Tomorrow I will also go to Renshou Palace and Cikang Palace to perform the eight-bow ceremony.
Then, all the palace ladies-in-waiting, eunuchs, and palace servants had to come and pay their respects to the Empress.
Su Wanwan did not return directly to Kunning Palace, but instead went to Yong'an Palace by detour.
Xia Xueyi, dressed in plain clothes with her hair down, was standing in the courtyard, seemingly waiting for her to come over.
However, when his gaze fell on Su Wanwan's elaborate pheasant-patterned dress, a flash of resentment crossed his eyes.
Her proud title of Empress was stripped away after just over a year.
Instead of her, she was replaced by Su Wanwan, a shameless widow who committed adultery!
It's both laughable and ironic.
When they got married, the courtiers ridiculed the Xia family for being crude and unworthy of respectability.
But who could have known that Xia Xueyi, married for over a year, was still a virgin?!
Su Wanwan, this so-called noble lady, not only had a romantic relationship with Prince Rong when she was young, but also had rumors of adultery after marriage.
Despite her tarnished reputation, she was still placed on the throne of empress.
And he himself was nothing more than a stepping stone to help her ascend the throne.
The head eunuch of Yong'an Palace twitched when he saw Xia Xueyi staring at the new empress so openly.
She cleared her throat and reminded, "Xia, why aren't you paying your respects to Her Majesty the Empress?"
Su Wanwan stopped him: "That's enough, go down."
A hint of arrogance flashed in Xia Xueyi's eyes: "Speaking of which, you should thank me."
Su Wanwan chuckled: "Oh, what do you mean?"
Xia Xueyi was somewhat smug:
"If he hadn't married me first, how could you have married him given that you were a widow and had been married before?"
During her time in the cold palace, she constantly reminisced about the past.
Many things that were previously unclear or difficult to understand gradually become clear.
Lu Xingjian is really too smart.
To achieve one's goals, one will stop at nothing.
When it was necessary to crack down on the civil service, he went along with the Empress Dowager's wishes and married Xia Xueyi as a figurehead.
The empress, whose family offered almost no support, reassured the civil and military officials.
It also means that the emperor can stabilize the harem, gain the support of Empress Dowager Zhang, and keep the imperial family and relatives at ease.
Moreover, during the wedding, he forcibly demanded silver from the imperial treasury and agreed to the Xia family's expansion of their mansion, leading to a barrage of scandals.
It was practically telling the world how despicable the Xia family was.
How utterly disgraceful she was as an empress.
This laid the foundation for the eventual abolition of the empress.
She was just too naive and simple-minded back then, and couldn't see through the sinister intentions hidden there.
She thought he genuinely liked her, which was why he treated her so well despite others' objections.
But he himself is like a fish that can be seen but not caught, slippery and unpredictable, seemingly caring and loving in every way.
He only reveals his true colors when it comes to the crucial moment of intimacy, refusing to even touch her.
They even took the opportunity to replace all the people in her Kunning Palace.
Because she couldn't get his direct care and support, she had no choice but to cling to Empress Dowager Zhang.
So much so that things spiraled out of control, and she took risky actions, which led to her being completely despised by him, and he naturally deposed her.
If he were to make another woman his empress, it might not be so easy for him to depose her.
How can I marry Su Wanwan then?
Moreover, if he insists on not establishing an empress, the imperial court and harem would never allow an emperor to marry a widow as his first wife.
Ultimately, he took advantage of her and caused her family to be destroyed.
No wonder he looked at me with reluctance when I caught him cheating in the Crown Prince's palace.
I'm afraid I already knew my fate.
It's laughable that I thought I had genuinely moved him.
Su Wanwan looked at Xia Xueyi quietly, her face expressionless.
Xia Xueyi felt somewhat uncomfortable under her gaze, her imposing manner gradually weakened, and her gaze fell on her.
It has to be said that Su Wanwan looks much better in this empress's dress than she does.
She was dignified and radiant, with an indescribable air of nobility and majesty.
Her previously most obvious frailty and pitiful appearance had completely vanished.
"Why?"
Su Wanwan asked calmly.
Xia Xueyi was taken aback.
I don't understand what Su Wanwan is asking.
"Three years ago, they burned my ships and killed my men."
Su Wanwan's voice was not loud, and her expression was calm, yet she possessed an extremely strong sense of pressure.
She was like a vengeful goddess, devoid of joy or sorrow; looking at her was like looking at an object.
Xia Xueyi shivered inexplicably.
She took a step back, her eyes darting around, her eyes slowly reddening.
Realizing he couldn't let his guard down, he straightened his back and gave a stubborn smile.
"It's probably a pledge of allegiance from our Xia family."
"How can I convince people to support me as empress without handing me some leverage?"
Aside from Lu Xingjian's birth mother and the Grand Secretary's granddaughter, the Xia family's only option was to closely rely on Empress Dowager Zhang.
With such a huge temptation right in front of them, how could the Xia family not be tempted?
Little did they expect that the pledge of loyalty, which seemed to bring them wealth and glory, would drag the Xia family into an abyss.
If it weren't for the massacre three years ago, Xia Xueyi would never have become empress.
The Xia family is probably still an unknown wealthy family.
The parents and siblings continued to live their ordinary lives.
Where else could we be separated by life and death like we are today?
Su Wanwan didn't seem to care about what she said.
"Your father and one of your brothers are still alive?"
The tone was as casual as if asking if they had eaten breakfast.
Xia Xueyi immediately bristled.
The person was like a hedgehog with its entire body bristling, and their voice became terrified:
"what you up to?!"
"Do you intend to wipe them all out?!"
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