Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager's expression changed slightly. She took a deep breath, lifted her skirt, and knelt down with a thud, pleading with Fu Zhun.
"Even if he has made a thousand mistakes, he is still the child I raised with my own hands."
"I have long regarded him as my own child, how could I bear to watch him die? Now that he has realized his mistake and no longer has the ability to do evil, I beg the Prince of Zhenbei to spare his life for the sake of the late Emperor!"
Fu Zhun frowned and remained silent.
At this time, the army had already stormed into the city and taken complete control of the situation.
Su An was worried about Fu Zhun and Li Guihua. Seeing that there was no danger in the city, she lifted her skirt and hurriedly ran over.
She overheard their entire conversation.
After all, the Empress Dowager was Chu Yi's nominal mother, and she had helped him a lot in the palace. Even though Su An felt a thousand resentments, they all turned into sympathy at this moment.
She slowed her pace, sighed softly, stood beside the Empress Dowager, and looked directly at Fu Zhun.
"Although the Empress Dowager's actions were inappropriate, what she said was not without reason. After all, he is the nominal emperor, while you are a subject. A subject who murders his emperor will inevitably be criticized. Moreover, if it weren't for the Empress Dowager's help today, we wouldn't have been able to take the capital so easily."
"Shouldn't this merit outweigh this minor transgression? Fu Zhun, why don't we forgive the Empress Dowager this time?"
Hearing Su An say this, Fu Zhun pursed his lips and nodded.
He was about to agree when he heard the Empress Dowager suddenly chuckle and kowtow to Fu Zhun.
“If the emperor breaks the law, he should be punished the same as the common people. Moreover, I am the mother of the nation and should set an example. I know that I have committed a grave sin by letting the tyrant go today, and I do not expect the Prince of Zhenbei to forgive me.”
"I, Your Majesty, am willing to be demoted to a commoner as a form of punishment."
"I only ask that the Prince of Zhenbei, out of consideration for the late Emperor, protect the royal bloodline and not let the people of the world lose heart."
Upon hearing this, Fu Zhun's brows relaxed slightly, and a complex emotion flickered in his eyes.
Upon hearing this, Su An gasped, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. He turned to look at the Empress Dowager, frowned, and whispered words of comfort.
"Your Majesty, please don't act rashly. This is not a big deal, and I believe Fu Zhun will not be too harsh on you."
Knowing that Su An meant well, the Empress Dowager straightened up, gently shook her head, and smiled.
"I appreciate Miss Su's kindness, but I am not saying this on a whim. I have thought it through carefully. I entered the palace when I was young and have been confined to this deep palace every day without any freedom."
"I have repaid the debt of gratitude to my family over the past few decades. For the rest of my life, I want to live for myself."
As she spoke, a glimmer of light appeared in the Empress Dowager's eyes, as if she had high hopes for the future.
She pursed her lips and looked at Su An.
"Moreover, for me, living in seclusion in the world, eating simple meals every day, is not a shackle, but rather a kind of liberation."
Suddenly, Su An remembered what the Empress Dowager had said before.
She said she wanted to ask me to do something for her, but she didn't make it clear at the time. Su An didn't take it to heart then, but now that she thinks about it, perhaps the Empress Dowager had already made this plan.
Su An naturally understood the Empress Dowager's thoughts.
She refused to pay money multiple times because she didn't want to be confined to a small space and only wanted to pursue freedom and live an unrestrained life.
Su An's heart stirred, and she suddenly curved her lips into a smile. She moved closer to Fu Zhun, gently shook his arm, and tried to persuade him.
"Your Majesty is absolutely right. Look how young you are."
"She has already spent the best years of her life in the deep palace. How many decades does one have in a lifetime? Considering the Empress Dowager's great contributions, why not give her a small punishment and send her to experience the hardships of life?"
As she spoke, she blinked.
Su An is a person of strong likes and dislikes, and it's rare for him to plead for others.
Seeing her like this, Fu Zhun shook his head, both amused and exasperated, his gaze softening considerably, and nodded slightly.
"You're right. Although the Empress Dowager is sincerely repentant, let's punish her severely as a warning. From today onwards, let's demote the Empress Dowager to a commoner and let her experience the hardships of ordinary people!"
Upon hearing this, a hint of relief flashed in the Empress Dowager's eyes. She slowly rose and bowed deeply to Fu Zhun.
"Thank you for your kindness, Prince Zhenbei!"
Then, the Empress Dowager's gaze swept over Su An, and the corners of her mouth turned up slightly as she expressed her gratitude.
"Thank you very much, Miss Su, for pleading on my behalf. Miss Su is an excellent woman, and I am sure that everything will go smoothly for you in the future, and you will get what you want!"
Su An smiled and returned the greeting, offering the same blessings.
"Then I also wish that Your Majesty finds what you desire among the common people, and that you live a peaceful and carefree life."
Fu Zhun sighed softly, turned his head slightly, and gave instructions to the deputy general beside him.
"Although the Empress Dowager has been demoted to a commoner, she has worked hard for the Great Chu for many years and should be properly taken care of. We must not neglect her. Prepare some clothes and valuables, and arrange a carriage to send the Empress Dowager out of the palace."
"In addition, all the servants of Cining Palace will continue to serve the Empress Dowager as their master and will leave the palace with her."
The deputy general accepted the order and left. Although the people in the palace were surprised, they all obeyed.
The Empress Dowager bowed gratefully, turned around, and her gaze fell on the familiar palace wall. A complex emotion flashed in her eyes, a mixture of reluctance and relief.
She took a deep breath and slowly stepped out of the palace gate, the palace walls behind her gradually receding into the distance.
Li Guihua's injuries were too severe and she did not receive proper treatment, causing her to faint.
The deputy general has already settled her in the palace and found a royal physician to treat her.
Although the severed hand could not be reattached, fortunately the bleeding had stopped. The imperial physician said that with careful recuperation, although it would not be as flexible as a normal person in the future, it would not affect daily life too much.
In addition, the three dolls were also brought back by the people sent out by Fu Zhun.
Upon seeing Li Guihua and Su An, the three children's eyes glistened with tears. They rushed into Su An's arms, clutching her sleeves tightly, as if afraid that they would leave again if they weren't careful.
"Mother, eldest sister, are you alright?"
"Waaah... Yueyue thought she would never see her older sister and mother again."
...
Seeing his worried expression, Su An's heart softened. She gently stroked their hair and softly comforted them.
"Don't be afraid, our family will never be separated again."
This heartwarming scene moved Fu Zhun deeply, and a hint of warmth flashed in his eyes.
With the family reunited and Li Guihua's injuries gradually stabilizing, Su An finally felt relieved.
After several days of rest, the situation in the palace stabilized. With the support of all the ministers, Fu Zhun was elected as the new emperor and put in charge of all affairs of the Great Chu.
After finishing his duties in court, Fu Zhun wanted to relax in the Imperial Garden.
But he was only stunned for a moment. When he looked up again, he was already in the palace where Su An was temporarily staying.
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