Legend of Zhen Huan: Zhen Huan is reborn

204 No Way Out Unless You Die

Yinzhen named the eleventh prince Hongju, hoping that he would grow up healthily and become a responsible and wise person in the future.

Although he was born weak and sickly, Yinzhen hoped that he could overcome all difficulties with his strong will and unremitting efforts.

After Yixiu was put under house arrest, all affairs of the harem were handled jointly by Feng Ruozhao and Shen Meizhuang.

(Jingren Palace)

Jianqiu saw Yixiu writing with a calm expression on her face and couldn't help feeling a little anxious.

"Your Majesty, I feel so sorry for you that the Emperor has been deceived like this." Jianqiu said anxiously.

"What's the big deal? It's not like I haven't been grounded before. You're just too impetuous." Yixiu responded calmly, seemingly not caring about the current situation.

"But Your Majesty, the Emperor didn't say when he would let you out." Jianqiu said worriedly.

"The truth will always be revealed one day. Are you still afraid that I can't leave Jingren Palace?" Yixiu said confidently, as if everything was under her control.

Jianqiu stopped talking, but quietly stepped aside and watched Yixiu continue writing.

Although she was anxious, she also knew Yixiu's temperament and could only wait for the opportunity silently.

-

During this period, Zhen Huan rested well and her health gradually recovered.

After the confinement period, in order to celebrate the eleventh prince's full moon, Yinzhen specially held a full moon banquet in Yuqing Palace.

At the full moon banquet, Yuchan and Yurao, who had not been seen for a long time, came.

Yu Rao is still pregnant for more than three months, which undoubtedly adds more joy to the full moon banquet, which is double happiness. Everyone gathered at the banquet to celebrate this special moment together and also send blessings to the healthy growth and bright future of the eleventh prince.

(Yuqing Palace)

"Today is a family dinner. Everyone doesn't have to be restrained. Just eat and drink." Yinzhen said.

"I would like to congratulate my royal brother on the birth of his second son." Prince Guo raised his glass to congratulate.

Yinzhen drank it all in one gulp and responded with a smile: "I think Yuan Che is very well behaved. You have a good son, and I want to congratulate you."

"Your Majesty, you are joking. This is all thanks to Yuchan. I was only busy appreciating calligraphy and paintings." Prince Guo said modestly.

"So, you have a good wife." Yinzhen exclaimed.

"It's a good thing that my brother has Concubine Xi by his side," Prince Guo said with a smile.

"Prince Guo, you are joking. I would like to thank you for taking such thoughtful care of my sister and treating her so well." Zhen Huan responded with a smile, expressing her gratitude to Prince Guo.

Zhen Huan couldn't help feeling gratified when she saw that Yu Rao was becoming more and more radiant.

She could see that Prince Shen took meticulous care of Yu Rao. His attentiveness and concern for every detail made Zhen Huan feel a little envious.

At this time, a maid on the side presented mango sago, which had mango as the main ingredient and tapioca pearls as the auxiliary ingredient, and was garnished with a few small meatballs, which looked extremely tempting.

However, Zhen Huan just glanced at it and was not in a hurry to try it.

She motioned for Jinxi to check, and Jinxi took out the silver hairpin and reached into the mango sago in the bowl, but was surprised to find that the silver hairpin was gradually turning black.

Jinxi was so flustered that she accidentally knocked over the mango sago in the bowl. This sudden change caught Yinzhen's attention.

He noticed the movement here and asked, "What happened?"

Zhen Huan showed fear on her face, and Jin Xi quickly knelt down and nervously reported: "Your Majesty, someone is trying to harm our queen."

After hearing this, Yinzhen frowned and asked in confusion: "What exactly happened? Why do people say that someone wants to harm Concubine Xi?" He was obviously very surprised and shocked by this matter.

"Your Majesty, our queen has been frightened and has had trouble eating since the last incident. I have therefore become more cautious and tried it on this soup. Unexpectedly... the silver hairpin actually changed color." Jin Xi said.

Su Peisheng shouted loudly: "Where are the imperial guards? Come and protect the emperor!"

