Reborn, the daughter of the Marquisate went crazy

Xie Qingli had quietly retreated outside the hall after throwing the three silver needles. Now, hidden in the shadows, she saw her senior brother had just saved Emperor Yingtian's life, yet this tyrant was trying to force him to stay, clearly harboring ulterior motives. She was distraught. Her senior brother had always been upright, so how could he understand the intrigues of the court? How could she help him escape?

Just as he was getting anxious, Wuyou's cold voice rang out again: "Your Majesty, when I joined your sect, I vowed never to serve in the imperial court. This is the iron rule of your sect, and I dare not violate it!"

Emperor Yingtian's expression suddenly darkened, murderous intent surging in his eyes. Xie Qingli's fingertips lightly touched the medicine bag in his sleeve, debating whether to use it to enchant everyone in the audience, when Prince Zhong suddenly spoke, "Royal brother, Zhen'er's headache came back when I left home this morning, and I'm deeply worried. Now that this matter is over, I'll take my leave."

The sinister look between Emperor Yingtian's brows softened slightly, and he forced a smile, saying, "My sister-in-law's health is paramount, so we should prioritize her. It's just that those useless people in the Imperial Hospital can't even cure a headache. Tomorrow, I will punish them severely!"

Prince Zhong and Wuyou quickly walked out of the temple gate. Emperor Yingtian stared at the two of them as they walked away, with a dark tide in his eyes.

He slowly raised his hand, tapping the few palace maids who had managed to survive. His voice was as low as ice: "Go to the main hall and search carefully to see if there are any remnants of the King of Qi."

The palace servants looked at each other in bewilderment, but dared not disobey the emperor's will. They could only kowtow tremblingly and said, "Your servant obeys your command." Then they shrank their bodies and moved towards the main hall as if walking on thin ice.

After all the palace servants had entered the hall, Emperor Yingtian pulled a bone whistle from his sleeve and blew gently. Before the whistle had finished, four or five dark figures darted out like ghosts and knelt silently at his feet.

His gaze was cold, and he nodded slightly toward the main hall. The shadow guards flashed and disappeared into the hall in an instant. A moment later, the shadow reappeared, blood dripping from the blade, staining the bluestone floor with a glaring red.

Emperor Yingtian raised his hand gently, and the shadow guards instantly disappeared into the darkness. At this moment, a burst of hurried footsteps broke the silence of the Taoist temple.

The three of them looked in the direction of the sound and saw Queen Meng leading dozens of palace servants hurriedly arriving, but they were stopped at the gate by the Imperial Guards with swords drawn. Her eyes were filled with anger as she shouted, "How dare you! You even dare to stop me?"

When she saw Emperor Yingtian, the Third Prince, and an old woman standing in the courtyard, a hint of joy flashed in her eyes: "Your Majesty! Are you okay..."

A cold light flashed in Emperor Yingtian's eyes. He slowly walked to the gate of the temple and said in a voice as cold as frost: "The Queen is well-informed. She was able to find such a remote place."

Queen Meng's face suddenly changed, and her voice suddenly became weaker: "I just heard a loud noise, and I am really worried about your majesty's safety..." She took a tentative step forward, but was stopped by the royal guards again.

"I am fine." Emperor Yingtian said in a cold tone, "This is a forbidden garden. Without the Empress's order, it is best not to trespass."

Empress Meng bit her lips tightly, a flicker of determination in her eyes. She suddenly turned sideways and pointed at the old woman behind her, who was being escorted by two palace maids. "Your Majesty, this person is the former servant who served Concubine Ruan in the cold palace. She has confessed..."

"How dare you!" Emperor Yingtian roared with rage, waving his dragon sleeves. "Since I have already acknowledged the King of Qi, the evidence is irrefutable. Who gave you the courage to investigate Concubine Ruan? The Empress has repeatedly questioned the Holy Decree. What is her real purpose?"

"I acknowledge my guilt!" Queen Meng knelt hastily, the pearls and jadeite on her phoenix crown rustling. "I...I am simply worried that Your Majesty has been deceived by treacherous villains..."

