The Queen has arrived: An Lingrong does not want to fight in the palace after her rebirth

In the empty Qianqing Palace, the emperor's ruthless voice was still echoing.

Neither the Queen nor An Lingrong were satisfied with this result.

The queen looked at the emperor in disbelief. She married him at the age of ten and became his woman at the age of fifteen. They had walked hand in hand for so many years, and she and he had faced all the ups and downs in the palace together.

Now, because of these old things, the emperor actually asked him to hand over the Queen's Golden Book and Golden Seal first, and handed Jiang Fuhai over to the Ministry of Prudence for interrogation on the grounds that he accepted bribes in the palace.

Isn't this a sign of being deposed?

Even though there is no clear order now, they have been married for many years and she is too familiar with him. The stronger his murderous intention is, the better he is at cutting flesh with a blunt knife. She hates herself for not being ruthless enough at the beginning and not changing the people around her, leaving hidden dangers that may bite her.

It was even harder for An Lingrong to accept. All her courage had been drained out tonight, just to bring down the Queen once and for all.

But now, the emperor obviously still has concerns. If the queen uses the queen mother's help to turn the tables again, then everything she has done tonight will be in vain.

Prince Guo's heart fell into the abyss. The emperor's attitude clearly showed that he did not want to make the queen's crimes public. After all, there was the empress dowager behind her. He wanted to deal with the queen in a cold manner, so he issued such an edict.

Then the next step is to try him and Zhen Huan.

Zhen Huan's heart was half filled with anger and half coldness at this moment. It turned out that Zhang Mi was the Queen's man. She was pregnant and trusted him in everything, but she didn't expect that she was letting a wolf into the house.

She was too naive at the time, always seeing things in black and white, which led to many things getting out of control later. If she had not fought so fiercely with Imperial Noble Consort Dunsu at the time, perhaps the Emperor would not have been so inhumane in dealing with the matter when her father got into trouble.

But it's too late to say these things now. Many things are cause and effect to each other. She wrongly trusted the queen twice and put herself in desperate situations both times.

Concubine Xi saw everyone's performance, especially An Lingrong's unwillingness. She kept shaking her head. This matter was the most satisfactory so far. What followed was another showdown between the Emperor and his relatives. Interrogating the Queen Mother and deposing the Queen were both state affairs, with many related matters, and it was not possible to convict someone with just a few words.

But even though she could see that An Lingrong was acting too hastily, she didn't intend to remind her. She couldn't intervene at this time, otherwise the emperor would suspect that she was in cahoots with An Lingrong.

During the brief silence of everyone, Concubine Jing finally had an idea. Tonight she had witnessed the emperor's rage and heard many scandals of the royal family that had never been exposed.

Whoever uncovers these things will suffer a lot. Seeing that An Lingrong seemed dissatisfied with the emperor's handling of the matter, she immediately took the lead and knelt down to express her opinion:

"Your Majesty, rest assured. During the period when the Queen is recuperating, I will definitely restrain the harem from speaking and doing things strictly and not do anything that will upset Your Majesty."

As he spoke, he secretly moved a little and gently tugged at the corner of An Lingrong's clothes.

An Lingrong finally came to her senses and realized that she was too impatient. Now that Jiang Fuhai had been captured, he would probably reveal more things. She couldn't panic at this critical moment, so she quickly followed suit and kowtowed.

With the two taking the lead, Concubine Xi and Cao Qinmo also knelt down to receive the order.

Only the Queen stood up from the ground and stared at the Emperor, her tone like an ordinary couple chatting:

"Your Majesty, are you planning to depose me?"

The emperor didn't even want to glance at the queen now, and just said indifferently:

"The Queen doesn't need to know what I think. Please accept my order, thank me and leave."

The queen laughed dryly, her laughter full of helplessness:

"When did the Emperor become a stranger to me?"

The emperor then glared at the queen impatiently, but did not answer.

