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

Finally, when Su Wanyu, dressed in new clothes, was surrounded by palace maids, she slowly walked through the long corridor and stepped onto the stone steps leading to the magnificent hall. The hall shrouded in golden light seemed to open its arms to her.

Her heart was filled with nervousness and excitement, because once she stepped through this door, she would officially become the Princess Pingle, who was the focus of everyone's attention, and no one would be able to easily despise or ignore her anymore.

This is a story of power, desire and revenge. Everyone is walking on a tightrope. A single thought may lead to eternal glory or endless abyss.

In Su Wanyu's memory, the ups and downs of the past came flooding back like a tide, and every detail was polished into sharp edges by time.

She had fantasized countless times that if she could have awakened earlier and been reborn before the torrent of fate dragged her into the Zheng Mansion, perhaps she could have avoided the hardships that exhausted her physically and mentally.

But now, when she was in the turbulent palace and looked around, she understood that everything that happened was inevitable, and it was the past that shaped her into the strong and unyielding person she is today.

The golden crown on his head was so brilliant that it illuminated the entire hall. It was a work of art made up of five hundred carefully polished gold beads. Each gold bead sparkled with a delicate luster, like the brightest star in the night sky.

On both sides of the golden crown, a pair of phoenixes are carved lifelike with their wings spread out, ready to fly. The beads in their mouths are as crystal clear as morning dew, swaying gently and casting a dazzling light.

As she slowly came back to her senses and stepped into the magnificent hall, every step seemed to be stepping on the pulse of history, heavy and firm.

The ministers, who had originally thought that they were welcoming just a daughter of an ordinary merchant, were all deeply shocked by the scene before them. They stood there in a daze, their eyes full of disbelief.

Even though Su Wanyu was wearing a heavy crown on her head, her posture was still elegant and noble, without any sign of humility.

The tassels swayed gently with her every firm step, like willow catkins in spring, light and lively.

The golden court gown she wore was made of fine materials and had delicate embroidery. Every stitch and thread revealed the dignity and extraordinaryness of the royal family, making her look more like a fairy above the clouds, detached from the world.

All the ministers looked at each other in amazement. How could the daughter of a merchant have such magnanimity?

This is clearly a princess with royal blood.

Some elderly ministers were even more surprised at the striking resemblance between her and the emperor.

Especially her eyes, which were as sharp as an eagle's but also contained a gentle light, as if they could see into people's hearts.

Any doubts about her identity were now transformed into respect.

His Majesty's face was filled with pride and joy. He stared at his sister walking towards him with a piercing gaze. He personally read out the imperial edict in a solemn tone in the center of the hall: "The eldest daughter of the royal family, Chongya, has been fostered in the Tan family since childhood. Now she has officially returned to the royal family and is canonized as the first-rank Princess Pingle. She is granted the two states of Linyun as her territory, 10,000 soldiers and horses, and 10,000 taels of gold!"

Upon hearing the imperial edict, Su Wanyu stepped forward steadily, knelt before the emperor, and said in a clear and respectful voice: "Pingle, I receive the order."

Among the crowd present, several complex gazes intertwined and focused on her.

One is the Regent on the left, with tenderness and deep expectation hidden between his brows.

The second was Wu Hexuan, a young talent among the ministers. His clear eyes were filled with surprise, satisfaction and deep admiration for her.

The third is located at the rear right. Concubine Pei is watching all this quietly. Her face full of fatigue is covered by heavy makeup, but her eyes are flashing with a glimmer of unwillingness and indignation.

"Sister, please stand up."

The emperor hurried forward and carefully helped Su Wanyu up.

She slowly raised her head, her eyes just meeting Concubine Pei's, a smile with profound meaning appeared on her lips.

This smile made Concubine Pei's heart tighten suddenly. Her long-standing pride and dignity were shattered by the feeling of frustration in this instant.

She clenched the silk handkerchief in her hand, her teeth trembling slightly with uncontrollable anger.

Once upon a time, who wouldn't be terrified and servile when seeing her?

However, Su Wanyu challenged her in public.

That smile seemed to foreshadow the prelude to a storm, telling her that the moment of revenge was about to come.

Su Wanyu vaguely sensed the ripples in Concubine Pei's heart, but did not immediately look away.

When she looked up again, she gave him an even more obvious and sarcastic smile, mocking that the other person's doom was near and retribution was inevitable.

Concubine Pei's eyes froze instantly, and the hatred in her heart became more and more intense like a wildfire.

In the past, if anyone dared to provoke her like this, she would tear the other person's dignity apart with her own hands.

But under the glory of imperial power, this is no longer a place where she can do whatever she wants. Her every word and action here is subject to the strictest scrutiny.

At the pinnacle of power, life and death, honor and disgrace, all depend on the word of the emperor.

Qin Nianxi may have thought that if she defeated Song Yulin, she would be the ultimate winner and be able to dominate everything.

But she didn't understand that her victory did not come from her great strength, but from her opponent's stupidity.

How can a woman who only knows how to calculate and disguise herself compete with the supreme imperial power?

After the grand ceremony, Su Wanyu rode in a gorgeously decorated golden chariot, slowly left the palace, passed through the bustling streets, and headed towards the most prominent princess residence in the city.

This mansion was specially selected by His Majesty. It is adjacent to the Tan family, just to make it convenient for her to visit her parents frequently in the future.

The news of Princess Pingle's tour spread throughout the city like a spring breeze. People gathered spontaneously, and the streets were lined with people, with high enthusiasm.

Through the soft gauze curtain of the golden chariot, Su Wanyu inadvertently caught a glimpse of a familiar figure - Zheng Chengyan.

He has become much thinner, his cheeks are sunken, his once handsome face has lost its luster, his dull eyes are full of emptiness and indifference, and his hunched body looks particularly old.

Seeing this scene, the corners of her mouth curled up slightly with a somewhat complicated smile.

The once proud Second Master Zheng may have already lost that pride.

As a eunuch who was deprived of his male body, life was more painful for him than death.

Zheng Chengyan stared at the woman in the golden chariot in a daze, and his body began to tremble involuntarily.

Regret and unwillingness surged into his heart like a flood. He silently lowered his head and examined his own imperfections. All his fantasies of begging Su Wanyu for forgiveness disappeared in an instant.

He was the son of a criminal and a useless person spurned by fate. Not to mention receiving the princess's favor, even becoming a lowly servant was a luxury.

As the golden chariot went further and further away, Zheng Chengyan suddenly let out a bitter laugh, which soon turned into a heart-wrenching cry. Finally, in an empty corner, he completely collapsed, sobbing inconsolably, his chest heaving violently, as if he was going to faint in the next moment.

"This is all my own fault. If I had treated her well in the beginning, how could I have ended up like this?"

He talked to himself, his voice weak and broken.

People like him rarely feel guilty for hurting others. Their only regret comes from the sadness of their own situation.

And all this was within Su Wanyu's expectations.