Chapter 175: The world is at peace, and the emperor and empress are in harmony...
Cui Linghui's crazy words were really absurd. When these words reached the ears of the imprisoned Xiao Ze, he was extremely disgusted with Cui Linghui, the lowly concubine. He wanted to strangle her to death with his own hands, and he did not allow anyone to enter the palace to ask for mercy and call the imperial physician for the sake of the child in her unborn child. As a result, Cui Linghui lost her life at night.
When she closed her eyes, Cui Linghui's face twisted when she thought about how she had not had a good ending in her two lives. She felt that God was unfair. Since he gave her a chance to start over, why did he let Cui Lingyan snatch away the honor that should have belonged to her.
Had she known this would happen, she should have found a way to kill Cui Lingyan when she followed Zhan to the capital and moved into the mansion. At the very least, she should have ruined her reputation and made it impossible for her to stay in the capital. Instead of personally giving up the marriage to Cui Lingyan just to avoid marrying Xiao Bingzhi, she ended up in such a miserable state, ridiculed, imprisoned in the clan residence, and eventually killed. Meanwhile, her stepsister, whom she had always despised, had become the crown princess, given birth to the emperor's grandson, and would one day reside in the imperial harem, ruling the country.
It was so sad and hateful. Thinking of this, Cui Linghui died in resentment and unwillingness.
Xiao Ze was imprisoned, and Cui Linghui was also convicted. His body was placed in a thin coffin and sent back to the Ningshou Marquis' Mansion.
Old Madam Zhai was unhappy because she could not enter the palace to pay her respects to Cui Lingyan, which made everyone laugh at the Marquis' Mansion. When she heard that her granddaughter Cui Linghui died in the clan house and her coffin was now placed at the door of the Marquis' Mansion, her face became even worse and she felt it was really unlucky.
Only Xiao Ze is now imprisoned. Although they raised Cui Linghui in vain without getting much in return from her, their granddaughter is gone. Now the coffin is parked at the door of the mansion. As her family, they cannot just ignore it, otherwise people will think that the Marquis's Mansion is heartless.
Madam Zhai thought so and instructed Qi: "A married woman cannot be buried in her parents' home. Hui girl is a concubine and a criminal. It is not appropriate to place her coffin in front of the mansion. However, the mansion is Hui girl's family home after all. You should arrange to find a place with good feng shui for her burial."
"The Crown Princess just gave birth to a child, which is a great joyous occasion. Hui girl's funeral should be simpler, and there is no need to disturb others, so as not to disrupt the joy of the Crown Princess and the little grandson."
Qi has been unhappy these days. Her mother-in-law always gives her the cold shoulder. Her daughter has become the Crown Princess, but she no longer has any affection for her. Now that she lives in the Eastern Palace, she wishes she didn't have her biological mother and her natal home, the Ningshou Marquis Mansion, anymore.
She was unhappy, and now she had to help with her stepdaughter's funeral, which naturally made her feel unlucky. However, she was the stepmother after all, and she had to respond to her mother-in-law's orders. She could only say yes, got up and went out to call the housekeeper in to discuss with him a simple burial of Cui Linghui.
Cui Lingyan only heard about Cui Linghui's death after her son's full-month banquet, and she also heard about Cui Linghui's crazy words in the clan house.
Her expression changed slightly, but soon returned to normal. She said to Princess Chun'an, "She'll go. Being confined to the clan residence is torture, and her arrogance will make her life worse than death."
Princess Chun'an knew that she and her stepsisters had never been close, so she didn't think anything of it. She just smiled, picked up the rattle to amuse Cheng'er on the bed, and continued talking to Cui Lingyan.
The emperor valued the crown prince Xiao Bingzhi, and he loved his new grandson very much. On the second day after the child was born, he named him Xiao Chengjing and gave him many rewards, which really made the East Palace and the crown princess Cui Lingyan steal the limelight.
Seeing the emperor's attitude towards Cheng'er, no one in or outside the palace dares to underestimate Cui Lingyan, the Crown Princess.
As they were talking, a palace maid came in to report that the Ningshou Marquis's Mansion had sent another sign. This time, Qi was not coming, and there was only Madam Zhai in the carriage. The old lady wanted to go to the palace to pay a visit to the Crown Princess and also to ask for grace to visit the little grandson.
