Repeatedly broken branches

Deng Yizhi, son of Deng Yun, Minister of Rites, was renowned and praised by all. He was described as having a handsome face, being gentle and refined, possessing both virtue and talent, and having an elegant demeanor.

However, Deng Yun had always been quite concerned about Deng Yizhi's marriage. Although he did not seek a daughter of royalty or nobility, she had to have a respectable background and be of good standing. After all, Deng Yun's family had been virtuous and scholarly for generations, and the marriage had to be between equals.

The new king ascended the throne, and the Chen Kingdom was renamed Jiuguang. The royal surname was changed to Yin. Yin Fu'an had no sons, only a wife named Xia Yunxu, who was the third daughter of the previous emperor, the former Princess Zhaoyang, and the only surviving sister of the wife of the Great General Protecting the Nation.

Yin Fu'an did not officially recognize Xia Yunxu, his only bride who had been married off with great ceremony and formal betrothal, as the Empress. He only gave her the title of Virtuous Consort. Instead, he made Chen Lanhe, the daughter of a meritorious official who had contributed to the rebellion, Empress and granted her residence in Guanghua Palace. Chen Lanhe was the younger sister of Consort Chen Lancai.

She didn't really want to marry Yin Fu'an, who had risen to power through treason. He had personally killed her sister, brother-in-law, and her nephews and nieces. However, her father had also been involved in her sister's death. She couldn't believe that her father, whom she had respected since childhood, would do such an immoral thing. Now, in order to climb the social ladder, he was going to send her into the palace again, just like her sister had done before. But she already had someone in her heart; she was interested in Deng Yizhi, the son of the Minister of Rites!

Her brother Yizhi was like a banished immortal, so unattainable!

They grew up together. When they were young, Deng Yizhi said that if they could still share the same interests when they grew up, they would get married and spend their lives composing poetry and enjoying music, traveling around the world, and accompanying each other for life.

The wedding of the king was a grand affair, celebrated throughout the country, and countless people came to witness the ceremony. Some respected Yin Fu'an, while others cursed him as a treacherous minister. Some also respected Xia Yuyi, but he was too soft-hearted and soft-hearted to be an emperor. If Yin Fu'an were to become king, the Kingdom of Jiuguang would surely prosper.

On the second day after their marriage, all the noblewomen of the court came to pay homage to Chen Lanhe. Xiao Mu only glanced at her casually. Her eyebrows and eyes were similar to those of Consort Chen. It was because of this similarity that she felt a good impression of her. However, there was no joy on her face. If someone else had become the empress, they would have been overjoyed.

Xiao Mu's eyes swept over the woman sitting awkwardly next to Chen Lanhe. She must be her third sister, Xia Yunxu. Her face was deathly still. Her beloved husband had become her father's killer and the enemy who destroyed her country. How could she be happy?

When Yin Fu'an ascended the throne, neither of his two concubines showed any joy. It was unclear what he was thinking, as they were laughing so unrestrainedly.

On the third day after the new emperor ascended the throne, Deng Yun, the Minister of Rites, formally resigned and was replaced by Deng Yizhi. Yin Fu'an greatly admired Deng Yizhi and thus hosted a banquet to welcome him.

Xiao Mu felt exhausted. For several days in a row, she had to pretend to be nonchalant and attend all sorts of banquets. She was the last person she wanted to go, but she had no choice. If she didn't go, how could she find a chance to see Ruan Cifeng?

She was isolated and helpless in the circle of noblewomen. Everyone mocked her. As a woman who had lost her country, her status was now lower than that of a servant girl. At least a servant girl had some officials in her family. But she had no one to rely on. A woman, especially a woman in feudal society, without the support of her maternal family, had a very difficult time in her husband's family.

As rumored, Deng Yizhi was humble and polite, and he welcomed her from the bottom of his heart. When Deng Yizhi's eyes drifted to Ye Wanwan next to him, Xiao Mu wondered if she was seeing things. His eyes seemed to be filled with tenderness. Was he like this with everyone?

Deng Yizhi chose a sunny seat for the pregnant Ye Wanwan and even had someone bring her a cushion. He was so thoughtful. His manner and speech were also very pleasant. Such a man was as gentle as a piece of jade. Not to mention Chen Lanhe, she couldn't help but take a few more glances at him.

