In the evening, Xue Zi Ning received news that Xue Chang An had poisoned himself and died.
She remained stunned for a long time. Was it resolved just like that?
Before, she had imagined Xue Chang An's head being chopped off at the execution ground in a grand affair.
However, Wen Yu Xi and the others disagreed, stating that Xue Chang An's corpse belonged to her, and beheading him at the execution ground would affect her future path to emperorship.
A cup of poisoned wine was perhaps the best solution.
Qing Yi personally administered the poison, which could separate the soul from the body.
Currently, the corpse was stored in a secret chamber within the imperial palace.
Qing Yi told her that if she wanted to enter the corpse, she needed to do it quickly.
Now, she stood in the secret chamber, looking at her corpse, having lost so much for this very body.
"Your Majesty, shall we merge?" Qing Yi asked from the side.
"Can't I maintain my current state for much longer?"
Qing Yi was taken aback, unsure why the Empress asked this, but he answered truthfully, "Normal aging and death."
"That's enough, isn't it?" Xue Zi Ning looked up at Qing Yi.
Qing Yi faltered, "Your Majesty, you..."
"To not be born and not to die sounds tempting, but everyone you knew and everyone by your side has already passed away, yet you still exist in this world. It's not immortality, but loneliness..."
"Your Majesty, you're not going to ferry the soul?" Qing Yi asked, somewhat surprised.
"Yes, I don't want to forgo the process of aging and dying, nor do I want you to grow old and frail while I remain eternally youthful. Qing Yi, I never sought eternity."
Upon hearing this, Qing Yi's body trembled, and he suddenly knelt, saying, "Your Majesty is wise."
So many people yearned for eternal life, even willing to sacrifice everything, yet they never achieved it.
Now, such an opportunity lay before her, yet she dismissed it with disdain.
Qing Yi secretly observed the Empress before him, knowing that this Empress would undoubtedly become a great ruler.
"Destroy it!" Xue Zi Ning said indifferently, turning away without a shred of hesitation.
Qing Yi watched her retreating back, wanting to speak but ultimately holding his tongue. Life was unpredictable; who knew what would happen?
Perhaps a miracle would occur.
As Xue Zi Ning returned to her sleeping quarters, a sudden cold gust of wind swept towards her.
She leaped back, narrowly avoiding the sword that grazed her cheek and severed her hair.
Looking up, she saw a figure rapidly approaching her.
Feng Yuan suddenly appeared, confronting the assailant.
Xue Zi Ning stepped back, finally recognizing the person – it was Jiang Xin Qin.
"Xue Zi Ning, I'm going to kill you..." Jiang Xin Qin roared at her with a distorted face.
"Your Majesty, please step back a little..." Feng Yuan said.
"You, step down," Xue Zi Ning commanded.
Feng Yuan blinked, "Your Majesty, your subordinate cannot step down..."
"I order you to step down," Xue Zi Ning said calmly.
Feng Yuan could only retreat, "Your Majesty, be careful, her cultivation has greatly increased."
Xue Zi Ning nodded and took the sword handed to her by Feng Yuan.
"Jiang Xin Qin, I am here. Speak of whatever grievances you have!"
Hearing this, Jiang Xin Qin's eyes widened, and she glared fiercely at Xue Zi Ning, roaring, "Why did you kill Li Chen Xuan? He did so much for you, how could you be so heartless to him? Why?"
Xue Zi Ning looked at her and said calmly, "Jiang Xin Qin, when you say that, I also want to ask you, why did you cooperate with Xue Chang An and push Li Chen Xuan to such a state? He was disloyal and unrighteous to you, and he showed no marital affection for you. Speaking of which, you drove him to his death..."
"Nonsense, you're talking nonsense..." Jiang Xin Qin shrieked hysterically.
"Why would I speak nonsense? If you hadn't collaborated with Xue Chang An, and Xue Chang An hadn't used your safety to threaten Li Chen Xuan, we wouldn't be in this situation today," Xue Zi Ning said coldly.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Xin Qin stumbled back several steps, shaking her head, "Impossible, impossible, you're lying to me..."
"Didn't you personally witness Li Chen Xuan debase himself for you to Xue Chang An? How proud a young man was he once? Jiang Xin Qin, you ruined him, turning him into a disloyal and unrighteous person."
"Nonsense..." Jiang Xin Qin collapsed onto the ground, weeping bitterly.
She covered her face, "I was just jealous, jealous of his feelings for you. The person I love has another woman in his heart."
Xue Zi Ning walked forward and said indifferently, "Jiang Xin Qin, you could have had a wonderful life. Li Chen Xuan would have been a good husband and father. But now, he's committed suicide by poisoned wine, and your child was killed by Xue Chang An."
Jiang Xin Qin's body trembled, and she shook her head, "No... impossible, impossible..."
She screamed hysterically.
Xue Zi Ning turned and walked towards the outside.
Jiang Xin Qin suddenly rose, and Feng Yuan stepped forward, kicking her away.
Feng Yuan's kick was powerful, sending Jiang Xin Qin rolling several times before she stopped.
She raised her head, spitting out a mouthful of blood, and extended her hand, "Give... give me a quick end..."
Xue Zi Ning turned to look at her, then slowly turned her head back coldly, "Anyone else, but not you. Jiang Xin Qin, you shall spend the rest of your life in repentance!"
With that, she turned and left.
Behind her, Jiang Xin Qin's heart-wrenching screams echoed.
"Your Majesty, why didn't you kill her?" Feng Yuan couldn't help but ask.
"Kill her?" Xue Zi Ning shook her head, "Let her repent. After doing so much, someone must atone. Guard her well."
What she didn't say was that Li Chen Xuan, before his death, had asked her to spare Jiang Xin Qin, and she had agreed.
"Yes," Feng Yuan replied.
The next day, Feng Yuan reported that Jiang Xin Qin had died by slamming into a wall the previous night.
Due to the secluded location, she was only discovered in the morning, missing the best time for treatment.
Xue Zi Ning sighed softly, "Bury her!"
Feng Yuan accepted the order and left.
"Your Majesty, have some tea!" The palace attendant brought a cup of tea and entered.
Xue Zi Ning looked up at Li Fang Hui and asked with concern, "Are you adapting?"
Li Fang Hui nodded, "I am not uncomfortable at all."
"That's good," Xue Zi Ning said.
Li Fang Hui suddenly knelt, "This subject thanks Your Majesty."
Xue Zi Ning looked at her and said, "Get up quickly."
Li Fang Hui looked up, her eyes flickering, "Thank Your Majesty for letting Qing Yi treat Hao'er. Now Hao'er is no longer in mortal danger."
"Don't thank me; it was Qing Yi who saved him."
Li Fang Hui shook her head, "If it weren't for you, Hao'er would probably..."
"I'm sorry, he is the only one I could leave behind."
"Your Majesty, you have already bestowed great grace upon the Li family."
She had never dared to hope that Your Majesty would spare Chen Xuan. After all, Chen Xuan had betrayed Your Majesty. Not being implicated with the nine generations of relatives was already the greatest grace for the Li family, let alone the full effort to save the only bloodline of the Li family.
Even in the afterlife, she could explain to her ancestors.
The Li family did not become extinct.
Outside the door, Feng Jiu walked in hurriedly. Di Sheng announced, "Your Majesty, Xue Yan has been found..."
Xue Zi Ning started, stood up, and said, "Where? Take me to see her."
Upon arriving at the side hall, Xue Zi Ning saw a woman kneeling there. Seeing her, the woman began to tremble.