And this time, Madam Zhai seemed determined to enter the palace. She got off the carriage as soon as she arrived at the palace gate, regardless of her age and not afraid of being seen and laughed at.
Cui Lingyan's smile faded a bit, and before she could say anything, Princess Chun'an stood up and said, "This elder in your family is really taking advantage of her seniority and using filial piety to pressure people. If you agree, she'll have you in her clutches. If you meet her this time, will you still meet her in the future? If you don't agree, there will be another round of speculation. I wonder how many people will be upset that Cheng'er is favored by the emperor? There's no need to add to the controversy and make a fuss about it at this juncture."
"I know you don't want to associate with the Marquis' Mansion. If you're relieved, I'm about to leave the palace. I'd like to speak to the old lady on your behalf, lest she, in her old age and confusion, see your current noble status and develop some unrealistic thoughts."
Cui Lingyan smiled when she heard her words: "Imperial sister, you are standing up for me. I have no reason to be worried. I just want to trouble you to worry about me."
Princess Chun'an reached out and pinched the little bun's delicate cheek, saying nonchalantly, "Your words are quite insensitive. If it weren't for you, would I have asked Bingzhi to worry about this?"
"If he gets angry, I'm afraid the entire imperial court and harem will be shaken, and that will cause rumors to spread throughout the capital. I know you're not afraid of those gossips, but there's no need to do so. It would be better for me to come forward and tell the old lady to give up her thoughts completely."
"Some things are easier to understand when they are said by outsiders."
After Princess Chun'an said this, she stood up and walked outside. Cui Lingyan personally sent her out and then returned to the palace.
When Xiao Bingzhi returned, he also learned of the incident and said to Cui Lingyan, "Since the Imperial Sister is willing to step forward, it's naturally better than us engaging in a violent conflict. I never expected that Zhai, at her age, would be so bold and unafraid of humiliating herself by standing at the palace gate and becoming a laughing stock. She seemed to be holding her composure these past few days."
Cui Lingyan thought to herself, how could she not know her grandmother's temper? If she had given birth to a daughter, the old lady might not have thought of easing relations with her so quickly. But she gave birth to a son, and this little grandson was loved by the emperor, who even gave him a name himself. Even if Madam Zhai could sit still, no one else in the Ningshou Marquis's Mansion could sit still, and they didn't want to be laughed at by the noble families in the capital.
Just as Princess Chun'an said, Madam Zhai disregarded her dignity and just wanted to use filial piety to control her granddaughter, and she was not afraid that others could see through her thoughts.
Another reason was that Cui Linghui died in the clan house, and the clan house parked the coffin in front of the Ningshou Marquis's Mansion, which inevitably caused a lot of discussion in the capital. The Marquis' Mansion was embarrassed, and after burying Cui Linghui, they naturally wanted to restore their dignity and reputation.
The only thing he could think of was to go into the palace and get close to the Crown Princess and the little bastard.
If the relationship between the two sides had eased, the Ningshou Marquis's Mansion would only be envied and jealous, and there would be no ridicule or discussion.
The old lady was not too impatient because she had lost her composure, but because the interests were in front of her and she really couldn't sit still. Cui Lingyan only felt it was ironic, and did not feel happy or proud because of the flattery and attempt to curry favor with the Ningshou Marquis's family.
In her heart, she had no intention of paying any attention to those people in Ningshou Marquis' Mansion since she entered the palace. No matter how much they regretted and wanted to make amends, she was unmoved.
Thinking of what Princess Chun'an said today about Cui Linghui's death in the clan residence, Cui Lingyan casually said, "I heard from my sister that Cui Linghui fell in the clan residence and had a miscarriage, and that's why she died?"
Xiao Bingzhi glanced at her, took the teacup she handed him, took a sip, and said nonchalantly, "She's just a dead person, why are you asking this? I didn't realize you actually had some sisterly feelings for her."
Cui Lingyan knew that Xiao Bingzhi did not like Cui Linghui, and no one would like a former fiancée like Cui Linghui.
She explained, "There's no sisterly love here. It's just that when I heard about her leaving today, it felt a bit abrupt."
Xiao Bingzhi curled the corners of his lips, and said with a hint of sarcasm and disdain in his tone, "With her uncontrollable temper, even if she hadn't fallen and had a miscarriage that day and died of bleeding, Xiao Ze would never have let her live."
