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The rain stopped in the early morning, and it was time to pass breakfast.

A bowl of japonica rice porridge was only half eaten, and the remaining half bowl condensed into a small lake, and the queen really had no appetite.

These days she is bedridden and a little dizzy. This morning, I sat up with force, as if I was going to meet something.

"Niangniang, this is your favorite lotus root flour cake, taste it a little, just drink porridge is not enough." The big palace maid on the side persuaded diligently: "You have lost too much weight these days, you have to make up for it as soon as possible." ”

"Is the prince better?" The queen asked, "It's raining at night, and it's damp in the house, so let the people over there roast it in a charcoal basin." ”

"After serving you, the slave and maid will go over there and tell you." The palace maid agreed.

The crown prince was also sick these days, and the second prince killed himself in front of him at that time, and he was really stimulated.

As soon as she withdrew in the morning, the news of the emperor's return to the palace came, and the queen tried to keep herself calm, but her breath still couldn't help but be a little chaotic.

"Why did you go back to the palace today? Didn't you say you were going to fast for three days? The queen deliberately asked, "Is it that Concubine Li can't bear that hardship, so she came back early." ”

After a while, Qu Qing personally came over to deliver the decree: The emperor asked the queen to go to the Yuanqian Palace quickly.

"What is the emperor in such a hurry to tell me to do?" The queen asked Qu Qing if she was actually tempting.

"This ...... The slave didn't dare to ask, so let's ask the mother to come over quickly. Qu Qing said respectfully.

The queen wanted to ask Concubine Zeng Li again, but she was afraid that someone would find out, so she kept her mouth shut and didn't say anything.

The Forbidden Palace after the rain was wet, and because the sky was still cloudy, it didn't feel fresh.

The queen came to the Yuanqian Palace in a phoenix, and as soon as she entered the door, she felt that the atmosphere was wrong.

Although there are not many people in the room, because the emperor's face is gloomy, it feels very depressing.

The empress tried to make an appearance of not knowing, greeted the emperor, and said, "I wonder what happened to your majesty calling the concubines?" ”

The emperor had a gloomy face, raising his eyes and looking straight at the queen. It was like looking at a completely strange person, and the queen was uncomfortable. After a long time, he slowly spoke: "Empress, you have been in the back position for twenty years, right?" ”

"It's been twenty years, why is the emperor asking this?" The queen was really a little confused.

"I've been thinking about it for more than 20 years, what do you think of me in your heart?" There was a sneer on the corner of the emperor's mouth, I don't know if he was laughing at the queen or laughing at himself.

"Of course, the concubine puts you in the most important position," the empress took a step forward and said, "Does the emperor doubt this?" ”

"Actually, I've always thought you were a very simple person, kind and generous, and didn't like to fight." The emperor's voice was full of indescribable exhaustion, he had hardly slept all night, he was shocked and angry, and he really consumed his physical strength: "But I didn't expect that you would have such a vicious side, which really impressed me." ”

"What does the emperor mean by this? The concubine has never done anything to be sorry for you. The queen had to argue for herself: "You have wronged your concubines once or twice, what is the reason for this time?" ”

"Last night, Concubine Li of the Great Xiangguo Temple was assassinated," the emperor said gritting his teeth, every word was squeezed out of his teeth, and his eyes were staring at the queen without blinking: "The people who committed the murder were all highly skilled, and they actually killed nearly a hundred guards." ”

"What? Concubine Li's assassination?! The queen's eyes widened, and she tried to make herself appear surprised: "Where did those people come from?" Can you leave a living mouth? ”

"I'm afraid I'm going to disappoint you," the emperor sneered: "Concubine Li, she was just injured, and her life is fine." And those who committed the murder were a group of dead soldiers, who saw that the situation was not good, and they committed suicide one after another. But two of them were caught by my secret guards, leaving two alive. ”

When the queen heard the news that Concubine Zeng Li was only injured but not dead, she was extremely depressed. And after hearing that two of the secret guards he sent were captured alive, he couldn't help but be nervous.

But she still tried to maintain her composure on the surface, because even if the secret guard was arrested, as long as she refused to say that she instructed her, the emperor would not be able to convict her even if he doubted it.

"Queen, I know what you think in your heart," the emperor looked at the queen, as if looking at the most vicious person in the world: "You hate me!" You hate me for pampering Concubine Li and Yu'er, for fear that they will threaten the throne of the queen and the crown prince. Hate me forced Mao Ji to death, and if I didn't avenge him as soon as possible, I would execute all those people! ”

"Your Majesty, why are you framing your concubines like this?" The queen shed tears: "Why must Concubine Li's assassination be instigated by me?" Did the killers say it? And what evidence do they have? ”

"Queen, you have disappointed me so much, you are still quibbling at this time. I know you don't cry when you don't see the coffin, and I think I don't have real evidence. The emperor smiled sadly: "You didn't expect me to come back alive, did you?" Are you ready to weep and wail before my spirit? ”

"Your Majesty, what do you mean by this? Doubt I'm going to do anything to you? Wasn't it Concubine Zeng Li who was assassinated? The queen thought it was strange, but she repeatedly told those secret guards that they must not hurt the emperor.

"Stop acting! The reason why it was Concubine Li who was injured was because she and I temporarily changed places. The emperor sneered: "And Concubine Li clearly heard those people say that she killed the wrong person, not at me or at whom?!" ”

"No, it's not!" The queen's voice became very shrill because of nervousness and excitement: "How come? There are absolutely no concubines! Absolutely not! ”

"Queen, stop quibbling, those secret guards have hidden tattoos on their bodies, indicating that they are your people." The emperor had no patience to argue with the empress any longer: "I called you here alone because I didn't want such a scandal to spread. I also want to save the last face for you, have you seen the glass of wine on the table? If you drink it, I will bury you according to the rites of the concubine. ”

"What did Your Majesty say?" The queen suddenly stopped crying, and two tear stains were still hanging on her face, showing that she was old and haggard: "Give me a trumped-up charge, and then give me death?!" ”

"I am here to save face for you," the emperor said with a calm face, "Do you really want to hand you over to your subordinates for interrogation?" You know best what you do, no matter how much you quibble. I wouldn't have called you if I wasn't absolutely sure. ”

Seeing the emperor's attitude, the queen's heart was already cold, and she choked up: "The concubine doesn't quibble, she did use a secret guard." But I'm not going for you, I just want to get rid of Concubine Zeng Li. ”

"Queen, I have actually been feeling indebted to you for the past few years." The emperor said: "But now I feel that I have nothing to be sorry for you." That poisoned wine was not painful to drink, and it was over quickly, and that was my last mercy to you. ”

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