From cute to empress

My heart trembled, and I turned around to see Concubine Feng and Eunuch Xu, along with a group of guards, blocking the exit of the mausoleum. Concubine Feng had a sinister look on her face, and her eyes were flashing with a vicious gleam.

"Empress Dowager Feng, you..." I suddenly understood that all this was a trap set by her!

"How dare you, Niu Mengmeng!" Eunuch Xu roared in a shrill voice, "How dare you bring the commander of the imperial guards into the imperial mausoleum without permission, and even make such a scene! What on earth do you intend to do?!"

Before I could even open my mouth to explain, Concubine Feng spoke first, "Your Majesty! You saw it too. This single man and woman secretly met in the imperial mausoleum late at night, and their clothes were disheveled. You could tell at a glance..."

"That's not the case!" I panicked and wanted to explain, but I didn't know where to start.

"Your Majesty!" Zhen Youcai struggled to get up, but it pulled on his wound, causing him to groan in pain.

"You still dare to quibble!" Concubine Feng pointed at the blood on Zhen Youcai's body and sneered, "This is clearly..."

"Enough!" I couldn't stand it any longer and glared at Concubine Feng. "Commander Zhen was seriously injured in order to protect me. Don't slander me!"

"Oh? To protect you?" Concubine Feng pretended to be surprised. "It's the dead of night. What does he need to protect you from? Could it be that he wants to protect you..."

She deliberately stretched out her voice, a meaningful smile on her face. The guards around us also began to whisper, looking at Zhen Youcai and me with eyes full of suspicion and contempt.

"You..." I was so angry that I was shaking all over, but I was unable to refute.

"Come here!" Concubine Feng ordered, "Capture these two and wait for the Emperor's decision!"

The guards rushed forward and surrounded Zhen Youcai and I. I held Zhen Youcai tightly and was unwilling to let go.

"Let me go! If you want to arrest someone, arrest me!" I shouted. "This is all my idea. It has nothing to do with Commander Zhen!"

"Hmph! You still want to protect him now?" Concubine Feng sneered, "The Emperor is wise and powerful. How could he be deceived by a few words from you? Come, take them away!"

Ignoring my struggles, the guards forcibly separated Zhen Youcai and me, marching us towards the palace. Along the way, I could feel the strange gazes of those around me, piercing my heart like needles.

After returning to the palace, Zhen Youcai and I were imprisoned separately. I was extremely anxious, but there was nothing I could do. Concubine Feng's words, like the venom of a venomous snake, had taken deep root in people's hearts.

I know that a bigger storm is about to come...

"The Emperor has arrived—" the eunuch's shrill voice rang out in the silent palace, and my heart sank suddenly.

The magnificent palace was now as cold as an ice cellar. My heart sank to the bottom of the valley after hearing the cry of "The Emperor has arrived."

High on the dragon throne, the emperor's face was sullen, his deep eyes filled with disappointment and anger. I knelt on the ground, feeling a pang of pain in my back. The whispers around me were like sharp blades, ruthlessly torturing me.

"Niu Mengmeng, do you know your crime?!" The emperor's voice was majestic without even being angry, and carried a suffocating sense of oppression.

"Your Majesty, I am innocent!" I bit my lip, trying hard to hold back my tears. "Commander Zhen and I have never transgressed the rules. This is all a false accusation by Concubine Feng!"

"How dare you!" The emperor slammed his dragon throne, his rage rising to the sky. "With the evidence and witnesses, you still dare to quibble?! I saw it with my own eyes. You and Zhen Youcai were in dishevel, meeting secretly in the imperial mausoleum late at night. Is this all fake?!"

"Your Majesty, I am truly innocent! Commander Zhen only did this to protect me..." I tried my best to explain, but found that my voice sounded so pale and powerless in the empty palace.

"Enough!" The emperor waved his hand impatiently, looking at me coldly. "I remember your past contributions and cannot bear to punish you severely, but this matter concerns the reputation of the royal family, so I must investigate thoroughly. Come, imprison the Empress and Commander Zhen separately. No one is allowed to visit them without my order!"

"Your Majesty..." I looked at him desperately, trying to find a trace of trust in his eyes. However, all I was greeted with was coldness and suspicion.

