"Your Majesty," Consort Rou hurriedly got up and hurried to Li Ming's side. She reached out to grab Li Ming's hand, "I was wrong, San Lang. I thought wrongly. I was just thinking about Cheng'er and was afraid of offending too many people. I was set up by Li Rong, I …"
"You still dare to say that!" Li Ming pushed her away and sat up, "If you weren't greedy, would Rong'er set up a trap for you?! You're just a short-sighted lowly lowly servant. If you had the slightest bit of calmness in Shangguan Yue, the Crown Prince position would have been Cheng'er's long ago! We've let you stay in the harem for so long and supported you for so long. Was it wrong for you to catch Shangguan Yue? "
The more Li Ming thought about it, the angrier he got. He propped himself up and took something from the side and threw it at Consort Rou, "We gave you the Inspectorate, and we did everything we could for you and Cheng'er. You bastard, you've done such a shitty thing!"
The booklets and cups hit Consort Rou's body. Consort Rou knelt on the ground and kowtowed desperately. When Li Ming finished, Li Ming staggered back a step. Fu Lai hurriedly supported him. Li Ming panted lightly. Seeing Consort Rou kneeling on the ground in a sorry state, Li Ming finally stopped. Fu Lai supported him and softly said, "Your Majesty, the dragon's health is more important."
Li Ming didn't have the strength to speak anymore. After venting his anger, he calmed down a bit. Consort Rou lay on the ground and quietly sobbed. Li Ming quietly studied her. After a long time, he waved his hand, "Forget it, you may leave."
"Your Majesty," Consort Rou heard this and raised her head in surprise. Li Ming stood in front of her and quietly studied her. His eyes contained pity, disappointment, and some indescribable pain and sorrow. Consort Rou suddenly realized something. She quickly knelt forward and reached out to pull Li Ming's clothes. "Your Majesty, I was wrong. I'll listen to you from now on. I'll change. Please save me, I'm still useful," Consort Rou said, tears falling down her cheeks, "Your Majesty, I am Cheng'er's mother …"
"Take her away!"
She had used up all her strength. Her clothes were all messed up, and her hairpin fell to the ground. Her makeup was ruined from crying, and her face was full of tears. She looked like a foxhound that had been pressed to the ground by a knife and fork, struggling desperately for a chance to live.
Li Ming calmly looked at the woman who was desperately trying to throw herself at him. He watched as she tightly grabbed onto his clothes and was then forcefully dragged out. She let out a sorrowful cry. Her fingers clasped onto his golden embroidered dragon shoes. Her usually painted nails were broken. She cried out bitterly, "Your Highness …"
When he heard this distant address, Li Ming was momentarily dazed. It was as if he had returned to many years ago in the Cold Palace, when he was still a prince that no one cared about.
He couldn't help but say, "Stop."
Hearing this command, everyone stopped. Consort Rou looked as if she had been pardoned. She excitedly raised her head, "Your Majesty, I know you won't abandon me. Your Majesty … "
Li Ming didn't say anything. He half-squatted and quietly looked at the woman in front of him.
In reality, she was old.
She was no longer in her prime, and her beauty had long lost its vitality. Her eyes had long been filled with desire. She was as ugly as the entire palace.
But this kind of ugliness, this kind of change, only made him feel pity.
Just as pitiful as him.
He quietly looked at Consort Rou. He slowly raised his hand and placed it on Consort Rou's face.
"San Lang." Consort Rou hurriedly raised her hand and grasped Li Ming's hand. Tears streamed down her face. She was full of hope, "I only have you left. Only you."
"But other than myself," Li Ming's voice was very soft, "I have nothing left."
"Ah Rou." Li Ming's voice was slightly hoarse, "I can't control you. Don't worry." Li Ming's eyes were filled with tenderness, "Cheng 'er will be fine. You can leave."
Consort Rou stared blankly at Li Ming, "You can't control me?"
Consort Rou muttered. Li Ming's expression was bitter, "So many people are working together to kill you. You have so many things that can be used against you. You have no foundation in the imperial court. The Noble Families don't care about you. The Frigid Clan doesn't protect you. If what happened today spreads, the world will condemn you.
I can't protect you. "" Go back. When the time is right, "Li Ming pressed his forehead against Consort Rou's." Leave behind a letter of confession. Say that the Crown Prince framed you, and you used your death to prove your innocence. If you die, the case will stop. This way, Cheng 'er's reputation won't be tarnished. "
"Your Majesty?"
