23: Xu Jiahe is doomed...

But she didn't care. She used all her strength to give birth to Xu Fengzhang and cherished him like the apple of her eye since childhood. The excessive doting of his parents caused Xu Fengzhang, who was already born into a Marquis's household, to become arrogant and overbearing from a young age, ultimately leading the Xu Family to taste the bitter fruit.

However, he was, after all, the Old Marquis's only son and a child born late in life. To truly ask them to abandon Xu Fengzhang would be worse than killing them. Although they knew their son had gone astray, the couple indulged him time and again, repeatedly cleaning up his messes.

Madam Zou led Xu Fengzhang, who still wore a defiant expression, forward. She bowed low: "Your Humble Servant's wife, Madam Xu Zou, greets Your Majesty the Empress."

"Your Humble Servant Xu Fengzhang greets Your Majesty the Empress!"

Xu Fengzhang knelt on the ground, his eyes glancing toward Luo Yongan and Luo Yongning. Before he could see clearly, Ying Hong slapped him across the face and simultaneously blocked his view: "How dare you! You are so restless while greeting Her Majesty. What is the meaning of looking around?"

"Fengzhang, what manners are these!" Although Madam Zou felt heartbroken, she still angrily rebuked her son. "Hurry and apologize to Her Majesty and the Princesses!"

"Forget it. I wouldn't dare accept an apology from a great hero like the Young Marquis." Empress Shen sneered, then nodded to Qingzhu. Qingzhu signaled the maidservants to lower the curtain separating them from Mo Yingqi's side. "During the period of national mourning, committing such acts shows great disrespect to the Former Emperor first, and disregard for the laws of the court second. Madam Xu, you truly have raised a fine son, haven't you?"

"Your Majesty, it is this servant's fault for failing to supervise him strictly. I am willing to accept punishment, but I beg Your Majesty to plead with His Majesty The Emperor to pardon this rebellious son of mine. Please do not let him enter the Imperial Prison!" Madam Zou quickly kowtowed. "Fengzhang, Fengzhang, he is just young and ignorant..."

"Ignorant? Does ignorance mean keeping seven or eight concubines? The sole heir of a dignified Marquisate doesn't even have a main wife, yet he takes one concubine after another, even getting them pregnant?" Empress Shen's voice turned cold. "A Commander of the third rank, taking concubines during national mourning, drinking and frequenting courtesans all day, and getting into a massive brawl over a singing girl, severely injuring someone—how is he any different from a street thug?"

Mo Yingqi listened from the side, watching Xu Fengzhang through the thin curtain. Although Xu Fengzhang was kneeling, his fists were clenched and his eyes were wide, looking utterly defiant.

"This person is truly beyond saving..."

Mo Yingqi couldn't help but sigh softly. It wasn't pity for Xu Fengzhang—if he died, he deserved it. Mo Yingqi merely regretted that the descendant of a founding marshal could be so worthless. As an outsider, he felt shame on behalf of Xu Fengzhang's ancestors.

The Empress's reprimand was entirely reasonable, but judging by his posture, the Young Marquis clearly didn't think he was wrong; instead, he looked as if the Empress had no right to criticize him.

Mo Yingqi even suspected that if the Empress said a few more words, this man might dare to contradict her directly.

Mo Yingqi could see this subtle reaction, and Empress Shen naturally could too. Luo Yongan and Luo Yongning, however, didn't see it because they didn't care at all; the two sisters' gaze was entirely focused on Mo Yingqi.

"Your Majesty, my son is indeed foolish, but I beg Your Majesty to consider my husband's many years of service to the nation. Please intercede for us. Any punishment will suffice, whether it be docking his salary or demoting him, we accept it all. Just, please, please don't send him to the Imperial Prison!"

As Madam Zou spoke, tears streamed down her face uncontrollably. Mo Yingqi, unable to watch any longer, couldn't help but mutter: "A doting mother spoils the son..."

The voice was quiet, yet Xu Fengzhang and his mother heard it clearly. Xu Fengzhang now knew that Mo Yingqi was the Imperial Consort who had married two princesses at once. Thinking that he had almost been arrested by him and now had to lose face in front of him, Xu Fengzhang nearly stood up and began cursing him out.

"The Imperial Consort speaks correctly, Madam Xu, a doting mother spoils the son!" Empress Shen nodded in agreement. "Even when I was still a Princess Consort in the Princely Residence, I heard rumors of you and the Old Marquis spoiling your son excessively. You know the rule that the Inner Palace must not overly interfere with the affairs of the Outer Court. Moreover, your son has shown great disrespect to the Former Emperor, and the Grand Empress Dowager is already furious upon learning of this matter."

"Your Majesty's lesson is correct, but since the matter has already occurred, my husband and I only have this one sole heir to carry on the Xu Family lineage. Your Majesty, please speak on our behalf to the Grand Empress Dowager." Madam Zou remained unwilling to give up and bowed down again. "In the future, this servant will certainly teach him carefully and restrain him strictly!"

