Yan Ning, along with the nanny and servants who had accompanied her to the wedding, were all amused by the words of the siblings, and the joyful atmosphere dissipated from the courtyard that had just been filled with the sorrow of parting.

Seeing that Yunwan and Yunxin were living harmoniously with their husbands after their marriage, Yan Ning's worries were relieved. Fukang'an had been gone for over a year, and his title remained vacant. The Emperor favored Dexuan, but Yan Ning did not want Dexuan to inherit the title, so the Emperor did not issue an edict ordering Delin to succeed him.

After Yan Ning left the capital for Miao territory, someone moved into Changting Garden. Yan Ning knew this as soon as she returned to the capital, but she had no heart to care. That person never left the courtyard, and Yan Ning acted as if everything was as before. Before leaving the capital for the military camp, she entrusted all the affairs of the household to De Lin, and she had already foreseen this outcome. That was her own mother, and Yan Ning had no way to stop De Lin from going to fetch her from the West Courtyard.

Moreover, in recent years, Delin has been the resident of the Fucha Mansion. Yan Ning and her three children all live in the Fu Residence, but the funeral hall for Fukang'an must be set up in the Fucha Mansion. During those months, Yan Ning was absent-minded and stayed at the Jiangongzhai, where she has remained ever since.

Since Fukang'an's passing, Delin had been paying his respects to Yan Ning every morning, personally attending to all her filial duties. Yan Ning knew his thoughts, and they were also Yan Ning's own. She went to Heshen, begging him to find a way to ensure that she, like Qingyue, would not leave any trace in the classics or family genealogy.

At that time, the Emperor Emeritus was ill, and Heshen was already considered the second emperor in the court, a position that, despite its high rank, was filled with a chilling aura. His face was constantly etched with worry, and seeing Yan Ning seeking his help, he couldn't help but smile bitterly. "You don't need to ask me for this; someone has already taken care of it! The title 'Wenxiang Fujin' is definitely not your name, Yan Ning!"

Startled, Yan Ning took a few steps back. The Emperor's face gradually appeared before her eyes. The Emperor was no longer the young Yongyan she once knew. Yan Ning smiled bitterly. If Fulongan hadn't already died, he would definitely be thinking about how to kill her to protect Fucha's reputation.

On the way back to the manor, Yan Ning, sitting in the carriage, took out the dagger that He Shen had given her from her sleeve.

"Yan Ning, I can no longer guarantee your safety! There is only one plan: if you are willing to give up your stunning beauty, then I can guarantee that you will get what you want afterward!"

She abruptly pulled out her sword and slashed her own face; the physical pain was nothing compared to the unwavering devotion she felt for Fukang'an. As the bright red blood stained her deep crimson dress, Yan Ning fainted from the pain.

In her deep sleep, Yan Ning was surrounded by leaden clouds, everything her jade-like hands touched shrouded in darkness. The red sun hung high, casting a dark purple glow upon the leaden clouds. The unicorn she had dreamt of many years ago now slept peacefully on the white clouds near the red sun, far away from her. The golden dragon and the crane, however, continued to chase and fight within the leaden clouds, flashes of golden light appearing and disappearing into a dark purple. The crane was repeatedly defeated, and wherever the golden light touched, Yan Ning would fall from the clouds, only to be rescued by the crane at the cost of its life.

She landed at the residence of Princess Guren Hexiao, with its vermilion gates and exquisite carvings. At this moment, however, white silk bouquets and light white gauze hung above the plaque. All the shops in the capital were closed, with long white silk ribbons hanging from their doors.

It was a national mourning period, but only the emperor's funeral was more solemn than that of the Empress Dowager. The air was bitterly cold, and even the white silk ribbons seemed stiff as they danced.

Heshen, dressed in mourning clothes and with a furrowed brow, emerged from the mansion. When he saw Yan Ning, a smile forced across his crescent-shaped eyes. "The Emperor has summoned me to the palace. You will wait for me in the mansion for half a day! If I do not return, Liu Hutu has already made arrangements. You can find him!" His face looked much older due to his haggard appearance. After speaking, he dragged his feet and boarded the official sedan chair without waiting for Yan Ning's reaction.

The official sedan chair was hidden in a sea of ​​white. Yan Ning stared blankly at the long, empty street. She didn't know why she was waiting for him, but her feet unconsciously moved towards the princess's residence.

Upon hearing the servant's report, Liu Hutu hurriedly ran out to welcome her into the mansion and took her to Qinxian Garden, where the words "Tianxiang Courtyard" were hung above the gate.

In the center of the courtyard stood a rockery bonsai, flanked by two crabapple trees, and countless lilies withered and faded beneath the verdant vines. These scenes were strikingly similar to the illusion she had witnessed upon arriving.

After Liu Hutu dismissed the remaining servants, he moved the "Fu" character stele from the inner room to the main hall. The stele, covered by a red cloth, faintly shone with a dull purple light.

He knelt awkwardly before Yan Ning, "Master said today is the day the auspicious purple light approaches the Forbidden City!" He finished speaking and retreated. As he closed the door, he looked helplessly at Yan Ning and sighed, "If it weren't for you, my master wouldn't have moved this 'Fu' character stele, destroying the auspicious purple dragon energy of the manor!" Without sunlight, the light on the 'Fu' character stele was much brighter than before. But Liu Hutu's words, like an inescapable shadow, lingered around the stele and around Yan Ning's ears. She couldn't help but touch the jade pendant around her neck; perhaps because the auspicious purple light was not yet at its peak, her jade pendant remained as before.

The Hall of Mental Cultivation was dimly lit by candlelight, and the white silk hanging everywhere danced without wind, sending chills down one's spine. The items the retired emperor had been accustomed to using in the Hall of Mental Cultivation had been removed, and now only the emperor's familiar objects remained. Heshen knelt before the imperial desk, listening to the eunuch recounting dozens of his major crimes. When someone is determined to find fault, they will always find a pretext. Heshen lowered his head, remaining silent.

As the sunlight gradually thinned in Qinxin Garden, the light from the Fu character stele grew stronger. Fu Chang'an followed behind Heshen, holding a three-foot-long white silk ribbon in his hand. Behind them, a long procession of imperial guards in yellow jackets trailed behind them.

When Heshen saw Yan Ning in the hall, his eyes widened in slight surprise, then turned into crescent moons. "I can't believe I'm seeing you again!"

Yan Ning stood up from her chair, and when she saw Fu Chang'an enter the room later, holding a three-foot-long white silk ribbon, she immediately understood what was going on. Today was the day that Heshen was ordered to commit suicide by Emperor Jiaqing.

The eunuch's shrill voice echoed through the courtyard, reciting dozens of charges against Heshen, before announcing the Emperor's verdict. All the wealth in Heshen's residence was confiscated and sent to the national treasury. Heshen was ordered to commit suicide by hanging. Except for Princess Guren Hexiao, his family members were stripped of all official positions and exiled to Ningguta, never to return to the capital.

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