"Ning Changxi is my Empress. Where are you taking her? If others find out, how will I save face?"

“No one else will know,” Ning Hong said in a low voice. “Your Majesty can tell the public that Changxi has passed away.”

An empress who has long been banished to the cold palace is certainly incapable of causing any disturbance.

Those ministers might utter a few words of lament, but they would then try every means to send their daughters into the palace to vie for the position of Empress. Especially now, when the Emperor has no heir.

"you……"

"Your Majesty, please spare Changxi's life, considering how much I have devoted myself to serving you over the years."

"I didn't intend to kill her." Song Zhuo's expression grew even more grim. "I just wanted to teach her a lesson." It was her fault for opposing Su Yuan.

They kept saying that Su Yuan was wrong.

Su Yuan is such a good person; she has always spoken up for her, but she doesn't appreciate it at all.

"Your Majesty, you're not stupid anymore. What good can a deposed empress get by staying in the cold palace?"

Ning Hong said coldly.

"Please rest assured, Your Majesty, after I take her away, I will never allow Ning Changxi to appear in the capital again, and it will absolutely not affect Your Majesty's reputation."

"If you're leaving, then...then Ning Zixi—"

“We’re already divorced, and I’ll take him with me. The Duke of Wei’s mansion will cease to exist.” Ning Hong said calmly, her voice serene, yet it made Song Zhuo’s heart clench with anxiety.

He spent most of his childhood in the Duke of Wei's mansion. Now that the Duke of Wei's mansion is gone, what about him—

I don't know why, but I suddenly feel a little sad.

I even had an urge to admit my mistake.

But when he thought of Su Yuan, the inexplicable emotions he had just felt were suppressed again.

Is what the Duke of Wei said true?

"It couldn't be more real."

"Very well, I will grant your wish and allow you to take Ning Changxi away."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

The Cold Palace was located in the most remote corner of the palace. It was truly ironic that both women from the Ning family had been assigned to the most remote corner by their husbands' families.

Whether it's Ning Zixi or Ning Changxi.

"Your Majesty, why don't you eat some more?"

From the day she moved into the Cold Palace, the Empress's appetite had never been very good.

Sometimes she could barely eat a few bites of food all day, which was really worrying. In just this short period of time, the Empress lost a lot of weight.

"I'm not hungry." Ning Changxi shook his head.

She wasn't actually the kind of person who put emotions first; she was just a woman. If the emperor really liked her, he could bring her into the palace.

There wasn't just one woman in the harem. The emperor had three palaces and six courtyards; she had long been prepared.

She simply couldn't stand this woman.

Knowing full well that the Emperor liked her, she not only seduced the Emperor but also became entangled with her uncle.

Most importantly, even her father couldn't resist her charm.

This was the thing she couldn't stand the most.

"Sigh..." I wonder how her father and aunt are doing now?

"Your Highness—" the maid gritted her teeth, "Please eat a little bit."

"I really can't eat anymore, please take this away!"

"Changxi, what did your father say to you before?"

"Father?" Upon hearing Ning Hongze's voice, Ning Changxi's eyes widened instantly, and he looked up. "Father, what brings you here?"

"I've come to take you out of the palace and home."

"Leave the palace? Father, are you joking? How could that be possible? The Emperor will not allow me to leave the palace. He can't afford to lose face like that."

It must be said that Ning Changxi understands Song Zhuo quite well.

They were childhood sweethearts who grew up together.

She could guess Song Zhuo's dilemma even with her eyes closed.

"It's true, His Majesty has agreed," Ning Hong said with a smile.

"Father, what have you sacrificed?" Ning Changxi's expression changed drastically, his already pale face turning even paler.

"It's nothing, just the title of Duke."

“Father…” Ning Changxi looked at her father in astonishment, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably.

"Father, my mother will never forgive me." It was she who caused her father to lose his title. Her father had suffered so much, fighting in the east and north, to obtain this title. Now that he should be enjoying his retirement, he has lost his title.

"Why are you crying? What's there to cry about?" Ning Hong took out a handkerchief and wiped the tears from her face. "Why wouldn't I forgive you? You are my true treasure, and I believe your mother thinks so too."

"But—if I had known, I wouldn't have married him in the first place. If I hadn't entered the palace, Father wouldn't be in such a difficult position."

"If you don't marry him, who will you marry? Oh, right, there's also that hothead Xing Feng." Ning Hong's eyes showed a hint of regret when Xing Feng was mentioned.

If Ning Changxi had married Xing Feng back then, she would probably be in a much better situation than she is now.

"Father, don't talk nonsense. Xing Feng and I are not like that."

"Then don't think too much about it. Since things have come to this, we can just go back to the countryside and farm."

"Dad, do you know how to farm?"

"I'm not very good at it, but that's okay, Daddy can learn!"

"That's not an easy thing to do."

Ning Hong spoke to her while instructing the maid to tidy up her things.

He remained in the Cold Palace until dusk, when he took advantage of the absence of others and left the palace with Ning Changxi.

From now on, Ning Changxi will no longer exist in this palace.

There will never be another Duke of Wei in this capital city.

"Did they really say that just now?"

Song Zhuo paused, his hand holding the cup, and his face darkened instantly.

"Yes, this servant heard it clearly."

The eunuch's face held a hint of mockery. "The Duke of Wei said he's taking the Empress—oh, no, the former Empress—back to her hometown to farm."

This is truly laughable; the Empress and the Duke have fallen to such a state—

"Did the Duke of Wei really mention punishment and fiefdom?"

"Is this... real?"

"I knew it would turn out this way."

What does it mean to say "never again"? What does it mean to say "Ning Changxi will never be allowed to appear in the capital again"? It's clearly a deliberate act of going to find Xing Feng.

Xing Feng was the son of Lu Wang, the only non-royal prince in the Tang Dynasty. Lu Wang's fiefdom was in the Sichuan region.

Prince Lu and the late emperor had always had a friendly relationship, and he would often come to the capital for a short stay.

He also frequently brought criminal documents into the capital.

He, Xing Feng, and Chang Xi often spent time together.

Although Xing Feng never said it aloud, she could tell that Xing Feng had always liked Ning Changxi very much.

This made him feel a sense of crisis.

Therefore, he immediately asked the Duke of Wei for a marriage proposal.

In his heart, his only empress was Ning Changxi, and the only person Ning Changxi could marry was him.

However, he personally deposed her and even agreed to let the Duke of Wei take her away—

Where could she go?

Song Zhuo's eyes grew even colder.

Don't even think about abandoning him to go find Xing Feng.