Even if Emperor Qing'an felt indebted and made him crown prince, it was to no avail, and he could not silence the public opinion.
So he had no choice but to marry Shu Hua and cede seven cities—all of which were his fiefdoms.
Even though he knew Shu Hua was merely a political pawn, he still held her responsible. He neglected her, refused to give her any recognition, and even openly embraced other women in front of her to inflict pain upon her.
He had no affection for either of his concubines and had never consummated his marriage with them. Yet he feigned promiscuity, because it would sadden Shu Hua and secretly please him.
Shu Hua knew exactly what was going on, but she was still provoked by him at the time. Looking back now, she was really naive.
She stretched, put the letter of divorce and the seven-state decree into the sandalwood box, and locked it away.
Although she didn't know why Shangguan Jingci still wrote her a letter of divorce even though they weren't married, they were now completely estranged and didn't need to think about the past.
Let it go; one must always look forward.
Shu Hua gently stroked the box, thinking to herself.
She pressed her temples, glanced at the sky outside the window, and decided to go out for a walk. She had wanted to ask Qin Xi to come along, but then remembered that Qin Xi was still within her month of conception, so she had to give up the idea.
Actually, being alone isn't so bad; you can actually figure out a lot of things more clearly.
Shu Hua, wearing a cloak, left the mansion alone, without even bringing a maid.
Lunar New Year's Eve is just a few days away, and the streets are already decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations. The stalls selling Spring Festival couplets, lanterns, and incense and candles are crowded with people, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere.
This is what the capital should look like, not the lifeless place it was during Emperor Yuxian's reign. Shu Hua held a miniature version of herself in her hand, thinking silently to herself.
It took Shu Hua a lot of effort to squeeze out of the crowd, but she only realized now that the sugar figurine had been lost.
Shu Hua sighed in frustration, looked up, and saw that it was Yu Xian Zhai.
The last time Shu Hua dined at Yu Xian Zhai was a long time ago, so long that she couldn't even remember. Now that she was here, it would be a shame not to go in.
As Shu Hua pondered this, she stepped into the threshold of Yu Xian Zhai.
The waiter greeted her with a smile as soon as he saw her, slung the rag over his shoulder, and said in a high-pitched voice, "Miss Shu, you've finally arrived! I've missed you so much!"
"..."
Shu Hua shivered and began to wonder if she hadn't left the house in so long that she had gone to the wrong place and entered a brothel.
Otherwise, how could she have felt like she saw a madam?
The waiter coughed twice, then returned to normal. "Miss Shu, would you like to go to the usual private room?"
Shu Hua was about to nod when she heard a voice from beside her—
"Waiter! Where is my...my...wine?!"
Shu Hua: "..." If she hadn't heard what came next, she would have suspected that the palace eunuchs had escaped.
Looking up, I was taken aback.
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