Ye Wanwan appeared even more frail and pitiful in front of Deng Yizhi, as if Xiao Mu had bullied her. Indeed, rumors circulated that she bullied the weak and pitiful Ye Wanwan in every way, but she had clearly done nothing wrong.

She didn't care anymore.

After returning from Deng Yizhi's place, Ye Wanwan seemed to become even more arrogant. Taking advantage of her pregnancy, she verbally abused the maids and servants in her courtyard every day, and sometimes even resorted to violence. She had two completely different faces, one outside and one inside.

Xiao Mu didn't care about her. She was just suffering from the aftereffects of going from pheasant to phoenix. She would repay others for how she was treated in the past.

Xiao Mu pretended to be feeling unwell and wanted to call a doctor from outside to let Ruan Cifeng sneak in. Xiao Mu had indeed been feeling unwell for the past few days and felt terrible pain in her chest.

Zhou Tingxi did not refuse, because Xiao Mu had been well-behaved for a while, and he was certain that she would not run away. She had nowhere to run away anyway. She had been pampered for so many years, so even if she escaped, what could she do? She didn't know anything and had no skills.

Xiao Shao led Ruan Cifeng, who was disguised as a doctor, into the Zhu Building.

When Ruan Cifeng saw how thin Xiao Mu had become, he felt guilty and overwhelmed with emotions. For the first time, he had the idea of ​​taking her away and escaping.

Xiao Mu stretched out her hand for Ruan Cifeng to take her pulse. Ruan Cifeng took out a handkerchief from the medicine box and gently covered her slender wrist, then placed his own hand on it, closed his eyes, and just like a real person.

He suddenly opened his eyes and said with a subtle expression, "You've been poisoned. The toxins have accumulated in your chest, which is why you're experiencing chest pain. But this is just residual poison in your body, and it will dissipate soon after taking some medicine."

Residual poison? Could it be that Ye Wanwan poisoned her when she was still in the palace, perhaps in her asthma medication?

Didn't the imperial physician say that he could only make people unable to conceive? Could it be that Ye Wanwan bribed the imperial physician back then?

"Then please come and prepare my medicine every day, okay? I don't trust anyone else."

“Okay.” Ruan Cifeng’s eyes were full of bitterness. “It’s only been a few months since we last met, and you’ve become much more taciturn.”

Xiao Mu's eyes were cloudy, and her pupils were stinging with tears. "You know what happened to me recently. I didn't even want to live anymore, but then I thought about my unfulfilled wishes, and I couldn't just die like this, otherwise I definitely wouldn't live." After saying that, she smiled slightly and continued, "I guess I'm just afraid of death. What else can I do? I can't escape. I'm trapped here like a canary. I envy those who can go anywhere. I really want to go out and see the world."

Ruan Cifeng's eyes dimmed slightly. He didn't know how to comfort her. "I will try to come see you more often. I am no longer the fifth prince of Lin Yue Kingdom."

"Hmm? What happened? Are your brothers ostracizing you again?"

Ruan Cifeng smiled and said, "No, it's me... I've long since stopped wanting to be that so-called fifth prince who's a laughingstock. Isn't this great? I can go wherever I want."

He dared not tell her the truth, for fear that she would blame herself.

Xiao Mu was genuinely happy for him. He was finally free from his constraints and would no longer be bullied by his brothers there. How wonderful that was!

Unfortunately, Ruan Cifeng could not stay long. Firstly, he was an outsider, and it was inappropriate to seek medical help from outsiders. Secondly, Zhou Tingxi had seen him once, and it was unknown whether he would remember his appearance. If he did, they would be unable to clear their names even if they jumped into the Yellow River.

When Xiao Shao saw Ruan Cifeng off, Ye Wanwan walked towards them. Ruan Cifeng thought she looked familiar, took a few more glances, and suddenly remembered something.

"Little Spoon, who was that just now?"

Xiao Shao rolled her eyes and said, "That's the general's second wife, a concubine."

Zhou Tingxi's second wife? But he clearly saw this lady and Deng Yizhi together that day, behaving intimately. He thought she was Deng Yizhi's beloved, but he never expected her to be Zhou Tingxi's second wife!

He didn't tell Xiao Shao directly, but instead asked Xiao Shao to tell Xia Yunzhi to pay more attention to Ye Wanwan's private life.