Yinzhen looked displeased: "How could it be poisonous? Check it out immediately! I want to see who is so bold as to poison right under my nose."

Wen Shichu arrived quickly and checked many bowls and dishes, but only Zhen Huan's bowl was poisoned. This man's intentions were obvious, and it was clear that he wanted to harm Zhen Huan.

"This person is not targeting anyone else, but Concubine Xi. In my opinion, there is no need to investigate further. It is self-evident who is the most suspicious." Ye Lanyi said.

At this time, Su Peisheng stepped into the hall, "Your Majesty, the maid who was responsible for serving the meal claimed that she only met Jianqiu who was beside the Queen on the way. Jianqiu asked about what she was serving and opened the lid to check." "Good, very good, where is Jianqiu?" Yinzhen asked.

"Jianqiu is waiting outside the hall." Su Peisheng responded.

"Let her in!" Yinzhen ordered.

Jianqiu walked into the hall and knelt on the ground. Yinzhen asked, "Why did you harm Concubine Xi?"

"Your Majesty, the Queen loves you deeply, how could she do such a thing? How could Your Majesty not trust her and instead trust such a vicious woman?" Jianqiu defended.

"How bold!" Yinzhen slammed his palm on the table.

"Your Majesty, the Queen is your first wife, how can you lose trust in her?" Jianqiu continued.

"Did someone instruct you?" Yinzhen asked.

"No one instructed me to do this. The Queen is still under house arrest. All this is my fault." After saying this, Jianqiu tried to pull her hand away and commit suicide.

Seeing this, Ye Lanyi shouted loudly: "She wants to commit suicide!"

The eunuchs beside her quickly held her down, and Jianqiu shouted unwillingly: "Your Majesty, the Empress is really wronged! Your Majesty!"

Yinzhen waved his hand to signal for her to be taken away. As Jianqiu was dragged away, she kept shouting, "Your Majesty, the Empress is your wife! Your Majesty! Imperial Concubine Xi! Aren't you afraid of retribution? Imperial Concubine Xi~"

"Your Majesty, why does the Queen treat me like this? If this is the case, I might as well go to Ganlu Temple and live the rest of my life with the ancient Buddha and the green lamps." Zhen Huan said with tears streaming down her face.

"Your Majesty, Jianqiu's actions must have been instructed by the Empress. Otherwise, how could a mere servant like her obtain poison so easily? Imperial Doctor Wen has just stated that this is Crane's Beak Poison." Yu Rao stood up and said.

After Yinzhen pondered for a moment, he ordered: "Su Peisheng, you go and investigate this matter thoroughly. No one around the queen should be spared."

"Yeah!" Su Peisheng responded and walked out of the hall.

In order to appease Zhen Huan, Yinzhen returned to Yongshou Palace with her, and the rest of the people also dispersed and returned home.

(Jingren Palace)

During the time Yixiu was under house arrest, she felt that life was boring and tedious, but she was helpless.

She was about to call Jianqiu when she saw a strange servant girl coming in.

"Who are you? Where is Jianqiu?" Yixiu asked.

"Reporting to the Queen, my name is Xiao Cui. I was sent by Eunuch Su to serve the Queen." Xiao Cui replied.

"Where did Jianqiu go?" Yixiu asked.

"Aunt Jianqiu and Eunuch Jiang were taken away by people from the Ministry of Punishment last night." Xiao Cui said truthfully.

"How dare you! You dare to take people around me away without permission? Have you asked for my opinion?" Yixiu slammed the table angrily.

"Empress, I heard that Aunt Jianqiu was exposed after her failed attempt to poison Concubine Xi. The emperor was extremely angry, so he ordered a thorough investigation of Jingren Palace." Xiao Cui said.

"What did you say?" Yixiu asked in disbelief.

(Hall of Mental Cultivation)

Yinzhen was sitting at his desk at this moment, feeling exhausted.

Su Peisheng stepped into the palace and said, "Your Majesty, the Ministry of Punishment has submitted a confession. Please review it."

Yinzhen took the confession and looked at the items listed above, and was shocked.

