My low-key cultivation of immortality was discovered by the emperor in my diary.

Today is the Winter Solstice, a joyous day.

Not only do the palace hold seasonal banquets, but families also gather together for a reunion dinner.

The backyard of the Duke of England's mansion was bustling with activity early on, with women chatting and laughing. But these sounds were particularly jarring to Zheng Mingxuan's ears.

He looked down at his numb legs, his heart filled with boundless hatred.

These legs, like heavy chains, bound him tightly to this small space, robbing him of his freedom and pride, turning him into a burden that everyone avoided.

He recalled his past self, riding a horse with high spirits, but now he could only rely on a wheelchair to get through the day. This huge difference made him feel suffocated with pain.

Just then, his door was pushed open, and a beautiful woman dressed in palace attire walked in, chuckling, "On such a joyous day, why is my little brother cooped up in his room instead of going out?"

As she spoke, she stepped forward, seemingly intending to push him out.

"Don't touch me!" Zheng Mingxuan slapped her hand away, glaring fiercely at the woman in front of him—his sister, Zheng Xuan'er—like an enraged beast.

The smile on Zheng Xuan'er's face gradually faded.

Ahead of Zheng Mingxuan were two elder sisters and two half-sisters, all of whom were hastily married off by the Duke of Yingguo as soon as they came of age.

Without exception, every woman he married was there to pave the way for his only legitimate son.

Zheng Xuan'er was the eldest daughter of the Duke of Yingguo's family, but her father betrothed her to a general surnamed Wang as his second wife, and they were more than ten years apart in age.

This absurd marriage was entirely decided by the Duke of Yingguo. The Duchess of Yingguo's objections were useless, and afterwards she felt that she could not hold her head up in the capital and never visited other people's homes again.

The second daughter, Zheng Yue'er, was also forced to marry into a British family despite public opposition.

In the Zheng family, each daughter's marriage seemed to be a sacrifice to the family's interests. Their marriages were devoid of warmth, filled only with cold, calculating schemes.

Zheng Mingxuan, as the only legitimate son in the family, was doted on by his parents and given whatever they wanted.

Because of these unreasonable marriages, the Duke of England's mansion was often ridiculed behind its back, and even other high-ranking noble families distanced themselves from it.

However, in the minds of the Duke of England and Zheng Mingxuan, all of this was perfectly natural. They believed that women were destined to marry anyway, so why not take this opportunity to secure more benefits for the family? (Note: This does not represent the author's values.)

There was never much affection between Zheng Mingxuan and these older sisters. He had always been prejudiced against them, and they kept their distance from him. Since their marriages, they rarely returned to the mansion.

When news of Zheng Mingxuan's deterioration into a cripple arrived, Zheng Xuan'er immediately took a carriage back to Shenjing to inquire about his well-being.

Looking at her now-down-out brother, Zheng Xuan'er couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction.

She knew that by marrying someone old enough to be her father, she had become the subject of ridicule and gossip for many people.

Although she deeply resisted the marriage, she was powerless to do so. All she could do was use every means at the general's mansion to fight for a place for herself. Now she could speak with her head held high in front of the Duke of England.

Now that Zheng Mingxuan is ruined and his future is over, all his plans have come to naught, which secretly makes her happy, as if it is the will of heaven that has avenged her and her sisters.

Seeing her younger brother glaring at her with resentment, showing no respect for his elder sister, Zheng Xuan'er was not annoyed.

She turned her head with a smile and ordered the servants waiting at the door, "Someone, push the young master out."

After speaking, her gaze swept lightly over Zheng Mingxuan, carrying a hint of provocation.

"You dare!" Zheng Mingxuan gripped the armrest of the chair and threatened in a low voice.

Since losing feeling in his legs, he has rarely left the room, unwilling to face the strange looks and the gossip behind his back.

Although he was crippled, he refused to be manipulated or looked down upon.

“Little brother, you’re all grown up now, so stop being so willful and throwing tantrums,” Zheng Xuan’er said meaningfully. “Father has been so busy with your affairs lately, so don’t make him worry about you anymore.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Zheng Mingxuan's expression changed drastically.

In the matter of Chu Lengyu, because His Majesty was biased towards him, the four kings and eight dukes all chose to remain silent. Only the Duke of Yingguo had to stand up and become the first to speak out because of his matter, leading a group of officials to attack Chu Lengyu.

Several days had passed since the snow-viewing banquet. As time went by, the officials gradually saw through the emperor's attitude. They began to restrain their overt arrogance and instead adopted more covert methods.

The British Duke, however, was already in a difficult position and could not extricate himself, leaving him to fight alone.

Zheng Mingxuan knew that he had implicated his father because of his affairs, and he felt extremely ashamed and remorseful. However, his legs were crippled, and he would be looked down upon and humiliated whenever he went out.

Zheng Xuan'er ordered her servants to forcibly push him out of the house. He could no longer bear it and shouted, "Get out of here! I'll leave myself!"

Seeing his anger, the servants had no choice but to step aside. Zheng Xuan'er's smile faded slightly as she thought to herself: "Heh, this is just the beginning."

Zheng Mingxuan suppressed his anger and pushed his wheelchair out the door himself.

But when he encountered steps or thresholds, he still had to rely on others for help. In addition, his elder sister Zheng Xuan'er's sarcastic remarks felt like a knife cutting into his heart every time, reminding him that he was already a good-for-nothing.

In the front hall, a family was gathered happily when Zheng Mingxuan appeared, and everyone was surprised.

When the Duke and Duchess of England saw him appear, their faces lit up with joy, and they quickly went up to him, asking him what was wrong with him.

Zheng Mingxuan could only force a smile and talk to them, but his words betrayed his exhaustion and dejection.

Just then, his gaze inadvertently swept across the crowd and unexpectedly discovered that his half-brothers, whom he had previously looked down upon, were also at the table!

They stood or sat, dressed smartly, their faces beaming with smug smiles, as if the protagonists of this family banquet were not him, the former eldest son, but those he had once trampled underfoot.

An indescribable anger and resentment welled up in Zheng Mingxuan's heart. He knew that since his legs had become crippled, his status in the family had plummeted, while his half-brothers, whom he had disregarded, had seized the opportunity to rise up and even tried to take his place.

Even his cousins ​​and other male relatives came to his house to curry favor more often.

But he himself was trapped in this wheelchair, watching helplessly as everything that once belonged to him was gradually taken away.

Zheng Mingxuan gripped the wheelchair handles tightly with both hands, his knuckles turning white from the force, trying his best to keep his face calm so that others wouldn't notice anything unusual.

The family dinner was filled with warmth, and everyone had a smile on their face, but all of this seemed particularly jarring to him.