She was filled with remorse. She wouldn't have been so reckless, but ever since Emperor Yingtian recognized the Prince of Qi, he'd summoned him daily to his study for meetings and strictly forbade anyone else from approaching. She feared the Prince of Qi would get there first, so she took this risk...

"The Empress has abused her power and violated the rules, repeatedly offending His Majesty!" Emperor Yingtian's stern face was as cold as frost. "From this day forward, you will be confined to Kunning Palace for a month to reflect on your mistakes. The affairs of the six palaces will be temporarily handed over to Concubine Shu."

His sharp gaze suddenly swept over the trembling Second Prince kneeling behind the Empress. A trace of disgust flashed in Emperor Yingtian's eyes. "Second Prince, why did you return to the capital without permission? Have you completed your mission?"

The Second Prince trembled all over and stammered, "Reply...Reply to Father, I...I have basically...finished it..."

"Generally speaking?" Emperor Yingtian's voice suddenly rose. "How many disaster victims are there in Luozhou now? How will they be resettled? How much relief money will be used? Tell me everything!"

The Second Prince's face flushed crimson instantly. He hesitated for a long time before finally uttering a few words: "Many of the victims...were...all housed in the temple...silver...silver..."

Emperor Yingtian's eyes darkened, and a hint of sneer appeared at the corner of his mouth: "You can't even do this simple task. I think you'd better go back and study your sour and perverted poetry to avoid embarrassing yourself in public!"

"I know I was wrong." The second prince hurriedly put his forehead to the ground, his voice trembling.

Emperor Yingtian snorted coldly, and he and the empress dowager left in their sedan chairs.

Queen Meng knelt on the spot, her eyes filled with resentment. After this incident, Zhou'er was probably completely kicked out. But she refused to accept this. Even if it cost her life, she would send her son to that position!

When Emperor Yingtian and his companions reached the gate of the Imperial Garden, the imperial guards guarding the gate hurried over and knelt on one knee to report, "Your Majesty, the Taoist temple has suddenly caught fire. The fire is fierce and may be difficult to put out!"

"What?!" Emperor Yingtian's expression suddenly changed. "When the side hall collapsed, the King of Qi was injured by the beam while trying to save me. He was placed in the main hall waiting for a doctor. How could...?"

His eyes were filled with sorrow as he immediately ordered the mobilization of all forces to put out the fire. By the time he returned, the entire Taoist temple had already been engulfed in raging flames, with billowing smoke obscuring half the sky.

The three of them put on a good show, performing a mournful scene in front of everyone before dispersing. The Emperor went straight to his study, while the Third Prince accompanied the Empress Dowager back to the Cining Palace.

The Queen Mother slumped down on the phoenix couch, stroking her wrinkled face with her skinny fingers, her eyes gleaming with resentment. From now on, she would have to spend the rest of her life in this rotten skin!

"Yuan'er!" The Queen Mother suddenly grabbed the Third Prince's sleeve, her hoarse voice filled with a hint of madness: "Where is the young miracle doctor who treated me today? Quickly call him over! Maybe... maybe he still has a way..."

The Third Prince's eyes flashed. Ever since the Queen Mother hurried off to look for the Imperial Preceptor Ling Xuan, he had not paid any attention to the whereabouts of Young Master Wuwang.

He turned abruptly, his gaze sweeping across the hall like a blade, his voice as cold as ice: "Where is Master Wuwang?"

The palace servant standing by trembled all over and fell to his knees: "Your Highness, I haven't seen that young master since you left the palace..."

The Third Prince's eyes darkened. He suddenly remembered the strange silver rays that shot out from behind Ling Xuan during his duel with Wu You. Could it be that this Young Master Wu Wang was behind this?

"Someone come here!" he shouted coldly. Before he finished speaking, a faint fragrance suddenly floated outside the hall.

Xie Qingli gracefully arrived at the vermilion palace gate, dressed in a plain white brocade robe. Behind him, a palace maid carefully held a pot of a rare crimson herb. Its petals, as red as blood, blossomed wildly in the coldest days of winter.

The Third Prince narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze like a knife sweeping across Xie Qingli's gentle, smiling face. "Young Master, where did you go just now?"