It is said that Xu Pengju made rude remarks at the welcoming banquet for the Qingyun Marquis's family when he came to propose marriage, openly and secretly slandering Empress Su.
My maternal grandfather was furious and argued with him on the spot, but he collapsed because he couldn't catch his breath.
Su Wanwan was completely numb as she went to the Marquis of Changning's residence with Lu Xingjian.
From the time she could remember, she knew that her maternal grandfather was the most important person in her life.
Because of her maternal grandfather, she was taken to the palace by the Zhou family to be raised.
Now that this beloved elder has passed away, how could she not be sad?
Lu Xingjian put his arm around her shoulder and comforted her gently:
"Don't worry, I've sent the entire Imperial Medical Academy there. Your maternal grandfather is a lucky man and will surely be safe and sound."
When Su Wanwan arrived, her maternal grandfather's face was ashen, and he was barely clinging to life.
Upon seeing Su Wanwan and Lu Xingjian by the bedside, his unfocused gaze gradually sharpened and brightened.
He still couldn't speak, pointing to his children and grandchildren kneeling all over the floor in front of the bed, staring at Lu Xingjian.
Su Wanwan held the old man's hand and burst into tears.
Her grandfather's collapse was so sudden that she was completely unprepared.
Lu Xingjian was silent for a few moments, then said in a deep voice, "Uncle, rest assured, I will treat the descendants of the Marquis of Changning well."
The Earl of Changning finally let out a long sigh, closed his eyes, and breathed his last.
The emperor's address of "Grand Uncle" filled the entire Changning Marquis's mansion with a sense of overwhelming honor.
Su Wanwan's maternal uncle, Zhou Tang, wept bitterly, heartbroken.
My father held on until his last breath, hoping that the Emperor would come and secure a future for them and their descendants.
With the heart of a loving father, he was still thinking of his children and grandchildren on his deathbed. How could he not be sad?
Marquis Qingyun, Zhou Anxin, who was kneeling to the side, felt a tightness in his chest and fainted.
It was all because he acted willfully, coveting the title of Duke of Wei, and insisted on marrying Zhou Wanxiu to that bastard Xu Pengju.
Despite his younger brother's various attempts to dissuade him, he ultimately chose to respect his older brother's wishes and attend the banquet.
But he was so angry that he died.
He killed his own brother.
He truly regrets his actions.
The emperor and empress, who had always respected him, didn't even glance at him this time.
The emperor just said to treat the descendants of the Marquis of Changning well.
It seems they have no intention of forgiving the Qingyun Marquis's family.
This was like adding insult to injury for the Qingyun Marquis's mansion, which had already lost the emperor's favor.
Guilt and despair struck at the same time, and the white-haired old man couldn't hold on any longer.
Fortunately, the imperial physician was on the scene and performed emergency acupuncture, and Marquis Qingyun regained consciousness.
He forced himself to stand up and immediately knelt down, begging for a private audience with the emperor.
Regardless, he had to seize this rare opportunity to fight for a future for the Qingyun Marquis's mansion in front of the emperor.
Su Wanwan went to comfort her grandmother, who was crying so hard she was almost fainting, but she didn't know what he and Lu Xingjian talked about.
After her grandmother took a sedative and fell asleep, Su Wanwan walked out in a daze.
A man and a woman were standing at the corner.
The man was very tall, wearing a dark cloak, and was looking down at the woman.
Su Wanwan was very familiar with that cloak because she had sewn it herself.
When Lu Xingjian put it on, he complained and said with a hint of disgust, "Why bother with all this? Aren't you afraid of pricking your hands?"
But she wore this outfit every time she went out afterward.
Zhou Wanxiu said:
"Anyway, she can't have children. Isn't it more reliable to have me, a woman you know well, bear your child than some random woman from the outside world?"
Zhou Wanxiu was dressed in a bright red outfit, with striking makeup, and exuded a completely different aura than before.
She looks a lot like that woman who married far away—Maggie.
She finally stopped imitating Su Wanwan and started imitating Ma Ji instead.
Indeed, this outfit suits Zhou Wanxiu very well, exuding exotic charm and youthful vibrancy.
Few men wouldn't be attracted to such a sight.
Zhou Wanxiu smiled brightly and flamboyantly: "You like me dressed like this, don't you? Stop pretending. You men are all the same. When you get tired of eating the same dish, you want to try something new."
Lu Xingjian did not deny it, but looked at her silently for a long time before finally saying, "Get out!"
Zhou Wanxiu walked away swaggeringly, but after a few steps she turned back and smiled brightly, exuding a Maggie-like charm.
Lu Xingjian stood still, his eyes slightly narrowed, as if he was thinking about something.
Su Wanwan walked up to him, and only then did he realize what was happening. His eyes flickered. "How long have you been here?"
Su Wanwan could hear the tension and worry in his voice.
Are you worried that she might discover something on your mind?
She simply shook her head weakly and went back to the palace with him.
At the moment of her sudden loss of a loved one, she felt utterly alone, a loneliness that left her heartbroken and exhausted.
There was no one to rely on.
There are also young children who need her protection.
When will this end?
Seeing her distress, Lu Xingjian put his arm around her waist and said gently, "The dead can't be brought back to life, don't be sad, okay?"
Su Wanwan raised her wet eyes and stared at him blankly.
I wonder if he was thinking about another woman when he said that.
Lu Xingjian stared at her with his dark eyes. "What's wrong?"
Su Wanwan forced a smile that looked more like a grimace: "I'm fine."
Lu Xingjian sighed deeply, pressed her head into his arms, gently stroked her back, and kissed her hair.
"You still have me, I will always be with you."
In fact, his heart was much colder than hers.
Even when the Empress Dowager Zhou passed away and the late Emperor passed away, he was not too saddened.
He was busy vying for power; otherwise, he would be the next one to fall.
Su Wanwan let him hold her, and after a long while she finally said:
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