Manchus believed in oaths, and Yunxian was no exception. She originally wanted to grit her teeth and make an oath, but then she thought that if the oath came true, she would be a sinner of the Ulanara clan.
"Hailanzhu, you're really ruthless!" Yunxian roared helplessly.
"How have I poisoned you? You deposed concubine, you really don't appreciate my kindness. You can't see that I'm helping you. As long as you really didn't do it, why are you afraid of this poisonous oath?" Hailanzhu said leisurely.
Seeing Hailanzhu's aggressive demeanor, Yunxian took a deep breath, then raised three fingers, "I, Ulanara Yunxian, stand before the heavens..."
Although Hailanzhu remained expressionless, her heart was in her throat, fearing that Yunxian would do anything to escape her predicament.
Fortunately, Yunxian firmly believed in her vow. She slowly lowered her hand and cried out in despair, "I can't do it!"
Upon seeing this, Huang Taiji understood everything. "It seems you really did these things."
"Yes..." Yunxian lowered her head and confessed, "But the matter of the doll was not done by your concubine." She still wanted to fight for her last chance to live.
But she killed Huang Taiji's first woman, and now she wants to harm the woman he loves most. How can he forgive her so easily?
A cold smile appeared on Huang Taiji's lips. "The crime of harming the First Princess and the Third Prince is enough to kill you."
Yunxian's face turned pale. "After so many years of marriage, you didn't even hesitate for a moment?"
Huang Taiji slowly walked up to her and said softly, "Who told you to harm Lan'er? If I hesitate even for a moment, I will be letting her down."
Yunxian suddenly looked up. She hadn't expected Huang Taiji to be so ruthless towards Hailanzhu, leaving her no room for maneuver whatsoever.
"Sooner or later, you will ruin your kingdom for Hailanzhu's sake," she said through gritted teeth.
Huang Taiji disagreed and whispered in Yunxian's ear, speaking in a voice she could hear, "I know that the doll incident was not your doing, and I also know that it was a scheme set up by Lan'er, but I not only do not blame her, I am also pleased with her actions, because she has learned to protect herself. If one day I pass away before her, I will be at peace."
"Do you love her that much?" Yunxian asked incredulously, her eyes flashing with insane jealousy and hatred.
Huang Taiji nodded, his tone filled with firm certainty, "I love her, I love her very much. Between the country and her, I will choose her. Blame it on me for meeting her too late."
This is how it shows to deeply love someone: even though he understands everything, he pretends not to understand and lets her do as she pleases.
Unfortunately, her words were too soft, and Hailanzhu didn't hear them at all. But what difference would it make if she did hear them? After all, she wasn't the original owner of this body, and even her body and appearance weren't her own.
"Haha, hahahaha!" Yunxian suddenly burst into wild laughter, but tears streamed down her cheeks. "If I had known this would happen, why would I have fought at all?"
She understood that no matter how well she did, even if she became empress, as long as Hailanzhu was alive, her Hauge had no hope of becoming emperor.
She looked at Hailanzhu carefully; she was still so beautiful, so beautiful it was heartbreaking. Then she looked at Yanzha Qiurong and mocked, "You think you've won? Actually, you're a loser just like me."
After saying that, she stood up and was about to smash herself against the pillar, but was stopped by the quick-thinking Hailanzhu.
"Why did you stop me? Could it be..." Yunxian asked without thinking, assuming that Hailanzhu would spare her life to deal with Yan Zhaqiurong.
"Lan'er, you..." Huang Taiji was afraid that Hailanzhu was too kind and would leave behind a source of trouble.
Hailanzhu explained, "Your Majesty, this is Guanju Palace. How can we see blood here?" After saying that, she gently touched her lower abdomen, implying that she was not so foolish as to let her residence become a haunted house.
Huang Taiji understood immediately that Hailanzhu did not want her unborn child to witness the killing, so he said, "The concubine has implicated three generations of her family in her own actions. Deposed concubine, do you really want to do this?"
"Your Majesty, what do you want?" Yunxian asked, her eyes revealing a deeper despair.
What people fear most is having hope only to have it quickly extinguished; this is far more painful than being in despair.
Huang Taiji lowered his eyes slightly, "Out of consideration for our many years as husband and wife, I will spare your body. Poison or white silk, you may choose one."
Yunxian was stunned upon hearing this. Both methods of death were extremely painful. Huang Taiji's words were like a knife piercing her chest, causing her to almost lose consciousness. "Fine... I am willing to commit suicide by poison."
After saying that, she closed her eyes.
Huang Taiji glanced at the guards outside the hall and ordered, "Take them away."
Immediately afterwards, Yunxian was taken away by the guards, and soon they brought back the news that the deposed concubine had died from poisoning.
Upon hearing this news, Yan Zhaqiu breathed a heavy sigh of relief, as did Hailanzhu. With one less enemy, why not?
"All..." Just as Huang Taiji was about to dismiss everyone so he could be alone with Hailanzhu, a figure hurriedly walked in.
Upon seeing this, Huang Taiji frowned and asked, "What happened?"
"Your Majesty, Prince Rui of the First Rank requests an audience." The visitor was a young eunuch, his eyes filled with fear and panic, as if something terrible had happened.
Prince Rui of the First Rank was none other than Dorgon.
Huang Taiji said unhappily, "If you want to see me, then just ask to see me. Why do you have to act like this?"
After saying that, he glanced at Hailanzhu and then left.
Hailanzhu understood Huang Taiji's busy schedule; after all, the Qing Dynasty had only been established for a short time, and there were always many things to deal with.
After seeing Huang Taiji off, Hailanzhu dismissed everyone else; she was exhausted after half a day of fussing.
However, Yan Zhaqiu lingered, unwilling to leave. After the people in the hall had left, she asked, "Does Consort Chen intend to go back on her word?"
"Broken your promise?" Hailanzhu rubbed her aching body. "What did I break my promise about?"
Yan Zhaqiu's expression instantly turned ferocious. "Didn't we agree that if I told the Emperor the truth, you would give me the medicine to cure smallpox?"
"Oh, so you were talking about this. I almost forgot," Hailanzhu said suddenly, then said seriously, "Is this how a concubine asks for medicine?"
"You..." Yan Zhaqiu was furious, but she had no choice but to hold back. So she knelt down and begged the Imperial Concubine Chen to grant her permission to save her poor Ye Bushu.
Hailanzhu didn't tell her to get up, but instead rubbed her temples and said, "I'm getting old, and I always forget things. Look, I gave the medicine to Wenyuan at Chenshi (7-9 AM), how could I have forgotten so quickly?" After saying that, she even yawned.
Yan Zhaqiu Rong realized she had been tricked and was furious, but she was helpless. She suppressed her anger and said, "Thank you, Consort Chen."
"I will not break my promise. Go and see Yebushu. I am sleepy now," Hailanzhu said, waving her hand.
"This concubine takes her leave." Yan Zhaqiurong slowly rose, then walked out of Guanju Palace without looking back.
Hailanzhu watched her departing figure, her eyes slightly narrowed.
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