"He said that I was in cahoots with the Crown Prince, that we were treacherous accomplices, and that birds of a feather flock together. Do you think that's true?" Xie Lingqin asked.
Zihe hesitated, having overheard what the young lady and Prince Yi had just said.
She thought that was indeed the case.
However, Zihe kept quiet.
"Oh, Miss Xie, so you're here." At that moment, Eunuch Ni walked over from the front.
“Our family has been looking for you. We went to Consort Lan’s place and heard from her that you had been taken away by Prince Yi. Hmm, where is Prince Yi?”
Xie Lingqin shook her head, looking puzzled, as she watched Eunuch Ni looking around. "I don't know. He brought me here and said we were going to find something fun, but then he disappeared. This place is too big, and I don't know where to go."
"I see." Eunuch Ni nodded, but his eyes subtly scrutinized Xie Lingqin.
However, he couldn't detect anything unusual about this Miss Xie. He then gestured with his hand, "His Majesty just finished dealing with some state affairs and thought of you, Miss Xie. He sent this old servant to invite you over first."
"Then, please lead the way, sir," Xie Lingqin said, her heart growing heavy.
She couldn't believe that the Emperor wouldn't know what happened in Lanxie Palace, especially since Eunuch Ni had clearly been sizing her up just now.
If the Emperor truly knew exactly what happened in Lanxie Palace, then her ability to emerge unharmed from Lanxie Palace, whether due to Yu Qingyi's help or not, would certainly arouse the Emperor's suspicion.
So, she went on her journey...
Eunuch Ni led Xie Lingqin to the Imperial Study.
When Xie Lingqin arrived, several adults came out one after another. They looked at Xie Lingqin with obvious surprise, and behind that surprise were several complex emotions.
Yes, everyone in the city knows how much the Emperor fears the General's Mansion and how wary he is of her.
After all, those 50,000 magical soldiers had vanished without a trace since her mother's death.
If it weren't for this, her life might have been better.
Xie Lingqin snapped out of her reverie, seemingly oblivious to the deeper meaning behind those gazes directed at her. Instead, she gave a slight bow with a perfectly appropriate smile.
In recent days, rumors about Xie Lingqin have also begun to circulate in the capital.
They believed that Prince Yi was fond of playing around and would lend a helping hand, but they absolutely did not believe that someone as virtuous and respected as Elder Dong would show special favor to anyone.
Moreover, everyone had already heard that on that day, even the Prince Xian couldn't persuade Elder Dong, but Xie Lingqin only needed to send a maid to get Elder Dong to rush to the General's Mansion.
When Tianxia Yiwei reopened, the Crown Prince also helped Xie Lingqin.
Looking at Xie Lingqin's graceful, composed, and neither servile nor arrogant demeanor, one can't help but stare, as if seeing the once magnificent woman again.
However, Xie Lingqin was more reserved and calm than that woman, her mother.
Ultimately, each of the officials left with their own thoughts.
The area outside the Imperial Study suddenly fell silent.
Then Eunuch Ni led Xie Lingqin inside.
"Xie Lingqin has arrived?" Behind the enormous mahogany dragon-carved table, the Emperor put down his pen, raised his eyes, and gazed at Xie Lingqin.
Xie Lingqin lowered her brows slightly, but out of the corner of her eye she still caught a glimpse of an imperial edict placed in front of the emperor.
Judging from the way the Emperor wrote that just now, it must have been drafted by hand.
Could it be that this imperial edict is related to her?
"Raise your head." The Emperor's powerful voice came from the head of the table.
Xie Lingqin slowly raised her eyes, and in an instant met the Emperor's gaze, which was too sharp, so she quickly looked away.
"Was the Seventh Prince the one who caused this injury on your forehead?" the Emperor asked, looking at the injury on Xie Lingqin's forehead.
Xie Lingqin nodded slightly, "I dare not lie in front of the Emperor."
"I saw it in the Imperial Garden before, but I didn't say anything. You're quite tolerant."
"The Seventh Prince was also in accordance with my wishes, and I am fine; there is nothing seriously wrong with me." Xie Lingqin's expression was sincere, and her voice was neither too loud nor too soft.
"Hehe..." The Emperor suddenly burst into laughter, slapping the table. "Your temperament is truly rare. No wonder Elder Dong regards you with such high regard."
Upon hearing this, Xie Lingqin remained silent, her head slightly lowered as a sign of humility.
"Do you know why I summoned you to the palace today?" The Emperor said, already standing up.
Although she was thin, a sudden, overwhelming imperial aura, imbued with inner strength, swept towards Xie Lingqin.
Just as Xie Lingqin was about to succumb to the discomfort in her chest and abdomen, that internal force suddenly disappeared.
"I have an imperial decree to give you."
Then, at the head of the table, came the Emperor's words.
Xie Lingqin looked up in confusion, "An imperial decree?"
"I hereby decree that you shall die."
---Aside---
What exactly is the imperial decree?
This book was first published by Xiaoxiang Academy; please do not reproduce it!
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