It is deep autumn now, and the lotuses in the pond have long withered. The lotus leaves are also withered and dilapidated.

Willow trees stood densely in the pond, and in places where moonlight couldn't reach, patches of shadow loomed.

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Like a ghostly hand reaching out from the abyss, this reminded Xiao Han Empress of last year's rebellion of the false emperor, when the three-year-old Twelfth Prince had drowned in this lotus pond...

After the twelfth prince drowned, Consort Hui became insane.

The wet nurse who had brought the twelfth prince to play that day also committed suicide out of fear. In fact, the rope the wet nurse used was not tied by herself but by Queen Xiao Han.

Because she bribed the wet nurse, a wet nurse who held her secrets in her hands, had to die!

"This palace is fine, return to the palace first!" Empress Xiao Han said in a deep voice, settling back down, her hands gripping tightly onto the handrails on both sides of the palanquin, her knuckles white and prominent.

>

The two little eunuchs, as if granted amnesty, quickly got up and carried the phoenix sedan chair back. They carefully left the lotus pond.

>

It wasn't until she had left the lotus pond far behind, and the sound of water was no longer audible, that Xiao Han, the empress, finally came to her senses.

That's when I realized that my forehead and the palms of my hands were already drenched in cold sweat.

>

The phoenix sedan entered Fenghua Palace, and Rong Ma ma, who was waiting in the palace, immediately led a group of court ladies to welcome them.

Queen Xiao Han was too busy to pay attention to them and went straight into the bedroom.

Grand Ma Rong was astonished. She pulled a maid who had been serving the Empress closely earlier aside and questioned her. Upon learning that the Empress had been startled by something near the lotus pond, a glimmer flashed in Grand Ma Rong's eyes, and she immediately understood.

>

Aromatherapy can calm the mind and soothe a startled spirit.

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After Empress Xiao Han bathed, she wrapped herself in a bathrobe and returned to her bedchamber. She sat down beside the phoenix-shaped bed. Inside the four-legged golden incense burner shaped like a phoenix and qilin beside the bed, a faint fragrance wafted out slowly.

Empress Xiao Han sat by the bed, a faint pallor still lingering on her face.

After taking off her heavy makeup and elaborate dress, she was simply a beautiful young woman in her twenties, full of youth and charm.

The empress's attire seemed to add ten years to her age.

"My Lady, come, have a sip of this calming tea." Let me know if you have any other text you'd like me to translate! ?

Old Madam Rong arrived at the phoenix bed, a bowl of congee in her hand.

Queen Xiaohan raised her head and looked at Rong Mama, saying, "Mama Rong, on my way back here, I passed by the lotus pond and seemed to have seen the figure of the Twelfth Prince..."

Grandmother Rong's expression changed, and she quickly lowered her voice and said, "Your Majesty, you must be seeing things..."

"No, I'm not seeing things, I really saw it." Empress Xiao Han said urgently,

"That little kid, he was hiding under a wilted lotus leaf and making faces at me..."

Queen Xiao Han spoke, saying she had been frightened again. She clutched her shoulders tightly with both hands and trembled slightly as if overcome with fear.

Seeing this, Grandma Rong quickly put the soup in her hand on the side table and leaned down to gently hug Empress Xiaohan.

Just like when she was a child, this wet nurse held her gently in her arms.

"Don't be afraid, little one. Your nurse is here, don't worry, don't worry..."

Nǎn Nǎi couldn't help but whisper softly the Little Korean Empress's childhood nickname.

The Empress Xiaohan's body gradually calmed down, and her emotions recovered somewhat. Rong Mama finally let go of her and lifted the soup bowl again to offer it to Empress Xiaohan.

"Your Majesty must have been overworked these days choosing a bride for the Crown Prince, which led to hallucinations. Come, drink this bowl of calming soup and take a good sleep, you'll be fine." Nanny Rong whispered gently.

>

Queen Xiao Han nodded, took the soup and forced a few sips before holding the bowl in her hands and staring blankly.

"If it weren't for the pressure of the situation, I wouldn't have poisoned a three-year-old child," Empress Xiao Han murmured.

"I'm not that bad, really. I'm not a bad woman. Back when I was at Han Taishi's residence, I was the kindest young lady in the eyes of all the maids and servants,"

Although my biological mother is just a concubine in the Taishi's mansion, no matter how others slander me or look down on my background, I still have good intentions towards everything.

"I never thought that after entering the palace, I would become like this, not even a three-year-old child is spared?"

"Grandma, will I be punished? I'm really, really scared..."

Upon hearing this, Granny Rong quickly said, "Your Majesty, you're not to blame for this,"

"Last year, there was great chaos in He Lanzhou. The Emperor personally led the troops to quell the rebellion. Without the Emperor here in the palace, things have spiraled out of control. All sorts of treacherous schemes and underhanded dealings are now exposed." Rong Mama said.

She leaned in closer, her voice a hushed whisper: "Could it be that you've forgotten about Imperial Concubine Hui bribing the imperial kitchen eunuch to try and poison your food with arsenic?"

"The maid brought into the palace from the Taishi Mansion, it was she who mistakenly ate the meal and became a substitute death for the Empress!"

Mentioning this matter, the little empress's body trembled. Her pupils contracted repeatedly, and her hands clenched into fists.

“Though others may scorn and humiliate me, I can bear it. After all, during my time at the Grand Tutor’s mansion, I was nothing but a dog before my stepmother. I am not afraid of humiliation!” Empress Xiao Han gritted her teeth.

"What I hate is that Hui Bin didn't even give me a way out. Even though she was so favored by the Emperor and gave birth to the twelfth prince,"

Why can't she tolerate my existence? Why must she poison me? What have I done, grandma?"

Looking at Xiao Han's queen, with her forehead bulging veins, Rong Mama was both angry and heartbroken.

She gently stroked Little Han Empress's forehead and said, "That's how the world is. Whether it's the former Grand Tutor's Mansion or the current Imperial Palace, it's a place where the strong survive and the weak are preyed upon."

"Especially the women in this palace, each one is ruthless and merciless."

"Whether it's Hui Bin, or Zhuang Fei, or even Da Han Empress, your half-sister from the same father!"

“Everyone only cares about climbing up, stepping on others, or climbing over the bodies of others.”

>

"Your Majesty, please do not dwell on the past. You should focus your attention on the future."

This is a test.

“Look back?” Empress Xiaohan looked bewildered.

“To be honest, Grandma, I’ve been sitting on this Empress’s throne for over half a year now, but I still feel clueless and confused. I don’t understand why the Emperor chose me to be Empress.”

Grandma Rong was startled, then smiled helplessly.

"Oh, my dear Empress, I truly admire your spirit. The Emperor chose you as his empress for two main reasons,"

"The first reason is that although the Han family was involved in the turmoil of the usurper emperor, their roots were deep and the patriarch, being a venerable Grand Tutor, had also been a senior official during his time."

"During the Han family's most glorious period, their students were found all throughout the Imperial court. Even the current emperor was once a student of the old master."

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Although the Wei Emperor's rebellion severely weakened the Han family, leaving them far from their former glory, they were still a force to be reckoned with. Even a dying camel is bigger than a horse, and the Han family still held considerable influence in court, which His Majesty had to take into account.

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A genius one second: m.