Chapter 456 The Empress's Wrath (First Update)

To ensure the plan's success, she distracted Long Yi and had to put out the fire herself, injuring herself in the process. Afterward, she carried the unconscious Xiao Heng out of the Imperial Academy.

She thought the matter was over, but the next day news came from the Imperial Academy that Xiao Heng had been burned to death in a fire.

But Xiao Heng was clearly lying right in front of her...

She clearly remembered putting out the fire, but who started it after that?

She couldn't help but think of Xiao Heng lying on the ground after being drugged, watching the fire burn in through the window. He was already in despair when she revealed his background, yet at that moment his eyes were filled with struggle and pleading.

It was as if he was begging me to let him go.

It was only much later that she realized he might not have been begging her to let him go; he was begging her to let the innocent boy go.

He knew that the Imperial College was hiding a young boy.

Clearly, someone came after she left.

She didn't remember Xiao Heng having a friend of similar age to herself, and for a moment she couldn't guess the boy's identity.

Prince Ning only went once. He prepared the kerosene and candles the first time, but the fire that burned the boy to death was actually started by that group of people.

The group didn't trust Prince Ning after all, so they went there themselves and mistakenly took the boy who was staying at the Imperial Academy for Xiao Heng, and burned him to death inside.

The group's movements were very strange, and they knew how to avoid Long Yi.

She looked at Xiao Heng on the bed and suddenly had a plan.

"Young Master?"

Suddenly, a maid's exclamation came from outside the door.

Yu Jin turned her head and looked towards the door, and saw that Xiao Liulang had entered the courtyard at some point and was standing less than ten steps away from the window.

Yu Jin looked at Xiao Liulang in surprise, then at Princess Xinyang, who was lying on the table, completely drunk and unconscious, and didn't know what to say for a moment.

She wasn't sure if Xiao Liulang had heard what Princess Xinyang had just said. Just as she decided to ask Xiao Liulang, a young eunuch suddenly came to the door and said hurriedly, "Something terrible has happened!"

Long Yi has gotten into trouble.

He struck the Crown Princess's fetus with a single blow, and Empress Xiao heard two earth-shattering pieces of news in Kunning Palace. The first was that the Crown Princess was pregnant, which delighted Empress Xiao.

Although the Crown Princess and Prince Ning had an ambiguous relationship, she had carefully investigated Wen Linlang's whereabouts and knew that the child belonged to the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince is already twenty-three; he's finally going to be a father! And she's finally going to hold her grandson!

But before she could be happy for long, the devastating news arrived that the Crown Princess had miscarried.

Empress Xiao almost collapsed on the spot!

Long Yi was the one who did it.

To be honest, Gu Jiao didn't anticipate Long Yi's actions. Strictly speaking, it wasn't entirely Long Yi's fault. The Crown Princess kept emphasizing that what was in her belly was a get-out-of-jail-free card, so Long Yi really thought that what was inside her was a card.

Long Yi only broke one of the cards.

Long Yi didn't understand why everyone wanted to arrest him.

Long Yi took out a small gold token from his pocket and handed it to the Crown Princess.

It's as if it's saying...

Here, I'll compensate you.

The Crown Princess was so angry she almost fainted on the spot!

Gu Jiao's presence with Long Yi inevitably leads people to believe that Long Yi is acting under her orders.

Even the Crown Princess believed it wholeheartedly.

She couldn't believe that Gu Jiao wasn't targeting her, especially since Gu Jiao was always there whenever Long Yi was rude to her, which made her suspect that Gu Jiao was the one instigating Long Yi all along.

She speaks righteously, but secretly she makes Long Yi do the work for her. She's truly insidious and vicious!

When Empress Xiao arrived at the Imperial Garden, the imperial physician also arrived.

The imperial physician took the Crown Princess's pulse, his expression grave.

Empress Xiao hurriedly asked, "Imperial physician, how is he?"

The imperial physician bowed and said regretfully, "Your Majesty, the fetus is gone."

"Impossible! Imperial Physician Luo! Didn't you just say my pulse was very good and that this pregnancy was very stable? Otherwise, how would she have dared to get out of bed to find Empress Xiao?"

The imperial physician thought to himself, "Even so, it couldn't stop you from courting death! Why did you have to come out? You got slapped by the guards, and even if you were carrying Nezha, he'd be gone!"

Physician Luo dared not say that.

Empress Xiao was consumed by rage and looked coldly at Wen Linlang: "You can't even protect a child!"

This isn't like Princess Ning's situation, where she was physically weak; her pregnancy was clearly going very well! Losing this child is so frustrating!

Empress Xiao felt like killing Wen Linlang!

