Even though Gu Jiangli had anticipated the Empress's ruthlessness, he was still somewhat surprised to hear that she harbored the same hatred for the Emperor.
She thought the empress simply disliked the women the emperor liked, but she never expected that the empress hated the emperor himself.
Why?
Gu Jiangli turned to look at the emperor's face and found that his pure black pupils were as calm as water, as if he was not surprised at all.
After the Empress uttered such treasonous words, Gu Jiangli felt that what she was about to say was not suitable for anyone else to hear.
"You may all leave now."
She dismissed everyone else, leaving only the three of them in the dark, damp cell.
The Empress watched as everyone else left the prison cell, including the guards who were escorting Eunuch Li away. A mocking smile appeared on her lips.
"Gu Jiangli, although the emperor is intelligent, he doesn't like to use such scheming tricks. Was it your idea to lure me into this trap?"
Gu Jiangli smiled noncommittally and did not answer.
The Empress did not dwell on the matter further, but instead went on to explain why she had murdered someone.
"At first, I thought that with my good image among people, if I gave you, Gu Jiangli, a nice thing, you would keep it by your side and play with it from time to time."
"I didn't expect that after I gave it to you, you never touched that item again. It seems you were wary of me from the beginning, wasn't that right?"
Gu Jiangli did not deny it.
Originally, she really had no intention of being wary of the Empress. It was only after the Empress said some ambiguous and suggestive things to her that she asked the system to calculate the Empress's good and evil value.
She calmly said, "Your Majesty the Empress should be aware of the treacherous and deceitful nature of the inner palace. Apart from His Majesty and the Empress Dowager, I should be wary of everyone in the palace."
"But I really didn't expect that you would even dare to harm His Majesty. Why is that?"
"His Majesty is also your husband. He respects you, values you, and has never wronged you."
The Empress scoffed coldly, slowly rose from the ground covered with withered grass, and walked slowly toward the two people outside the cell.
Her hands gripped the iron bars of the cell tightly, and a somewhat crazed face appeared between the bars, as if she were about to burst out.
She glared fiercely at the emperor.
"Your Majesty, do you truly not know why I hate you?"
As she moved, the long sleeves on her arms slid down to her elbows, revealing a section of her snow-white forearms.
Gu Jiangli's expression, which had been somewhat puzzled, suddenly turned to shock.
On the inside of the empress's right arm, there was a red mark.
If she wasn't mistaken.
That is...
Shou Gong Sha!
Gu Jiangli looked at the emperor beside her in utter shock.
Could it be that he and the Empress have never...?
How could that be?
The emperor remained silent, his face as calm as a still lake, showing no ripples.
The Empress seemed to have anticipated the Emperor's reaction, and continued:
"Your Majesty, you respect me and value me, but you never touch me. What do you take me for as your empress?"
"I am nothing more than a tool for you to manage the harem, a means for you to appease my father and brothers, and a pawn for you to secure your throne!"
"Your Majesty, you have never once treated me as your wife, your woman!"
Not even once!
The queen gripped the iron bars of the cell tightly and shook them, almost frantically.
Her screams echoed throughout the cramped cell.
Gu Jiangli was deeply shocked.
She considered many possibilities, but never this one.
People in the palace all said that the emperor and empress treated each other with respect and harmony. She never expected that the emperor would have no romantic feelings for the empress at all.
At this moment, the emperor showed no remorse or self-reproach in the face of the empress's 'accusation'.
His deep voice masked the Queen's rapid breathing.
"Song Wanshan, the youngest daughter of General Zhenyuan, fell in love with the Left Deputy General of Shenji Battalion when she was young. However, due to the late emperor's decree, she was allowed to participate in the selection of the Crown Prince's consort."
"I know you have someone in your heart. Whether it's the position of Crown Princess or the position of Empress, it's not what you want."
"Since that's the case, why should I force you to do something you don't want to do?"
The Empress was shocked for a moment, then sneered:
"So you knew all along that I had someone else in my heart. If that's the case, why did you still choose me? Isn't it just because my father and brothers hold high positions and can help you secure your position as crown prince?"
The emperor looked directly into her face, showing no sign of guilt.
"Your Majesty, you should know better than anyone else what's going on in your heart."
"This may seem like the Crown Prince is choosing a consort, but in reality, the position of Crown Princess has already been decided in advance."
"Besides you, there is no other choice. This is... the late emperor's request. Otherwise, I would not have chosen a woman who already has someone she loves as my crown princess."
The empress was stunned for a moment, then her frail shoulders trembled slightly.
She lowered her head and gradually began to laugh.
It was as if a dream she had woven herself had been torn apart right in front of her by a pair of large hands.
"Haha...hahaha...why, why..."
Gu Jiangli frowned. "Is this why you've repeatedly harmed people behind their backs?"
The Empress suddenly raised her head, her face already covered in tears.
"What? Isn't that reason enough?"
Why is it that the emperor can express his love to various women in the palace, while I am confined to this square prison, separated from my beloved?!
"Why is it that he can have such a good life after marrying a woman he doesn't love, while I, who married a man I don't love, am destined to live the life of a widow?!"
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