Chapter 482: Death of Concubine Jing

The next morning.

The news of the death of Right Prime Minister Sima He spread throughout the capital.

It is said that he was murdered, but there was no obvious evidence left at the scene. The only thing was that the right prime minister wrote half a word on the ground with blood before he died, which was a character next to the word "言".

In Kunning Palace, when Empress Sima heard the news, she almost went crazy. "The character 言 is the radical of 谢. This must have been done by Xie Zhuoning! She was not happy with the prince losing food and my father hoarding supplies, so she sent someone to kill him!"

Moreover, she knew that Xie Zhuoning had a maid who was originally from a killer organization and was best at assassination.

But when she was about to order the arrest of Xie Zhuoning and his servant, she was stopped by Xiao Bicheng who came and said, "Mother, calm down."

Empress Sima was so angry that her eyes turned red. "My father was killed, and your grandfather was killed. How can I stay calm?"

"But there is no evidence that Xie Zhuoning is the murderer!"

How many characters can be formed with the character “言” (word)?

Maybe what my grandfather wanted to write was not a name, but a message to be conveyed?

"Who else could it be but her? She is the only one who has problems with your grandfather." Empress Sima knew about the hoarding of grain and fodder to make a fortune from the national crisis. After all, every year the Sima family would send a large sum of tribute to the palace.

Xiao Bicheng felt that his mother was really insane, "Why do you insist on her death?"

Empress Sima suddenly raised her head and stared at her like a fierce ghost, "Why shouldn't she die? Your life and the foundation of the Sima family, which one was not destroyed in her hands? And do you know what she and Prince Xuan have been doing recently? They run to the Empress Dowager whenever they have nothing to do! Your father told me before that the Empress Dowager has an imperial edict in her hand, which was the imperial edict that the late emperor intended to pass the throne to Xiao Jinxuan. They probably went for that imperial edict. If they don't die, then we will die!"

Xiao Bicheng really hated their habit of leaving imperial edicts for others before their death.

His father also left several imperial edicts, and he had no idea what the contents of those edicts were.

But he knew that one of them was to confer the title of Regent Prince on Xiao Jinxuan.

But how could Xiao Jinxuan truly assist me?

With his mind in a state of confusion, he raised his head and asked, "Then what are you going to do, mother?"

Empress Sima sneered, "Of course, let them kill each other. Do you know who killed Xiao Jinxuan's mother?"

"who?"

"Grand Empress Dowager!"

…

Xiao Jinxuan had just arranged for people from the Yufu Division to investigate the assassination of Sima He, but he didn't expect that soon afterwards, even more explosive news reached his ears.

After hearing it for the first time, he even thought that he had heard it wrongly. The person who killed his mother was actually the Empress Dowager?

He couldn't believe it and immediately rushed to the Empress Dowager's palace.

The Empress Dowager thought he was here to ask about her mother, just like he had done a few days ago, so she shook her head and said, "Don't be so obsessed. I don't know."

Xiao Bicheng stared at the hunched old woman in front of him, and seemed to have made up his mind before he asked, "Grandmother, did you kill my mother?"

The Empress Dowager raised her head immediately, her eyes trembling.

After a long while, she weakly lowered her eyes, "You already know everything. Yes, I killed your mother."

"Why?" Xiao Bichen's voice was hoarse. It took him a lot of courage to ask this question.

He suspected many people, but never his own grandmother.

My grandmother is a devout Buddhist who wouldn't even step on an ant to death, so how could she possibly kill someone?

But the Empress Dowager said without hesitation that she was the one who killed him.

"It's a bad fate, it's all a bad fate!" When she mentioned the past, her heart was filled with resentment.

When Emperor Shunde ascended the throne, even though he had changed empresses several times, even though there were countless beauties in the harem, and even though more than ten years had passed, he still could not forget the wife of Prince Gong, who had married Prince Gong.

So when he received the news of his brother's death, his first reaction was sadness, but his second reaction was secret joy that welled up from the bottom of his heart.

He finally waited for this day.

That night, he left the palace in plain clothes and went straight to Prince Gong's Mansion.

It is unknown what happened that night, but after he came back, he said he wanted to bring Princess Gong into the palace.

She angrily accused him of being too absurd, but he insisted on doing what he wanted. A man in his thirties, he was as enthusiastic as a young boy.

