Transmigration: The Main Character is Not Becoming the Cannon Fodder!-Chapter 184 - 2: Conflict Between Legitimate and Illegitimate Children (Part 2)

Chapter 184: Chapter 2: Conflict Between Legitimate and Illegitimate Children (Part 2)

Although An Xin is good-tempered, she would not watch Li Shumeng step on Li Shuning.

An Xin directly transferred a few maids who had served Li Shumeng since childhood away and started preparing the dowry for Li Shuning. Whether Li Shumeng had figured it out or not, she stopped making trouble.

After all, no matter how proud she was, she was still not married yet, and it was easy for her legitimate mother to pinch her.

Li Shuning married the Fifth Prince, but the Fifth Prince treated her very well. He cherished her, this wife who did not despise him.

However, the world is unpredictable as the Emperor becomes increasingly aged; some other Princes started to stir restlessly.

The Emperor favored the Third Prince the most, naturally giving birth to some other thoughts in the Third Prince.

When the Third Prince’s men secretly poisoned the Crown Prince, nearly leading to his death, the Empress panicked and immediately launched a counterattack. During a hunt, the Third Prince unexpectedly fell from his horse, suffered severe injuries, and although he was saved, his foot was crippled, and his face destroyed.

No matter the dynasty, how could a disabled prince become Emperor?

Because of this, the Third Prince languished, staying at home daily without going out.

The Emperor, who liked the Third Prince the most, naturally knew about the Third Prince’s little maneuvers.

Although he did not like such strife among his sons, at least the Crown Prince ended up unharmed. However, the actions of the Empress were somewhat excessive, turning the Third Prince into such a wreck; did the Empress still have him, the Emperor, in her eyes?

The Empress’s phoenix seal was directly confiscated by the Emperor and even his attitude towards the Crown Prince became lukewarm.

The other Princes saw an opportunity and started fighting even more fiercely.

Seeing that the Emperor was getting better with the other Princes, the Empress’s mindset broke down.

She arranged for someone to contact her natal family, planning a rebellion.

The Emperor was already aging, and her son was originally the Crown Prince.

As long as the Emperor died, the throne would naturally belong to her son.

As a nephew, Duke Dingguo did not really want to do such a thing but couldn’t just watch his relatives become the losers in this struggle.

Leading his troops, Duke Dingguo stormed into the Imperial Palace, intending to control the Emperor. Yet, the Empress suddenly lost control, killing off the Second Prince, Fourth Prince, and Sixth Prince.

Only the Fifth Prince, who remained as inconspicuous all these years, although married to Li Shuning, posed no real threat, was forcefully overlooked.

In that palace coup, many people died.

No one knew that Li Gui unexpectedly had a group of Hidden Guards. After Duke Dingguo stormed the Imperial Palace, Li Gui led the Hidden Guards through secret palace paths, entering the palace to protect the Emperor, and even captured the Crown Prince.

Duke Dingguo was indeed a talent; even though Li Gui and his Hidden Guards were there, the Emperor was almost seized by Duke Dingguo. If it wasn’t for Li Gui holding onto the Crown Prince, the Emperor’s position would probably be unstable.

When the Emperor discovered that his other sons were actually killed by the Empress, he was so enraged he almost went mad. As he threw things, an inkstone smashed directly onto the Crown Prince’s head, killing him instantly.

Upon learning of the Crown Prince’s death, the Empress was directly stunned. At this time, Li Shuning and the Fifth Prince also rushed over upon hearing the news, accompanied by several guards. Those were the same guards whom Duke Dingguo had purposely dispatched away, yet the Fifth Prince managed to gather them back. Realizing something was wrong, Duke Dingguo intended to strike the Emperor, but unexpectedly, it was Li Gui who saved the situation by shielding the Emperor. Li Gui, however, was seriously injured.

The Fifth Prince, though often invisible, had learned to hide himself from a young age, and in truth, his martial arts skills were quite good.

The Fifth Prince directly fought with Duke Dingguo. Together with the relentless pester of the Hidden Guards, Duke Dingguo was ultimately captured.

The great Great Xia Dynasty, with so many Princes, all slaughtered; after this incident, the Emperor grew even older.

He had only one son left, so naturally, the Fifth Prince rightfully became the Crown Prince.

Li Shuning naturally became the Crown Princess Consort.

Duke Dingguo was imprisoned.

But the Duke Dingguo’s wife, Li Shumeng, was not arrested.

The Emperor still remembered that this marriage was of his doing.

And his old companion was heavily injured protecting him.

Li Gui didn’t hold on, after three days, he passed away.

The Emperor cried several times over this.

Duke Dingguo was executed for treason, beheaded at the ax market.

Li Shumeng was sent to Qingshan Temple.

The whole book showcases the different interesting events around Li Shuning and the Fifth Prince, highlighting Li Shuning’s wisdom and various aspects, along with how the Fifth Prince doted on her.

It’s difficult to cater to all tastes; some people found the book entertaining, while others found it unappealing.

A woman ridiculed this setup.

She thought the concubine-born daughter was pitiful. She had done nothing wrong, yet from a young age, she had to grow old accompanying ancient Buddha with an oil lamp, which was really unbearable to watch.

Unexpectedly, that woman entered the book and became that concubine-born daughter.

Upon realizing she had become the concubine-born daughter, the woman was quite excited, intent on changing the concubine-born daughter’s fate.

But since, after all, she and that concubine-born daughter were not from the same era, some actions, which might be fine in her own time, were considered shameful at that time, even attracting the attention of the old matron of the Li Family, leading to her being put under house arrest and even subjected to family punishment once.

The woman, who had never suffered before, perhaps darkened after being subjected to family punishment, in pain, yet required to kneel in the ancestral hall.

After being released, Li Shumeng changed. She was no longer sharp, no longer provocative, but became more obedient.

She thought Li Shuning was hypocritical. Clearly, she ended up as an Empress, a winner in life, capable of rescuing her, yet she did not. She never thought that, in this era, having been married and being the Duchess of Dingguo, besides the life under an oil lamp before the Buddha, what other paths would there be?

If a woman stayed outside, she’d be noticed by men with ill intentions, and the outcome would likely be worse.

And wanting to remarry, any slightly reputable family wouldn’t accept her, unless marrying a merchant or unknown commoner, which the Li Family certainly wouldn’t agree to.

Li Shumeng intended to seize Li Shuning’s marriage, then have Li Shuning marry the Duke Dingguo instead.

By then, Li Shuning would also taste that despair.

She had read the book several times and remembered the timing of the events in the storyline.

For months before Li Gui entered the palace, Li Shumeng behaved very well and quietly bribed some people.

Li Gui had his own think tank.

Before entering the palace, the think tank analyzed that the Emperor should be concerned with the Fifth Prince’s marriage, as the Emperor had recently gotten angry over the matter. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Someone suggested Li Gui directly propose his legitimate granddaughter, while others advised against losing a legitimate granddaughter for a Fifth Prince, as a legitimate granddaughter’s value was tremendous, especially for future alliances.

Li Gui had two granddaughters. Why not propose having two granddaughters? What if the Emperor thinks the concubine-born one is also fine? Of course, the one saying this was exactly who Li Shumeng had bribed.

Li Shumeng, having read the book numerous times, remembered clearly many characters’ preferences in the book. Knowing the right approach, one could indeed bribe a person.