Time travel, quick transmigration

The following day, Gao Lishi took the two imperial edicts that Li Longji had already prepared to Anle Palace.

In the east hall of Anle Palace, Wu Jinyao, who had been living in constant fear and anxiety since Li Longji, Shi Yan and others returned to the palace, heard a palace maid report that Gao Lishi, who was holding an imperial edict, was summoning her to the front hall to receive it. Knowing that disaster was imminent, Wu Jinyao swayed and almost fell to the ground.

"My lady..."

Her personal maid reached out to support her and called out to Wu Jinyao sadly.

Wu Jinyao glanced at the inner palace where she had lived for many years, and couldn't help but recall the past, and a wave of sorrow washed over her.

"There's no escaping it; what's meant to happen will happen. Xiao He, come with me to the front hall to receive the imperial decree."

The maid called Xiao He felt a pang of sadness and a tear instantly rolled down her cheek, but her face wore a smile that seemed to defy death.

"Alright, I'll go with you."

"Your Majesty, don't be afraid! No matter what, Xiao He will stay with you."

Wu Jinyao felt a lump in her throat and couldn't utter a single word, only tightening her grip on Xiao He's arm.

The somber atmosphere permeating the east hall gave all the palace staff a bad feeling, especially since the master of the palace looked ashen-faced and nearing his end, causing them to worry about their own fate.

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Consort Wu has repeatedly violated palace rules and laws. I have shown leniency to her because of the merits of her ancestors and the birth of her imperial heir, but she remains unrepentant. Several days ago, she even colluded with the Thousand Machine Pavilion to murder the Imperial Consort. Her despicable character and heinous behavior are intolerable to Heaven and cannot be forgiven. Because of the Imperial Consort's kindness and compassion in pleading for her, Consort Wu and her family are hereby pardoned from the death penalty, but are ordered to be moved from Anle Palace to the Cold Palace for lifelong confinement. This is the imperial decree."

"You sinful woman, Lady Wu, accept the imperial decree!"

Gao Lishi glanced indifferently at Wu Jinyao, who was staring blankly, and said coldly.

Upon hearing this, Wu Jinyao raised her eyes in a daze, her gaze falling on the glaring yellow imperial edict, each word piercing to the heart. Suddenly, she slowly burst into laughter.

"What a despicable character and outrageous behavior! It is intolerable to Heaven and the crime is unforgivable."

"His Majesty is so cruel. In his eyes, I, Wu Jinyao, am so despicable and have no redeeming qualities whatsoever. Only his Consort is good. Before, he only saw my cousin, and I accepted that since we are both from the Wu family. But what is Yang Yuhuan? She is nothing but a shameless and wicked woman. His Majesty has disregarded human ethics for her sake, suffering criticism and being stigmatized. It is truly absurd."

"Heh, Yang Yuhuan, I underestimated you. You are the most insidious one. You know I, Wu Jinyao, am proud and arrogant. To be imprisoned in the cold palace for life is far worse than death. Your Majesty, you are truly blind, having been deceived by a poisonous woman!"

Upon hearing Wu Jinyao's treasonous words, Gao Lishi's expression immediately changed, and he said angrily.

"How dare the audacious Wu clan member insult His Majesty and the Imperial Concubine!"

After saying that, he winked at the two young eunuchs behind him.

"Gag her!"

"Drag this madwoman who has lost her mind to the cold palace!"

The two eunuchs were quick-witted. Upon hearing this, they immediately stepped forward and grabbed Wu Jinyao. One of them even pulled out a handkerchief from his sleeve and stuffed it into Wu Jinyao's mouth. Then, the two of them worked together to drag Wu Jinyao out.

Wu Jinyao had never been treated like this before, and her eyes were filled with both anger and sorrow.

"Eunuch Gao, please have mercy! I beg you, please don't treat Her Majesty like this."

Xiao He rushed forward to stop her, desperately trying to hold onto Wu Jinyao while looking at Gao Lishi with red, pleading eyes. However, she was too weak to defeat the two young and strong eunuchs. Not only did she lose her grip, but she was also kicked by one of the eunuchs.

