After killing four concubines, the queen was sentenced to death and reborn

That night, the moonlight was as bright as a thread. Zheng Xiyan sat at the dining table and had dinner with the children. The dishes on the table were rich and fragrant. Just as the atmosphere was harmonious, Biluo walked in quietly, holding a bowl of steaming hot soup in her hand, and whispered softly: "My queen, the soup you ordered has been carefully cooked and the heat is just right."

Zheng Xiyan smiled slightly and responded gently: "Okay."

Xiao Shuyue, who was sitting next to her, had a pair of big eyes sparkling with curiosity. She asked in a baby voice, "Mother, what is that? Yue'er wants to try it, too."

Zheng Xiyan extended her hand lovingly, gently scratched her pink little nose, and said softly: "This is specially prepared for your father to nourish the dragon body. Yue'er, be good, let's drink chicken soup, okay?"

Xiao Shuyue curled her lips slightly when she heard this, looking a little disappointed, but she still nodded obediently: "Okay, but father hasn't come to see us for a long time, is he really busy?"

Zheng Xiyan felt a surge of pain in her heart, but she remained calm on her face and patiently explained, "Yes, your father has been working day and night for national affairs these days. We have to be considerate of him and not disturb him easily, understand?"

"Okay, Yue'er understands." The little girl's eyes revealed some understanding.

After dinner, the brothers Xiao Chengji and Xiao Chengyi were diligently reviewing their lessons in the study, while Shuangning and Zirui were playing with Xiao Shuyue in the courtyard, with laughter all the time.

Zheng Xiyan looked at this scene and whispered to Biluo, "Let's go to the Purple Palace."

Biluo hesitated to speak, her eyes full of worry: "My queen, do you really want to..."

"I have made up my mind. There is no turning back now."

"But..." Biluo wanted to say something else, but was interrupted by Zheng Xiyan, "You and I both heard the conversation outside the Purple Palace that day. His Majesty is obsessed with Zhang Xiuyuan to such an extent. I am just adding some spice to His Majesty. It won't be discovered."

"Yes!"

When they arrived at the Purple Palace, the eunuch was already waiting outside the door. When he saw the queen coming, he immediately bowed and saluted, his voice full of respect: "Your servant greets the queen, may the queen be blessed with good health."

"Get up." Zheng Xiyan said lightly.

"Thank you, Queen." The eunuch stood up and asked, "Your Majesty, His Majesty is having dinner with Zhang Xiuyuan right now. Do you want me to go and tell him?"

"Thank you, eunuch. Just tell him that I specially asked someone to make the soup so that Your Majesty can nourish his body." Zheng Xiyan's voice became much softer.

"Yes, Your Majesty, please wait a moment." The eunuch in front of the emperor took the order and entered the hall.

After a while, the eunuch in front of the emperor came out, "Your Majesty, His Majesty invites you in."

"it is good!"

Biluo presented the carved food box, and Zheng Xiyan slowly walked into the Zichen Hall carrying the food box.

Inside the hall, the candlelight flickered, illuminating Xiao Xuanchen's well-defined profile, with a hint of fatigue in his brows. Zhang Mengying stood upright, waiting by the side. When she saw Zheng Xiyan walk in, she knelt down respectfully, her sleeves brushing the ground with a slight sound.

Zheng Xiyan walked to Xiao Xuanchen, her skirt swirling slightly, and she bowed to him gracefully, her voice gentle and soft: "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you. May your Majesty be well."

Xiao Xuanchen put down the jade chopsticks in his hand, looked at her gently, and chuckled, "Don't be so polite. The Queen came here late at night, what's the important matter?"

Zheng Xiyan gently picked up the food box and approached with lotus-like steps. She first said softly to Zhang Mengxi, "Zhang Xiuyuan, please get up quickly. The ground is cold."

"Thank you, Her Majesty." Zhang Mengying stood up, secretly trying to figure out the Queen's intentions, but she remained expressionless.

