Chapter 308 Will I be the woman you love most?
In Chengming Palace, Xiao Heng, the Queen, Liu Yuetang and others were sitting in the main hall.
In the inner hall, Su Nanqing's clear cry could be heard: "Liu Yuetang! If you have the guts, just ask the King of Hell to take me away. Why are you playing tricks here?"
"You were the one who wronged me first! You deserve to die! You deserve to die!"
The Queen was horrified. "Your Majesty, is Concubine Xi's death really related to Concubine Rou?"
"Really?" Xiao Heng raised his eyebrows slightly.
"It seems that the Queen is also suspicious of Concubine Rou?"
The Queen nodded slightly: "That's right."
"That day, An'er said that Concubine Rou looked at Yue'er with a strange look in her eyes, as if she had something to hide. This reminded me of the night when the Yaoyue Palace caught fire. The eunuchs on night watch had just left to fetch the imperial physician for Concubine Rou. Taxue and Liuzheng were sent away for various matters, leaving only Imperial Concubine Xi and Concubine Rou in the palace. It was as if everything was orchestrated."
"According to the palace servants, the main hall burned very quickly. By the time Liu Zheng from the small kitchen noticed the flames, the people who came out were already burning and couldn't get back in. I thought someone must have tampered with the hall, like pouring oil."
"But Concubine Rou said that she only saw a black shadow outside the house. I began to doubt whether all this was done by Concubine Rou."
"Later, I sent people to investigate, but found nothing. Instead, I discovered that Concubine Rou was grieving over Concubine Xi's death. The imperial physician also said that Concubine Rou inhaled too much smoke in the fire that day and was almost unable to be saved... So, I was able to dispel some of my suspicions."
"Until today, I am completely certain that everything was done by Concubine Rou. She played a trick of self-torture and deceived all of us."
Xiao Heng's eyes were filled with surging rage, as if to devour everything in front of him.
"Yes! I am sorry to Concubine Xi! I didn't see through this evil woman's scheme."
After saying this, he thought of Concubine Zhao, and the anger in his eyes intensified. "I'm afraid that Concubine Zhao is also involved. The two of them are colluding with each other. Concubine Zhao is trying to commit suicide and won't let me leave. This will give Concubine Rou plenty of time to kill Concubine Xi!"
"Okay, very good!" He gritted his teeth and said fiercely, veins bulging on his clenched arms.
He regretted every day that he should not have gone to Yaohua Palace that day.
In this way, his Miaomiao will not be harmed in the slightest.
Liu Yuetang was slightly stunned.
She didn't expect that Xiao Heng would also suspect Zhaopin.
She knew that Zhaopin was different from other concubines in the six palaces to Xiao Heng, so she was afraid that everyone would ignore Zhaopin as an accomplice, so she specially asked Sister Rong to bring her here.
However, she never expected that Xiao Heng would become suspicious in an instant and point the finger at her.
As he was speaking, Rong Yue came with Zhaopin.
As soon as Rong Yue appeared at the entrance of the palace, Liu Yuetang's eyes lit up.
The moment their eyes met, no words were needed, the tacit understanding in their eyes had already quietly flowed.
Rong Yue collected her thoughts and stepped forward gracefully, "Your Highness, I pay my respects to the Emperor, the Empress, and the Imperial Concubine."
Xiao Heng raised his hand and motioned Rong Yue to stand up.
Then, his eyes fell on Concubine Zhao.
Concubine Zhao looked at Xiao Heng with burning eyes.
Even though the hall was full of people, her eyes were fixed only on him. There was no resentment or hatred in her eyes, only pure infatuation.
But wherever her eyes fell, she saw cold eyes and brows, and it was difficult to find any trace of the warmth of the past.
"Princess Zhao, it was you who conspired with Concubine Rou to murder Concubine Xi?"
His voice filled the room with a chill, and Concubine Zhao knelt down softly.
"Yes!" She stared straight at Xiao Heng without dodging at all.
"Jieyu Rou said that if I could hold the emperor back, she would find a way to make Concubine Xi fall out of favor."
