At dawn, the sky began to lighten, and a faint chill filled the air.

Tiny dewdrops clung to the leaves, and a moist scent mingled with the fragrance of flowers and grass wafted over.

"Girl, are we going to stay here forever?" Fu Xia asked, her eyes red, as she helped Shen Yunjiao out of the car.

At this moment, they are surrounded by green mountains and clear waters, red walls and green tiles, and a winding stone path with trimmed bushes on both sides, leading the pilgrims step by step into the quiet Taoist temple.

Shen Yunjiao patted Fuxia's shoulder, and just as she was about to speak, Fuxia's tears fell, "Miss, why is the Empress Dowager like this..."

They actually locked the girl up in a place like this.

"Since we're here, let's make the best of it," Shen Yunjiao comforted her, patting her head. "Let's go."

The place they came to became Xuanzhen Temple, located halfway up Yandang Mountain outside the city.

Shen Yunjiao had heard from Granny Lin that this Taoist temple was a century-old temple, and that it was always packed with worshippers on the first and fifteenth of each lunar month, making it a very popular place of worship.

However, there is a Qingxin Pavilion in this Taoist temple, where noble ladies who have committed crimes live.

Those whose family members couldn't or didn't want to manage would be sent to Qingxin Pavilion, ostensibly for "self-cultivation," but in reality, it was another form of confinement.

Shen Yunjiao was ordered by the Empress Dowager to be escorted here yesterday.

Recalling yesterday's events, Shen Yunjiao felt as if she had lived through another world.

She was woken up by a basin of water.

When she woke up, Shen Yunjiao was surprised to find that her hands and feet were bound again. She was lying on the cold floor, surrounded by kneeling palace maids.

There were two people in front of her: the Empress Dowager and Xiao Huaijin.

A young palace maid, tears streaming down her face, said, "...It was indeed Miss Shen who seduced His Majesty."

Shen Yunjiao was puzzled. What did he mean by seducing His Majesty?

She looked at Xiao Huaijin blankly and found that although he was sitting there, he seemed to be shrouded in indifference.

Before Shen Yunjiao could even react, she heard him say in a low and calm voice, "I leave it to Grandmother to decide."

After that, Xiao Huaijin got up and took his leave.

As he passed by Shen Yunjiao, his face was calm to the point of indifference, and the look he gave her was devoid of any emotion.

Shen Yunjiao's heart turned ice-cold, and she began to have difficulty breathing.

The aftereffects of being poisoned by Gu have begun.

Xiao Huaijin indeed did not remember him.

Shen Yunjiao opened her mouth and called out very softly, "Xiao Huaijin".

Just as Xiao Huaijin stepped over the threshold, he heard the woman sitting on the ground call out his name.

He suddenly stopped in his tracks.

A sudden throbbing pain shot through my forehead.

His memory is now a jumbled mess. How did he ascend the throne, from crown prince to emperor? And what is the current situation in the court?

There are many important matters that Xiao Huaijin still needs to clarify. A woman who wants to get into his bed is not worth his attention.

But why did Xiao Huaijin feel a strange sense of familiarity when she called his name?

Xiao Huaijin couldn't help but turn around. The pitiful woman on the ground, soaking wet, looked like a little bird attacked by a storm, helpless and fragile, which made him feel a little pity.

Seeing that Xiao Huaijin looked somewhat reluctant, Madam Xiao quickly rebuked him coldly, "How dare you call His Majesty's name so casually?" Then she looked at Xiao Huaijin with a kind expression, "Jin'er, you should go back and rest first. Your grandmother will take care of things here."

Xiao Huaijin's face returned to its indifferent expression, and he nodded, saying, "Although she has violated palace rules, she is still Lord Shen's younger sister, and Grandmother should not punish her too harshly."

His words were plain and simple, but Madam Xiao sensed a protective intent in them.

I wonder what kind of bewitching drug Shen Yunjiao gave her grandson!

Even though Jin'er has suddenly lost her memory, she still wants to protect this shameless woman.

A surge of anger rose within Xiao, but she kept it hidden on her face, still nodding with a smile and saying, "Of course, Your Majesty, rest assured."

Xiao Huaijin nodded, then turned his gaze away and walked out.

Nanfeng and Zhuye, who were standing beside him, kept turning around to look at Shen Yunjiao several times, looking as if they wanted to say something but hesitated.

But he then followed Xiao Huaijin and left.

When Shen Yunjiao saw Xiao Shi looking at her with a cold smile, she instantly understood what was going on.

She sat up straight, looked up at the cold and beautiful woman, Xiao, and said in a deep voice, "The Empress Dowager knows that His Majesty and I are in love, so why did she still accuse me of seducing His Majesty?"

"Shen Yunjiao." Madam Xiao sneered, slowly rising from the phoenix chair with the help of a palace maid. "How is this a frame-up? I have already thoroughly investigated your affairs outside the palace these past few days. Didn't you save Jin'er back then because you saw through his identity as the Crown Prince?"

"You saved him because you knew he was the Crown Prince, and you tried every means to make him fall in love with you, so that you could fight for a chance for your Shen family." A chill suddenly ran down Shen Yunjiao's spine.

How could the Xiao family know these things?

The fleeting guilt in Shen Yunjiao's eyes only strengthened Xiao's conviction in her own thoughts.

She had long known that this woman was no ordinary person. After secretly interrogating Jin'er's bodyguard, she learned about her past with Jin'er.

Who would have the time to go to the river to fish someone out?

This clearly confirms Shen Yunjiao's sinister intentions.

“Now that Jin’er has lost her memory, it’s just as well that she doesn’t remember you.” Madam Xiao walked to Shen Yunjiao’s side with a smile and said casually, “This way, I won’t have to worry about it.”

Shen Yunjiao stared intently at Madam Xiao and calmly asked, "Isn't the Empress Dowager afraid that His Majesty will regain his memories and blame you for what he's doing?"

"Hmph." Madam Xiao's eyes gradually turned cold. She slowly lifted Shen Yunjiao's chin with her nails painted with red nail polish and said, word by word, "Even if he hates me, for the sake of the Xiao family and for the sake of Dayong, I will never let him be with you."

Shen Yunjiao looked directly into her eyes and said slowly, "I hope the Empress Dowager will not regret this."

"I certainly won't regret letting Jin'er be with you. He will never be able to have an heir. How can his throne and our Xiao Dynasty be protected in that case?" After saying this through gritted teeth, Xiao Shi withdrew her hand and turned her back to Shen Yun Jiao, trying to calm down her inner turmoil.

"In the Empress Dowager's eyes, are offspring, power, and status more important than family ties?" Shen Yunjiao knew Xiao Shi's inner worries, yet she still poked at her sore spot. "This subject cannot guarantee whether His Majesty will regain his memory, but even if he doesn't remember me, he can learn about my past with him from others—"

"Impossible!" Madam Xiao arrogantly interrupted Shen Yunjiao, raising her chin and sneer, "Do you think I'm such a stupid person?"

"I have already taken care of everyone around Jin'er." Madam Xiao smiled contemptuously, sat back on the phoenix chair, picked up the jade ruyi presented by the palace maid, and slowly rolled it on her cheek.

"Not one of them dared to mention a single word about you to Jin'er."