Chapter 106 Xie Zheng's struggle. Xie Zheng couldn't help but sit up straight, Zheng...

"Report! The assassin's body has been found at the foot of the mountain! His identity and attire have been confirmed; it is indeed him!"

"But Lord Pei... has not been found yet."

Upon hearing this, Lin Zhi, who was guarding the mountaintop, quickly got off the carriage and ran over, but before she could reach the person, she was stopped: "Madam Pei, the body is still unrecognizable, it's best not to go forward."

After several days of turmoil, Lin Zhi's fair and delicate face showed signs of exhaustion and pallor, but her still tender pink fingertips gripped the cuffs of her sleeves tightly as she solemnly said, "Let me through."

Even though Pei Lang was not present, Madam Pei's aura was still overwhelming. The imperial guards blocking her way were momentarily stunned, and when they came to their senses, they realized that they had already taken a step back.

On a day when it was about to snow, even though Lin Zhi was wearing a cloak and holding a hand warmer, she still felt a bone-chilling cold. Staring at the corpse wrapped in a straw mat on the ground, she couldn't help but squat down.

Ignoring the advice of others, when she lifted the straw mat, she saw a horrific bloody scene and couldn't help but gag. Yet, with reddened eyes, she returned.

He stared intently at the man's drooping, deformed arm.

The man's face was now a blur and unrecognizable, but Lin Zhi recognized the mark on his arm.

That was a birthmark that Lu Heng had shown when he was writing with his sleeves rolled up back in the Pei family.

This person is Lu Heng!

He not only wanted to burn Mianmian to death and caused Chuntao's death, but now he has also caused Pei Lang to fall off a cliff and his fate is unknown.

Lin Zhi's eyes narrowed, and she grabbed a sharp stone from the side and smashed it high onto the already cold corpse!

"Madam Pei, you mustn't! This man is already dead!"

The palace maids and nannies who had come to attend to Lin Zhi rushed forward and grabbed the frenzied Lin Zhi, managing to snatch the stone from her hand in a close call!

Lin Zhi collapsed weakly against the palace maid behind her, crying so hard she could barely breathe. Her eyes rolled back and she fainted.

"Your Majesty, the body of that assassin traitor has been found today; he is thoroughly dead."

The Empress raised her hand and scooped up a spoonful of the still slightly steaming medicine bowl, offering it to Xiao Ting's lips, but he turned his head slightly to avoid it.

"The imperial physician came today. What did he say to you?"

Xiao Ting's already pale lips turned even whiter as he stared intently at the Empress before him, as if trying to find some answer in her face.

But Chen Shu clearly looked away, not daring to look at Xiao Ting's face, but her wrist was tightly gripped: "Are you saying that my legs are crippled!"

Shen Shu hurriedly denied it: "Your Majesty, please don't be angry! The imperial physician only said that the tendons in Your Majesty's legs were severed by that thief assassin, but he did not say that there was no way to treat it. I will definitely search for a good doctor for you! I will not let you down."

Even if Shen Shu's words sounded nice, how could Xiao Ting not know his own body?

Throughout history, no emperor has ever been a cripple, and the dragon throne is not one that a cripple can sit securely on.

Even if he had no sons, let alone a young child, those royal relatives and nobles would still be eyeing him covetously.

A sharp pain shot through his temple, and Xiao Ting's expression grew even more sinister.

Where is Pei Lang?

If he hadn't arrived late to protect me, I wouldn't be in this situation.

Clenching his fists, Xiao Ting's eyes gradually revealed a murderous intent.

Shen Shu suppressed her surprise slightly but did not react much.

"Your Majesty... the fate of Chief Minister Pei is currently unknown."

"Back then, he chased after the assassin, and the two fell off a cliff together during their fight. Now, only the assassin's body has been found, and everyone says that Prime Minister Pei is probably... dead and nowhere to be found."

"What?"

Although Xiao Ting felt resentful, he never expected that Pei Lang would actually die like that.

Seeing Xiao Ting's complicated expression, Shen Shu also felt a vague unease: "Now that His Majesty is injured and Grand Secretary Pei Lang is nowhere to be found, what will happen in the court..."

"Ah... In the Empress's opinion, what should be done?"

