"I just went for a walk outside." Xue Tingxue suppressed the urge to strangle her and forced a fake smile.
In her previous life, Fu Nanli had also said he wanted to break off their engagement, but not long after, he suddenly changed his attitude and married her as scheduled.
She thought her devotion had moved him, but who would have known that on their wedding night, Fu Nanli returned to his usual cold demeanor, claiming he was forced by the Empress Dowager to marry her and that they would only be husband and wife in name, never in reality.
After that, Fu Nanli never entered her room again, and she lived as a widow for eight years.
When the Northern Rong invaded and the northern border was in crisis, Fu Nanli led the army to defend against the enemy, and she followed him north.
Due to a traitor's betrayal, the reinforcements were ambushed by the enemy outside the pass and suffered heavy losses. While gathering the remnants of the army to prepare for a breakout, Fu Nanli received news that Xue Manman had gone missing and abandoned his troops, leaving alone with a group of his Personal Guard.
Without their commander, the already low morale of the army completely collapsed, and the thousands of men became scattered sand. Except for the two thousand soldiers directly led by Xue Tingxue, almost everyone died in the desert.
By the time she broke through the encirclement, the thousands of men under her Elder brother had been wiped out due to the lack of reinforcements, and her Elder brother's remains had been hacked to pieces by the enemy to feed the wolves, leaving nothing behind.
She and those two thousand soldiers fought alone and were once again surrounded by the enemy. Only she and a few officers escaped; the rest all died under the enemy's iron hooves.
She was injured and got lost in the desert, surviving a brush with death, and it took her more than five months to return inside the pass.
By then, the Emperor had already passed away, Fu Nanli had ascended the throne, and Xue Manman had taken her place and ascended to the position of Empress.
When she finally returned to the Capital City, the Xue Family was gone; less than half a month after Fu Nanli took power, he had the Dingguo Mansion raided and confiscated.
She went to beg to see Fu Nanli, but she couldn't see him and was instead seized and thrown into the Heavenly Prison.
When Xue Manman came to the prison to see her, she was wearing a magnificent Phoenix Robe, smiling brightly and proudly.
Only then did she realize that long before their marriage, Fu Nanli and Xue Manman had already been secretly involved. The reason Fu Nanli agreed to marry her was that the Crown Prince was critically ill at the time, and he felt he had a chance to be chosen as the new heir and did not want to lose the support of the Xue Family.
"Why is this set of hair accessories on your head?" Xue Tingxue's gaze shifted upward, falling upon the exquisite and eye-catching gold filigree jewelry inlaid with Gemstones in Xue Manman's hair, and her expression changed abruptly.
"I have always kept it in a box, and I couldn't even bear to wear it myself. When did you steal it?"
Hearing this, the noble ladies all looked over in unison, their faces showing astonishment.
Xue Manman's face flushed, and she hurriedly said, "Older sister, have you forgotten? You gave it to me yesterday."
Xue Tingxue sank her face: "Nonsense, this set of gold jewelry is a keepsake left to me by my grandmother. How could I possibly give it to someone else? Do you not even draft your lies before speaking?"
It was indeed she who had given it to her.
Xue Manman was not born to the Xue Family; she was originally surnamed He and was the daughter of one of Duke Dingguo's subordinates.
A few years ago, that subordinate died blocking a blade for Duke Dingguo, and the Duke, grateful for his kindness, adopted his two children.
Xue Tingxue saw that Xue Manman liked this set of jewelry and hinted several times that she wanted it, so she reluctantly parted with her treasure and gave it to her.
She thought, since the girl's father died saving her own father, what could she not part with? Her grandmother would know and would not blame her.
For many years, the food, clothing, and daily necessities at Home were always left for Xue Manman and her Younger brother to pick first. She and her Eldest Brother would yield to them, and her Father and Mother had always required them to do so.
But who could have imagined that this pair of siblings, Xue Manman, were not the children of that subordinate at all, but fakes who had assumed their identities!
The two children of the He Family had long since been killed by rebels along with their Mother during the war.
