Qi Tongwei is reborn, and he changes his fate by striking the bell

Xiaolian was stumped by his sudden question. She shook her head, indicating that she didn't know.

Emperor Chongzhen smiled bitterly and said slowly, "I...I was poisoned..."

Xiaolian's eyes widened immediately, and she looked at Emperor Chongzhen in disbelief. Who was it? Who dared to poison the emperor in the palace?

"Yes... he is a rebellious son..." The voice of Emperor Chongzhen became lower and lower, as if he would die at any time.

"Rebellious son? Your Majesty, you mean..." Xiaolian covered her mouth, speechless in shock.

Emperor Chongzhen nodded with difficulty, his eyes filled with pain and despair, "It was him... he teamed up with the Queen... and poisoned my ginseng soup..."

Xiaolian only felt a chill rising from the soles of her feet to the top of her head. Such an unfathomable conspiracy was hidden in this palace!

"You...you must..." Emperor Chongzhen suddenly grabbed Xiaolian's hand, his eyes full of pleading, "You must...for me...for me..."

"What for you?" Xiaolian asked nervously.

"For me..." A trace of determination flashed in Emperor Chongzhen's eyes, and he gritted his teeth and said, "Kill... Kill..."

"Who to kill?" Xiaolian's heart beat faster and she felt like she was being drawn into a huge whirlpool.

Emperor Chongzhen took a deep breath and said two words with all his strength: "Prince!"

Xiaolian was struck by lightning and stood there in a daze.

"Kill...Kill the prince!"

After Emperor Chongzhen said these two words, he collapsed on the dragon couch like a deflated ball, without making any sound. Xiaolian let go of her hand in fear, only to feel the world spinning around her.

The prince, the gentle and kind prince, could actually be the murderer who poisoned the emperor? Xiaolian couldn't believe it, and didn't want to believe it. But the look in Emperor Chongzhen's eyes before his death was full of pain and despair, which didn't seem to be fake.

"Empress, are you okay?" A young eunuch saw Xiaolian coming out of the Qianqing Palace with a pale face and hurried forward to support her.

Xiaolian took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down. Now was not the time to be sad, she had more important things to do.

"Eunuch, please ask the Queen to come over and tell her... tell her that the Emperor has woken up and wants to see her."

Although the young eunuch felt strange that His Majesty would suddenly summon the Queen at this late hour when he was about to rest, he did not dare to ask any more questions and quickly bowed and replied, "Yes, I will go right away."

Xiaolian returned to her residence, her mind in a mess. On one side was the dying Emperor Chongzhen, and on the other was the prince who was trying to murder his father. What should she do?

She was just a palace maid, and if she got involved in this struggle for imperial power, she would be crushed to pieces. But the last words of Emperor Chongzhen, and the eyes full of pleading and trust, made her unable to sit idly by.

"Xiao Lian, what's wrong with you? Why do you look so bad?" The voice of Queen Zhou interrupted Xiao Lian's thoughts.

Xiaolian looked up and saw Queen Zhou dressed in gorgeous clothes, walking slowly and gracefully, surrounded by palace maids. However, there was a hint of viciousness and cruelty in her phoenix eyes.

"Empress..." Xiaolian took a deep breath and told Empress Zhou everything that Emperor Chongzhen said before his death.

After hearing this, Empress Zhou's face suddenly turned livid. She grabbed Xiaolian's arm and her sharp nails dug deeply into Xiaolian's flesh. "What did you say? His Majesty...he knows everything?"

Xiaolian gasped in pain, but she didn't dare to struggle. She could only whisper, "His Majesty also said... that I should kill the prince and avenge him..."

A hint of ruthlessness flashed in Empress Zhou's eyes. She pushed Xiaolian away and sneered, "Kill the prince? Just you? Who do you think you are?"

Xiaolian was pushed to the ground by her, her knees hitting the bluestone slabs, the pain made her cry. She raised her head and looked at the arrogant woman in front of her, her heart filled with fear and despair.

"Someone come!" Queen Zhou gave an order, and several burly eunuchs immediately surrounded them.

"Drag this bitch away and beat her to death!"

"Empress, please spare my life! I am innocent!" Xiaolian struggled desperately, but to no avail.

At this moment, a clear voice sounded in the yard, "Stop!"

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw Crown Prince Zhu Cilang, wearing a bright yellow dragon robe, striding in, surrounded by a group of guards.

There was a trace of anxiety and anger on his face, and when he saw Xiaolian lying on the ground, a trace of heartache flashed in his eyes.

"Your Highness..." Xiaolian saw Zhu Cilang and seemed to have grabbed the last straw to save her life. "Your Highness, help me! I know nothing. I am innocent!"

Zhu Cilang walked up to Xiaolian and held her up with his hand. "Don't be afraid, Xiaolian. I'm here. No one can hurt you."

His hands were warm and powerful, like sunshine in winter, dispelling the fear and coldness in Xiaolian's heart.