Consort Rou stared at Li Ming in disbelief, her voice trembling.
Li Ming's expression was sorrowful, "Don't blame me. I had no choice."
"What do you mean you had no choice!"
Consort Rou finally couldn't take it anymore and shouted, "You're just weak and incompetent. You can't even protect a woman!"
"Xiao Rou!"
Li Ming lowered his voice, warning her.
Fu Lai saw the two arguing and hurriedly had everyone follow him out. Only Consort Rou and Li Ming were left in the hall.
Consort Rou laughed, "Isn't that right? You're the Emperor. If you want to protect me, why can't you protect me? In the end, you're just afraid of those people! You know that the Empress Dowager is a member of the Shangguan Clan. You know that your wife is a member of the Shangguan Clan. You know that everyone in the palace is their people. If they want to cripple you, they can cripple you. If they want you to crawl, you can't stand … "
A slap sounded. Consort Rou was slapped to the ground before she could finish speaking.
Li Ming raised his finger and pointed at her, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets, "I'll spare you for Cheng 'er's sake. Don't you dare speak nonsense again."
"I'm speaking nonsense?" Consort Rou sat on the ground and laughed, "Am I wrong? I'm just poking at your sore spot. "
Consort Rou covered her face and turned to look at him, her eyes full of sarcasm, "You're sparing me? What can you do to me? I'll die in the end. Since you can't protect me, I won't even have my life. Do you think I'm afraid of you? "
"Do you believe that I'll cripple your son right now?"
"Then cripple him!" Consort Rou suddenly raised her voice, "Do you think I'm an idiot?! Did you really appoint Cheng 'er because you love him? You just want to use him to restrain the Crown Prince. Once you remove the Shangguan Clan, there'll be another prince in the harem. Will Cheng 'er still have a foothold?! "
"Do you think I don't know that you've been flirting with women in the harem, and that you've even found a way to give birth to more sons? Do you think I don't know that you've always thought that I'm of a lowly birth and that Cheng 'er can't handle such a big responsibility? Do you think I don't know that I'm nothing in your heart? I'm just an excuse for you to suppress the aristocratic families. Whether it's Shangguan Yue, your Imperial Mother, or the entire imperial court, everyone thinks that you've lost your mind because you love me. But have you really loved me? "
Without waiting for Li Ming to speak, Consort Rou smiled and said, "You haven't."
"In your heart, whether it's me or Cheng 'er, we're all just means. Since you want me dead today, do you think I'll still be afraid of you?"
"Cheng 'er is your only choice," Consort Rou's smile carried a hint of madness, "If you want the Li family to break free from the Shangguan Clan's suppression, Li Ming, Cheng' er is your only choice."
"What do you mean?"
Li Ming's expression instantly turned cold. Consort Rou's smile was very gentle, "Your Majesty, you won't have any more sons."
Hearing this, Li Ming's eyes widened. Consort Rou approached him and said very softly, "All these years, ever since Cheng 'er, you haven't had any more children," Consort Rou's eyes were gentle, "Have you never thought about why?"
"Xiao Rou," Li Ming couldn't believe it, "What did you do?"
Xiao Rou didn't speak, but the smile in her eyes was filled with a kind of premeditated madness. This silence confirmed Li Ming's guess. He flew into a rage, stood up abruptly, grabbed Xiao Rou's neck, and pressed her to the ground. He held her neck tightly and roared, "I'm going to kill you! I'm going to kill you, you bitch! "
Xiao Rou was being strangled by Li Ming, but she laughed out loud. Her laughter echoed in the room. She was the one on the verge of death, the one at a disadvantage, but Li Ming had the illusion that their positions were reversed.
She deceived him, she hated him, she used him for so many years.
Li Ming watched as the woman's laughter turned into a painful cry for help. He watched as her face turned red, as she reached out to grab him, and slowly lost her life in his hands.
He didn't know why, but at that moment, he suddenly remembered the first time he saw Xiao Rou in the Cold Palace when he was young.
She knelt on the ground, timidly raised her head, and softly called him, "Your Highness."
He suddenly lost his strength.
Not long after, in a daze, Xiao Rou suddenly pushed him away, and then lay on the ground, coughing violently.
