Lea walked along the path, following the court lady, heading towards the Empress’s Palace.
‘Sponsoring.’
According to the court lady, the tea party scheduled for today would be held in a small garden connected to the Empress’s Palace.
The Empress was supposed to be there with the arriving noblewomen.
What could be so enjoyable? As Lea got closer to the Empress’s Palace, the lively laughter of noblewomen echoed in the wind.
“Empress Mama, Duchess Heidern has arrived.”
It was Lea’s first social gathering since the emperor’s birthday celebration. Therefore, Lea, feeling somewhat tense, entered.
However, the laughter that had burst out from the ladies at the table ceased instantly as Lea stepped forward.
“You returned earlier than expected. I thought you would stay at the estate a little longer.”
“Indeed, I thought you would be enjoying your newlywed life there by now.”
After the Botox incident, interest in Lea from the social circle had grown even hotter. However, before that curiosity could subside, she abruptly left for the estate. It was sure to leave everyone itching with curiosity.
Ignoring the whispering women looking at her, Lea walked forward with determination.
Then, among the noblewomen, one woman caught her eye. An elderly woman who seemed to be the hostess of this party.
Despite having silver hair, her intimidating gaze crushed Lea slowly.
‘Hwang Taehu.’
The woman who killed Akhia’s mother and even tried to kill Akhia himself.
To suppress the rising anger, Lea clenched her fists quietly. Facing Hwang Taehu, who scrutinized her with piercing eyes, Lea greeted her politely.
“I greet Empress Mama. I hope you have been well.”
Taehu, slow to respond, set down her cup after Lea’s respectful greeting and met her gaze.
“It’s been a while. Thanks to you, I’ve been very well. The duchess doesn’t seem to be doing well. Sit down for now.”
Even though Hwang Taehu provocatively hinted, Lea responded calmly and took the seat guided by the court lady.
However.
“……. ”
Unlike the other ladies’ tables full of refreshments, Lea’s plates were clean.
‘Inviting guests and just drinking hot water, is that what this is about?’
Lea swallowed a sarcastic laugh at the childish prank that even young children wouldn’t do. Lea didn’t change her expression and raised her tea cup with the court lady beside her.
Her complexion was sublime, but her posture holding the teacup was upright.
‘Is she okay, or is she pretending to be okay?’
Lea’s dress, observed with disapproving eyes by Taehu, was imprinted in the empress’s eyes. The dress, tinted in amethyst, was plain in form without any decorations.
‘It’s not formal attire either.’
Taehu glanced briefly at the dress, pursing her lips.
Even if that was the case, it was a tea party hosted by the empress, the most noble figure in the empire. The dress didn’t seem suitable for today’s gathering.
Feeling upset, Taehu put down the teacup with a loud sound. All eyes were now focused on the empress.
“Sending an invitation to the duchess was a mistake, given her sorrowful appearance in this place.”
“……?”
The noblewomen, alternating their gazes between the two, seemed puzzled by Taehu’s words.
Certainly, the news of Akhia’s death might not have reached the capital yet. Lea, anticipating what would come next, gripped the hem of her dress tightly.
“It seems everyone didn’t know. My nephew’s son-in-law, Akhia, met an unfortunate end in a fire and left this world.”
“Duke Heidern is dead?”
“Oh my goodness… Is that true?”
Upon the shocking revelation, sighs erupted simultaneously among the women. The Empress, wiping her eyes with a handkerchief she seemed to have taken out from somewhere, spoke.
“Akhia’s body was found in the ashes.”
“Oh no… How could such a thing happen?”
Everyone looked at Lea with sympathetic eyes. However, the sentiments hidden in those gazes were profoundly dark.
It was a pretentious look, as if scrutinizing a widow, filled with insincere sympathy.
“I have requested a state funeral for Akhia from my emperor,” said the Empress. “Yes, a state funeral. It’s inappropriate,” Lea responded.
Lea deliberately wore a bewildered expression, but inwardly, she was pleased.
‘As expected…’
Lea had expected the Empress to try to handle Akhia’s body without leaving any traces of the sleeping potion. That’s why the body was left in the jurisdiction of the Belarussian Duchy without immediately holding a funeral.
Sure enough, the Empress took the bait precisely.
‘She might not even realize it’s a trap.’
Watching the Empress pretend to speak for my sake, Lea sneered inwardly.
However, she showed no sign of it outwardly. The Empress had to fall for this plan perfectly.
“We are preparing for a family funeral.”
“A family funeral? Akhia is undoubtedly of imperial lineage. The body will be promptly given a grand state funeral upon discovery.”
The Empress was resolute as if she couldn’t tolerate that part.
Male lead is a Destined Young Husband (Female-dominant)
One-sentence summary: Wife-master, listen to my explanation!
Li Ruantang, a young lady from a prestigious family, stumbled and fell. When she woke up, she saw a noble and beautiful young man sitting by her bedside, wiping away tears.
The young master had slightly reddened eyes, and his every move exuded charm.
The sight made Li Ruantang’s eyes hot and her heart flutter. After all, she had made a bet with the young master Meng from the neighboring family. If she couldn’t marry a husband before the end of the year, she would have to admit defeat and give up the jade she had worked so hard to obtain.
Outside the window, the flowers were in full bloom.
Rather than losing the bet, the jade, and her face, Li Ruantang calculated that it would be better to seek marriage with the young master in front of her, killing three birds with one stone.
…
Meng Jun never thought that an accident during a spring outing would lead to them rolling down a cliff and into a river, yet still survive.
Now they were trapped in an unknown village, and Meng Jun had overheard that the family who had rescued them had their own intentions.
After all, it was Li Ruantang who had lost her mind and sought marriage first. He was only trying to protect himself!
Glancing at Li Ruantang, who was listing her own merits, the young husband’s voice softened, and he blushed as he lied, “W-wife-master, Wife-master, don’t you remember me?”
The young husband’s voice was clear and handsome, coaxing Li Ruantang’s heart to be soft and sweet, and she spared no effort to protect him.
It wasn’t until they returned to the capital that Li Ruantang suddenly remembered.
When they had fallen off the cliff, in order not to implicate Wei Yunruo, whom he secretly admired, the young husband had instead pulled her, who was slightly farther away, down the cliff with him…
Short summary by Yuushi L: Initially, the male lead (ML) liked another girl, while the female lead (FL) liked the ML. Both fell off a cliff. The FL temporarily lost her memory, and the ML, fearing others might take advantage of him, claimed FL was his wife while they were staying in a village. Later, when they returned home, the FL regained her memories and remembered that the ML liked someone else, so she kept her distance from him. However, during their time living together in the countryside, the ML’s view of the FL had completely changed. From this point, his pursuit of the FL begins.
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