Su Wanwan looked at her for a while, then smiled slightly. "It would be wonderful if the Empress Dowager thought that way."
Wang's heart skipped a beat.
Is the change from "Grandmother" to "Grand Empress Dowager" a sign that things are about to turn sour?
She looked at Su Wanwan warily.
Su Wanwan's expression was calm, but her face showed some weariness.
"You probably think that my family is declining and I have no one to support me, so the harem can return to your and the Empress Dowager's control."
"But to casually have a child and claim it as the emperor's offspring is a blatant disregard for imperial authority and shows no respect for the ancestors of the Lu family."
"I hope you can sleep peacefully at night without your ancestors disturbing your dreams."
Wang's pupils contracted sharply.
She had been having nightmares lately, and Emperor Xianzong coldly rebuked her and drew his sword to kill her.
That was her husband, whom she both respected and feared.
She has never served a man in bed and remains a virgin to this day.
But she dared not complain at all.
Although Emperor Xianzong did not touch her, he granted titles to her three younger brothers from her maternal family.
The pain of being stabbed in the chest by a sword in the dream was so vivid and terrifying.
Even the portraits of ancestors in the Fengxian Hall transformed into vengeful ghosts, surrounding her with disdain and cursing her for being unworthy of being a daughter-in-law of the Lu family and for not being able to be buried in the imperial mausoleum after her death.
They even said that Empress Wu was more virtuous than her and should be buried in Maoling as Emperor Xianzong's first wife.
She was afraid—afraid that she would lose her status as Empress Dowager, and that all her brothers from her maternal family would be stripped of their titles and their entire families executed.
So she offered a large sum of money to have her palace servants help her get rid of Empress Wu.
She never told anyone about these things, so how did Su Wanwan find out?
She shuddered, staring at Su Wanwan in disbelief:
Did you drug me?
Su Wanwan raised an eyebrow at her, looking completely bewildered:
"What medicine? I don't understand."
Wang closed her eyes and accepted her fate.
She was surrounded by the emperor and empress's people; wouldn't it be easy for her to poison him?
Despite her stubbornness, she still wanted to make a name for herself.
It's all because of that bitch Sun Qingyu!
...
Lady Sun Qingyu, the wife of the Marquis of Ruian, looked at the poisoned wine in front of her, slammed it over, and hysterically shouted, "I won't drink it!"
She sneered, "Trying to make me a scapegoat when things don't get done? There's no such thing as a free lunch!"
"I want to see the Emperor and the Empress to lodge a complaint with them. You forced me to do this! You forced me to do this!"
Marquis Rui'an, with his gray hair and wrinkled face, stared expressionlessly at his young wife, who was not yet twenty years old, a hint of disgust flashing in his eyes.
"Didn't you say that the child in my belly is a dragon's offspring, that I risked the lives of my entire clan to take this dangerous risk?!"
Sun Qingyu's face was covered in tears, and she cried out hoarsely, "If I didn't say that, would you have protected my child and prevented him from being killed by the Huang family?!"
She laughed sarcastically a few times. "There are actually men in the world who are gleefully cuckolded? How ridiculous."
"Upon hearing that his wife was carrying a dragon's child, he was overjoyed and even killed his daughter-in-law, Huang, who had been married into the family for decades, without hesitation!"
She glared fiercely at Marquis Rui'an, her eyes bloodshot, like a demon crawling out of hell, her tone light and airy:
"A person like you deserves to be childless and without descendants!"
Her last few words were squeezed out of her throat, extremely hoarse, like a witch's curse.
Marquis Rui'an shivered, his face turned ashen, and he waved his hand.
The guards stepped forward and snapped Sun Qingyu's neck.
Sun Qingyu's eyes remained wide open, unable to close them no matter what he did.
The last scene in her mind was that year at the temple on the outskirts of Beijing, under the golden ginkgo trees, when she enthusiastically helped Su Wanwan drive away Lu Xingjian.
She was so happy back then.
With high hopes for the future, I had just received a warm welcome from a lady of noble birth and had a sincere exchange on medical skills and pharmacology, from which I benefited greatly.
At that time, she felt that she might become best friends with Su Wanwan and walk her own path to success.
When did all of this change?
Actually, she did have a chance to get back on the right track.
After she gave birth, He Ying was sent by the Empress to visit her.
At that time, Marquis Ruian already believed her words, thinking that the child in her womb was of imperial lineage, and was busy running around, making plans and schemes.
She could have easily given Heying a hint to ally with Empress Su and ask her to rescue her.
However, she gave up this opportunity and embarked on a path of no return.
She was originally just a lowly female doctor.
It was because she married into the Wang family, a living hell, that she ruined herself and her child's life.
Do you regret it?
regret.
At that time, Miss Crane Shadow should have conveyed her apologies.
Regardless, Empress Su always held goodwill towards her.
However, she herself pushed away and lost Empress Su's kindness, thus losing the opportunity to save herself.
...
Su Wanwan took Heying to pick up Yan Ge'er after school.
At this time, the East Garden is full of flowers, making it the most beautiful season of the year.
Heying pointed to the building nestled among the magnolia blossoms and said:
"The magnolias over at Hongqing Palace are in the best bloom. That year, when I was sent by you to deliver something to the Lady of Ruian Marquis, I even picked a magnolia branch to put in a vase."
Su Wanwan gazed at Hongqing Palace in the distance, remaining silent for a long time.
The young woman who bravely helped her drive away the lecherous man in the temple has long since disappeared.
In the struggle for power, how many people can remain true to their original aspirations?
He Ying looked aggrieved, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.
Su Wanwan smiled and said, "Liu Qi is fine."
He Ying's face immediately turned red, and she stamped her foot, saying, "Who wants to ask him?"
Su Wanwan chuckled, "So that's how it is. He even asked you several times."
He Ying's eyes flickered, and she asked timidly, "Really?"
Su Wanwan pinched her cheek. "You should ask him yourself later."
"Mother..."
Yan Ge'er ran over with the big kite in his hand.
Not far behind him, Yang Zhen, dressed in a light blue robe and holding a book, strolled over.
Against the backdrop of lush flowers and trees, Su Wanwan couldn't help but think of the phrase "a person as beautiful as jade on the roadside".
Yang Zhen's breathing suddenly stopped for a moment.
He noticed the slight surprise in her eyes.
I felt a slight buzz in my head, and my steps became lighter.
Perhaps it's because the late spring breeze is too intoxicating.
Su Wanwan quickly regained her senses and smiled gently:
"Thank you for your help these days, Mr. Yang."
Yang Zhen let out a soft sigh of relief, "Your Majesty flatters me. It is my good fortune to be able to offer my humble assistance."
Su Wanwan was sincere. "Sir, you are too modest. If it weren't for your efforts, my grandfather would not have escaped imprisonment."
Because of the death of his only son, Li Dongqian harbored a grudge against Su Wanwan.
It took a great deal of determination for him to stand up and resolutely oppose Liu Jin, the Grand Tutor.
Yang Zhen contributed significantly to this.
Of course, his efforts alone were not enough; it was his father Yang Ting's support and loyalty that made Li Dongqian willing to take action.
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