After a long time, Xiao Rou supported herself and stood up with a smile.
She covered her neck and said with a smile, "What, you can't do it, or you can't kill me?"
"Li Ming, do you know why you've been such a coward all your life?"
"If you want to talk about ruthlessness, you're not ruthless enough." Xiao Rou's voice was hoarse, "If you want to talk about kindness, you're not kind enough. As a monarch, you're heartless. As a son, you're unfilial. As a father, you're heartless. As a husband, you're unjust. "
"You're obviously selfish to the extreme, yet you still have some conscience. Your heart is higher than the sky, and your life is thinner than paper. If you're a good-for-nothing, the Shangguan Clan can also protect you for the rest of your life. But you're not reconciled. You've been tormenting yourself for half your life, but what have you done? "
"Your whole life is ridiculous and pathetic. Tormenting yourself for a lifetime, deserted by everyone, with nothing to show for it. Li Ming, "Xiao Rou turned around with a smile, full of sarcasm," you'll die alone. "
With that, Xiao Rou walked out of the hall.
Li Ming sat quietly on the high seat. After a long time, he slowly raised his head and looked at the Northern Yan Tower in the distance.
The wind chimes of the Northern Yan Tower were ringing in the wind. He looked at it for a long time before finally coming back to his senses. Fu Lai carefully walked in. Seeing the mess in the room, he bent down to pick up the booklet on the ground. He walked in front of Li Ming and whispered, "Your Majesty, Consort Rou niang niang has been escorted to the Ministry of Justice. Are you okay?"
Li Ming didn't speak. He lowered his head. Fu Lai couldn't help but call out again, "Your Majesty?"
"Call Xiao Wen in," Li Ming raised his head and said tiredly, "Zhen has something to say to him."
Xiao Wen was Consort Rou's nephew. Fu Lai paused and respectfully said, "Yes."
After Fu Lai responded, he couldn't help but look at Li Ming a few more times, "Your Majesty, you … … are you feeling unwell? Do you need a taiyi? "
Li Ming heard his words and raised his head to look at him. Fu Lai was stared at by Li Ming and his palms couldn't help but sweat. Li Ming looked at him for a long time and then suddenly said, "The first time zhen saw you, were you eleven years old?"
Fu Lai inwardly released a breath. He respectfully replied, "This servant was ten years old."
"You are old." Li Ming laughed. Fu Lai also laughed, "After all, it's been almost forty years."
"Fu Lai," Li Ming turned his head and looked at the Northern Yan Tower in the distance, "It's good if people don't grow up."
Fu Lai didn't speak. Li Ming's voice was very slow, "When zhen was building the Northern Yan Tower, zhen was very happy."
At that time, he had just married Shangguan Yue. He didn't know what it meant to be restrained by noble families, what it meant to balance the court, what it meant to be an emperor.
But forty years was too long.
It was long enough for a weak girl to become an insatiable evil concubine, a bright and beautiful girl to become a cold and conservative empress, and a gentle prince to become a weak and pitiful emperor.
He felt that time was like a knife. When he turned around, he couldn't recognize who was who.
When Xiao Rou walked out of the hall, she couldn't hold on any longer.
Her legs instantly weakened. The servant girl next to her supported her and hurriedly said, "Niangniang."
The imperial bodyguard walked forward and respectfully said, "Niangniang Consort Rou, please."
Xiao Rou struggled to support herself and nodded. She allowed the servant girl to help her onto the carriage.
She was still the mother of Prince Su and Hua Le. Even if she was in trouble, her prestige was still there. The imperial bodyguard didn't dare to make things too difficult for her.
Not long after she arrived at the Ministry of Justice, she heard hurried footsteps outside.
Xiao Rou raised her head and saw Hua Le walk over with the Xiao Family clansmen.
"Mother." Hua Le's eyes reddened when he saw Xiao Rou. Xiao Rou calmed down. She glanced at the people who came and saw that Cui Yulang was also there. She paused and then said indifferently, "You can all leave. I want to talk to Hua Le."
Cui Yulang respectfully left. Xiao Rou hurriedly reached out to grab Hua Le's hand and asked anxiously, "Are you okay? Did this matter implicate you? "
Hua Le shook his head with red eyes. "Not yet. I heard that something happened to you when I was still in court today. I immediately went to find Third Uncle and looked for him everywhere. I only came to see you now."
