Traveling through the Tang Dynasty: The Concubine Goes to War

Last time, Yunxi brought Xiaowan to the cold palace. Yunxi and Xiaowan stepped into the cold palace carefully, and a stale atmosphere hit them. The light in the cold palace was dim, the walls were peeling, and the ground was covered with dust. In this dilapidated environment, Concubine Li sat quietly in the corner.

Concubine Li looked haggard, her eyes were hollow, and her gorgeous clothes had lost their former glory. Her hair was disheveled and her face was pale, revealing a deep despair and loneliness. At this moment, she was completely different from the arrogant Concubine Li who was dressed in gorgeous clothes before.

A trace of pity welled up in Yunxi and Xiaowan's hearts, "Did you ask someone to send a message to me?" Yunxi asked.

Concubine Li raised her head, a hint of surprise and confusion flashed in her eyes, then she said slowly: "Yes, I used my only jewelry to ask the palace servant who delivered food to help me pass the message. I thought you would not come, but I didn't expect you dare to come. Haha, no wonder you can be favored by the emperor. I underestimated you after all. Your Majesty, Your Majesty, you are too heartless." Concubine Li said with a wry smile.

Yunxi said: "Did you ask me to come here today just to let me see how miserable you are now?"

"Of course not. I asked you to come here to tell you something very important. You think that by overthrowing me you can avenge your son's death. You are totally wrong." Concubine Li said.

Yunxi was startled, and pretended to be calm and asked, "Then who is my enemy?"

Concubine Li sneered and said, "Humph! Who was closest to you when you were pregnant? The one you trusted the most?"

"Sister Chongrong, no, I don't believe it." Yunxi shook her body and said painfully. The past events emerged in her mind. When she was pregnant with her first child, Zhang Chongrong did come to the palace often and reminded the palace maids to light up the incense. Aromatherapy, ah! Could it be...

The silence in the cold palace and the desolation of Concubine Li formed a sad picture, making people feel the cruelty and helplessness of palace life.

Coming out of the cold palace, Yunxi decided to keep quiet. After the miscarriage, the emperor promoted her to a concubine to appease her and also granted her the right to live in Jingxiu Palace.

The original Xiuzhen Palace had been empty all along, and she had never stepped into the Palace again over the years, fearing that the sight of the palace would remind her of the past. She immediately took Xiaowan with her to the Palace to find out what was going on.

Walking into Xiuzhen Palace, the first thing that comes into view is the still gorgeous bed, with brocade bedding spread on it, soft and smooth. Next to the bed, there is an exquisitely carved dressing table, and the bronze mirror on it reflects everything in the room, as if telling stories of the past.

The tulle by the window dances in the wind. Through the window, you can see the green trees and flowers in the courtyard. The scenery is still as beautiful as before. The ancient paintings hanging on the wall still exude a faint scent of ink. The furnishings in the house are neat and orderly, revealing a sense of tranquility and serenity. The air is filled with a faint fragrance, which makes people feel happy.

In this palace that remains unchanged from the old days, time seems to have stood still, allowing people to feel the passage of time and the traces of history.

Yunxi walked to the dressing table and opened the dressing box. Fortunately, the glass bottle containing the aromatherapy materials was still there. She took it out and returned to Jingxiu Palace with Xiaowan.

After returning to Jingxiu Palace, Yunxi immediately sent for Doctor An from the Imperial Hospital. He was a confidant of Yunxi's father Yang Binghuai who had been taking care of Yunxi since she was pregnant with her second child until she gave birth to the prince. Doctor An made great contributions to Yunxi's safe birth of the prince.

Doctor An took a closer look and reported, "Your Majesty, this spice is a special incense made in the Western Regions. It contains saffron and several other Chinese herbs and spices. If ordinary people often use it, it will be difficult for them to get pregnant, and if pregnant women often use it, they will have miscarriages."

Yunxi took Xiaowan, Lian'er and other palace maids and eunuchs straight to Zhang Chongrong's bedroom.

When they arrived outside the palace, the eunuch guarding the gate shouted, "Empress Yun has arrived."

Without waiting for Zhang Chongrong to come out, Yunxi walked in impatiently. Zhang Chongrong was a little surprised to see Yunxi coming, but soon she returned to her normal state. She smiled and asked, "Oh, what brings me here today? You are not in Jingxiu Palace taking good care of the little prince, so how can you have the leisure to come to my palace?"

With a "bang", Yunxi threw the glass bottle on the table. The moment Zhang Chongrong saw the glass bottle, her face changed drastically.

"Sister, I have always regarded you as my own sister. How could you be so cruel as to poison my unborn child?" Yunxi was very angry.

