Lin Guijun still didn't know what she had done wrong.

Just as bewildered as when he was kicked by the Empress.

He hadn't even said anything yet, so how did he incur the Empress's dislike and even lose his position as the Noble Consort?

Lin Guijun felt his blood run cold. He hadn't expected the Empress to be so ruthless towards him, nor had he expected her to treat him like this.

The past affection seemed like a bubble, vanishing without a trace. He was mercilessly pinned to the ground by many palace servants, desperately calling out to the Empress, only to be met with a cold, indifferent back. More than the fear of being rejected by the Empress was the bone-chilling coldness that followed seeing the blatant mockery and sarcasm in the servants' eyes. He had been demoted to a palace servant, and in full view of everyone; now that everyone knew he was disliked by the Empress, what awaited him?

In this palace, he had no outside support; only the Empress's favor allowed him to stand at the top.

But what should he do when the emperor's favor is gone?

Even now, Lin Guijun still doesn't know what exactly she did that made the Empress dislike her.

He was already old, and because he had been haggard and weak lately, he was too weak to resist when he was roughly pressed to the ground.

The empress's order was to strip him of his clothes, and he was indeed stripped naked without any dignity, left to cower on the ground in only his undergarments.

His graying hair could not be held up by the jade crown, so it fell to the ground, mixed with the dirt and became somewhat dirty. The exclamations and laughter of the palace servants made him realize his wretchedness and old age.

As a palace servant who had lost the emperor's favor, his former glory had long been forgotten. He was dragged and abandoned in a remote palace because he was no longer a noble prince and had no right to live in the once splendid and luxurious palace.

Consort Lin lay prostrate on the ground. He had offended too many people when he was favored, so naturally, countless former enemies came to mock and ridicule him when he fell from grace, only giving him a little space after looking him over. However, the secrets within the palace were only revealed that night.

"What did you do?" The eldest princess was having dinner with her younger sister and future brother-in-law today when she heard that Consort Lin had been deposed. She asked with some complicated feelings.

Shen Wangshu tilted her head, revealing a pure and innocent gaze.

Fang Xuan was picking fish bones out of her, and once he had picked them out, he would pick up the tender white fish meat and feed it to his lover.

Princess Luan showed no embarrassment whatsoever, taking half a bite as if it were the most natural thing in the world. She then gently pushed the other half towards Fang Xuan, saying softly, "Ah Xuan, you eat too." Seeing the man silently eat, she quickly leaned closer and asked with a smile, "I even left you half. Aren't I good to you?"

Her smile was sly and bright, but the eldest princess found it utterly shameless. She covered her face tightly and remained silent for a moment before letting out a soft sigh. "Don't change the subject," she said with some complicated emotions. "Last night, the Empress summoned me to the palace... Did you talk to her about Father?"

“The living can’t win against the dead.” Shen Wangshu leaned over and kissed Fang Xuan’s cheek, then turned her head and gave him a gentle smile.

But that smile sent chills down one's spine.

The eldest princess looked at her younger sister and said worriedly, "Don't take such risky methods in the future. What if Mother Empress gets angry with you?"

"You've angered me? Fine, lock me up then. I'll wait until you ascend the throne, and I'm a good woman anyway."

"Try to turn me gay."

Shen Wangshu was not worried about falling out of favor.

The second princess actually has no real skills and is no match for the first princess. Even if the empress despises her, as long as the first princess is around, she will live a life of luxury.

But if the Empress had fallen for this, that would have been even better. Look at it now? Didn't Consort Lin get demoted?

Shen Wangshu smiled, thinking of something amusing, and said to the eldest princess with a hint of excitement, "Second Prince won't be able to sleep tonight."

The eldest princess looked at her younger sister, who was willing to do anything for her and didn't care about the empress's dislike, and couldn't help but have tears in her eyes. She murmured, "I will never leave you alone."

This was her younger sister, whom she had raised herself. Before Prince Xiao came into the picture, she was her only family. The effort and affection she poured into the Third Princess far surpassed that for her own daughter. She even doubted that she would ever love her own daughter as much as she loved the Third Princess. She once thought she had lost this sister, but heaven had mercy, she had returned to her side.

The eldest princess would give anything to have her return.

“Just don’t do that in the future. If His Majesty dislikes you, how will your sister feel? Ah Luan, you’re right, but you’ve forgotten your sister’s feelings,” Prince Xiao said gently from the side.

He looked at Shen Wangshu, who was slightly taken aback, and said gently, "Just like you, your sister doesn't want to see you get hurt in any way."

Shen Wangshu looked at the elegant and gentle man in front of her and nodded hesitantly.

"There are many ways to suppress the Second Princess; you don't need to take any risks."

Xiao Wangjun's sermon left Shen Wangshu with inexplicably complicated feelings.

"I just felt that this was the most appropriate way to do it."

"The most suitable, but not the most comforting." Seeing the awkward atmosphere at the table, King Xiao hurriedly called Fang Xuan to eat with him. He quickly offered Fang Xuan a plate of hibiscus chicken slices and asked with a smile, "How does it taste?"

Fang Xuan nodded silently.

"Although it looks, smells, and tastes delicious, it still can't compare to what your royal sister made by hand last time." Prince Xiao smiled elegantly, but he was clearly showing off.

"Why are you saying this!" The eldest princess, who had to cook in order to get into her bedroom to sleep, blushed.

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