The emperor wiped her tears and said gently, "Xue'er, don't blame yourself anymore. It's time to let it go after so many years."

He held her in his arms, his eyes sparkled and his eye sockets were a little wet, as if he was hiding a secret that no one knew.

Empress Xiao leaned on his chest, "Your Majesty, my sister's death anniversary is coming in a few days. I want to perform a ritual in the palace. Is that okay?"

The emperor kissed her hair with pity, "I'll do whatever you want. Don't be sad. I feel bad that you've ruined your health."

Empress Xiao thanked him, "Your Majesty has always treated me well. It's me who's worried too much."

The emperor kissed her forehead with love, "Xue'er, it's a great honor for me to have you as my wife. I will love and cherish you forever."

Empress Xiao recalled that when she and her sister Qingge entered the palace to select the best, the emperor, who had just ascended the throne, was late, and instead asked the twin brothers, King Huan and the queen mother, to come first.

Because they were twins, the two brothers looked very similar.

At that time, the two sisters thought that King Huan was the emperor. They performed a great ceremony and made jokes when they greeted him.

When the emperor arrived, he immediately fell in love with the quiet and cold Queen Xiao.

The Queen Mother liked Qingge, who had a cheerful personality, and appointed her to King Huan as his concubine.

The emperor helped Queen Xiao lie down and said comfortingly, "In a few days, I will take the prince to Longyun Temple to pray for blessings and ask for a calming talisman for you."

In Penglai Palace, the palace maids were hurriedly closing the windows. The heavy rain poured in.

Xu Mian was lying on the bed, wearing an apricot-colored soft gauze embroidered nightgown, with black hair hanging lightly on her shoulders, and her face was like a new moon.

"Did you... hear... the crying?"

Xuelian led people to light the butter lamps in the hall. Aunt Zhang was an elder in the palace. She sighed and said, "Crown Princess, you have only arrived at the palace this year. You may not know that every year around this time, the palace is not peaceful."

Xu Mian called her over, "Aunt Zhang... come here and talk..."

Several palace maids also came to the bed and listened to Aunt Zhang talk about the secrets of the palace.

"The problem lies in Fan'an Hall."

"No one is allowed to approach Fan'an Hall on weekdays. What is this place for?"

Aunt Zhang whispered, "Eighteen years ago, Prince Huan rebelled and was given poisoned wine. Princess Huan was so heartbroken that she burned herself to death while holding the newborn prince."

"Because Princess Huan and the Empress are twin sisters, the Empress blames herself for not saving Princess Huan and her nephew."

Xu Mian thought that Empress Xiao blamed herself for not saving her sister and nephew, and also blamed her husband for killing her sister's husband, resulting in the tragic death of the family of three.

Xuelian asked, "So the people enshrined in the Fan'an Hall are Princess Huan and the young prince?"

"Yes, the anniversary of Princess Huan and the young prince's death is coming in a few days, so the palace is haunted during this time every year."

That night, Xu Mian did not sleep well. Perhaps he was frightened by the thunder and lightning, and he tossed and turned most of the night.

At this time in the Zichen Hall, a man was sitting alone by the window, curled up.

Although he was tall and slender, he looked like a wounded little beast, silently hugging himself and crying silently.

Tears slid down his cheeks and dripped onto his gorgeous robes, staining them with dark flowers.

When he raised his head, a sinister hatred flashed in his eyes.

Gnashing his teeth, almost to the point of breaking them, he said fiercely:

"It's been eighteen years, and it's finally my turn to get everything back! Father, mother, I must make them pay with blood, and I must take back this country!"

His voice was deep and full of determination.

He slowly stretched out his right hand, which was wearing an exquisite jade ring.

The jade ring flashed with a cold light, symbolizing power and status.

He clenched his fist tightly, and the friction between the jade ring and his fingers made a crisp sound.

"This time you must not have expected that he would die and I would live!" He

muttered to himself, and the hatred in his eyes became more and more intense, like a burning flame.

"All of this will be mine! I will take over!"

When the morning light rose, Shi Jun stood up and straightened his clothes. The sadness on his face had disappeared, and gloom and indifference appeared on his beautiful face.

With steady steps, he walked out of the Purple Palace...

On this day, because of the matter in the Fan'an Palace, the emperor took the prince to offer sacrifices to the heaven and pray for blessings.

On the ceremonial guard, Shi Jun sneered.

How ridiculous, who are you praying for? Whose soul are you comforting?

His fierce eyes passed through the carriage in front of him, "Emperor, it's a pity that you don't know that today we are going to comfort the soul of your son. He has already turned into a lonely ghost under the cliff.

You caused my family to die tragically, and this is just the beginning!

At the gate of the palace, Xu Mian took Xuelian to the carriage.

"Don't worry, young lady. The old master will be happy to see these gifts."

Xu Mian pouted. Lord Xu has never been satisfied with what his daughter has done. The father and daughter were silent when they met, as if they were a pool of stagnant water.

The emperor and the prince's carriage passed through the street in a grand manner, attracting the attention and heated discussions of many people.

In the crowd, there was a tall man wearing a gauze hat, standing there quietly, watching the ornately decorated carriage moving slowly forward.

Suddenly, when he saw the familiar face sitting on the ceremonial procession, he couldn't help but be shocked in his heart - that face was exactly like him!

"This person... actually pretended to be me?"

Shi Yan widened his eyes in disbelief.

He couldn't understand why someone looked so similar, and he didn't understand why this person would pretend to be him and become the prince.

As the sacrificial team gradually went away, Shi Yan felt more and more depressed, as if he had lost his soul. His steps became shaky, and his body swayed involuntarily, and he could hardly stand still. He

subconsciously reached into his robe to find the human skin mask.

At this moment, he began to wonder if the impostor was also wearing a human skin mask to imitate his face so perfectly.

Shi Yan tried to calm down and told himself that he must find out the truth.

To uncover the truth, he needed to find someone to help. He

decided to go to Prince Yong's Mansion to seek help.

At this moment, a carriage passed by the street.

The curtain was blown up by the breeze, revealing the person inside.

Shi Yan looked closely and saw a cute girl's face.

It was Mianmian! Shi Yan's heart was instantly surrounded by surprise, and a gentle smile appeared on his face.

"God really helped me! I can see Mianmian at this time."

Shi Yan sighed in his heart, thinking that this was another kind of care and comfort from God to him.

He made up his mind to see Xu Mian today no matter what.

"I want to see Mianmian, I must see her." Shi Yan murmured in a low voice, with a firm light in his eyes.

Taiwei Xu's mansion is in the east of the capital, and Xu Mian brought Xuelian into the mansion.

The housekeeper came out to greet her, "The eldest lady is back!"

"Where's my father?"

"The old man hasn't come back yet. He said he would be back before dark."

Xu Mian scattered some fish food for the brocade carp in the lotus pond in the mansion and walked to the backyard.

Fuxi Pavilion is the courtyard where she lives.

This is the one month after she married into the palace. Everywhere is filled with longing after a long separation.

After watering the roses, peonies and peonies planted in the courtyard, she entered the chamber.

Lying on the wooden bed, perhaps because he was tired, he fell asleep in a daze.

A tall figure jumped down from the corner of the wall in the backyard of Xu's mansion. Shi Yan came here for the first time and wondered where Xu Mian lived.

After walking for a while, he saw a familiar person from the path.