She's skilled in medicine, martial arts, and even understands animal language—the abandoned dau

That night, inside the Eastern Palace's sleeping quarters, the gilded incense burner with its animal-head design emitted ambergris, which mingled with the glow of the wedding candles to create a hazy mist.

Chu Zhiyi personally removed Shen Man's phoenix crown. The red-gold hairpins clattered softly, startling the pearls from her temples, which fell into his warm palm.

"Be careful." His breath brushed against her reddened earlobe, his fingertips gently tucking the pearl back into her hair, and casually pulling out a strand of hair.

Shen Man gazed at her reflection in the bronze mirror. The gold thread of a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix on her wedding dress flowed in the candlelight, resembling a magnificent scene in the daytime sky.

Recalling the moment before in front of the Qianqing Palace, Chu Zhiyi held her hand and accepted the golden seal with the dragon pattern. Now, that seal, symbolizing the Crown Princess's status, was lying quietly in her dressing case.

“What are you thinking about?”

Chu Zhiyi suddenly turned her shoulders, his fingertips tracing the phoenix tail feathers outlined in the gold thread of her wedding dress. The candlelight shattered into a silver river in his eyes, reflecting a shimmering light in her starry eyes.

He suddenly leaned down, his warm breath brushing against the pearl tassels hanging from her ear, "Man'er, the night is too short—"

Before the last word had even faded, he had already taken the dangling pearl from her earring into his mouth. The cool pearl and the burning lips and teeth touched alternately, startling Shen Man into a slight tremor.

Taking advantage of the moment, Chu Zhiyi lifted her up in his arms, the hem of his skirt embroidered with twin lotus blossoms sweeping across the scattered longans and red dates on the ground, creating golden-red ripples in the flickering red candlelight.

"This wedding gown adorned with a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix," he said, his voice seductively husky as he unfastened the knotted buttons around her neck, "makes my Crown Princess appear even more beautiful than the phoenix in the heavens."

Just as Shen Man was about to speak, he sealed her lips with a kiss.

Chu Zhiyi's palm slowly moved upwards along the lotus pattern embroidered on her waist, as if sparks were igniting wherever it touched.

The curtains swayed gently in the night breeze, casting the two figures in a hazy light and shadow. Only the red candles crackled, casting a beautiful crimson hue on the scattered wedding fruits on the ground.

When the clouds dispersed and the rain stopped, Shen Man lay in Chu Zhiyi's arms, recalling the spectacular sight of hundreds of birds paying homage to the phoenix during the day, and couldn't help but ask, "Do you think that was truly a decree from heaven?"

Chu Zhiyi lowered his head and kissed the top of her head, his voice deep and resonant: "In my eyes, you were always meant to be my destiny."

Shen Man looked up and saw that the moonlight outside the window had climbed up the carved window frame and reflected the red candlelight inside.

She recalled the nights in the border town, the chirping of insects under the old camphor tree, and the aroma of medicine in the Qiufeng Town clinic. But now, she felt that with Chu Zhiyi by her side, she could find peace of mind no matter where she was.

The next morning, Shen Man was woken up by the palace stewardess. After getting ready, she followed Chu Zhiyi to the Qianqing Palace to pay her respects to the Emperor.

Although Li Muyun was promoted to the position of Empress, she did not stay with the Emperor.

Inside the Qianqing Palace, the fragrance of sandalwood wafts around the golden pillars adorned with coiled dragons.

Shen Man, dressed in the Crown Princess's auspicious attire, gripped Chu Zhiyi's sleeve tightly with her fingertips, her palms damp with a thin layer of sweat.

The emperor on the dragon throne was dressed in a black Taoist robe, with a peach wood hairpin in his white hair, looking completely different from the majestic emperor in my memory.

"My son, Crown Princess." As the Emperor raised his hand, the sandalwood beads on his wrist jingled softly. "This is the decision I made after much deliberation while copying the *Tao Te Ching* at the Five Elements Temple."

He waved his sleeve to signal the eunuchs in front of the palace, and the bright yellow scroll on the gilded tray slowly unfurled, the vermilion seal of the edict of succession so bright in the morning light that it was hard to open one's eyes.

Chu Zhiyi suddenly knelt down, his black robes sweeping across the cold gold bricks: "Father, you are in the prime of your life, your son..."

"No need for further words." The Emperor descended the jade steps and personally placed the edict in Chu Zhiyi's palm, his gaze sweeping over the crimson-gold hairpin adorning Shen Man's hair. "Yesterday, the sight of a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix was considered an auspicious omen by all the officials. During my reign, I was mediocre and incompetent, leading to the decline of the people's livelihood. Now, seeing the two of you in harmonious union, and blessed by Heaven..."

