In early summer, by dusk, torrential rains often come suddenly.

  The sky was gloomy, with dark clouds pressing down on the majestic palace walls. The originally resplendent golden palace now looked somber under the shroud of dark clouds, as if a huge cage had trapped everyone inside, confining them tightly.

  The spacious bedroom, the mosquito nets seemed to be very old and dusty. Although it was a hot day, I could feel some chilliness. Clothes and jewelry were scattered all over the floor, as if they had just gone through a disaster.

  The woman is half-kneeling on the ground, looking up at the person in front of her.

  This woman was only in her thirties, but her face looked old and worn out like an elderly woman. Her eyebrows were sunken, and her eyes were dull and lifeless, resembling a dried-up well that had been abandoned for years, unable to produce tears, yet filled with deep-seated resentment.

  "Your Majesty, please." The eunuch beside her held out a white handkerchief, his tone impatient: "The imperial family is still waiting for Your Majesty to report back."

  Shen Miaos gaze fell on the eunuch, and she was silent for a while before slowly opening her mouth. Her voice was hoarse with emotion: "Little Li, when this palace first promoted you, you were still just a dog by High Eunuch Gaos side."

  The eunuchs slightly raised head: "Your Majesty, these are different times."

  "Now is different from the past..." Shen Miao murmured, suddenly throwing her head back and laughing loudly: "What a now is different from the past!"

  Just because of the phrase "the current time is different from the past", those former servants who used to be respectful and obedient to her can now order her around, because "the current time is different from the past", she will end up with a tragic fate of being beheaded. What kind of past was it, and when did this new era begin? Was it from the beginning of Lady Yangs entry into the palace, or from the beginning of the Crown Princes demotion, or perhaps from the beginning of Princess Longs marriage to a distant land where she died miserably? Or is it from her return to the palace after being held hostage in Qin for five years?

  From "former days" to "present times", from empress to deposed empress, all because of a single sentence by Fu Xiuyi! The entire courts civil and military officials can change their expressions, this clear and just dynasty can turn black and white upside down! What a wonderful "the present is different from the past"!

  The door of the sleeping palace creaked open, and a pair of embroidered dragon-patterned boots stopped in front of Shen Miao. Above them was a corner of bright yellow robes.

  "Considering youve followed me for twenty years, I grant you a whole body, thank me." The Emperor said.

  Shen Miao slowly lifted her head, looking at the man towering above her. Time had left no mark on his face, still as majestic and handsome as before. He was the wise ruler of the world, the rightful emperor, the man she had been infatuated with for twenty years, the husband who had gone through thick and thin with her. Now he said to her: "I grant you a whole body, thank me."

  "Why?" Shen Miao asked with difficulty.

  He didnt answer.

  "Why must you destroy the entire Shen family?" she asked.

  Ding Wang Fu Xiu Yi, the previous emperor had nine sons, each with their own merits, but the crown prince was often ill. The previous emperor hesitated to change the heir, and the princes struggle for the throne began. She admired Ding Wangs exceptional talent and ignored her familys advice, finally getting what she wanted, but also binding the entire Shen family and Ding Wang together.

  It was because of this that she assisted King Ding wholeheartedly, from being an ignorant and delicate princess to participating in court affairs as a queen, devising strategies, and finally stabilizing the kingdom. On the day Fu Xiuyi ascended to the throne, he appointed her as his empress, becoming a model for the world, and it was truly glorious.

  She thought she was the most glorious queen, but the princes rebellion had just been quelled, and the foundation of Mingqi was unstable. The Xiongnu invaded, and neighboring countries were watching with envy. In order to borrow troops, Shen Miao voluntarily went to Qin as a hostage. When she left, her daughter and son were still young, and Fu Xiuyi said: "I will personally come to pick you up."

  Five years later, she finally returned to Ming Qi, but there was an additional beautiful and talented Empress Meng in the harem.

  Mrs. Meng was a ministers daughter whom Fu Xiuyi met during his eastern campaign, and he liked her cleverness and brought her back to the palace. Mrs. Meng gave birth to Prince Fu Sheng for Fu Xiuyi, who deeply favored by the emperor, whereas Shen Miaos son, Crown Prince Fu Ming, was not favored by the emperor.

  Fu Xiuyi once said in front of the full court: "Fu Mingxi is too weak, Fu Sheng resembles my son." The words clearly implied the intention to change the crown prince.

  Madam Mei gave Shen Miao a sense of crisis. In the palace, Shen Miao and Madam Mei had been fighting for ten years. Madam Mei repeatedly took the upper hand, even instigating Fu Xiu Yi to marry his own daughter, Princess Wan Yu, to the Huns as a peace offering. The Huns were fierce and cruel, and Princess Wan Yu died on her way to be married off, immediately being cremated. Everyone knew that there must have been some ulterior motive behind this, but Shen Miao, as the mother, was powerless to do anything about it.

  After all, it has come down to today.

  Fu Xiuyi received an imperial edict, Shen family plotted rebellion, the crown prince was deposed, and she cut her own throat to apologize for her crime. As empress, she would also be deposed and given three feet of white silk.

  She just wanted to ask one question: "Why?"

  "Fu Xiuyi, do you have a conscience? You and I have been married for over twenty years, and I ask myself if theres anything Ive done wrong to you. When you ascended the throne, it was my Shen family that helped you. When you went on expedition, the Xiongnu invaded, and I wrote the letter of surrender for you. The officials you wanted to win over, I knelt down to beg them to assist you. When you were taken hostage by a neighboring country, what bitter suffering did you endure? You repaid me with what? Lady Mu let Yuwenyu marry out, but you drafted an edict, and Yuwenyu died at just sixteen. You favored Fu Sheng and neglected Fu Ming, the whole court knows it. Now youre slaughtering my entire family, and as I face death, I ask you one question: why?"