Xiao Ting wore a half-smile, as if he was waiting for Shen Shu to say what he wanted to hear.

Shen Shu clenched her palms and knelt down by the bed: "Your Majesty, Yu'er is now sensible. Although he is still young, he can share some of the burden for Your Majesty."

"As long as His Majesty is willing to teach, he will definitely teach better than Chief Minister Pei, so that Yu'er can firmly hold onto the Xiao family's throne!"

"Excellent! The Empress is indeed devoted to the court, having thought of things I hadn't even considered."

"No wonder, no wonder you were so eager to kill Chao Ya. Were you worried that the child in her womb would compete with your son for the throne?"

Xiao Ting suddenly grabbed her chin, forcing her to look up at him. Shen Shu's eyes were filled with fear, and also with a guilty conscience that had been exposed.

"Your Majesty... what are you saying? I don't understand..."

"If Chao Ya was truly killed by an assassin, why would they use such a delicate and exquisite dagger, and why would they aim for her stomach with every stab?"

"Chen Shu, you are truly vicious! You don't even spare an unborn child!"

Scattered and falling to the ground, Shen Shu lay face down on the cold ground, slowly getting up and raising her hand to gather the stray strands of hair by her ear. Her voice was flat: "Your Majesty, you don't like this child either. You only kept this woman to win over the Northern Rong."

"But you are also very worried, because you don't even know if this child is your blood."

"I only did what you wanted to do for you, why are you angry?"

Xiao Ting frowned as he watched Shen Shu stand up. Although her movements were respectful, her tone was anything but polite.

"Now that your leg is injured, I'm afraid it will be difficult for any more princes to be born in the palace in the future. Of the children we have now, only my son Yu'er is the most promising. Even if you don't agree, the officials in the court and the Shen family will."

Xiao Ting laughed in anger, staring sinisterly at Shen Shu's incomparably beautiful face: "I used to think you were just an obedient and proper empress, but I never imagined you had such ambitions?"

Shen Shu calmly picked up the cooled medicine from the side and sat gracefully on the edge of the couch: "Your Majesty, I only wanted to win it myself, how did that become ambition?"

"This Xiao family's empire should rightfully belong to us, mother and son, in half."

"You want Yu'er to secure this position, but have you considered what would happen if Pei Lang were still alive? Would he agree?"

"How about we make a deal? If the Shen family makes the Pei family disappear from the world, I will seriously consider this matter."

The warm, bitter medicine pressed against his lips. Xiao Ting looked down at it for a long time, but before he could drink it, he was informed by the eunuch.

"It's terrible, Your Majesty! Many high-ranking officials are kneeling at the palace gate, pleading for Chief Minister Pei's life."

"It is said that since Chief Minister Pei died for the Emperor, his family should be taken care of..."

Xiao Ting stared at the person kneeling in front of him, remained silent for a moment, then slammed the medicine bowl in Shen Shu's hand to the ground and smashed it.

The medicine splattered, like dark blood splashing all over the ground.

The winter night wind was like a knife, the snow reflected on the palace walls, and a layer of white had accumulated on the ground, but many people still insisted on kneeling on the ground.

"What are you trying to do? Are you trying to force me to abdicate?"

Xiao Ting was carried to the palace gate in a palanquin, looking down at the civil and military officials scattered on the ground, his anger palpable: "Such a big thing has happened in the palace, and you still dare to cause trouble!"

Xie Zheng, who was at the head of the group, slowly got up, supporting himself on his knees, and stepped forward, moving his numb legs: "Your Majesty, we dare not."

"But he is concerned about the Emperor and the court. Chief Minister Pei was loyal to the Emperor, but now he is dead and his body has not been found. He still has a widow and young daughter at home. If the Emperor does not take care of him, I'm afraid he will not be able to silence the people's gossip!"

Xie Zheng's face had long since lost all color and turned deathly pale. Xiao Ting stared at him with deep eyes: "Young Master Xie does think of me, but this empire now belongs to the Xiao family, not the Xie family."

Xiao Ting's dissatisfaction was evident, but Xie Zheng did not back down in the slightest: "Your Majesty, it was not this humble servant who instigated us today, but rather our colleagues who came here spontaneously."

