79: But it's scrap metal...

Mo Yingqi was about to leave Luo Yongan and Luo Yongning to return to the office and the Imperial Prison when Ying Hong reported from outside the carriage: "The Two Highnesses, Imperial Son-in-Law, the Marquis of Anding has arrived."

"Ha, what was bound to come has come after all." Luo Yongan laughed. "Stop him, but let him come over."

"This... Your Highnesses, given his current state, I fear..."

Ying Hong hesitated. After all, Xu Fengzhang was now in the hands of Lu Qianyuan. Although she didn't know what deep hatred existed between the two, just looking at Lu Qianyuan's state, Ying Hong could guess that the once arrogant Young Marquis would likely lose a few pounds of flesh even if he didn't die today.

The once glorious Marquis of Anding was now like a beast about to lose its only cub. He was even capable of sending people to assassinate Mo Yingqi and the Luo sisters on their wedding day; who knew what other madness he might commit now?

"It's fine, let him come. With you all, and Yingqi here, he can do nothing to me and Yongning." As Luo Yongan said this, she leaned gently into Mo Yingqi's embrace. "We are still near the Pacification Bureau; I don't believe he can fly to the heavens."

"Should we be more careful?"

Mo Yingqi was still a bit concerned. It wasn't that he was afraid, but after all, a cornered beast will fight. No one knew if this old man, who had spoiled his son too much, would try to take one last bite.

"It's fine, it's fine, Yingqi. The old man is just a drowning dog now." Yongning said, playing with his fingers while holding his hand, not seeming to care much. "I can already guess what he wants to do. I even guess that this old man is probably ready to take the iron certificate of immunity and force his way into the Pacification Bureau to rescue his good son right now."

What Yongning said was truly... not wrong at all. At this moment, Marquis Anding's hair was disheveled, and he was holding a brocade box, brought to the outside of the carriage by several imperial guards.

However, Marquis Anding stared fixedly at the magnificent carriage, his hands holding the brocade box tightening involuntarily. Seeing this, Ying Hong frowned. Just as she was about to speak, Luo Yongan suddenly spoke from inside the carriage: "Let it be, Aunt Ying Hong, don't mind it. Marquis Xu's son is still suffering in the Imperial Prison, so it is inevitable that he has some resentment in his heart."

"Eldest Princess, do not take this old man for a fool!" Marquis Anding sneered. "I know my son is incompetent and that his situation is likely dire, but he hasn't been brought to trial yet. No matter how The Emperor feels, he cannot truly let my son die in the Imperial Prison, can he?"

"Otherwise? Marquis Xu, you had countless opportunities to choose between two options: either send him in voluntarily or use that thing in your hand to save his life." Luo Yongan's voice carried a hint of mockery and provocation. "People, when they want everything, end up with nothing."

"I admit my son is unruly and unbearable, but surely his crimes do not warrant this?" Marquis Anding was clearly still unwilling to give up. "My Xu Family, from the time of the Founding Emperor until now..."

"Stop saying things like that, Marquis Xu. You haven't said enough, but we are tired of hearing it." Yongning's voice suddenly rang out, interrupting him with a hint of impatience. "Every time it's about your family expanding the territory with the Founding Emperor, and every time it's about how you have no merit but have still worked hard. If I may say something unpleasant, if your ancestors were alive today, they would probably strangle you father and son with their own hands to avoid bringing all this trouble upon the Xu Family!"

The words on the tip of Marquis Anding's tongue were choked back by Yongning. Mo Yingqi forced himself not to laugh out loud. It was indeed like that; the Xu Family had once been infinitely glorious. Even though they had always been suppressed by the Shen Family, they still had outstanding military achievements; otherwise, they wouldn't have stood tall in the military for so many years.

But what about now? A dignified founding hero, the Marquis of Anding personally conferred by the Founding Emperor, now, apart from the phrase "My ancestors followed the Founding Emperor to conquer the world, and there is no merit but there is hard work," he couldn't say anything else.

