Liu Qiao'er had endured hardship for many years. The twin children she had borne in Prince Yan's Mansion were now grown.
After her daughter Li Yan came of age, she moved out of the palace to establish her own household. Last year, the Emperor married Li Yan off to an official from a humble background, and since then, Li Yan rarely returned to the palace. Liu Qiao'er did not value her daughter much—a married princess was like water spilled on the ground. Moreover, Li Yan was not a favored princess and could bring little benefit to Liu Qiao'er.
All of Liu Qiao'er's attention was focused on her son, Li Chengxun. Among the surviving princes in the harem, he was the eldest.
Unfortunately, after years of Liu Qiao'er's cautious upbringing, Li Chengxun had grown timid, excelling neither in literature nor martial arts. In recent years, he had even become obsessed with woodworking.
Watching Shen Wei's two sons grow stronger day by day, Liu Qiao'er grew increasingly anxious.