His silence hurt the queen even more. For so many years, he had been so cold and perfunctory towards her. He would only show her a condescending smile when she needed him to step in to solve a problem.

She was bewitched, bewildered, and repeatedly numbed by his almsgiving attitude. But when she tore off the veil of self-delusion, the reality was so cruel that it was unbearable to look directly at. The queen continued miserably:

"For me, the Emperor has never been on the same side as me. All his previous warmth was fake. First there was my sister, then came Li, then came Nian, and after he ascended the throne, came Zhen Huan, and even An. Any of them pleases the Emperor more than I do."

The emperor found the empress's accusation particularly ridiculous. Men have always been romantic, and having wives and concubines in harmony is a good thing. Why is it worth it to be so persistent? He replied impatiently:

"I have given you a status and a lifetime of wealth and splendor that no one else can hope to have. Queen, you should be content."

The queen burst into laughter, until tears welled up in her eyes:

"Be content? This queen has a very frustrating job. I have to watch my beloved find new lovers time and time again, and I have to hold back my tears and smile, pretending to be virtuous and properly arrange for his favorite concubines. I can tolerate all this, but after my sister left for so many years, the emperor has even deprived me of my wish to be a mother again. How can I be content?"

At this moment, Concubine Jing wanted to cover her ears. The Queen spoke out the Emperor and Empress' private affairs in their boudoirs so openly without fear that they would be resented by the Emperor. However, she felt a little sympathetic in her heart. It turned out that she was not the only one in the palace who was alone in her boudoir.

An Lingrong was secretly shocked. She asked why the Queen was in her prime when she lost her son, so she was infertile for a long time afterwards. It turned out that there was such a hidden story.

The emperor was furious when the queen revealed his ruthless side for many years:

"Su Peisheng, what are you still standing there for? Send the queen back to the palace. No one can visit her without my order."

Su Peisheng groaned inwardly, bent his body very low and walked to the Queen: "Your Majesty, please."

After the queen spoke out the grievances she had felt for many years, she felt relieved. Anyway, things had come to the worst point, so she let her speak freely. She pushed Su Peisheng away forcefully, saying:

"I will leave. There is no need to chase me away, Your Majesty. Whether you recognize it or not, I am the same person as you. If you were in a different position, Your Majesty would do the same thing I would do. This is why you and I are so disgusted with each other."

After saying this, the years of depression in his heart disappeared completely, and he glanced at An Lingrong with a cold look:

"An, I have not lost, and you have not won either. Take care of yourself. Your Majesty, I am withdrawing."

After saying this, he straightened his waist, without even bowing, and walked out with Jianqiu.

The tapping sound of the flowerpots rubbing against the floor tiles was still echoing in the hall, but the queen had disappeared.

An Lingrong understood the Queen's last words. The Queen had the support of her family and the Empress Dowager, so it would not be easy to depose her.

But I am different. I am a floating duckweed, helpless and have to endure the emperor's interrogation first, and then there will be the empress dowager's revenge. This time it will not be as simple as kneeling in the Buddhist temple.

When she was wondering what means the Queen Mother would use to deal with her, the Emperor spoke:

"Everyone else, please leave. Prince Guo, Madam An, and Madam Zhen, please stay."

When Cao Qinmo saw that her name was not on the list, she felt relieved and followed Concubine Jing out of the hall quietly.

It was not until he breathed in the cold air outside the hall that Cao Qinmo let out a long breath of complete relaxation.

Imperial Concubine Xi looked at the two of them with a smile and spoke first:

"My two sisters, I am not feeling well, so I will take my leave now."

No matter how poor-sighted Feng Ruozhao was, he could see some of her thoughts and did not force her to stay. He only reminded her to be careful of the wind on the way.

Imperial Concubine Xi led her people away slowly. Cao Qinmo looked at Imperial Concubine Jing standing outside the palace, hesitated for a moment, then approached her carefully and whispered:

"Sister Jing, it's cold at night. Princess Zining is still waiting for you. How about I wait here and you go back first?"