"If he could truly change, he would have done so long ago. Why wait until today?" Luo Yongning scoffed. "Does Madam Xu truly not know what reputation her son has in the capital? If the sole heir of a Marquisate can be treated so leniently—lifted high and set down gently—then does this realm belong to the Luo family or the Xu Family?"

"Second Princess, Second Princess, you jest!" Madam Zou forced herself to smile. "This realm naturally belongs to The Emperor. It's just that the Xu Family followed the Founding Emperor in campaigns across the land, and the Xu lineage has held important military positions for generations. If not for merit, at least for hardship endured..."

She paused, gritted her teeth, and continued: "At the very least, please consider that the Xu Family holds the iron certificate of immunity personally bestowed by the Founding Emperor, and ask Your Majesty, The Emperor, and the Grand Empress Dowager to plead for leniency for this useless, rebellious son of mine!"

Mo Yingqi was not surprised. For the Xu Family, the iron certificate of immunity was not just a symbol of status; it also granted them certain privileges. Although it couldn't exempt them from capital punishment, as long as the offense wasn't too severe, some crimes could be exempted using the iron certificate of immunity.

But The Emperor actually hoped their family would use the iron certificate of immunity. Xu Fengzhang's recent fiasco resulted in him being cornered by the Pacification Bureau at Yunmeng Terrace and almost thrown into the Imperial Prison.

Leaving aside the absurdity during the national mourning period, if the Pacification Bureau were to directly investigate his past petty and despicable deeds in the capital, Xu Fengzhang would likely be taken straight to the Execution Ground, let alone the Imperial Prison!

However, if the Xu Family uses the iron certificate of immunity, The Emperor can pardon Xu Fengzhang and won't revoke their noble title, but the Xu Family's prestige would be utterly ruined without The Emperor even needing to intervene.

This matter is essentially a choice between two options. The Emperor cannot disregard the Grand Empress Dowager, nor can he disregard all the soldiers of the Daxing Dynasty, and that reason alone is sufficient.

Even if the iron certificate of immunity is used, Xu Fengzhang might avoid the Imperial Prison and escape punishment, but the Xu Family's military power would have to be surrendered. They might not have to surrender all of it, but in that case, neutralizing the Xu Family would just be a matter of time.

Furthermore, ever since Xu Fengzhang started following his father, the troops under the Marquis of Anding have been quite dissatisfied. Although Xu Fengzhang is skilled in warfare and truly earned his position as Commander based on his abilities, he is arrogant and conceited, and his character is extremely vile. Not to mention, he even committed illicit affairs with others while in the military camp.

Using the iron certificate of immunity is equivalent to openly bending the law for personal gain. If the son is protected, The Emperor must provide an explanation to the soldiers and the Grand Empress Dowager, and the only way to do that is to make an example of the Xu Family.

The iron certificate of immunity is not omnipotent. The Founding Emperor was not foolish; when he first granted it to the Xu Family, he mentioned that it should not be used lightly unless absolutely necessary. If a descendant commits a crime, even though the iron certificate of immunity can protect them from punishment, the Xu Family must also handle the matter appropriately.

Simply put, you can't be given a golden token of immunity and then act without restraint. Wouldn't you take advantage of every good thing then?

The Xu Family members simply don't understand this principle, but Grand Chancellor Zhou has probably seen it clearly. Therefore, when Madam Zou came to plead, although she mentioned the iron certificate of immunity, she did not explicitly say she would use it to save Xu Fengzhang.

"I repeat, speaking to me is meaningless." Empress Shen maintained a composed demeanor. "The fact that your son is still able to accompany you here is already an act of grace outside the law granted by His Majesty. Otherwise, your son would likely be undergoing torture in the Imperial Prison right now. Madam Xu, go back. If your family insists on protecting your son, you can return home, have the Marquis of Anding request the iron certificate of immunity, and use it to save him with His Majesty."

"Your Majesty, this..."

Before Madam Zou could finish, Xu Fengzhang, that short fuse, actually raised his head and glared fiercely at Her Majesty the Empress. Then, gritting his teeth, he said something Mo Yingqi hadn't expected: "If my Xu Family ancestors hadn't fought and bled, Your Majesty probably wouldn't be sitting on the Empress's throne right now!"

Good heavens... Mo Yingqi couldn't help but roll his eyes. If the Xu Family has reached this generation, it truly deserves to fall!

Empress Shen was not angered; she merely smiled faintly: "The Young Marquis speaks correctly. Your ancestor followed the Founding Emperor in his uprising and rendered great service... But what does that have to do with you? Your Xu Family has relied on ancestral blessings for many years, yet produced an unfilial, disloyal, and disrespectful beast like you. If your ancestor were still alive, he would probably kill you with his own hands rather than let you embarrass yourself here!"

"Madam Xu, don't waste any more breath. You can go home now and ask the Marquis of Anding to produce the iron certificate of immunity. However, since your 'fine son' has insulted the current Empress in this manner, I think rewarding him with forty strokes of the rod is not excessive, is it?"