Chapter 167: Chapter 166: Traitorous Concubine or Worthy Empress
Anning lived over eighty years old in this life and faced the decline of her bodily functions, something she could not control.
She passed away before Xiao Yuan.
When she died, Xiao Yuan was lying beside her and also ceased to breathe.
The greatest contribution Anning made in this life was to drive the progress of science and technology, and for this, she received much Merit from the Heavenly Dao of this world.
Back in the Nihility Space, Anning began to investigate what Zhao Anning didn’t know about the life in which Liu Mingzhu killed the Zhao Family.
Liu Mingzhu killed all members of the Zhao Family and, as she wished, obtained the Zhao Group.
She married He Yang, and the two had a wedding of the century.
At the time of marriage, it seemed like a Prince was marrying a Princess, both appearing very happy.
However, conflicts arose after the marriage.
The Liu Family came to the Capital, and they made Liu Mingzhu buy them villas, luxury cars, and all sorts of extravagant goods.
Liu Mingzhu didn’t want the Liu Family to cause trouble, so she kept fulfilling their demands.
Eventually, the more the Liu Family was provided for, the greater their demands grew.
He Yang was very dissatisfied with this. He argued with Liu Mingzhu not just once or twice, all because of the Liu Family.
After getting married, Liu Mingzhu gradually started to spend more time at home and slowly handed over the company’s affairs to He Yang, eventually losing her managerial rights over time.
At this point, a girl who liked He Yang appeared.
To win He Yang’s affection, she began to constantly set up Liu Mingzhu.
She also lured Liu Qing into heavy drinking and gambling, making the stakes higher and the losses greater.
Liu Qing, having lost a lot of money, demanded it from Liu Mingzhu, and gradually her funds were no longer sufficient for his needs.
Liu Mingzhu then asked He Yang for money. He agreed once or twice, but after several times, He Yang refused.
The Liu Family came knocking, and during one of the confrontations, Liu Qing, in a fit of rage, accidentally injured He Yang.
Because of this, the He Family could not sit by and had He Yang divorce Liu Mingzhu.
At that time, the Zhao Group had already been entirely taken over by the He Family, and Liu Mingzhu was left with only a small sum of money, almost leaving her with nothing.
After the divorce, Liu Mingzhu, feeling resentful, began to plot against He Yang in secret.
In that life, Liu Mingzhu and He Yang both ended up harming each other, with neither meeting a good fate.
Having watched the unfinished story of that life, Anning said with a smile to the Zhao Anning in the void: "Can I leave now?"
Zhao Anning smiled and thanked Anning, her figure gradually fading into the air.
Anning stayed in the Nihility Space for a while longer, absorbing the Merit she received from the previous world, beginning to cultivate a Magic Spell that enhanced spiritual power.
After refining the Merit, when she opened her eyes, she saw a beauty that was beyond words.
Looking at this beauty before her, for a moment, Anning didn’t know how to praise her attractiveness.
The girl in front of her was truly too beautiful, beautiful to the point that Anning was deeply moved at first sight.
"Do you... have any unfulfilled desires?"
Anning couldn’t help but soften her voice.
The girl smiled and said: "I am Xie Anning. I would like to ask you for a favor. I wish for His Majesty to be safe and sound, not to perish in a sea of fire, and I also wish to take revenge on Feng Chengxi."
Xie Anning smiled and then lowered her head with a hint of red around her eyes, tears glistening: "I am not a good person. Because of me, there was great chaos under the heavens. Jin Country was destroyed, and countless people were broken and lost due to me. I know my sins are profound. I simply wish to fulfill my desires and then dissipate in this world, let all those debts of gratitude and vengeance be extinguished along with it."
Xie Anning extended her hand, presenting a jade seal with both hands: "This is the hereditary Jade Seal seized at the height of Jin Country’s power, within it resides the Destiny of the Dynasty.... And this... is my thank-you gift to you."
