Inside the main hall, no one dared to breathe loudly.
They watched in disbelief as the peerless, androgynous, Ninth Prince, a smile playing on his lips, gripped the palace maid's neck with his strong, bony hand and gently twisted it...
Tan Xin died with her eyes wide open in disbelief.
Her neck was dislocated, and she stared blankly at Yuan Yao.
That little person was clearly only a little taller than her knees.
It's soft and white, like a sweet little milk dumpling.
But she lost her life because of that dumpling!
"I was wrong……"
Tan Xin let out a very faint sound from her throat and breathed her last.
The Ninth Prince frowned slightly, a hint of disgust in his eyes, as he looked at the thin layer of powder on his fingertips.
Beside him, a sharp-eyed eunuch quickly offered him water: "Your Highness, please wash your hands."
The Ninth Prince lifted his sleeves and immersed his ten fingers in the cool water, carefully washing them until his fingertips turned a rosy red.
Inside the main hall, everyone breathed a little easier as they watched this scene unfold.
Yuan Yao took a clean handkerchief and walked to the side of the Ninth Prince.
She took his big hand in her small hand and dried his fingers one by one.
The old man's fingers were long and slender, with neatly trimmed nails, and his fingertips and nail plates were a delicate pink, making him extremely beautiful.
The Ninth Prince lifted his eyelids and curled his lips: "My little dumpling is still the most considerate."
Yuan Yao looked up and saw that the Ninth Prince's eyes were bloodshot.
Father, how many days has it been since you had a proper rest?
Yuan Yao was slightly shocked.
After the initial surprise, I felt a pang of heartache.
She glanced at the banquet and said in her childish voice, "Daddy, this place is so boring. Why don't we go back to Qianhua Palace first?"
"Tired?" The Ninth Prince pinched the bun on her head.
Yuan Yao nodded: "Mm..."
The Ninth Prince then said, "Let's go see the Empress Dowager first. After we've seen her, we'll return to Qianhua Palace."
“Okay,” Yuan Yao replied obediently.
The Ninth Prince bent down and embraced her, saying, "I still need to deliver a birthday gift to the Empress Dowager. Please go ahead."
Many people bowed respectfully, saying, "Respectfully bidding farewell to Your Majesty."
The Ninth Prince didn't even glance at it before stepping out.
Seeing this, the emperor said, "I have other matters to attend to, so I will take my leave first."
After speaking, he followed the Ninth Prince to Huining Palace.
The young eunuch dragged Tan Xin's body along and followed...
The rain continued, and the palace servants brought out the sedan chair and large umbrellas to hold up for the emperor and the Grand Prince.
When I arrived at Huining Palace, I wasn't wet at all.
The young eunuch was dozing by the door when he saw a group of figures walking towards him through the hazy mist.
Nine thousand years old?
The Ninth Prince is back?
The young eunuch was startled, his sleepiness vanished instantly, and he cried out in a shrill voice, "This servant greets Your Majesty!"
The Ninth Prince coldly stared at him: "What's wrong? Don't the palace servants of Huining Palace have eyes? Didn't they see the Emperor is here?"
After speaking, he raised his foot and kicked the little eunuch in the chest.
"puff……"
The little eunuch flew a meter away and spat out a mouthful of blood.
At that moment, the door to the sleeping quarters was opened.
A gray-haired old woman stepped forward, curtsied, and said, "This servant greets Your Majesty, Your Highness, and the Princess."
The emperor asked in a hoarse voice, "Where is the Empress Dowager?"
The old woman said, "The Empress Dowager returned from Renshou Palace and suddenly felt unwell. She just went to bed not long ago."
After speaking, she glanced at the Ninth Prince.
Several years had passed since I last saw him, and the appearance of the Ninth Prince had not changed much, but his aura had become even more imposing.
The Ninth Prince spoke coldly: "I have exhausted several horses trying to make it to the Empress Dowager's birthday and personally deliver a gift."