"Your Majesty, there are many more besides these," Su Peisheng added.

"More? I didn't know that my queen was such a person." Yinzhen sighed.

"Also, there is one more thing. I don't know whether I should report it." Su Peisheng seemed hesitant.

"What's the matter? Just tell me." Yinzhen ordered.

"It's about... Queen Chunyuan." As soon as Su Peisheng mentioned this, Yinzhen slammed the table.

"How bold!" Yinzhen said in disbelief.

"Empress Chunyuan was weak when she was pregnant, and many ingredients in the medicinal herbs were secretly replaced. Even almonds were replaced with peach kernels which would harm the fetus. As a result, Empress Chunyuan's child was dead at birth." Su Peisheng reported.

"Isn't it because Chunyuan blamed herself too much at that time that caused difficult labor and hemorrhage?" Yinzhen asked puzzledly.

"The imperial physician said that this was the reason why the incident was covered up," Su Peisheng explained. "Another thing is that the fetus of Concubine Tian also suffered the same fate. Fortunately, Concubine Tian was lucky enough to survive, but she could no longer have children."

"Okay, very good, call the queen over." Yinzhen ordered.

"Yeah!" Su Peisheng responded and walked out of the hall.

A moment later, Yixiu walked into the hall and knelt on the ground.

"Tell me, was it you who did what happened to Chunyuan?" Yinzhen asked.

"Now that things have come to this, what difference does it make whether it is true or not? The emperor has already believed it, so why bother asking me again?" Yixiu responded expressionlessly.

"So, it's really you? Why? She is your biological sister!" Yinzhen said in shock.

"When the emperor first insisted on letting my sister enter the palace, she was no longer that person," Yi Xiu said coldly.

"You are simply unreasonable." Yinzhen said angrily.

"Really? Your Majesty, do you know the truth of 'If you have Yu, why have Liang?' At that time, Your Majesty already had me, but he still insisted on letting my sister enter the house. Have you ever considered my feelings?" Yixiu asked back.

"Even so, you can't do such a thing." Yinzhen said sternly.

"Does the emperor still remember Honghui? He was not yet three years old, and he had a high fever that made his whole body hot, and eventually died! I held his body and walked in the rain all night, wanting only to walk to the Yama Palace and pray to all the gods and Buddhas in the palace, asking them to take my life and not my son's! However, he passed away anyway, with a high fever that wouldn't go away, and he just died like that! What was the emperor doing at that time? He was accompanying his sister, who was also pregnant. The most painful time for me was also her most glorious and proud moment. How could I not feel resentment? Wasn't it her son who took my son's life? How could I tolerate her son becoming the crown prince?" Yixiu spoke in an emotional breakdown.

"Aren't you afraid of retribution for doing this? Aren't you afraid that Chunyuan's soul will come to settle accounts with you?" Yinzhen asked.

"If she wants to take my life, let her do it! Otherwise, I will have to spend long nights dreaming of my child crying to me. When the child died, my sister was pregnant. Your Majesty, you were only concerned about the joy of my sister's pregnancy, so how could you remember me and your child?" Yixiu said sadly.

"I am old and ugly now, so the emperor will naturally despise me. I just wonder, if my sister were still alive, would the emperor still truly love her aging face? I really regret it! The emperor should have seen my sister's now decayed face like mine, then perhaps he would not hate me so much." Yixiu continued to express her regret and pain.

"If Chunyuan were still alive, she would never be like you!" Yinzhen's tone revealed disgust.

"This pair of jade bracelets was given to me by the Emperor himself when I entered the palace. He wished that I could wear them day and night. But now the Emperor thinks that I have made a mistake and probably doesn't want to see me anymore! Back then, the Emperor also insisted on wearing this ring and told me that if I gave birth to a prince, the position of his wife would be mine." When Yixiu said this, there was still a trace of longing on her face, but the following words made her heart break.

