Chapter 317:
Xie Wanning took these words to heart.
After the palace banquet, their two hearts seemed to draw imperceptibly closer.
In the first lunar month, with no need to attend court, Xie Wanning, the newly appointed Empress, began learning to take over palace affairs, with Lu Ziyan accompanying her at her side.
Speaking of which, his harem was truly pristine; even the imperial concubines left by the Former Emperor had all gone to Zhenguo Temple to pray for blessings for the Imperial Family.
Besides them, only a few little princesses who had not yet come of age and established their own residences still lived in the palace.
At New Year, the little princesses had all come together once to pay respects to her, their imperial sister-in-law, after which they rarely came to Guanju Palace to disturb her.
With not so many women, the palace affairs were not so cumbersome.
However, as the mother of the nation, whether it was the female relatives from the estates of the elderly princes of the Imperial Clan, or the madams from the back courtyards of the various officials—as long as they held rank, they all fell under her jurisdiction.
But she was the sovereign, and those below were her subjects.
None of these were major matters.
For the new year’s imperial sacrifices, Xie Wanning summoned several elderly princess consorts from the Imperial Clan into the palace to assist, and it all went smoothly.
The young couple busied themselves for over ten days, during which many elderly princess consorts from the Imperial Clan came to pay their respects.
Sometimes Xie Wanning received them alone, sometimes Lu Ziyan accompanied her.
Gradually, the good story of the loving Emperor and Empress spread throughout the Capital City without anyone realizing it.
Time is a wonderful thing, and besides, no one dared truly discuss the private affairs of those in power, so soon the fact that the current Empress was on her second marriage was tacitly forgotten.
After the Pei Family safely attended the New Year’s Eve Palace Banquet and the Lantern Festival Palace Banquet without incident, everyone’s understanding of the awkward situation of Duke Pei’s Mansion became clear.
The Emperor had no intention of taking action against the Pei Family.
This meant he truly did not mind.
With the intricate relationships in the Capital City, where various factions had allies and enemies, naturally some rejoiced while others worried.
Xie Wanning, residing in the harem, lived her days steadily and comfortably.
Much like her daily life in Bianzhou—no, actually, it was even better.
Because besides being carefree, she could also see her parents and elder brother from time to time.
With no Empress Dowager above her, no need to worry about foreign ministers, and Lu Ziyan never restricting her—not even when leaving the palace—she could follow her own wishes.
Compared to marrying into an ordinary prominent family, she returned to her maternal home more often.
That day, she had been kidnapped by Jin Wuji and left the Capital City, only returning after five years.
In five years, people and events in the Capital City had changed greatly.
From the grand change of a new Emperor, to the smaller fluctuations in each family’s estate.
Pei Lin, the eldest legitimate granddaughter of the Pei Family’s eldest branch who had colluded with outsiders to frame her, had irrefutable evidence of her crime, and the entire eldest branch of the Pei Family was implicated; before Lu Ziyan ascended to the throne, that whole branch had been sent to the execution platform.
Pei Yuxuan was already married; the once charming and lovely little commandery princess had married smoothly four years ago to become a married woman.
However, it seemed she was not living very well.
One could imagine: Lu Ziyan had essentially snatched her sister-in-law, and when she married, Lu Ziyan had not yet been established as Crown Prince; plus with Princess Duanyang in charge, though her husband’s family had some misgivings, they ultimately did not break off the engagement.
Later, as Lu Ziyan became Crown Prince, ascended to the throne as Emperor, and became addicted to murderous killings.
Almost all prominent families in the Capital City were certain that Duke Pei’s Mansion would sooner or later be slaughtered by this Tyrant.
As such, Pei Yuxuan, this already-married daughter of the Pei Family, found her status in her husband’s family somewhat awkward.
While the Former Emperor was still alive, things were still fine.
Princess Duanyang was his full elder sister, so the Pei Family would always be safe.
Later, after Lu Ziyan ascended to the throne, Pei Yuxuan’s days in her husband’s family became increasingly difficult.
The once pampered little commandery princess faced a world of difference after marriage.
Now it was said that things had reached the point of seeking a divorce.