Since she is unwell, I will deliver the gift another day.
Gift-giving?
Inside the bedchamber, the Empress Dowager's eyelids twitched.
She beckoned and called someone over.
Soon, a palace maid came out of the bedchamber: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager requests your presence."
The group stepped into the hall together.
When the old woman saw the corpse being dragged by the young eunuch, she was shocked: "This...this is..."
Sandalwood Heart!
Is Tan Xin dead?
Looking at Tan Xin's corpse, the old woman turned pale and almost fainted.
Li Deshan lightly flicked his whisk and reminded her with a smile, "Granny, please don't startle the Empress Dowager."
The old woman covered her mouth and stood under the eaves, unable to come to her senses for a long time.
The Ninth Prince carried Yuan Yao and walked ahead.
Inside the Empress Dowager's palace, calming incense was burning, and something else had been added to it, giving it a strong aroma.
Upon entering the hall, Yuan Yao felt some discomfort in her nose.
She raised her little hand and rubbed the tip of her nose.
I feel like sneezing...
Seeing this, before the Ninth Prince could speak, the Emperor said to Li Deshan, "Go, put out the incense and open the doors and windows to let it air out."
Li Deshan responded and, with small, quick steps, extinguished the incense in the Empress Dowager's bedroom one by one, then opened the windows for ventilation...
The palace maid behind her hesitated for a moment, then whispered, "The Empress Dowager has a headache; burning this incense will help relieve it."
The emperor said gloomily, "Would it cost her her life if the fire were to burn for even a quarter of an hour less?"
The palace maid was so startled that she immediately knelt down: "Your Majesty, please forgive me! I was too talkative..."
The Empress Dowager changed into a gorgeous casual dress, put on some light makeup, and sat on the chaise longue: "It's been many years since we last met. You still look the same, but I have grown old."
Her words were addressed to the Ninth Prince.
The Ninth Prince, holding Yuan Yao, sat down in a chair and said coldly, "I am only thirty-two years old, and my appearance remains unchanged. Isn't that normal?"
Thirty-two?
The Empress Dowager sat upright, her red lips slightly pursed: "But, you at thirty-two and you at twenty-two are no different."
Equally young, equally brimming with resentment.
The Ninth Prince curled his lips, his eyes icy: "I am still young, but the Empress Dowager is different."
"Empress Dowager, you've grown old."
old?
Upon hearing this word, the Empress Dowager paused for a moment, and then she pursed her thin lips tightly: "Isn't all of this thanks to you?"
Yuan Yuan, if it weren't for you, would I have fallen to this state?
She was originally a high-ranking empress dowager, but she was forced to go to Mount Fotai for spiritual cultivation...
Her lover, her child, all died because of imperial power!
The palace is so vast, yet it won't even spare a small piece of land for them!
The Empress Dowager's eyes reddened as she thought of her tragically deceased lover and child.
The Ninth Prince coldly looked at the Empress Dowager: "Back then, I did give you a choice!"
I promised you that if you relinquished your power, faked your death to leave the palace, and left the Great Qi with your lover forever, I would spare their lives.
It was your greed that killed him and your own child!
When you killed the emperor and wanted to seize power for yourself, you should have known that they were doomed!
Do you think that if you weren't still useful, I would have let you live until today?
Yuan Yao was astonished to hear what the Ninth Prince said.
Back then... did the Empress Dowager even want to kill the Emperor and seize power for herself?
She couldn't help but look at the emperor.
The emperor's face was gloomy, and he remained silent, his lips pursed.
However, Yuan Yao saw a hint of murderous intent in the emperor's expression.
Who would have thought that the Empress Dowager and the Emperor would have such a thing happen?
This empress dowager is ruthless enough, but incompetent enough...
At this moment, the Ninth Prince coldly said, "Everyone else, step back. It wouldn't be good if others saw the congratulatory gift I prepared for the Empress Dowager!"
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