Shen Youying felt a little relieved upon hearing this, but she still couldn't help worrying about her father and elder brother's health: "I want to go to the prison to send them some things."

Upon hearing this, Xue Shen frowned and disagreed, saying, "The prison is cold and damp, so it's inconvenient for you to go there. If you want to send something, I'll have someone send it."

Shen Youying knew he had a point, and after hesitating for a long time, she finally gave in: "Then I'll pack some things, and you can have someone send them to Father and my elder brother."

Xue Shen naturally agreed and accompanied him into the house.

Just as the two were enjoying their tender moment, Empress Zhou in the inner palace learned of the news. Filled with hatred and fear, she smashed several teacups: "I knew it! I knew it! He would never let me go!"

Ever since she learned that Shen Xiuyi had returned, she had had a bad feeling.

Empress Zhou paced back and forth in the palace, biting her finger. After a long while, she summoned her confidante and said, "Go and tell my elder brother to prepare to cut his losses. The Emperor will not let the Zhou family off the hook. Tell him not to harbor any more illusions. First, try to preserve the Zhou family's strength. After I give birth to the child, we can plan for the future."

The confidant hurriedly went to the Zhou family to deliver a message. After thinking for a while, Empress Zhou ordered, "Someone, help me change my clothes."

She called out inconspicuous palace maid attire and, under the cover of her trusted confidants, quietly went to the East Palace.

Since the conflict between the Crown Prince and Emperor Cheng'an, the Eastern Palace has been closed to visitors for a long time.

Crown Prince Xue Heng secluded himself in the Eastern Palace, ignoring court affairs and refusing to see his retainers. Chang'an was dissatisfied with this son. Ever since Empress Zhou became pregnant, perhaps to show that she was indispensable to this son, she preferred to handle state affairs herself despite her declining health, and never relied on the Crown Prince again.

Those remaining in the Eastern Palace were all Xue Heng's trusted followers. When they saw Empress Zhou, who had arrived in disguise, the Empress looked surprised: "Your Majesty, what is this...?"

Although Empress Zhou was dressed as a palace maid, her majesty remained undiminished. She slightly raised her chin and said, "Go and inform your Crown Prince that I have important matters to discuss with him and request a meeting."

When Xue Heng heard that Empress Zhou had invited him to meet, he hesitated for a moment, but in the end, he still had his trusted aide welcome the person in.

The two met at the pavilion on the artificial hill in the East Palace.

Xue Heng sat opposite Empress Zhou. He glanced at Empress Zhou's abdomen and said in a calm tone, "I have already said before that I have no intention of cooperating with Your Majesty, and I have no intention of getting involved in these matters again."

Empress Zhou smiled and said, "I have come today to tell His Highness the Crown Prince a story."

Xue Heng disliked her pretentious manner and patiently said, "Your Majesty, please speak plainly."

Empress Zhou looked at him with pity, and said with a half-smile, "Your Highness was raised by the late Emperor and Empress when you were young, so you must have some affection for them, right?"

When Xue Heng heard him mention the late emperor and empress, his expression grew increasingly impatient: "What exactly are you trying to say?"

Empress Zhou looked at him with pity: "I came here to ask the Crown Prince if he would avenge the late Emperor and Empress if he knew who killed them."

Without hesitation, Xue Heng replied, "Of course."

But after he finished speaking, seeing the amused expression on Empress Zhou's face, and pondering her sudden words, his expression gradually darkened: "How do you know that the late Emperor and Empress were murdered? And how do you know who the mastermind is?"

Empress Zhou smiled slightly and easily revealed the secret that had been buried in her heart for many years: "Of course it's because the late Emperor and Empress were killed by your father, and I was one of the accomplices."

Xue Heng's chest tightened, and he abruptly stood up, glaring at her, almost losing his balance: "Do you have any evidence?"

Empress Zhou shook her head: "Your Highness the Crown Prince should have sensed something long ago. What does it matter whether there is evidence or not? Over the years, you have been associating with the Prince of Qin. Did you really not notice anything at all?"

Xue Heng shuddered and sat down dejectedly.

Yes, he already knew, didn't he?

When he argued with his father that day, his father had already admitted it. But he was unwilling to accept this cruel fact, which is why he confined himself to the Eastern Palace and refused to leave.

Because he couldn't bring himself to kill his own family for the greater good, he felt ashamed to face the late emperor and empress who had raised him as their own child, and even more ashamed to face Xue Shen.

So he could only hide in the East Palace, deceiving himself and trying to escape.

Xue Heng looked pained and squeezed his eyes shut: "Why have you come to tell me all this today?"

Empress Zhou merely smiled: "Your Highness, don't you want to know the truth of what happened back then? Don't you want to know how the Prince of Qin, whom you consider a brother, had his legs broken? Don't you want to know how the late Emperor and Empress were murdered?"

She sighed deliberately and said in a very pitying tone, "I heard that when the Prince of Qin broke his leg, he couldn't bear the pain and shock. The Empress Dowager, feeling sorry for her son, took care of him herself day and night. Little did she know that she was already pregnant. It wasn't until the time of her death, when the imperial physician examined her body, that they learned that the late Empress Dowager had been pregnant for several months."

Xue Heng's body stiffened, and he abruptly looked up at her, his voice hoarse: "How do you know all this?"

Empress Zhou chuckled: "I've served His Majesty for so many years, it's not surprising that I know these things, is it?"

Xue Heng's face contorted with increasing pain. He gripped the table with both hands, his fingers digging so hard they almost crushed it, and said, word by word, "What exactly happened back then?"

After enjoying his pained expression for a while, Empress Zhou slowly said, "Your father was the second son, and he had long been dissatisfied with his elder brother for always being superior to him. He had been secretly plotting to kill his brother and seize the throne for a long time."

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