Chapter 42 The End

The emperor immediately ordered people to investigate the wine pot on Consort Xian's table. Most of the utensils in the palace were prepared according to the rank of each concubine, and the wine pot on Consort Xian's table was the one that should have been sent to Wang Meng's table.

With her blindness exposed, the evidence irrefutable, and the Empress Dowager with no way to turn the tide.

Having an affair with a man outside the palace is one crime for a concubine; colluding with the Imperial Observatory to deceive the emperor is another; and poisoning other concubines is a third.

The emperor demoted the virtuous concubine to commoner status and banished her to the cold palace, and the Song family was also shackled in the previous dynasty.

The second prince pleaded for his mother's life on several occasions in the court, but the emperor rejected his pleas each time. Taking advantage of this, Liu Yu instigated the emperor, who, in a fit of anger, also imprisoned the second prince, forbidding him from interfering in state affairs.

Liu Xi's eyes, which remained in the Cold Palace, kept reporting to Yi Huai Pavilion that Consort Xian was constantly clamoring to see the Emperor and Empress Dowager. Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager specifically instructed Aunt Wen that unless His Majesty suddenly decided to visit the Cold Palace, no one was allowed to invite His Majesty to see her.

Liu Xi held Zhi Xiang's hand, which still bore the marks left from the punishment she received when she was imprisoned in the Shenxing Division the day before.

"Zhixiang, help me with my hair and makeup. Today I should go and see Consort Xian."

In the Cold Palace, Consort Xian had long lost her former tranquil and composed demeanor. She pounded on the door like a madwoman, shouting about how wronged she had been.

"I don't understand where this injustice you speak of comes from."

Liu Xi interrupted her shouts loudly, and the palace servants guarding the Cold Palace opened the door and respectfully welcomed Liu Xi inside.

Consort Xian probably guessed that the only person who could have put her in such a predicament was Liu Xi.

She adjusted her posture and looked coldly at Liu Xi.

"Princess, what brings you to the Cold Palace?"

"Of course I want to see you, Consort Xian. I'm not used to calling Consort Song by his given name directly. It's more natural for me to call him Consort Xian."

Zhi Xiang brought over a chair, and Liu Xi leaned back on it casually, her eyes full of amusement.

"The Virtuous Consort has not yet answered my question, so how can she be wronged?"

"When did you find out?"

Consort Xian's tone was quite blunt, which made Liu Xi chuckle inwardly.

"If you don't want people to know, then don't do it in the first place. I, the princess, have not slandered you. Whether it's slandering my mother as a wicked concubine or having an affair with the Imperial Observatory's witness, do you, Consort Xian, intend not to admit to these crimes?"

Consort Xian remained silent, staring intently at Liu Xi, her mind racing as she considered how to respond.

"Consort Xian, there is no need to worry. What you can't let go of is nothing more than the Second Prince's position as Crown Prince and the Song family's glory."

"I have come here today to convey to you that the Song family is suspected of plotting against General Huo. Your father has been imprisoned and is awaiting the Dali Temple to find out the truth."

"As for my second elder brother, he has recently been confined by Father and is probably out of the running for the position of Crown Prince."

Consort Xian's eyes were bloodshot, but Liu Xi grabbed her chin.

"Don't rush to blame others. The reason why the Second Prince can't become the Crown Prince is because his mother is guilty of serious sins. Surely Your Majesty understands the principle that a son should pay for his mother's sins."

Consort Xian struggled to break free from Liu Xi's control and said fiercely.

"Don't think you can scare me with a few lies. The Second Prince is His Majesty's favorite child and the one he values ​​most. Who else is more worthy of the position of Crown Prince than him?"

"Power and status bestowed by His Majesty is a favor, but to ask for them personally is a sin. Your Highness is unaware that the Second Prince has been asking His Majesty for far more than just a little bit these past few days."

"Your Majesty, do you think His Majesty might believe that the Second Prince harbors rebellious intentions?"

Consort Xian got up and was about to walk outside, but was pressed down by palace servants and forced to kneel on the ground.

"Song, you'd better stop struggling. You will never live to see the day when the Second Prince is appointed Crown Prince."

"I might as well put it more clearly: back then, your schemes against my mother were nothing more than your fear that the position of Crown Prince would fall into the hands of someone else, and your fear that you would miss out on the position of Empress."

"If that's the case, I will do everything in my power to extinguish your hopes. As long as you live, the Second Prince will never have a chance to rise in the world."

The virtuous concubine screamed loudly, calling Liu Xi a vile woman and a wicked person.

Liu Xi remained unmoved, listening expressionlessly to the virtuous concubine's useless arguments until she was completely exhausted.

"Liu Cheng is, after all, your imperial brother..."

The Empress Dowager's voice trembled, her tone filled with nothing but pleading.

"The struggle between imperial heirs has been a bloody affair throughout history. Which victor has ever truly cared about blood ties?"

"I can even scheme against my own brother, let alone my second brother."

When Liu Xi said this, the cold smile on her face was impossible to hide, so she simply showed it to Consort Xian.

Consort Xian, exhausted, lay sprawled on the ground in a disheveled state.

"If I die, will the princess spare your brother?"

"I quite like my second brother. He is straightforward and honest, unlike you, his mother, who is scheming and vicious, seemingly kind but doing all sorts of bad things behind the scenes."

Liu Xi paused for a moment, then continued, "The hatred between me and you should not involve innocent people."

"Your Majesty would better think this over as soon as possible. After all, disappointment accumulates little by little, and Your Majesty probably doesn't want the Second Prince to completely lose the Emperor's favor."

To Liu Xi's surprise, just as she got up to leave, Consort Xian suddenly got up from the ground and charged at the stone wall.

Amidst several gasps of alarm, Consort Xian breathed her last, her forehead a bloody mess as she collapsed.

Liu Xi never expected that Consort Xian would commit suicide so decisively, without even saying a word of pleading or admitting her mistakes.

Looking at her body, Liu Xi was unable to calm down for a long time.

Unexpectedly, even in death, this woman made Liu Xi feel so uncomfortable.

Upon seeing this, one of the eunuchs quickly ran to Liu Xi's side and whispered some instructions.

“Your Highness, the Empress Dowager instructed that no one else in the palace should know that you have come to see Lady Song.”

"Now that Lady Song is dead, Your Highness should not invite unnecessary trouble for yourself. You should leave as soon as possible."

Liu Xi was somewhat surprised, "The Empress Dowager?"

"Yes, no one in the Cold Palace saw the princess come here today, and Song's suicide has nothing to do with anyone else."

Urged by the palace servants, Liu Xi hurriedly left the Cold Palace.

Unexpectedly, even now, the Empress Dowager is still secretly helping Liu Xi, preventing her from having any chance to slip up.

In this deep palace, Liu Xi originally had no hope of receiving anyone's true favor.

No one else can be trusted. Ever since Liu Xi realized that Liu Yu was scheming against her, she has been silently warning herself like this.

It turns out that someone secretly protects Liu Xi in the most silent way, becoming her solid support.

"Zhixiang, I would like to go to Shou'an Palace to properly thank my grandmother."