The faint, seductive voice of a woman echoed from the side chamber. ng Qingyu stood in the courtyard, the veins on his forehead bulging with anger.
ng Fanyin was beside herself with joy. Had their plan succeeded?!
She rushed over, pushing ng Qingyu aside. "My daughter! Oh heavens! You're still an innocent maiden! Your Highness, the Crown Prince... please, show rcy. My Xin'er..."
"Is Lady Feng calling for ?"
Suddenly, a teasing voice rang out behind ng Fanyin.
Noble Consort Shen Mingye walked straight toward ng Yixuan. The two exchanged a smile, their silent trust flowing between them.
Xi Que couldn't help but burst into laughter. "Oh dear! The Crown Prince is standing right here! Sister, don't go throwing accusations at him. Don't you know that slandering the Crown Prince is a capital offense?"
"How can this be?"
ng Fanyin desperately wanted to push open the door to see for herself, but she had brought many servants to witness the scene. If there was sothing unspeakable inside, her daughter's reputation would be ruined.
If the person inside had been the Crown Prince, it might have been manageable. But now... the Crown Prince had just entered through the courtyard gate behind them...
This ant the person inside wasn't the Crown Prince at all!
"Sister, why don't you open the door? Weren't you so forceful just now?"
"Bang!"
"Crash!"
As she spoke, Xi Que kicked the door, shattering it into pieces. "For Xin'er's lifelong happiness, a re door is nothing. No need to thank , sister."
Thank you... my foot...
The Crown Prince's icy glare swept over, silencing ng Fanyin before she could utter another word.
On the bed in the side chamber, a young woman lay with her clothes in disarray, her eyes dazed. Her hands wandered restlessly over her body. "It's so hot... I'm burning... Your Highness, save ... save ..."
Shen Mingye and ng Qingyu hadn't even entered the room, yet Feng Xin'er was calling for the Crown Prince to save her. It was clear this had been preditated.
Before ng Fanyin could twist the situation, Shen Mingye struck first. "Hmph! General Feilong, I only ca to your residence out of respect for the Crown Princess. But I never expected to be humiliated like this. I will report today's events to my father and mother. You must give an explanation. In all my life, I have never suffered such an insult. I will not let this go lightly!"
With that, he took ng Yixuan's hand and strode away, leaving ng Fanyin too terrified to say another word. She had soone pour cold water over Feng Xin'er before slinking away in sha.
Jiang Xinyue laughed heartily, praising her son for handling the situation so well.
For the next two days, Shen Mingye and ng Yixuan stayed in the Eastern Palace. Officials from the Bureau of Palace Affairs busied themselves fitting them for the dragon and phoenix robes they would wear during the coronation.
Those two days passed in the blink of an eye. Before dawn, Jiang Xinyue was roused from bed. Today was the Crown Prince's big day, and all the princes and princesses had gathered.
However, the Third Prince was traveling across Great Yan and couldn't return, so he sent his congratulations and gifts instead.
On the day of Shen Mingye's coronation, aside from the Fourth Prince, who had already been enfeoffed as Ming Prince, the Fifth and Seventh Princes were also granted titles.
The Fifth Prince was enfeoffed as Prince Lian, with Yanzhou as his fiefdom. He would go there after his marriage.
The Seventh Prince was enfeoffed as Prince Yu, with Xianyang as his fiefdom. He could choose to reside there or stay in the capital, accompanying his elder brother.
The princesses were also granted titles. The Eldest Princess beca Princess Jiaqing, the Second Princess beca Princess Xihe, and the youngest, the Third Princess, was nad Grand Princess Yuanchen of Great Yan. As the Emperor's most beloved daughter, she held unparalleled authority and could freely enter any part of the palace without summons.
The Grand Princess Mansion was built in extravagant splendor.
Four years later—
Sumr Solstice—
The Imperial Astronors finally selected an auspicious date. After four years of traveling, the Retired Emperor and the Empress Dowager were returning to the palace to preside over the wedding of Prince Lian and County Mistress Qingqing.
A luxurious carriage rolled over the cobblestone road. Shen Ye cradled the drowsy woman in his arms. "Xinyue... wake up, we've arrived!"
Yue'er had been very obedient these past years, managing Great Yan with great skill.
He had even adhered to the rules Jiang Xinyue had set for him, waiting until his little Empress turned eighteen before consummating their marriage.
A month ago, ng Yixuan was found to be pregnant. This child, the long-awaited royal heir, was cherished by all the officials and people of Great Yan.
Moreover, the Emperor himself had declared, based on the joint diagnosis of imperial physicians, that he had been poisoned as a child, making it difficult for him to conceive. To avoid further heartache, he had abolished the imperial selection of concubines.
This child might very well be the Emperor's only heir!
As for the nature of the poison, or whether he had truly been poisoned—
No one could say for sure.
This rascal truly took after his father in his devotion, even using the sa excuses.
One claid incapacity, the other a damaged constitution.
Jiang Xinyue blinked her eyes open, the scenes from her dream still lingering in her mind.
The forr Empress, Consort Li, Consort Shu, Consort Rong, Consort Liang, Lady Chu, Lady Zhang, Lady Ye...
All those won who had left a profound mark on her life in the palace. She hoped they were living fulfilling lives in another world, free to shine in their own ways.
As for Great Yan, a dynasty that never existed in history but carried all her joys and sorrows, it would be her final resting place.
"Mmm..."
She rubbed her eyes and wrapped her arms around Shen Ye's neck. Her increasingly radiant face silently invited him closer.
Her lips, sweeter than honey, tempted Shen Ye to lean in and kiss her.
He had had many won in his life, but falling for Jiang Xinyue was sothing he had never anticipated.
At first, he had been drawn to her beauty, thinking that showing her so favor would be the extent of it.
But along the way, she had soothed the wounds in his heart. He discovered that she was like a book of endless depth—the more he read, the more captivated he beca.
He had never believed that an emperor would abolish his harem for the sake of a woman he loved.
Yet, it was he, the most skeptical of all, who had woven a grand lie to deceive everyone, all for the sake of dismissing the harem and spending his life with her alone.
And all of this had been his own choice, not sothing Jiang Xinyue had demanded.
"Xinyue, who do you love the most?"
Whenever Jiang Xinyue traveled, there were always rogues trying to win her favor.
Shen Ye, the Retired Emperor, was growing increasingly insecure.
Taking advantage of her drowsy state, he sought an answer.
"The one I love the most..."
Shen Ye's heart rose to his throat...
"Is, of course, myself."
Jiang Xinyue opened her eyes, completely alert now.
She loved herself with clarity.
Shen Ye was stunned for a mont, then burst into laughter.
All the oddities he had noticed but ignored suddenly beca clear.
Oh well...
For soone who loved herself so fiercely, being placed second in her heart was already a rare honor.
Jiang Xinyue smiled enchantingly, thinking to herself: Isn't love just about deceiving each other?
If she was willing to deceive him for a lifeti, who could say it wasn't love?
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