The beloved is reborn as a substitute, and the tyrant begs for forgiveness every night.

Upon seeing Xu Leyao, before she could even offer her greetings, the Empress Dowager uttered these words.

Upon seeing this, Xu Leyao stopped her from bowing.

"How could Your Majesty be so sure that I would listen to you when you first meet me?"

Seeing Xu Leyao's unruly demeanor, the Empress Dowager's eyes flashed with a hint of annoyance.

She detested women with this kind of attitude the most.

The most favored concubine of the late emperor was just like this, a seductive and cunning woman.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have failed to protect her son due to the machinations of that seductive vixen.

Looking at Xu Leyao now, he naturally found everything about her displeasing.

"Since I have already given you the order, you will not be allowed to disobey."

After saying this, the Empress Dowager gave Shiqing a look.

Although Shiqing felt reluctant, she still took a pair of scissors and walked towards Xu Leyao.

Seeing this, Xu Leyao neither dodged nor flinched, but simply asked a question that caused the Empress Dowager and Shiqing's expressions to change drastically.

"Doesn't the Empress Dowager want to know the truth about the Third Prince's death?"

Xu Leyao's words made the two men stop in their tracks, staring at her in astonishment.

The Empress Dowager's gaze towards Xu Leyao was now tinged with resentment.

"How dare you, a woman like you, criticize this? Shiqing, take action!"

The Empress Dowager gave the order, and Shiqing immediately stepped forward again.

"The Third Prince died because of the current emperor's scheme. The favored concubine whom the Empress Dowager has always resented is one of the culprits, but not the only one. If you kill me today, I'm afraid you'll only be able to seek justice from the Third Prince on your way to the underworld."

Xu Leyao's words successfully stopped the Empress Dowager and Shiqing.

The Empress Dowager took deep, labored breaths, her eyes filled with disbelief as she looked at her.

"what do you mean?"

In response to the Empress Dowager's question, Xu Leyao answered calmly and slowly.

“Back then, the Third Prince was a major concern for the current Emperor and a strong contender for the throne. Naturally, the Emperor would not let him live so easily. Moreover, although Your Majesty the Empress Dowager was not favored at the time, you still held power in the palace.”

Upon hearing Xu Leyao recount what happened back then, the Empress Dowager calmed down and pondered carefully.

"That may be true, but what evidence do you have?"

Although the Empress Dowager seemed not to believe it, the fact that she asked the question clearly meant that she believed it to some extent.

"His Highness the Third Prince suffers from asthma, so His Majesty gifted him a wooden box filled with willow catkins. Not only that, His Majesty himself filled the box with the willow catkins."

Hearing Xu Leyao recount the circumstances of her son's death, the Empress Dowager couldn't help but feel pained.

She was extremely cautious, but she never expected that the wooden box would be completely filled with willow catkins.

But all the imperial physicians at the time were summoned to the palace of that favored concubine to wait for her.

Ultimately, her child suffocated to death.

Such clumsy methods are often the most effective.

The Empress Dowager could no longer hide the resentment in her eyes when she thought about what had happened back then.

But she hadn't completely lost her senses at that moment.

"You couldn't possibly know these things, after all, you've only recently come of age. Even considering your age, no one could possibly tell you these things."

The Empress Dowager coldly scrutinized Xu Leyao, seemingly trying to discern something from her expression.

Xu Leyao remained still, letting her scrutinize her.

"If I were the original owner, I naturally wouldn't know these things, but what if I were Xu Leyao?"

Upon hearing Xu Leyao's words, the Empress Dowager was stunned.

"What do you mean?"

When questioned by the Empress Dowager, Xu Leyao simply explained it in the most basic way.

"Resurrected through borrowing a corpse."

Upon hearing this, both the Empress Dowager and Shiqing were stunned and at a loss for words.

That would be far too fantastical.

But if not for this, how would Xu Leyao know about the previous generation?

The Empress Dowager felt that her mind was in complete turmoil.

She didn't fully believe Xu Leyao's words yet.

Xu Leyao was not in a hurry, and then brought up some things about her time as empress.

Those things were known only to Xu Leyao and the Empress Dowager.

Even the poetic sentiment is unclear.

Only after hearing Xu Leyao recount those past events did the Empress Dowager truly believe in her identity.

"But how did you know that?"

Although he believed that she was Xu Leyao, he still couldn't help but have some doubts about the truth of the matter.

After all, she knew about the fact that Zheng Zhihe had raided the Xu family's home.

"Because that's what he told me himself when he was drunk."

Xu Leyao forced a bitter smile and then explained the whole story.

"If Your Majesty the Empress Dowager does not believe it, she may investigate it herself."

The Empress Dowager naturally couldn't completely trust her.

However, after this incident, her mind was completely in turmoil, and she naturally had no time to continue entangled with Xu Leyao.

After sending Xu Leyao away, the Empress Dowager secretly contacted members of her own family.

Those things that couldn't be found back then, now, with Xu Leyao's guidance, became incredibly easy to investigate by following the direction.

Upon learning the truth, and confirming that what Xu Leyao had said was true, the Empress Dowager fell seriously ill.

Upon learning of this, the Empress Dowager naturally could not be of one mind with Zheng Zhihe.

The Empress Dowager sought the secret assistance of her maternal clan, and Xu Leyao, along with many others, secretly spread rumors.

The rumors had already been spread, so now they spread even faster.

Fearing for the stability of his throne, Zheng Zhihe had no choice but to ask his senior ministers to intervene, which only made things worse.

Zheng Zhihe's loyal ministers came up with a solution.

The Empress Dowager went on a hunger strike in her own palace, driving Zheng Zhihe insane, and he planned to kill her.

This is exactly what Xu Leyao has set up.

Zheng Zhihe's true colors and his plot to murder the Empress Dowager were fully revealed to the court officials.

After learning that the emperor they were serving was actually this kind of person, how could they possibly continue to be loyal?

The court officials turned their backs on him, leaving Zheng Zhihe with no way out. After issuing an edict of self-reproach, he expressed his willingness to abdicate and yield the throne to a more capable person.

Unfortunately, none of his sons were favored, so the court officials recommended Zheng Lingjia to succeed to the throne, which Zheng Lingjia had no choice but to accept.

After this incident, Zheng Zhihe seemed to have aged several years.

He is no longer the emperor, so naturally he should not live in the palace.

Fortunately, Zheng Lingjia is his younger brother, which is why he was given another place to live.

Xu Leyao naturally followed along.

However, when Xu Leyao was leaving, she was intercepted by Zheng Lingjia.

“I will allow you to stay for a few days, but you must come back.”

Hearing Zheng Lingjia's words, Xu Leyao's eyes were full of doubt.

Didn't he dislike me before?

It's like she's become a completely different person.

Zheng Lingjia offered no explanation in response to Xu Leyao's questions.

However, the look in his eyes as he gazed at Xu Leyao became increasingly complicated.

When Xu Leyao went to the imperial palace to visit Zheng Zhihe and Jiang Yunxue, the two were clearly not in good condition.