His voice choked with emotion, "I have already ordered a pill-making room to be set up in the rear hall of the Five Elements Temple." The Emperor gently stroked the sea and cliff patterns on the edge of the edict, "After the new emperor's enthronement ceremony, I will embark on my cultivation journey. This empire, in the end, must be handed over to someone who understands the people's plight."

Chu Zhiyi's knuckles turned white as he gripped the imperial edict, but his gaze remained resolute as he looked up: "Your subject will certainly live up to Father Emperor's expectations and rule the world together with the Crown Princess."

Shen Man also kowtowed, the pearl on her phoenix crown swaying gently, shattering the sunlight on the ground into specks of golden light.

As Shen Man left the Qianqing Palace, she looked at the jade thumb ring that the emperor had given her as an extra gift. The cool touch reminded her of the tenderness of the previous night.

Chu Zhiyi suddenly pulled her to the shade of the corridor and whispered, "Man'er, from tomorrow onwards, you and I will be the masters of this Crimson Flame."

His eyes held both the trepidation of assuming the throne and the joy of standing shoulder to shoulder with his beloved.

The sound of the water clock came from afar. Shen Man leaned on Chu Zhiyi's shoulder, gazing at the rosy dawn.

From a peasant girl in a border town to the mother of a nation, the gears of fate turned quietly, but the warmth of her palms was always closely intertwined with those around her.

On the day Chu Zhiyi ascended the throne, Chu Zhisheng, who was confined to Chengqian Palace, could not bear the blow and ended his life with a white silk ribbon.

Cui Jintang, who was in the cold palace, seemed to sense something. From that day on, he stopped eating and drinking. A few days later, he was found dead in the courtyard by the palace servants.

The first thing Chu Zhiyi did after ascending the throne was to grant a general amnesty.

However, Shen Man suggested that those who commit crimes should no longer be pardoned.

The previous Imperial Censor Lin Peng was implicated in Cui Chengdao's rebellion and was dismissed and punished. His eldest son, Lin Simiao, was also arrested again because of Zhou Yu's case.

The rest of the Lin family were demoted to commoners and banished from the capital.

These days, Lady Wang, the wife of the Marquis of Qingyang, has been worried about her daughter and grandson. She has been waiting for the new emperor to ascend the throne, hoping that he will grant a general amnesty and that her daughter's family can be spared punishment.

Unexpectedly, the Empress spoke to the Emperor, saying that those who had committed heinous crimes should not be pardoned.

She was furious and immediately decided to go to the palace to have a good talk with Shen Man.

In Fengyi Palace, Shen Man learned that Lady Wang, the wife of Marquis Qingyang, was requesting an audience, and immediately ordered her to be invited in.

Wang kicked open the carved wooden door of Fengyi Palace, the gilded armor scraping against the door frame with a piercing sound.

She gazed at Shen Man, who sat gracefully on the phoenix chair, her peony-embroidered skirt trailing on the ground, as if she were the baby girl she had abandoned in swaddling clothes years ago, overlapping with the elegant and noble Crown Princess before her, forming a dazzling phantom.

"What a heartless wretch!"

Wang grabbed a celadon teacup from the table and hurled it hard onto the blue bricks. Shards splashed onto Shen Man's skirt. "You are nothing but a curse I was born in this border town. If you hadn't been adopted by those lowly people, you would have been meat in the mouths of wild dogs long ago!"

Now that he's climbed the social ladder, he's even trying to wipe out his own sister's family?

Shen Man suddenly tightened her grip on the phoenix-patterned nail guard, her nails almost digging into her palm.

Memories surged like a tide—she was cruelly abandoned by her at birth, and only survived thanks to the help of Hu Xiaoliu's family, who sent her to Xiaoyao Village.

The elegant woman before him showed no affection whatsoever for her as a mother; her eyes were filled only with anxiety for her eldest daughter.

"Madam, please be careful with your words." Shen Man stood up, her wide skirt brushing against the shards of porcelain scattered on the floor, making a crisp sound.

Her gaze was cold as she stared directly at Wang Shi and slowly said, "As the Imperial Censor, Lin Peng should have upheld justice and maintained the order of the court. However, he listened to the traitor Cui Chengdao and allowed him to do evil and commit numerous crimes."

The case of Lin Simiao murdering Zhou Yu, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, is supported by irrefutable and irrefutable evidence.

The Lin family knew about the crimes committed by the two men but failed to report them, a truly heinous crime. Now, the Lin family has been reduced to commoners, a punishment they deserve.

Upon hearing this, Wang suddenly lunged forward, trying to grab Shen Man's hair, but Shen Man dodged her with a spin and threw her hard to the ground.