Zhang Chongrong sighed and said quietly, "In the palace, no one will treat me sincerely. It's just a mutually beneficial relationship. When you became friends with me, it was because you wanted to keep each other warm and deal with Concubine Li."

"Although I did become friends with my sister in order to gain a foothold in the palace, my feelings for her are genuine."

Yunxi said sadly. "Huh! Sincerity, who cares about your sincerity? You have fascinated the emperor so much that he stays with you all day long. Have you ever thought about how I feel when I have to stay alone in an empty room every night?" Zhang Chongrong said resentfully.

Yunxi said painfully: "I also often advise the emperor to be fair and spend more time with you, my sister." "You also said that because of you, the emperor no longer likes to step into my bedroom..." Zhang Chongrong stopped halfway through her words with something veiled in her voice.

"My business?" Yunxi felt vaguely uneasy.

"From now on, you and I are no longer good sisters. You can think whatever you want. You can go and ask the emperor. Do you think that precious Western spices were given by the queen mother? You are wrong. It was the emperor who loves you the most who asked me to pass it to you. Do you think the emperor really doesn't suspect the little thing between you and the guard Han Xuan? Haha, how much do you think the emperor trusts you, and you even gave birth to children for him." Zhang Chongrong said resentfully.

After returning to Jingxiu Palace from Zhang Chongrong's bedroom, Yunxi was completely lost. In the palace, the power struggles and intrigues were like an intricate maze, making Yunxi feel at a loss. She was originally a pure and kind woman, but she was involved in this endless struggle.

In the magnificent palace, Yunxi witnessed scenes of intrigue. Ministers used all means to scheme against each other for power and interests, smiling on the surface but secretly stabbing each other. The concubines in the harem were even more jealous, fighting overtly and covertly, using sinister and vicious means.

Yunxi wanted to remain neutral and not get involved, but she gradually found herself becoming the target of everyone's attacks. Her kindness and innocence were seen as weakness and she was constantly subjected to various conspiracies and calculations.

Faced with this complicated situation, Yunxi felt exhausted. She didn't know who to trust, nor how to survive in this palace. She had to be careful with every step she took, fearing that she would fall into someone else's trap.

In the bedroom, the emperor held the prince in his arms, his eyes full of endless love. The prince lay quietly in the emperor's arms, his little hands tightly grasping the emperor's clothes. The emperor gently stroked the prince's hair, as if he was touching the most precious treasure.

The prince's face was filled with an innocent smile, an expression of innocence and happiness. His eyes were as bright as stars, revealing his curiosity and desire for the world.

The emperor lowered his head and kissed the prince's forehead, saying gently: "My son, I hope you grow up healthily and become a wise ruler in the future to benefit the people." The prince seemed to understand what the emperor said, blinked his eyes, and chuckled. What a warm and beautiful picture. Yunxi looked at them, but was full of thoughts.

Yunxi knelt before the emperor, tears rolling down her cheeks like beads from a broken string, her voice trembling: "Your Majesty, my first child was innocent, but was poisoned...and the real culprit is Zhang Chongrong!" She bit her lips tightly, her eyes filled with grief and indignation.

The emperor's face became solemn. He looked at Yunxi and asked, "Do you have any evidence? Didn't we find out that it was Concubine Li who did it?"

Yunxi raised her head, tears blurring her vision. "This is exactly what I don't understand. Zhang Chongrong was so bold and thoughtful. She did it so flawlessly and even put the blame on Concubine Li."

The emperor's face was gloomy, and his eyes revealed a hint of determination. He said in a low voice: "I have decided to thoroughly investigate the matter of Zhang Chongrong poisoning your baby! Give you justice." "Your Majesty, how long are you going to hide this from me? You instructed Zhang Chongrong to do it, right?" Yunxi said heartbrokenly as she took out the glass bottle and placed it in front of the emperor.

The emperor looked at the glass bottle, a hint of astonishment flashed across his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure.

"Yunxi, this matter has nothing to do with me. I was also deceived by Zhang Chongrong." The emperor explained.

Yunxi's face was covered with tears, and she didn't know whether she should believe what the emperor said.

"No matter what, I hope that the emperor can handle this matter fairly and give justice to me and my dead child."

The emperor nodded, "I will send someone to re-investigate the matter and will give you an explanation."

In the palace hall, the atmosphere was tense and solemn. Zhang Chongrong knelt in the center, her face pale, her eyes revealing a trace of despair and helplessness.

The emperor sat on a high throne, his eyes dignified and firm. He spoke slowly, his voice low and powerful, trying to persuade Zhang Chongrong to plead guilty.

The emperor clearly stated the evidence and clues of the case based on reason and facts. His sincere words not only expressed his pursuit of fairness and justice, but also revealed his disappointment with Zhang Chongrong.

