National Guardian General Mansion fell due to Ning Xu’s betrayal—five generals perished on the battlefield, and the mansion was deliberately accused of colluding with the enemy and treason. The entire family was executed without sparing a single soul, including the infant still in swaddling clothes.
The Empress Dowager received the news and was literally angered to death.
After listening to Rong Heng’s words, Tangyuan suddenly felt the irony. To secure her position as Empress Dowager, she had forsaken herself. She thought that her dreams were beautiful, believing that once she became Empress and bore a child, he would naturally become the legitimate son. Yet she failed to see through the Yuan Family’s sinister plots—had she stepped into an everlasting regret?
She didn’t know whether to hate or pity, only to sigh at the ruthless path to Imperial Power, truly paved with countless bones and flesh of others.
If Ning Xu possessed such political shrewdness, perhaps he would have already known his own origins by now, wouldn’t he? Otherwise, why would he remove the National Guardian General Mansion at all costs?
With the loss of the Empress Dowager’s backing, he was like a grasshopper after autumn—unable to leap for much longer. He just didn’t expect that she would be so useless that she’d be directly angered to death.
For Ning Xu to exhibit such deep political shrewdness at such a young age showed he was a person who would sacrifice everything to seize power. As for the Yuan Family, heh.
Did they really think that by eliminating the Empress Dowager and her, they could become the Supreme Emperor?
If Ning Xu had even a slight regard for familial ties, he wouldn’t have annihilated them so thoroughly. But what if he felt no affection for them?
I’m afraid the Yuan Family will be the next Zou Family!
Rong Heng had been observing Tangyuan’s expression, trying to glean something from it, but alas, her lack of deep affection for the Empress Dowager meant he found no valuable clues on her face.
She merely sighed out of respect for the once-kind Empress Dowager Zou, "What a pity!"
However, as soon as Rong Heng left, Tangyuan’s expression grew solemn in an instant. She wasn’t worried about whether she could successfully take revenge; rather, she felt that the Empress Dowager had died too early. Yet this also precisely confirmed the Yuan Family’s voracious ambitions and the terrifying nature of Ning Xu. She never expected that the seemingly young Emperor would be so ruthless at heart. Such a man as Emperor was an utter curse.
He could destroy the National Guardian General Mansion to solidify his own position, and he could betray anyone that could be betrayed for that position—even his own country?
The existence of the National Guardian General Mansion was Dongru Country’s first defense line. Now that this barrier was destroyed, it meant anyone could invade Dongru Country. She truly didn’t know whether to praise Ning Xu’s cleverness or call him foolish. He was still young and had time to rise. He could even lead in battle personally, but could he guarantee that he would always be able to defend Dongru Country?
That night, Tangyuan dreamed a dream where Dongru Country was overrun and annexed by Nanling Country, forming a strong boundary to the east and south. Those who once looked down on her now groveled at her feet, forced to pay homage to her.
Homage? How could it be homage?
Yet, as the scene shifted, she saw a dignified and imposing woman dressed in a bright red phoenix robe, seated high on the phoenix throne, smiling radiantly while accepting the kneeling homage of civil and military officials from all directions. The man by her side, holding her hand, descended the lofty platform step by step, raising his hand gently in a clear and imposing voice to the people below, "My beloved subjects, please rise."
Tangyuan desperately tried to make out who the man was, but the image remained blurred, elusive. The only thing she could capture was that this Emperor and Empress seemed very affectionate, and the woman’s face looked familiar, as if seen somewhere before...