Chapter 1
Chapter 1
I stepped out of Sixth Sister’s princess manor.
Nanny Gu, who was holding my two-year-old daughter, Ah Fu, looked as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.
“Madam, where are we going?”
I thought for a moment and said calmly, “To get a divorce.”
“That… how can that be? Strictly speaking, the Heir Apparent hasn’t committed any grave error. All men are like this. Madam, even if you find another, they might not be better than the Heir Apparent,” Nanny Gu pleaded.
Ignoring her, I reached out to take Ah Fu into my arms and kissed her soft cheek.
Only then did I turn back to Nanny Gu. “You may leave the manor now. You no longer need to serve Ah Fu and me. I will give you a sum of money, enough to ensure you are well-fed and clothed for the rest of your life.”
I looked at the others and said flatly, “The same goes for all of you!”
Everyone was stunned, and then they began to beg.
They asked what they had done wrong.
They hadn’t done anything wrong.
I simply wanted a change of environment-one where I wasn’t being manipulated by everyone around me.
It was strange.
No one around me believed I would actually divorce Lu Jinghuai.
A few days ago, a woman arrived at my door carrying a child, begging me to give her and her son a way to live.
The woman was charming and beautiful; her name was Meiniang.
The child was adorable, about six months old, and bore an even stronger resemblance to Lu Jinghuai than Ah Fu did.
By my calculations, Lu Jinghuai must have started his affair with that woman less than two years after our marriage.
Yet, at a recent banquet, my face had turned beet red when everyone teased us about how Lu Jinghuai and I were like a pair of inseparable lovebirds.
The revelation was a devastating blow.
My mother-in-law pushed Lu Jinghuai forward to admit his fault.
He looked mortified, his expression tinged with awkwardness.
“That time, I was in a foul mood and met up with some old comrades. To cheer me up, they… they pushed a woman into my bed…”
“I had too much to drink. I mistook her for someone else.”
“Whether you believe it or not, I never intended to betray you…”
“Qinxin, I’ll find a way to handle this. Just calm down.”
He fled in a state of panic.
He didn’t see his mother’s affectionate face slowly turn cold.
She gave a mocking laugh, sat down, and said unhurriedly:
“Aside from Ah Fu, you haven’t borne Jinghuai any other children. It’s a good thing this woman brought a son to our door; it saves you the hardship of childbirth.”
“To be honest, Jinghuai hasn’t exactly wronged you. He sacrificed his entire future for your sake; it’s only right that you endure a little grievance for him.”
After my parents died in battle, I was adopted by the current Emperor and Empress and titled Princess Zhen’an.
My life had been smooth sailing.
It wasn’t until I met and fell in love with Lu Jinghuai that I encountered the greatest setback of my life.
I come from a family of generals; my brother is still leading troops at the border.
Coincidentally, Lu Jinghuai also came from a family of generals. He had made a name for himself at a young age and was a hero praised by all.
Imperial Father could never agree to the union of two such powerful military families.
Three years ago, Lu Jinghuai used all his military merits to petition Imperial Father for my hand in marriage. He was willing to surrender all his military power just to be with me.
Imperial Father granted his request.
On our wedding day, I thought my life was finally complete.
I had been favored by Imperial Father, cherished by Mother Empress, and spoiled by my brother, the Crown Prince. Now, I was to have the love of a husband and a home filled with affection.
But life after marriage shattered that dream.
I finally understood: behind a romance like no other lies a weight that life cannot bear.
After the wedding, Master Lu treated me with indifference.
Madam Lu, on the other hand, harbored resentment toward me.
She blamed me for ruining Lu Jinghuai’s future.
During these three years together, I have made many concessions.
I have retreated so far that I feel there is nowhere left to go.
Yet, in her eyes, I still have room to yield.
Perhaps it starts with taking this woman named Meiniang into the household. Later, there might be a Taoniang, a Liuniang, or a Qiuniang…
Would that Lu Jinghuai still be the young man I once longed to marry?
I didn’t dare think about it.
That day, aside from my mother-in-law’s persuasion…
My own family-the Duke of Zhenguo’s Mansion-heard of the matter and sent my aunt to urge a reconciliation.
“Which noble family in the capital isn’t like this? Take my advice: welcome that woman into the house with grace. Who wouldn’t praise you for it?”
I looked at her coldly, feeling only a sense of estrangement.
I grew up in the palace and felt no real connection to my uncle and aunt from the Duke of Zhenguo’s Mansion.
But I had indeed hoped they would stand up for me.
In the end, I was overthinking it.
Even the maids and nannies by my side urged me to forgive Lu Jinghuai.
As more and more people took Lu Jinghuai’s side, I came to realize one thing:
It was as if I were living in a world that only spoke for Lu Jinghuai.
Everyone stood by him.
No one cared about my feelings; my feelings were irrelevant to them.
They only hoped I would swallow this insult like every other noble wife in the capital, carry on with my life, and maintain a facade of harmony and happiness.
It was terrifying!
So, I went to find my Sixth Sister, Li Rong.
In this world, she is the only woman who despises Lu Jinghuai.