Zhang Chongrong listened quietly, her body trembling slightly, tears welling up in her eyes. The emperor's words struck her heart like a heavy hammer.

In the end, Zhang Chongrong bowed her head and confessed her guilt. Her voice trembled as she said, "Your Majesty, I... I plead guilty, but my love for you is real. I hope you can treat my family well." The emperor looked at her and a hint of relief flashed in his eyes.

With Zhang Chongrong's confession, the tense atmosphere in the palace eased slightly. The emperor decided to punish Zhang Chongrong severely according to the law to maintain the discipline and justice of the court. Zhang Chongrong was banished to the cold palace and would never stand up again.

However, Yunxi's heart could not calm down, as her trust in the emperor had begun to waver.

Yunxi sat quietly in the corner of the palace, gazing into the distance, her heart filled with distrust of the emperor and memories of the past.

She thought of the time she had spent with Han Xuan, and those beautiful memories came flooding back to her mind. Han Xuan's smile, gentle eyes, and the happy times they had spent together became indelible memories in her heart.

However, the reality is so cruel, the emperor's behavior makes her gradually lose trust in him. She begins to doubt the emperor's true intentions and ponders her position and future in the palace.

Yunxi's mood became heavier and heavier. She knew that she could no longer indulge in memories, but had to face reality. She decided to protect herself, find the truth, and strive for a fair ending for herself and Han Xuan.

Amid the interweaving of inner longing and distrust, Yunxi strengthened her determination.

Outside Jingxiu Palace, a young eunuch whispered something to Lian'er, then left in a hurry. Lian'er hurried into the bedroom.

Yunxi's face was pale, and her eyes were shining with determination. With the support of Lian'er and Xiaowan, she staggered towards the cold palace, her heart full of questions and pain. Every step seemed to carry the weight of her losing her child, and she had to find the answer.

The door of the cold palace was tightly closed, exuding a gloomy atmosphere. Yunxi pushed the door open with force. Zhang Chongrong was curled up in the corner, her face was haggard, and her eyes revealed despair and sadness. There was an empty ceramic medicine bottle scattered next to her.

Yunxi approached Zhang Chongrong and asked in a trembling voice, "Zhang Chongrong, I know you are here. Tell me, is the emperor the culprit who caused my miscarriage?"

Zhang Chongrong raised her head and looked at Yunxi. Her lips moved but she didn't speak. Yunxi's eyes became more anxious. She grabbed Zhang Chongrong's arm and shook it hard, "You know the truth, tell me!"

Zhang Chongrong's tears rolled down her cheeks. She lowered her head and whispered, "I don't know. I'm just a powerless concubine. How could I know about the emperor's affairs?"

Yunxi felt disappointed, but she didn't want to believe Zhang Chongrong's words. She continued to ask: "Why were you banished to the cold palace? There must be some secret!"

Zhang Chongrong was trembling, her voice full of helplessness: "I was banished to the cold palace because I made a mistake and angered the emperor. It has nothing to do with your miscarriage."

Yunxi's eyes gradually dimmed, and her heart was filled with contradictions and pain. "Sister, I know you had some real feelings for me at the beginning. For the sake of our friendship, please tell me the truth." Yunxi said urgently.

Zhang Chongrong sighed and said, "What an injustice. Forget it. It doesn't matter if I tell you the truth. Anyway, I will never be able to leave this cold palace again in my life. It was indeed the emperor who took the Western Regions aromatherapy and asked me to pretend that it was given by the empress dowager to pass it on to you. In order to paralyze you, Concubine Li's father has always been more powerful than the emperor and does not take the emperor seriously. So he punished Concubine Li and made you mistakenly believe that Concubine Li caused your miscarriage. The emperor is sure that your fetus is the guard Han Xuan's."

Zhang Chongrong fell to the ground as soon as she finished speaking, and began to cough violently: "Cough... cough, the emperor was afraid that I would cause trouble to him in the future... so he gave me poison... Living with the emperor is like living with a tiger. Since ancient times, the most ruthless thing is the emperor's grace. Sister, take care of yourself... I hope that in the next life... I will never be part of the emperor's family. See you in the next life."

Yunxi supported Zhang Chongrong, who suddenly fell into Yunxi's arms and kept spitting blood. Her pupils dilated and she gradually stopped breathing. Yunxi choked and said, "Sister..." After all, they had supported each other before. Although she poisoned her child, it was the emperor's order and she couldn't disobey the emperor's order. Yang Yunxi was overwhelmed with emotions. How she wanted to go back to the modern world!

To know what happens next, please see the next chapter for updates. Thank you for reading!