Without waiting for Cui Lingyan to speak, Xiao Bingzhi explained how Cui Linghui had acted wildly and arrogantly in the clan residence, and how she had said that she should be the superior Crown Princess.
With such thoughts in mind, even if Cui Linghui was just a concubine and was now imprisoned in the clan house with Xiao Ze, the royal family would never let her live.
Xiao Bingzhi's tone was filled with a rare disgust: "She is so worthy of having such delusions. Listening to them pollutes my ears. Only death can bring peace."
Cui Lingyan lowered her brows slightly, her heart truly certain that Cui Linghui had truly been reborn. Otherwise, how could she have claimed that the position of Crown Princess should have been hers? However, after being reborn, she still only cared about profit, without a single ounce of compassion. With such a personality, if she had a bit of luck, perhaps she could have had a good ending, but Cui Linghui didn't have such a blessing, and could only die in the clan residence with her eyes wide open.
Just as Xiao Bingzhi had said, Cui Linghui's crazy words were tantamount to slapping Xiao Ze in the face and stomping on the face of her husband. Given Xiao Ze's temperament, how could he humiliate her like this? How could he let her live?
Even though Xiao Ze is now imprisoned and cannot strangle Cui Linghui with his own hands, if these words reach the ears of the emperor, the emperor will definitely not let Cui Linghui live another day.
After all, Xiao Ze is the prince. How could the emperor allow Cui Linghui to pick and choose between Xiao Ze and Xiao Bingzhi and ruin the reputation of the royal family?
If Cui Linghui had not fallen and had a miscarriage that day and had not bled to death, what would have been waiting for Cui Linghui would have been the same as in her dream, being sentenced to death by the emperor with a cup of poisoned wine or a white silk cloth.
After living two lives, her stepsister ended up with a similar fate. Although Cui Lingyan did not sympathize with her, she could not help but sigh a little.
Fortunately, she did not follow Zhan to Beijing and have her reputation ruined by Cui Linghui as in the dream, and was forced to marry her cousin Qi Shaozhang, ending up dying early as in the dream.
Now she is the Crown Princess, with her husband Xiao Bingzhi by her side and her son Cheng Ge.
She is already satisfied and just wants to spend the rest of her life with her husband and children.
Xiao Bingzhi gave her the affection and love that she could not get when she was in the boudoir. She would stay with Xiao Bingzhi for the rest of her life, and would give Chengger enough love and take good care of him as he grew up.
Only in this way can she live up to God's favor to her.
Three years later, one morning at court, the emperor announced to the world that he abdicated the throne to the crown prince and retired to Ningshou Palace. The East Palace and court officials requested the emperor emeritus to take over the government according to etiquette, but the emperor emeritus declined and left the palace half a month later, traveling around the world. A few years later, he returned to Beijing and lived in Huang'en Temple. By this time, the new emperor's throne had already been consolidated, and he had a pair of twins, a boy and a girl, and he had appointed his eldest son, Xiao Chengjing, as the crown prince.
The world is at peace, the emperor and empress are in harmony, the crown prince has been decided, and the palace is in a different state, with more vitality than the previous emperor's dynasty.
Inside Kunning Palace
Cui Lingyan looked at the magnolia flowers blooming again in front of the hall, and then looked at Xiao Bingzhi who was wearing a bright yellow kesi suit beside her, and couldn't help but reach out and hold his hand.
Xiao Bingzhi put down the memorial in his hand, a hint of smile on his face. "Why, are you bored? I'd like to accompany Yan'er to the garden to relax."
Cui Lingyan smiled and said, "A few days ago, I heard from my sister that there is a very famous Buddhist sacred tree called the Mountain Magnolia in Tanguang Temple. It is in full bloom. I was wondering if Your Majesty is free these days. We can take the children out of the palace to enjoy the flowers and relax."
"Duke Ding will also be with her. Now that my sister is pregnant, the Duke wishes he could be by her side all the time."
Xiao Bingzhi smiled and nodded, "Okay, it's no problem to stay for a few days. It's a good opportunity to hand over the palace affairs to the Crown Prince. He has always been a reserved person and prefers quietness. He doesn't like to join us in all the fun."
Hearing him talk about his eldest son like this, Cui Lingyan couldn't help laughing. At this time, footsteps were heard outside. It was the Crown Prince Xiao Chengjing who came with his younger brothers and sisters to pay their respects.
Soon, the entire Kunning Palace became bustling with activity.
(over)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
