Chapter 223

In the imperial palace of the Baihu Empire.

“Your Majesty…” Eunuch Hu entered the imperial study hurriedly.

Hearing that, Xuanyuan Lie took a displeased glance at Eunuch Hu, “What makes you so flustered?”

Upon hearing Xuanyuan Lie’s question, Eunuch Hu knelt on the ground, “Your Majesty, Eldest Prince has passed away.”

Then, Eunuch Hu pressed his head against the ground and burst into tears.

Xuanyuan Lie stood up and rushed to Eunuch Hu. He shook Eunuch Hu’s shoulders and said, “It’s not time to behead him yet. Why did he suddenly die…”

Eunuch Hu looked at Xuanyuan Lie’s thrilled expression and didn’t dare to conceal the truth, “The prison guard reported that Eldest Prince had killed himself in the capital prison.”

Eunuch Hu’s voice was somewhat sorrowful. No matter what Eldest Prince had done, he was still His Majesty’s son. Eunuch Hu had watched him grow up since he was a child. Now, Eldest Prince just died.

Hearing that, Xuanyuan Lie trembled and returned to the chair. He clutched the edge of the desk and fell into a trance. Why? Why did he kill himself?

Eunuch Hu saw His Majesty’s vacant expression and said with worry, “I’m so sorry for your loss, Your Majesty!”

A while later, Xuanyuan Lie came to his senses and looked at Eunuch Hu, “Where is he?” Xuanyuan Lie’s voice was very gentle and even faintly trembling.

Eunuch Hu immediately said with a bow, “I’ve had Eldest Prince’s body sent back to the Jingfu Palace.”

Xuanyuan Lie was slightly taken aback to hear that and fell into a trance again.

Seeing that Xuanyuan Lie frowned, Eunuch Hu felt diffident and immediately said with a kowtow, “I made the decision without permission. Please punish me.”

Xuanyuan Lie composed himself and waved his hand, “You did a good job.” Supposedly, since She was reduced to an ordinary civilian, he shouldn’t have returned to the Jingfu Palace. However, now he was dead. How could Xuanyuan Lie be mad about this?

“I’ll go to the Jingfu Palace.” After all, She was his kid. He should see his son off.

“Yes.”

Now, Xuanyuan She’s body had been taken to the middle of the main hall in the Jingfu Palace by two prison guards. Because he had risen in rebellion, Xuanyuan She’s side consorts and concubines were put into the capital prison. Now, only some palace maids and eunuchs were left in the Jingfu Palace.

The palace maids and eunuchs of the Jingfu Palace saw Xuanyuan She’s body and all knelt in sorrow.

“His Majesty has arrived!” A eunuch chanted from outside the Jingfu Palace.

Upon hearing that, the palace maids and eunuchs immediately wiped their tears and turned to face the door.

The prison guards immediately knelt upon hearing the chant.

Upon entering the main hall, Xuanyuan Lie saw Xuanyuan She lying in the middle of the main hall motionless. Instantly, his eyes became red and his limbs turned extremely rigid. He couldn’t even move forward a bit.

Xuanyuan Lie walked for two or three steps only but it took him 15 minutes.

Staring at Xuanyuan She lying there lifeless, Xuanyuan Lie had tears in his eyes at once. He stroked Xuanyuan She’s cold face tremblingly. Why? Why did Xuanyuan She kill himself? Actually, he never wanted Xuanyuan She to die. He even thought of replacing Xuanyuan She with a prisoner on death row. Why did Xuanyuan She act so rashly?

Xuanyuan Lie glared at the two prison guards furiously and roared, “You’re so useless. Why didn’t you watch him well? Why did you let him kill himself?”

Hearing Xuanyuan Lie’s roaring, Eunuch Hu prostrated himself in fear. Eldest Prince was reduced to an ordinary civilian and put into prison, but His Majesty still loved him. Eldest Prince was His Majesty’s legitimate son. When Eldest Prince was born, His Majesty proclaimed a general amnesty. Hence, he was named She. The word She meant amnesty. Evidently, His Majesty really adored Eldest Prince back then.

Those palace maids and eunuchs all lowered their heads tremblingly upon hearing his roaring. The two prison guards both shivered. One of the prison guards said in a quavering voice, “Mercy! Eldest Prince was fine before he slept last night. We don’t know why he suddenly killed himself.”

The other prison guard said in a trembling voice, “Eldest Prince was fine before he slept last night. He also had supper. There was no sign of killing himself. If Your Majesty doesn’t believe it, you may ask His Highness Crown Prince about it. His Highness went to the capital prison and visited Eldest Prince last night. When His Highness left, Eldest Prince was still fine.”

Hearing that, Xuanyuan Lie knitted his brows. Mo had paid a visit to She. Could it be… No, Mo was a kind man. He would never do that kind of thing.

“That’s the end of this matter. No one shall talk about the thing that Crown Prince has visited Eldest Prince!” Xuanyuan Lie glanced at the two prison guards as well as the palace maids and eunuchs kneeling on the ground.

All the people on the ground immediately bowed and hung their eyes, “Yes, Your Majesty.”

Then, Xuanyuan Lie turned around and took a look at Xuanyuan She’s body, “Cheng’en, hold a grand funeral for him!”

He didn’t want Guo Hui’er to come. He thought She wouldn’t want his mother to hold the funeral. Very few people could bear the pain of losing a child!

