y'know, on re-read, the whole marriage thing between Princess Pleiades and Whashisface gets even creepier and squickier with the reveal that the Ditu royal family casually 'shares' their brides. And how smug the mother-in-law (I think she's the mother-in-law, anyways, given that the Kid Emperor's mother was different and she was married ten years ago, and Princess Pleiades is obviously older) was about that.
I give it about, oh, 97% odds that the previous Empress was assassinated.
...Probably by Yihou's Eagle Group at the new Empress' instigation, really. Insect Lord Yihou did brag that his assassin group spent a lot of time murdering opponents of the Fomerly Informal Dragon Slayer Alliance.
@doppler
Well, Mu Suyin is a guest, and the cleaning staff don't deserve having to clean up all the blood and guts. Plus it was a pretty nice rug!