Tears stained the pages.
That her... The then Empress did not know who it was, but Feng Bailing had a vague sense of unease.
On the wedding night, the bride sat withered all night, but her mind was occupied by another woman.
That feeling, that lifetime’s experience, Feng Bailing had understood.
"Emperor Shuoye’s thirty-ninth year, March the eighth, the Emperor fell seriously ill, the Crown Prince passed away, and the new Crown Prince was not yet established. I have not seen him for half a year. I heard that he kept a woman in another residence. That woman was very beautiful, and he allowed no one to see her. Today, I took advantage of his visit to the Imperial Palace and sneaked to that residence. I met that woman. Indeed, she was very beautiful; even I, as a woman, couldn’t help but be moved. I know he will never love me as long as she is still alive..."
"Emperor Shuoye’s fortieth year, September the sixteenth, the Emperor was critically ill, and Prince Shun was made the Crown Prince. That night, the Crown Prince summoned my husband and me, along with other princes and their consorts to the palace. Both he and I were summoned into the palace, but unexpectedly, that woman was also brought into the Imperial Palace. She was about to give birth, and he wanted to give her a status. He disregarded the promise he made when he married me, intending to depose me, the thirteenth Princess Consort. Over these two years, I contended with the Xiao Family just to catch his attention, but he treated me so. I refused, preferring death over losing the title of Imperial Concubine. I rushed to that woman and pushed her, not knowing she would then have a miscarriage..."
Feng Bailing flipped to the next page; it was missing, as if torn out by someone.
Feng Bailing was somewhat astonished and continued reading.
"Emperor Shuoye’s fortieth year, September the seventeenth, that night was especially long. At dawn, I heard that after the woman gave birth. Emperor Shuoye and the Crown Prince had an argument, the child was discarded. Emperor Shuoye died of a stroke in a fit of anger. The Crown Prince handed over the Jade Seal and the military power, he was made the New Emperor. Prince Shun left the Imperial Palace, only taking that woman with him. Only then did I realize, it wasn’t just him, Prince Shun also had a deep affection for her. Prince Shun personally admitted before the late Emperor to having an affair with her, causing a sensation throughout the court. After that day, Prince Shun no longer appeared in court. Following that day, he was the New Emperor, and I was the new Empress. Countless palace maids and eunuchs addressed me as Empress, but I felt not a trace of joy."
The records were very messy, and names were not directly mentioned, but Feng Bailing could vaguely guess that these were the Empress’s records of past events.
"Emperor Yongye’s first year, September the twentieth. He drank heavily in the Imperial Study, finally came to my palace, and took me. I thought everything was already better. That woman had betrayed him, he should have seen me. But when he woke up the next day, he said nothing and just had the eunuch bring me a bowl of Contraceptive Soup. I didn’t want to drink it, but he personally forced me. I still remember his cold gaze, just like that Contraceptive Soup, chilling my heart. He left me with only one sentence: ’Aside from her, no one can bear my eldest son.’"
Feng Bailing felt a chill in her heart.
Although it wasn’t explicitly mentioned in the booklet, she had almost guessed who the diary’s ’she’ was, Lady Dugu.
The woman entangled with Emperor Yongye and Prince Shun.
Feng Bailing continued reading.
The more she read, the more alarmed she became, feeling cold sweat forming on her palms.