She remembered that after protecting Lin Yutong and leaving Suyu Hall, Lin Yutong had told her that the crown prince missed her and wanted to meet her at the lotus cave beneath the fake mountain at Xijia Tower.
Still recovering from a coma, she believed it was the crown prince and rushed to the lotus cave.
However, she encountered a masked person in black who quickly attacked her. Before she could react, the assailant began tearing her clothes.
Servants and guests soon arrived, making it seem premeditated. They found her in tatters, disheveled hair, and a crooked hairpin.
The old lady ordered silence on the matter, and everyone remained discreet after the incident.
Eventually, two noble nursemaids from the palace came to verify her chastity, revealing that rumors of her illicit affair in the national prince’s mansion had spread.
Due to this event, Si Yi developed resentment towards her. Although the nursemaids confirmed her chastity, Si Yi was determined to cancel the engagement, and the empress’s wavering stance further damaged her reputation.
A daughter of the Ning national prince could not be a concubine, but Si Yi, her benefactor who had given her jade, inspired her love. To repay his kindness, she wrote him a letter explaining her feelings.
Soon, she received Si Yi’s personal token, affirming his belief in her. They began exchanging letters daily, sharing their emotions.
However, after her reputation was destroyed by the palace’s body verification, her marriage became a topic of discussion. To avoid troubling Si Yi, she asked her grandmother to request the emperor’s marriage decree to silence any criticism. Her grandmother, a first-rank noble, risked her reputation and approached the emperor, who agreed to set a wedding date.
Upon entering the Eastern Palace, she expected an explanation from Si Yi, but instead faced endless torture. For an entire year, he never touched her and rarely saw her. With no children, a significant reason for divorce, Si Yi requested to divorce her from the emperor.
Upon learning the truth, the empress severely reprimanded Si Yi. When he returned to the Eastern Palace, he force-fed her a large bowl of safflower.
She could not believe the person who once saved her could do such a thing, blankly watching his departing figure.
