Holding regular gatherings with the noblewomen of society was one of the empress’s important duties.
After parting with Parnes and approaching the tea table, Kasallin greeted the guests attending today’s tea party one by one.
By this point, she started recognizing familiar faces.
There was Baroness Hezen, whom she had greeted at the engagement banquet, or Marchioness Clemens, who followed Duchess Rudo around like a shadow.
Kasallin had already discerned that factions were subtly forming, led by these two women.
“It seems you enjoyed a cozy stroll with His Majesty the Emperor. It looked so affectionate that it warmed our hearts as well.”
Before Marchioness Clemens could steer the conversation, Baroness Hezen swiftly tossed out a topic.
It seemed everyone had noticed Parnes kissing the back of her hand under the olive tree just moments ago.
Though it was likely meant as a farewell gesture, it felt like a moment that shouldn’t have been seen.
Kasallin hid her embarrassment well and replied calmly.
“Yes. We had some matters to discuss, so we walked along the pond’s edge. To broaden my horizons, I’ve decided to join His Majesty’s tour this year.”
“Oh my, that’s wonderful! Where are you headed?”
“I’ll board a galleon and travel to the Sutherland Islands. It’s a place I haven’t visited before, so it should be a good experience.”
At that moment, Marchioness Clemens naturally interjected.
“Then you’ll be traveling by sea for quite a while. I worry that your precious health might suffer. The sunlight in the Sutherland seas is harsher than you might imagine.”
“Thank you for your concern, Marchioness Clemens. But I’ll be fine. I’ve traveled abroad several times before.”
“But you haven’t experienced long voyages by ship, have you? Life onboard can be quite inconvenient in many ways. It would be wise to bring as many attendants as possible.”
“As expected, Marchioness Clemens, with your husband commanding the Imperial Maritime Knights, you know a great deal. I’ll keep that in mind.”
Kasallin responded up to that point and lifted her teacup, subtly signaling her intent to end the conversation.
Though Marchioness Clemens outwardly seemed to offer advice out of concern for Kasallin, her true intentions were clear.
She was inwardly displeased that Kasallin would be traveling with Parnes for a long time in the confined space of a ship.
Unlike the palace, where scheduling a meeting required effort, onboard they would constantly cross paths.
She likely feared Kasallin growing closer to Parnes, leveraging his authority to expand her influence.
Her suggestion to bring many attendants was probably meant to increase the chances of Parnes taking an interest in other women besides his wife.
Historical imperial records showed that many of the empress’s maids had become the emperor’s concubines, and there was even one instance of a concubine replacing the empress.
Marchioness Clemens must have felt a pang of unease.
Seeing Parnes gallantly kiss Kasallin’s hand earlier had sparked a seed of hesitation in her heart for the first time.
She might have wondered if her fervent support for Duchess Rudo was a mistake and whether she should start currying favor with the empress instead.
But for now, she was likely unwilling to admit it.
.
.
.
“It was truly a delightful time, Your Majesty. I’d love to learn how you prepare such a perfect tea party.”
“You’re too kind, Baroness Hezen. If another gathering like this is held, I’ll invite you first. That is, if you have the time.”
“Oh, how could I refuse? I’m deeply honored.”
When Kasallin responded pleasantly, Baroness Hezen was so delighted she didn’t know what to do and gracefully curtsied.
It seemed Baroness Hezen was eager to become one of Kasallin’s maids.
However, her excessive flattery and slightly opportunistic nature suggested Kasallin should observe her further.
If a crisis threatened Kasallin’s position in the future and Baroness Hezen remained loyal to the end, Kasallin would fully open her heart to her.
As the sun began to set, the tea party ended, but half the guests stayed behind, lingering to share more private conversations.
Naturally, they were all noblewomen supporting Kasallin, led by Baroness Hezen.
During the conversation, they brought up something unexpected.
“I heard the King of Kan invited Duchess Rudo and Lady Isabella Rudo to the Kan palace. Your Majesty, were you aware?”
