"What? Helian Jue and Xie Shi are still in the front hall?"
How is that possible?
There's no logic in this world: a child has a terminal illness, but the parents are still "going to work."
unless--
"This is a trap! You've fooled me!"
Nothing happened in the east side hall.
The eldest and third children didn't have a fever either, so the four little ones are probably all fine!
Empress Dowager Ashina was not stupid; she was quite intelligent.
However, she always liked to be self-righteous and to play clever tricks.
"Haha! I was so stupid to think I could bribe Empress Xie's confidants with money!"
"Hahaha! Well done! Xie Yuan, well done Helian Jue, you two are truly a match made in heaven!"
They are both so clever, and so ruthless.
Having realized Empress Ashina's plan, they decided to turn the tables on her.
What's more, they might have even secretly given it a push.
Otherwise, how could Ashina, a lonely old woman with no one to rely on and no real power, have successfully bribed those people?
And then there's Ashina Xue, who managed to successfully bring the filth contaminated with smallpox scabs into the Great Zhou Dynasty.
They weren't searched when they entered the pass or the capital, which suggests that someone secretly let them pass.
OK!
Hahaha!
It turns out that her beloved son, whom she had raised single-handedly, had been wary of her for a long time.
If Helian Jue had exposed it beforehand, and Empress Dowager Ashina had known that her son and daughter-in-law were not to be trifled with, she probably wouldn't have harbored any more wicked thoughts.
But others don't have that!
They deliberately used "praise to kill," intending to lead Ashina to her doom step by step.
"You guys are ruthless! You're absolutely cruel!"
Defeating the enemy in one move, eliminating future troubles!
They truly deserve to be called people who can work together to create a world of their own in a place like Lingnan.
Empress Dowager Ashina felt that her defeat this time was entirely justified.
But, Helian Jue, don't you really feel guilty?
And you, Xie Yuan, are currently enjoying a strong marital bond, yet Helian Jue is willing to help you scheme against his adoptive mother.
What about the future?
If you two no longer love each other deeply, what happened today will become an unresolved knot in your hearts!
Do you think that in the future, if Helian Jue recalls the happy times of his childhood, regrets how he treated his adoptive mother, and wants to settle scores with her?
Will he blame himself, or will he take his anger out on others?
At this point, Empress Dowager Ashina's mind became exceptionally clear.
She thought of many things, and her "imagination" made her feel a little better.
"Xie family, even in death I will watch you get your comeuppance from the afterlife!"
"Being the Empress of the Great Zhou Dynasty is no easy task!"
"I will serve as a cautionary tale for you—"
Looking towards the palace, Empress Dowager Ashina thought bitterly.
Helian Chen seemed not to hear Empress Dowager Ashina's accusations and continued in his official tone, "Your Majesty, please don't overthink it."
"It's not safe in the palace with an epidemic. The Emperor and the Empress are doing this for your own good—"
Empress Dowager Ashina, impatient with Helian Chen's nonsense, interrupted him rudely, "Stop talking nonsense! I was the one who had smallpox brought in!"
"I want Xie's four little brats dead!"
"...Now that things have come to this point, Helian Chen, stop lying to me with your eyes open."
“I know that once I leave the palace and come to the North Palace, I will become a fish on the chopping block.”
"For the sake of the fact that I raised Ah Xi for more than 20 years, at least give me a quick death."
"Poisoned wine? Or white silk?"
Empress Dowager Ashina stretched out her hand, displaying a resolute attitude that showed no fear of death.
Helian Chen stared at Empress Dowager Ashina for a moment, then looked around to make sure there were no outsiders present.
He then lowered his voice and said in a barely audible tone, "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, you are mistaken. Her Majesty the Empress never intended to kill you!"
A hint of surprise flashed in Empress Dowager Ashina's eyes.
Her earlier "fearless" act was just her putting on a brave face.
Even ants struggle to survive, let alone humans.
I knew it!
Ah Xi wouldn't be so heartless.
As for Xie, out of consideration for the bond between husband and wife, even though she hated me to the core, she dared not truly show it.
She wanted to project a kind and generous image.
And what could be more convincing than repaying evil with good?
Helian Chen continued, "Her Majesty said that you did intend to harm people, but you didn't actually do it yourself!"
Empress Dowager Ashina nodded frantically in her heart, "That's right, that's right, I didn't do it myself."
Besides, nothing really happened to the quadruplets!
As long as no one dies, everything can still be salvaged.
She did make a mistake, but it didn't warrant death.
At worst, she could set up a Buddhist hall in Yongshou Palace, eat vegetarian food and chant Buddhist scriptures every day, and stop caring about outside affairs.
Ah Xue and the like are all up to Helian Jue to decide.
He was willing to "strengthen kinship" by allowing Ah Xue to enter the palace.
If you really don't want to, then send Ah Xue back to the grassland.
Helian Chen witnessed Empress Dowager Ashina, who had initially appeared ready to "go to her death," now revealing a smug expression. He secretly snorted coldly.
You're starting to feel happy now?
That's way too early!
Hmph, how dare they reach out to these young princes? They should know their claws will be chopped off.
Helian Chen was the person Helian Jue trusted most. He had followed the Emperor and Empress all the way and had personally witnessed the four babies being carried out of the delivery room.
To be frank, Helian Chen already considered the four boys as his own children.
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