The Queen sealed her heart and locked up her love, and the Emperor was trapped in the crematorium

After Xie Yaoqing returned to the palace, New Year's Eve was just a few days away.

Compared with previous years, this year's New Year's Eve seems particularly deserted.

Although the palace was decorated with lights and colors early on, with red lanterns symbolizing prosperity hung everywhere and all kinds of festive and beautiful paper-cut window decorations pasted on, trying hard to create a festive and joyful atmosphere, the lack of interest from those in power more or less affected the palace maids and eunuchs who were working below, making them all listless and in low spirits.

For Xie Yaoqing, after the palace was no longer full of concubines, the original ceremony of paying respects was naturally cancelled, because no one would come to pay respects to her anymore, even during festivals.

She no longer had to get up early to receive the concubines, nor did she have to say those formalities, nor did she have to worry about preparing rewards. She could sleep soundly, even if she had to sleep until noon.

Every New Year’s Eve, a grand banquet is held in the palace, with the emperor and his ministers enjoying themselves together. This has always been a wonderful thing, and this year is no exception.

Xie Yaoqing sat at the top, casually scanning the guests in the room, when suddenly he met a pair of eyes full of malice.

The pair of eyes stared at her with obvious hatred, and the other party did not seem to expect that it would be such a coincidence that she was caught red-handed. The man's face flushed red, and he quickly looked away, lowered his head to cover up his guilt, and pretended to be well-behaved and docile.

Xie Yaoqing frowned, wondering why this person was so rude? She looked closely and found that this person looked a little unfamiliar, but she had some impression of him. She tried to recall and remembered that this person was someone from the Queen's courtyard of Nan'an.

Xie Yaoqing was not unfamiliar with Princess Nan'an. After all, as the hostess of the palace, she was required to attend various banquets. Moreover, the royal family members had to visit the palace regularly to pay respects to the queen, so Xie Yaoqing was quite familiar with Princess Nan'an and could recognize her at a glance.

As for the other women in Queen Nannan's house - the two concubines, Xie Yaoqing was not very familiar with them.

They are nothing but concubines of King Nannan, of low status. Even though they have special identities as King Nannan's women, they still cannot change their status as concubines. Their names are not even on the royal jade book. They are not qualified to appear in front of Xie Yaoqing, let alone hang around in front of her.

Therefore, it would be good enough for Xie Yaoqing to have a general, superficial impression. She could not be expected to remember clearly all the concubines and aunts in the families of royal family members, civil and military officials. There was no need for that, and it was not worth her bothering. After all, the female relatives she interacted with were basically the principal wives, and very few were concubines.

Seeing that the woman's eyes and eyebrows were somewhat similar to the former Concubine Qi, also known as Qi Zhiyan, Xie Yaoqing immediately understood that this person was probably the concubine from the Qi family, and she also gave birth to a son for Prince Nannan. It is said that because he was the youngest son and looked like Prince Nannan, he was very much loved by Prince Nannan.

Qi Zhiyan was convicted of plotting to murder the emperor and died in the Ministry of Punishment. Her family did not suffer a good fate either. They took this opportunity to uproot them. Officials in the family who were corrupt, formed cliques for personal gain, bullied men and women, and took advantage of their power to bully others were all punished. Some were beheaded, some were exiled. Such a large family was scattered and withered in less than half a month. All the glory of the past was gone, turned to ashes and disappeared.

Since the Qi family did not harm married women, the concubine of the King of Nan'an was spared. However, as a member of the Qi family, she was naturally saddened by the demise of the Qi family and blamed Xie Yaoqing for her resentment.

It is estimated that in the eyes of all Qi clan members, Xie Yaoqing snatched the position of queen that should have belonged to Qi Zhiyan, becoming a thorn in their eyes and a thorn in their flesh, and they can't wait to get rid of her immediately.

Xie Yaoqing raised his eyebrows slightly, and a cold smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

It wasn't her who asked Xiao Chengxu to attack the Qi family. Qi Zhiyan had it all to herself. She had used such despicable means on the emperor, how could she not be retaliated? She was simply courting death. Who could she blame?

Why did the Qi family hate her?

If you have the guts, go and bear a grudge against Xiao Chengxu.

Xie Yaoqing curled her lips, "Is there no one available in the Nan'an Palace? They actually let a concubine come to attend the New Year's Eve palace banquet."

This sentence was like a huge rock thrown into a calm lake, stirring up thousands of waves. Everyone present turned their eyes to the Prince of Nan'an and the woman beside him. Some people who recognized that the woman was not the Princess of Nan'an began to whisper and talk to each other, and the scene became noisy.

"Today is such a solemn occasion, and every family would have the wife attend the banquet, but the Nan'an Palace is different. They let a concubine occupy the magpie's nest, and how can they be a monkey in a crown? The Nan'an Palace really doesn't know the rules."

"That's right. Even if there is no legal wife, it should be the concubine who attends such an occasion. There is no reason to let a concubine show up in public. I really don't know what the Nan'an Palace is thinking."

"That's right. There are so many noble ladies and princesses here. They are all of noble status. How can a mere concubine have the dignity to do so?"

"Yes, it is said that Prince Nan'an loves his princess very much. I don't think so. Princess Nan'an has no sons, only two daughters. It is probably because the mother is honored by her sons that Prince Nan'an promoted his concubine."

"But isn't this concubine originally from the Qi family? How can she appear here so openly? Isn't this an insult to the Empress?"

"That's right, what exactly does the Nan'an Palace mean? Aren't they afraid of offending the Queen?"

……

The discussions of the crowd were like invisible slaps, slapping Prince Nan'an and the concubine in the face one after another, making them feel a burning pain on their faces.