Chapter 128

It didn’t snow in the imperial city today, but the sky was gloomy.

Ice froze under the eaves of the palace, and cries came from the Empress Dowager’s bedroom. In this majestic palace, even the air was oppressive and suffocating.

Feng Shiyan’s face was as gloomy as frost, and he walked quickly from the long palace corridor to the Empress Dowager’s bedroom. His steps were so fast that the eunuchs beside him couldn’t catch up with him even if they trotted.

When he heard the cries coming from the Empress Dowager’s palace, Feng Shiyan stopped and trembled.

The chief eunuch who followed him also showed a bad look on his face.

At the end of the palace road is Cining Palace where the Queen Mother resides. The red palace walls on both sides were painted red just a year ago. There is white snow on the top of the walls. In contrast, the palace walls seem to be stained with blood.

Cining Palace is like a giant beast crouching behind the blood wall. Feng Shiyan pursed his lips and quickened his pace towards Cining Palace. When he entered the palace gate, the palace maids and eunuchs saluted him with tears.

The crying sound was buzzing, which gave Feng Shiyan a headache.

"Why are you crying!"

There was a fierce look on his handsome face.

Even though he had a vague guess in his heart, he still held a glimmer of fantasy.

The maid kneeling at his feet sobbed and said, "The Empress Dowager... passed away."

The two words "passed away" appeared in Feng Shiyan's ears. He seemed to sway, his face turned pale, his thin lips pursed tightly, and he walked into the Empress Dowager's bedroom without saying a word.

The further he walked inside, the louder the crying became. The dark bedroom was filled with the smell of medicine that lingered for years.

The maids and nannies who served the Empress Dowager knelt in front of the Empress Dowager's bed, crying uncontrollably.

When Feng Shiyan saw the Empress Dowager on the bed, a few traces of pain flashed in his eyes - the Empress Dowager died with her mouth half open, and she had unfulfilled wishes when she died.

Feng Shiyan knelt down. The buzzing cries from all directions gave him a splitting headache. He became even more furious and roared, "Get out!"

The chief eunuch who came with him hurriedly sent the other palace servants out of the bedroom, leaving only the old nanny who took care of the queen mother.

"Mother."

Feng Shiyan called out dryly.

The old nanny at the side couldn't stop crying: "When the queen heard that the whole Gao family was imprisoned and would be executed three months later, she was so angry that she didn't survive."

Bloodshot eyes slowly emerged in Feng Shiyan's eyes and veins bulged on his forehead. He said in a hoarse voice: "Mother, I did this to save the Daxuan kingdom."

The old nanny said: "The queen said before she died, if you still remember that she is your biological mother and has raised you for more than 20 years, you should leave a way for the Gao family to survive."

Feng Shiyan didn't say a word, but he was surrounded by hostility.

After a while, a young eunuch hurried into the palace to report: "Your Majesty, there is a commotion in Kunning Palace, and the Empress said she wants to see the Queen Mother."

After the Gao family was imprisoned, Empress Gao was also confined to Kunning Palace, and it was likely that she would be sent to the cold palace after giving birth to a child.

Feng Shiyan pulled the corner of his mouth, and his overly thin lips showed a sense of indifference and indifference: "Everyone is gone, why does she come to see?"

This meant that Empress Gao was not allowed to see the Queen Mother for the last time.

No one in the palace dared to do anything, and they were silent.

After a while, Feng Shiyan stood up, his straight back was cold and hard: "Call the people from the Ministry of Rites and the Qintianjian to enter the palace."

This was to discuss the funeral arrangements for the Queen Mother.

When he walked out of Cining Palace, the palace maids who followed him closely did not dare to breathe.

When Feng Shiyan suddenly stopped, the chief eunuch also became worried.

He asked, "Is there a woman in the Gao family's side branch who is about to give birth?"

The chief eunuch bowed and said, "Yes, the fifth son of the Gao family has a concubine who is about to give birth."