  "Shen Miao," Fu Xiuyi furrowed his brow, his expression unchanging, like a cold and unfeeling statue: "During Father Emperors time, we had already discussed how to deal with the four major families. The Shen familys achievements were too great, and they couldnt be allowed to stay for long. It was I who advised Father Emperor, and I let the Shen family remain for twenty more years, which is already a great favor to the Shen family!"

  Its already a great blessing for the Shen family! Shen Miaos body swayed, she had cried too much in these days and her tears had dried up. She spoke to Fu Xiuyi, word by word: "Why keep the Shen family? Its not your benevolence, nor is it your blessing, you just want to use the Shen familys military power to increase your chances of seizing the throne. The cunning rabbit dies, the walking dog is cooked, now that the country is settled, youre going to abandon us and Fu Xiuyi, you have a ruthless heart!"

  "Despicable!" Fu Xiuyi angrily shouted, seemingly having been struck at his weak point. He coldly snorted and said, "Youd best take care of yourself." Having said that, he turned and left with a flick of his sleeve.

  Shen Miao fell to the ground, clenching her fists tightly. This was the man she had loved for a lifetime. In the palace, she and Concubine Wei had vied for his favor, only to discover in the end that it wasnt about vying for favor, but that this mans heart had never been on her! Those sweet nothings whispered in her ear were just jokes played on her!

  She spat out a mouthful of blood with a "plop".

  "Sister, whats wrong? You look quite pale." A gentle voice sounded.

  A young woman wearing a light yellow thin blouse, with a lotus-like face and a willow waist, looking as beautiful as an immortal fairy, her movements elegant and captivating, walking towards me step by step.

  This is Mrs. Meng, who has been fighting with Shen Miao for a lifetime and has always had the upper hand.

  Behind Mrs. Mu stood two women dressed in palace attire, Shen Miao was taken aback: "Shen Qing, Shen Yue!"

  This is the daughter of Second House and Third House, Second Uncle and Third Uncles two nieces, how can they be in the palace?

  "His Majesty has summoned my sister to the palace," Shen Yue covered her mouth and smiled: "Fifth sister, dont be surprised. In the past few years, fifth sister often helped me inquire about matchmakers for my sister. Now its not necessary anymore, His Majesty treats my sister extremely well."

  "Are... you saying that you, all of you, have been delaying marriage just for today?"

  "Its not, is it?" Shen Qing stepped forward: "When His Majesty and my third uncle made an alliance, as long as you were willing to marry His Majesty, one day, my two sisters would also have the same ending."

  At first, Shen Miao was married to Fu Xiu Yi. The second and third branches were not without effort in this matter. Now that I think about it, at the time she had a crush on Fu Xiu Yi, it seemed like it was also because of Second Aunt and Third Aunts constant mention of Ding Wangs young talent that she developed good feelings for him. Was it originally an agreement reached long ago? Were the second and third branches hiding sinister intentions all along, waiting for todays events to unfold?

  Shen Qing continued, as if afraid Shen Miao wouldnt understand, "Your Majesty is majestic and handsome, my sister has admired you for a long time. Unfortunately, only the eldest uncle holds great power, so we had no choice but to let the fifth sister take the lead first. The fifth sister enjoyed good fortune in the past few years, now its also her turn."

  "Shen Qing!" Shen Miao suddenly stood up straight and said loudly, "Your Majesty has seized the Shen familys property, but allowed you two to enter the palace. How could the second and third branches possibly be safe?"

  "Second and third houses will be safe, of course," Shen Yue covered her mouth and laughed: "Because we are the great meritorious officials, the evidence of the eldest brothers rebellion was all pointed out by our two houses righteousness. Fifth sister, His Majesty is going to grant high official positions to our two houses."

  Shen Miao looked at her two cousins in shock and said, "Are you crazy? How can there be intact eggs under a destroyed nest? The Shen family is one family, Fu Xiuyi wants to deal with the Shen family, and you actually framed your own family..."

  "Our own family, Fifth Sister, weve never acknowledged the Eldest Branch as our own family." Shen Qing sneered: "Besides, youve enjoyed too many privileges. Now that the Crown Prince is dead and the Princess is no more, the Shen Family has perished; its better for you to descend into the Yellow Springs sooner and reunite with them."

  Madam Meng stepped forward with a smile and said: "Sister, the country is settled, you should also step down."

  After ten years of struggle, Shen Miao ended up losing miserably, losing so badly that it was a joke of epic proportions!

  She coldly said: "As long as I dont die, you will all be concubines!"

  "Lord Chen, take action." Lady Mu gave a signal to the eunuch.

  The stout eunuch immediately stepped forward a few steps, one hand tightly grasping Shen Miaos neck, the other hand putting the white silk from the plate around Shen Miaos neck. With a forceful tug, the white silk tore through flesh and bone, the bones making a crisp cracking sound.

  The woman who was struggling on the ground glared with her eyes wide open and silently made a poisonous oath in her heart.

  Her son, her daughter, her parents, brothers, sisters, servants, all the Shens, from top to bottom, were killed.

  Fu Xiuyi, Meng Furen, Shen Qing, Shen Yue, all those who have harmed her and her loved ones, if there is an afterlife, a life for a life!

  When the day is gone, both you and I will be lost!

  Digression

  Tea is back, please support my new book a lot (づ￣3￣)づ╭？～

  What day shall this sun be extinguished? I would rather perish with you.