Chapter 1: Disposing the Empress
During the early summer when evening falls, there will always be sudden torrential rains.
The skies were overcast and the dark clouds was suppressing over the dignified atmosphere of the Palace. The formally magnificent palace hall was shrouded by the dark clouds as if it was a huge cage, trapping the people inside firmly.
In the large chambers, the curtains seemed old as it was covered with a thick layer of dust. It was originally a hot weather but one actually felt a little cold. Clothes and jewellery were scattered all over the floor as if a calamity had just went by.
The female was half kneeling on the ground, looking at the person in front.
This female was only in her thirties but her face was like an old women. There was deep hostility between her brows, her eyes were as dead as stagnant water and they have seemingly unable to tear like a long dried well but filled with a bottomless hatred.
“Your Ladyship, please.” The eunuch beside had a bolt of white silk in his hands and his tone could not hide his impatience, “Zajia still needs to report back to his Majesty on the completion.”
Shen Miao’s eyes landed on the eunuch and she remain silent for a long time before slowly speaking with a hoarse voice, “Xiao Li-zi, when Bengong promoted you at that time, you were still a dog beside Gao Gonggong.”
The eunuch slightly raised his head arrogantly, “Your Ladyship, the present is different from the past.”
“The present is different from the past…” Shen Miao muttered before suddenly raising her head for a laugh, “What a good ‘the present is different from the past’!”
Because of a sentence ‘the present is different from the past’, all the servants and courtiers who previously see her would be respectful and let her order them around. Because of ‘the present is different from the past’, she ended up with three Chi (1 chi = 1/3 meter) of white silk to end her life. The past was what kind of past and when did the present became the present? Was it starting from when Mei Furen entered the Palace, from when the Crown Prince was dispose or when Princess Chang died tragically on her way to a long distance marriage? Or was it when she came back to the Palace from being a Qin hostage five years ago?
From the ‘past’ to the ‘present’, from an Empress to a disposed Empress, it was all because of Fu Xiu Yi’s one word! This entire court of officials would then change their looks, this Ming Qi country would reverse black and white! What a good ‘the present is different from the past’!
The doors of the hall squeaked open and a pair of dragon embroidered boots stopped in front of Shen Miao. Looking up, it was a bright yellow robe.
“Seeing that you have followed Zhen for twenty years, will grant you with an intact corpse. Thank this kindness.” The Emperor said.
Shen Miao slowly raise her head and look at the man that was high up above. Time did not leave any imprint on his face as he was as handsome as he was in the beginning. He was the wise sovereign and justifiably Son of Heaven. He was the man that she had foolishly love for twenty years and the husband that she helped in humble circumstances over the years. Now he said to her, “Zhen will grant you with an intact corpse. Thank this kindness.”
“Why?” Shen Miao asked difficultly.
He did not reply.
“Why the need to seize the entire Shen family?” She asked
Prince Ding, Fu Xiu Yi was one of the nine sons of the Late Emperor. Each of the nine sons had their own merits but the Crown Prince was sickly and the Emperor was not willing to alter the title of the Crown Prince thus the Princes took the turmoil as an opportunity. She had long fell for Prince Ding’s peerless talent and regardless of her family’s persuasion, she finally got want she wanted but also firmly tied the entire Shen family to Prince Ding together.
