The feud between Prince De, Shangguan Ren, and the Empress Dowager is yet another old story.
It is said that Shangguan Ren's mother and the Empress Dowager, who was then the Empress, were both pregnant at the same time, so the late Emperor arranged for them to live together.
Consort Shu, Shangguan Ren's mother, was of low status and not a threat. The ruthless and favored concubine was most jealous of the Empress, so she tampered with the medicine to prevent miscarriage, intending to frame Consort Shu. However, by a twist of fate, Consort Shu drank the medicine and immediately lost her unborn son.
The Empress, who lived with her, instantly became the prime suspect, and was so frightened by the scene that she fell ill. Fortunately, the Empress's family intervened, and the truth was eventually revealed, clearing the Empress's name, and the favored concubine was also sentenced to death.
It's a pity that Consort Shu lost her life here in vain, leaving behind the young Shangguan Ren.
The Empress was old and her pregnancy didn't last; she suddenly lost her baby when she was just over four months pregnant. This time, the examination didn't reveal anything wrong; they simply attributed it to the Empress's bad luck.
The Empress, however, believed that Consort Shu was the culprit, because Consort Shu and her child were the reason she herself did not have one, and Consort Shu had become half a Buddhist nun after getting involved with her.
Later, when the Crown Prince ascended the throne, she went from being the Empress to the Empress Dowager. Her only request was that the Emperor treat Shangguan Ren well.
The Emperor's way of treating Shangguan Ren well is to spoil him and then give him a nominal position so that he can live a life free from financial worries.
No passionate man could accept having his fate arranged so casually, and Shangguan Ren was no exception.
Shangguan Ren has always been very clever. He knows what he should and shouldn't do. He has been slowly planning to get what he wants.
Therefore, he was always a good younger brother in front of the emperor, and a good older brother in front of Shangguan Li.
His actions were always right under their noses, yet they never discovered them.
Over the years, the Empress Dowager has lived a secluded life, and many things have been buried in the sands of time. However, it is difficult for Shangguan Ren and the Empress Dowager to get along truly amicably.
In Shangguan Ren's eyes, although the favored concubine had been brought to justice, wasn't the Empress Dowager also a murderer back then? If it weren't for the Empress Dowager, how could his mother have suffered such an inexplicable disaster?
Shangguan Ren has already left. Thinking about these past events, Lu Qingyan closed the book in her hand and silently went to her study to practice calligraphy.
She has already planned her next step, but she doesn't know if it will go smoothly.
"Magpie, what do you think he went off to do? When will he be back?"
Magpie blushed slightly: "How would I know? Your Highness, isn't it a bad idea to leave him here? What if we get caught..."
Lu Qingyan raised an eyebrow: "You mean his martial arts skills are bad?"
"Hero Liu is highly skilled in martial arts!" Magpie flattered. How could she tell if he was skilled or not? In her opinion, Brother Tan was the most handsome.
Thinking of Tan Jie, Magpie's face turned even redder. Looking at the earnest Lu Qingyan, Magpie hesitated for a moment before deciding to confess: "Your Highness, this servant...this servant..."
Magpie understood perfectly well what she was thinking, but when it came to actually saying it, she couldn't quite bring herself to say it. She was, after all, a young woman; was it really appropriate to be so hasty? And what if it was just wishful thinking on her part, and Tan Jie didn't like her at all? What would she do then?
Seeing her like this, Lu Qingyan knew what was wrong. She raised her sleeve and said domineeringly, "Tell me, who have you taken a fancy to? As long as you like someone, I will have Tan Jie help you snatch the bride!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
