"Boom—"

There was a muffled sound in the dark sky. The silver lightning cut through layers of dark clouds and lit up half of the capital city. In the south corner of the imperial palace, a cold and dilapidated palace should not have been disturbed by anyone in this rainy night, but at this time, it was unexpectedly brightly lit.

"Sister, since I'm willing to call you sister, you'd better behave yourself and hand over the treasure map."

In the palace, a group of people surrounded two thin people. The leader was dressed in luxurious clothes, with a nine beads phoenix crown on her head showing the precious identity of the Empress. The person behind her was also dressed in luxurious clothes, and her face was gorgeous. However, her phoenix eyes were full of gloating and strong jealousy, which made her ugly and distorted face.

Fu Rongyue recognized them with just one glance. They were her elder sister and the legitimate daughter of the Fu family, Fu Ronghui, who was now the Empress. Fu Ronghui was followed by her legitimate younger sister, the current Princess Zhao, Fu Ronghui.

Bah, what legitimate daughter? She's just a bunch of heartless people!

Fu Rongyue's eyes suddenly burst with intense hatred, but she quickly suppressed it and tried her best to say in the most indifferent tone, "I don't have a treasure map."

As she spoke, she subconsciously hugged the person in her arms tightly.

"No?" Fu Rong's voice suddenly became sharp. "When that old thing died, he clearly told his servants that the treasure map was in your hands. Fu Rongyue, I think you won't shed tears until you are faced with a coffin! Guards, search her carefully. Don't let go of a strand of hair!"

As soon as she gave the order, a maid immediately came up and rummaged around Fu Rongyue's room.

There were even two maidservants who didn't say a word and pulled the person out of Fu Rongyue's arms. They threw him onto the ground as if they were disgusted and said, "A group of dead bodies. You hugged them so tightly. What bad luck!"

The maidservant took a step forward and stepped on the small quilt.

Fu Rongyue's eyes suddenly narrowed, and her heart, which was already riddled with holes, was suddenly squeezed by someone. With strength that came from nowhere, she pushed the maidservant away. She strode forward, held the little body that was scattered on the ground back, and held it in her arms. Her eyes were blood-red as if she wanted to eat someone. "Get out of my way, don't touch my Jin'er!"

"Jin'er! He's just a bastard! His Majesty killed him with his own hands, which can be regarded as giving him face!" Fu Rong said with a sneer, "Do you still think that this bastard is still alive?"

These words undoubtedly stabbed Fu Rongyue in the heart again, and everything from the day before yesterday appeared in front of her again...

"Your Majesty, I beg you to let go of the Mei family. They were wronged!" With her hair disheveled, she took off her hairpin and was about to be punished. She kept kowtowing in the Light Palace, with tears in her eyes. Her pleading eyes were tightly locked on the lofty emperor, Wei Mingyu. That man was her husband. He once knelt at her door and asked for a marriage. He swore in front of the world that he would only love her for the rest of his life. He would never go back on his word!

"A concubine?" Wei Mingyu looked up, and there was a strange coldness in her eyes that she had never seen before. He asked the Servants behind him, "Didn't I announce that the Six Palaces would be stripped of the position of the Empress of the Fu family and be demoted to a concubine?"

After he was crippled, he was demoted to a concubine!

She suddenly looked up and forgot about her tears in surprise. She muttered to herself, "Your Majesty... are you going to cripple me?"

"The Mei family rebelled and tried to kill the emperor and usurp the country. As the Empress of the Central Palace, you didn't tell me the news in advance and said that you were not a accomplice of the Mei family. Do you think I believe you?" Wei Mingyu snorted.

Fu Rongyue was very anxious. She took a few steps forward on her knees and was about to speak when she heard Wei Mingyu's loud scolding. "Moreover, the Mei family's rebellion has already become a fact. Yesterday, the entire family was executed outside the noon gate, but you are still questioning my decision and saying that you are a traitor. Madam Fu, how can I allow you to be so presumptuous?"

He slammed his palm on the desk, causing a loud noise that shattered Fu Rongyue's heart.

Yesterday, the entire family was executed...

Fu Rongyue suddenly fell to the ground, unable to gather any strength.

Was she too late?

The sworn father who loved her more than her biological father, the always gentle and elegant brother Ruan Yi who smiled at her, the mischievous little brother Qing Gu, the straightforward sister Lan Shan, and the servants who were like relatives of the Mei family, would never come back?

However, what was the reason for this? Could it be that the Mei family had become a rebel and committed a heinous crime with just a false tip-off letter, ambiguous confession from a few lowly servants, and an endless trial in less than a day's time?

Looking at the person in front of her, she only felt that there was a bit of bone-chilling coldness in the strangeness. She was not stupid, but suddenly understood a little.

The Mei family would never rebel. Wei Mingyu could not tolerate the Mei family, just like the lords of the previous dynasty who could not tolerate meritorious officials. He was just afraid.

All the birds were gone, and the good bow was hidden...

What about her? Who was she?

A bitter smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. She was just a pawn that would throw stones to ask for directions!

