Her hair was cloud-like and beautiful! She opened her eyes and found herself back in the third year

"My lord... Xie Qu is dead."

The next morning, Cheng Yan and Qin Yi were having breakfast at Qinghui Garden when Song Nian rushed over and reported the matter.

Qin Yizhen's hand trembled slightly, and she could barely hold the chopsticks.

Cheng Yan held her hand and nodded expressionlessly, "I understand."

"My lord, it really is Xie Qu who is dead." Song Nian's expression was somewhat complicated. "I went to see for myself, and it is indeed Xie Qu who is dead."

Cheng Yan's hand stopped, and he looked at Song Nian with some surprise.

Qin Yizhen thought for a moment, then got up and said, "If you have something to do, I'll head back now."

"No need." Cheng Yan reached out and took her hand in his, gesturing for Song Nian to continue. "Go ahead and speak."

"Early this morning, just before dawn, jailers discovered that Xie Qu had strangled himself to death in the cell with his belt."

"Before he died, he left a suicide note in which he confessed his sins, saying that he had disobeyed his elders' teachings and gone astray, and that he deserved to die."

He also said... he had no further connection with the Xie family, and that after his death, the Xie family need not collect his body; he wished to be cremated, his bones ground to dust and scattered to the winds, so that he might fall into the Avici Hell after death to atone for his sins.

Cheng Yan was truly stunned.

In fact, when he went to see Xie Qu yesterday, he did intend to bid Xie Qu farewell, but he believed that Xie Qu would not die.

Given the Xie family's power and influence, it's not impossible for them to save Xie Qu's life by switching the beams and pillars. If he doesn't investigate further, the plan could very well succeed.

But after that, Xie Qu disappeared from the world, leaving only a man whose name was unknown, who continued to live in a place where no one knew him.

They will never see each other again in this lifetime.

Just then, Steward Zhou rushed over and delivered a letter: "My lord, this is a letter from the Xie family."

Cheng Yan recognized the handwriting on the envelope; it was Xie Qu's.

Cheng Yan opened the envelope, took out the paper, and quickly looked at the contents of the letter.

"...My death this time is in accordance with the righteous path of the world. I have already burdened the Xie family in many ways. Although the Xie family is prosperous now, there are countless people watching, just waiting for the Xie family to make a mistake. I am incompetent and do not care about the family's honor, but I cannot let the entire clan be implicated because of one person's mistake. Therefore, I should die."

Xie Qu committed the heinous crime of treason. If the Xie family wanted to save his life, they would have to take a huge risk. If they were to be discovered, they might be labeled as "accomplices of Prince Cheng" and the entire clan could be imprisoned.

Xie Qu did not want to implicate the Xie family, so he chose to commit suicide. He left a suicide note saying that it was his fault alone and had nothing to do with the Xie family. He wished to have his bones crushed and scattered to the winds so that he could go to hell to atone for his sins after death.

“Rong is my beloved. I hope that Your Excellency will remember our past relationship and take good care of her, so that she may live a long and peaceful life as she wishes. If this is not possible, and if she makes a mistake in the future, I beg Your Excellency to be lenient, spare her life, and let her go.”

"Thank you, Qu, this is my last words."

After reading the letter, Cheng Yan remained silent for a long time.

Qin Yizhen snapped out of her shock and, seeing him in a daze, grasped his hand in return.

Cheng Yan turned to look at her: "What's wrong?"

Qin Yizhen looked at him with some worry and said, "I...I will always stay with you..."

Cheng Yan was surprised. Had his wife suddenly become perceptive? She could even say sweet words to coax him now?

Cheng Yan forced a smile: "He went down the wrong path and committed a terrible mistake. Countless people died because of him. He deserved this end. I'm just a little surprised and a little sentimental."

Cheng Yan would not rescue Xie Qu. If the Xie family came to rescue him, he would not stop them. However, he did not expect that Xie Qu would choose this ending himself and refuse the Xie family's help.

"You must remember that everyone has to pay the price for their choices. If someone makes a mistake and comes to you for forgiveness or help, there is no need to have any reservations. Just let them bear the consequences they deserve."

Qin Yizhen nodded: "Don't worry, my mother also taught me that if others don't harm me, I am willing to be lenient, but if they dare to harm me, I will not let them go."

Qin Yizhen had been by Empress Dowager Cheng's side for many years, and she hadn't been completely ignorant of everything. Although she was somewhat cautious, she also had a clear sense of right and wrong.

Cheng Yan nodded upon hearing this: "That's good."

Cheng Yan was genuinely worried that her kind nature made her too forgiving of those who had hurt her.

As for what Xie Qu wrote in the letter, saying that if Wang Xianrong had done something wrong, he should spare her life and let her go, then he was sorry.

Give me a tinderbox.

Song Nian took a tinderbox from the pouch at his waist and gave it to him.

Cheng Yan blew on the tinderbox and then lit the letter, which eventually burned to ashes.

If Wang Xianrong had committed other wrongdoings, that would be one thing, but if she dared to harm him or the people he cared about, Xie Qu wouldn't give her the time of day. Since Xie Qu cared about her so much, he would be generous and send Wang Xianrong down to reunite with Xie Qu.

"Now that Xie Qu is dead, none of the others can be let go. Have your men keep a close eye on those people to prevent any further mistakes."

"Yes."

Song Nian accepted the order and left, while Cheng Yan continued to have dinner with Qin Yizhen.

However, Qin Yizhen remembered that today was the day the criminals who had committed the rebellion of the two kings would be executed, and she had also heard the news of Xie Qu's death. She really had no appetite at the moment. She ate a little in a hurry, then shook her head and said that she wanted to go back to swing on the swing. She then got up and went back to the inner courtyard.

After Qin Yizhen left, Cheng Yan's expression turned cold.

"It's very chaotic outside today; all women in the household are forbidden from going out."

Butler Zhou responded with a "Yes," and then asked, "What if the princess wants to go out?"

"If the princess wants to go out, tell her that I told her to stay at home and that I will come back to keep her company later."

"Yes."

"Ready your horse."

Cheng Yan changed his clothes and went out. Qin Yizhen returned to Chunxie Courtyard and went to sit on the swing she had made yesterday under the crabapple tree. Since Lü Qiao's injuries had not fully healed, she pointed to a maid to push the swing for her.

The swing swayed back and forth, and the crabapple blossoms fell one after another.

"Green onion".

“Princess, Lü Qiao is here,” Lü Qiao replied from the side.

Qin Yizhen, holding onto the swing ropes, asked her, "Why do you think people are never satisfied?"

While the throne and power are certainly important, Prince Cheng and Prince Rui were already living quite well. Is it really worth sacrificing their lives, families, and even their wives and children for the throne?

Lü Qiao laughed and said, "Princess, people are all greedy. For example, yesterday the princess gave me a silver hairpin, and today I want a gold hairpin."

"Go away, go away. You still want a gold hairpin? You should be happy with a silver hairpin."

"Princess, I'm very happy with a silver hairpin, even if it's not a gold one. I'm quite content."

Qin Yizhen chuckled and said, "Alright, alright, be content. I'll pick out a nice one for you later so you can save it up as part of your dowry."

"Thank you, Princess. Then please find me a husband quickly, lest I save up my dowry only to find my husband has vanished without a trace..."

"Okay, okay, I'll find it for you."

After a few words of laughter and banter between the mistress and servant, Qin Yizhen's mood improved slightly. Just as she was about to ask the maid to continue pushing her on the swing, a maid came to report that Wang Xianrong had arrived.