Granddaughter of the Empress Dowager?
Yuan Yao scoffed inwardly, then said, "Princess Lan Yue seems to really like the Empress Dowager."
If Princess Lan Yue were to hear of the Empress Dowager's words, it would truly break her heart.
Lan Yue?
Thinking of Jiang Lanyue's thin appearance, pale face and those eyes, the Empress Dowager sighed from the bottom of her heart.
The Empress Dowager, panting heavily, slowly said, "Lan Yue... she can't compare to you."
Is Jiang Lanyue inferior to her?
Are you kidding me?
If she were truly a little girl of three years old, she would probably have been nearly killed by Jiang Lanyue back at Fangfei Palace!
Jiang Lanyue, only eight years old, is already so cunning.
Tsk...
Yuan Yao sighed.
She looked at the Empress Dowager, whose face was ashen, and softened her voice: "Empress Dowager, now, your days are numbered."
As for Princess Lan Yue, I suppose you can't care about that anymore?
"How about we make a deal with Yao'er?"
After speaking, she looked at Yin Cai.
When their eyes met, Yin Cai flinched.
Some felt inferior, while others were afraid.
What a pitiful man. If Yin Cai had stayed in the palace back then, he would probably have died long ago. Now, although he has recognized the Empress Dowager, his true identity will never be revealed...
Seeing Yuan Yao looking at Yin Cai, the Empress Dowager forced herself to get up.
She looked at Yuan Yao warily: "What do you want to do?"
Yuan Yao raised her fair and delicate hand and pointed at Yin Cai: "Take his life in exchange for the Empress Dowager's list."
List?
The Empress Dowager's astonished gaze lingered on Yuan Yao for a moment before landing on Yin Cai.
This child is only a teenager, and his future holds countless possibilities.
And that list...
Once she dies, the people on the list will be useless to her.
After considering for a long time, the Empress Dowager said in a hoarse voice, "I can give you the list, but... you must promise not to harm A-Cai."
“Okay,” Yuan Yao said.
The Empress Dowager then leaned back wearily onto her jade pillow.
After pausing for a moment, she spoke again: "Yuan Yao, how can you guarantee... that you can save A-Cai's life?"
Yuan Yao said in a childish voice, "That depends on the Empress Dowager's sincerity."
Sincerity?
The Empress Dowager closed her eyes, then opened them again: "The deceased Minister of Revenue was my man, and his son was also my man..."
"Anything else?" Yuan Yao asked.
The Empress Dowager gritted her teeth: "The token in your hand is the dispatch token for the assassin organization that Heiji keeps for me..."
Assassin organization?
Yuan Yao pursed her lips.
Who would have thought that an empress dowager would secretly harbor assassins?
Moreover, it's an assassin organization!
After a moment of silence, the Empress Dowager said, "After I die, this assassin organization... will be yours."
But you must swear that you will never hurt Ah-Cai!
"What did you say?" Yuan Yao exclaimed in surprise, "An assassin organization... for me?"
Is there really such a good thing in the world?
Yuan Yao didn't believe it!
The Empress Dowager turned her head to the side, a glimmer of light shining in her cloudy eyes: "After Heiji first saw you in Sishichun, he mentioned you to me."
He didn't mean to poison you; he was just following my orders to test you.
Heiji... I admire you very much..."
The head of an assassin organization admires her?
Yuan Yao was slightly surprised.
Seeing her obedient appearance, head tilted and brows furrowed, the Empress Dowager sighed once more—
If Yuan Yao were her granddaughter, that would be wonderful...
The Empress Dowager sighed almost imperceptibly and said, "On the second shelf of my dressing table, there's a hidden compartment..."
Pull out the hidden compartment; inside is a directory…
Take the list and summon the Emperor…
Yuan Yao nodded and walked to the dressing table as instructed, then opened it.
Sure enough, there was a booklet with gold lettering on it.
Yuan Yao quickly flipped through it.
Holding the booklet, she said, "I hope the Empress Dowager hasn't deceived Yao'er, otherwise, Young Master Yin's life..."
