People are gone, but people remain the same.
After traveling for some time, Qi Dou and his party finally returned to the palace.
As soon as Qi Dou returned to the palace, Li Fengtan came to report everything that had happened after he left.
...
Li Xingyi sat calmly to one side, drinking tea, while Qianwu whispered in her ear.
After a long silence, Li Xingyi put down her teacup and said calmly, "Your Majesty, I wish to see Shi Hui before my execution."
Li Xingyi knew without a doubt that Shi Hui was doomed, but she still wanted to see her enemy and witness her current fate.
Qi Dou looked at Li Xingyi with some hesitation and said, "Well, you're pregnant. What if she hurts you?"
Upon hearing this, Li Fengtan was both surprised and delighted, exclaiming, "Ah?! Your Majesty is pregnant? That's wonderful! I'm going to be a grandfather!"
Only after he finished speaking did he realize that Qi Dou was still there, and Li Fengtan was too embarrassed to look at Qi Dou.
Seeing this, Li Xingyi looked at Li Fengtan and said, "Yes, it's been two months."
She then looked at Qi Dou and said, "Your Majesty, rest assured, Qingyi will stay with me."
Qi Dou thought for a moment and said, "Then we must be careful with Xingyi."
Li Xingyi nodded slightly.
The Imperial Prison was a prison directly managed by the emperor, mainly used to detain serious criminals, including imperial relatives and high-ranking officials.
Inside the prison, Li Xingyi walked step by step on the ground, passing by many prisoners.
There were iron railings on both sides, the space was narrow, and the smell of mildew was pungent, but Li Xingyi was not affected at all and just walked on by himself.
"Your Majesty! Save me! Let me out! I was tricked by Shi Hui!"
"Your Majesty! Please let me out! I promise to be loyal to you forever!"
"..."
The prisoners in the Heavenly Prison began using similar language as soon as they saw Li Xingyi.
Li Xingyi ignored everything and continued walking until he finally arrived at where Shi Hui was.
Li Xingyi stood outside the iron bars, looking at her and said, "Shi Hui, is there anything you want to say?"
Shi Hui, who had been sitting on the bed, immediately stood up upon hearing Li Xingyi's voice, rushed to the iron railing, grabbed it, and glared at Li Xingyi, saying, "Li Xingyi! You've finally come! Are you very smug now?! Do you think I'm finally going to die?! That you'll finally never have to see me again?!"
Li Xingyi looked at her silently without saying anything, when Shi Hui suddenly said fiercely, "Let me tell you, you can forget about getting your way! Your own brother, Li Yanzhang, has an affair with Qi Dou's concubine, Shi Yan! Your whole family will suffer!"
Li Xingyi already knew about Li Yanzhang and Shi Yan's affair; the Frost Cold Sect's intelligence wasn't that bad.
Li Xingyi calmly replied, "I know."
Shi Hui was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, then became even more furious and said, "You don't need to pretend to be calm! So what if you know?! Will Qi Dou tolerate you?!"
Li Xingyi looked at her calmly.
Shi Hui suddenly realized something and burst into laughter: "Hahahaha! Li Xingyi, you are the head of the Frost Cold Sect and the leader of the martial arts alliance! You actually violated the sect rules and fell in love with Qi Dou?!"
"Aren't you afraid your master will kill you, this unfilial disciple who violated the sect rules?!" She laughed, her voice trembling with emotion.
Li Xingyi calmly said, "I am now the leader of the Frostbite Sect, and I set the rules. Who dares to touch me?"
Seeing her grow even more frantic, Shi Hui gripped the iron bars tightly and roared, "No! You won't get away with this! Your Li family won't get away with this! Even if I die, I'll drag your entire Li family down with me!"
Li Xingyi looked at her and said, "Shi Hui, do you want to see Qi Min?"
Upon hearing the name Qi Min, Shi Hui paused noticeably, her emotions calming down. She opened her mouth and then closed it, finally shaking her head and saying, "No, I can't, I can't let Min'er see me like this. Min'er will be scared and won't talk to me, just like back then."
Young Qi Min was frightened and was carried away from Shi Hui by Qi Lie.
Li Xingyi lowered his eyes slightly and said, "Qi Min misses you very much."
Upon hearing this, Shi Hui deflated like a punctured balloon, collapsing to the ground with a single tear rolling down her cheek.