"However, when I gave birth to the prince, the emperor had already married my sister as his wife, and my child was forced to become a bastard. Like me, he can never get rid of his bastard status. The position of wife that should have belonged to me was easily taken away by others, and the position of crown prince that should have belonged to my son also belonged to someone else. My husband gave all his love to her. I wanted to be content, but I can't do it!" Yixiu painfully expressed her unwillingness and helplessness.

"It was me who insisted on marrying Chunyuan. It was me who insisted on making her my consort. Why don't you hate me?" Yinzhen questioned.

"Your Majesty, do you think I don't want to? I want to hate you so much! But I can't do it, I really can't do it! Your Majesty only has my sister in his eyes. Your Majesty, do you know that my love for you is no less than yours for your sister! Your Majesty, do you think my sister loves you a lot? Do you think Concubine Xi really loves you?" Yixiu said excitedly, "Any woman who loves her husband deeply, who would be willing to watch her beloved husband having children with another woman! I can't do it, I really can't do it! Although Your Majesty thinks that I am jealous, I really love Your Majesty, so I am like this!"

"Your Majesty, if I were not the Queen, I would have to protect myself and hope that Your Majesty would still remember the good things about me. I would love to hide nothing, but my forced virtuousness is also what hurts me the most and makes me sad the most!" Yixiu painfully expressed her helplessness and deep affection.

Yinzhen sighed softly, and then ordered: "Su Peisheng, go to Jingren Palace and take back the empress's seal. Empress Ulanara, you are not blessed by heaven, you are flashy but not practical, you harm the royal heirs, you are a traitor to the court, how can you respect the ancestral temple and be the mother of the country? You are demoted to a commoner and placed in the cold palace."

Su Peisheng was about to respond when Zhu Xi's figure suddenly appeared in the Yangxin Palace.

"Aunt Sun, why are you here so late at night?" Yinzhen asked.

"I heard that something happened in the Yangxin Palace tonight, so I rushed here late at night." Zhu Xi replied.

"No matter what it is, let's discuss it after I finish dealing with things here." Yinzhen said.

Zhu Xi walked into the inner room and said, "This time I came here for this matter."

Then he took out the imperial edict from the Queen Mother Wu Ya Cheng Bi and said, "The Queen Mother has ordered that no matter what the Queen does, Ulanara cannot depose the Queen."

Yinzhen took it, glanced at it, and said, "It is undoubtedly written by the Empress Dowager, but she has done so many evil things that my harem cannot tolerate her existence."

"The Empress Dowager said that if the Emperor is determined to depose the Queen, do you still remember what Queen Chunyuan said before she died while she was lying on the Emperor's lap?" Zhu Xiyan said.

Yinzhen pondered for a moment and said, "At that time, Chunyuan was already weak. She leaned on my knees and said to me: I am unlucky and cannot spend the rest of my life with Silang. Even our child was not saved. I only have Yixiu as my sister. I hope that in the future, Silang will treat her well no matter what and not abandon her."

When Yinzhen said this, he showed a hint of helplessness, and his anger also dissipated for the most part.

Yixiu closed her eyes, tears falling, "Your wife, the Ulanara family, is auspicious and spiritual, born in a noble family, beautiful and bred in a prestigious family, with a kind heart, gentle manners, and all six virtues. She has long been a virtuous woman in the palace, and has spread the four religions. She is truly a model of a mother who sets an example for the whole country. The Empress Dowager once ordered me to confer the title of Empress with a royal seal. Your Majesty, do you still remember these words?"

Yinzhen remained silent. Zhuxi reiterated, "The emperor once promised Empress Chunyuan that he would never abandon her sister. If the emperor forgives the empress today, it is for Empress Chunyuan's sake, so that her soul will not be disturbed. The emperor hates the empress and even doesn't want to call her by her name. He always calls her Ulanara. But isn't Empress Chunyuan also a Ulanara? Isn't the empress dowager also a relative of the Ulanara family? The emperor also has the blood of the Ulanara family flowing in his body. The empress dowager's will states that the Ulanara family cannot be deposed as empress."

Yinzhen stood up, his face showing desolation, "I specially remember your kindness in the past, and I have placed Ulanara in Jingren Palace, and she is not allowed to leave until she dies."