Shocking! Five men are in love with the same woman!

Lingyan stepped into the former Crown Prince's residence. The vermilion gates remained unchanged, and the carved beams and painted rafters were as intact as ever.

It's as if time has quietly stood still here, carefully preserving the past glory.

But as she stepped into the courtyard, she felt a cold wind whistling through the hall, leaving her with nothing but a sense of melancholy.

Everything here has changed, because all the people she knew are gone one by one.

The Seventh Princess, the Eighth Princess, the Ninth Princess, Xie Zhiyi, and Jiang Muxue.

Meng Huai'an, Jiang Jingyu, the Ninth Prince, the Prince of Xiang, the Third Prince, the Fifth Prince, and so on—all of these people have already left.

And the other princesses she knew were no longer in this world.

Yu Moyu, Qin Qi, and even He Jin'an, Jin Yuhuan, and Xia Yifei are all gone.

Not to mention all the officials at that time.

Qi'er and Yingying also passed away two years ago.

So all the people she knew were gone, and she felt only endless desolation and alienation.

Those laughter and cheerful voices seem like they happened just yesterday, lingering in my ears.

But now, they are all like dreams and illusions, mercilessly crushed by the years, turning into wisps of smoke and scattered in the vast wilderness of time.

Even after news of her return to the capital spread, the Crown Prince's residence was bustling with activity, with visitors coming and going like fish crossing a river every day.

The crowd greeted him with smiles, speaking warmly and attentively.

But all she felt was endless loneliness and desolation.

Like wild grass on a wasteland, it grows rapidly when the wind blows, devouring the heart and leaving it barren in the blink of an eye, spreading to every part of the body.

The past is like a dream, gone forever.

She was left all alone, with no one left to look forward to.

But looking at these young and vibrant lives, her mood was also very bright, especially for many of the women.

She felt as if spring flowers were blooming before her eyes, bright and vibrant.

They smiled and chatted, their eyes reflecting the clear sunlight.

He spoke with great enthusiasm, his eyebrows dancing with unrestrained energy and agility, every gesture brimming with vitality.

Seeing this, Lingyan's lips unconsciously curled up.

The gloom in my heart was dispelled by this vibrant energy, leaving me with brightness and joy.

Just like the warm sun melting snow, a feeling of comfort slowly flows through my heart.

And these women, upon seeing her, were filled with joy, excitement, and gratitude!

Because they grew up listening to legends about her.

She has long been a legend to people all over the world.

Although they have enjoyed the same treatment as men since birth, they can do everything that men do.

But having learned about her, how could they not know what kind of lives women in the world lived before she appeared?

They were trapped by old customs and confined to their boudoirs, their predetermined fate being to manage household affairs and raise children.

They had no right to engage in literary pursuits, let alone pursue an official career in the imperial court.

Those days felt like an airtight cage, suffocating us.

Until she emerged out of nowhere, like a sharp blade breaking the deadlock and shattering the shackles that bound her.

In just a few short years, she used her own abilities to change the plight of women all over the world, which is why they have such wonderful lives today.

In the first year of the Jingxi reign, she promulgated numerous laws to protect women's rights.

The custom of arranged marriages and silent marriages was abolished.

Unmarried couples can get to know each other first, accompanied by their parents or relatives.

If, after getting to know each other, neither party changes their mind and still wants to go ahead with the wedding, then it will naturally be a happy ending.

However, if one party is unwilling after understanding the situation, the other party may not force them.

In this way, regardless of whether either the man or the woman is unwilling, it is actually for the woman's sake.

After all, if the man is unwilling, how can the woman possibly be happy even if they get married?

In addition, she abolished the law allowing divorce.

From now on, the only option for the couple is divorce.

Furthermore, if the husband has problems and the wife wants a divorce, the husband must not obstruct him; otherwise, he will be dealt with according to the law.

When divorcing, the man must also compensate the woman for various losses, etc.

If the issue involves the custody of the child, it is left to the local government to investigate and determine who the child belongs to.

After the divorce, the man is not allowed to harass or cause trouble for the woman under any pretext.

Otherwise, severe punishment will be imposed.

Then, from a medical perspective, he explained to the public that if a couple has no children, it's not just a problem for the woman; the man will also have issues.

Initially, everyone was skeptical, but after the incident of Emperor Jingxi's inability to conceive, everyone finally believed it.

The many women who had suffered as a result were finally exonerated.

Furthermore, she explained to everyone that the sex of a child depends on the man and has nothing to do with the woman.

After hearing this, everyone finally understood.

It also allowed women who were told by their husbands' families that they couldn't give birth to sons to finally hold their heads high.

Although nowadays everyone feels that there is nothing wrong with having a daughter, since she is the same as a boy!

But what to say!

Even in modern times, many families still believe that it is better to have a son than a daughter.

Let alone in ancient times.

Therefore, these families who used to blame the woman no longer have any reason to do so.

After all, they had been told the whole story clearly.

If they continue to deliberately make things difficult for the woman, then they can expect to go to jail.

In addition to the above, she specifically stated that the man must not interfere with the woman's career for any reason, or force her to stay at home to be a wife and mother.

Of course, if the woman herself is willing, then that's a different story.

But if the woman is unwilling, and the man still forces her, then he should also go to jail.

In addition to these, she also enacted an inheritance law.

It states that men and women have equal inheritance rights.

This includes residences, fields, shops, titles, and so on.

