Chapter 182 The Zhao Family Enters Beijing
Consort Zheng was given poisoned wine.
She was dressed in plain clothes when the Empress arrived.
He seemed to be bravely facing death.
The Empress sat down in a chair and said, "I never imagined that the last person you wanted to see before you died would be me."
Consort Zheng's smile was somewhat pathetic. "Otherwise, would I go to His Majesty in a hysterical state? That would be too unsightly."
The Empress looked at her coldly, "You have something to say?"
Consort Zheng's eyes suddenly turned vicious. "Do you know how your little princess died?"
The little princess is the empress's Achilles' heel, a taboo subject that cannot be mentioned in the palace.
She was waiting for the Empress's angry expression.
The Empress simply looked at her without any expression of joy or sorrow.
"Why do you think that out of all the children you've had, only Xiao Yin survived?"
Consort Zheng's ferocious expression froze for a moment.
"What did you say?"
A rare hint of mockery appeared on the Empress's face.
“Shen Mingtang is a smart person, but not smart enough, which is why I allowed His Majesty to elevate her to a high position. As for you, your self-righteousness is utterly foolish.”
Consort Zheng's eyes were filled with tears, and her face became increasingly ferocious.
"Hahahaha, I, Zheng Huarong, have been clever all my life, yet I've been fooled for half my life by you two thieving couples!"
Zheng Huarong looked at the Empress's cold demeanor, her tone filled with resentment.
"I never imagined that the best actress in the palace would be Your Majesty the Empress! So, you never even considered letting my Yin'er live?"
The Empress chuckled lightly, "Half of the world is surnamed Zhao. Do you think he can survive?"
Zheng Huarong laughed and cried at the same time, "You've acted for half your life, why did you stop? Zhao Banruo, I really underestimated you!"
The Empress straightened her phoenix robe and said to the eunuch who had brought the poisoned wine, "Send her on her way."
The eunuch immediately stepped forward and poured the poisoned wine into Zheng Huarong's mouth.
Zheng Huarong died with her eyes wide open in disbelief.
Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, her eyes fixed intently on the Empress.
The Empress gave a cold laugh. "Daughter of the Zheng family of Xingyang."
In the end, all they got was a straw mat, which was then devoured by wild dogs.
The Ming Prince was punished by being imprisoned in the Ming Prince's Mansion, and all the Zheng family officials involved were executed.
Zheng Hongwen and his wife were sentenced to be torn apart by chariots.
It was a drizzly day, and Qin Jinzhi sat not far from where the couple had carried out their execution.
The lark held an umbrella for her.
Pain, screams, wails, and the lingering smell of blood lingered for a long time.
At this moment, another umbrella appeared beside Qin Jinzhi.
Under the umbrella was a gentle woman with a very handsome boy.
The mother and son's eyes were exactly like Shen Liuying's.
Qin Jinzhi spoke up: "Do you want those who did such filthy things to you and your mother to end up like this?"
The boy's face was numb and indifferent, but when Qin Jinzhi spoke, his hatred was overwhelming.
"think!"
Qin Jinzhi smiled and said, "Then climb up, climb by any means necessary, climb above these people, climb until their lives are just a thought away from yours, climb until all these filthy people tremble with fear at the mere thought of you."
The boy stared intently at the sea of blood where the execution was taking place.
He turned and left with the woman.
After witnessing the execution of Zheng Hongwen and his wife, Qin Jinzhi went outside the city.
A carriage was already waiting there.
As soon as Qin Jinzhi approached, a girl jumped off the car.
"Princess!"
Qin Jinzhi handed her a jar. "Let's go. Take her away and find a place with green hills and clear waters to scatter her ashes. That should be the freedom she wanted."
The girl took the jar and said to the people in the carriage, "Get down, everyone."
Several teenagers jumped out of the car one after another.
The group knelt respectfully on the ground, saying, "We will never forget the Princess's great kindness."
Qin Jinzhi simply waved her hand, "Go, go as far away as possible, get out of here."
When Cui Ying met her at the city gate, she looked at her with some concern.
Are you alright?
Qin Jinzhi was somewhat surprised to see Cui Ying. "What are you doing here?"
Cui Ying touched her nose. "I guess you'll send Zheng Qi away."
Qin Jinzhi nodded, "You're practically a mind reader."
Cui Ying stepped forward and whispered, "Xiao Zhen has sent a letter to Tianxiang Tower."
Qin Jinzhi nodded and said, "Let's go."
After being disguised, the two were taken to Xiao Zhen's private residence.
Xiao Zhen neatly and efficiently handed the items in her hand to Qin Jinzhi.
"The travel permits, registration documents, and all the necessary paperwork are here. The Zhao family's convoy can set off now."
Qin Jinzhi took all the things, "Brother Xiao really gets things done quickly."
Xiao Zhen smiled and said, "Such an important matter cannot be neglected. I wonder if the Zhao family head will be coming to the capital with the caravan this time?"
Qin Jinzhi smiled and said, "Of course, for such an important matter as participating in the selection of imperial merchants, it is only natural that I would come in person."
Xiao Zhen's smile held a deeper meaning. "Then this prince must meet this Zhao family head. Such a legendary heroine is someone this prince admires greatly."
Qin Jinzhi curled one corner of her lips into a smile. "Definitely."
Upon returning to Tianxiang Tower, Qin Jinzhi sent a letter to Suzhou.
Cui Ying said with an incredulous look, "You really want the Zhao family from Suzhou to come to the capital to compete for the title of Imperial Merchant?"
Qin Jinzhi raised an eyebrow. "Of course."
Cui Ying looked puzzled. "But if things are exposed, the Zhao family will become the target of everyone's criticism."
As Qin Jinzhi wrote the letter, she said, "Xiao Zhen did it. What does it have to do with the Zhao family?"
Cui Ying turned to the other side, "But wouldn't that tie the Zhao family to Xiao Zhen?"
Qin Jinzhi did not look up. "The Zhao family doesn't really need Xiao Zhen as a backer. No one in this world can take money out of my pocket."
Cui Ying suddenly looked at Qin Jinzhi with a strange expression. "Are you trying to use Xiao Zhen to get the Zhao family into the capital? If you fall out with Xiao Zhen after the Zhao family enters the capital, how will you handle things afterwards? There are many powerful figures in the palace, and many twists and turns. The Zhao family has no background, and even I can't help them."
Qin Jinzhi held the pen, a faint smile on her face. "Who says the Zhao family has no background?"
Cui Ying frowned, unable to recall which clan the Zhao family belonged to.
Qin Jinzhi whistled, and a hidden sentry appeared out of nowhere.
"Send it to Suzhou."
With the Empress's birthday approaching, although Prince Ming was under house arrest, no decree was issued to punish him.
Everyone probably knows that Consort Zheng is dead, and the Zheng family has been crippled.
The wise king will not be in any danger to his life.
This can be seen from the fact that Princess Ming continued to prepare for the Empress's birthday celebration without being affected.
He was just waiting for the Empress's birthday so that the Prince of Ming could go to his fiefdom and live a leisurely life as a prince.
It is said that the Ming Emperor set up a Buddhist shrine in his residence to atone for Consort Zheng's sins.
He knelt and prayed every day.
The sound of the wooden fish echoed repeatedly.
"Your Highness, are we really leaving the capital like this? The Zheng family has been ruined by Qin Jinzhi, and even the Empress..."
"Do you know where we went wrong? We underestimated our opponent."
However, Qin Jinzhi didn't win either!
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