Chapter 72
Yi Luoyao was stunned for a moment, then sneered at Gong Yuchen.
"What? You're still trying to bluff at this hour? I personally poisoned this wine. Without my antidote, none of you will survive more than two hours! Also, the guards inside and outside the palace are all carefully selected warriors by me, or are you counting on the garrison outside the city? Hahahaha, let me be honest with you. I poisoned them a long time ago, and they've already collapsed. Do you think you can still turn the tables?"
"Really?" Gong Yuchen curled up the corner of his mouth in a sneer, slowly stood up straight, and his originally pale face gradually returned to normal.
"Do you really think you poisoned this wine? To tell you the truth, I had someone replace the poisoned wine you prepared long before the banquet. The reason we feel unwell is because we had Doctor Li add some medicine that will cause temporary abdominal pain and dizziness. This medicine will relieve itself in just two quarters of an hour and will not harm the body or life."
As soon as he finished speaking, the officials in the hall who had originally looked painful all recovered.
"In order to gain your trust, I have to suffer this punishment." King Cheng stood up while holding the table.
Wu Cheng, Liu Wen and others also stood up and looked at Yi Luoyao.
"Although it's a self-torture tactic, I was in so much pain just now that I almost fainted. But I feel much better now." Liu Wen said as he stretched his muscles.
Yi Luoyao and his mother's expressions suddenly changed, and they looked at them in disbelief.
"You! Impossible! I clearly had people carefully watching the kitchen, and my men were guarding every step. How could you have replaced them?"
"Do you really think everyone will obey you? Your so-called confidant, the steward Wang who guards the wine cellar, did you know that his only daughter was once the Empress Dowager's maid? When he learned that his daughter was poisoned, do you think he would still help you? You would never have thought that he not only replaced the poisoned wine for me, but also gave me the secret letters between you and Minzhou Farmer Zhang Yuantai."
Gong Yuchen took out a secret letter from his arms and threw it in front of Yi Luoyao.
"You used Minzhou Farmer Zhang Yuantai to secretly hoard grain and fodder, exchanged imperial horses for war horses, killed the head of the imperial stables to silence them, poisoned the troops stationed outside the city, and colluded with Gong Yuxian to lead troops into the city. Each of these actions is enough to kill you hundreds of times!"
"Even if you know it was me who did it, so what? Can't you hear the noise outside the palace gate?"
Through the wide-open palace doors, the sounds of fierce fighting and the collision of weapons outside the palace, and the neighing of war horses pierced the night sky, and the flames dyed half of the sky red.
"Of course I heard it, but that was the sound of killing the rebels. Yi Luoyao, you'd better give up struggling. You have no chance." King Cheng stared at Yi Luoyao.
"You're talking nonsense!" Yi Luoyao's eyes became almost crazy.
Just then Gong Yuxian ran in in a panic.
"Your Highness! It's bad! Our army is surrounded by the garrison outside the city!"
The expression on Yi Luoyao's face froze instantly, and he said in disbelief.
"What did you say? Aren't they all infected with the plague?"
"We were cheated, they are all fine!" Gong Yuxian was so anxious that he was sweating profusely.
"Now the palace is full of Wu Cheng's personal soldiers, we can't get out!"
Shu Fei turned around abruptly and grabbed Yi Luoyao's arm.
"Yao'er! What should we do?"
Yi Luoyao suppressed the panic in his heart.
"Why panic? Even if we're surrounded, we can still break out!"
"Shu Fei, you still don't repent at this point!" Yi Xuanxin looked at Yi Luoyao and his mother with heartache.
Shu Fei raised her head and looked at Yi Xuanxun, her eyes full of unwillingness.
"Why? I don't accept it! I gave birth to your children and sacrificed so much for the Yi Kingdom. Why can't I be the queen? Why can't my son be the crown prince?"
"Why?" A cold voice came from outside the hall. Li Fei and Qin Ying walked in.
"Based on Qin Ying's testimony, based on the Empress Dowager and Empress you poisoned, based on the fact that you drugged me and accused me of defilement, based on the assassins you sent to kill Gong Yuchen and Luo Yue!"
Qin Ying walked into the hall and knelt down, her eyes full of hatred.