After Xie Anning finished speaking, she did not wait for Anning to react. She placed down the Jade Seal and truly dissipated into the world, in utter calmness and serenity.
Anning was stunned for a long time before she picked up the Jade Seal.
She caressed the Jade Seal, feeling the Dynasty Destiny emanating from within.
Anning was overjoyed, and at the same time, she felt a profound sense of regret for Xie Anning.
This girl was one who could both grasp and let go, a person with transparent thoughts.
It was unfortunate that she met unworthy people, ending in a tragic death.
Now that she had accepted Xie Anning’s Jade Seal, Anning naturally had to resolve the latter’s unsolved regrets properly.
She stored the Jade Seal and turned to enter into the timeline where Xie Anning had been.
When Anning opened her eyes, she saw a maidservant kneeling on the ground: "Miss, the Crown Prince is here."
Anning rose from the bed, excitedly saying: "Quick, comb my hair, um, bring over the immortal skirt that I’ve just finished, and also..."
She issued orders excitedly, unable to hide the joy on her face.
Several maidservants came to help Anning change clothes and then had her sit in front of the dressing table to carefully comb her hair.
Xie Anning’s body was originally extremely beautiful, and with such a dressing, she became even more breathtakingly beautiful.
When Crown Prince Feng Chengxi entered, the sight of a beaming Anning flashed a moment of astonishment in his eyes: "Cousin, are you well today?"
Anning greeted him with a smile: "Crown Prince, are you well?"
After Feng Chengxi entered the room, the maidservants tactfully withdrew.
Feng Chengxi reached out to take Anning’s hand, but she subtly avoided it: "I just received some new tea the other day; would cousin like to taste it?"
"That would be nice."
Feng Chengxi sat at the table, head bowed in a tormented expression.
Anning pretended not to see and continued to brew the tea. After she handed the cup to Feng Chengxi, Anning then asked: "Cousin appears to have something troubling on his mind, is there something bothering you?"
Feng Chengxi let out a wry laugh: "Cousin has noticed too, sigh, this matter... Never mind, it might as well be left unsaid."
Anning frowned: "Cousin, are you treating me as an outsider? What can’t you share with me?"
Feng Chengxi raised his head to look at Anning, his eyes full of tenderness and reluctance: "Cousin, I... now, only you can help me."
Anning sat down opposite Feng Chengxi: "Cousin, feel free to speak, it’s all right."
Feng Chengxi put down his teacup: "The court ministers mentioned the matter of deposing the Crown Prince to Father again the other day. Queen Xiao’s influence is strong, having swayed many civil servants and military generals, seeking to replace the third brother as the Crown Prince."
"Ah?"
Anning was shocked, and her teacup fell to the ground and shattered: "What are we to do? Do Grandfather and Father know this?"
Feng Chengxi nodded: "Grandfather is of course aware, but Queen Xiao... If the Crown Prince is deposed, I am afraid I will be demoted to commoner status, and our marriage arrangement would naturally be invalidated. Cousin, as someone who may not live much longer, I hope you can forget me and thereafter live a life of peace and joy."
"What are you talking about, cousin?"
Anning first became angry, then wept.
Crying softly: "The affection between us since childhood, my heart for you, do you really not understand? To speak of forgetting you, how could I ever forget you? If cousin is in trouble, how can I live in peace and joy?"
She covered her face, and the pale handkerchief became tinged with a hint of yellow from the wetness of her tears: "If cousin is in trouble, Anning wishes she could take his place. Whatever I can do for cousin, I must do without shirking, cousin must no longer... no longer think of pushing me away."
Feng Chengxi, watching Anning’s genuine display of emotions, flickered with reluctance and compassion.
Yet, thinking about his current predicament and his lofty ambitions, he still voiced the purpose of his visit: "Now, only you can help me, cousin... I’ll send you to Jin Country. With cousin’s talents and beauty, you will certainly be favored in the harem. If cousin gains influence, she could persuade Prince Jin to support my succession to the throne. Should the day come that I become King, I will surely welcome cousin back."