1. The emperor and empress are not in harmony

Everyone in the palace knows that the Emperor and Empress are not on good terms. The Empress has not visited the Qianqing Palace for a long time, but yesterday she made a trip there, only to be carried back in such a disgraceful manner.

He closed the memorial with frustration, feeling as if something had struck his heart fiercely; it was not painful, yet it was a suffocating discomfort.

She couldn't help but let out a cold laugh, which made the person in plain clothes beside her feel even more heartbroken

Then, he unexpectedly leaned down and covered over it as if guided by some supernatural force

Snap

Su Yi glanced at her helplessly and stepped out of Shulan Hall.

Huo Qingsang was forced to endure his fierce kiss, her petite body tightly trapped in his embrace, and the hand he placed on her shoulder was almost about to crush her scapula

The summer breeze carried a wave of scorching heat through the open window of the empty Shulan Hall. In the dim light, a delicate white hand grasped a pair of embroidery scissors, deftly lifting the wick. The vast hall seemed to brighten slightly, yet certain corners that remained unlit appeared even more chilling.

The palace maid, dressed in plain attire, stood cautiously before the table. Opposite her, on the noble concubine's chair, sat a woman with a slightly gaunt face, wearing only a seductive scarlet thin garment. The collar, adorned with golden silk Ryukyu floral lace, was slightly open, revealing a section of her fair and smooth collarbone, akin to warm jade. The striking contrast of red and white exuded an indescribable allure, or perhaps a languid charm.

And now, he looks down at her, still bearing the same appearance as in the past, but the person wrapped in the luxurious phoenix robe no longer possesses the elegance of that time

Indeed, that woman has returned, and she immediately became a joke, the biggest joke in the world

The lantern casts her silhouette into a slender, elongated line, flickering intermittently.

Is that so?" Huo Qingsang smiled lightly, withdrawing her hand, feeling a sharp pain in her fingertips. She glanced down at her reddened fingertips, a faint smile appearing at the corners of her lips. "Su Yi, assist me in changing my clothes, and prepare to head to the Qianqing Palace.

She did not know, nor could she extricate herself from his hatred. Perhaps she was already immersed in his hatred, and because it was hatred, she, Huo Qingsang, would undoubtedly leave a profound mark in his life.

At that time, she sat majestically atop the steed known for its sweat and blood, draped in a vibrant red soft armor, radiating unparalleled glory on the command platform

He glared at her fiercely until she approached, only to suddenly realize that she was no longer the person she used to be.

Su Yi recalled the bruises on her body, and her heart inevitably ached in response

She could not help but let out a cold laugh, her laughter tinged with a hint of self-mockery and desolation

Now he has fully developed his wings and no longer needs to rely on the Huo family. His heart and mind are entirely focused on how to welcome back the woman he loves, and he is preoccupied with how to eliminate the Huo family

How much hatred must one have to feel this way

He seemed intent on crushing her in his embrace, kissing her fiercely like a ferocious wolf, determined to pursue its prey relentlessly.

Su Yi looked worriedly at the person on the bed. Last night, the eunuchs of the Qianqing Palace hurriedly brought the Empress back, and the scene still sends chills down one's spine when recalled.

The next morning, Shulan Hall

Upon thinking of this, she smiled and began to kiss him passionately, biting his lips and consuming all of his anger.

He and she may have been enemies from the very beginning, engaged in a relentless struggle, fighting to the death without respite

The Hall of Supreme Purity was still brightly lit, and she stood quietly at the entrance of the grand hall, her gaze crossing the table to look at the person opposite her. It was as if time had not passed; he still looked the same as when they first met. Yet that touch of bright yellow unmistakably told her that everything had already changed.

The faint scent of jasmine wafted through his nostrils, and he suddenly shuddered, biting down hard on her delicate lips until he tasted the metallic tang of blood. The bloodthirsty instinct deep within him was instantly awakened, ignited by an unquenchable fury

At that time, he was merely an unfavored prince, hidden behind the crowd, watching her spirited demeanor, and inevitably feeling a twinge of jealousy in his heart

Forget it, you can go out first, I want to be alone for a while

He let out a cold smile, gripping her slightly emaciated chin, looking down at her: "Huo Qingsang, what can you use now to stop me? Back then, you and your father used the throne to coerce me into sending Su Wan away, forcing me to watch my beloved marry another. Do you know the excruciating pain of that?" The more he spoke, the more hatred he felt, and the strength in his hand became increasingly uncontrollable, as if only by watching her suffer, watching her in distress, could his heart feel somewhat at ease.

Nangong Yao's red brush hesitated, and the red ink blurred the memorial before him, which clearly contained the content of the Grand Inspector's report to impeach General Huo Yun of the Guardian of the Nation.

Huo Qingsang pressed her lips together, placing the plain paper in her hand over the flickering candlelight. The tiny flame immediately leaped up high, almost licking her pale fingers.

"It's nothing." Huo Qingsang stared blankly at the top of the bed, her body feeling as if it had been crushed by countless boulders, yet this physical pain was nothing compared to the ache in her heart

Huo Qingsang looked at him arrogantly and said: "So what? Even if you bring her back, I still have a way to send her away. She is already an impure person; the court cannot tolerate her, and the imperial harem can tolerate her even less"

Su Yi was slightly taken aback, looking at Huo Qingsang with some concern

Since the Queen had a dispute with the Emperor several months ago, she has not set foot in the Palace of Heavenly Purity for a long time. At this moment, her return is likely to stir up a storm.