“No, I hadn’t heard at all.”
Kasallin shook her head slightly, a surprised expression on her face.
The noblewomen, who had long disapproved of Duchess Rudo, continued the conversation.
“Was there ever a connection between Duchess Rudo and His Majesty the King of Kan?”
“No. From what I heard, they met and exchanged introductions at the engagement banquet. But to invite them to his kingdom? Why would he go so far for someone he barely knows?”
“Duchess Rudo is quite industrious, isn’t she? There’s nowhere she doesn’t reach. A distant relative of the Ram royal family, close to the Renel Empire, and now making connections in the Kan Kingdom.”
“Since we’re among ourselves, I’ll say it’s frustrating. Considering the awful things the Kan royal family did to our empress, Duchess Rudo really shouldn’t act this way. Isn’t she a citizen of the Renel Empire who should serve Your Majesty with devotion?”
Voices of agreement, saying “Exactly” and “Well said,” echoed around.
Kasallin was gripped by suspicion.
They probably barely knew each other, just a fleeting acquaintance at best.
For what purpose had Shallen invited the Rudo mother and daughter to his distant palace?
[This is the timeline separator]The banquet hall of the Queen’s Palace in the Kan Kingdom.
Freshly picked flowers from the greenhouse and lavish dishes, most of which would go uneaten, adorned the table extravagantly.
Sitting side by side with some distance between them, Shallen and Rose began their meal in dry silence, with only the clinking of knives as their conversation.
Though they dined together daily, unlike the early days of their marriage when they chatted for hours, now their meals often ended in thirty minutes.
Rose, pausing while cutting lamb that oozed red juices, glanced at Shallen.
“Your Majesty, how did you spend your day today?”
“I’m busy every day. You should find something to occupy your time instead of idling. Perhaps cultivate refinement through reading. Or try writing or painting.”
Reading. Writing. Painting.
All were hobbies Kasallin, her sister, often enjoyed.
Rose smiled faintly.
“As it happens, I spent the afternoon in the library today. I studied natural sciences, and it was fascinating. If you’re interested, perhaps next time Your Majesty could join me…”
As she continued, Shallen suddenly set down his fork as if recalling something.
“Oh, right. I forgot to mention something important. Guests will arrive by tomorrow. People I’ve personally invited.”
“Guests? It’s unusual for Your Majesty to invite guests to the palace. Who are they? I’ll prepare to receive them.”
“They’re Lady Isabella Rudo and her mother, whom I recently befriended. You’ve likely heard of the Rudo ducal family. They hold significant influence in the Renel Empire, so it wouldn’t hurt to build good relations.”
“Oh… They must be visiting the Kan Kingdom.”
“No, they’ll stay at our palace for a few days. Perhaps a week, or even longer. Especially Lady Isabella—she’s sure to suit your tastes. A refined and humble young lady.”
The knife in Rose’s hand, slicing the meat diagonally, slowly came to a stop on the plate.
After finishing his meal, Shallen wiped his mouth with a napkin and rose from his seat.
“It was pleasant dining together today. Take care of yourself before bed, and I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He left a brief kiss on Rose’s cheek and departed the banquet hall with his attendants.
Left alone, Rose nibbled a few more bites before setting down her fork.
The dazzling table, once a source of enchantment when she first entered the palace as queen, now felt as desolate as a barren wasteland.
[This is the timeline separator]The next morning, as announced, a carriage stopped at the main gate of the royal palace.
Shallen, who rarely went out to greet anyone, personally opened the carriage door as if welcoming a dear friend.
With a broad smile, Shallen took Duchess Rudo’s hand and shared a particularly warm embrace with Isabella.
It seemed almost excessively long.
“Duchess Rudo, Lady Isabella, you must be exhausted from the long journey.”
“We’re overjoyed and honored to be invited to the palace, Your Majesty. I hope our daughter hasn’t caused any inconvenience?”
“What a thing to say. Your daughter is remarkably refined and far from ordinary. From the moment we met, I sensed Lady Isabella and I would become close friends.”
