Now is the end of the third watch, the beginning of the fourth watch, the darkest time of the day. The palace fell into a deep sleep, only the towering buildings stood there, the never-extinguishing ever-bright lamps silently fought against the night, the other lives had ceased to move, even the birds and insects were silent, and the world held its breath and waited for the dawn to come.

In the queen's palace, the lights in the front hall gradually dimmed, and flickered gently with the wind blowing in from the windows. A small, secluded room in the apse, where its presence is not visible from the outside, with no windows, only a door, that looks more like a dungeon, or a hidden torture chamber.

The rough stone walls were covered with all sorts of torture instruments, and in the corner was a small oil lamp, which reflected on the woman hanging in the room, who had been tortured and bruised, her mouth covered with a white cloth, and her long hair hung down in embarrassment to cover most of her face. Suddenly, she moved, a moan of pain came out of her nose, her long eyelashes trembled slightly, and her long hair was gently flicked to reveal a distinct red birthmole on the right side of her face.

I don't know how long it took, Zhuang Meiyan finally woke up from the coma, her first feeling was pain! And this kind of pain can't tell the direction, every part of the body is hurting, the arm has long been numb, so hung in the air by hemp rope, the wrist and shoulder joint are the heaviest, at first she can still feel the pain of tearing, but now it seems to be numb, even if there is pain, she can no longer feel it.

She tried to move her body, and immediately there was a pinprick sensation in her wrist, reminding her of the existence of these joints, not to mention the shoulder, this pain was more terrible than torture, Zhuang Meiyan almost fainted, and finally gave up the struggle. She could only fall into mid-air on her own, like a dying fish, unable to do anything but breathe quickly and weakly.

Zhuang Meiyan twisted her neck with difficulty, observing the surroundings, she was still locked in this hidden cell.

From the time Zhuang Fu was brought into the carriage, she thought that this matter was very dangerous, and she kept thinking of a way to get out in her mind, and there were several palace maids with big shoulders and round waists sitting in the carriage with her, and the queen was obviously prepared.

One of the older palace maids looked at her and asked simply, "Before the princess's wedding, Princess Fang secretly visited the Ruixiang Prince's Mansion in the middle of the night, what did you say that night?"

Zhuang Meiyan calmed down and replied: "Previously, the prince asked me if I was willing to marry into the palace, I felt that I was ugly and unworthy of the prince, so I didn't dare to agree. ”

The palace maid asked again: "Do you know that the prince born to Concubine Fu is not the emperor's biological flesh and blood at all?"

Zhuang Meiyan was stunned for a moment, and asked rhetorically, "Do you have any evidence?"

The palace maid smiled confidently and continued to ask, "Lord Ruixiang wants to rebel, you must know this?"

If the first sentence of the question makes people a little confused, then the second sentence is obviously explicit, and the third sentence is already a naked confession and false accusation. Zhuang Meiyan's heart is bright, Queen Qin in the palace, Prime Minister Qin in the court, this forms a great force, although they are not compatible with the two forces of Ruixiang Prince Duanmu Hao, at least on the surface it is very peaceful, Zhuang Meiyan did not expect the queen to make a dangerous move, and when Duanmu Hao left the capital, he suddenly made a difficulty, and just now from the words of the palace maid's questioning, they clearly wanted to put Duanmu Hao to death.

Time didn't allow her to think about it anymore, Zhuang Meiyan finally showed a panicked look, and said weakly: "What do you say? This is absolutely impossible! How could the prince do such a thing!"

The palace maid smiled slightly, and said: "Knowing people and knowing faces but not hearts, how can the emperor want to see this happen, they are siblings after all! Therefore, the queen mother ordered the slave maid to take the side princess into the palace, and she also wanted the side princess to think of a way to save the prince." ”

Zhuang Meiyan lowered her head in embarrassment and said, "They men do things, how can we women know?"

This sentence was said in a slurred manner, not true, the palace maid's eyes lit up, and she persuaded softly: "If the princess knows anything, you might as well tell the slave maid directly." Now that all the people in the Ruixiang Prince's Mansion have been imprisoned, the queen is for the sake of Lord Zhuang's loyalty, so she specially ordered the slave maid to take you into the palace, you must think twice, this is the last chance for you and more than 100 people in the Zhuang Mansion to live. ”

Zhuang Meiyan hesitated for a moment, and finally made up her mind, gritted her teeth and accepted her fate: "That's it! Thank you for the queen's love, Meiyan will remember it in my heart." It's just that the matter is big, and Meiyan must meet the queen mother to explain the matter, and also ask the queen mother to let the prince live. ”

Zhuang Meiyan hung her head and looked timid.

Seeing that she was so docile and compromised, the palace maid nodded and said, "That's the best, the prince's affairs are decided by the emperor, presumably their flesh and blood brothers, a way out of life will always be given." Husband and wife were originally birds of the same forest, and they flew separately when disaster came. At this time, the most important thing is to take care of yourself and the Zhuang Mansion and leave a way back for yourself. ”

Now seeing her sincere and frightened appearance, it seems that she is very cooperative, and the palace maids are also a little relaxed, not as vigilant as they were at the beginning. After entering the palace, several palace maids scattered in all directions, intentionally or unintentionally surrounding Zhuang Meiyan in the middle, and the group walked along the corridor towards the queen's palace.

