Qin Yining stared blankly at Sun mama and didn't speak for a long time.
The wooden comb in Bing Tang's hand fell to the ground with a clatter.
"Sun mama, you're saying that my father was killed?"
Granny Sun couldn't bear to look away and nodded heavily. "His Imperial Majesty was just talking to the Empress in the Palace of Earthly Tranquility when someone came to report to His Imperial Majesty. The Empress was nearby and heard everything. At that time, His Imperial Majesty left in a hurry. The Empress ordered this servant to inform you. "
After hesitating for a moment, Sun mama continued, "Actually, Her Ladyship said that His Majesty might have told you about this matter, and it wasn't worth it for her to tell you in advance. However, in the end, she still considered your friendship."
The last sentence had a deeper meaning.
Your Majesty might have told her, which meant that there was a high possibility that he wouldn't tell her.
If Li Qitian insisted on keeping her in the palace, then she wouldn't have a reason to leave without telling her that something had happened to her Family Qin. In any case, as long as she was in the palace, as long as Li Qitian wanted, she wouldn't have any way to know what was going on outside.
Qin Yining's lips twitched. Her dry eyes slowly moved, and her eyes were already red. She said with difficulty, "Many thanks to the Empress. Sun mama, please tell the Empress that chenfu will be careful and won't let anyone suspect the Empress. "
Hearing Qin Yining say this, Sun mama sighed and couldn't help but smile, "Wangfei is a sensible person. Then this servant will leave. "
"Ji Yun, help me send Sun mama out."
"Yes."
Ji Yun politely sent Sun mama out.
Qin Yining sat in place with her hands folded on her knees and looked at her face in the mirror.
Everyone said that she looked 70% like her father when he was young, but now that her father was old and had grown a beard, there was no trace of immaturity and handsomeness on his newly wrinkled face. Instead, it had become a refined and calm face that had settled over the years.
Qin Yining's fingers slowly stroked his cheek.
A teardrop rolled down from his red right eye and dripped onto his palm. It was very hot.
Father is dead?
She had tried her best to spread the news and seek help from Xi Yue's people. In the end, was it too late?
Li Qitian pretended to be a fool in front of Xun Gui and was shameless enough to punish her. Then, it was very likely that her father had also made a move at the same time. In these short twenty days, Xi Yue's people might not even be able to walk out of the desert …
His brain seemed to have frozen, and he had completely lost the ability to think.
Qin Yining looked at himself in the mirror and thought of his father.
When she had first returned home, her mother had suspected that she wasn't her biological daughter and had made things difficult for her. Her grandmother and sisters didn't like her either. Although her father didn't reveal his feelings at first, as a man, he wouldn't get involved in the matters of the inner residence. But every time she encountered difficulties, every time she was embroiled in the struggle of the imperial court, it was always her father who guided her and helped her.
She was her father's only child. Her father didn't care that she was a woman and raised her as a son. She couldn't feel the love from others, but her father was the first to give it to her.
Was such a good father really gone?
Qin Yining kept wiping the tears on her face, but she couldn't wipe them off. Rationally, she knew that she should be calm and not let anyone see through her. She had just promised Sun Mama that she wouldn't cause trouble for the Empress …
"Princess, don't, don't be sad, you …" Bing Tang and Ji Yun looked helplessly at Qin Yining who was crying. They only hated themselves for being clumsy and didn't know how to persuade and comfort her.
"I know, I know." Qin Yining lowered her head and clutched her skirt tightly. Her voice was hoarse, "I can't cry. I can't let people see my eyes are red and swollen. I live in the palace. Do I feel wronged? This will give people something to use against me. But I, I don't know what's wrong with me. The tears just flowed out by themselves. What's wrong with me … "
"Princess." Bing Tang sobbed and hugged Qin Yining. "Princess, don't wrong yourself. If you want to cry, just cry. You were wronged. What's wrong with crying? This servant knows that you're suffering in your heart. "
Ji Yun also opened her arms and hugged Bing Tang and Qin Yining. She cried and cursed, "Damn it. Sooner or later, I'll cut that muddle-headed ruler into pieces!"
Qin Yining closed her eyes and gritted her teeth to prevent herself from making a sound. Her hatred had never been as strong as it was now.
There was no place for kindness and benevolence in this world. She already understood it when she experienced that bloody disaster in the Dayan Family Qin in her early years. But she still maintained a bit of innocence …
Qin Yining even regretted it. If she had thought of a way to kill Li Qitian earlier, would all of this have not happened?
However, she was only an ordinary woman. There was no medicine for regret in this world.
At this time, in Qingxin Palace Hall, Li Qitian was glaring at the man in black kneeling in front of him with a dark expression.
"What did I instruct you? Hm? How did you do it? "
"Your Majesty, please calm down. This servant is incompetent. This servant dares to guarantee that the people I found are all very reliable. This servant also didn't expect that Lord Qin and the supplies would suddenly disappear. "
"Suddenly disappear?" Li Qitian was so angry that he laughed. "Although that was outside Tianyu Pass, it wasn't some gloomy place, was it? Without any warning, even the people and the supplies suddenly disappeared? Could it be that the bandits you found have relapsed and are trying to rob me?! "
"Your Majesty, please calm down." The man in black pressed his forehead to the ground and trembled like a sieve.