Huo Qingsang sidestepped to avoid it, yet the splattered ink still stained her pale yellow palace robe. She advanced step by step, like a proud goddess, her gaze carrying a hint of coldness and disdain.

"Your Highness, be careful." Su Yi pulled her hand back with concern, holding it gently in her palm. "Your Highness, do not be sad. Even if she returns, what difference does it make? There are so many twists and turns in this palace; she may not fare any better. Moreover, the Lord will certainly not allow the Emperor to do this." After all, she is just a woman who was married off to the Western Regions for a political alliance. Now that the king of the Western Regions is dead, it is absurd for the Emperor to want to bring her back. Such a ridiculous matter will surely face much opposition from the officials in the court.

Their lovemaking has always been fierce, marked by mutual harm, as if they long to devour each other alive, much like a praying mantis that, after mating, seeks to consume its partner

Do you already know? He slowly raised his head, his dark long hair cascading down from his neck, as if it had spilled the fragrance of the entire room. Yet he was no longer the exquisite youth who once compromised himself; today, holding the world in his hands, there was a hint of hostility in his brows and eyes.

Huo Qingsang raised her eyelids in confusion, her gaze falling upon the face of the woman in plain clothes. In a daze, it seemed as if she saw her younger self from many years ago, when she was still a spirited young girl in fine clothes and riding a spirited horse. At that time, she had stood fearlessly before that person, boldly proclaiming: "Even if you do not love me today, there will come a day when you will hold me like a treasure in your palm. Looking across the Great Yan Kingdom, who else but me is worthy of you?"

Su Yi gently gathered her hair, saying: "Your Highness, the Emperor..."

However, she showed no fear, held her head high, and mocked, "I do not dare, but is Your Majesty truly interested in a widow?"

Huo Qingsang! Nangong Yao grabbed the inkstone on the table and threw it over.

He still remembers that she was only thirteen years old at the time, yet she had already accompanied the General of the State on campaigns to the east and north. Although she lacked the dignified elegance typical of noble ladies, she possessed a unique charm and spirit.

Huo Qingsang met his gaze, her slightly heroic brows raising slightly, her thin lips parting slightly: "Your Majesty truly intends to welcome Su Wan back to the palace"

"Your Highness?" Su Yi looked worriedly at Huo Qingsang as she sat up from the soft couch, and reached out to take the outer robe from the screen to drape it over her.

Su Yi carefully took the scissors from Huo Qingsang's hand and gently placed them on the table, speaking softly: "Your Highness, a letter has arrived from the General's residence." As she spoke, she pulled out a bamboo tube, about the thickness of a thumb, from her bosom, broke the seal of wax, and took out a piece of pale yellow plain paper.

Did she ever think that one day she would be utterly defeated, even if she finally stood by his side, she would still not compare to his every frown and smile

After all these years, he is no longer the prince who relied on others; he holds the world in his hands and is praised by all as a wise ruler. Yet, whenever he faces Huo Qingsang, he still feels an indescribable sense of guilt and an unexplainable awkwardness

"Huo Qingsang!" Nangong Yao exclaimed angrily, feeling a surge of blood and energy within him. His slightly narrowed cold eyes could only see her thin lips moving, wishing he could cover them.

"Suwan has returned," she said lightly, and indeed, she saw Su Yi's face instantly turn pale.

Your Highness

Nangong Yao quietly gazed at her, his eyes calm and undisturbed, yet only his clenched fist revealed that after all these years, he still could not face her with composure

Huo Qingsang could not articulate the feelings deep within her heart, only sensing a dull pain in her chest. After a while, she finally stepped into the main hall

Su Yi felt a chill in her heart, looking at her with concern, softly calling out: "Your Highness?"

"Do not speak of it," Huo Qingsang turned her head, "What happened yesterday must not be mentioned to anyone, and the Emperor certainly will not send someone to record it in the jade annals. Let it be as it is!" As she spoke, she glanced at her bruised arm, memories of last night’s absurdity flashing through her mind. She understood that he merely wished to humiliate her through that incident; in his eyes, she had never been his wife and did not deserve the tenderness and care afforded to a wife.

Nangong Yao's pupils constricted slightly, and he suddenly stood up, a hint of cold mockery on his handsome face: "I didn't expect that the news from the General of the State would be so well-informed, reaching the Empress's ears in an instant! What is it, is the Empress here to seek justice? Or does she want to send her away again like in the past?" His words pierced into Huo Qingsang's heart like a knife.

Moments later, Huo Qingsang slightly raised her elegantly arched brows, her five fingers gathering together, crumpling the plain paper in her hand into a ball. Her sharp nails pierced the tender flesh of her palm, staining the plain paper with crimson, as blood oozed from between her fingers

The palm still tinged with a slight pain, she lowered her brows and called out softly: "Your Majesty"

Nangong Yao suddenly felt a surge of pressure, experiencing a sense of helplessness as if there were nowhere to hide