Because of the relationship between her mother and the Mei family, she had been recognized as the adopted daughter of the Mei family ever since she returned to the capital. Everyone in the world knew that if they received the Fu family's daughter, they would receive the favor of the Mei family. And if they received the favor of the Mei family, it would be like adding wings to a tiger to their wings. As the largest clan in the Wei family, the Mei family would definitely do their best to assist him in ascending the throne.

While she was in a daze, the maidservant, Mei Lin, was waiting in the outer hall with Jin'er in her arms. The child was frightened by the sudden loud noise and burst into tears.

"Why are you crying? I'm not dead yet. Even if I'm going to die, it's not the right time for this illegitimate child to cry!" Wei Mingyu also heard the child's crying. She was not soft-hearted enough to coax the child like before. Instead, her eyes were gloomy and full of murderous intent.

Where did he come from? An illegitimate child?

Fu Rongyue suddenly raised her head, and the blood on her lips silently faded away. Her lips trembled, and it took her a long time to utter an unbelievable voice. "Your... Your Majesty, what nonsense are you spouting?"

"Did His Majesty say something wrong?" Behind the huge screen of the Light Palace, a woman suddenly walked out with a smug smile on her face. She glanced at her, but her eyes were particularly fierce. Her tone was even more angry. "Mei made a confession, saying that it was his and your illegitimate child. Why are you hiding it from His Majesty? Do you think that His Majesty's hat hasn't been stained by you? Sister, I'm really blind. I didn't see through your relationship with Mei Yunyi in time. I just watched you fail to live up to His Majesty's deep love for you!"

"I didn't... I didn't! Brother Ruan Yi and I are innocent!" Fu Rongyue's mind went blank as she watched Fu Rong walking to Wei Mingyu's side and gently massaging his shoulders.

Without waiting for Wei Mingyu to speak, Fu Rong said with a mocking smile, "You call me Brother Ruan Yi so intimately. Who would believe that you don't have anything to do with each other? Your Majesty, do you believe that?"

Wei Mingyu turned back with a smile. When she turned to look at her again, it turned into deep disgust. "I pity you for ruining your appearance and being impure. No one cared about you, so I reluctantly married you. But you actually made an illegitimate child for me and made the whole world laugh at me!"

Poor... I'm not clean... I'm just barely able to marry you...

These words smashed into Fu Rongyue's heart like bricks. Her face was pale and her whole person was on the verge of collapse like a piece of white paper in the breeze. She could only clench her fists tightly and try her best to hold on.

Her Jin'er was still crying in the outer hall, and her heart was tied tightly with the crying. She wanted to ask Mei Lin to carry the child away and not touch Wei Mingyu's bad luck. But before she opened her mouth, she heard Wei Mingyu's cold order. "Take the child up."

The Servants immediately rushed out. After a while, they heard drawling's anxious voice outside the hall. "What are you doing! Be careful, it hurts Your Highness!"

Jin'er cried even louder, as if she was complaining about his pain to Fu Rongyue. However, what was more painful than him was the scream of Meiyu. "Ah—" Then, she quickly swallowed her voice.

Fu Rongyue's heart skipped a beat as an ominous premonition spread throughout her body.

The overseer entered the hall with Jin'er in his arms and handed the child to Wei Mingyu. He smirked and said, "Your Majesty, that maidservant was so bold that she wanted to go against the imperial edict. While I was pushing around, she accidentally bumped into the guard's knife and died..."

"She's just a lowly maid. If she's dead, then so be it." Fu Rongxue smiled faintly and looked at Fu Rongyue provocatively.

"Mei Lin is dead!"

Fu Rongyue felt as if the sky and earth were spinning. Her raised eyes were devoid of luster, leaving only a cluster of black luster. Mei Lin was her maid, so Wei Mingyu knew what it meant to her. But now, he allowed the overseer to kill Mei Lin! She didn't believe that she accidentally bumped into a knife!

Fu Rongyue suddenly stood up and raised her hand to point at the cell. She gritted her teeth and said, "You did it on purpose, didn't you?"

The overseer snorted and didn't say anything.

Wei Mingyu raised her eyes and narrowed them into a slit. She looked intently at the child in her arms. Suddenly, she said to Fu Rong, who was standing behind her, "He still cares about this child even when he is dead. I can be considered half a brother to him. Why don't we help him?"

"Your Majesty, you are so kind and righteous. That's great!" Fu Rong bowed and said with a smile.

Fu Rongyue trembled from head to toe. "What... what are you doing?"

Wei Mingyu didn't answer, but slowly moved his palm to the neck of the child in the middle. Fu Rongyue was shocked and couldn't care more. She almost rushed up and wanted to take the child from Wei Mingyu. But it was too late. There was a clear click in her ear, and the child's crying suddenly disappeared...

Fu Rongyue couldn't figure out what happened after that.

She vaguely remembered that she had taken the child from Wei Mingyu's arms like crazy. The child was so obedient and closed his eyes as if he had fallen asleep. She held the child tightly in her arms, and when she heard Wei Mingyu say something about the "treasure map", she was lifted up. When she woke up again, she was already in the cold palace.

Fu Rong, who was already the Empress, came here today for the legendary treasure map that Wei Mingyu had been longing for.