Finally, with no other choice, I pinched her nose: "Do you think I'm dead? How dare you look at other men?"

"It's all your fault... um..."

The night was shrouded in darkness.

"Want to try other men?" Lu Xingjian whispered a threat, biting her ear.

Su Wanwan felt like a lump of soft mud, she didn't even have the strength to lift a finger.

She only said "Maggie is eating well," and he tortured her to death.

Men's damn competitive spirit.

However, it's unclear who he's targeting with this jealousy.

In any case, she thought the same as Maggie, but his feelings for Maggie were somewhat different.

Ma Ji is shallow, flamboyant, and arrogant, the complete opposite of Su Wanwan.

It's possible that a man might get tired of a certain flavor and become curious about other flavors.

Rather than letting him secretly harbor his feelings, it's better to keep Maggie by his side and let her hang around him more often.

When she told him this, Lu Xingjian was so sleepy that he just gave a perfunctory reply.

Su Wanwan looked at the man's sharply defined profile and fell into deep thought.

...

When Maggie woke up, she was like a tattered sack, completely lifeless.

The last glimmer of hope in my heart was extinguished.

Years of obsession eventually turned into overwhelming hatred.

Over the years, she has taken the initiative countless times.

If he had any feelings for her, he would have slept with her long ago.

It was her own stupidity that led her astray for so long, always thinking she was just a hair's breadth away.

Things that I couldn't understand back then, I understand now.

He was just using her.

He felt a little guilty after using her, so he offered some compensation, which she took as an expression of his love and was overjoyed.

They are sinking deeper and deeper into depravity.

But what about his feelings for Su Wanwan?

Even if she was deposed, even if she broke off relations with Su Wanwan in front of her back then.

He eventually called Su Wanwan "wife" affectionately, with a slightly coquettish tone.

When had he ever treated her like that?

If he were to call her "wife" even once, she would give him her life!

He lied to her.

She suffered greatly from being deceived.

When the tears have dried, all that remains in my heart is a sense of relief.

Why am I struggling in hell while you and Su Wanwan are all lovey-dovey?

That's unfair.

Maggie settled down at Chengruizhai, but she wasn't completely confined; she was allowed to wander around for several periods each day.

Even as the weather gets colder, she doesn't miss any opportunity to stroll around and still dresses up in her finest clothes.

I wandered around here and there, stopping here and there.

She couldn't enter Xiaoyuan, but there was a large area outside Xiyuan. Many of the eunuchs who came and went blushed and took a detour when they saw the charming Ma Ji.

Many men were also drawn into conversations and flirted with by her.

Ma Ji tried her best to stay outside Xiaoyuan, but unfortunately, she never ran into Lu Xingjian or Su Wanwan.

I did run into Yan Ge once.

Yan Ge'er frowned and glanced at her.

Maggie, feeling guilty, turned away.

Her son is still with the Tatars, and he's not much younger than this child.

What would her son think of her if he saw her recklessly seducing the eunuchs and servants she used to look down on?

Thinking of her son, her resolve hardened.

Although the son was not Lu Xingjian's biological son, thanks to his biological father, his facial features still resembled Lu Xingjian's somewhat.

February arrived in the blink of an eye.

Xiao Bin was promoted again, becoming the Deputy Commander of the Rear Army Commandery.

The four border garrisons in the capital were all under the command of Xiao Bin.

However, at the same time, another bombshell piece of news spread.

Ma Ang, who had been sidelined for many years, was promoted to Right Vice-Governor, reportedly on the recommendation of Xiao Bin.

The news caused an uproar.

Everyone knew, openly or secretly, that Ma Ang's promotion was entirely due to his sister, Ma Ji, gaining favor and entering the palace as a married woman.

I heard that she and the Emperor are inseparable every day, their passion burning like dry wood.

Before the news had even died down, another bombshell announcement came out.

Maggie is pregnant.

This caused an uproar among all the civil and military officials.

Whether they supported the Emperor choosing a member of the imperial clan to be adopted as the incense master, or supported Lu Xingjian publicly revealing Yan Ge'er's identity as a prince, they all found this news difficult to accept.

Especially Yang Yiqing.

The Emperor is too heartless.

Over the years, not only has Su Wanwan not regained her position as empress after being deposed, but her son has also not been given a formal prince status.

Now Maggie is pregnant again.

Aren't you worried about getting dirty?

This lady has been married before, and the child in her womb may not necessarily be the emperor's.

The memorials of remonstrance from the officials poured into the palace like snowflakes.

Lu Xingjian held up the memorial and said to Su Wanwan, "Look, now my reputation for debauchery is completely established."

Su Wanwan opened the memorial and saw that it read, "Recently, it has been reported that General Ma Ang, who is currently retired, presented his pregnant younger sister to the emperor, and was immediately taken advantage of... How can he indulge in such despicable behavior and defile himself?"

Su Wanwan recited: "Even ordinary families are ashamed of a woman who has remarried. How can a man of such high status be shamed by the world and future generations?"

She paused, then raised an eyebrow. "Aren't I a remarried woman too?"

Lu Xingjian: "..."

"People are calling me licentious for taking Maggie, a pregnant married woman, as a concubine. Why are you bringing that up yourself?"

As he spoke, he glanced at her dismissively, a half-smile playing on his lips, "Why don't you try getting pregnant too?"

"You wish."

Su Wanwan seemed to be thinking, "Since Ma Ji is pregnant, don't wrong the Ma family. Promote the brothers and nephews of the Ma family who deserve it."

Lu Xingjian picked up his pen and wrote with flourish: "I'll listen to you."

While the Ma family's chickens and dogs were all promoted to high positions, the civil officials were in an uproar.

Some say, "Your Majesty is too eager for an heir and has not had time to carefully examine the matter, which may have led to a mistake. It is advisable to quickly release the pregnant woman from the palace to relieve the people's anxiety."

Some say that Ma Ji was of foreign blood and had ulterior motives, and even listed her misdeeds as "Mei Xi's conquest of Xia, Da Ji's conquest of Shang, and Bao Si's conquest of Zhou".

Some even said, "Your Majesty possesses the entire world, why would you take Ang Mei as your concubine, not even minding her uncleanliness..."

The insults were very harsh.

Lu Xingjian completely ignored them and secretly took Su Wanwan and Yan Ge'er to Xuanfu.

This trip was not as smooth as the one before the holiday; there were constant mishaps along the way, including several attacks.

They had barely arrived in Xuanfu when trouble struck—Yange'er went missing.

Su Wanwan fell ill from worry and refused to see anyone.

When the news reached Maggie's ears, she stroked her pregnant belly and sneered repeatedly.

retribution!

...

Lu Xingjian frowned. "It seems the Tatars have eyes this year. They're not launching a large-scale attack; instead, they're sending small groups of elite soldiers to assassinate people."

Su Wanwan advised, "A wise man does not stand under a dangerous wall. Let's go back to the capital first."

Lu Xingjian shook his head, "Nothing ventured, nothing gained."

“I’ve set up such a big bait right here, I don’t believe Dayan Khan won’t be tempted.”

He brought his wife and children to the border in person; how could he be satisfied without making a big move?

News of the tracking quickly arrived; Maji was secretly contacting Dayan Khan's third son, Bars.

He's an old acquaintance.