In short, anything that a man can inherit, a woman can also inherit.

Of course, she enacted so many laws to protect women's rights that it's impossible to list them all at once.

But every single one of them is designed to allow women everywhere to live freely, happily, comfortably, and peacefully.

Whether before or after marriage, or even after divorce.

So how could they not be grateful to her, not worship her, not respect her, and not regard her as a deity?

It wasn't just women who held Lingyan in high esteem.

The same applies to all living beings under heaven.

Because she had already lived to the ripe old age of eighty.

This is unbelievable to them!

In the eyes of the world, being seventy years old is already a rare age.

Most people live only fifty or sixty years before completing their life's journey.

Those who can cross the threshold of seventy are few and far between, like sparse stars scattered in the night sky.

Whenever an elderly member of the clan reaches the age of fifty or sixty, the whole family considers it a natural death.

Empress Lingyan, this legendary empress, defied the shackles of time and lived to be eighty years old.

Such longevity is like a myth come to life.

How could this not inspire awe and admiration from people all over the world?

But while everyone was amazed and astonished, their own hidden desires were also quietly stirred.

In the minds of ordinary people, fifty or sixty years old is the twilight of life, and the age of seventy is far away.

Eighty years is like a fairy tale.

Empress Qian did just that, and she remained vigorous and radiant.

As a result, rumors began to circulate and speculations abounded.

Many people are convinced that, as a medical expert with extraordinary skills, she must possess a unique secret to longevity.

Once this thought arose, it was like a spark igniting a prairie fire, spreading throughout people's hearts.

Outside the Great Zhao Kingdom, people from all walks of life were filled with excitement, carrying their burdens and harboring their hopes.

They came by traversing mountains and valleys, or by boat crossing rivers.

In no time, inns throughout Dazhao were fully booked, and the streets and alleys were bustling with people shoulder to shoulder.

In front of the Crown Prince's residence, the crowds were so dense that it resembled a bustling marketplace.

Everyone stared longingly at the vermilion gate, eagerly awaiting its arrival.

I only wish that Empress Yuqian would be merciful and gently part her lips to reveal the secret to longevity to the world.

It's as if that's the magical key to unlocking the long scroll of life and locking away the years.

…………

The current Emperor of the Great Zhao Dynasty is Emperor Jingtai, the son of Xiao Yiqi.

Over forty years old, he exudes an aura of imperial authority that is both composed and dignified.

He grew up listening to Lingyan's legendary past under the tutelage of Xiao Yiqi.

That respect and admiration have long been deeply rooted in my heart, like an old tree with gnarled roots, unbreakable.

Upon learning that crowds were surging outside the Crown Prince's residence, with people from all over flocking to seek longevity, the scene was bustling and noisy.

Completely disregarding her advanced age, they wantonly disturbed her peace and quiet.

He was instantly enraged, a cold glint flashing in his eyes, like a frost-covered blade being drawn—a chilling rage that could not be violated.

He then ordered the Imperial Guards to be deployed in full force, and their elite cavalry quickly rushed to the gates of the Crown Prince's residence.

The imperial guards, like wolves and tigers, quickly surrounded and drove out those who were hoping to escape and lingering.

In a short while, the area in front of the Crown Prince's residence returned to its former tranquility.

Subsequently, Emperor Jingtai issued the decree to the entire country with a stroke of his vermilion brush.

"Empress Yuqian's merits will last for generations, and she deserves to enjoy a peaceful and happy life. From now on, anyone who dares to disturb Empress Yuqian's peace and quiet under any pretext will be severely punished by me without any leniency!"

The ink characters, like knives, were hung in every prefecture and county, intimidating all directions.

From then on, no one dared to break the law.

But these are also the people who grew up hearing the legend of Lingyan.

But in the end, I never experienced it firsthand, never faced the sharp edge in her eyes.

Furthermore, they never witnessed her cunning and manipulative abilities during those turbulent years.

And as the years passed, they only felt that she was getting old.

They should be like ordinary elderly people in their twilight years, with a kind heart and a gentle temperament, before they can act recklessly.

They were trying to pry out the secrets of her longevity from her and disturb her peaceful old age.

However, someone who truly lived in the same era as Lingyan would never dare to morally blackmail her like this.

Lingyan's heart didn't become softer with age.

On the contrary, she remained just as ruthless.

So they were completely wrong!

After all, Lingyan had weathered eighty years of trials and tribulations, witnessing the intrigues of the palace and the power struggles of the court.

Having once held the power of life and death in her hands, she remained as hard as iron, a trait that never changed.

Seeing that this group of people didn't know when to advance or retreat, a cold glint flashed in her eyes.

He then sent men to secretly poison those who were shouting the loudest and causing the most disturbance.

Soon, those who were infected collapsed to the ground, their faces contorted, and cold sweat pouring down their faces.

His body felt as if it were being devoured by thousands of ants, and his painful screams pierced the sky.

They struggle daily on the edge of life and death, unable to live or die.

Lingyan then gave the order that everyone else, including unrelated bystanders, should witness this tragic scene as a warning to others.

As the news spread, curious onlookers and those hoping for a lucky break flocked to the execution ground, making it completely packed.

Seeing the convulsing and agonizing state of the poisoned victims and hearing their piercing cries, a chill ran down everyone's spine.

Only then did they realize that Empress Yuqian was not some kind-hearted old woman.

He is still the same decisive, ruthless, and powerful legend he was back then, not someone to be trifled with.