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

In the afternoon, the sun shone weakly in front of the Purple Palace, and an indescribable sense of desolation was revealed in the mottled golden light.

Princess Xuanhua was dressed in plain clothes, looking sick and haggard, like a withered lotus swaying in the autumn wind. She barely supported herself and entered the Purple Palace. Her steps were heavy, and every step seemed to weigh down her heart. Until the quiet and solemn coffin came into view, her face suddenly turned as pale as paper, her eyes widened, full of disbelief and grief.

In the interweaving of light and shadow in the hall, it seemed as if even the air had frozen. Overnight, the sky collapsed and the earth sank. The two most important men in her life left her one after another.

Zheng Xiyan slowly walked to her side, stretched out her delicate fingers, gently covered the back of her cold hand, and said softly: "Your health is the most important thing. If His Majesty knew you were like this, he would definitely feel distressed. He loved you the most when he was alive. He won't blame you, right?"

Princess Xuanhua turned her head slightly, her eyes passed through Zheng Xiyan's shoulder and cast into the boundless void, with complex emotions in her eyes. She suddenly felt that the usually considerate sister-in-law was a little strange at this moment. So much had happened at once, and what she heard and saw could not make her not doubt her.

"Over the years, the Imperial Sister-in-law has treated me like her own sister. I have always been very grateful to her..." Princess Xuanhua gently withdrew her hand, looking directly at Zheng Xiyan with a sharp gaze, "But today, I have something I want to ask the Imperial Sister-in-law. Please tell me the truth!" Her expression was stern and her tone was cold. She seemed like a different person overnight.

Zheng Xiyan looked at her, feeling a little nervous, but her face remained calm as she said softly, "Just ask!"

"Last night, my royal brother... why did my royal brother leave? Did my fifth royal brother go to the palace last night? He is now imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice. Is it the order of my royal sister-in-law?" Princess Xuanhua's eyes became sharp, and her whole body exuded a chill that made people dare not look directly at her.

Zheng Xiyan's face changed slightly, but she quickly regained her composure, with a barely perceptible alertness flashing between her brows. "Yesterday, Your Majesty learned that your husband had died in battle. He was extremely sad and felt deeply ashamed of you. In addition, he had been reviewing memorials while ill recently, often staying up late into the night. He became so anxious that he vomited blood. When the imperial physician arrived, Your Majesty had already..." As she spoke, Zheng Xiyan's tears fell, her face full of grief.

Princess Xuanhua looked at her with doubt in her eyes. She did not believe her words. "Sister-in-law, is this really the case?"

Zheng Xiyan clenched her hands slightly, frowned slightly, and showed her grievance, "Xuanhua, what do you mean? Don't you believe what I said?"

Princess Xuanhua did not respond for a long time. She looked at her with a pair of deep eyes without blinking, and then asked, "What's the matter with the fifth brother?"

"Not long after your majesty passed away, Prince Xiang learned the news and led his troops into the Purple Palace last night. Fortunately, I made arrangements in advance and protected the palace. Now in a time of national mourning, it is not appropriate to create any more trouble, so I decided not to make it public for the time being and will make a fair judgment after the funeral ceremony." Zheng Xiyan's words were both decisive and bold, and she also showed deep consideration for the royal family.

Princess Xuanhua stared at Zheng Xiyan, and her eyes, originally full of doubt, gradually showed a deeper scrutiny. She seemed to be looking for something, the truth, or a secret hidden beneath the surface? After a long time, she slowly spoke in a low and heavy voice: "Sister-in-law, I ask you again, are these words true?"

Inside the Purple Palace, the two men's faces stretched out in the sunlight, and the air around them seemed to freeze. Outside the window, the autumn wind blew gently, bringing with it the wailing of falling leaves.