Consort Cui avoided Consort Wang as if she were a plague.
Wang Chonghua harbored deep resentment, but dared not make a scene.
Now, she has no hope at all. Even if she wants to vent her resentment, she only dares to do small things.
She tore at the handkerchief, took a few steps back, and returned to her seat.
Pooh!
What a fine woman from the Cui family! Despite her privileged background, she has no ambition whatsoever.
They raised a perfectly good son into a good-for-nothing; he had the opportunity to fight for something, but he didn't dare to step forward.
You deserve to be suppressed by others your whole life; you're destined never to become someone of high status!
Wang Chonghua cursed inwardly, clearly annoyed.
It was as if only in this way could she alleviate her inner unease.
Yes, I feel uneasy!
The Tangquan Palace incident left Wang Chonghua feeling as if the sky were falling, with her son crippled.
Immediately afterwards, she began to consider the future of herself and her son—the Princess of Nanling!
Yes, we must hold on tightly to this daughter-in-law who hasn't even entered the family yet.
Princess Nanling is fine, but the key issue is that Nanling's biological mother is Yongchang.
After the emperor's death and the ascension of a new ruler, Helian Jue seemed to show considerable respect for his aunt, Yongchang.
He honored the two empress dowagers and also bestowed upon Yongchang the title of Grand Princess.
Most importantly, the Empress Dowager actually managed to hold on.
She did not show any distress at her son's passing.
Aside from the initial shock of hearing the bad news, the old man appeared frail and sickly, but there seemed to be no major problems.
He didn't vomit blood or suffer a stroke. On the auspicious days of the first and second seven days after his death, people would hold the hand of a young palace maid and sit in front of the mourning hall, wiping away their tears.
After kneeling down, Wang Chonghua looked at the nearly seventy-year-old woman from afar and suddenly felt that this person might live even longer!
With her advanced age and high seniority, the Empress Dowager was a great figure in the Great Zhou Dynasty.
Wang Chonghua didn't dare to have too much ambition; she just wanted to preserve her son's wealth and ensure her grandson's future.
However, Wang Chonghua was not the only one who was good at scheming.
Yongchang was also weighing the pros and cons—although the Fifth Prince was still a prince and had not been demoted to a commoner, he had lost an eye.
How could her perfectly healthy daughter marry a one-eyed man?
Yongchang wanted to break off the engagement, and Wang Chonghua sensed his estrangement. How could she not be worried?
He originally intended to instigate the Cui family mother and son to stir up trouble in the capital again, so that he could take the opportunity to gain some benefits.
It's hateful that the Cui family is so spineless.
Wang Chonghua was indignant. She didn't see that Yongchang, who was kneeling at the head of the table, was pretending to wipe away tears while looking in the direction of the other noblewomen.
Those kneeling over there are the female relatives of officials of the fourth rank or above, including those from prominent families, noble families, and a very small number from humble backgrounds.
The female relatives of the three prime ministers, Wang, Cui, and Zheng, were also present.
Wang Yu? Forget about it. Nanling's first fiancé was Wang Yu's grandson.
Cui Hong's eldest grandson is already married, but he also has a grandson born of the same father, whose name is either Cui Boda or Cui Zhongda. He is seventeen or eighteen years old and has some talent.
It should be a good match for my hometown, Nanling.
The Zheng family also has several nephews and nieces of marriageable age.
As for the Xiao family, after Consort Xiao became Empress Dowager Xiao, the Xiao family also acquired the title of Duke Feng'en.
However, his family's members are too weak and scholarly, with only Xiao Zixiu being somewhat presentable.
But this Xiao Zixiu was seriously injured on the day of the palace coup and is still lying in bed.
The Yang family of Hongnong, the Jiang family of Tianshui, the Wei family of Jingzhao...
Yongchang picked through all the female members of prominent families kneeling in the mourning hall as if selecting cabbages at a market.
She had drawn up several lists in her mind, and would begin preparations after the late emperor's burial.
As for his once-favored nephew, the Fifth Prince, Yongchang had long since forgotten about him.
Yongchang paid more attention to the wives of officials from prominent families, but there were also other women of noble birth in the mourning hall.
For example, members of the royal family!
Helian Chen's stepmother was originally surnamed Bu Liugu, but when the Great Zhou Dynasty promoted Sinicization, she changed her surname to Lu.
There is a TV series called "Legend of Lu Zhen" in later generations. Lu Zhen's original surname was Bu Liugu.
However, the TV series whitewashed Lu Zhen, while Helian Chen's stepmother, Madam Lu, was portrayed as a shrewish and cruel woman.
Helian Chen was nominally the son of a concubine of the Prince of Guangling, but he was also considered a member of the imperial family.
However, because her birth mother, Lady Yang, was a Hu woman and had once been favored by the Prince of Guangling, Lady Lu harbored great resentment towards her.
After Yang fell out of favor, Lu treated Yang and her brother Helian Chen very harshly.
Before Helian Jue gave him an important position, Helian Chen's status in the Guangling Prince's Mansion was even lower than that of a servant.
When Helian Jue was deposed, Helian Chen insisted on going to Yuezhou with him despite his family's objections.
The Prince of Guangling was furious, and Lu Shi took the opportunity to instigate him, so the Prince of Guangling directly "divided the family property" with Helian Chen.
They had no property whatsoever; they were simply kicked out.
Helian Chen's birth mother and sister had no choice but to follow him to Lingnan.
Lu thought she would never see that bitch Yang and her two bastard children again.
Unexpectedly, in just three years, Helian Jue not only returned, but also became the emperor!
Although Helian Jue has not yet rewarded his meritorious officials, Lu Shi has heard that when Helian Jue was flying in the sky, that bastard Helian Chen was serving him on the side!
With such a trusted confidant, how could Helian Jue possibly feel wronged?
It is highly likely that Helian Jue will take away the title of Prince of Guangling and hand it over to Helian Chen!
Thinking about these things, Lu couldn't help but feel angry and fearful, and her whole being was enveloped in an aura of despair.
...
Helian Jue was unaware of the thoughts swirling in the minds of everyone in the mourning hall. He routinely offered incense to the late emperor and then prepared to leave.
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