"Your Majesty, I am Qin Ying, a third-class maid in the Queen's palace. Back then, Concubine Shu forced me to poison the Queen's clothes, which resulted in the deaths of the Empress Dowager, the Queen and the prince in her womb. I cannot atone for my crime even if I die a thousand times, but it was Concubine Shu who was the instigator. I have lived in such a miserable state until today. Now I have told Your Majesty everything. I beg Your Majesty to punish Concubine Shu and the virtuous king severely." After saying this, she drew a dagger from her sleeve and hanged herself on the spot.
Shu Fei stumbled back a few steps and collapsed on the ground. It was over, it was really over this time. Years of planning, years of forbearance, all turned into nothing at this moment.
Yi Luoyao's cheek twitched and a feeling of despair rose in his heart. He knew that he had failed in this attempt to force the emperor to abdicate.
“I wonder where I failed?”
"You failed because of your greed and self-righteousness." Gong Yuchen looked at him coldly.
"Since the plan has failed, I won't let you off easily!" Yi Luoyao suddenly jumped up.
"Get started."
"Ah! Your Highness the Princess!" Zhang Liang, the chief steward of the Imperial Household Department beside Yi Xuanyin, screamed.
At some point, Madam Zhao, who was beside Concubine Shu, quietly walked to Yi Luoyue's side, and while no one was paying attention, she pulled out a dagger and put it on Yi Luoyue's neck.
"Get out of the way, everyone." Nanny Zhao forced everyone to step back and dragged Yi Luoyue in front of Yi Luoyao.
Yi Luoyao grabbed Yi Luoyue's arm and pulled her in front of him. He placed the dagger on her neck. The sharp blade touched her skin, leaving a shallow blood mark.
"Don't come over here! Otherwise I will kill her now!"
"Yi Luoyao, let her go!" Gong Yuchen's face darkened. He took a step forward, his eyes full of murderous intent.
"Yi Luoyao, let Yue'er go! If you hurt her, even if it means death, I will torture you to death!" Yi Xuanqin roared in shock.
"Death by slow slicing? I'm already like this now, what am I afraid of? You always keep her in your heart and give her all your love and care! Obviously, I am your eldest prince." Yi Luoyao grabbed Yi Luoyue and retreated step by step, retreating towards the palace gate.
"Get out of my way! Or I'll kill her!"
Seeing this, everyone didn't dare to act rashly and could only watch Yi Luoyao grab Yi Luoyue and retreat outside the palace gate.
"I want to take her out of the city. If you dare to chase her, I will kill her!"
"Let her go, and I can let you go." Gong Yuchen's face looked calm, but his heart was burning with anger.
"Don't worry about me, he won't let me go!" Yi Luoyue suppressed her fear and shook her head at Gong Yuchen.
But Yi Luoyao tightened his grip on her shoulders and brought the dagger closer.
"If you keep talking, I'll slash your face with my sword! Let's see if Gong Yuchen will still want you!"
In a dark corner that no one noticed, a little girl in a pink skirt was holding a small slingshot. She held two small stones in her hands and put them into the leather pockets of the slingshot. She pulled the slingshot, aimed at Yi Luoyao's two hands and shot them separately, while also speaking to remind Gong Yuchen.
Gong Yuchen heard a childish voice suddenly sounded.
"Daddy, please save Mom!"
"Ah!" Yi Luoyao felt pain in his hands, and as he let go of Yi Luoyue, the dagger in his hand fell to the ground. Gong Yuchen seized this opportunity and pounced on Yi Luoyao with lightning speed. In the blink of an eye, he wrapped his arms around Yi Luoyue's waist, pulled her behind him, and kicked Yi Luoyao in the chest.
"Ah!" Yi Luoyao was kicked back repeatedly, falling to one knee and spitting blood. He had originally thought Gong Yuchen was just a mediocre martial artist, but he hadn't expected him to be so fierce and terrifying! He truly was a hidden talent. He had underestimated him!
Seeing that her father had rescued her mother, Xiaoyue ran out from the shadows, panting. She had originally gone back to the palace with Yi Luoyue, but after seeing Yi Luoyue go out again, she secretly followed him.
But she was caught by Gong Yuxian who suddenly rushed out when she was halfway through. Gong Yuxian turned around quickly and brought her to Yi Luoyao. He grabbed her neck with his left hand, picked up the dagger on the ground with his right hand, and said to Gong Yuchen in a cold voice.