It is said that the Shen Family stands alone in its glory. From Emperor Chengzhong to the current Emperor's accession, the Shen Family has been valued by three generations of monarchs. But the problem is, Emperor Chengzhong, the late Emperor, which one of them didn't treat everyone equally, giving opportunities to the Shen Family and also to his Xu Family?

The problem is, if you are given an opportunity and you can't grasp it, who can you blame? Not to mention when the late Emperor passed away, Marquis Anding knew clearly that the late Emperor's edict bequeathed the throne to The Emperor, yet while holding military power, he chose to watch from the sidelines.

No matter what you thought in your heart, the fact is this: when help was needed, you didn't come, and adding flowers to the brocade just makes people feel you are superfluous.

"Marquis, although Yongning and I are women, you should know that we are not ignorant of the affairs of the court." Luo Yongan said with a hint of teasing and sarcasm. "With the Pacification Bureau making such a big scene to arrest your good son, you should know that this is the intention of my Imperial Father. Otherwise, you shouldn't be bringing that iron certificate of immunity, which you treat like a treasure, to the Pacification Bureau, but rather going to the Golden Throne Hall to beg for my Imperial Father's mercy."

"Why bother? By now, I fear my Maternal Grandfather's people have long taken over your military power. Your trusted generals have either been dismissed or demoted. Oh, that's right, the one whose concubine your son seduced, he personally helped my Maternal Grandfather send people there; otherwise, my Imperial Father wouldn't have been able to hollow you out so quickly."

Hearing this, Marquis Anding suddenly raised his head, his body unable to stop trembling. Mo Yingqi was not surprised by any of this. No man could accept being cuckolded. Even if it wasn't his main wife, it was still his favorite concubine. And it just so happened that the man was the son of his direct superior, and this Old Marquis was overly partial to Xu Fengzhang.

"Don't be surprised. When you chose to side with your son and let your subordinate suffer this humiliation, you should have expected this day, shouldn't you?" In Luo Yongan's tone, the mockery became even stronger. "My Imperial Father has not given you any decree to this day. Actually, I can tell you why. You are still the Marquis of Anding, and on the day you die, you will still be buried with honors with your title..."

"In the past, the Founding Emperor promised that your family's title would not be stripped. Rest assured, my Imperial Father will not break the Founding Emperor's oath. It's just that your branch of the family should forget about it. After you die, this title will be passed on to descendants from a collateral branch of your family."

Among the collateral branches of the Xu Family, there were actually talented people; Ning Wuya had specifically selected one. Over the years, Marquis Anding could be said to have been paving the way for his son while secretly suppressing the collateral branches out of fear that a promising descendant would emerge from them.

Starting from the late Emperor, there were quite a few complaints about him, especially regarding his trouble-making son. A marquis family, and descendants of founding heroes, normally, if they didn't have to be moved, The Emperor wouldn't want to. However, this father and son had already made the late Emperor and The Emperor completely unable to tolerate them.

Marquis Anding knew this point, and he also knew that if his son really went too far, The Emperor would likely intervene personally in the inheritance of the title. But instead of restraining his son, this man actually relied on his high position and power to desperately suppress his collateral nephews and relatives.

These nephews and relatives either declined or became ill or injured. Only this talented one was discovered by Ning Wuya, who protected him in advance, arranged for him to take the imperial examinations, and even kept him by his side to personally instruct him.

"In any case, the title of Marquis of Anding is given to someone from the Xu Family, so who it is given to doesn't matter, right?" Yongning chuckled and took over her sister's words. "Even if your son can get out of the Imperial Prison, I fear he will either be paralyzed or insane. And you are of age now; even if you try to have another son... do you have the life left to raise him?"

"Or if you do raise him, will he become a second Xu Fengzhang? Old Marquis, save it. Go home, play chess, drink tea, and wait for death in peace. This court has nothing to do with you anymore, and the title of the Xu Family has nothing to do with you either."

"Also, stop clutching your iron certificate of immunity. To say something you won't like, this golden pardon of yours was given by the Founding Emperor. The Founding Emperor's surname was Luo; if the Luo family recognizes it, it is an iron certificate of immunity."

"If the Luo family doesn't recognize it, this thing... is nothing but a piece of scrap metal, scrap metal that no one would even want to use to level a table."