"Prince, what are you doing?" Queen Zhou said angrily, "This lowly maid has committed treason and dared to slander me. I want to punish her. Do I need your consent?"

Zhu Cilang turned around and looked at Empress Zhou coldly, saying word by word: "Before my father passed away, the last person he wanted to see was her."

Empress Zhou laughed in anger, pointed at Zhu Cilang's nose and cursed: "You little bastard! Your father isn't even dead yet, and you're already protecting this little bitch? What, you can't wait to have her buried with your father?!"

Zhu Cilang's eyes flashed with a hint of coldness, but he quickly concealed it. He said calmly, "Mother, please be careful. Father is just ill, how can he die? I just want to find out why Father wanted to see Miss Xiaolian before he died. Is there any misunderstanding?"

"Misunderstanding?" Queen Zhou sneered, "What kind of misunderstanding could there be? This little bitch seduced the master, seduced Your Majesty, and ruined the palace. She deserves death!"

Xiaolian was so frightened that she trembled and hid behind Zhu Cilang, not daring to speak.

Zhu Cilang patted her hands, signaling her to rest assured, then turned to Queen Zhou and said, "Mother, Miss Xiaolian has served father for many years and has always been loyal and devoted. I believe that she will never do anything to damage father's reputation."

"You..." Queen Zhou was so angry that she was shaking all over. She pointed at Zhu Cilang and couldn't say a word for a long time.

"That's enough!" Emperor Chongzhen, who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke. His voice was weak, but it carried an unquestionable majesty. "Queen, please leave. I want to talk to Miss Xiaolian alone."

Empress Zhou's face changed, and she wanted to say something else, but was stopped by a sharp look from Emperor Chongzhen. She glared at Xiaolian fiercely and walked away.

Emperor Chongzhen looked at Empress Zhou's departing back, a trace of disappointment and fatigue flashed in his eyes. He turned to look at Xiaolian, trying to force a smile, "Xiaolian, come here, come to me."

Xiaolian walked carefully to the bedside and knelt in front of Emperor Chongzhen.

Emperor Chongzhen stretched out his dry hand and gently stroked Xiaolian's cheek, his eyes full of love and reluctance, "Good child, you have worked hard these years..."

Xiaolian burst into tears, "Your Majesty, what are you talking about? It is my blessing to serve you..."

Emperor Chongzhen shook his head, signaling her not to continue. He took a deep breath and said with all his strength, "Xiao Lian, I know that I don't have much time left..."

Xiaolian cried even harder, "Your Majesty, please don't say that, you will definitely get better..."

Emperor Chongzhen smiled bitterly and said nothing. He knew that his own body was in good condition and that he was at the end of his rope and there was no way to save him.

"Xiao Lian," Emperor Chongzhen held Xiao Lian's hand tightly, his voice low and urgent, "I have something very important to tell you. This matter concerns the future of our Ming Dynasty, and also your life and death..."

Xiaolian raised her head and looked at Emperor Chongzhen with tears in her eyes, "Your Majesty, if you say so, I will go through fire and water and will not refuse even if I die!"

Emperor Chongzhen took a deep breath and said slowly: "I want you to... kill the prince!"

Xiaolian was suddenly struck by lightning and froze completely.

"Your Majesty, what did you say?"

A trace of pain and struggle flashed across Emperor Chongzhen's eyes, but it was soon replaced by determination. "I am not wrong. I want you to kill the prince! Kill Zhu Cilang!"

When Emperor Chongzhen heard this, he was shocked. Before he could say anything, the war between the Jianlu and the Ming army had already broken out in full swing. As in the past, the Jianlu defeated the Ming army step by step. The Jianlu took the opportunity to plunder the capital, which was shaken. The Jianlu won a small victory.

"The Jianlu have two purposes for this war..." Emperor Chongzhen muttered to himself. He looked up at Zhu Cilang as if he had grabbed a life-saving straw, "Crown Prince, go on!"

Zhu Cilang yawned and said lazily, "Father, I'm sleepy and want to go back to sleep." After that, he left the hall without looking back.

Emperor Chongzhen looked at Zhu Cilang's departing back, feeling mixed emotions. He didn't know whether Zhu Cilang really knew something or was just talking nonsense.

"Your Majesty," Master Zhong stepped forward and whispered, "Your Highness the Crown Prince may really know something. Why don't you..."

"I know!" Emperor Chongzhen interrupted Master Zhong irritably, "But why should he help me? Hasn't he always wanted to..."

Emperor Chongzhen did not continue, but Master Zhong understood what he meant. Zhu Cilang had always shown no interest in the throne, and even disgust. He spent his days doing nothing, indulging in fun, and indifferent to state affairs.

"Your Majesty, perhaps the Crown Prince has just come to terms with it." Master Zhong consoled him, "After all, he is your son, your future..."

"That's enough!" Emperor Chongzhen interrupted Master Zhong again. He rubbed his temple tiredly. "I'm tired. Let's discuss this matter later."