However, their happy times did not last long, and their marriage faced hidden dangers from the beginning.
Since Puyi was not interested in women, many people thought that he was physically defective and unable to perform the duties of a husband. However, there are also many people who believe that this is the reason why Puyi believes in Buddhism.
In addition, Pu Yi's mind has not been completely focused on Wanrong, because he is not willing to become the last emperor, and he longs for restoration. According to the system of the Qing Dynasty, the emperor should start pro-government after the big marriage, but Puyi only had the honorific title of the emperor, but did not have the power of the emperor, and could not really pro-government, which made him feel extremely entangled and painful, so he also ignored Wan Rong.
Although Wanrong often participates in various activities in the palace, there is a big gap in the emotional aspect. During the day, when she and Puyi met, they respected each other like guests, but at night they returned to their respective dormitories, completely without the intimacy of a normal couple.
After a long time together, this cold love life made Wanrong feel more and more lonely and empty. Therefore, she can only fill the gap in time by smoking and smoking opium.
This life made her feel even more empty and decadent. Regarding the claim that she smoked opium, there is an opinion that she used opium to relieve pain because of menstrual cramps, but then became dependent on opium.
Almost all those who started smoking opium claimed to be for the cure of diseases, while women emphasized that opium could cure various gynecological diseases, so the bored toffees in the palace also smoked. At that time, Wanrong did not understand the negative effects of opium, the night was long and lonely, and when she smoked opium, she felt as if everything was fine, which was also a relief of Wanrong's loneliness.
Puyi was also aware of his debt to Wanrong, so he tried to accommodate her as much as possible, and even sent a eunuch to take care of her smoking needs.
Later, the eunuch mentioned in a memoir that Wanrong smoked 8 sticks of tobacco after each meal, and each time it took him more than 20 minutes to serve. When it comes to the details of making cigarettes, he also mentions:
"In order to serve the smoke, I had to kneel on the ground, and the queen took 4 puffs on the left side, and when she turned around, I had to carry the cigarette to the right side and continue to serve her 4 puffs. Of course, over time, I gradually became a machine with a steady rhythm, but at first, I also felt very nervous and almost unbearable. "
On November 5, 1924, Feng Yuxiang staged a coup d'état in Beijing, planning to expel Puyi from the Forbidden City. Since Pu Yi had no troops to rely on, he could only obey and prepared to move out of the palace. However, Wanrong showed a resolute attitude and shouted loudly: "No matter what, I am determined to persevere, not to move today, never to move." However, in the face of many hostile forces, she eventually had to temporarily follow Puyi to move to Prince Alcohol's mansion.
When Wanrong leaves, she clings to the phoenix crown that symbolizes her status as empress, but it also symbolizes that her queen life is coming to an end.
Bleak evening view
For Wanrong, what pains her the most is not only her husband's indifference to her, but also her embroidery divided by her husband's love.
The presence of Wen Xiu made Wan Rong feel more painful, although Wen Xiu, who was only 14 years old, was not as beautiful as Wan Rong, but she was more docile in comparison.
Most importantly, Puyi also treats Wen Xiu very well. Every time he went out, he would invite Wen Xiu to go with him. When he asked for an English teacher for Wanrong, he would also arrange one for Wen Xiu. In a public event, Wen Xiu was also not restricted and could appear freely.
Puyi's tolerance of Wen Xiu made Wanrong feel even more dissatisfied, and planted a seed of resentment against Wen Xiu in her heart.
After they were expelled from the palace, they were forced to move to Tianjin in February of the following year. Wanrong left the palace with a radiant temperament, changing into a stylish cheongsam and high-heeled leather shoes, and perming her hair. Coupled with her slender figure, she became a model for a modern girl for a while. At the time, Tianjin was a bustling city that provided her with many ways to entertain, but her favorite was shopping.
Every time she went out shopping, Wanrong walked in front, and Puyi followed closely to pay. This method gradually evolved into a means of competing for favor between Wanrong and Wen Xiu.
Whenever Wanrong buys something, Wen Xiu will also ask for it. Puyi will buy it for Wen Xiu, and Wanrong will insist on buying it, and Wanrong spends more money, seemingly to show her status as an empress.
Since leaving the palace, Puyi has lost her financial resources, while the two ladies have been profligate, resulting in the family's economy gradually becoming unsustainable. In this case, Puyi asked them to save money, and Wan Rong claimed to be the empress, and asked Wen Xiu to start saving, but Wen Xiu did not dare to disobey.
The fight between the two ladies was actually limited to a battle of words, not to the point where they killed each other.
However, even in the new environment, the relationship between Wanrong and Puyi has not improved, and they have never been able to establish a formal relationship. At that time, Puyi was busy with the affairs of restoration, and the snub that Wanrong felt seemed to be more profound than ever.
Although in some social situations, Wanrong will also be arranged to appear, in Puyi's eyes, she is still just a decoration. This situation led to a gradual deterioration of Wanrong's mental state, she often suffered from insomnia, suffered from mental weakness, and became increasingly dependent on opium.