She smiled bitterly and said, "Min'er is a good child. It is I who have wronged her, leaving her all alone."
Then Shi Hui looked at Li Xingyi and said, "Tell Ji Xi to take good care of Min'er, otherwise I will haunt him even as a ghost."
Li Xingyi understood what she meant, turned around and left, saying, "Okay."
After they came out, Qingyi said from the side, "Your Majesty, the grudges have been resolved."
Looking at the trees, flowers, grass, butterflies, and blue sky and white clouds in front of him, Li Xingyi patted his belly and said, "Yes, this is the beginning of my happy life."
Qingyi smiled and said, "Yes, yes, Your Highness is carrying a little master in your belly. You'll be very happy in the future."
Li Xingyi looked at Qingyi and asked, "Qingyi, do you like Zhao Hongxing?"
At this moment, Qi Dou and Zhao Hongxing were hiding to the side listening, and Zhao Hongxing was extremely nervous.
Qingyi blurted out, "I like it."
Zhao Hongxing immediately breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. Li Xingyi then asked, "Then, are you willing to marry him?"
Qingyi smiled and said, "Of course."
Li Xingyi said, "In that case, you should get married on September 17th."
Upon hearing this, Qingyi immediately stopped laughing and said with some grievance, "Does Your Highness no longer want this servant?"
Li Xingyi said softly, "Qingyi, I won't abandon you. I just don't want you to give up your own happiness for me."
Qingyi hurriedly knelt on the ground, tugging at Li Xingyi's clothes, and said, "Your Majesty, this servant does not want to leave you, please do not let this servant go, okay?"
Li Xingyi looked at her eyes, which were about to cry, and gently patted her head, saying, "Getting married doesn't mean leaving me. If you want to stay by my side, then stay. I won't kick you out."
Upon hearing this, Qingyi immediately smiled and said, "Alright, Your Highness must keep your word."
Li Xingyi reached out and pulled her up, saying, "I know."
Qingyi dusted off her clothes and asked, "Your Highness, Zhao Hongxing isn't a real eunuch, but he has the identity of one. How can he marry me?"
Li Xingyi glanced at Qi Dou and Zhao Hongxing, who were hiding to the side, and asked, "What does Your Majesty think?"
Seeing this, Qi Dou hurriedly came out and said, "I have already thought it through. Hongxing has rendered meritorious service in saving the emperor, so he is hereby appointed as an imperial bodyguard. Considering that you and Qingyi are in love, I hereby bestow marriage upon you, and the wedding will take place on the seventeenth of September."
Upon hearing this, the two immediately knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, we thank you."
Qi Dou said, "Get up."
The two then stood up, and Li Xingyi looked at Qi Dou and asked, "Your Majesty, when will Shi Hui be executed?"
Qi Dou said, "Tomorrow at noon."
At this moment, Zhao Hongxing suddenly thought of something and said, "Your Majesty, if I were to become a bodyguard, what would you do if you had no one by your side?"
Qi Dou laughed and said, "I think your subordinate Xiao Dezi is quite good. From now on, let him serve as the chief eunuch."
Zhao Hongxing replied, "It is Your Majesty's good fortune to have taken a liking to Xiao Dezi. This servant thanks Your Majesty on his behalf."
At night, Liang Qu arrived at the prison accompanied by Hui Deng. He took the food box from Hui Deng, gently placed it on the ground, opened it, and took out a plate of Jade Dew Pastries, which were pastries that Liang Qu often brought to Shi Hui in the past.
Shi Hui looked at the pastries in front of her and chuckled, "Liang Qu, Jade Dew Dumplings are too ordinary. I haven't liked them for a long time."
Not only did Yu Lu Tuan dislike him, but he also disliked Liang Qu, feeling only disgust.
Liang Qu replied, "I know, but I just wanted to tell you that the taste of this pastry is still the same as it was back then, just like always."
The pastries tasted the same, and Liang Qu's feelings for Shi Hui remained unchanged. This was the most sincere childhood friendship, as always.
Shi Hui leaned against the wall and said, "The pastries still taste the same, but they are not the same as they were back then."
The person remains the same, but she is no longer the innocent girl she once was.
The next day at noon, Shi Hui was taken to Caishikou for execution. Li Xingyi watched this scene quietly, as if he were seeing Li Hehua from back then.
