Steal my marriage? Turn around and marry the tyrant to take the throne

Chapter 1479 A Glimmer of Hope Amidst Despair (209 Million Donation Points)

Why bother arguing with her and making yourself unhappy for no reason?

Consort Xuan said with disgust, "I just can't stand her behavior!"

"He failed to manage his subordinates properly, causing a scandal, and yet he dared to falsely accuse his sister, the Imperial Noble Consort."

"She has provoked us several times before, and this time she has gone even further. If we don't teach her a lesson, she'll really think that the Imperial Noble Consort is easy to bully?"

As Xuanfei spoke, her eyes were full of protectiveness, as if she herself was the one being gossiped about, not Shen Zhinian.

Zhu'er shook her head helplessly and sighed, "Your Highness... you always get so impulsive when it comes to things related to the Imperial Noble Consort, wishing you could be at the forefront."

"Sometimes it seems that you care about the Imperial Noble Consort more than you care about yourself."

Consort Xuan, however, felt it was perfectly reasonable and turned to look at Zhu'er, saying, "Is there anything wrong with this?"

"Imperial Noble Consort has been kind to me, protecting me and teaching me how to establish myself safely in the palace. I will naturally remember this kindness."

"Otherwise, are we going to be like those ungrateful wretches who forget kindness as soon as they receive it, or even bite the hand that feeds them? I am not that kind of person!"

Zhu'er nodded with a smile: "Yes, yes, Your Majesty is absolutely right."

In the Empress's view, protecting the Imperial Noble Consort was a matter of course and required no consideration.

……

The demotion and confinement of Consort Dun occurred in front of all the ladies-in-waiting and concubines in the harem.

Inside Yongshou Palace, the lower-ranking concubines dared not gossip. But once outside, many gathered in small groups and openly mocked them.

"That one from Yikun Palace has actually turned back into Consort Dun. How ridiculous."

"Tsk tsk tsk, these ups and downs seem to be commonplace for her. I've lost count of how many times this has happened."

"Isn't that right? Yesterday she was Consort Dun, and today she's Consort Dun. Such a dramatic change is something even plays wouldn't dare to depict."

"..."

Several low-ranking nobles often gathered in a corner of the Imperial Garden, exchanging knowing glances, their tone revealing undisguised schadenfreude.

In the deep palace, where people patronize the weak and elevate the strong, the disheveled state of a disgraced concubine often becomes the best topic of conversation and solace for others.

A distinguished person said slowly, "Over the years, she has fought and snatched everything. She has used every means at her disposal and enjoyed her moment in the limelight, but what has it all been for?"

"The ranks of Consort, Concubine... after going up and down for so long, she's back to square one. The title of Concubine Dun seems to be branded on her, and she can't shake it off."

I've spent half my life striving, half my life scheming, and half my life struggling.

She returned, still the same Consort Dun.

……

Yongshou Palace.

After checking on the Fourth Prince, who was now sound asleep, Nangong Xuanyu and Shen Zhinian returned to their inner room.

He took Shen Zhinian's hand and said gently, "I know everything that happened today. Nian Nian, you are still too soft-hearted and your handling of the matter was still too lenient."

"If I encounter such a person who is out of line and stirs up trouble again in the future, I will not hesitate to punish him severely. I will not interfere."

Shen Zhinian looked up at the emperor, a faint smile playing on her lips, and said teasingly, "If I punish you too severely, what will Your Majesty do if you look back and feel sorry for those beautiful women?"

Upon hearing this, Nangong Xuanyu frowned, a hint of annoyance flashing across his face: "The affairs of the previous dynasty are numerous and complex, already causing me much worry and effort."

"If they still cannot behave themselves and share my burdens, but instead stir up trouble in the harem, they deserve to be punished. Why should I feel sorry for them? I just find them noisy."

Shen Zhinian's smile gradually faded, and his expression became serious: "Your Majesty, is there any news from Wen Shu's side?"

Mentioning this matter, Nangong Xuanyu's expression also darkened, and he shook his head: "There has been no progress with the Prefect of the Capital. The other party has done a very clean job."

"However, since Lao Ba's men have kidnapped Wen Shu, they must have some ulterior motive, or they want to use her as a bargaining chip. In any case, they will not easily take her life before they achieve their goal."

"I have already made arrangements; rescuing Wen Shu is only a matter of time."

Shen Zhinian knew Nangong Xuanyu's methods well. Seeing him say this, her heart was slightly relieved. She said softly, "It's good that Your Majesty is confident. I only hope that Wenshu can return safely as soon as possible."

Fortunately, the good news was kept secret in time, and outsiders were unaware of it, thus preserving Princess Wenshu's reputation. It was a stroke of luck amidst misfortune.

……

In the cellar of a secluded residence in the capital, sunlight never shines.

As Nangong Xuanche said, he did not mistreat Princess Wenshu.

The meals delivered daily were quite exquisite, the tea was warm, and there were occasionally some seasonal fruits.

Apart from losing her freedom, she did not suffer any physical torture.

However, it was precisely this seemingly thoughtful care that deepened the chill in Princess Wenshu's heart...

The more the myna bird behaves this way, the more it shows that he has grand ambitions, proving that its value in his plan cannot be lost.

This also means... he would never let her leave.

In the cellar, day and night were indistinguishable, and Princess Wenshu could only vaguely estimate the time by the number of times meals were delivered.

Every moment felt incredibly long…

This feeling of being isolated from the world, of not knowing what day it is, is enough to drive a person crazy.

Bai Hanlin must have known he was missing for a long time, right?

How anxious and worried he must have been! He must have been running around everywhere, trying every possible way to find himself...

Thinking of Bai Mufeng's face, which always wore a warm smile, now likely clouded with sorrow, Princess Wenshu felt as if an invisible hand was tightly gripping her heart, leaving her with a bitter and aching feeling.

She wasn't afraid of being trapped here, but she was terrified of the person outside who genuinely cared for her, who worried about her and suffered greatly for her sake.

Nangong Xuanche slowly walked up to Princess Wenshu and asked in a calm tone, "Fifth Sister, you've stayed here for a few days. Have you thought it through?"

"You can see my brother's current predicament. If you can write a letter asking your maternal family to secretly help him, they will never forget your contribution once my brother succeeds."

Princess Wenshu understood, of course, that her eighth brother wanted to use his maternal family's influence and connections in the court to help him commit treasonous acts.

This would be a disaster that could lead to the confiscation of her family property and the extermination of her clan. How could she easily agree to it?

However... this may be the only opportunity she can seize right now.

Even if she writes under the watchful eye of a myna bird, as long as she can send the letter out, she might still have a chance to leave some hints between the lines.

The maternal grandparents were not foolish. If they could glean the secret that the myna was still alive, they would understand that she was in danger and would then try to rescue her.

Perhaps it could also serve as a warning to the emperor in advance.

This thought, like a glimmer of light in the darkness, gave Princess Wenshu a glimmer of hope amidst her despair.

She kept her head down and remained silent for a moment, as if she were going through a fierce internal struggle.