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

Zheng Xiyan slowly walked into the main hall of Weiyang Palace, each step seemed to be filled with heavy thoughts. Lu Chuyi's words were like the wind in the cold night, inadvertently penetrating her defenses and lingering in her mind. "What are you thinking about? He is now Wanyan's husband, your brother-in-law, and has nothing to do with you."

She sighed softly, as if to let out all the troubles, and a faint smile appeared on the corner of her mouth. "I still have to do what I should do, and I can't let this kind of thing distract me."

At this moment, Biluo's graceful figure quietly walked in, holding an exquisite letter in her hand. "My queen, this is from His Royal Highness Prince Xiang."

Zheng Xiyan took the letter and gently stroked the delicate paper with her fingertips. She quickly opened it, her eyes wandering between the lines, her expression gradually becoming solemn. After reading it, she slowly stood up, walked towards the flickering candle, gently threw the letter into the fire, and watched it turn into ashes.

"Your Majesty, what is the matter in the letter from His Royal Highness Prince Xiang?" Upon seeing this, Biluo couldn't help but ask softly, her eyes full of concern.

Zheng Xiyan turned around, "He said he was willing to lend a helping hand to me and let Helian Cheng go to the border. In this way, Princess Xuanhua will also follow her husband and leave Shangjing. Naturally, I will have fewer concerns when doing things."

When Biluo heard this, a trace of doubt flashed across her brows, "My queen, are you afraid of hurting Princess Xuanhua's feelings by doing this?"

Zheng Xiyan shook her head gently, with a hint of complex emotions in her eyes. "It's not that I'm afraid of making her sad, but I don't want to be her enemy head-on. She has a kind heart and treats me sincerely. But in this palace, how can there be pure good and evil? Everything I do is against my will. Sooner or later, she will understand what kind of person I, Zheng Xiyan, am."

Biluo lowered her head and said with a hint of pity, "Princess Xuanhua is indeed a rare good person in the world, and she is very sincere to the queen."

Zheng Xiyan nodded gently, feeling mixed emotions. "Yes, but I can't be soft-hearted, and I won't be soft-hearted because of her. Having come this far, I can't turn back."

"Yes!"

Half a month later

In the Purple Palace, Xiao Xuanchen sat alone on the dragon throne, his brows locked with an inextricable worry. The memorials on the desk piled up like a mountain, and the most conspicuous were several urgent reports from the southern border, with the bad news that General Hongyuan had passed away. He had fought all his life and exhausted his efforts for the peace of Daliang's border. Now his death was like the collapse of the pillars of the southern sky, shaking the entire court. General Hongyuan had no children, and the southern border was leaderless at this time, so another general was sent to stabilize the situation.

In recent days, Xiao Xuanchen couldn't sleep at night and had no appetite. His once handsome face now looked haggard and tired.

Zheng Xiyan saw all of this. She thought to herself that this might be a chance given to her by God. General Hongyuan had no heir, and the situation in the southern border was turbulent. This was the time for her to make a clever plan. Holding a bowl of carefully stewed cordyceps and duck soup, she stepped lightly into the Purple Palace.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you. May your Majesty be blessed with good health." Her voice was as gentle as jade, with a hint of concern.

Xiao Xuanchen looked up when he heard the voice, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, and then he returned to his weak appearance. "The queen is here." He sighed softly, his voice full of fatigue.

Zheng Xiyan slowly walked to his side, gently put down the food box in her hand, her eyes full of heartache. "Your Majesty, why do you look so haggard? Didn't you sleep well last night?"

Xiao Xuanchen smiled bitterly and shook his head. "General Hongyuan has passed away. The southern border is now leaderless. I am wondering who should be sent to guard the southern border." His tone revealed deep helplessness and anxiety.

Zheng Xiyan's eyes flashed with a gleam of light when she heard this, but it was quickly replaced by tenderness. "Does your majesty have a candidate?" She asked softly, with both inquiry and probing in her tone.

Xiao Xuanchen pondered for a moment and said slowly: "There are several candidates, but I am not very satisfied with any of them." His brows frowned even tighter.

Seeing this, Zheng Xiyan smiled and handed the bowl of soup to him. "Your Majesty, please take a rest first! Have a bowl of soup. I specially ordered someone to make it for you to replenish your body."

Xiao Xuanchen took the soup bowl and took a sip. The warm soup slid into his throat, bringing a long-lost sense of comfort and peace. He looked up at Zheng Xiyan, with a hint of gratitude and trust in his eyes. "The queen is thoughtful."

Zheng Xiyan's heart was quietly rippled. Under her lowered eyelids, her thoughts were deep and unfathomable, like a chess game slowly unfolding in the night, and every move needed to be carefully planned.

After Xiao Xuanchen slowly put down the bowl of soup in his hand that still retained the warm aroma, Zheng Xiyan covered her mouth with her sleeve and spoke softly, her manners showing the demeanor of a queen. She lightly put the empty bowl into the exquisite food box, her movements smooth and flowing without a trace of delay.

"Your Majesty, I have finished the soup. I will take my leave now and will not disturb Your Majesty from handling state affairs." Her words were gentle and respectful. After she finished speaking, she was about to turn around and leave, but suddenly she heard Xiao Xuanchen's low and magnetic voice, "Wait, Queen."

Zheng Xiyan paused slightly when she heard this, then turned around with a gentle smile on her face. She was thinking secretly in her heart, but she asked calmly, "Your Majesty, what else do you want to say?"

Xiao Xuanchen's eyes were deep, as if he was examining her, and also as if he was seeking some kind of resonance. "I am worried about the selection of the commander of the southern border. Please help me think about who can take on this important task?"

Zheng Xiyan heard this and a flash of surprise flashed in her eyes, but she quickly concealed it. She bowed slightly and spoke with a bit of fear and humility: "Your Majesty, this is a national affair. As the head of the harem, I must abide by my duties and dare not overstep the line. It is a taboo for the harem to interfere in government affairs."

Seeing this, Xiao Xuanchen smiled faintly, with helplessness and a bit of doting in his smile. "Your Majesty, you are worrying too much. I just asked casually and have no other intention. If you really have a candidate in mind, you might as well tell me."

Zheng Xiyan bit her lower lip lightly, with a somewhat embarrassed look on her face. She sighed softly and said slowly: "Your Majesty, although I am in the harem, I also know the importance of the southern border, which is related to the safety of our Daliang. Although I am willing to share the worries of the country, the rules cannot be abolished, and I dare not speak rashly about state affairs."

Her words were firm and principled, yet gentle and decent as a queen, which made people respect her.

Xiao Xuanchen looked at her, a complex emotion flashed in his eyes, and finally turned into a sigh, "Forget it, I forced you. You can leave now, I will make the decision."

Zheng Xiyan heaved a sigh of relief when she heard this, bowed again, and then slowly left the palace, leaving only a faint and elegant back, blending into the magnificent palace, and gradually walking away. But in her heart, she had secretly planted another chess piece, waiting for the right time to make another layout.