After killing four concubines, the queen was sentenced to death and reborn

In the Prince Xiang's mansion, the night was deep, and the moonlight penetrated the window lattice like a thread, sprinkling into the quaint and elegant study. The candlelight flickered, and Jing Yang walked steadily through the rows of staggered bookshelves, and finally stopped in front of the Prince Xiang, bowed, and said in a low and respectful voice: "Your Majesty!"

Prince Xiang sat in front of the table, wearing a brocade robe embroidered with dark gold cloud patterns, looking majestic yet elegant. He gently put down the wolf-hair brush in his hand, his eyes deep, as if he could see into people's hearts, and slowly said: "Has the thing been delivered to Zi Rui?"

"Yes, my lord, I will do everything according to your instructions."

King Xiang nodded slightly, "Okay!"

Jing Yang did not leave immediately. He hesitated for a moment, his eyes full of confusion as he asked, "Your Highness, I dare to ask, why did you tell the Queen about this? Didn't you want to keep it a secret from the Queen?"

Prince Xiang gently stroked the jade ring in his hand, his eyes far away, as if he was reminiscing, or planning: "Zhang Xiuyuan has been too favored recently, I am afraid that she will lose her temper and take action, then this chess piece of mine will be useless and of no use."

"But haven't you always felt that the Queen Mother doesn't care about His Majesty's favor? Even if Zhang Xiuyuan is favored, she can't be a threat to the Queen Mother, right?" Jing Yang said again.

"It's one thing for the king to believe it, but it's another thing whether she really doesn't care. There's no harm in telling her about it."

Jing Yang suddenly understood what was going on when he heard this, "I understand."

King Xiang smiled slightly, then took out an exquisite wooden box from the carved wooden cabinet beside him, gently placed it on the table, and pushed it towards Jing Yang: "Order this thing to be sent to Zhang Xiuyuan, she knows how to use it."

Jing Yang took the wooden box and gently stroked the smooth surface with his fingers. He was full of curiosity, "What is this?"

King Xiang smiled meaningfully, "Of course it's a good thing."

Jingyang did not dare to ask more questions, and only said: "I obey your orders."

King Xiang saw this, a hint of approval flashed in his eyes, and he patted Jing Yang's shoulder and said earnestly: "Jing Yang, you have followed me for many years, and each of my chess pieces must be placed in the most appropriate position. Zhang Xiuyuan is no exception. You go ahead, and be careful."

Jingyang took the order, turned around and left, "Yes!"

The study room was once again quiet. Prince Xiang sat alone at his desk, gazing at the bright moon outside the window, thinking secretly in his heart.

The next morning, as the dawn broke, Zhang Mengying returned to Yuhua Palace from Zichen Palace, with a barely perceptible sense of fatigue and heaviness in her steps. She entered the bedroom and the door closed gently, isolating herself from the noise of the outside world, leaving only a quiet room.

She slowly walked to the dressing table. The bronze mirror reflected her stunning appearance, but it could not hide the coldness and helplessness between her brows. The palace was empty, with only her. On the table was an exquisite wooden box, which was sent by King Xiang. She stroked the box gently, and she still knew what was inside.

"This face is such a disaster." She looked at herself in the mirror, her tone full of self-mockery and sadness.

Just as she was lost in thought, a sound of light footsteps broke the silence in the room. A palace maid walked in carefully, carrying a tray. On the tray was a bowl of steaming abortion medicine that exuded a bitter smell. "My queen, the abortion medicine is ready."

Zhang Mengying sighed softly, tapped the table with her fingertips, and then quickly hid the wooden box deep inside the jewelry box. She turned around, her eyes cold, and whispered to the palace maid, "Take it away, I don't want to drink."

The palace maid looked embarrassed and hesitated to speak: "Your Majesty, this is something that His Majesty personally asked for and the Imperial Hospital carefully prepared..." Before she finished speaking, Zhang Mengying walked towards her, took the bowl of medicine and walked to the window. With decisive movements and without any hesitation, she slowly poured the medicine into the flowerpot beside her.

"Your Highness!" the maid exclaimed, her eyes full of shock and confusion. Zhang Mengying gently put the empty bowl back on the tray, her tone calm but unquestionable: "Leave!"

The maid didn't dare to say anything more, so she could only bow and leave. "I'll take my leave."

Zhang Mengying watched the maid's back gradually disappearing outside the door, feeling mixed emotions. She turned around and stared at herself in the mirror again. Her face was still beautiful. She whispered to herself with a hint of self-mockery in her voice: "You are just a chess piece. What qualifications do you have to be dissatisfied?"

From the moment she was brought to the Prince of Xiang's mansion by her father, she had no choice in her life. She could only obey the Prince of Xiang's orders, be selected into the palace under his arrangement, become his chess piece, and pave the way for Zheng Xiyan's future.

In Yihua Palace, autumn is getting stronger, and the sweet-scented osmanthus in the courtyard is quietly blooming, with tiny golden flowers clustered on the branches, and the fragrance is overwhelming. Concubine Yi sits alone under the sweet-scented osmanthus tree, wearing an elegant palace dress, blending in with the autumn colors around her, but she can't hide the faint sadness between her brows.

The fifth prince was dressed in a brocade robe, his laughter was as clear as a silver bell, and he and the young eunuch were chasing each other playing Cuju in the courtyard.

Seeing this, Caiwei whispered, "My queen, look how happy the fifth prince is having!"

Upon hearing this, Yi Zhaoyi forced a smile and said, "Yes!"

"Your Majesty, are you... worried about something?" Caiwei asked cautiously.

Yi Zhaoyi sighed softly, her eyes turned deep as she looked up at the azure sky. "Caiwei, how long has it been since your Majesty came to Yihua Palace?"

When Caiwei heard this, her face changed slightly, her lips moved, but in the end she just lowered her head without saying anything.

Concubine Yi smiled self-deprecatingly, her smile full of bitterness and self-mockery. "It has been more than two months. Since Zhang Xiuyuan entered the palace, Your Majesty has not set foot here again."

"Your Majesty, please don't say that." Caiwei hurriedly comforted her, "Your Majesty may just be attracted to her for the time being."

"Just a novelty?" Concubine Yi shook her head, a trace of sadness flashing in her eyes, "How could it be a novelty? Your Majesty wants to keep her by his side all the time and serve her by his side. How can he care about others? Even the Empress has turned a blind eye to this matter."

Seeing this, Caiwei hurriedly comforted her, "Your Majesty, don't be discouraged. His Majesty once promised you that he would accompany you to appreciate the osmanthus flowers every year. Now that the osmanthus flowers are in bloom, maybe His Majesty will come to see you tomorrow."

Upon hearing this, Concubine Yi curled up her lips into a cold smile, which was full of sarcasm and self-mockery. "I used to believe this, but now, I no longer dare to hope for it."

She gently brushed away a fallen flower on her lapel, as if brushing away the dust in her heart, "When someone is favored, it means someone else will fall out of favor. I didn't realize this before, but now I have been in the palace for so many years, no matter how stupid I am, I should understand it."

After saying that, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath of the sweet-scented osmanthus fragrance.