At Shallen’s generous praise, Isabella shyly lowered her head.
Shallen formally introduced the mother and daughter to Rose, and they exchanged warm greetings.
Rose observed Isabella closely.
From her upright posture to her cultured speech, she was the epitome of a noblewoman, and her beauty was flawless.
‘But she’s far from Shallen’s taste.’
Isabella was almost too perfect.
So flawless it felt unnatural, she didn’t seem like someone Shallen would remain interested in for long.
Rose unconsciously made that judgment and called for the head maid to escort Isabella to the guest room.
At that moment, Shallen intervened.
“No need to prepare a separate room. Lady Isabella will stay in my palace for the time being.”
“In the royal palace?”
“Yes. Everything’s already arranged, so the queen needn’t worry further. Now, you two, come with me. Let’s have some warm tea to ease your travel fatigue.”
Isabella politely bowed to Rose and walked side by side with Shallen into the palace.
Rose, momentarily stunned, followed belatedly, but the drawing room door closed before she could reach it.
Ex-husband Wants Reconciliation
One-line summary: Chasing the wife to the crematorium (making an effort to attract someone who has become indifferent), the female lead doesn’t look back, the second male lead takes the position.
Intro:
To repay the kindness of the older generation, Su Mu crossed into a female-dominated world and became a live-in daughter-in-law of the Yan family, single-handedly saving the Yan family from fire and water.
But her husband, Yan Jiyue, the eldest son of the Yan family, treated her with sarcasm and never showed her a good face.
It wasn’t until after Su Mu’s death that this pampered and arrogant young master shed a few fake tears and pretended to want to die for love.
This life’s kindness was enough. If there was a next life, she would definitely kick Yan Jiyue away.
Who knew that the heavens would be so kind as to allow her to be reborn, returning to the time when she had just married into the Yan family.
Su Mu glanced at the Yan eldest son, who still spoke coldly to her, and threw a divorce letter in front of him.
“Let’s divorce!”
***
Yan Jiyue never imagined that he would be reborn. He happily went to find Su Mu, wanting to make up for the mistakes he had made in his ignorant youth.
Wasn’t the reason the heavens allowed him to be reborn to let him reconcile with Su Mu?
But when he pushed open the door to Su Mu’s room, the person lying on the bed was another man.
Su Mu’s personal attendant, Xie Yi.
Yan Jiyue hated him so much that his teeth itched. In front of Su Mu, Xie Yi was a gentle and considerate whisperer of sweet nothings, but in reality, he was vicious-hearted and deliberately sabotaged their husband and wife relationship.
In the previous life, it was he who secretly hid in Su Mu’s coffin and committed suicide, stealing a step ahead of him to be buried with Su Mu.
Yan Jiyue’s eyes were filled with hatred as he cursed, “What kind of thing are you? Your background is lowly, what right do you have to occupy Su Mu?”
Xie Yi looked at the sleeping Su Mu and no longer pretended to be a whisperer of sweet nothings.
He proudly stuck out his belly, “I have the right because my belly is capable of giving the Wife-master a daughter.”
***
Yan Jiyue was consumed with jealousy. He spread rumors that Xie Yi had once been branded with the mark of a “harlot” on his chest.
But on the night Xie Yi cut off the flesh bearing that mark, Su Mu suddenly realized something was amiss.
“How did you know the exact moment I was poisoned? And why did you show up a month early?”
Xie Yi remained silent, blood from his wound soaking through his robes. His sapphire eyes brimmed with anguish – or was it just a flawless act?
Between a once-arrogant husband now seeking redemption, and a gentle soul willing to die for her – who truly held the darkest secrets? And could it be that Su Mu and Yan Jiyue weren’t the only ones given a second chance at life…?
[Reading Guide]
1. True divorce, chasing the wife to the crematorium, the female lead doesn’t look back, the male lead is Xie Yi.
2. The ex-husband did not cheat, he just realized too late and didn’t realize that he liked the female lead.
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