The new emperor's first decree upon ascending the throne was to forcibly take his cousin as his

Xie Chengli left after a short while, while Shen Qinglian stayed behind to watch over her.

Her thoughts were racing when she suddenly realized that the plot in the book had changed. Could Xie Chengli be different this time as well?

Who knows, it might actually work out?

In the book, Emperor Chengxuan did indeed suddenly fall seriously ill and pass the throne to the crown prince, but now it has been changed to him being poisoned by Xie Chengyan.

If Xie Chengli really succeeds in his rebellion, it might actually be a good thing.

Suddenly, flames shot into the sky outside, accompanied by deafening footsteps—not the footsteps of a dozen or twenty people, but those of a well-trained, perfectly synchronized army.

"Why are there so many people?"

"Don't you know that the court needs troops to overthrow it? Today is the day the city falls. These people have been under my command since they entered the capital."

Ruan Xianrong scoffed, "Your Shen family's ambitions are quite large; even the current General's Mansion can't contain them all."

"But your Shen family has been generals for generations. Even if Xie Chengli succeeds, the position of prime minister will not be yours. There is still the Rongguo Duke's Mansion above you."

He sat down next to her. "How can you be so sure I'm after power?"

"Then why else? Rebellion is either for power or for women."

Ruan Xianrong looked him up and down, her words laced with sarcasm, "Someone like you can't be a devoted lover."

Shen Qinglian remained silent for a long time, until she sensed a chill, before the man said, "How do you know I can't do it?"

Ruan Xianrong couldn't help but laugh out loud. Forget it.

"Don't I know what kind of person you are after all these years?"

"Petty, vindictive, vengeful, stubborn, and always has a sour face, as if I owe you something."

Shen Qinglian was slightly taken aback. "In your heart... am I that kind of person?"

"Otherwise what?"

She got angrier and angrier as she talked. "Although I have a good temper, I remember things well. Don't think I've forgotten. When I was little, you threw away the rabbit I raised in the palace and pulled up the flowers I planted. Just because I scolded you, you held a grudge. It's been months, and you still want to take revenge by handing over the worst piece of calligraphy I wrote to the teacher, making me get scolded. Don't you think you have too much free time?"

Shen Qinglian pursed her lips, offering no explanation.

Ruan Xianrong took a bite of the chicken leg, turning her grief and indignation into a desire to eat.

The courtyard returned to silence. Shen Qinglian stood up and said, "It's late, go back and rest."

She didn't move, but looked up at the moon in the sky. "Do you think that if Xie Chengli really succeeds in his rebellion, he will kill Xie Chengyan?"

Shen Qinglian glanced at the person beside her, seemingly lost in thought, then coldly snorted, "So, you've started showing concern for him during your time in the palace. What, haven't you had enough of being locked up yet?"

"Can't you speak properly?"

She was just lamenting that if Xie Chengyan really died, the plot of this book would be completely ruined.

Shen Qinglian probably didn't want to talk to her anymore, so she shoved her back into her room.

"You rest well. I'll come pick you up once things calm down outside."

Even if she's heartless, how could she sleep during such a rebellious time?

I stayed awake until dawn, and waited for half a day before there was any movement outside.

It wasn't Shen Qinglian who came to pick her up, but Ruan Boheng.

"Nian Nian!"

"father?"

Ruan Xianrong immediately ran out, "Father, are you alright? Did those people give you any trouble?"

Ruan Boheng had not seen his daughter for a long time, and seeing that she had lost weight, the grown man instantly burst into tears.

"Dad's alright, let's go home first."

The streets of Kyoto showed no trace of the previous night, and the people's faces showed no sign of shock.

"Dad, didn't things get out of hand last night?"

Ruan Boheng did not answer.

"So who won?"

Ruan Boheng hesitated, then the carriage suddenly stopped. "Master, we've arrived."

The two got out of the car, and there were people standing at the door.