Seeing Xiao He fall to the ground after taking a kick to the chest while saving her, Wu Jinyao struggled to get up, overwhelmed by a surge of hatred and helplessness in her situation.

Gao Lishi impatiently made a hand gesture, and the two eunuchs understood and dragged Wu Jinyao to the Cold Palace.

Xiao He watched helplessly as Wu Jinyao was dragged away, tears welling in her eyes.

"Eunuch Gao, I beg you, please have mercy and let me go to the Cold Palace to take care of the Empress."

"I beg you."

As he spoke, he got up and kowtowed to Gao Lishi.

Gao Lishi was somewhat moved by the loyal servant, but he would not break the rules out of sympathy. Besides, he still remembered Wu Jinyao's insults and accusations against Li Longji, and he would not show any mercy to those who had committed treason.

"Stop kowtowing. You serve your master, so it's impossible that you're completely unaware of the crimes she's committed, and you can't stay out of it either. Your master only survived because the Imperial Concubine pleaded for her, but you don't have anyone to plead for you. Don't think I don't know what role you're playing in front of your Wu family."

"I see that your loyalty is rare, so I will grant you a complete corpse."

As Gao Lishi finished speaking, Xiao He collapsed to the ground, her eyes filled with despair.

Gao Lishi withdrew his gaze and said to the eunuch behind him who was carrying something.

"The palace maid Chen Xiuhe did not advise her mistress, but instead aided and abetted the evildoer, causing Wu to commit a heinous crime from which there is no turning back. Now she is to be given a cup of poisoned wine, but her body will be left intact and her family may take it back in the future."

Gao Lishi gave the order, and the eunuch carrying the poisoned wine quickly went to Xiao He's side and poured the poisoned wine from the tray into her mouth. Not long after drinking the poisoned wine, Xiao He died.

The palace servants, kneeling on the ground, were already terrified to see Wu Jinyao, who was usually so glamorous, being gagged and dragged to the Cold Palace without any dignity. Now, seeing Xiao He, who was loyal to Wu Jinyao, being poisoned, they were even more panicked. They dared not breathe and trembled as they lowered their heads, waiting for Gao Lishi to announce their final fate.

"The Wu family is reaping what they sowed. You palace servants who served them should have been punished as well, but the Noble Consort is merciful and specially asked His Majesty for leniency. You will be assigned to other palaces in the near future. As for the three senior palace maids in the inner palace, they will be punished by being sent to the Yeting Palace for life."

Apart from the three senior palace maids who were serving Xiao He in the inner palace and were being transferred to the Yeting Palace, all of whom had different expressions, the rest of them were overjoyed and began to shout "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Imperial Concubine!" as if they had survived a disaster.

After Gao Lishi left with his men, someone came and took away the three palace maids who had been punished and sent to the Yeting Palace.

Hearing the news, Consort Liu knew that her chances of survival were slim and she could not escape severe punishment. Heartbroken and with lifeless eyes, she sat on the small couch by the window, weeping.

"Your Majesty, please don't cry! Didn't Xiao Guizi report that His Majesty didn't sentence Wu Xianyi to death? Although going to the Cold Palace is a miserable and hopeless experience, at least she can still live, right? As long as she's alive, there's still hope."

The maid Yunxiang wiped away Liu's tears with a handkerchief, but Liu remained unmoved.

"Your Highness, please don't frighten me. Even if I die, I will stay with you. You are not alone."

Perhaps Yunxiang's words touched a chord in Consort Liu's heart, for she silently shed tears as she looked up at Yunxiang, the maid who had been with her for many years and was now crying her eyes out.

“Silly girl, you don’t have to die with me. This matter has nothing to do with you. You’ve tried to persuade me several times, but I didn’t listen and even took my anger out on you. I know you are loyal and kind-hearted. Don’t worry, no matter what, I will beg Gao Lishi to spare your life. I won’t let you follow Xiao He’s path.”