"Where's Cheng 'er?" Xiao Rou hurriedly asked. Hua Le was rarely reliable. "Younger brother is fine. He's in the mansion now. Mother, what should we do now?"
"Listen to me." Xiao Rou took out a token from her sleeve and handed it to Hua Le. "We've been set up this time. Now, you can't trust anyone except our own Xiao Family members. Cui Yulang can't be used. Su Yongqing also can't trust him. I'm afraid I can't protect him. This token is for you. "
Xiao Rou handed the token to Hua Le. "I'll leave Cheng 'er to you."
"Mother!" Hua Le grabbed Xiao Rou's hand. "What should I do? Tell me, what should I do to save you?"
Hua Le said, tears streaming down his face. "Can I get married? I'll find a powerful man and marry him. I … "
"Hua Le!"
Xiao Rou shouted in a low voice. She held Hua Le's hand and took a deep breath. "Remember, don't rely on anyone at this time. His Majesty is dying. He can't hold on for long. You only need to do one thing now. "
"Please tell me."
Hua Le said anxiously. Xiao Rou raised her hand and tucked Hua Le's hair behind her ear. "Kill Li Chuan."
Hua Le suddenly opened his eyes. Xiao Rou's gaze was very cold. "It's best if you kill Li Rong as well. Once Li Chuan dies, Cheng 'er will be the only prince left. At that time, you can push all the blame to me. You'll still be a princess. Your father will protect you. After Cheng' er ascends the throne, you'll be the princess royal. "
Hua Le's hand holding the token trembled slightly. Xiao Rou raised her hand and held it. She said calmly, "Don't be afraid, Hua Le. You're my daughter. You can't lose to the daughter of Shangguan Yue. She can set us up, so you can set her up. "
"Mother …"
"Only in this way," Xiao Rou lowered her voice. "You and I have a chance to survive. As long as we survive, we'll win. At that time, you can trample Li Chuan and Li Rong under your feet and tear them to pieces. "
"There's nothing to be afraid of." Xiao Rou stared at Hua Le. "We're all cheap lives. What are you afraid of?"
Hearing Xiao Rou's words, Hua Le slowly calmed down.
She looked up at Xiao Rou, looking for the belief and strength to support herself in Xiao Rou's calm eyes.
Her mother was born in a cold family. She might be stupid and greedy, but she had always been like a wild grass, recklessly growing in the palace.
Hua Le took a deep breath, nodded, and tried to calm herself down. "I understand."
Xiao Rou quietly looked at Hua Le. After a long time, she held Hua Le's hand. "Go. Mother will wait for you."
Hua Le's tears fell on Xiao Rou's hand. She staggered to her feet, tried to calm herself down, and walked out.
That night was a bit cold. Li Rong put on a coat in the Princess Residence and re-examined the recent information from the Inspectorate.
Shangguan Ya stood to the side and explained to Li Rong simply, "The officials with problems in the Shangguan Family have already been dealt with. This time, Consort Rou couldn't find anything to use against them. Almost all the evidence was fake, and the confessions were forced out."
"She's so bold?"
Li Rong flipped through the written confessions. Shangguan Ya chuckled. "Consort Rou doesn't have much experience in the imperial court. The harem is a place where you have to follow Her Majesty's orders, but the imperial court isn't. She thought that the Inspectorate was the same as when she was in charge of the harem. These confessions are all flawed. You can reverse the verdict at any time, but what does Her Highness plan to do? "
"Let's delay it for a while." Li Rong's voice was calm. "Consort Rou fell too easily. Wang Houmin and the others will inevitably feel that they paid too high a price. Wang Houwen and the others also deserve to die. Let's keep them in prison for a while. We'll only release them when they're half-dead. "
As the two were talking, they heard footsteps outside. Li Rong and Shangguan Ya both looked up and saw Pei Wenxuan walk in. He glanced at Li Rong, walked forward, and lowered his head to whisper in Li Rong's ear, "Her Majesty summoned Consort Rou's nephew, Xiao Wen, into the palace. After Xiao Wen left, someone came out of Huajing."
Li Rong's eyes turned cold. He looked up at Pei Wenxuan.
Pei Wenxuan understood Li Rong's meaning and nodded.
"Her Majesty probably can't hold it in anymore."
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