Concubine Jing gathered her cloak and shook her head:

"Zining has a wet nurse to accompany him. I was favored by Concubine Wen in the past. I am worried, so I will keep an eye on him from here."

Cao Qinmo immediately felt embarrassed, as if she was ungrateful. She blushed and explained softly:

"Sister Jing, I always had some hatred with Concubine Wan in the past. If Concubine Wan had not acted carelessly, I would not have caught her. Besides, I just didn't want to worry all day, so I took this desperate measure. Your Majesty is also a mother, so I think you will understand my painstaking efforts."

This sentence made Concubine Jing feel the same way, but she immediately became worried. What if Zhen Huan really had something to do with Prince Guo? When Zi Ning grew up and knew the truth, how would he stand among his brothers and sisters?

She no longer paid attention to Cao Qinmo, but just stared at the closed palace door in a daze.

Cao Qinmo took a step back, stood quietly behind her, and then slowly raised a smile.

The danger tonight is for others, but it is a good thing for her.

The Queen has completely lost her power, and even if the Queen Mother wants to vent her anger on others, it is not her turn. It seems that Zhen Huan is in great danger, and even An Lingrong will not be able to protect herself in the future. She no longer has to put An Lingrong first in everything, and she and Wen Yi finally live a peaceful life.

After they left, no human voices could be heard in the Qianqing Palace for a long time, except for the "sizzling" sound of the emperor scraping the foam from the teacup. Every time he scraped, several people's hearts trembled.

After a long time, the emperor's hoarse voice was heard:

"Princess Wen, I want to ask you, did anyone instruct you to expose the queen?"

An Lingrong's attitude was completely different from before. She rested her forehead on the floor tiles, her posture was particularly submissive and gentle, and her tone was extremely cautious:

"Everything was done by me personally. I was angry with the Queen and repeatedly harmed the people around me. I was worried that one day the Queen would be jealous and kill me, so I acted so boldly. Please punish me, Your Majesty."

The emperor looked at her attitude of taking responsibility for her own actions and snorted coldly, "Why tonight?"

An Lingrong smiled bitterly. Yes, she had always been cautious in the palace and never did anything without certainty. According to her previous plan, she would wait until Zhang Mi's grandson came to Beijing and then find a suitable opportunity to report to the emperor alone, but opportunity waits for no one.

However, she did not regret it. Acting according to her nature tonight made her feel refreshed and comfortable, a pleasure she had never experienced in all the years since she entered the palace.

Knowing that she could not hide her plan from the emperor, An Lingrong decided to tell him all her thoughts truthfully:

"Your Majesty is wise. I have been preparing for this for a long time, but I have never found a suitable opportunity to report it to Your Majesty alone. I really came up with this idea tonight. I realized something was wrong when Concubine Wan was forced to change her clothes and Prince Guo left the table for a long time."

"Prince of the Imperial Clan, I shouldn't interfere, but I couldn't bear to see a pillar of the court being framed, so I took this opportunity to report it."

"Furthermore, I entered the palace on the same day as Concubine Wan. Although we are not close friends, as women, we both know that reputation is more important than anything else. It is possible that I would resort to some tricks to win favor, but I would never destroy my own innocence. Otherwise, why would Concubine Wan return to the palace? Please make a decision, Your Majesty."

After An Lingrong finished speaking her mind in one breath, she resigned herself to waiting for the emperor's verdict. However, the emperor ignored her words and turned around to ask Prince Guo:

"Yunli, let me ask you, if only one of you and Concubine Wan can survive, who will survive?"

This sentence left the three people at a loss. An Lingrong then realized that she had been too naive. How could she let go of a matter that concerned the emperor's dignity so easily?

