At first, when Hong Tianzong heard he was summoned to the palace, he was quite pleased.

He assumed it was because he had performed exceptionally well in the Wenyuan Pavilion yesterday, and the emperor had taken notice and wanted to grant him a position at the Songhe Academy. So he was extremely excited.

—That was the Songhe Academy after all!!!

It was not only once the top academy in the capital, but now it was directly under the Ministry of Rites and received such attention from the emperor. Its future prospects were obvious and unmatched anywhere else!

He knew that at his age he couldn't become the headmaster, but even just an assistant teacher or lecturer position would surely lead to a brilliant future!

So, with such excitement and elation, Hong Tianzong made his way to the palace.

However, although he thought he would have a direct audience with the emperor, the eunuch guide instead led him to the Palace of Benevolent Peace, saying the Empress Dowager wanted to see him.

Why did the Empress Dowager want to see him?

Hong Tianzong could only enter the hall in confusion, kneeling to pay his respects, "This humble subject pays respects to the Empress Dowager."

After he finished speaking, he heard the Empress Dowager ask, "Are you Hong Tianzong?"

Hong Tianzong honestly nodded, "Yes, I am."

"Very good."

The Empress Dowager then ordered to the side, "First give him twenty slaps for me."

What? What?

Hong Tianzong was stunned. Before he could react, he saw a burly eunuch immediately respond, walking over in a few steps, grabbing his collar, and raising his arm to start slapping.

In an instant, his face stung painfully, and the sound of slaps echoed through the hall like thunder.

However, it was accompanied by cries of anguish.

—Hong Tianzong had grown up pampered, when had he ever suffered like this? The eunuch's hands were large and forceful, each slap nearly knocking him unconscious. Of course he couldn't help but wail.

But it was twenty slaps!

With each one, Hong Tianzong was on the verge of passing out before being slapped awake again. After all twenty slaps were delivered, his cheeks were swollen like a pig's head, blood seeped from the corners of his mouth, his hair was disheveled, and he had completely lost his previous dignified appearance.

In pain, dizzy, and utterly confused, Hong Tianzong was both shocked and terrified. He could only hurriedly kneel and kowtow, "Your Highness, please spare me! This humble subject doesn't know how he has angered Your Highness, please show mercy!"

"You don't know how you've angered the Empress Dowager?"

Yanshu, who was accompanying the Empress Dowager, sneered and asked, "Do you know who your wife is?"

Wife?

Hong Tianzong paused, thought for a moment, and could only say, "My wife Chen Wanjun is from Nanping. She was once the niece of the Prince of Nanping..."

At this point, he thought the Empress Dowager still held a grudge over the Prince of Nanping's past rebellion, and he was suffering the consequences.

But he heard the Empress Dowager say coldly, "Since you know she has royal blood, how dare you use violence against her? What are your intentions?"

What, royal blood?

Hong Tianzong finally vaguely realized something was wrong, and hurriedly explained, "Please calm your anger, Your Highness. I have not used violence against my wife... it's just that couples sometimes have disagreements, and I accidentally hurt her..."

"Accidentally?"

The Empress Dowager sneered and said, "Wanjun, come out."

At these words, Chen Wanjun, who had been hiding in the inner chamber, finally dared to appear before Hong Tianzong.

However, she did not stand with him, but went to Yanshu's side.

By now she had changed into cool summer clothes, and the bruises on her neck and wrists were clearly visible.

Yanshu pointed at the injuries on her body and angrily questioned the kneeling Hong Tianzong, "You call this accidental? You really know how to talk. If someone were to treat you so 'accidentally', how would you feel?"

After she finished speaking, the Empress Dowager nodded and said, "Indeed. Someone come and choke him, let him taste what an 'accident' feels like."

...

Hong Tianzong paused, immediately begging, "Your Highness, please spare me..."

However, before he could finish speaking, he saw the eunuch who had slapped him earlier approach again, and without a word, reached out and grabbed him by the throat.

...

It was at this moment that Yuwen Lan entered the hall.

He looked around and saw the Empress Dowager sitting on a heated platform, with Yanshu standing beside her, along with a young lady who appeared to be quite young.

At this time, all three were watching the eunuch Zhao Laicheng choking Hong Tianzong in the middle of the hall.

