'Still, it was a blessing in disguise that my imperial father disliked me. It allowed me to avoid the struggle for the throne. Who could have imagined I would be the one to ascend it in the end?'
'It was almost funny, remembering the Empress Dowager's claim that my ascension was all thanks to her.'
'The late Emperor's coffin hadn't even been buried, and she was already demanding that I promote the An Family, even pushing for the title of Marquis Gu'en. The thought alone made me lose my appetite. If not for the custom dictating a new Emperor must ennoble his mother's family, I wouldn't want to spare the An Family a single glance.'
'Since the Empress Dowager wasn't in the Capital City, Marquis Gu'en was never on the guest list for the annual palace banquets. But not wanting to be accused of being cruel, I always sent people from the Gu'en Houfu to the traveling palace to celebrate the festivals with her.'
