From cute to empress

"It's... Concubine Feng." Princess Zhao took a deep breath and finally said the name.

My heart sank. Concubine Feng, it was indeed her! But why would she do this? Zhen Youcai was loyal to her, so why would she frame him?

"Your Majesty, I know you don't believe me, but I have evidence!" Princess Zhao said, pulling out a letter from her sleeve. "I stumbled upon this. It's a handwritten letter from Concubine Feng to Eunuch Xu!"

I took the letter, unfolded it, and my face turned pale. In the letter, Concubine Feng described her plan to frame Zhen Youcai in every word, and her purpose was to...

"This is impossible!" The letter in my hand fell to the ground, and I couldn't believe my eyes.

"Your Majesty!" Princess Zhao knelt down immediately upon seeing my expression. "I know this matter is of grave importance, but I swear to heaven that I will not lie a word!"

I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself down. I knew now was not the time to be sad and despair. I had to pull myself together, find out the truth, and clear Zhen Youcai's name!

"Princess, please stand up. I believe you." I helped Princess Zhao up, my eyes determined. "I will get to the bottom of this matter!"

At this moment, an old voice came from behind the rockery: "Who wants to harm Commander Zhen?"

Princess Zhao and I were both startled. We looked in the direction of the sound and saw an old palace maid in plain clothes slowly walking out.

"You are..." I looked at the old palace maid, and suddenly a familiar feeling surged in my heart.

The old palace maid glanced at me, a complex expression flashing across her cloudy eyes. She then turned to Princess Zhao and asked, "I just heard you say that someone wants to harm Commander Zhen. Is that true?"

Princess Zhao nodded and briefly explained the whole story.

After hearing this, the old palace maid sighed and said, "What an injustice! What an injustice! This happened over 20 years ago. I never thought it would happen again..."

"What do you know?" I asked quickly.

The old palace maid glanced at me and said slowly, "I served the late emperor and witnessed the palace tragedy with my own eyes..."

The old palace maid's voice, deep and raspy, transported us back to that stormy night over twenty years earlier. She recounted how Concubine Feng had colluded with foreign ministers to frame loyal officials, ultimately forcing the death of the previous emperor's favorite concubine and pinning the blame on Zhen Youcai's father, leading to the destruction of his family. The mysterious figure was an old acquaintance of Concubine Feng, now sought out by her to repeat her old tactics and frame Zhen Youcai.

"I have been living in guilt all these years. Today, I can finally tell the truth!" The old palace maid said, tears streaming down her face.

I trembled all over as I listened, my heart filled with anger and grief. It turned out that all of this was a conspiracy by Concubine Feng! Not only had she killed the late emperor's favorite concubine, she had also caused the destruction of Zhen Youcai's family. Now, she was actually trying to repeat her old tricks and put Zhen Youcai to death!

I clenched my fists, a cold light flashed in my eyes. Concubine Feng, I will never let you go!

"Your Majesty..." Princess Zhao looked at me worriedly.

"I'm fine." I took a deep breath and looked at Zhen Youcai. His eyes were also filled with shock and anger. "Youcai, let's go!"

I took Zhen Youcai's hand and turned to leave without looking back at the old palace maid and Princess Zhao. I knew that we still had a lot to do next...

I held Zhen Youcai's hand as we hurried along, the old maid's words echoing in my mind. Those deeply buried palace secrets exploded like thunder, shaking my heart and soul. Concubine Feng, this seemingly kind and benevolent woman, was actually such a vicious and cruel person. I wanted her to pay for every blood debt she owed!

"Mengmeng, don't worry, we will definitely find evidence." Zhen Youcai held my hand back, his palm was warm and strong, as if giving me infinite strength.

"Yeah!" I nodded heavily, the mist in my eyes gradually dissipated, replaced by a determined light.

According to the old palace maid, a jade pendant disappeared after the late emperor's favorite concubine was murdered, and this jade pendant is the key evidence used by Concubine Feng to frame her. Zhen Youcai and I split up, he searching for the former servants of the late emperor's favorite concubine, while I searched through the palace archives, hoping to find any clues.

Time was running out, and every minute and every second felt like torture. I locked myself in the imperial study, leafing through the vast archives without sleep, my fingers chafed by the pages, oblivious to the pain. Finally, in a long-forgotten volume chronicling the comings and goings of items within the palace, I found the record of the jade pendant.

"Found it!" I almost jumped up with excitement. According to the records in the book, after the previous emperor's favorite concubine was killed, the jade pendant was sent to... the bedroom of Concubine Feng by the then Chief Steward of the Imperial Household Department!

I gasped. This was irrefutable evidence! I immediately took the booklet to Zhen Youcai, and he had also made some progress. He had found an old palace maid who had served the late emperor's favorite concubine. She had witnessed how Concubine Feng had put poison in her tea and secretly taken the jade pendant.

"Great, that's great!" I was so excited that tears filled my eyes. With witnesses and evidence, Concubine Feng's crimes could no longer be covered up!

We immediately went to the palace to meet the emperor and told him all the evidence and the whole story. After hearing this, the emperor's face turned pale and he was furious. He never imagined that his beloved concubine would be such a vicious woman!

"Your Majesty, please be discerning and clear the name of Mengmeng and me!" Zhen Youcai knelt in the center of the hall, his voice sonorous and powerful.

I took a deep breath, knelt down, and held up the book that recorded the whereabouts of the jade pendant. "Your Majesty, I found this in the imperial study. Please take a look!"

The emperor took the booklet and flipped through it. His expression became increasingly grim, and his hands couldn't help but tremble slightly...