Zheng Xiyan turned around, smiling like a flower, and said to Xiao Xuanchen: "Your Majesty, I see that you have been busy with state affairs recently, and your body is getting thinner and thinner. I am very worried. So I specially ordered people to carefully prepare Cordyceps and old duck soup, hoping that it can nourish your Majesty's body." As she spoke, she lightly opened the food box, and a rich yet fresh aroma instantly filled the air.

She gently placed the soup bowl in front of Xiao Xuanchen, her eyes full of tenderness and expectation: "Your Majesty, drink it while it's hot. This soup is the best for nourishing your body."

Xiao Xuanchen looked at her with a smile in his eyes, as if he understood the deep meaning of her words, and was secretly happy, thinking that she was jealous. "It's so late, and the queen just came to bring me some soup?" He asked casually, but in fact, his heart was already warm.

Zheng Xiyan's smile deepened, "I also wanted to take the opportunity to send soup to visit your majesty. Your majesty has been busy with government affairs these days and has not set foot in Weiyang Palace. Yue'er even asked me today why your majesty did not come to see her."

Xiao Xuanchen was delighted when he heard this, thinking that she was just jealous because of missing him. The corners of his mouth couldn't help but rise, and he felt particularly happy. "Okay! Since it's the Queen's intention, I will naturally savor it carefully."

He picked up the soup bowl, blew away the heat, and drank it in one gulp. The warm soup slid down his throat and went straight to his heart. It was indeed delicious. "It tastes good."

"If Your Majesty likes it, I will have someone cook it for you another day." Zheng Xiyan smiled like a flower.

"Okay!" Xiao Xuanchen agreed readily.

Zhang Mengying stood aside, her eyes wandering between the two, thinking to herself, I always feel that the queen is different tonight, why is the queen so impatient? What time is it now, why would she send soup at this time?

Seeing that Xiao Xuanchen had finished his soup, Zheng Xiyan gently took back the bowl and put it into the food box, her movements showing her gentleness and virtue. "Then I will take my leave and not disturb Your Majesty from having dinner."

"Are you leaving now?" Xiao Xuanchen was a little surprised, and seemed to want to keep her for a while longer.

"I just came to bring some soup to Your Majesty. Now that Your Majesty has drunk it, why should I keep any more?" Her words were gentle, with a barely perceptible hint of bitterness in her tone.

Hearing this, Xiao Xuanchen smiled gently, "I understand the Queen's intention. I will go to Weiyang Palace to visit you tomorrow."

"Then I will be waiting for you in Weiyang Palace." Zheng Xiyan bowed and said, "I will take my leave."

"Okay." There was a hint of warmth in Xiao Xuanchen's voice. He watched Zheng Xiyan slowly leave the imperial study until the figure disappeared outside the door.

"Your Majesty the Queen is greeted with respect." Zhang Mengying bowed and said farewell.

The smile on Xiao Xuanchen's lips gradually faded, and he turned to stare at Zhang Mengying beside him, with a flash of deep thought in his eyes. He had asked her many times before, and she always said she wouldn't be jealous. Now it seems that women really say one thing and mean another.

"It seems that I dote on you so much that even the Queen feels a sense of crisis, to the extent that she has learned the trick of 'competing for favor'." Xiao Xuanchen said with a smile.

Zhang Mengying smiled slightly when she heard this, "Your Majesty, you are too kind. Although I am favored by Your Majesty, I never dare to compare myself with the Empress. There is a hierarchy, and I know it in my heart."

"In the past, I doted on Concubine Yi, and the Queen never got jealous. But tonight has really made me understand the Queen a little better." Xiao Xuanchen nodded slightly, a hint of guilt flashing in his eyes.

Seeing this, Zhang Mengying comforted her more gently, "Your Highness is the wife of His Majesty, so naturally she longs for more favor from His Majesty. This is understandable. What wife doesn't want more love from her husband?"

"You are right. I have indeed neglected the Queen."

"Then Your Majesty should go to Weiyang Palace more often to accompany the Empress." Zhang Mengying looked understanding.

Xiao Xuanchen smiled and said, "Do you want me to go to Weiyang Palace more often?"

Zhang Mengying blushed slightly when she heard this, and smiled slightly, "It is not up to me to decide. It depends on what Your Majesty thinks."