Concubine Feng stood aside, a smug sneer on her lips, while Eunuch Xu lowered his head, a sinister glint in his eyes. I knew this was all a trap they had carefully planned, and I was powerless to break free.

I was taken to the cold palace, which was dark and damp, with a rotten smell in the air. I collapsed on the ground, tears finally bursting out.

"Your Majesty, please take care of yourself. The Emperor was just blinded for a moment. One day he will realize your innocence." Xiao Tao, my personal maid, looked at me with heartache and whispered comfortingly.

"Xiaotao, do you think he will believe me?" I murmured to myself, my voice full of despair.

"Yes, Your Majesty. You are the kindest person in the world. The Emperor will definitely understand your painstaking efforts." Xiao Tao said firmly, but the uneasiness in her eyes betrayed her true thoughts.

I smiled bitterly and shook my head. Concubine Feng's power is deeply rooted, and with Eunuch Xu fanning the flames, will the emperor still believe me?

Days passed, and the days in the cold palace felt like a prison, imprisoning me in this small world. Every day I hoped that the emperor would understand the truth, but what I received was even more despairing news.

"My Lady, this is bad!" Xiao Tao rushed in in a panic, her face pale. "I heard that Commander Zhen..."

"What's wrong with him?" My heart sank suddenly and an ominous premonition came over me.

"He... he said it was you..." Xiaotao's voice became lower and lower, and finally almost inaudible.

"What did he say?" I grabbed her hand and asked anxiously.

"He said...you took him away to protect yourself..." Xiao Tao was interrupted by hurried footsteps before she could finish her words.

"Empress, the Emperor summons you..." The eunuch's sharp voice sounded particularly harsh in the silent cold palace.

My heart, at this moment, completely sank into the abyss...

Xiao Tao's words were like a bolt from the blue, leaving me dizzy and dazed. Zhen Youcai, did he actually think it was me...that I'd sacrificed him to protect myself? My heart felt like it was being gripped tightly by an invisible hand, the pain so intense I could barely breathe.

"My queen..." Xiaotao looked at me worriedly, seeming to want to say something but stopping herself.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my surging emotions, and said in a trembling voice, "Help me up and go see the emperor."

In the Golden Throne Hall, the emperor remained as majestic as ever, though the gloom between his brows seemed even thicker. I knelt on the ground, but I felt no chill at all, for my heart was already colder than the icy ground itself.

"Niu Mengmeng, Zhen Youcai has confessed that it was you who ordered him to go to the imperial mausoleum late at night with the intention of stealing the late emperor's relics. Do you plead guilty?!" The emperor's voice was cold and ruthless, without a trace of emotion.

I suddenly looked up at him in disbelief: "Your Majesty, this is not true! Commander Zhen...why would he..."

"Why? To protect you, of course!" The emperor slammed the throne, seething with rage. "He admitted with his own mouth that everything was ordered by you and had nothing to do with him!"

"No, that's not the case..." I shook my head desperately, tears blurring my vision. "He didn't, he didn't admit it..."

"Come here, present the testimony!" The emperor gave an order, and Eunuch Xu immediately walked slowly to me holding a bright yellow scroll.

I opened the scroll with trembling hands, and on it was written Zhen Youcai's confession. Every word was like a sharp blade, mercilessly piercing my eyes and my heart.

"Commander Zhen signed it personally, what else do you have to say?" The emperor's voice was icy cold, like a judgment from hell.

"No, this isn't true..." I collapsed to the ground helplessly, tears streaming down my face. "He wouldn't do this to me, he wouldn't..."

"The facts are before our eyes. How long are you going to keep quibbling?!" The emperor's patience seemed to have reached its limit. He suddenly stood up and looked down at me. "Niu Mengmeng, I have done my best for you, but you keep challenging my bottom line! Come, bring the queen..."

"Your Majesty, I have something to say!" I struggled to get up from the ground and looked at him with a determined look. "I dare to ask Your Majesty to give me three days. I will find out the truth and prove the innocence of myself and Commander Zhen!"

The emperor looked at me coldly, his eyes filled with suspicion and ridicule: "The truth? Do you think you can overturn the verdict?"

"I believe that the innocent will be innocent, and the turbid will be turbid! I guarantee with my life that within three days, I will present the truth to the emperor!"

