After much deliberation, the Empress Dowager finally suppressed her impulse, pursed her lips, lowered her eyes, and sighed softly.
After leaving Cining Palace, Su An had no choice but to let the palace maids lead her to Haitang Garden, like a mechanical puppet.
The snow outside was falling heavier and heavier, seemingly about to submerge the entire imperial city. Everything in sight was a vast expanse of white, with only a few faint candlelights from the palace lanterns barely able to illuminate the outline of the blue brick road.
Standing by the window, Su An tightened his cloak, frowned, and looked into the distance.
I wonder how Fu Zhun is doing now. Even if he doesn't want me to worry, it's too cruel of him not to send any news for so long!
Just as she was worrying, a gentle and obedient-looking palace maid pushed open the door and walked in, curtsying to her.
"Miss Su, the Empress Dowager has arrived."
No sooner had she finished speaking than a gust of wind and snow swept in through the doorway, carrying the Empress Dowager's cloak, and the chill that followed quickly spread throughout her body.
"I have something to say to the Empress Dowager in private. You may leave now."
Su An waved his hand at her and calmly gave the order.
Upon hearing this, the palace maid quickly withdrew.
The old woman took off the Empress Dowager's cloak, dusted off the snow at the door, and then closed the door.
Su An poured a cup of hot tea, pushed it in front of the Empress Dowager, and thanked her.
"Thank you for your help before, Your Majesty. I thought I would never have the chance to thank you in person again, but I never expected to come back again after all this time."
She gave a bitter laugh, as if mocking herself.
Although the Empress Dowager was not as perfect as she imagined, at least she did not take advantage of her and even helped her a lot.
Both out of courtesy and reason, she should express her gratitude.
The Empress Dowager frowned, glanced at the tea on the table, but did not pick it up. Instead, she turned her head slightly and looked warily toward the door.
Seeing that there was no suspicious person at the door, she took out a clean white porcelain bottle from her sleeve.
She placed the porcelain bottle in Su An's hand and sighed.
"I know that you only have the Prince of Zhenbei in your heart and do not want to marry into the palace. I had no choice but to compromise back then, but you have other options. I don't want to watch you follow the same path as me."
Su An frowned in confusion, took the porcelain bottle in his hand, examined it carefully, and then uncorked it and smelled it.
A strong herbal aroma immediately filled the air.
Before she could ask, the Empress Dowager took the initiative to explain to her.
"This is a fake death drug that I specially had someone find. Once you take it, you will stop breathing and lose your pulse in no time, which is no different from being dead."
"But you don't need to worry too much. After three days, once the effects of the medicine wear off, you will regain consciousness."
The Empress Dowager, still worried, continued to give instructions.
"During this period, I will ensure your safety and have His Majesty take you outside the city for burial. Once outside the city, find an opportunity to leave the capital. Go as far away as possible and never appear before His Majesty again."
Su An gripped the porcelain bottle tightly, her heart filled with mixed emotions, her eyes slightly red.
This is indeed a good method.
But she still has family. She can walk away, but given Chu Yi's methods, if she realizes she has lied to him afterward, he will definitely target her family.
She did want to leave the palace, but she cared more about the safety of her family.
She took a deep breath, slowly opened her palm, handed the porcelain bottle back to the Empress Dowager, and shook her head with a wry smile.
"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty. My death is nothing to me, but if it implicates my family, even if I manage to escape the palace, I will surely live in constant fear. I do not wish to live such a wretched life."
"You won't have to worry about that. Although my power in the palace is not what it used to be, I still have the ability to protect your family. You can leave as you wish, and I will take care of your family. He won't dare to go too far."
Knowing her concerns, the Empress Dowager raised her hand, returned the porcelain vase, snorted, and said in a forceful tone.
Su An pursed her lips and nodded, her eyes fixed on the porcelain bottle.
After hesitating for a long time, she finally made up her mind, exchanged a glance with the Empress Dowager, and nodded emphatically.
"Very well, then I will respectfully accept your offer. Thank you for your help, Your Majesty. If we meet again in the future, I will do my utmost to repay your kindness!"
The Empress Dowager slightly raised her lips, a hint of relief flashing in her eyes.
She stood up, and the nanny beside her immediately stepped forward to drape a cloak over her shoulders before leaving the Begonia Garden.
Not long after the Empress Dowager left, Su An took out the pills from the porcelain bottle and drank them with tea.
Then, she lay quietly on the bed and closed her eyes.
The next day, when the palace maid saw that she had not gotten up for a long time, she pushed open the door and went in to check on her.
The person who should have been sleeping soundly on the bed was now lifeless. Not only was their face as pale as paper and their lips as black, but their body had also become cold and they had stopped breathing.
The palace maid stared in horror, her eyes wide, and trembled as she took a few steps back.
"Miss Su has died from poisoning!"
She ran outside while shouting frantically.
Before long, everyone in the palace knew about it, and all the concubines and Chu Yi gathered at the Begonia Garden.
Looking at Su An, lifeless on the bed, Chu Yi frowned, his eyes filled with rage. He clenched his fists and urged the imperial physician in a cold voice, "What's wrong? What poison has she been given? Is there any hope?"
His body was already cold; what could be done to save him?
The imperial physician knelt down tremblingly, cold sweat pouring down his forehead, and said in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, Miss Su has been dead for some time. This poison is extremely potent, and I am powerless to help."
Chu Yi suddenly raised his foot and kicked him back, gritting his teeth and cursing angrily.
"How dare you lie to me? Aren't you afraid I'll chop off your head? She values her life so much, how could she possibly die?"
The imperial physician prostrated himself on the ground, not daring to say a word.
Instead, the Empress Dowager frowned in displeasure and spoke up to remind her.
"The deceased is gone, Your Majesty, please accept our condolences and do not implicate innocent people. Moreover, if Your Majesty had not insisted on bringing Miss Su into the palace, Miss Su would not have been so distraught as to seek her own death. All of this was forced upon her by Your Majesty."
The sarcasm in his words was made no attempt to conceal it.
Upon hearing this, Chu Yi's face turned ashen. He turned and glared at the Empress Dowager, then asked a palace maid beside him.
"Who did Miss Su see yesterday?"
The palace maid looked up at the Empress Dowager and said in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, yesterday...yesterday only the Empress Dowager came to the Begonia Garden, and Miss Su had a long private talk with the Empress Dowager. As for what they talked about, this servant has no idea."
Upon hearing this, Chu Yi's eyes sharpened, and he strolled to the Empress Dowager, his gaze meeting hers with a sinister intensity.
"What did you say to her yesterday? Why did she commit suicide by poisoning herself?"
Su An slept peacefully, without any signs of struggle, suggesting that she was willing to die and was not forced by anyone else.
But she always cherished her life and would never commit suicide by poison without a reason!
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