Chapter 78
In his previous life, Emperor Chengyuan was killed by Shangguan Hao and Prince Li in this way.
Although Emperor Chengyuan had no affection for his birth mother, the Empress Dowager, she lived in the palace and it was not difficult for her to frequently expose the emperor to those poisonous flowers.
However, she didn't know whether the Empress Dowager was unintentionally being used or doing it on purpose.
The emperor's eyes were as deep as the ocean, cold and unreadable, revealing no emotion whatsoever.
After a moment, he calmly told Wen Xin, "The Empress Dowager is a master of incense making."
When the late emperor was extremely infatuated with Consort Shu, Empress Dowager Liang was able to maintain her position as empress because of her superb perfumery skills.
The late emperor suffered from headaches for many years, and only the incense from Empress Dowager Liang could provide some relief.
Otherwise, how could Empress Dowager Liang have given birth to Emperor Chengyuan and Princess Qinghe under the oppressive power of Consort Shu, who was domineering, jealous, and favored by the other concubines?
In those years, Empress Dowager Liang tried her best to please Consort Shu and her son. Later, Consort Shu suffered retribution and died young. Empress Dowager Liang then devoted herself to raising and pleasing the deposed crown prince and Prince Li.
She pretended not to see how the two of them bullied her own son.
If there's anything wrong, she'll even blame it on her own son.
Anyone who didn't know better would think that the deposed crown prince and Prince Li were her biological sons.
Emperor Chengyuan once wondered if Empress Dowager Liang was doing this to protect him and give him a chance to survive in such a harsh environment.
But after years of disappointment, Emperor Chengyuan had long known that Empress Dowager Liang was not just enduring it, but truly did not care about him, her own son.
At first, her position as empress was the most important thing. Later, the deposed crown prince and Prince Li also became her favorites, except for Emperor Chengyuan.
Now, she's actually helping others to poison his own son!
Emperor Chengyuan suddenly laughed out loud, his laughter cold and sarcastic, yet also indifferent and as if it were expected.
"His Majesty……"
Wen Xin called out to Emperor Cheng Yuan with a mixture of nervousness and reluctance.
Anyone would be numb with pain if treated so cruelly by their own mother!
She didn't understand either. Empress Dowager Liang seemed so kind and good-tempered, so why was she so cold and ruthless towards her own son?
Emperor Chengyuan gazed at the worried girl, the icy look in his eyes slowly melting away, replaced by a touch of tenderness. "I'm fine, but how did you manage to overhear these things?"
Fortunately, she wasn't caught by the people from the Marquis of Xuanwu's mansion, otherwise he couldn't imagine what they would have done to her.
Wen Xin, however, thought the emperor suspected her and hurriedly explained:
"That night, my mother-in-law asked me to come over at 9 PM to help her to bed, but she forgot about it. She dismissed the servants and discussed matters with my father-in-law and the prince in the house. I went around to the back gate of the courtyard to enter... Because my mother-in-law wouldn't let me use the front gate, no one saw me, but I happened to overhear their conversation."
“At that time, I was so shocked that I was afraid they would find out, so I secretly left. The next morning, I made an excuse that I was not feeling well the night before and did not go. My mother-in-law made me kneel for half a day as punishment… Your Majesty, I am absolutely telling the truth.”
Emperor Chengyuan held her hand, his heart filled with resentment. In just a few words, he could imagine how difficult her life must have been at the Xuanwu Marquis's residence.
Shangguan Cong, Dou Shi, Shangguan Hao... they are doing very well!
Not wanting to frighten her, Emperor Chengyuan suppressed his violent killing intent and said slowly, "I have no doubts about you, don't be anxious."
Wen Xin said with guilt and unease, "Your Majesty, I deserve to die. I shouldn't have concealed such a heinous crime until now."
"You saved my life. If you still deserve to die, wouldn't I be a heartless beast?"
Emperor Chengyuan's gentle voice was full of helplessness.
And he understood.
To her at that time, the emperor was a completely unfamiliar and high-ranking figure, someone with whom she could never have any interaction.
Even though she knew such a terrible secret, she had no way or ability to tell the emperor, and it might even endanger her and Xiao Lian's lives, so she could only keep it to herself.
Today, she is willing to speak out because she is grateful for his protection of her, and also because she does not want to see anything happen to him.
Just because he was willing to help her get a divorce and said a few words in her defense, she disregarded her own safety and the consequences, and revealed a secret that could harm her.
The girl's simplicity and kindness made him feel incredibly sorry for her.
How could the Wen family and the Xuanwu Marquis's mansion have dared to mistreat such a gentle girl?
Utterly hateful!
Wen Xin was still a little uneasy, "Your Majesty, are you really not angry with me?"
Emperor Chengyuan chuckled gently and emphasized again, "You are my savior."
A life-saving grace deserves to be repaid with one's life, no problem at all!
Wen Xin pursed her lips and said softly, "Your Majesty, you are such a good person!"
Emperor Chengyuan's thin lips twitched as he was given the "friend card" again!
I do not want to be a good person!
But looking at her soft and sweet appearance, Emperor Chengyuan was helpless and couldn't get angry at her at all.
Okay, there's only one word difference between a good person and a good man; they mean almost the same thing.
Yes, I'll spoil my little dumpling even if I have to kneel down!
Wen Xin looked at him, a little embarrassed, "Your Majesty, this is all I know. The Marquis of Xuanwu's mansion doesn't trust me, and I don't know how many other heinous things they've done behind your back and the world's back?"
Wen Xin lied without batting an eye, her acting so convincing that not a single clue could be detected.
If Xiao Jin hadn't known that the Soul Fragment hadn't heard anything that night, she would have thought her master was telling the truth.
When the fragment of his soul was still alive, he had no idea about the secrets of the Marquis of Xuanwu's mansion.
She only learned of the poisoning of the emperor after her death.
However, it is true that Dou had made Wen Xin serve her at night and then made her kneel the next day.
It's half true and half false, which makes it even harder to tell the difference.
Besides, in Emperor Chengyuan's eyes, his little dumpling was the purest and kindest, so how could he possibly lie?
He would only investigate the matter of the poisonous flower and the Empress Dowager. As for how she obtained the secret, he only needed to know that she was safe and sound; he wouldn't care about anything else.
Such a wise and enlightened monarch was blinded by love!
So, is this going to follow the script of "King Zhou and Su Daji"?
Xiao Jin was only thankful that his master had no intention of bringing disaster to the country and its people, like Su Daji overthrowing the Shang dynasty and the Yuan dynasty.
Otherwise, it would truly be a case of a tyrant and a vixen destroying the country together!
How could Emperor Chengyuan know that his soft dumpling was filled with black sesame seeds?
Seeing her feeling guilty for not being able to uncover more secrets about the Xuanwu Marquis's mansion, he found it both amusing and pitying.
Emperor Chengyuan couldn't help but stroke her hair, "You have already helped me a lot."
"If I have to do everything for a weak woman like you, wouldn't I be useless? Wouldn't the Eastern and Western Depots that I established be nothing but a bunch of good-for-nothings?"
Mo Zhi: "..."
Sun Zhong: "..."
Your Majesty, it's one thing to belittle yourself just to appease the future Empress, but why do you also have to put us down?
Is there any genuine affection left between the ruler and his subjects?
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