Looking at Ye Ling'er's face, which was so similar to Xingxing's, and the two being the same age, those present were momentarily at a loss as to what to do with her.

Although the emperor said he wanted to execute Ye Ling'er, he felt a little reluctant. She was only a six-year-old child who had been poisoned and almost eaten by refugees before being used by Prince Gong. Perhaps the time she spent in the palace was the best period of her life.

However, she should be content to enjoy the treatment of a princess. After much deliberation, the emperor finally decided to eliminate this uncertainty to avoid causing trouble for his princess in the future.

"Wait," Xingxing stopped the guards from taking her away. She looked at Ye Ling'er and said, "I've thought about it and I'll give you another chance. But once the poison in your body is cured, you must leave the capital immediately and never set foot in the capital again."

The emperor added, "Since the princess has decided to let you go, I will no longer pursue the matter of you impersonating a princess. I will give you this chance because you are still young. If you dare to step into the capital again, you will be killed without exception."

"Thank you, Princess, for your mercy! Thank you, Your Majesty! Thank you, Empress!" Ye Ling'er was very sensible and knelt on the ground to thank everyone.

"Let Fourth Senior Brother handle this matter," Zhu Lin said. Zhu Chumo was skilled in medicine and could cure Ye Ling'er's poison and remove the tattoo on her back.

However, before taking Ye Ling'er away, Zhu Chumo took the pulses of the Emperor and Empress, and then gave them both a Maltesers pill. Shui Liniang had been lurking in the palace for a long time, so it was impossible that she hadn't done anything. The Emperor and Empress had been poisoned by a slow-acting poison.

Even the imperial physicians couldn't find anything wrong, which shows how formidable Shui Liniang's methods were. If Zhu Chumo hadn't been there, the emperor and empress probably wouldn't have known they were poisoned. Although Shui Liniang is dead, she won't continue to use poison on them.

There will be no immediate danger to their lives, but the emperor and empress's bodies will gradually weaken, and the poison will slowly erode their internal organs. By then, it will be too late to realize they have been poisoned.

The emperor was furious, but he didn't lash out at that moment. He tried to calm himself and looked at the stars. "Long'er, you've finally returned. Your father and mother are so sorry. We couldn't find you for so long, and you suffered so much outside..."

They even brought back a fake princess; I feel so sorry for her.

"Long'er, your mother is blind and foolish. She actually thought that person was you. Your mother was so confused. My Long'er, your mother is so sorry." After sorting out her thoughts and realizing that it was all Prince Gong's conspiracy, the Empress burst into tears.

Xingxing was initially a little annoyed, but seeing the Empress crying so sadly, all her displeasure vanished. She stepped forward and gently patted the Empress's back a few times with her little paws.

"Mother, don't cry, Xing... Long'er doesn't blame you, it's not your fault." Sigh, she also has other parents and brothers outside, what a mess this is.

"Long'er, my Long'er." The Empress hugged Xingxing, heartbroken, and cried until she fainted.

"Mother."

"Empress." The Emperor stepped forward, embraced the Empress, and then laid her down on the bed.

Zhu Chumo stepped forward to take her pulse and calmly said, "The Empress is physically fine, but she fainted because of her extreme emotional fluctuations. She will recover after a good night's sleep."

The emperor's expression relaxed, and he ordered all the palace servants to take good care of the empress and return to Yunhua Palace after she woke up.

"You are my and the princess's saviors, you have helped me a great deal, you..." The emperor seemed to want to reward them handsomely and even wanted to keep them in the palace.

However, Zhu Lin interrupted the emperor before he could finish speaking. Cough, the young man was bold enough to interrupt even the emperor. "Your Majesty need not worry about my senior brothers. They have other things to do and cannot stay any longer. However, I will stay to take care of the princess."

Emperor: "?" Who is the real emperor? Does he even know this is the palace, his territory?

Seeing the emperor's displeasure, Xingxing interjected at the opportune moment, "Father, my senior brothers are really busy. Please don't make things difficult for them. Let them go."

Emperor Taikang paused, then nodded solemnly, "In that case, I will not keep more of these brave warriors."

However, a reward is still necessary. These people all live in the Zhu residence, right? Just have someone deliver the goods to the Zhu residence. Seeing their reluctance to have much contact with the court, there's no need to issue an imperial edict. Just have the goods carried over directly.

Emperor Taikang himself did not realize that in front of the group from Xianwu Island, he, the emperor, had been repeatedly deferring to them. He had even felt a bit tight in his chest just now, but after the little princess spoke up, he subconsciously began to treat the other party according to the little princess's attitude.

Zhu Qiuyu and his companions weren't entirely without manners; they bowed respectfully to the emperor before approaching, which improved Emperor Taikang's expression considerably, at least preserving his dignity.

Ye Ling'er was taken away by Zhu Chumo and brought back to the Zhu residence. Before the poison in her body was cured, she could stay in the Zhu residence, but she lived in the innermost corner courtyard, where two old women who knew martial arts were left to serve her.

Back at the palace, Xingxing stayed by the Empress's side the whole time, even eating in her room. The young man stayed with her the entire time, which made Xingxing feel much more at ease.

Although she regained her memories, she was only four years old when she left, and two years have passed since then. She is somewhat unfamiliar with the palace. Having been used to being wild outside, she finds it very difficult to return to the strictly regulated palace.

Fortunately, Zhu Lin was by her side, which allowed her to face the situation calmly; otherwise, she might have become ill from being so depressed.

The Queen woke up slowly in the middle of the night. Xingxing told her to get up and eat something. "You need to eat your fill and then walk around. It's good for your health. Although it's cold now, there's underfloor heating in the house, so you won't get cold."

When she was in Yegou Village, there were no warm cotton-padded clothes or underfloor heating, only a kang (heated brick bed). However, she was strong and never got sick. Her brothers were as strong as oxen and were not afraid of the cold, nor were her parents.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!