Feng Shiyan's temples throbbed with pain. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, he seemed to have made a difficult decision: "After the child is born, send it out of the capital and announce to the outside world that a stillborn baby was born."

The chief eunuch hurriedly said, "I understand."

The Gao family had committed a heinous crime, and there was no way they could be left alive. This move was also a way for the Gao family to have a descendant.

When Feng Shiyan raised his foot again, he asked, "Where is Concubine Xi now?"

After Jiang Yanxi was forcibly taken back to the palace by him, because in the eyes of outsiders, Concubine Xi was dead, Jiang Yanxi's current identity was just a woman brought back from the people by him when he was on a personal expedition. Feng Shiyan

gave her the title of concubine, and "Xi" is the same as "Xi".

The once arrogant and domineering Concubine Fan was killed by him after Fan Wei rebelled. Empress Gao, who relied on the protection of the Gao family and the queen mother, also lost her glory after the fall of the Gao family and the death of the queen mother. Now Empress Gao's biggest bargaining chip is probably the unborn child in her belly. Jiang Yanxi is the only one in the whole harem.

Everyone knows how much Feng Shiyan dotes on Jiang Yanxi. Now no one dares to touch Jiang Yanxi's mold, and these eunuchs below are also the best at changing their attitude according to the situation.

As soon as Feng Shiyan asked about Jiang Yanxi, the chief eunuch immediately replied: "News just came from the Cangjiao Palace that Concubine Xi went to see Minister Jiang."

Minister Jiang is still imprisoned in the Tianlao, which is a big bargaining chip for Feng Shiyan to control Jiang Yanxi.

Since Jiang Yanxi returned to the palace, she has not given Feng Shiyan a good face for a single day. Last night, he promised Jiang Yanxi to let her see Minister Jiang, and Jiang Yanxi obeyed him a little.

Nothing can make him happy.

Feng Shiyan's brows were irritable and mixed with deep fatigue. "Send more people to follow her." After a pause

, he said, "Send someone to the Grand Princess's Mansion to report the death, and let my aunt go to the palace as well."

Since he took the throne, he has not had a peaceful day.

Even if he was surrounded by his confidants, he did not dare to trust them completely. Up to now, the only person he could still rely on was the Grand Princess.

Jiang Yanxi went to the Heavenly Prison accompanied by the palace maids. When passing by Kunning Palace, he heard the mournful crying coming from inside and frowned.

"Emperor, please let me out. I want to see my mother!"

The carefully combed bun of Empress Gao had been scattered when she was shoved by the imperial guards, and her makeup was even more messy due to crying.

Jiang Yanxi sat on the sedan chair, her hair was high and towering, and there were countless gold hairpins and jadeite on her head. She was wearing a newly made dress from the Shang Palace Bureau, with peony flowers embroidered with gold thread, which was very rich.

She rested her elbows on the armrest of the sedan chair, looking down at Empress Gao who was shoving and shoving with the imperial guards, and she felt a little strange in her heart.

Since she entered the palace, Empress Gao has always been arrogant in front of her, as if looking at her for one more time was dirty.

Finally, one day, she looked down at the most noble woman in the Xuan Dynasty from a high place.

For some reason, she shouted, "Stop."

The luxurious sedan chair stopped at the gate of Kunning Palace.

"Empress, we are following the orders of His Majesty, please don't embarrass us!"

A guard pushed too hard, and Empress Gao fell in front of the steps. Although there were palace servants as human shields, whether it was because of excessive emotional fluctuations or because she really fell, Empress Gao cried out in pain.

The palace maids beside her also shouted in panic: "Imperial Physician! Send the Imperial Physician!"

Empress Gao was pregnant with the heir, so even though she was no longer favored, the imperial guards did not dare to neglect her. Someone immediately ran to the Imperial Hospital to ask for the Imperial Physician.

Empress Gao was worried about the Queen Mother's condition and the child in her belly. Her emotions fluctuated greatly, and she felt a cramp in her stomach and her face turned pale.