Hong Tianzong was a scholar, not particularly robust, while Zhao Laicheng was one of the burliest men in the palace. At this moment, he seemed to be exerting little effort, yet Hong Tianzong's face was turning purple, his hands and feet flailing about.

Yuwen Lan, not yet understanding the situation, was startled and quickly asked, "What's going on here? What has happened?"

He heard Yanshu reply, "Your Majesty, this man has abused his wife, insulting royal blood. The Empress Dowager is punishing him."

"Punishing?"

Yuwen Lan quickly glanced at Hong Tianzong again.

Seeing his face was already bright red, he hurriedly said, "Mother, if this continues, I'm afraid it will be fatal."

Only then did the Empress Dowager instruct Zhao Laicheng, "Alright, let him catch his breath."

Zhao Laicheng complied and finally released his grip.

Hong Tianzong immediately fell to his knees with a thud, gasping for air, unable to say anything for a moment.

Yuwen Lan then asked the Empress Dowager again, "What exactly happened?"

The Empress Dowager looked at the Chen girl wiping away tears beside Yanshu, and said to the emperor, "This is the granddaughter of the Prince of Nanping, the daughter of the former Leping County Lord. Although her uncle caused trouble, resulting in her parents losing their titles, she is still of royal blood. This Hong Tianzong married her, but instead of cherishing her, he beats her frequently. If I hadn't discovered this when she came to the capital this time, wouldn't she have eventually died at the hands of this beast!"

After she finished speaking, Yanshu added from the side, "This man has the reputation of a scholar, yet his heart is so vicious. He should taste all the violent acts he inflicted on his wife! And after he's tasted them, he should be tried for the crime of great disrespect!"

The Empress Dowager nodded, "Indeed. Today the emperor is here to stop us, but who was there to stop him when he was beating his wife in their chambers?"

At these words, the Chen girl, overwhelmed with grievance, couldn't help but cry again.

Yuwen Lan finally understood and said to Hong Tianzong, "So you're just empty talent! How could you, a grown man, raise your hand against a weak woman, your own wife no less?"

Hong Tianzong, having slightly caught his breath, could only kneel and repeatedly kowtow, crying, "Please calm your anger, Your Majesty, Your Highness. This humble subject knows his mistake..."

Yanshu snorted and said, "You wouldn't know your mistake if we didn't beat you! As the saying goes, 'If a child is not taught, it is the father's fault.' If his parents knew about this and did not restrain him, they are just as detestable."

The Empress Dowager nodded, "How could his parents not know that their daughter-in-law was being beaten by their son every day? When I asked Wanjun earlier why she was wearing thick clothes, that Madam Wang still tried to deceive me, saying Wanjun was afraid of the cold, trying to cover up her son's crimes."

Yanshu quickly said, "Isn't that the crime of concealment? They shouldn't be spared either!"

The Empress Dowager nodded again and said to Yuwen Lan, "This child's mother is Your Majesty's eldest cousin. As her uncle, Your Majesty should rightfully stand up for her."

Yuwen Lan nodded and said, "Mother's words are most correct. Come, summon Hong Tianzong's parents for an audience!"

As soon as he finished speaking, someone outside immediately responded and quickly went to find them.

Before long, the Hong couple arrived at the Palace of Benevolent Peace.

At this time, Hong Tianzong was still kneeling on the ground, his face swollen like a pig's head, his neck also red and swollen, looking utterly miserable. The Hong couple noticed him at a glance.

Shocked, after paying their respects to the emperor and the others, Madam Wang immediately asked, "What... happened to Tianzong?"

In an instant, she was already in tears from distress.

The Empress Dowager said coldly, "Your son abused his wife, who is of royal blood. You, as his mother, knew about it but did nothing. Today, I merely let him have a small taste of the violence he inflicted on his wife, and you're already this heartbroken. I wonder, when his wife suffered at his hands, how could you stand by and watch coldly? Is your own flesh and blood human, while others' are not?"

Hearing this, Madam Wang trembled and could only cry and kowtow, saying, "This humble woman knows her crime! It's all my fault, please punish me, Your Highness, and spare Tianzong..."

Yanshu shook her head.

—Spoiling her son to this extent and still wanting to protect him, this old woman was beyond help!

