At first, Emperor Chengxuan just wanted to investigate Linpin's affair.
Unexpectedly, the secret guards he sent out led to other things and accidentally found out that Concubine Lin had had close contact with the fake Concubine Luo. Then, they found out that Concubine Lin's father was the Left Shaoqing of the Honglu Temple and had used his position to commit those heinous acts of treason.
At this time, Concubine Lin already knew that the evidence of her father's crime had been obtained by Emperor Chengxuan.
It was no use for her to defend herself.
But she didn't know how to repent at all.
"I refuse to accept!"
Concubine Lin suddenly raised her head, glared at Emperor Cheng Xuan fiercely, and shouted loudly:
"So what if Dad did all these things! People have power and it's meant to be used! If people have power but can't do anything, then what's the point of having such power?
"Your Majesty, aren't you the same? You possess supreme imperial power, the power to decide life and death. You can kill whomever you want, and you can make anyone die!
"Why can you do this, but my father can't?"
Her words made Emperor Cheng Xuan's face instantly become serious and cold.
"I possess supreme imperial power, but I never abuse it!"
He retorted sternly, "The power in my hands is to maintain order in Dongqi and to punish traitors like your father!
"If I abused my power, do you think I would have to bring you here and talk so much nonsense with you?
"I can simply order you to be killed without even investigating or collecting evidence!"
Linpin still sneered.
She sarcastically said, "You say it so nicely, but why do you have three palaces and six courtyards, three thousand beauties in your harem, and can favor whomever you want, while I, a concubine, have to remain a virgin for you?"
"So, you admit that you and Zhao Zhi had an affair?"
Emperor Cheng Xuan was not angry at this moment, but spoke calmly.
"That's right! So what! You haven't thought about me for a whole year. Why should I still abide by the rules of a wife for you? I can sleep with whoever I want!"
Lin Pin knew that she was already at a dead end, so she simply vented all her dissatisfaction.
Emperor Chengxuan remained unanimous about this.
He simply glanced at Linpin with some disdain: "Since you don't want to be my concubine, why did you enter the palace in the first place? Wasn't it just to gain favor and power so that your father could become more powerful and abuse his power better?
“You enjoy a life of luxury granted by the imperial power, but you don’t know how many people in poor areas still have insufficient food and clothing, and how hard it is for them to get a bite to eat.
"People like you, who have been born into a life of luxury, have no idea what the sufferings of the world are. That's why you so recklessly pursue power and gain and indulge in pleasure. People like you don't even know what it feels like to be hungry... I don't even want to kill you. I want you to experience all the sufferings of the world.
"Come here, demote Concubine Lin to a commoner, punish her with tattooing, and exile her to the poisonous miasma of the southwest. Behead Concubine Lin's father as a public display. The men of her clan will be enslaved and the women will be prostitutes. The entire clan will be exiled to the bitter cold of the northwest."
Emperor Chengxuan stood up and looked down at Concubine Lin condescendingly.
Linpin looked incredulous.
People like her have never suffered any hardship and have always regarded the lives of poor and lowly people as worthless. They cannot accept being treated as worthless themselves.
"No! I don't want to! I don't want to live that kind of life! Your Majesty! Please forgive me! I know I was wrong! Please give me another chance to reform!"
Only then did Linpin finally realize how scared she was and was dragged out crying.
Little Shuangbao looked at this scene and scratched his head in confusion.
"It's so strange. Why wasn't she afraid at all when Daddy wanted to kill her? But when she heard she was going to have to endure such a hard life, she screamed and admitted her mistake? Isn't it better to be alive?"
The little baby said in confusion in a baby voice.
"For someone like her, death is just a matter of a knife, and it's not painful at all. But living in that kind of hardship is torture every moment. So she is more afraid of living a hardship than dying."
Emperor Cheng Xuan touched her little head and spoke earnestly.
"Oh, so that's how it is. Shuangbao still thinks it's better to be alive. Only when alive can there be hope and a chance of living a good life!"
The little baby said with a look of realization.
When she said this, Emperor Chengxuan's face, which had just been majestic and stern, suddenly showed a look of heartache.
Obviously, Xiao Shuangbao was of a more noble origin than Concubine Lin, but she did not live a life of luxury. Instead, she suffered hardships since childhood.
"Shuangbao, those words Daddy just said were meant to intimidate Concubine Lin. But in Daddy's mind, he just wanted Shuangbao to do whatever she wants. You must remember that you are the most noble princess of Dongqi State. You can do whatever you want."
Emperor Chengxuan's words can almost be said to be excessive indulgence and a foolish act.
But little Shuangbao is very sensible.
"Daddy, Shuangbao doesn't want this!"
She raised her little face, smiled sweetly and said, "If you are like Linpin and her father, with unlimited power, then you will become a slave to power. Shuangbao doesn't want to be a slave! Shuangbao wants to be herself!"
I have to say that although Xiao Shuangbao is young, he has a rare kind of insight.
Her words soon reached the ears of Queen Mother Jiang.
Queen Mother Jiang changed her opinion of her again.
He directly gave many rewards to the little baby.
The little baby now has a small treasury.
She counted her property very carefully and finally decided to exchange all her property for silver, set up porridge stalls in various places around the capital to provide porridge and help the poor people survive this cold winter.
This kind act deeply moved the people of the capital.
The wealthy officials also followed suit. When Xiao Shuangbao set up a porridge stall, they donated their worn-out cotton-padded clothes that they had originally planned to throw away to the poor people, making the winter less difficult for the poor people.
In the blink of an eye, winter passed and spring came.
During this period, Emperor Chengxuan was always busy investigating the spies planted by the Southern Yan and Northern Rong in the Eastern Qi. With the help of Xiao Shuangbao, he actually caught quite a few spies.
After the New Year, little Shuangbao happily celebrated his fourth birthday.
It has been half a year since she entered the palace. Her little body has grown a little taller and her little face has become much rounder than it was half a year ago.
And at this moment, Emperor Chengxuan announced a decision, which was to tour the south!
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