After a pause, she took a deep breath and said, "I know that now that Imperial Concubine Xi is gone, no matter how much I say, it will be in vain. But I still have to say this—I only want His Majesty to see Imperial Concubine Xi's true face. I have never intended to take her life. If someone must die between me and Imperial Concubine Xi, I would rather it be me."
If she died, the emperor would be sad for her, go crazy for her, and remember her for the rest of his life. She would rather die herself than Liu Yuetang.
Liu Yuetang sneered and said lazily with the attitude of a bystander, "Would you rather it be you? Concubine Zhao has such a sweet tongue! If you really wanted to do that, why did you agree to Concubine Rou's scheme in the first place? Since you already gave her a push, why are you pretending to be kind now? Concubine Xi's body is still warm, and you sound like she deserved to die, and you're the one who got wronged!"
Zhaopin looked in the direction of the voice, and when her eyes met Liu Yuetang's face, her pupils suddenly shrank, and she froze in place as if struck by thunder, even missing a beat.
She had heard a long time ago that the emperor had taken a princess as his imperial concubine, and it was said that the princess looked exactly like Imperial Concubine Xi.
She was a little bit skeptical at first. How could there be two people in this world who look exactly the same?
But now he saw Liu Yuetang standing there with his own eyes. Her face was bright and charming in her luxurious palace dress, exactly like the Concubine Xi in his memory.
The only difference is the aura and innate nobility.
Zhaopin felt a chill rising from the soles of her feet, and her fingertips began to tremble with fear.
No wonder... No wonder everyone in the palace is saying that the Emperor favors Concubine Jing.
Oh, how could he not love her?
I'm afraid he felt that Liu Yuetang was back again, and even if she was just a substitute, he would treat her the same way as Liu Yuetang.
"Your Majesty! I beg you to severely punish Concubine Rou and Concubine Zhao."
Rong Yue's voice brought Zhaopin back to her senses.
She subconsciously turned around to look at Xiao Heng, but her gaze ran straight into his icy eyes.
Xiao Heng's tone was as cold as ice: "Su is so vicious, I will make her die in agony. As for Concubine Zhao..."
He paused, his eyes fixed on Zhaopin.
The words of Queen Mother Wen Yi on her deathbed resurfaced in his mind, "Heng'er, I leave Shu'er and Jiaojiao in your care. If you are the heir to the throne in the future, you must protect them well on behalf of Queen Mother."
That was the Queen Mother's last words, and every word was engraved on his heart.
He will not forget.
He owes Queen Mother Wen Yi too much in this life.
Therefore, he would spare Zhaopin's life and let her live, after all, she didn't have much time left.
However, he never wanted to see her again in this life.
Xiao Heng rubbed the jade ring on his finger and pondered for a moment, "Zhaopin...stripped of her position and title, and sent to guard the imperial mausoleum. She is not allowed to leave without imperial decree."
The imperial mausoleum is a lonely and cold place where ancestors are buried. Once you step inside, you will completely cut off all thoughts from the mundane world, which is equivalent to life imprisonment.
A hint of surprise flashed across the queen's eyes, but then she felt it was natural.
But Shen Qingtang smiled foolishly.
The emperor also plotted to murder Concubine Xi, but he let Concubine Rou die in pain, while he himself... just guarded the tomb.
It is enough to prove that he has his own thoughts in his heart.
She is different from others after all.
Shen Qingtang slowly bent down, resting her forehead against the cold gold brick, "Your Majesty, I obey your command."
Xiao Heng's gaze lingered on her for a moment, then he looked away indifferently, "Drag her away."
"Slow——" Shen Qingtang looked up at Xiao Heng.
"Before I leave, I would like to ask the Emperor a question."
Xiao Heng lowered his eyelids slightly, his fingertips still stroking the jade ring. He didn't say a word, but it was considered as tacit consent.
Tears welled up in Shen Qingtang's eyes, and her gaze was fixed on his face. In a trance, it seemed as if she had fallen back into the days when they had enjoyed harmony.
She slowly asked, "Jiaojiao wants to know, if Liu Yuetang hadn't appeared, would I be the woman you love most?"
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