first to show courtesy. Moreover, the downfall of the Xiao family that year had enabled him to make a fortune by relying on his father-in-law. Thus, he hurriedly bowed and said, "Greetings, Duke Jiayu."
"Uncle, no need to stand on ceremony. Quickly get up." Lu Jingyao stepped forward and helped Xiao Zhenhai up. Then he looked at Xiao He and said, "This must be Xiao He's cousin. He's already so old."