Later, the young lady learned from her family that the talented man had already married and had children. She was saddened and disappointed, and denounced the man for being heartless.

Several years later, the woman learned that the man and his wife had been murdered and all their property had been seized. They only had one son, who was as intelligent as the talented man and could understand things very quickly. However, due to the death of his parents and the betrayal of his clan and former subordinates, the talented man's son fell into the clutches of bandits.

The young lady suspected that the mastermind behind the massacre of the scholar's family was either the emperor or her own brother, and she hated her family members.

They brought this child back from the bandit's den and devoted all their efforts to raising and caring for him, treating him better than their own son.

But she lied, telling the scholar's son: "Your father was killed by the Great Gan Emperor because he seized the treasure your father possessed for restoring the kingdom..."

At this point in the story, not only did Dongqin collapse, but Madam Xie and Xie Anfeng also collapsed to the ground, and even Emperor Hui was somewhat on the verge of collapse.

He didn't know how Zhou Shaoyu had uncovered these secrets.

But he knew that all the main and supporting characters in this story, except for the deceased male protagonist, were here.

Empress Xie clutched her chest; crying could no longer express her grief.

The story is about her and Dongfang Qingran; she is that young lady from a prominent family!

Zhou Shaoyu's investigation was inaccurate, or perhaps to save face for Emperor Hui, he did not tell the true story.

She wasn't chosen through a selection process to enter the palace; she was directly appointed Consort Xi by Emperor Hui with a single imperial decree.

Little did she know that she had already fallen in love with Dongfang Qingran at first sight and they were passionately in love in private.

However, how could a large family like the Xie family allow their eldest daughter to marry a prince exiled from another country?

A mere label of "treason" could wipe out the entire Xie family!

The two knelt before Madam Xie, begging for her blessing, until their heads were bleeding from kowtowing.

Madam Xie cried, "Xi'er, your mother loves you dearly, but I must protect the entire clan even more. His Majesty has already issued an edict. If you do not enter the palace, how can the Xie clan bear the responsibility of defying the imperial decree?"

Her beloved elder brother ruthlessly drove Dongfang Qingran out of Daqian, and her loving mother personally escorted her to the palace in a sedan chair.

She entered the palace, and he turned to dust.

Heartlessness is not as painful as being deeply in love; even a single inch of longing can turn into a thousand threads of sorrow. The ends of the earth may be reached, but the longing for you has no end.