Gu Lan remembered, Princess Consort Yi once said that ever since Rong Jing ascended the throne, there were concubines in the harem who became pregnant.

After all, Rong Jing had been on the throne for ten years, and if there were no pregnant concubines, the entire world would know that the Emperor of Yan Country was impotent.

Among those concubines, there were probably five or six who became pregnant, but none of the children could be safely born, and even those who made it to term would encounter sudden accidents.

Over time, Rong Jing became indifferent; he asked for nothing but hoped that his two useless sons would show some promise.

However, useless is as useless does; Rong Qichun was now stripped of his title as Crown Prince and exiled to Qingliang Temple in Lu State, while Rong Qijun was confined to the Prince Mansion, never allowed to leave.

It turned out that the children’s deaths were not accidents, but because Su Zhixue, an expert at inducing miscarriages, was in the Imperial Palace.

It turned out those weren’t just children; they were also a string of cuckolds for Rong Jing.

Perhaps Rong Jing also suspected that there was something wrong with his own body, but first, pregnant concubines appeared intermittently over the years, and second, the Imperial Physicians wouldn’t dare risk death by telling the Emperor such things.

Gu Lan recalled the former Empress Dowager Su; she was the aunt of the woman in front of him.

The aunt and niece were complete opposites: one had a child with a minister, aiding Rong Jing’s accession, confusing the Rong family dynasty; the other always wanted to set things right and ensure the Rong family legacy continued.

Perhaps this was why Su Zhixue was utterly despairing upon learning that Rong Jing was not the former Emperor’s son.

Her years of inducing miscarriages not only killed those children but also turned out to be a complete waste.

Gu Lan thought, Third Sister-in-law, your vision was limited.

"As a woman of the harem, encountering an Emperor like Rong Jing is already unfortunate. The more one cuckolds him, the better. If someone were to bear a child without Imperial Family blood and let them inherit the throne, wouldn’t that be better? 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

Dayan doesn’t belong to the Rong family alone. Letting either Rong Qijun or Rong Qichun become Emperor would truly ruin Dayan’s legacy. In less than three years, Wei Junzhuo would be able to march from Bian to the Capital City."

Su Zhixue lowered her eyes and softly said, "Yes, letting those two children inherit the throne would do more harm than good to Dayan. Besides, Rong Jing isn’t... Now that I understand this, it’s too late; Young Master Gu, I am already deeply guilty, with no way to return, only finding release through death, using my own life to avenge Jue."

Gu Lan looked at Su Zhixue’s face, so similar to Miaoyan’s, and was lost for a moment.

"If you leave, what about Miaoyan?"

Su Zhixue picked up the Buddha Beads again, placed them into her sleeve, put her hands together, and softly said:

"Miaoyan’s future road, let her walk it on her own. I only hope the Young Master can protect her for Jue’s daughter’s sake, at least her hands are clean from start to finish... she will certainly walk farther than I, her mother."

Gu Lan gazed into Su Zhixue’s eyes and said seriously:

"Miaoyan can, of course, go further, but not because of whose daughter she is, whose bloodline she has, but because she is Rong Miaoyan."

"She is... Rong Miaoyan?"

Su Zhixue seemed bewitched, her eyes widened, repeating Gu Lan’s words as if she had an epiphany.

"Miaoyan can walk further because she is Miaoyan... It was my shortsightedness; I never thought of this."

After a long time, she collected the sorrow on her face. Without waiting for Gu Lan to ask again, she continued: "Young Master Gu, I understand, your most important purpose in helping me is to know how Jue died."

Gu Lan nodded, acknowledging: "He... was carried out of your chamber, Third Sister-in-law. Rong Jing also said it was you who personally killed him. What exactly happened at that time is what Rong Heng wants to know, and what I want to know."

"Jue did indeed die because of me."

With each word Su Zhixue uttered, her heart twisted in pain, yet she still looked directly at Gu Lan, her gaze unwavering.

"Sometimes I wonder if there was no me, if I had never known him, perhaps he could still live well, continue to be his Third Prince of Dayan, noble and free-spirited, unfettered... how wonderful that would be."

With Su Zhixue’s words, a clear and elegant young man appeared before Gu Lan’s eyes, scholarly and graceful.

However, in the end, it was nothing but an illusory dream.

"That day was the second day after Rong Jing’s accession. I knew Jue entered the palace to plead for Wu and Lu’er, anxious and uneasy, but Rong Jing suddenly appeared... he gave me a cup of poisoned wine to meet Jue in the chamber.