Zhuang Meiyan's figure suddenly paused, and she squatted down with an "oops", with a painful expression on her face.

"What's wrong?" the older maid walked ahead of her, feeling unusual, and immediately turned back to look at her.

Zhuang Meiyan smiled reluctantly, bent over and pressed his abdomen and said, "Somehow, my stomach hurts a little, Xu is in a hurry, and I am out of breath." ”

The older palace maid glanced at the palace maid who was walking behind, and motioned to step forward to support Zhuang Meiyan, and the two palace maids were ordered to step forward, one leaned over to check Zhuang Meiyan's situation with concern, and the other thoughtfully held her arm. A trace of cunning flashed in Zhuang Mei's eyes, and he suddenly raised his hand and gave a punch to the palace maid who leaned over to check it, the palace maid screamed, covered her face and squatted on the ground, her right elbow limped hard, and smashed the lower abdomen of another palace maid, and the other palace maid bent over in pain.

Zhuang Meiyan took the opportunity to run to the rear.

"Stop, chase after you, you fools!" the old palace maid shouted angrily behind Zhuang Meiyan.

Although Zhuang Meiyan kept her head down, she had actually been identifying her own position, and soon she recognized that this was a relatively remote path in the palace, and few people would pass by here. She walked through the labyrinthine corridor from memory, and finally she came to a long corridor.

"Mingyang Palace" and Yongdao are separated by a wall, but now it is time to fall the bolt, and "Mingyang Palace" is no exception, and the gate has been closed. Zhuang Meiyan anxiously glanced at a few vague shadows behind him, which were getting closer and closer. She frowned, quickly picked something off her body and threw it at the door of the "Mingyang Palace", then turned around and ran towards the depths of the corridor.

"Help, help!"

Zhuang Meiyan saw a team of neatly equipped guards coming towards her, and immediately shouted loudly. The team leader vigilantly pulled out the sword in his hand and pointed at Zhuang Meiyan, and shouted: "Who dares to make a noise?"

Zhuang Meiyan showed a relieved expression, stepped forward and grabbed the sleeve of the chief guard with some joy, pointed to the several palace maids chasing after her and said: "Quick! Quick! I am the side princess of Prince Ruixiang, I want to see the emperor, someone wants to harm the emperor! Take me to the emperor quickly!"

Zhuang Meiyan stroked her chest and gasped, but her mood seemed to be much more relaxed.

Several palace maids also ran over, gasping for breath, and the older palace maid saw that there were guards present, she was slightly flustered, and quickly calmed down, and glanced at the captain, nodding slightly. Zhuang Meiyan was so tired that she didn't seem to notice the exchange of eyes between the two people.

The captain looked at Zhuang Meiyan suspiciously, and said, "What you said is true?"

Zhuang Meiyan nodded affirmatively and said, "You take me to see the emperor quickly, it's too late to be late! ”

The elder palace maid smiled and said, "What's wrong with Xiao Wu today? It's just that it broke the queen's bowl, and the queen's mother gave you a few words. We are all slaves, the queen mother blames a few words, even if she wrongs you, you don't have to hold a grudge!"

The captain of the guard nodded and said, "It is a big crime to kill the king, and it is also a big crime to bully the king, don't talk nonsense about you, a little palace maid." ”

Zhuang Meiyan saw that they said in unison that she was a palace maid who was afraid of crime and false accusations, she couldn't help but be a little anxious, and before she could open her mouth to argue, the captain of the guard waved his hand, and his soldiers couldn't help but tie her up, gag her mouth, and forcibly dragged her away.

The older palace maid seemed a little uneasy, she turned back to the door of the "Mingyang Palace", looked in through the crack in the door, it was dark inside, very quiet, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

Zhuang Meiyan was brought to this cell, and these people stripped off the last disguise and tortured Zhuang Meiyan fiercely.

"Do you think that you can save your prince by complaining to the emperor? The emperor has already sent an army to encircle and suppress the anti-thief Duanmu Hao, and at the same time, he has also asked Chu Yifan, the general of the garrison of Qiyang Mountain, to lead troops to intercept it, Duanmu Hao is unable to fly with his wings, and it is impossible for him to return to the palace alive! Even if you see the emperor, you will just die quickly!"

"Tell me quickly, how Duanmu Hao hooked up with Jiang Fubai's slut, and also gave birth to evil seeds!"

"He went out of Beijing in the name of leading troops this time to gather his rebels to rebel, right?"

"As long as you confess Duanmu Hao's crimes one by one, you can be spared from death!"

They intimidated Zhuang Meiyan and tried to torture Zhuang Meiyan to force Zhuang Meiyan to say the answer they wanted, but unfortunately, they got nothing, but in vain.

She has already done what she can do, and this is her only hope!