It's all ruined, who cares about the chastity arch

"One month. I will only give you one month. If you still cannot prove your true identity by then, please do not wait until I do it myself. End it yourself."

After saying this, Emperor Xuan turned and left, leaving Concubine Pei alone, shivering in the cold wind, with an unprecedented despair and crisis all around her.

This so-called opportunity is actually an illusory thing that is difficult to reach, like a mirage in the mirror and water. It hangs in the unattainable clouds, making people feel discouraged.

Su Wanyu would never allow anyone to easily overcome the many obstacles she set and reap the fruits of success.

Before heading to this fateful stage, Concubine Pei's sister, the wise woman who once controlled the affairs of the palace, whispered gentle advice in Emperor Xuan's ear in a steady and loving voice.

Those words, like the warm sun in winter, warmed and illuminated his heart, allowing him to always remember them and become his strongest support in this game of power.

Because of this unexpected fall into the water, Concubine Pei not only suffered some physical pain, but also an indescribable shadow was buried deep in her heart.

As night fell, she was haunted by nightmares again and again. The boundary between dreams and reality gradually blurred, like a drop of ink slowly spreading on rice paper until they could no longer be distinguished from each other.

The dark power that seemed to come from the abyss was approaching quietly like a wolf stalking in the night wind, making people feel chilly.

"Cuifang! Cuifang!"

Late at night, Concubine Pei suddenly woke up from the chaos. Her call was like an echo through the deep ancient well, urgent and pressing.

Outside the house, the moonlight was like water, cold and silent, but it sprinkled silvery white all over the ground through the gap in the door that Cuifang pushed open.

Cuifang walked in the coolness of the night with steady and quick steps, her figure breaking the silence in the room.

"What are your orders, Madam?"

There was a hint of worry and concern in her voice, like a candlelight in the middle of the night, trying to illuminate its owner's anxiety.

Concubine Pei sat up with great effort, her fingers weakly pressing on her forehead which felt as if it was filled with lead, her eyes flashing with confusion and fear: "Just now, was there really no one who came to my room?"

There was an urgency in her voice that could not be ignored.

Cuifang frowned slightly and answered quickly and carefully: "Your Majesty, no outsider has entered your bedroom all night. I have been guarding outside the door the whole time."

Concubine Pei's denial was firm and certain, accompanied by a slight shake of the head: "No, someone has been here, I can feel it."

Before she finished her words, a tired hand inadvertently brushed across the table, and the incense burner fell to the ground. The crisp sound was particularly abrupt in the quiet night.

Seeing this, Cuifang whispered, as if revealing an unspeakable secret: "Madam, there is actually one thing that I find very suspicious."

Concubine Pei's eyes flushed slightly as she stared at the maid in front of her, her tone full of anticipation and nervousness: "Tell me, what's so strange?"

Cuifang's eyes looked deep and complicated under the dim light. She slowly expressed her doubts: "Why did the secret of the Queen's life story have to be revealed by the sister of the eldest young master of the Pei family? Is there any hidden purpose behind this? Why did it have to be a member of the Pei family?"

Her words were soft but powerful, and every word was like a stone thrown into the water, causing ripples.

"My lady, you should be more careful with the people around you."

"You mean there might be something wrong with Chi An?"

Concubine Pei's voice trembled slightly, but she tried to remain calm.

Cuifang nodded slightly with a heavy expression.

Concubine Pei rubbed her temples and smiled bitterly with helplessness: "I raised him, how could he betray me? And he has explained the matter to me clearly."

Cuifang spoke earnestly, her admonition was gentle and stern like a mother: "Madam, men's words are the most unreliable. Moreover, I heard that Master Pei is busy with his marriage with the daughter of the Wu family, and Miss Li is said to be as beautiful as a fairy. How many men can not be moved by her?"

These words were like sharp arrows, accurately shooting into Concubine Pei's heart. She turned her face to the side, and the bronze mirror reflected her haggard appearance at the moment.

After the illness, her body became noticeably thinner, her face was no longer firm, and wrinkles, like signs of time, quietly climbed up her forehead and corners of her eyes.

Even if you take precious anti-aging drugs every day, you cannot stop the erosion of time.

At this moment, she had to face the cruel reality that her youth was gone. Compared with those girls in their prime, she had become much more eclipsed.

Jealousy and anger burned in her heart, her eyes were bloodshot, revealing deep resentment and cruelty.

Cuifang continued, "Your Highness, think about it carefully. The princess is about to return to the palace, the power of the regent is growing, and even His Majesty seems to have some reservations about you. For Master Pei, you may no longer be that important chess piece."

"But marrying into the Wu family is completely different. With the support of Prime Minister Wu, his career path will be smooth and he will rise to the top."

These analyses were like cold blades, cutting through Concubine Pei's inner defenses one by one.

Hearing this, Concubine Pei's hands couldn't stop shaking, and the previous joint conspiracy seemed to have become a mockery.

Pei Qingzhi had been sent away, and there were no more women of the right age in the Pei family who could enter the palace, so her position in the palace became precarious.

Although there was a subtle connection between her and King Liang, Gu Linjun's sharp gaze never left her, making her dare not act rashly.

Pei Chi'an's choice undoubtedly points to a brighter future.

Once the seeds of suspicion are sown, they will quickly take root, sprout, and spread into a forest.

"Chi An's visits to my place are indeed becoming less and less frequent..." Concubine Pei's face looked a little pale, but then a resolute sneer crept up the corners of her mouth, "If he really dares to betray me, I will make him regret it and make his life worse than death!"

Cuifang lowered her head, a barely perceptible smile appeared on the corner of her mouth, and a complicated feeling surged in her heart.

She accepted the mission from Concubine Pei and was determined to become her spy.

"Yes, Madam Dowager. Cuifang will keep a close eye on Pei Chi'an's movements and report any news immediately."

After saying this, Cuifang bowed respectfully and left. As she went out, her eyes unconsciously lingered on the sparkling lotus pond, with a myriad of thoughts in her mind.

The memory of that summer flashed through her mind.

It was in that lotus pond that she discovered her sister's remains. At that moment, the fire of revenge ignited in her heart.

She found someone who could help her convey the message, and that person promised to kill her enemy as long as she was willing to cooperate.

Although she knew little about the man's true identity, the promise was enough to make her take a gamble.

At the same time, inside the palace, the storm caused by Pei Chi'an had not yet subsided, and the emperor and the eldest princess were concentrating on preparing for Su Wanyu's enthronement ceremony.

After the imperial decree was issued, the gorgeous carriage was ready, waiting to welcome the future princess back to the palace.

The eldest princess held a carefully tailored dress, the delicate stitches of which concealed the glory and dignity of the royal family. She personally supervised the palace maids in dressing Su Wanyu to ensure that there were no mistakes in every step.

Outside the hall, civil and military officials stood in silence. The air was filled with solemnity and anticipation, and everyone's eyes were focused on the enthronement ceremony that was about to begin.