If Zhen Huan was favored, the emperor might have shown her some pity, but the way the emperor treats Zhen Huan now, everyone in the palace knows that it is just in name only.

In an instant, a deep feeling of powerlessness enveloped An Lingrong. No matter how they planned and fought, they could not escape the emperor's imperial mentality.

After a moment of stunned silence, Prince Guo suddenly spoke:

"Brother, I am guilty of my own fault. I have put you in such a dilemma. I am willing to die to apologize for my sin."

She didn't dare to mention Zhen Huan at all, for fear of increasing the emperor's suspicion.

But even so, the emperor felt that Zhen Huan was at fault. He was already ill, and his emotions fluctuated greatly tonight. He felt a slight fever in his body again, and his voice became even more hoarse. He held his forehead and sighed to Yun Li:

"I am nineteen years older than you, so it is not an exaggeration to say that I am your father and brother, but what you did today really disappointed me."

Zhen Huan immediately heard the murderous intent hidden in the words. She wanted to explain herself and beg for mercy, but she couldn't utter a word.

She only found out tonight that the small statue that was lost in the Yime Garden was picked up by Prince Guo. It was a romantic affair for him, but a disaster for her. Since the incident, the emperor has not even glanced at her.

Zhen Huan knew that the emperor had already made up his mind.

How innocent she was in her life. She entered the palace and gained favor because of a substitute. She had to bear the mistakes her father made in his early years. Even her death was due to the involvement of others.

Zhen Huan half-knelt on the ground dejectedly, letting the tears wash over her face.

Prince Guo knelt down to the emperor's feet and kowtowed:

"I feel ashamed of your cultivation over the years. I have not made any contribution to the country, but I am still a prince. I am just sitting there doing nothing. Please strip me of my princely title and let me serve as a vanguard in the army. If I am lucky enough to make achievements, you will reward me then."

"However, today's disaster was caused by my carelessness. The little statue in the purse was taken care of by the Empress Chunyuan when I was young. After the Empress Chunyuan passed away, I asked someone to cut it to commemorate her. Please understand, my brother."

Concubine Xi's words gave Prince Guo a hint that the little statue could only be of Chun Yuan. He spoke with tears in his eyes, hoping that the Emperor would be soft-hearted and spare Zhen Huan's life.

The emperor's temperature was rising little by little at this moment, his eyes gradually blurred and he could only see a few spots. He didn't want to reveal any clues in front of them to avoid being pestered by them.

Anyway, they had already made up their minds, and these words were just another test. They had no choice but to continue.

It would be good to let Yunli gain some experience, as the army just happens to be in need of someone he trusts to look after it.

Thinking of this, the emperor summoned his spirits and said:

"Yunli, I have granted your request. You can leave the capital and take a good look at the world. Come back after you have figured it out."

An Lingrong and Zhen Huan's hearts were beating like drums. The Emperor glanced at them lightly:

"Princess Wan, Penglai Island is quiet and deserted, so why don't you move there?"

Zhen Huan never expected this result, she actually survived.

Prince Guo also expressed his gratitude with a look of surprise.

The emperor was obviously a little exhausted, and he urged the two of them: "You two should leave."

An Lingrong anxiously watched the two men thank the emperor and leave the palace. She didn’t understand why the emperor only left her behind?

"Princess Wen, please get up and follow me back to the Yangxin Palace."

An Lingrong walked towards the emperor in panic, but after taking a few steps, she was grabbed by the emperor.

His palms were burning hot, and before An Lingrong could say a few words of concern, the emperor closed his eyes and fainted.

An Lingrong smiled silently. The emperor really did not let her go.

If she had reported the Queen, the Queen Mother would have found a way to punish her. But now, the Emperor was unconscious beside her, which gave the Queen Mother a legitimate reason.

The Emperor sent her to the Empress Dowager to vent her anger. She would have no good days until the Empress Dowager had vented her anger.

Never mind, An Lingrong is ready to fight back.