I just want to live a happy life

On the second night after Ruyi's accident, the Queen could no longer hold on.

Jingse was far away in Khorchin and could not make it to the capital to see the empress off for the last time. Only Yonglian and his wife hurried to Changchun Palace.

He lay on the bed, his voice full of tears: "Empress Mother."

The queen had her eyes closed at this time. After hearing the voice, she slowly opened her eyes after a while: "Yonglian, you are here. The Queen Mother is really leaving this time. You must take good care of yourself in the future and don't let the Queen Mother worry."

The queen spoke haltingly and with great difficulty.

Yong Lian kept shaking his head. Suddenly, he looked at the imperial physician kneeling behind him and said, "Qi Ru, you have been taking care of the Queen Mother's health all this time. Is there really nothing you can do?"

When Qi Ru heard this, he didn't say anything, but lowered his head even lower. Seeing his look, Yong Lian knew that he had no other choice.

The queen looked at Yonglian's desperate expression and comforted him, "Yonglian, Qi Ru has tried her best to save me, otherwise I would not be alive today. Don't make things difficult for Qi Ru."

After saying this, the queen took a few breaths with difficulty, and at this time, Hongli also walked in.

Hongli walked up to Yonglian and patted him on the shoulder: "Yonglian, go out first. I have something to say to the Queen."

Yonglian wiped his tears and stood up: "Yes."

When only Hongli and the Queen were left in the room, the Queen and Hongli had been husband and wife for so many years, and she knew him too well.

As soon as she saw his expressionless face, she knew that Hongli already knew what she had done. After all, what she had done was easy to find out.

The Queen gave a bitter smile and said, "Your Majesty, are you here to... bring charges against me? Do you want to know why I... harmed Concubine Xian?"

Hongli sat on the stool in front of the bed, silent.

It was a long time before Hongli came out of the room. When he left the palace, Zhao Yita's sharp and crying voice was heard.

"The Queen has passed away!!!"

After he finished speaking, all the concubines in the palace who had arrived earlier knelt down immediately, and the palace maids and eunuchs in Changchun Palace also burst into tears.

Chen Wanyin didn't know what Hongli was thinking. After returning to the palace to rest that night, she learned from Nianrui that all the palace maids and eunuchs who were ordered by the Queen to harm Ruyi had disappeared.

Chen Wanyin understood that these palace maids and eunuchs had most likely been executed by Hongli.

It seems that Hongli has already learned from the Queen why the Queen harmed Ruyi.

Hongli's feelings for Ruyi had long been worn out over the years, and most importantly, the queen was his legitimate wife, and her reputation must not be damaged.

Moreover, when he attended court the next day, Hongli looked extremely sad and gave the queen the posthumous title of "Xiaoxian".

He also asked the Ministry of Rites to hold a grand funeral for Empress Xiaoxian.

After the queen's death, Hongli ordered the entire palace to mourn according to the standards of a national funeral. Everyone changed into white clothes to attend the funeral, and all the concubines in the harem did the same. They wore white mourning clothes, with only a small white flower on their headbands, and their clogs-bottom shoes were all changed into white.

In addition, civil and military officials in each province needed to remove the red tassels on their crowns, cry for three days, and were not allowed to shave their heads within a hundred days. They were also prohibited from marrying within the twenty-seven days of wearing mourning clothes. All subjects in the world needed to mourn for Empress Xiaoxian.

It can be said that Hongli's funeral for Empress Xiaoxian was unprecedentedly grand in the history of the Qing Dynasty.

The queen's body would remain in state for thirteen days. During these thirteen days, the imperial concubines and the princes and princesses would also need to kneel before the queen's body to express their grief.

Among the concubines in the harem, Concubine Hui Gao Xiyue and Concubine Chun Su Lujun had the highest ranks, so Hongli entrusted them with the task of crying for the concubines.

Gao Xiyue hated the Queen in the first place, so naturally she didn't want to treat her wholeheartedly, so most of the things were handled by Concubine Chun Su Lujun, and Concubine Chun was also happy about it.

At this time, word came out from somewhere that before the queen's death, she had recommended Concubine Chun Su Lujun as the successor queen.

When Concubine Chun heard this, she became proud immediately without even checking the truth of the matter. Gao Xiyue's indifference also gave the other concubines the illusion that Concubine Chun would be the next queen.

After another mourning ceremony, Concubine Chun immediately asked the concubines to go and rest first.

Seeing the smug expression on her face that couldn't be concealed, Chen Wanyin didn't want to be bothered by it, and immediately asked Shunxin to help her go to another room to rest instead of staying with everyone else.

Ever since she gave birth to Yongqi and was made a concubine, she and Concubine Chun gradually drifted apart, and she never went to Zhongcui Palace again.

Now she is seeking her own death, and Chen Wanyin has no obligation to help her. Even if she tells her, she won't listen given her current situation, and will just think that you are trying to harm her.

Why should she say more?

The other concubines gathered around Concubine Chun and kept saying nice things to compliment her.

Concubine Chun felt a little flattered by the flattery of everyone, and she couldn't stop showing joy on her face.

When Gao Xiyue saw this, she couldn't help but roll her eyes and sat in the distance watching this farce.

After returning to the palace that night, Chen Wanyin's face was full of fatigue. She was supported and sat on the couch, unwilling to move. Shunxin and Nianrui were helping her massage her legs. Although Chen Wanyin had good physical fitness, she couldn't stand kneeling for a whole day. She now felt that her legs were not hers.

After a while, Chen Wanyin regained some energy and asked, "How are Yongqi and Yongheng?"

She wasn't too worried about Yongheng. He was still young and just needed to be held by the wet nurse and cry a few times.

But Yongqi is not like that. Yongqi is over ten years old and can no longer live in Yonghe Palace. He has moved to the Prince's Residence. He also needs to kneel for a day, and no one knows how he is doing now.

Nian Rui smiled and replied, "Master, don't worry. The Fifth Prince has the medicine you gave him, and I have also taken the food you ordered to see the Fifth Prince. Although the Fifth Prince is a little tired, he is still in good spirits."

"Our little prince is now in the side hall, being watched by his wet nurse. I think he has fallen asleep now."

Chen Wanyin nodded, but was still a little worried, so she got up and went to the side hall.

When I entered the room, it was a little dark and quiet. The wet nurse was sitting on the edge of the bed and dozing off.

When she heard someone coming in, she stood up immediately. Chen Wanyin stopped her and didn't let her make a sound. She walked to the bed and looked at the little person sleeping on the bed. His belly rose and fell with his breathing. He was sleeping soundly.

Chen Wanyin touched his little face, gave the wet nurse a few words, and then left.

Chen Wanyin rested early, but Jin Yuyan was still discussing with Zhenshu how to get rid of Concubine Chun so that she would have the opportunity to become the queen.

Not only her, but the prince who has the potential to ascend the throne will also be deposed. She wants to clear the obstacles for Yongsheng.

As she spoke, Jin Yuyan remembered that in two days it would be the anniversary of the death of Imperial Noble Consort Zhemin, the mother of the eldest prince Yonghuang.

"I think that day, the eldest prince will definitely go to pay tribute to his biological mother."