He said: "My mother has stopped me once, but I was powerless to resist. But now I am the ruler of the world, and I have the right to get what I want."

The Empress Dowager sighed, "Your father is really crazy. He had people spread the rumor that Prince Gong's wife died for love, and created a new identity for your mother and brought her into the palace. But so many people knew your mother, how could this matter be hidden?"

"But your father didn't care. He poured all his love on your mother. Even after your mother entered the palace, your father never stepped into the rooms of other concubines, including the queen."

But the truth will eventually come out.

The fact that Concubine Jing was the wife of Prince Gong was finally exposed, causing an uproar.

A woman married two husbands, and these two husbands were brothers. Most importantly, she couldn't wait to throw herself into the arms of the second man before she even finished the mourning period.

How can such a dissolute woman be worthy of being a concubine?

All kinds of insults and nasty words came pouring down on her.

Even Emperor Shunde, who was always diligent and caring for his people, had his reputation affected because of this incident.

Ministers came to the emperor's defense one after another, asking him to depose the concubine.

But the emperor was determined not to agree, and even made a fuss to the point where all the civil and military officials sat in protest in front of the palace gates.

"Your father loves your mother so much that he doesn't want to do anything to her, so only an old woman like me, who is half buried in the ground, is here."

The Empress Dowager recalled that she had sent someone to invite Concubine Jing, and Concubine Jing said nothing, but just held Xiao Jinxuan's hand and came.

She asked Concubine Jing, "Do you know why I asked you to come here?"

Concubine Jing's expression was unexpectedly calm. "I know."

She was a little shocked. "You know? How can you be so calm?"

Concubine Jing actually showed a relieved smile, "Actually, this is also my wish."

She read a lot of books when she was young, wanted to go to many places and do many things, but she didn't expect that she would be trapped in the inner house all her life because of two men.

She originally thought that she would be free after Prince Gong's death.

But before she could be happy, she was transferred from one cage to another.

Emperor Shunde kept saying that he loved her, but when she said no, he still forced himself on her.

She volunteered to keep vigil for three years just to escape from the capital.

But Emperor Shunde made her fake her death, completely cutting off her future.

She became Concubine Jing and became pregnant.

The child was conceived by another man on the first day after her husband died.

Whenever she thought of these things, she felt indescribable torment in her heart.

She has had enough of this kind of life over the years.

So dying peacefully might be the best option for her.

"Before I die, I want to ask the Grand Empress Dowager for one thing. I'm afraid Xuan'er will be bullied in the future without his mother to rely on. Can the Grand Empress Dowager show mercy and protect him for me? As long as you agree, I will take the initiative to drink the poisoned wine and will never involve you."

The Empress Dowager sighed and said "What a sin", but finally agreed to her request.

Concubine Jing smiled with relief, took the poisoned wine she was given, and left.

That night, she drank poisoned wine in front of Emperor Shunde and died of rage.

So why did Emperor Shunde, who loved Concubine Jing so much, quietly cover up the matter and not allow anyone to investigate?

Because the murderer who killed Concubine Jing was herself!

From then on, the Empress Dowager often dreamed of Concubine Jing, so she took Xiao Jinxuan to live in Yuntai Mountain in the name of worshiping Buddha.

This is how everything happened.

In Xiao Jinxuan's memory, his mother always had a frown on her face. He never expected that the only time she smiled was when she was preparing to die.

When he was young, she almost strictly forbade him to have any contact with women. Was it because she was worried that he would ruin other women's lives?

After listening to this, Xie Zhuoning was stunned for a long time.

She couldn't imagine how painful Concubine Jing must have been every day she lived in this world, so she left so carefree and decisively when Xiao Jinxuan was still so young.

Xiao Jinxuan asked somewhat depressedly, "Would she have lived a better life without me?"

Xie Zhuoning shook his head. "Her suffering was not caused by you, but by the late emperor. On the contrary, you are the one who brought her hope."

It was because of his existence that Concubine Jing was able to survive the many difficult days and nights in the palace.

Even though Concubine Jing left in the end, she had carefully planned for him and chosen the best path for him.

How can this not be considered as a parent's love for their child and their long-term plans for him?

But this incident was such a huge blow to Xiao Jinxuan that even though Xie Zhuoning said a lot, he was still a little distracted.

Xie Zhuoning had no choice but to take a deep breath and said, "I'm pregnant!"