When she looked up and saw Jiang Yanxi sitting on the sedan chair, Empress Gao's pupils shrank as if she had seen a ghost.

The corners of Jiang Yanxi's lips curved up. Her face, which could only be described as pretty, became more charming after putting on heavy makeup. "The Empress seems quite surprised to see me?" Empress

Gao's lips also turned pale, and her whole body trembled unconsciously, but she couldn't utter a word.

Jiang Yanxi smiled slowly: "When you plotted against me, did you ever think that you would end up like this?"

Empress Gao stared at Jiang Yanxi, and after making sure that she was still alive, she sneered and said, "When you are in power, you forget your identity."

Jiang Yanxi's eyes fell on her bulging belly, and said, "The Empress is still so majestic now, but she is just hoping to give birth to a dragon son. After all, the Queen Mother has passed away."

Empress Gao had only heard the news that the Queen Mother was seriously ill this morning. When she suddenly heard the word "passed away", her teeth clenched, and she yelled at Jiang Yanxi with red eyes: "You bitch, how dare you curse my mother!"

There was a little more pity in Jiang Yanxi's eyes: "Empress Gao, just treat it as my nonsense."

The depression that had been suppressed in her heart dissipated, and Jiang Yanxi felt relieved all over.

She ordered her attendants, "Lift up the sedan chair."

The sedan chair went away, but Empress Gao was still staring blankly at one place.

When the maid who was taking care of her helped her up, she felt a wet spot on her dress. She looked down and found that the hem of her dress was stained with blood. She screamed, "The queen is in labor, call the imperial physician--"

The scream behind her did not make Jiang Yanxi turn around at all. There was a strange hatred in her eyes.

If she was really a princess of the previous dynasty, all the people in the royal family of Daxuan should die!

This time, she went to see Minister Jiang, on the one hand to ensure his safety, and on the other hand to confirm her identity with him. They

soon arrived at the prison. Feng Shiyan had obviously instructed the prison guards in advance, so Jiang Yanxi was not blocked when she entered.

The jailer led her to the cell where Minister Jiang was.

The Tianlao imprisoned all the important criminals of the court. Minister Jiang was imprisoned alone in a clean cell. His clothes were still neat, and it was obvious that he had not been tortured.

When Minister Jiang saw Jiang Yanxi, his eyes showed pain: "Xi'er..."

Jiang Yanxi's eyes also turned red, but she dismissed the people around her first: "All of you go out, I want to talk to my father alone for a while."

Knowing that she was in great favor, the jailers and palace people did not dare to object and retreated one after another.

"It is my father who has dragged you down..." Minister Jiang blamed himself.

Jiang Yanxi felt sad and asked with a trembling voice: "Father, I have something to ask you. I hope you won't lie to me."

Seeing her expression, Jiang Shangshu guessed everything and sighed: "Ask me."

Jiang Yanxi was already choking: "Am I really a princess of the previous dynasty?"

Jiang Shangshu closed his eyes heavily. He couldn't hide the secret for so many years. He nodded: "Yes."

Jiang Yanxi burst into tears.

...

After leaving the prison, Jiang Yanxi's eyes were red and swollen. The palace maids who served her thought that she had seen Jiang Shangshu and cried sadly, so they didn't dare to ask.

When she was riding a sedan chair back to Cangjiao Palace, she was stopped by the eldest princess at Yuehua Gate.

The Grand Princess was wearing a navy blue brocade and emerald feather palace dress, with a gloomy face and an imposing aura.

Jiang Yanxi was not afraid of anyone in the palace now, but when she saw the Grand Princess, she was still frightened. She stepped down

from the sedan chair and saluted: "Meet the Grand Princess." The Grand Princess stepped forward and slapped Jiang Yanxi hard, her voice cold: "Who gave you the courage to murder the heir to the throne?"

Jiang Yanxi staggered and one of the golden step-shakes on her head fell to the ground. If she hadn't been supported by the palace maid, she would have almost fallen to the ground.