"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Empress Dowager Shi Hui has colluded with the enemy and betrayed the country, plotting to seize power and usurp the throne. Her crimes are heinous. At noon today, she shall be beheaded and her head displayed to the public. This is the imperial decree." A servant beside the executioner read the imperial edict.
The executioner glanced at the sky, where the sun was shining brightly. He picked up a plaque with the word "execution" on it and threw it out. Upon seeing this, the executioner picked up the knife he had prepared and slashed at Shi Hui.
In the ninth month of the first year of the Taigan reign, Empress Dowager Shi Hui, the stepmother, was found guilty of treason and collusion with the enemy. She and her remaining followers were sentenced to beheading.
After this incident, the officials in the imperial court were completely transformed.
Inside the princess's residence, Qi Min was swinging back and forth on a swing when a maid ran up and said, "Princess! Princess! The Empress Dowager has already executed someone to show her respect!"
Upon hearing this, Qi Min immediately stood up and grabbed her shoulders, saying, "What did you say? What do you mean by beheading and public display?"
The maid confessed, "Just now, Empress Dowager Shi Hui was beheaded at Caishikou."
"Boom!" Qi Min felt as if she had been struck by lightning. She let go of her hand and slowly backed away, feeling that she had no strength left in her body.
"Bang!" Qi Min finally couldn't take it anymore and collapsed to the ground.
Upon seeing this, the maidservant hurriedly stepped forward and called out, "Princess! Princess!"
Just then, Ji Xi returned to the manor and rushed over upon hearing the noise. He quickly picked up Qi Min and carried her to the house, saying, "Quick! Call a doctor!"
In her dream, Qi Min seemed to have returned to her childhood, perched on Qi Lie's shoulder, gazing out a window, while Shi Hui, inside the room, peered through the window and called out to her, "Min'er, Min'er..."
"Min'er... Min'er!" Qi Min suddenly opened her eyes and was greeted by Ji Xi, who looked worried.
When Ji Xi saw that she had woken up, he asked, "Min'er, how are you?"
Looking at Ji Xi and listening to his words, Qi Min could no longer hold back her sorrow. She stood up, hugged him, and cried out, "Ji Xi, waaaaah! I have no mother left! I have no one left in this world who is my closest relative!"
Ji Xi hugged her back tenderly and comforted her, "Don't be afraid, I will always be with you."
Qi Min cried hysterically, as if she wanted to vent all the sadness and pain in her heart.
Ji Xi gently patted her back and whispered, "Min'er, don't cry, okay? Your health is more important."
Upon hearing this, Qi Min struggled to control her tears, sobbing as she asked, "...What...does that mean?"
Ji Xi separated from her, took Qi Min's hand and placed it on her stomach, saying gently, "Min'er, we have a child."
Upon hearing this, Qi Min was stunned and couldn't react for a long time.
Seeing this, Ji Xi gently held her hand and said, "Min'er, you have many loved ones. You have me, your parents, your children, His Majesty, and the princesses and princes. You won't be lonely. I told you I would always be with you."
Qi Min stared blankly at him, overwhelmed with emotion and joy, tears streaming down her face. She wiped her tears as she cried, but when she realized she couldn't wipe them away completely, she could only cover her face and cry.
Ji Xi reached out and hugged her again. This time he didn't say anything and let Qi Min cry, because he knew that only by letting Qi Min fully vent her emotions could she feel better.
Inside the Phoenix Palace, Qi Dou was drinking tea with Li Xingyi when Qingyi quickly stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, Your Highness, Princess Huimin is pregnant."
Li Xingyi said calmly, "Judging by the time, it should be time for good news."
Ji Xi is strong and healthy, no matter what, it's impossible for him to have no progress in one or two months.
Upon hearing this, Qi Dou thought of Qi Wenzhe and realized that he hadn't responded yet, so he suddenly spat out some tea to the side.
He exclaimed, "Impossible! Why hasn't he made a move yet?!"
Qingyi, Qianwu, Zhao Hongxing, and Xiaodezi looked at Qi Dou with confusion.
Li Xingyi looked at Qi Dou and asked, "What does A Dou mean by this?"
Qi Dou hurriedly sat down again and explained, "I just remembered that my elder sister's belly hasn't shown any signs of pregnancy yet. I thought that Minister Qi's health should be fine, so I don't understand why."
Upon hearing this, Li Xingyi looked at him calmly and said, "Then please ask A Dou and Guard Ji to pass on their experience to Imperial Censor Qi."
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