Xie Chengli cupped his hands and bowed to Ruan Boheng.

His presence here means that Xie Chengyan has lost...

Ruan Xianrong was a little dazed. The male lead had actually lost?

Such an arrogant and conceited person, now that he has been defeated, I wonder what he looks like.

However, she breathed a sigh of relief; he had lost, and she was free.

That palace was no place for a human to live.

Stepping into the Ruan residence, everything was as before.

The entire Ruan family acted as if nothing had happened. Even Ruan Zhaolin, known for his composure, was unusually calm, afraid of saying something that might displease her.

What happened to her during her long stay in the palace is self-evident.

I went back and fell asleep immediately, sleeping soundly through the night, plagued by nightmares.

In her dream, Xie Chengyan still had that sinister look on his face, and he still wanted to kill her.

When she woke up, Yinque brought her a nourishing soup and told her about what had happened outside in the past two days.

"The retired emperor's health is still poor, but the new emperor is already looking for a way to detoxify."

Ruan Xianrong paused, "The Third Prince has ascended the throne?"

"Yes, the Emperor Emeritus has been rescued, but the poison in his body has not yet been cured, and his health is still poor. The Third Prince's ascension to the throne is also legitimate, and I heard that it was the Emperor Emeritus who proposed it."

"And what about your aunt?"

"Don't worry, young lady, the Empress Dowager hasn't changed. It's just that there are now two Empress Dowagers in the palace."

My aunt and Consort Jia have been fighting each other their whole lives. When they were both imperial concubines, they were like oil and water. Now that Consort Jia's own son has ascended the throne, my aunt is afraid she will suffer.

Given Xie Chengli's character, he would spare his aunt's life, but Emperor Chengxuan would probably not live much longer.

Now that he has ascended the throne, he no longer needs to use Emperor Chengxuan as a pretext. At this point, once the person dies, it will all be Xie Chengyan's fault, and it will have nothing to do with him.

Sure enough, on the third day after Xie Chengli ascended the throne, the palace tolled its death knell.

Officials were required to enter the palace to attend the funeral, and female relatives were also required to go to the inner palace to pay their respects.

The new emperor had just ascended the throne, and the Ruan family did not want anyone to find fault with them. Despite her illness, Madam Sun brought her and Miaoyin into the palace.

The funeral was kept simple, and there was not much grief within the palace.

Many female officials and their families had gathered in the Empress Dowager's palace. Instead of showing any grief over Emperor Chengxuan's death, they were all congratulating the Third Prince on his ascension to the throne.

The Ruan family was close to Xie Chengyan, which naturally made them unpopular with the Empress Dowager.

Neither she nor Miaoyin spoke, yet they still couldn't escape it.

"I heard that the Ruan family had a happy occasion a few days ago. At that time, the palace was very busy and we did not have time to send a congratulatory gift. Please do not take offense, Madam Ruan."

Madam Sun dared not take offense, and simply smiled and replied, "Thank you for your concern, Empress Dowager."

She didn't respond at all, and the Empress Dowager couldn't deliberately pick a fight, since her father was still the Prime Minister.

However, the words he spoke, whether intentionally or unintentionally, always steered the conversation towards Ruan Xianrong.

Fortunately, Xie Chengli's men arrived in time, and she was not wronged; she went directly to the Council Hall.

Xie Chengli stood before me, not wearing a crown, but dressed in a formal imperial robe, tall and upright, no longer the carefree and unrestrained Third Prince of the past.

He stepped forward, his smile unchanged, his demeanor languid.

She snapped out of her daze and bowed, "Greetings, Your Majesty."

He immediately helped her up, saying, "Why are you being so polite with me?"

"I should thank you for reminding me."

Ruan Xianrong asked, puzzled, "What?"

"Wasn't it you who told Qinglian? My brother was already on guard, which is why I was able to change my plans and take this position."

"So, you are my greatest contributor."