"Gong Yuchen, this is your precious daughter. If you don't want her to die, let us go!"
Xiaoyue'er had difficulty breathing due to the strangulation, her little face flushed red, but she still looked at Gong Yuxian stubbornly.
"My father...will not let you go..."
Yi Luoyao looked at Xiaoyue'er, a hint of ruthlessness flashed in his eyes. He snatched the dagger from Gong Yuxian's hand, put it on Xiaoyue'er's neck, and retreated step by step towards the city wall not far away.
"Gong Yuchen, don't you love this daughter the most? I want to see which is more important, my life or your daughter's life!"
"Yi Luoyao, let Xiaoyue'er go! Come to me if you have any problem!" Gong Yuchen looked at the kidnapped Xiaoyue'er. Although he was extremely anxious, he did not dare to act rashly.
Yi Luoyue was so anxious that tears were streaming down her face. She pulled Gong Yuchen's sleeve, her voice trembling.
"Gong Yuchen, think of a solution quickly. Xiaoyue'er is still so young..."
Gong Yuchen held Yi Luoyue's hand tightly and looked at Yi Luoyao with cold eyes.
"Yi Luoyao, if you hurt her, I will tear you into pieces! Life will be worse than death!"
But Yi Luoyao showed an almost crazy smile on his face.
"Gong Yuchen, aren't you very powerful? Aren't you in control of everything? Didn't you set up the plan long ago? But now your daughter is in my hands, what dare you do?"
"Yi Luoyao! I will give you whatever you want! As long as you let Xiaoyueer go!" Yi Luoyue cried and begged. As long as Xiaoyueer was safe, she would not care about anything else.
Although tears of fear welled up in Xiaoyue'er's eyes, she still shouted to Gong Yuchen and Yi Luoyue.
"Daddy, Mommy, I'm not afraid! Don't come over here, don't let the bad guys hurt you!..."
Yi Luoyao's eyes were wild, his hair disheveled, and his expression dark, like a demon. Grabbing Xiaoyue'er, he quickly climbed up the city wall. The tower was dozens of feet high; a fall from it would surely be fatal. Standing atop the tower, Yi Luoyao looked down at the guards surrounding him, then at Gong Yuchen, Yi Luoyue, and the others who followed closely behind.
"I have planned for so long, laid out my plans, bribed officials, and trained assassins, all for this day! But you destroyed everything of mine! Everything I had! My throne... it's all gone! What's the point of me living? Since I can't survive, you can forget about having an easy life! This little girl, just consider her to be buried with me!" After saying that, he stepped onto the city wall and jumped down with Xiaoyue'er.
"Father! Mother!" Xiaoyue screamed in fright.
"No!!!" Yi Luoyue let out a heart-wrenching roar.
"Xiao Yue'er!!"
But the most unbelievable scene happened to them. Everyone clearly saw Xiaoyue'er falling from the city wall and being wrapped in a beam of blue-purple light. In just a moment, her figure suddenly disappeared...
Xiao Yue'er suddenly turned into thin air and vanished before their eyes. The "tear crystal stone" slowly fell from the sky, lying quietly on the ground, emitting a faint blue-purple light.
The next day, Yi Luoyue personally appeared before the court to expose all of Yi Luoyao's crimes, presenting all the evidence. Consort Shu, Nanny Zhao, and Gong Yuxian were sentenced to lingchi (death by slicing), while the virtuous king's wives and concubines were beheaded. Yi Tianhao and Yi Tianya, due to their young age, were demoted to commoners. All those implicated in the conspiracy were brought to justice.
Due to Xiaoyue'er's disappearance, Gong Yuchen and Yi Luoyue's marriage was temporarily put on hold.
Three days after the “wedding banquet”, at the Four Gods Temple.
"Master Liaowu, can you tell us where Xiaoyueer went?"
After witnessing Xiaoyue'er disappearing out of thin air, Gong Yuchen and Yi Luoyue felt that Master Liaowu must know something, so they hurried to the "Four Gods Temple".
"The little princess once hung a prayer plaque on the prayer tree behind the temple. You two can go and take a look." Master Liaowu's eyes were clear as he guided the two.
After some searching, Gong Yuchen and Yi Luoyue found Xiaoyue'er's prayer board on the prayer tree, with something crookedly written on it.