Seeing this situation, Hong Yusheng, the father, also hurriedly knelt and said, "This is all due to my failure to manage my household properly. From now on, I will certainly discipline my unworthy son well and ensure that our daughter-in-law never suffers even the slightest grievance again. Please, Your Majesty, Your Highness, give my unworthy son another chance."

The Empress Dowager spoke again, "The situation has indeed been caused by your lax household management, but the crime of abusing imperial blood relatives is not something that I or the Emperor can easily forgive."

Yanshu also chimed in, "Indeed, what about the future? Once such violence begins, it can never be completely eradicated. I implore Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager to have mercy on Wanjun and not let her return to the Hong family."

Yuwen Lan nodded, saying, "Mother and Consort Yi speak wisely. Since this involves imperial blood relatives, let's hand it over to the Imperial Clan Court. If we treat this matter lightly, where will the imperial family's dignity stand in the future? As for Wanjun, I will soon have a divorce decree issued, annulling your marriage."

Upon hearing this, Chen Wanjun immediately knelt down in tears, kowtowing, "Thank you for Your Majesty's grace, thank you for Your Majesty's grace."

Yanshu also quickly smiled and said, "Your Majesty is wise."

The Empress Dowager nodded and said, "Your Majesty is wise." She then added, "When he's at the Imperial Clan Court, have someone give Hong Tianzong fifty more slaps, with his parents watching. They are not allowed to look away. Let them taste that feeling too. After all, without knowing pain, one cannot repent."

As soon as she finished speaking, Yanshu almost applauded, sincerely admiring, "Your Highness is wise!"

Yuwen Lan: "...Mother's words are most appropriate."

Tsk, serves that boy right for crossing the line.

He truly deserves a beating.

After sending the Hong family of three to the Imperial Clan Court, Wanjun temporarily stayed in the palace.

Upon hearing the news, the Grand Princess also brought her daughter, the Ankang county lord, to visit.

Seeing the wounds on Wanjun's body, the Grand Princess, as her great-aunt, couldn't help but embrace her and cry for a while.

"What a sin, what a sin! She's a descendant of the founding emperor, how could she be treated like this!"

The Ankang county lord also couldn't help but shed tears beside them.

Chen Wanjun also buried herself in her great-aunt's arms and began to cry.

The Empress Dowager said, "Alright, fortunately, it was discovered in time. That wicked family is awaiting their just deserts. Now that Wanjun has a divorce decree, she's a free woman, which is a good thing. Now we just need to think about what she should do in the future."

The Grand Princess wiped her tears and nodded, "To have married our girl to such a person, I think she can't go back to her father's side. Why not stay in the capital? At least she'll have my protection and that of the Empress Dowager."

Chen Wanjun nodded tearfully, "I'll listen to my elders."

The Ankang county lord said, "Your mother and I were cousins. I remember when we were young, she would take me to play. Though she's gone now, I'm still here. If you don't mind, you could recognize me as your adoptive mother, and I'll protect you from now on."

Hearing this, Yanshu's eyes lit up.

— This idea is excellent.

Although the Empress Dowager has the right to bestow titles on women, the Chen family had been implicated in the Nanping Prince's affair and had their titles stripped, so it wouldn't be appropriate to do so for Chen Wanjun.

But if she were adopted by the Ankang county lord, it would be reasonable in every aspect, and she wouldn't be looked down upon.

The Grand Princess quickly nodded, "That's wonderful. From now on, she'll be my granddaughter. How could she worry about not finding a good match? If she doesn't want to marry again, I can support her."

Wanjun was already too moved for words, she could only cry, "Thank you, Great-aunt, thank you, Aunt..."

The Empress Dowager then said, "With Ankang's name to rely on, I will also bestow three estates and one residence to Wanjun. In the future, she can provide for herself. You just need to take care of her outside the palace. Just one thing, don't let anyone from the Hong family or Chen family harass her."

The Grand Princess and the Ankang county lord both agreed.

Chen Wanjun knelt down again to express her gratitude.

— She once thought she would die at the hands of Hong Tianzong, but now she finally had a chance at life again.

With matters settled, Chen Wanjun left the palace with the Grand Princess and her daughter.

Yanshu bid farewell to the Empress Dowager, and upon returning to Ganlu Palace, immediately began writing a story.

Hmph, just getting beaten isn't enough for that violent scoundrel, he needs to be socially ruined too!