“Yes, I’ll make arrangements,” Eunuch Hu said and then rose to get out of the main hall.

In Prince Zhan’s mansion.

Yu Feng hurriedly entered the study and knelt on one knee, “Your…Your Highness, Eldest Prince has passed away.”

Xuanyuan Mo, who was reviewing the official documents, directly broke the pen. The memorial was stained by the ink at once.

Xuanyuan Mo glimpsed the ink stain on the memorial and knitted his brows, “Since when?” His voice was as cold as snow.

“He passed away last night.” Yu Feng subconsciously frowned and said.

Xuanyuan Mo frowned heavily. Xuanyuan She must die after Xuanyuan Mo left.

“Cause of his death.” His voice was somewhat colder.

Feeling Xuanyuan Mo’s coldness, Yu Feng immediately said respectfully, “It’s said that he killed himself.”

“He killed himself.” Xuanyuan Mo snorted, his amber eyes glistening with coldness. When he left yesterday, he didn’t find that Xuanyuan She would commit suicide.

Hearing Xuanyuan Mo’s disdainful snort, Yu Feng was hesitant and hung his head, “I also find this thing very strange. Do you want me to investigate it?”

When His Highness left last night, Eldest Prince was still fine. After His Highness left, Eldest Prince killed himself. If Eldest Prince didn’t kill himself, someone must want to frame His Highness.

Xuanyuan Mo sneered, “No need. I know who did it.”

Who else except her could do such a thing unknowingly in the capital prison? That woman had played a nice move. In this way, Xuanyuan She was dead and she could also make Xuanyuan Mo the scapegoat for his death. Two birds with one stone! It seemed that he must get even with her.

In the Yonghe Palace.

Zhou Manyun leaned against the daybed leisurely and glanced at the eunuch kneeling on the ground, “How is it going? What was His Majesty’s reaction after he learned that Xuanyuan Mo had gone to the capital prison?”

The eunuch heard that and immediately said respectfully with a bow, “His Majesty just said it was the end of this matter. He ordered us never to talk about it again and also asked Eunuch Hu to hold a grand funeral for Eldest Prince.”

A glimmer of fierceness flashed across Zhou Manyun’s eyes. She sneered. He showed such partiality to that bastard. Even if he knew the bast*rd had Xuanyuan She killed, he still didn’t pursue the matter!

“Get out!”

“Yes.” The eunuch immediately rose and got out.

After the eunuch left, Zhou Manyun looked at Lian’er aside and ordered, “Summon Xiaolu.”

“Yes, Your Highness.” Lian’er bowed herself out.

Zhou Manyun looked at Lian’er’s back and slightly narrowed her eyes. That woman’s precious son was dead. As her friend, of course she must send a message to the woman.

In the Le’an Palace.

Before the dresser, Guo Hui’er stroked her long hair with melancholy eyes. Her black hair turned grey within one month. Her delicately nurtured face was also wrinkled. Was this still her? Was she still Guo Hui’er, the empress in charge of the harem?

The door was pushed open with a squeak. A peal of footsteps sounded in her ears. Guo Hui’er still stared at herself in the mirror and didn’t turn her head. Now, only her close palace maid Wenyi could enter this place.

“Your Majesty Empress, greetings.”

Guo Hui’er didn’t hear a familiar voice. Then, she turned her head in confusion. Staring at the strange eunuch kneeling on the ground, Guo Hui’er knitted her brows, “Who are you?”

The eunuch immediately hung his head and said, “I’m Xiaolu. You Majesty Empress, don’t you remember me? I’ve served you in the Le’an Palace before.”

Hearing the name Xiaolu, Guo Hui’er was hesitant. She seemed to have heard the name before. She took another look at Xiaolu carefully and said with a frown, “How did you get in here?”

Not anyone could enter the Le’an Palace now. Even She couldn’t come into this place. She hadn’t seen She for more than one month.

Xiaolu’s eyes flashed. He pinched his thigh heavily, which made his eyes red in pain.

“Your Majesty, you have helped me in the Le’an Palace before. Today, I risked my life entering the Le’an Palace to bring you a message.”

Hearing Xiaolu’s sobbing voice, Guo Hui’er subconsciously knitted her brows, “What message?”

Xiaolu said nothing and cried first.

Guo Hui’er stared at Xiaolu crying nonstop and suddenly had a sense of foreboding.

Seeing the fluster in Guo Hui’er’s eyes, Xiaolu said sobbingly, “Your Majesty, General Guo has been killed. The Guo Family’s nine clans have been exterminated.”

Hearing that, Guo Hui’er stood up and stared at Xiaolu in disbelief, “How so? How so? Why was my father killed? Why were the Guo Family’s nine clans exterminated?”

That was a serious punishment! Did her father rise in rebellion?

Before Guo Hui’er thought much, Xiaolu immediately replied, “Prince Zhan wrongly accused General Guo of rising in rebellion and also cut off General Guo’s head. His Majesty not only ordered to exterminate the Guo Family’s nine clans but also designated Prince Zhan as the Crown Prince.”

“What?” Guo Hui’er immediately shouted, her triangle eyes glistening with malice, “That bastard became the Crown Prince. How could he do that? Only She can be the crown prince.”

When Xiaolu heard that Guo Hui’er mentioned Xuanyuan She, his eyes glittered. He sobbed again, “Your Majesty… Not only General Guo is dead but also Eldest Prince…” Before he finished speaking, Xiaolu had choked with sobs.