Time traced back to four years ago, when the late emperor was still alive. All the high officials and nobles of Jinling City knew that Lady Ying Xu of the Ying family, though having no official princess title, received treatment several times greater than that of any princess, and had the best relationship with the eleventh prince, Xie Jingchen. The two were childhood friends, inseparable from youth, always by each other’s side.
At that time, the two were regarded by everyone in Jinling City as a perfect couple, a match made in heaven.
No one doubted that the late emperor would one day marry Ying Xu to Xie Jingchen.
—Their relationship was so good; if they could marry, it would undoubtedly be a union blessed by heaven.
And he truly liked Ying Xu.
Moreover, at that time, Xie Jingchen was still the emperor’s most favored prince. He had already been to the battlefield while young and had earned military merits. In Jinling City, apart from Ying Xu, only he was unmatched in prestige and glory.
Naturally, no one doubted that he was the late emperor’s most favored heir.
Everything, everything, continued smoothly—until the day the only one known previously just for literary talent, Sixth Prince, was enfeoffed as crown prince.
On the day he was made crown prince, wielding the Eastern Palace seal, Xie Jingchen was simultaneously dispatched to the remote and wild northwest.
Ying Xu, a woman of proud and vain temperament, for the sake of her own worldly glory, heartlessly threw herself into his arms, leaving Xie Jingchen without a backward glance.
Recalling such a past, the emperor couldn’t help but furrow his brow, as if he could not understand why he had ever agreed to marry such a vain, arrogant woman who had once looked down on him as his wife.
What he should have liked were gentle and kind girls, like his beloved.
Moreover, Ying Xu was not just vain and arrogant, but troublesome. The Xie Jingchen she had ruthlessly abandoned for the position of empress had loved her deeply—not merely a simple “deep love” could describe it.
Back then, being favored by the late emperor, Ying Xu was so spoiled that she acted without restraint, proud and imperious, accustomed to being above everyone. Since she had been adored since childhood, everyone around her acted according to her wishes. Even though Xie Jingchen was rare and allowed into the life of this pampered young lady—to play with her, according to Ying Xu, it was merely to serve as her follower—he was not necessarily valued by her. Every day he was called and commanded, ordered around with airs of authority.
Yet Xie Jingchen willingly endured it all. No matter what Ying Xu wanted, the prince, considered full of promise by the ministers at the time, would only respond obediently with a single “okay.”
—He was willing to be Ying Xu’s most loyal and obedient dog.
As long as Ying Xu spoke, he dared to do anything. He was also willing to do anything.
In the 23rd year of Yongyuan, two years before the late emperor passed away, Ying Xu was fourteen years old, not yet of marriageable age.
The emperor had once personally seen in the imperial garden a boy, usually proud, headstrong, and imperious, following timidly behind a fairy-like little girl, calling her name in a pleading tone, “Ah Xu, Ah Xu, walk slower…”
At that time, no one knew what had happened between the two. On Ying Xu’s usually beautiful little face, there was little impatience toward Xie Jingchen. Even when she was sulking, her voice was soft and sweet, like she was coquetting.
“Xie Jingchen, you’re so annoying! Don’t follow me!”
Her phoenix-like eyes, like spring water, glared at the boy behind her. “Even a dog at least barks to protect its master. What can you do?”
“I—I can bark too.” The handsome boy, usually cold and distant in front of others, concealed all his usual hardness and showed wet, puppy-like eyes, filled only with the girl before him.
Then, seemingly to amuse her, he softened his voice and deliberately imitated a puppy’s bark: “Woof?”
Hearing this, Ying Xu could not say whether she was angry or annoyed. She just pushed the boy away with one hand, pouting: “Go away!”
No one knew how much the emperor, seeing such a scene by accident, envied Xie Jingchen… Huh?
No, why would he envy Xie Jingchen? He clearly did not like this greedy and ambitious woman. He had only allowed her to be empress because the late emperor had arranged her marriage to him…
At that instant, the emperor suddenly felt a headache. Somehow, he vaguely felt that his memory was… confused?
—Upon careful thought, some things seemed slightly illogical.
Originally, he suspected that Ying Xu had sent a letter to Xie Jingchen far in the northwest—she was so capricious, what could she not do? Thus, the emperor, coming to the Weiyang Palace to question her, could not help but feel a little puzzled.
If the person before him were any other who adhered to etiquette and respected the sovereign, they would immediately start caring for him, asking if he had been overworked handling state affairs, urging him to take care of his health.
Yet with him was Ying Xu, a girl who had caused chaos for him since childhood. Used to getting her own way, seeing him today in this posture—clearly seeking trouble—she mocked him, replying, “Why would I contact him? Ridiculous. As for you, Xie Liu, are you having a fit?”
Ever since the previous incident, the emperor had been behaving abnormally.
Unlike before, when he would always accommodate her temper, apologizing first even if not at fault, Ying Xu, even before finishing her sentence, had prepared to verbally spar with him—or, if she lost, take action.
But as soon as she spoke, she noticed that the emperor, already somewhat dazed, became… even more dazed.
Her casual remark that he was having a fit was only a joke, yet judging by the emperor’s reaction, he indeed seemed somewhat hysterical.
Realizing this, Ying Xu immediately stepped back, keeping distance, afraid of catching whatever “hysteria” the emperor had.
Seeing her overly obvious little gesture, the emperor’s lips unconsciously curved slightly, seemingly charmed by her unabashedly disdainful expression, before quickly lowering them. Inside, he became increasingly flustered, not understanding why he could not help but… feel helpless just looking at Ying Xu’s scornful gaze.
Clearly, he had no feelings for this spoiled, arrogant, vain, and capricious empress. The woman he truly liked was now at the Laundry Bureau…
Realizing this, the emperor almost dared not look at Ying Xu and hurriedly fled from the Weiyang Palace.
As for the matter he had originally come to question Ying Xu about—regarding Xie Jingchen—it was completely abandoned from his mind.
Watching the emperor leave in such a flustered manner, Ying Xu slightly tilted her head, gazed with her beautiful phoenix eyes, and murmured in two parts astonished: “He really is having a fit?”
Only at this moment did Ying Xu truly start to feel that the emperor seemed somewhat… off?