Of course, in the past, Empress Xiao would not have been so ruthless, but now that Wen Linlang's affair with Prince Ning has been exposed, Empress Xiao wished she could be executed!

Wen Linlang was right. This child was indeed her get-out-of-jail-free card. For the sake of the child, Empress Xiao would protect her from the Emperor.

But look at what Wen Linlang has done!

Wen Linlang certainly couldn't take the blame herself; Empress Xiao would hate her to death.

She pointed at Gu Jiao and said, "Mother! It was her! She's the one who ordered this guard to harm my unborn child!"

Xiao Jingkong stomped his foot: "You're talking nonsense! Jiaojiao didn't!"

The commotion alerted Renshou Palace, and Eunuch Qin arrived with his palace servants.

Gu Jiao told Emerald to take Xiao Jingkong away first, and then said to the Crown Princess, "Do you have the guts to repeat what you just said to me in front of the Empress?"

The Crown Princess choked.

Gu Jiao said, "You don't dare to say it? Fine, I'll say it for you."

"Doctor Gu, I advised you not to be my enemy. You've targeted me in everything, yet I still won! You say I have an improper relationship with Prince Ning, but how clean are you, Gu Jiao? This matter was clearly the work of the hostage from Chen, but I know you were involved! You're already married, yet you still have an affair with the hostage from Chen. How much more noble are you than me?"

'Stop plotting against me! I possess a get-out-of-jail-free card; with it, even if I kill you, no one will hold me accountable!'

What? You still think you're innocent?

The Crown Princess's expression changed instantly.

Empress Xiao could tell from the Crown Princess's expression that everything Gu Jiao said was true. She hadn't expected the Crown Princess to be so arrogant. Judging from what she said, it seemed that there had been disagreements between Gu Jiao and her more than once. And yet she still dared to show off in front of Gu Jiao. Did she think the baby in her womb had a long life?

Admittedly, the person who caused her miscarriage was the culprit, but she, who gave others the opportunity, was not innocent either!

Empress Xiao said to Gu Jiao, "Doctor Gu, you may leave. This guard will remain."

For the sake of Empress Dowager Zhuang and His Majesty, she temporarily believed the little boy's words and thought that Gu Jiao was not the one who ordered it. However, she would not let this guard get away with killing the Crown Prince's child on his own initiative.

"Empress..." Eunuch Qin wanted to plead for mercy.

He didn't actually know Long Yi, but Gu Jiao spoke up for Long Yi, which meant that he was one of their own.

Empress Xiao said coldly, "Eunuch Qin, even if this matter is brought before the Empress Dowager, I will still make him pay with his life!"

Eunuch Qin naturally understood that Empress Xiao's request was not excessive. As the Empress said, even if things really escalated to Renshou Palace, Empress Xiao would still be in the right.

Gu Jiao would not abandon Long Yi. She felt that with her and Long Yi's strength, running away was the best option.

Who knew that Empress Xiao would directly order the summoning of a thousand imperial guards from the capital.

That's really—

Gu Jiao: Uh... is it really necessary to be this hardcore?

"Doctor Gu, if you want to leave, I will let you go. But if you want to die with him, I won't stop you either." After saying this to Gu Jiao, Empress Xiao's gaze fell on Long Yi's mask. "I'm determined to take this man's life!"

Empress Xiao was truly enraged.

Long Yi could certainly escape, but what would happen after that? The Crown Princess knew he was Princess Xinyang's secret guard, so Empress Xiao could simply send the Imperial Guards to Zhuque Street to surround and annihilate Long Yi.

Will Empress Xiao give Princess Xinyang face?

Gu Jiao guessed that perhaps not.

Princess Xinyang was indifferent to Marquis Xuanping, and her attitude towards Empress Xiao was no less so.

This time, it seems no one can quell Empress Xiao's anger.

Does this mean we really have to let Long Yi flee the capital and never appear again?

Gu Jiao subconsciously moved closer to Long Yi, then looked at Empress Xiao: "Empress..."

She had just opened her mouth when a familiar figure walked over from not far away.

It's Xiao Liulang!

He leaned on the new cane she had made for him, limping and walking with a hurried pace.

The sudden appearance of someone who had been missing for so long left everyone in disbelief, except for Gu Jiao, Long Yi, and Eunuch Qin, who knew the truth.

Empress Xiao frowned as she looked at the boy who resembled her nephew, but remained silent.

She didn't even intend to pay him any attention.

"Kill him."

She was referring to Long Yi.

After giving this order, she turned and left.

Xiao Liulang quickened his pace and came up behind her.

He was stopped by Eunuch Su.

He watched Empress Xiao's cold, receding figure, opened his mouth, and uttered, "Aunt..."

Empress Xiao trembled!

(End of this chapter)