"Alright, I'll give you three days! If you can't prove your innocence within three days, I will not let you off easily!"

I took a deep breath, suppressed the grief and anger in my heart, and kowtowed deeply to the emperor: "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

As we walked out of the Golden Palace, the glaring sunlight shone down, but I felt no warmth at all. Xiao Tao supported me with concern and wanted to say something, but I raised my hand to stop her.

"Xiao Tao, prepare the pen and ink."

"Empress, what are you..."

"I want to write a letter to Commander Zhen."

"But, the Emperor..."

"I've made up my mind."

I picked up the brush, but couldn't put pen to paper. I had so many words to say, but I didn't know where to begin. After a long while, I finally wrote a line on the white paper:

"I believe you, wait for me."

Putting down the brush, I folded the letter and handed it to Xiao Tao, saying in a deep voice, "Be sure to hand it over to Commander Zhen personally."

"Yes, your majesty." Xiaotao took the letter and turned to leave.

I watched her departing figure, my heart filled with anxiety and trepidation. Three days, just three short days. Could I uncover the truth, rescue Zhen Youcai, and clear my name?

Outside the palace wall, a dark shadow flashed by. I was moved and immediately chased after it.

"Who?!"

The shadow flashed by and disappeared behind the rockery. I lifted my skirt and quickly followed it, my heartbeat getting faster and faster with the pace of pursuit.

"Who's there?!" I shouted in a low voice, my voice echoing in the empty imperial garden, but there was no response.

I slowed down my pace and walked around the rockery carefully, but found that there was only a silent garden in front of me, and there was no one in sight.

Was I seeing things? I wondered, but my intuition told me things weren't that simple. For the past three days, I'd scoured every corner of the palace, searching for even the slightest evidence to prove Zhen Youcai's innocence, but I'd come up empty-handed.

Officials who had been friendly with Zhen Youcai kept their mouths shut in front of me, avoiding me as if they had something to hide. Those who were already at odds with Zhen Youcai took advantage of his misfortune, fabricating charges against him with exaggerated intent, hoping to put him to death.

I knew in my heart that there must be something fishy going on. Someone was manipulating all of this behind the scenes and wanted to use this opportunity to get rid of Zhen Youcai, or even... get rid of me!

"My queen, are you okay?" Xiao Tao ran over hurriedly, her face full of worry.

"I'm fine." I shook my head, suppressing the uneasiness in my heart. "I'm just a little tired. Let's go back."

After returning to Fengyi Palace, I locked myself in the study and carefully sorted out what had happened in the past few days, as well as all the people and things related to the case.

The emperor's attitude was unusually resolute;

Concubine Feng's cold eyes and undisguised gloating;

Eunuch Xu was evasive, hesitant to speak...

All of this is like a tangled mess that entangles me tightly and makes it hard for me to breathe.

"Your Majesty, Princess Zhao requests an audience." Xiao Tao's voice sounded outside the door, interrupting my thoughts.

Princess Zhao? I was slightly taken aback, then I remembered that she was the niece of Concubine Feng. We didn't have much interaction on weekdays. Why did she suddenly come to visit today?

"Please ask her to come in." I suppressed the doubts in my heart, stood up and straightened my clothes.

Princess Zhao walked in gracefully and bowed to me: "Your Majesty, the Queen."

"Princess, there's no need to be so polite. Please take a seat." I gestured for her to sit down and ordered Xiaotao to serve tea.

"Your Majesty hasn't looked well these past few days. Are you worried about Commander Zhen?" Princess Zhao asked directly, with a barely perceptible concern in her tone.

My heart moved, and I asked calmly, "Why does the princess ask this?"

Princess Zhao sighed and lowered her voice, "Your Majesty, I don't know, but I've heard some rumors these past few days..."

She paused, as if hesitating about something, and I waited quietly for her next words.

"I heard..." She raised her head and looked me straight in the eyes, "Commander Zhen's case was probably deliberately framed by someone, and the person who framed him is..."

She didn't say the name, but I had a rough idea of ​​it.

"Who is it?" I stared at her closely and asked word by word.

Princess Zhao took a deep breath and slowly uttered a name.

"Yes……"

"Who is it?!" An old voice rang out from behind the rockery in the Imperial Garden. "Who wants to harm Commander Zhen?"