"On the tenth day of the sixth month of the Wuchen month of the Duke Yuyou, I will be with my father, the emperor, and my mother, the empress, forever."
"Father, Mother." Xiaoyue'er stroked the words on the prayer card. Before she disappeared, she called out "Father!" "Mother!"
"Wu Chen, isn't that next year? Xiao Yue once said that he and you were born on the same day!" Yi Luoyue looked at Gong Yuchen in surprise.
Could it be! Yi Luoyue gently stroked her abdomen. She didn't disappear, but was just with them in another way?
After everything was settled, Gong Yuchen took Yi Luoyue back to Xiyi and the two held another grand wedding.
Seven years later.
Looking at my daughter who is sleeping soundly on the bed, she is such a cute little thing, with a pink and round face, a slightly pointed nose, a small mouth, and two rows of curly and curled eyelashes on her sleepy eyelids.
"Hmm..." The little guy's eyelashes moved, and then he opened his big black eyes and stared at Yi Luoyue, calling out in confusion.
"Mother?"
"Xiao Yue'er is awake! Gong Yuchen! Xiao Yue'er is awake!" Yi Luoyue exclaimed softly.
Hearing Yi Luoyue's cry, several people rushed into the room. There were Gong Yuchen, Li Fei and his wife, and the abdicated Emperor Yi Xuanxin, who was living in Xiyi.
"Xiao Yue'er, are you okay?" Yi Xuanxin asked with concern, holding the little hand of his beloved child.
"Grandfather? What's wrong with me?" Xiaoyueer seemed to have not figured out the situation yet and looked confused.
"You fell off your horse while riding in the hunting ground, do you remember?" Gong Yuchen reminded her in a joking voice and touched his daughter's forehead. Xiaoyue had been in a coma for two days, and his haggard expression made him feel distressed. Could it be that she couldn't even recognize them?
After investigation, it turned out that Xiaoyueer fell off her horse because the horse she was riding was shot by a hidden arrow by Yi Tianhao, who had been demoted to a commoner. However, Yi Tianhao is now dead, so of course he would not tell Yi Luoyue and Yi Xuanxin about this matter.
"Gong Yuchen!" Yi Luoyue glared at him.
"I was wrong. Don't be angry. Be careful of the children." It's pitiful that the cold and majestic King of Xiyi was bullied to the point where he couldn't be bullied anymore by the queen and the princess at home. But who taught him to love his wife so deeply and his daughter so deeply?
"Riding a horse? Didn't I fall off the city wall?"
Everyone looked at each other and asked her in unison.
"City walls?"
"Yes?
"Xiao Yue'er, are you dreaming?" Yi Luoyue nervously held Gong Yuchen's hand.
"Was it a dream?"
"Xiaoyue'er, can you tell us what happened in your dream after you fell off the horse?" Yi Luoyue looked at her daughter's face with gentle eyes.
"Hmm... let me think... I fell off my horse and when I opened my eyes I was on the street in Yidu. Then I found my young father and went home with him..."
"...Then he threw me off the city wall. Then I woke up and saw my mother."
The seven-year-long suspicion seems to have finally been answered: Xiaoyue'er's mysterious origin and bizarre disappearance.
But I remember what my father and mother said. If I meet my father and mother who don’t know Xiaoyue’er, I can’t tell them anything no matter what you ask, because my mother said that if I tell them, I may not be able to return home. So I didn’t say anything. Xiaoyue’er is great, right?
"Yes, our Xiaoyue is the best! Xiaoyue is tired too. Father and Mother are here with you. You should have a good sleep.
"And my little brother." Xiaoyue'er's little hand stroked Yi Luoyue's belly.
"Yes, and my little brother." Yi Luoyue leaned in Gong Yuchen's arms, looking at her sleeping daughter. This is her world, and eternity...
Half a year later.
Yi Luoyue, holding her son who had just turned one month old, watched Xiaoyue showing off her crab roe buns at the full moon banquet. There was a question that had been in her mind for a long, long time.
"Xiao Yue'er, how do you know that Mother can't eat crab roe buns?
"Huh? It was Queen Mother and Xiaoyue who said that!"
"Me?" Yi Luoyue looked at her beloved husband in confusion.
Then who told her that she couldn't eat it?
The eyes of the Xiyi Emperor and the Xiyi Queen could not help but look at "her"
Gongyu Youyue! !
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