"If Older sister was reluctant to give me such valuable jewelry, you could have just said so. How could you give it and then go back on your word, and even slander me for stealing?" Xue Manman bit her lip, on the verge of tears, feeling extremely wronged.
Xue Tingxue said coldly: "I have said it before, this is my grandmother's keepsake, I could not have given it away."
The daughter of the Li Family whispered: "Who would be willing to give away a relative's keepsake? It is clear she took it privately."
Another young lady said: "Taking without asking is stealing, and she refuses to admit it even after being exposed. It seems there is not much truth in her words."
"Earlier she told us that Xue Tingxue abused her, and now she says such valuable jewelry was a gift from Xue Tingxue. Isn't that self-contradictory?"
"Oh no! We have all been deceived by her!"
As the few of them spoke, the whispering turned into public indignation.
Seeing this situation, Xue Manman could neither refute nor remain silent. Filled with resentment, she just wanted to find a hole to crawl into.
Xue Tingxue saw that the timing was right and added: "Are you still not going to take it off and return it to me? Do you intend to claim my grandmother's keepsake as your own in front of everyone?"
"You..." Xue Manman glared, hating her so much that her Molars were about to shatter.
This bitch, she actually humiliated her in public! What had already been given to her was hers; why should she return it?
"You have plenty of jewelry, you aren't missing this set, why must you make things difficult for Manman?" Fu Nanli suddenly appeared, walked to Xue Manman's side, and scrutinized Xue Tingxue with his eyes.
She must have been resentful because he had refused her Gift earlier, and having nowhere to vent, she was just finding someone to take it out on.
Xue Tingxue had always been overbearing and vicious, and Manman was adopted with no backing, so she could be bullied however she liked.
"If Manman's biological father hadn't blocked a blade for your father, they wouldn't have become orphans with no one to rely on. You owe them such a great debt of gratitude, yet you can't even bear to give them a set of jewelry. Don't you think you are too ungrateful?"
Xue Manman listened to his words, a soft light flashing in her eyes, and her helpless heart was instantly comforted.
Sure enough, at the critical moment, Brother Nan was the most reliable. She had not loved the wrong person.
"Who said I couldn't bear to? Never mind a set of jewelry, I could even give her my fiancé." Xue Tingxue said with a half-smile, speaking frankly, "But my grandmother's keepsake, that is impossible."
A flash of anger crossed Fu Nanli's eyes, and he said in a deep voice: "Xue Tingxue, let us resolve our affairs between ourselves. Stop dragging innocent people into this, and don't make this king look down on you."
Xue Tingxue clicked her tongue and gave a Cold laugh: "Calling her 'Manman' every other word, you sound so intimate. Are you sure the affairs between you and me have nothing to do with Xue Manman?"
Fu Nanli had always been quite attentive to Xue Manman, especially in her previous life after they were married, but she had thought this was just a brother-in-law's care for his wife's sister and had never suspected anything in that regard.
"You are being unreasonable." Fu Nanli's eyes flickered rapidly for an instant, and he scolded with a frown.
Just as Xue Tingxue was about to speak again, she heard a cold mockery come from behind the crowd: "Prince Yu, you are openly protecting a thief; what is the reason for this? Could it be that this Second Young Lady of the Xue Family is actually your future Princess Consort? It seems this king has been away from home for too long, and I can no longer understand the social conventions outside."
The crowd turned their heads at the sound and retreated to both sides, clearing a path.
Why is it him again?
Fu Nanli stared coldly at Fu Tingyuan, who was sitting in a Wheelchair with a mocking expression, and gradually tightened his Fist.
"I did not steal anything, it was Xue Tingxue who framed me!" Xue Manman could not take it anymore and shouted with red eyes.
Fu Tingyuan retorted: "Just now, you were the one acting pitiful in front of everyone, claiming that you were abused in the Dingguo Mansion and beaten by Xue Tingxue every day, were you not?"
Xue Manman wiped her tears and said nothing, while Fu Nanli stepped out to speak for her: "That is the truth, what is there that cannot be said?"
The main reason he detested Xue Tingxue was that she had long abused Manman.
If she could mistreat her benefactor, what kind of good person could Xue Tingxue be?
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