Chapter 88 (1/2)
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Chapter Eighty-Eight: Death of a Phoenix
”Do you not have any blood on your hands?” The Empress smiled unconcernedly. ”Now that your wings are fully grown, you bribed one of my people to poison the Empress Dowager and caused me to be imprisoned. I will admit that I am not as skilled as you, but you do not need to act so tragic. We are all on the same path, and you are not much cleaner than I am.”
Lin s.h.i.+'s smile froze slightly and then she said, ”You can only win verbally now. I will let you see how the entire Fang Family falls!”
The lack of concern on the Empress' face finally disappeared. ”What do you mean?”
”Nothing.” Lin s.h.i.+ listened to the sound of thunder outside and giggled. ”The thunder is really pleasing to the ear. Empress, enjoy the last days of being the empress in jail. Maybe not long in the future, you will not be the empress but a criminal consort.”
The Empress reached out through the bars of the prison and grabbed the corner of Lin s.h.i.+'s clothes. ”What do you want to do to the Fang Family?!”
Lin s.h.i.+ pulled the corner of her dress and then pressed the Empress's hand hard under her foot. ”When you were bullying me, you should have thought of the day when retribution would come!”
”Ah!” The bone-crus.h.i.+ng pain caused the Empress to cry out. ”Lin s.h.i.+, you will not die a good death!”
”A person who is already living in h.e.l.l will not fear death.” Lin s.h.i.+ laughed until she almost cried. ”It is only my pitiful child. His reputation was ruined from when he was born. He became the inauspicious star that would bring calamity to the world. The child is innocent. When you had people spread rumors about my child, you never thought of leaving some way for us to survive.”
The Empress stilled. She looked in shock at Lin s.h.i.+. ”You think that I did that?”
”You do not have to act so well.” Lin s.h.i.+ smiled coldly. ”You ruined my son's life, and I will take your entire Fang Clan in exchange!”
Lin s.h.i.+ moved her foot away. She touched the silver hairpins in her hair. While she did not have any makeup on her face, her tender skin was enough to make up for countless flaws.
She walked out of the prison. Looking at the pouring rain, she unhesitatingly stepped into the storm.
”Mistress, it has not been a month since you gave birth. It was not good for you to leave the rooms. You cannot get rained on, or you will become ill in the future.” The servant behind her put up an umbrella to s.h.i.+eld her from the rain. However, the rain was too heavy. Even though there was an umbrella, many drops of rain still reached Lin s.h.i.+'s face.
Lin s.h.i.+ smiled unconcernedly and continued to stride forward.
She was standing in this shaking core of power—what future was there?
A crowd of imperial doctors and grand doctors were squeezed in the side hall of the Empress Dowager's palace. There were many of the Yan Clan standing outside. As the Empress Dowager remained unconscious, the faces of the Imperial House members outside got uglier.
When had their Imperial Yan Clan ever had an empress who poisoned the empress dowager? This ugly matter could not be concealed and was definitely going to enter the history books.
When they thought of this, their expressions became even uglier. It was likely that thousands of years later, when people mentioned the Yan Clan's imperial dynasty, they would not forget this ugly matter.
Daughter-in-law poisoning Mother-in-law, that was unfilial. Empress poisoning Empress Dowager, that was treasonous. Yet, this person who was unfilial and treasonous was the very empress whom the Emperor had insisted on investing with the empress t.i.tle in the past.
Of those present, Qilong Emperor's expression was the ugliest. He had acted the filial son for so many years, but now, his empress had poisoned the Empress Dowager. Not only did this cause all of his previous efforts to go to waste, but it also created a stain on his life that would be difficult to erase.
Everyone knew that the Empress Dowager was not his birth mother. No matter all the excuses he could use, these people would not believe his words. He didn't know how those scholars would judge this matter, and him.
There were not many emperors who did not care about how the history books would record them. Qilong Emperor was the same. When he thought about how the people in the future would misunderstand him because of this matter, Qilong Emperor felt a fire burning inside that could not be extinguished.
”Emperor, Xian w.a.n.g and Xian w.a.n.g Fei have arrived.”
Qilong Emperor looked towards the doorway. Yan Jin Qiu and Hua s.h.i.+ were hurrying over. The lower half of Yan Jin Qiu's robes was soaked in water, and his clothing was wrinkled. Hua s.h.i.+ was wearing simple clothing, and her hair was in a simple bun. Her beautiful embroidered slippers had become grey due to having touched dirty water.
If these two met with the Emperor looking like this at a normal time, people would definitely feel that they were breaking etiquette. However, the Empress Dowager was in such a dangerous state right now. Xian w.a.n.g had been raised by the Empress Dowager, so the two of them had came to the palace without even changing. Even the sternest person would think that these two had pure hearts.
Who in Jing did not know of the handsome Xian w.a.n.g and the stunning beauty of Xian w.a.n.g Fei? Who had seen them so disheveled? It could be seen just how panicked the two had felt on their way here.
Yan Jin Qiu and Hua Xi Wan came in front of Qilong Emperor and knelt down. Yan Jin Qiu did not make excuses and said directly, ”This subject and wife have broken etiquette. Emperor, please give your punishment.”
”Virtuous Nephew, Virtuous Niece-in-law, please rise. Zhen understands what you two feel. The Empress Dowager would also be moved by your filialness.” Qilong Emperor's eyes became rimmed in red as he personally reached out to help Yan Jin Qiu up. He said in a choked voice, ”Zhen right now… zhen feels guilty.” Finis.h.i.+ng, he covered his face with his sleeve and started to cry without any sign of composure.
Hua Xi Wan silently lowered her head. This Qilong Emperor was really working hard at was.h.i.+ng himself clean. He was using this move of crying and sobbing in front of so many people. She just didn't know if other people thought that he was truly feeling it or was just acting.
”Please, Emperor, do not be like this. Imperial Grandmother frequently talks to this subject about your filialness and consideration to her. No one could have predicted what happened today.” Yan Jin Qiu's eyes also turned red and he started to sob. ”This subject… this subject only hopes that Imperial Grandmother can be healthy and unharmed.”
Seeing Yan Jin Qiu also take out his Oscar-winning skills, Hua Xi Wan sighed. She hadn't thought that after being reborn, she still had to continue her old line of work. This was a tragic story.