After the arranged marriage, she farms and survives under the tutelage of the villainous boss.

"You dare to compare yourself to Shuheng?"

These words immediately silenced the surrounding area, hitting the emperor where it hurt.

Honestly, in all these years, the Emperor has never been criticized.

He was submissive from a young age, and everyone around him doted on him. Who wouldn't want to get close to him to gain some benefit?

Even those old fogies in the Censorate, or the so-called chief ministers, all of them catered to him. If they could please him, they would have countless riches.

Of course, there were times when Emperor Xie Lin was not pleased, and the best outcome for him was to die and be buried in a mass grave.

Who doesn't want to live?

He's been killing like a madman for ages.

Unexpectedly, he is now being scolded by the only family member he trusts, and Xie Shuheng's wife is truly formidable, giving him a thorough dressing down.

How can there be such a person?

Xie Lin found it somewhat unbelievable.

I was more shocked than angry.

He simply couldn't fathom how these people dared to do such a thing, how they dared to go to such lengths, and they were all criticizing him.

"Mother... You can say whatever you want about me, and I can even forgive you, because in my heart, you are the most respectable elder."

“But…” Xie Lin paused, “how can you compare me to Xie Shuheng?”

"He doesn't deserve it. He's just an exile, a former prisoner of mine. Whether it's him or his father, they all died for a reason. There's not one of them I want to get close to or rely on."

"So you deserve to die?"

"Like Jiang Niangzi, it would be better for her to be dead than alive."

Jiang Zhiyun stood aside, realizing that this was all the emperor valued her for.

"Since we're all going to die anyway, I won't become your accomplice or stand idly by. What I should do is curse you."

“We’re being mild. You’ve always been fawned over, pampered by all sorts of people. So you think you’re amazing, that you’re better than anyone else.”

"Then let me tell you, if you weren't the emperor, you would be nothing. You are no match for anyone."

Jiang Zhiyun spoke as if she wanted to devour someone.

At this moment, the Empress Dowager said, "I didn't want to say this before. I also felt that we are mother and son, and no matter what, we have a mother-son bond. I even always thought that Xie Lin would have humanity. I thought you would change. Even if Shu Heng beat you here, you would surrender. I remember when you were a child, you would shed tears when you saw a kitten die. You said you didn't want it to suffer like you."

The Empress Dowager had always been a woman of few words, and over the years she had become disillusioned with Xie Lin, unable to persuade him or do anything about it.

Xie Lin's throne was taken by Xie Shuheng's father, who personally taught him the art of being an emperor and even did everything for him.

Who knows?

That's how someone becomes an ingrate.

Thinking back on all this, the Empress Dowager just found it laughable: "Xie Lin, I know you've changed a lot, but I never expected you to be so devoid of humanity!"

"Mother, you are underestimating me by saying that."

"I may be inhuman, and I may not like many things. But I've always been this way. And don't bring up anything about what I do."

"I was just cowardly and incompetent back then. What did it matter to me if a cat died?"

“I’m not like that anymore. Now I just want to live. Even if we lose all of our land and give it all to the Turks, I don’t want Xie Shuheng to beat me back. Because he’s just a drowning dog, someone I drove out. It would be a disgrace for him to come and beat me while he’s still alive.”

Just then, a sharp "slap" rang out, and the Empress Dowager's hand struck as expected.

“How interesting, Xie Lin. Look at you, always thinking you're omnipotent, but you can't do anything. You don't even have the power of the emperor on your own. I hit you, and you can't even fight back. Stop now, open the city gates and welcome Xie Shuheng and the others in. After that, you abdicate.”

"Live a peaceful life, and whatever you do in the future, you'll have something to look forward to. Believe me, your mother is doing this for your own good."

Grandma Yu's eyes were full of tears.

No one wants to watch their child grow up go astray.

When Granny Yu said this, Xie Lin's eyes were filled with helplessness and hatred.

“No, you won’t do this for my own good. I’m not your biological child. In the royal family, bloodline is the most important thing. I don’t want a child born to someone else either. I didn’t realize it before, but now that I’m like this myself, I know my mother’s feelings for me were definitely fake. Look, she still likes a country bumpkin like this.”

Jiang Zhiyun said, "What's wrong with a village woman? A village woman can look down on you too. Even if you are the emperor, you think you are better than anyone else, and even that you can be above everything."

"But so what? It's all in your own mind. With just a glance, or if I take you to see the students and the common people outside, will they still be the same people you thought you governed so well? No, they are no longer. Everyone hates you, Your Majesty."

“Every wrong has its perpetrator, and every debt has its debtor. None of us are as guilty as you.”

As he spoke, the emperor reached for his imperial sword.

But Jiang Zhiyun ran over and shoved him aside! Although the Emperor had been neglecting his duties and his health was already ruined, Jiang Zhiyun, a woman, was still no match for him in strength.

They couldn't even break through, and the Empress Dowager came over to help pull the Emperor away.

Yunniang held the imperial sword to the emperor's neck, saying, "I never expected the emperor to be so ruthless."

As Jiang Zhiyun spoke, her eyes still held anger: "Even if I die, even if I am killed by your people, it will be worth it. Because I know you deserve to die."

"..."

But at that moment, a face exactly like the Emperor emerged from behind Jiang Zhiyun and the Empress Dowager, even clapping: "Kill her, Lady Jiang. After you're killed, I can send you directly to be married off."

"You are Xie Lin!?" Jiang Zhiyun's eyes were filled with disbelief.

No wonder it was him... She never thought of that.

No wonder he hasn't been responding much since their argument. He even seemed quite unwell; he's just a different person. Jiang Zhiyun even thought he'd taken too much medication.

In that case, they must have been manipulated.

She hugged Granny Yu and said, "You can do whatever you want to me, but Granny Yu, don't hurt him."

Even if it was a family member, Jiang Zhiyun showed no mercy. She would interfere whenever she could and kill him without hesitation!

"I've killed one now, but I can't have many more left!"

Xie Lin smiled and said, "No, Madam Jiang is very clever and capable!"