"Yes, you hadn't entered the palace at that time, so naturally you didn't know the grievances and entanglements involved." Li Longze turned slowly, his eyes flashing with sarcasm. "In fact, I never believed it."

"The late queen was like a poisonous snake, hiding in the cold darkness and waiting for her chance to strike. She wouldn't like to end Concubine Mei so easily..."

His voice echoed in the ruins, carrying an indescribable desolation.

Chen Jin stood silently by. He knew that what Li Longze needed at this moment was not an answer, but someone to talk to.

So he listened quietly, nodding occasionally to show that he was listening carefully.

In the imperial garden with pavilions and towers, no one noticed a prince hiding by the waterside, which also allowed Li Longze to overhear an unexpected conversation.

"Letting them die like this would be too easy for them. I don't know Your Majesty. He is the emperor. He likes all beautiful things, but the passage of time is the same for everyone."

"Even that enchanting woman who always smiles cannot escape the traces of time. When her eyes are covered with fine lines like mine, will Your Majesty still like her smile?"

"I want her to live. Living will show my magnanimity and my role as the mother of the country. I also want to live well and wait for the day when her beauty fades. When that time comes, a new beauty will enter the palace and take her place."

Such a scheming, sinister and forbearing woman, what she pursues is not only the death of her enemy, she also longs to see her enemy's painful struggle in a life worse than death.

Chen Jin was silent for a moment, then slowly raised her head and met Li Longze's gaze. "Your Majesty, there are some things whose truth may never be revealed. However, I believe that time will always reveal an answer."

Li Longze nodded slightly, his gaze turning back to the ruins. "This place was once filled with laughter and joy, but now only broken walls remain. Empress Mei...she was a kind woman. She didn't deserve this ending."

"Your Majesty, the dead cannot be brought back to life. Please accept my condolences." Chen Jin consoled softly.

Li Longze did not speak, but just stood quietly in the ruins, letting the night wind blow his clothes.

After a long time, he slowly turned around and walked towards the palace gate.

"Let's go back to the palace." His voice was a little hoarse.

Chen Jin followed him silently, and the two walked out of the ruins one after the other. The palace gate slowly closed, separating the once prosperous place from the current ruin behind them.

At this time, the Cining Palace was brightly lit with candles. Empress Dowager Lu Fengqing returned from outside the palace, but did not enter the inner hall to rest. She stood quietly on the high platform in front of the palace door, her eyes staring in the direction of Fengqi Palace.

However, it was surrounded by dense bamboo forests, and only deep darkness appeared in the night.

Eunuch Chang Bao quickly crossed the courtyard and walked to Lu Fengqing's side. With a hint of caution in his tone, he lowered his head and reported.

"Empress Dowager, His Majesty really did go to the abandoned palace. Chen Jin accompanied him inside and offered a secret sacrifice behind closed doors."

After saying that, he secretly raised his eyes, trying to read Lu Fengqing's emotions from her face, but her expression was deep and she showed no emotion.

"The Queen Mother has just returned from the Imperial Mausoleum and has been tired all day. It would be better for her to rest early." Chang Bao consoled her.

Lu Fengqing seemed not to hear. She continued to stand there, whispering, "If I pass away, will my son mourn me like this?"

Chang Bao's eyes rolled slightly when he heard this. He looked around to make sure no palace servants heard the whisper.

Then, he gently waved the whisk in his hand, signaling the palace servants around him to retreat.

He said softly, "Your Majesty is the Queen Mother's biological son. No matter what great rites may be bestowed upon future generations, the deep love between mother and son alone is something no one else can surpass."

After Lu Feng finished washing her face, she lay down peacefully on the couch. The elegant scent of ambergris slowly seeped into her heart, gradually settling her thoughts and soothing her soul.

On the edge of dreams and reality, her consciousness returned to that fateful day - the day when Concubine Mei and the prince died in the fire in Fengqi Palace.

That evening, she disguised herself as a palace maid and quietly went to Fengqi Palace, intending to have a secret conversation with Concubine Mei.

When she arrived at the inner hall, she knelt down in front of Concubine Mei and begged her to adopt Ze'er and raise the ninth prince she gave birth to.

Lu Fengqing even expressed his willingness to help Concubine Mei eliminate the Queen and help her become the head of the six palaces and the mother of the country.

However, Concubine Mei's reaction was beyond her expectations.

Fear flashed in her eyes, and she immediately rejected Lu Fengqing's proposal, admitting that she had no ambition to become queen and only wanted to live a peaceful life in the palace.

She also admitted that her love for the Ninth Prince stemmed from his brotherly love for Zuo'er and that he treated her as a family member.

Lu Fengqing felt mixed emotions at the time, and it was difficult to tell whether Concubine Mei's words were sincere or a common hypocritical cover-up in the palace.

She had stayed in the palace for too long, and in her eyes everyone seemed to be wearing a mask, making it difficult to see their true feelings.

I don’t know how I walked back to Qingwu Courtyard. Maybe it’s just like the name of this courtyard, deserted and no one will pay attention to it.

It was on that night that the raging fire in Fengqi Palace not only claimed the lives of Concubine Mei and her son, but also changed the entire landscape of the imperial palace.

The queen was demoted to a commoner and given a cup of poisoned wine. Even her mother's family, the once powerful Duke of Anguo, lost their title and the entire clan was exiled to the distant Lingnan.

Lu Fengqing had become numb to the joy brought by the final victory. Instead, the feeling of loneliness and coldness in Qingwuyuan in the past once again swept over her body like a tide.

She subconsciously pulled the quilt around her and wrapped herself tightly, as if this was the only way to resist the invisible chill.

In the heavy sleepiness, she gradually fell into a deep dream.

…

The prosperity and wealth of the capital city did not seem to bring any warmth or shelter to the remote border town of Xiguan.

After hastily treating his injuries in the military camp, the grain transport team leader Li Hechuan led several soldiers, together with the steward Xue Yuanchu and the centurion Yu Heng, and quickly rushed to the town, intending to find out important clues about the loss of grain and grass.

At present, what they are most suspicious of is the sudden fire in the orphanage. After all, everything seems too coincidental to make people suspicious.

However, the orphanage has always been a shelter for women and children displaced at the border, so it is unbelievable to say that they were involved in the looting of food.

If soldiers from the barracks rashly come to their homes to ask questions, it might cause them unnecessary panic and anxiety.

In view of this, Xue Yuanchu proposed a division of labor: Li Hechuan and Yu Heng would go out of the city to inquire about the news, while he would be responsible for going to the orphanage to find out the situation.

After all, the orphanage was opened by the Xingyuan Marquis Mansion, so it would be more convenient for him to be present and it would also reduce the disturbance to these poor people.