Still unwilling to give up, Wang said viciously to Shen Man, "If I had known you were so cold-blooded, I should have had you strangled to death back then..."

"How dare the Lady of Qingyang come to Fengyi Palace to insult my Empress! Guards, drag her away and send her back to the Qingyang Marquis's residence for the Marquis to deal with!"

Chu Zhiyi's voice boomed like thunder in Fengyi Palace. Wang Shi collapsed to the ground, her face turning deathly pale.

Several guards rushed in, grabbed her, and dragged her out.

Lady Wang struggled desperately, her hair disheveled, and shouted, "Your Majesty! I am the Lady of Qingyang Marquis, you cannot treat me like this!"

Her piercing screams echoed through the empty palace corridor, gradually fading into the distance.

When the palace guards dragged Wang back, the Marquis of Qingyang was sitting alone in the flower hall drinking tea.

"My lord, the Lady of the Marquis went to the Phoenix Palace and verbally abused the Empress. His Majesty has ordered us to bring her back. Please deal with her accordingly!" the guard said expressionlessly.

Upon hearing this, Marquis Qingyang trembled with rage, and smashed the teacup in his hand on the ground with a "crack," shattering it into pieces.

"This stupid woman is utterly clueless! Someone, bring me pen and ink!"

Upon seeing this, the servants immediately brought pen and ink to the Marquis of Qingyang.

Without much thought, Marquis Qingyang picked up his pen and wrote a letter of divorce on the paper.

Wang Shi had just been sent back to the Marquis's residence and was sitting in front of her dressing table, tidying her messy hair in front of the mirror, while constantly cursing Shen Man.

Hearing the footsteps of Marquis Qingyang, she said without turning her head, "My lord, you must stand up for Qing'er and my grandson! That Ding Man is simply..."

"Shut up!" Marquis Qingyang roared, kicking open the door. "How dare you speak! Look at what you've done! You've offended the Emperor and Empress; do you want to bring our Shen family to ruin?"

Wang was startled by the shout. She turned around and saw the angry face of the Marquis of Qingyang. She felt a little scared, but she still refused to admit defeat: "I'm doing this for our daughter! That bitch Ding Man, if she had been willing to say a word to the Emperor, Simiao and the others wouldn't be in this situation..."

"Enough!" The Marquis of Qingyang could no longer bear it. He pulled out a letter of divorce from his sleeve and slammed it into Madam Wang's face. "Our marriage is over. From this day forward, you are no longer the Madam of Qingyang!"

Pack your things immediately, take your son, and leave the Marquis's residence!

Wang was stunned, staring at the letter of divorce on the ground. It took her a long time to react before she rushed over and grabbed Qingyang Marquis's sleeve: "My lord, you can't do this to me! I've borne you children and managed the household for so many years, how could you... And what about Chongyang, who has been kicked out of the manor? What will happen to him in the future?"

Marquis Qingyang flung her hand away and said with disgust, "He's your son, not my son, Shen Wangnan's!"

Then, he turned and ordered the servants waiting outside the door: "Drive Wang Shi and Shen Chongyang out of the Marquis's mansion, and do not allow them to take anything from the mansion!"

Upon hearing this, Wang nearly fainted. It took her a long time to recover before she cried out, "My lord, you can't do this to me..."

However, Marquis Qingyang only left her with a resolute back view.

On the other side, Shen Man told Chu Zhiyi about her entanglements with the Qingyang Marquis's family.

Upon hearing this, Chu Zhiyi felt an overwhelming pang of heartache.

“Man’er, I never imagined your life story would be so full of hardship. Fortunately, the Tiger King and his wife found you, and your mother-in-law adopted you. Otherwise, I really don’t want to think about it…”

Shen Man leaned against Chu Zhiyi's chest and whispered, "Now that everything is in the past, those hardships have made me cherish my life even more."

Chu Zhiyi hugged her tightly, "From now on, I will protect you for the rest of my life. By the way, Man'er, I have decided to bestow upon my mother-in-law the title of Lady Deshan and grant her a mansion in the capital, both to express my gratitude for her nurturing you and to make it convenient for her to stay in the capital!"

"In that case, Man'er thanks her husband!"

"Man'er should know what kind of gratitude I want..."

Shen Man's lips curled up, her fingertips tracing circles on his chest: "Of course. But before that..."

She raised her head, a sly glint in her eyes. "Your Majesty, will you honor your promise to 'protect me'?"

Chu Zhiyi chuckled softly, then turned and pressed the person back under the brocade quilt, and an alluring atmosphere gradually rose within the tent.

Outside the window, the lights of the capital city and the starry sky reflected each other, while inside the palace walls, their story was just beginning.

(End of the article)