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The spring breeze is warm and the Prince of E's Palace is decorated with lights and colorful lanterns. A special banquet is held today to solemnly celebrate the full moon of the prince's young child.

A gorgeous woman, with skin as white as snow, eyebrows like emerald feathers, lips as red as blood, and a pearl hairpin slanted in her beautiful black bun.

She was dressed in a light purple silk dress with a water-colored gauze belt tied around her waist, and her every move revealed a natural charm.

She is Sheng Xiyan, the wife of Qi Yan, the second son of Prince E.

The protagonist of today's full moon banquet is a baby as delicate as a piece of jade in the cradle - Jiang Jiang. His big eyes are twinkling, and his chubby little hands are grabbing a strand of his mother's hair, revealing an innocent smile.

"Second Madam, you are so lucky. The little prince is so fair and tender. He is obviously a gifted and intelligent child. He will definitely become a great man in the future and bring honor to the family!"

"When General Qi returns triumphantly, perhaps he can be appointed the Great General of the Nation!"

When Sheng Xiyan heard this, a blush appeared on her face. She gently stroked her son's head with a gentle smile on her lips.

Everyone in the capital knew that although the eldest son of Prince E inherited the throne, he was a civil servant with mediocre career.

The second son, Qi Yan, was young and promising. He had been the emperor's study companion since childhood and had followed the emperor to war and made military achievements.

This time, he was appointed as the general and led the troops to the northern border, which is enough to show that the emperor values ​​him very much and his future is limitless.

Suddenly, the housekeeper rushed in, "My Lord, this is bad!"

"What's going on? You're so flustered."

The butler handed over a piece of paper. After Prince E opened it, his eyes widened and he almost fell to the ground.

"That's impossible. Yan'er will be fine."

Sheng Xiyan heard it clearly, handed the child to the wet nurse, hurried over, and took the paper from Prince E's hand. This was a notice sent by the court.

It clearly stated that General Qi Yan had tragically died in the final battle while leading his troops to protect intelligence...

There was a sudden bolt of lightning and the situation changed drastically.

Sheng Xiyan's eyes went dark, his legs went weak, and he fainted on the ground.

"Second Madam!"

The wedding banquet came to an abrupt end, and the guests left one after another. "God is jealous of talents. General Qi was taken away by God because he was too outstanding."

"It's so pitiful, the child is only one month old."

Sheng Xiyan woke up in the middle of the night and walked out of the house barefoot without wearing any shoes, like a walking corpse.

Under the cover of night, there was a crabapple tree in the yard, and under the tree was a swing, which Qi Yan had made specially for her.

The sweet scenes between Qi Yan and her in the past are still vivid in his mind.

"Yan Lang, you haven't seen your son yet..."

Sheng Xiyan lay on the swing, choking with sobs and crying blood as she expressed her heartfelt feelings. She felt as if the sky had fallen. She had no prominent family background to rely on, and it was all thanks to Qi Yan that she had a world of her own.

You don’t have to think about how difficult the road ahead will be. Orphans and widows will surely be looked down upon.

Sheng Xiyan lay on the swing and cried bitterly for the whole night, and then fainted again.

The next morning, the palace was quiet and solemn, and the first ray of sunlight brushed across the magnificent glazed tiles.

In the Yangxin Palace, Emperor Xuanwu Xuan Ling sat upright on the dragon throne.

His dark robe was embroidered with a golden pattern of a soaring dragon over the sea. His black hair was tied up and he wore a purple gold crown inlaid with jewels. There was a heroic look between his brows, and his eyes were as deep as the vast stars. He was awe-inspiring without even being angry, as if the whole world was under his control.

On the dragon table was the heavy, 800-mile urgent war report, each word of which was heartbreaking, describing the brutality of the battle on the front line. A brave and skilled general had unfortunately died in the fierce battle to defend the territory.

"Qi Yan, you are a warrior I personally trained. Leaving like this would be a shame to my expectations."

Finally, he slowly closed the battle report and walked out of the hall.

In the morning light, the emperor stood tall and majestic, with a natural imperial look that was intimidating.

Eunuch Fu stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, it's time to wash and change clothes for the morning court."

Xuan Ling said quietly, "Three years ago, Qi Yan and I went hunting in the western suburbs. I shot an arrow at a sika deer, but the deer ran away and hit a woman instead.

I was chasing the deer at that time, and then I had some government affairs to deal with. Later, Qi Yan reported that he had saved the woman and the two of them had feelings for each other.

Although she has no family background and is not a good match for Qi Yan, a good marriage is worth a fortune, and I am pleased to see it happen, so I grant them a marriage."

"So, Your Majesty is the matchmaker between General Qi and Madam Qi, bringing them together for a happy marriage."

"A good marriage? I'm afraid not for Madam Qi."

Eunuch Fu consoled him, saying, "General Qi is a hero who defends his country. Madam Qi has no regrets marrying him. Your Majesty, please do not be sad."

After a long pause, Xuan Ling said solemnly, "You go to Prince E's Palace and announce the decree. I confer the title of Second Rank Imperial Consort on Qi Yan's wife. Qi Yan sacrificed his life for his country, and the court should treat his family well."

"Your Majesty's grace is immense. General Qi would surely be grateful if he were still alive."

In the Prince of E's Palace.

Sheng Xiyan's face was pale and bloodless, and she suddenly came to her senses. Women are weak by nature, but they become strong when they become mothers.

She forced herself to cheer up, put on white mourning clothes, pinned a small white flower in her hair, and was helped by her maid to go to the mourning hall to mourn.

In the mourning hall, Prince E and his wife, the Crown Prince and his wife were all present.

Sheng Xiyan bowed and said, "Greetings to father-in-law, mother-in-law, and the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess."

The four of them snorted in unison, and Princess E sat on a chair wiping her tears.

"Erlang was a bright and blessed child since childhood. He was even chosen by the current emperor from among many other children to be his study companion. How could he just disappear like this out of nowhere..."

The Crown Prince's Consort added insult to injury, "Mother-in-law, when the Second Master brought the marriage certificate for your brother and sister-in-law, have you forgotten what the fortune teller said? Her birth dates are incompatible with Erlang's! She's a jinx to his husband!"

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