"If we cannot provide accommodation for Prime Minister Pei's family today, then tomorrow our own family members will be treated coldly!"

"At that time, who will be willing to risk their life to protect His Majesty? Who will dare!"

Seeing the excited crowd, Xiao Ting endured the excruciating pain in his legs in the winter night, clenched his fists, and stared at Xie Zheng with a smirk. After a long while, he chuckled and said, "Of course, my decree has already been issued, but I was still wondering if Chief Minister Pei was still alive due to good fortune."

"Since Minister Xie is in such a hurry, then I will not wait any longer. Tomorrow, an eunuch will go to the Pei residence to deliver the imperial decree."

"Are you satisfied now?"

Xie Zheng took a half step back, bowed, and said, "Your subject dares not."

He said he dared not, but his back remained ramrod straight.

"Grand Secretary Pei Lang was loyal to the country and sacrificed his life, which I deeply regret. Therefore, I hereby bestow upon Pei's widow, Lin Zhi, the title of Second-Rank Imperial Lady, and upon her daughter, Zhao Ning, the title of Princess of Yong'an County, and grant her a thousand taels of gold and a fief of a thousand households."

"Your subject, Lin Zhi, receives the imperial decree."

Lin Zhi kowtowed blankly to receive the decree, her expression remaining unchanged throughout, as if the name on this favor belonged to someone else.

Seeing this, the eunuch dared not say anything more, and after delivering the imperial decree, he hurriedly left the somewhat chilly Pei residence.

"Madam, you have gained the approval of the Emperor and the world. You are the only mistress of the Pei family."

The old woman beside her wiped away her tears and helped her up, but Lin Zhi casually threw down the bright yellow imperial edict in her hand as she stood up.

"Madam! What are you doing! This is extremely disrespectful!"

Lin Zhi looked at the old woman who hurriedly picked up the imperial edict and looked around, and said in a calm voice, "If this title was obtained by exchanging Pei Lang, I would rather not have it."

What use are these empty titles to me?

The old nanny's eyes also reddened, and she looked at the much thinner lady with heartache.

"Madam, you may refuse, but the young lady cannot refuse!"

"In the past, Your Excellency was the envy of many in the court. Now, without this decree, wouldn't you and the Pei family become a piece of fat meat that everyone covets!"

Lin Zhi stared at the nanny with tears streaming down her face, and couldn't help but lower her head and cover her face with her hands, suppressing sobs coming from her palms.

She is now my unwavering support; I must not let her fall!

"Father...Father! Mother..."

These days, Mianmian has started teething, and her speech has become much clearer. However, these unintentional babbling sounds have become like needles piercing Lin Zhi's heart.

She used to hate Pei Lang so much that she didn't want to stay by his side for even a moment longer.

But no one ever imagined that one day he would be gone.

Holding the soft, cuddly baby in her arms, Lin Zhi's tears fell drop by drop onto the little girl's clothes, creating a small pool of tears.

"Madam, Xie Shaoqing has come to visit. Would you like to see him?"

The maid outside the door asked cautiously, afraid that she might inadvertently upset Lin Zhi again.

After a moment of silence, Lin Zhi slowly opened the door, her jade-like face revealing her exhaustion: "Let him go to the main hall, I'll be right there."

Xie Zheng sat in his seat with a frown, and his frown deepened after seeing the tired and haggard look on Lin Zhi's face.

How could you be so careless with your health?

Is it worth it for someone like that?

"If it weren't for you, he should have died long ago..."

Xie Zheng clenched his fists, wanting to reach out and help her, but he hesitated and withdrew his hand.

"If he hadn't forcibly taken you back to the capital, you probably wouldn't have faced this predicament. In the end, it was his own fault."

Hearing Xie Zheng's indignant tone, Lin Zhi knew he was upset on her behalf, but she still felt tired.

She listlessly ordered tea and looked at him, saying, "Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. What brings you here today?"

Upon hearing this, Xie Zheng couldn't help but sit up straight and look at her solemnly: "I came to ask you when you will arrange Pei Lang's funeral."

"Also, would you like me to take care of you?"

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Author's Note: My best friends will be writing more chapters at 11 PM! [heart emoji][rabbit head emoji with upright ears]