Li Qitian paced around the man in black with his hands clasped behind his back. Although he wanted to get rid of Qin Huaiyuan, the things he rewarded the army with were real gold, silver, cloth, and food!
"I told you to kill people, and you told me you didn't know whether you killed them or not. Not only did you not complete the mission, you even lost the supplies! What use do I have for a rice bucket like you! "The more Li Qitian thought about it, the angrier he became. He kicked the man in the shoulder.
The man in black rolled on the ground from the kick. He hurriedly got up and knelt properly again. He kowtowed and said, "Your Majesty, please calm down!"
"Trash!"
The man in black kowtowed again and again.
Li Qitian closed his eyes and clasped his hands behind his back. He suddenly raised his head and took a deep breath. He then closed his eyes and slowly exhaled, as if he was smoking tobacco.
When he opened his mouth again, Li Qitian was very calm.
"Get out and receive your punishment."
"Yes, thank you Your Majesty for not killing me!" The man in black felt as if he had been pardoned and hurriedly retreated.
Li Qitian clenched his hands into fists. He stood in the hall with his hands clasped behind his back and slowly closed his eyes. The chaotic emotions under his anger gradually settled down and his thoughts gradually became clear.
Qin Huaiyuan and the goods disappeared together. What was left behind were the corpses of the soldiers escorting them. What did this mean?
It was possible that there was something wrong with the people he arranged. They were trying to rob the people and the goods. There would be more to follow.
It was also possible that the Tatan knew about Qin Huaiyuan's reward for the army and ordered people to rob them to avenge their defeat.
But there was another possibility. Qin Huaiyuan took the large amount of gold, silver, and food to the Tatan and rebelled against the Imperial Court!
As the Emperor, Li Qitian was confident in his own position and charisma.
He ordered people to find a group of famous bandits with the goal of killing Qin Huaiyuan. After the deed was done, these people would be taken in for his own use. For these bandits, it was equivalent to having a recognized identity. How lucky was it for these small bandits to be able to become the Emperor's subordinates?
Li Qitian did not think that these bandits would give up the opportunity to walk in the light.
In this way, Qin Huaiyuan was most likely to abscond with food and goods.
Li Qitian sneered. He slowly walked back to the warm kang by the window and sat down. He picked up the teacup and took a sip of the slightly cold tea.
After a while, he said, "Xiong Jinshui."
The chief eunuch who had been standing in the corner without any sense of presence immediately stepped forward and bowed. "This servant is here."
"Go to the Prince's Mansion and tell the Family Qin that that old bastard Qin Huaiyuan was intercepted outside Tianyu Pass. His body was not even left. Let them do as they see fit."
"Yes." Xiong Jinshui did not immediately leave.
As usual, Your Majesty should have other plans, such as a posthumous title or a reward.
However, Xiong Jinshui was experienced and tactful. He immediately saw that Li Qitian had no intention of continuing.
Xiong Jinshui immediately bowed and retreated. He did not want to stay too long and incur the wrath of Your Majesty.
Only when he was outside did Xiong Jinshui let out a sigh of relief.
It seemed that the Family Qin had thoroughly angered the Emperor. He had died without even a posthumous title. If Your Majesty did not state his position, nor did he give out any punishment, then what about Lord Qin's funeral? Lord Qin had died. Did he die for the sake of the imperial court, or did he lose his life because of his own mistakes?
Xiong Jinshui could not figure it out, so he decided not to think too much about it. He simply followed Li Qitian's orders and told the Family Qin what he had just said.
At this moment, Second Elder Qin and Third Elder Qin's eyes were wide open. They said in disbelief, "Eunuch, you mean to say that my eldest brother died in the line of duty?"
Xiong Jinshui said, "Lord Qin did not do a good job. He lost the gold, silver, and provisions that were supposed to be used as a reward for the army. He died outside the pass without leaving behind a corpse. Your Majesty told me to inform the rest of your family. In any case, Lord Qin was an old official."
After Xiong Jinshui finished speaking, he did not linger in the Family Qin any longer. He cupped his hands and retreated.
Second Elder Qin and Third Elder Qin fell to the ground, dumbstruck. They could not believe it, but reality did not allow them to not believe it.
"Eldest Brother, he, really, is gone?"
"This, this, how can we tell Mother this?"
How can we tell her? In the Dowager Duchess's heart, Qin Huaiyuan was her favorite. No matter how angry the Dowager Duchess was or how many mistakes she made, as long as Qin Huaiyuan was around, he could quickly calm the Dowager Duchess's anger and persuade her to make the right choice.
But now, the pillar of the Family Qin was suddenly gone!
"Second Elder Brother, isn't Your Majesty's meaning a little too subtle? From Eunuch Xiong's words, why is it that eldest brother's death in the line of duty doesn't even count as dying in the line of duty?
Third Elder Qin's face was ashen. He had already guessed that there must have been a change in the imperial court. "Someone must have slandered him in secret. Now, Your Majesty must be waiting to punish eldest brother!"
"While on a business trip, he encountered bandits and died without leaving behind a corpse. Your Majesty did not even say a word of sympathy. He even had the eunuch imply that our eldest brother did not do a good job. Your Majesty's actions …"
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