Her gaze swept across the room and landed on Yin Cai's face.
Yin Cai flinched.
The Empress Dowager said wearily, "Which is more important, my subjects or my son? I can tell the difference..."
Yuan Yao nodded and promised, "In that case, Yin Cai will be fine."
The Empress Dowager breathed a sigh of relief after receiving her promise.
If you relax, your physical strength will suffer.
The Empress Dowager's eyelids were heavy with sleep, but she forced herself to stay awake and slowly said, "Yuan Yao, there is something that I'm sure no one has ever told you."
"Once I leave, I'm afraid no one will dare to speak to you again."
Yuan Yao: "?"
She had a gut feeling that what the Empress Dowager said was not good news.
But with the thought that she was still in the inner palace and the Empress Dowager could not die immediately, Yuan Yao asked, "What does the Empress Dowager want to say?"
“You,” the Empress Dowager said.
she?
Yuan Yao couldn't help but become curious.
What is it that others dare not tell her, but the Empress Dowager can?
As they were speculating, the Empress Dowager said in a hoarse voice, "Yuan Yao, you... are the Emperor's child..."
"ah?"
She... is the emperor's daughter?
The emperor was her biological father?
How is that possible?
Yuan Yao opened her eyes wide in surprise.
Her face was filled with disbelief.
Seeing this, the Empress Dowager felt that she had achieved some of her goals.
Some things are better left unsaid.
The Empress Dowager said slowly, "I am tired. Go out and call the Emperor in."
Yuan Yao suppressed her surprise.
She stepped back from the bedside and gracefully performed a palace salute: "Yuan Yao bids farewell to the Empress Dowager."
The road to the underworld is long, Empress Dowager, please proceed with caution…
The beaded curtain swayed gently as Yuan Yao stepped out of the inner hall, inhaling the fresh air.
In the outer hall, everyone turned to look at her.
Yuan Yao had already saved the list.
She glanced at the crowd and said to the emperor, "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager requests your presence."
The emperor nodded and stepped into the inner palace.
At this moment, Jiang Lanyue said in a tearful voice, "Father..."
The emperor was extremely annoyed and said unhappily, "Wipe away your tears and come inside with me."
Jiang Lanyue wept with joy: "Thank you, Father Emperor..."
Wiping away her tears, Jiang Lanyue quickly followed the emperor into the inner palace.
Yuan Yao walked up to the Ninth Prince: "Father."
The Ninth Prince sized her up and down: "Come here."
As he spoke, he pulled her into his arms.
At this moment, the Crown Prince walked over and asked in a low voice, "Yao'er, did your grandmother say anything when she asked you to come in?"
Yuan Yao opened her mouth and said in a childish voice, "The Empress Dowager has never seen me before and is curious about me."
"Is that all?" the crown prince asked, puzzled.
“Yes,” Yuan Yao said in her childish voice, “After Yao’er went into the inner hall, she also found it very strange.”
The crown prince nodded and retreated.
The Ninth Prince glanced at the dumpling in his arms, lowered his eyelids, and began to sip his tea.
The emperor went inside for a long time. When he came out, he looked unwell: "The Empress Dowager is resting. Everyone, please disperse and return to your palaces."
After speaking, he looked at the Ninth Prince: "A-Yuan, you don't look well. Go back and rest for a few days, okay?"
The Ninth Prince lifted his eyelids and gave a faint "hmm".
He carried Yuan Yao out of Huining Palace.
After returning to Qianhua Palace, the Ninth Prince went to sleep.
She slept until dusk.
A deep, resonant chime echoed from the clock tower…
At that time, Yuan Yao was cooking porridge for the Ninth Prince in the kitchen.
Hearing the bell, she frowned and instructed, "Sister Danqing, quickly, ladle out the porridge and take it to Father!"
"Hurry, it might be too late if we're late!"
After speaking, she hurriedly returned to the Moonflower Palace.
Before even stepping into the Moonflower Palace, a figure rushed over, wiping sweat as he exclaimed, "Your Majesty! The Empress Dowager... has passed away!"
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