The atmosphere in the imperial study was suffocatingly solemn. Kneeling on the floor, I could clearly hear my own rapid breathing. The emperor flipped through the booklet, and every subtle expression on his face tugged at my heartstrings.

Finally, he slammed the book shut, anger blazing from his eyes: "Come here! Capture Concubine Feng and Eunuch Xu!"

Countless imperial guards suddenly poured in from outside the palace, surrounding Concubine Feng and Eunuch Xu. Concubine Feng's face was pale, but she was still making a final struggle: "Your Majesty, you are listening to slander! I have served you for many years, how could you..."

"Shut up!" the Emperor shouted angrily, throwing the booklet at Concubine Feng's feet. "What else do you have to say? It clearly states here that the jade pendant was sent to your palace by Eunuch Xu! How dare you say that this wasn't your order?!"

Concubine Feng was speechless. She collapsed to the ground, her eyes filled with despair and resentment. I saw that Eunuch Xu, who was standing behind her, trembled slightly, as if he wanted to say something but didn't dare to speak.

"Throw them both into the Sky Prison. No one is allowed to visit them without my order!" The emperor stormed off angrily, leaving Concubine Feng and Eunuch Xu trembling in fear.

I breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, the truth was out! I turned to look at Zhen Youcai, and he also had a relieved smile on his face.

Just then, I noticed that the mysterious man who had been standing in the corner quietly moved out of the hall while no one was paying attention.

"Catch him!" I shouted. Zhen Youcai reacted extremely quickly, rushed forward and knocked the mysterious man to the ground.

"Let me go! You dogs!" The mysterious man struggled desperately but could not break free from Zhen Youcai's grip.

Several imperial guards stepped forward, tied up the mysterious man, and brought him before the emperor.

"Tell me! Who are you? Why did you sneak into the palace?!" The emperor's eyes widened with anger and he asked sternly.

The mysterious man raised his head, a fierce look flashing in his eyes. He sneered and was about to speak...

"Your Majesty, wait a minute!" I suddenly thought of something, walked quickly to the mysterious man, and pulled off the black cloth on his face.

A familiar face appeared before me, and my heart sank...

"How could it be you..." I muttered to myself, my voice full of disbelief and deep disappointment.

"How could it be you... Sister Zhao?!" I exclaimed, unable to believe my eyes. Standing before me was actually Princess Zhao, my good friend!

Princess Zhao, no, it should be said that she is no longer that innocent girl. Her eyes are sinister and there is a hint of sneer on the corners of her mouth. Where is the liveliness and cuteness of the past?

"What? Are you surprised? Niu Mengmeng, you didn't expect it to be me, right?" Princess Zhao's voice was sharp and piercing, full of resentment.

"You...why are you doing this?" I asked tremblingly, my heart full of confusion and pain.

"Why? Hahaha..." Princess Zhao suddenly laughed out loud, her laughter filled with sadness and despair. "You ask me why? Ask yourself! Ask the man behind you!"

She pointed at Zhen Youcai fiercely, her eyes as sharp as a knife: "Back then, I fell in love with him at first sight, but what about him? He only has eyes for you! For you, he rejected my love and even turned against me!"

"You're talking nonsense!" I retorted subconsciously and turned to look at Zhen Youcai, but saw that his expression was complicated and he said nothing.

"I'm talking nonsense!" Princess Zhao laughed even more crazily, as if she had heard a huge joke. "Who do you think you are? You're just a pretty fool! If it weren't for Zhen Youcai protecting you, do you think you could sit on the throne of Queen?!"

"Shut up!" I couldn't hold it in any longer, raging. "What qualifications do you have to say that to me? You've framed loyal people and murdered innocent people for your own selfish desires. How can you even stand here with dignity?!"

"The victor is the king, the loser is the bandit, it has been like this since ancient times!" Princess Zhao sneered, "Now that I'm defeated, you can kill me or chop me up, it's all up to you!"

I looked at the woman in front of me who was once familiar to me but has now become so unfamiliar, and I felt mixed emotions.

"Your Majesty, Princess Zhao is vicious and her crimes are unforgivable. Please bring her to justice!" Zhen Youcai suddenly knelt on the ground and said in a deep voice.

The emperor was silent for a moment, and finally nodded, ordering Princess Zhao to be taken to the Sky Prison to await punishment.

Watching Princess Zhao being taken away, I didn't feel relieved at all, but felt even heavier.

"Mengmeng, are you okay?" Zhen Youcai walked to my side, gently held my hand, his eyes full of worry.

I shook my head, suppressing the sadness and exhaustion in my heart, looked at him, and asked, "Did you...did you really like her?"

Zhen Youcai was stunned for a moment, then smiled bitterly and said, "Silly boy, you are the only one in my heart. From the beginning to the end, it has only been you..."

He held me tightly in his arms, and I couldn't hold back my tears any longer. After going through so much, the misunderstandings between us were finally resolved, and our feelings became even deeper.

"The Emperor has arrived——"

The eunuch's shrill voice echoed outside the palace, interrupting the embrace between Zhen Youcai and I. We looked up and saw the emperor walking in with a group of palace maids and eunuchs, a pleased smile on his face.

"Today's event is thanks to the Queen and Commander Zhen. You two have made an indelible contribution!" The Emperor walked up to us and said loudly.

"I dare not take credit for it. This is what I should do." Zhen Youcai and I knelt down quickly and said in unison.

"Good, good, good!" The emperor said "good" three times in a row, his eyes full of praise. "I have decided to hold a grand celebration ceremony in the palace to commend the Queen and Commander Zhen..."

Before he finished speaking, a young eunuch hurried into the hall, knelt on the ground, and said in a trembling voice: "Your Majesty, this is not good..."