vrcanaries Chapter 208 Heartbroken
Chapter 208 Heartbroken
"I came here today to tell you something. The emperor has given me the right to deal with Zhao'er. This girl has committed a serious crime. I have issued an order to let her commit suicide with a white silk scarf."
As soon as these words were spoken, the whole room fell silent. Everyone knew that since Gu Lingyun was imprisoned in the death row, Su Jingchuan asked Shu Rao to temporarily take care of the harem affairs, but Ruan Qionghua insisted on taking Zhao'er to Yongshou Palace to deal with her personally. The meaning behind this is thought-provoking.
"She is just a little maid. Please do as you please, Queen Mother."
Yu Yanwan frowned slightly. Although she knew what Zhao'er had done, she still felt a little reluctant when she thought of Zhao'er's careful care for her on a daily basis.
"Queen Mother!"
Just when the atmosphere was subtle, Yu Yanwan suddenly took a step forward, breaking the silence and attracting everyone's attention.
"Zhao'er has been with me for so long. Can you let me see her one last time before she is tortured as a final farewell?"
"She's just a little palace maid, so Wanwan doesn't need to go there herself, right?"
Shu Rao spoke hastily before Ruan Qionghua could, with obvious resistance and guilt in her tone, which was obvious to everyone.
Ruan Qionghua's eyes flashed with cunning, and the corners of her mouth curved deeper: "Princess, you are so affectionate and loyal. I will make an exception and grant your request today. However, the girl is currently in the torture chamber of the Dali Temple. Whether you can arrive before the eunuch who conveys the imperial edict depends on your speed."
As soon as she finished speaking, Yu Yanwan turned around without thinking and walked quickly towards the Dali Temple.
Shu Rao looked at Yu Yanwan's back as she walked away. She clenched the handkerchief in her hand even tighter. Beads of sweat were faintly visible on her forehead. She looked extremely nervous and uneasy.
---
Inside the Dali Temple death row, under the dim light, a thin body huddled in a cold and damp corner, its body covered with scars.
As the chains of the prison door clicked, the woman raised her head in panic. Her bloody face was filled with eyes filled with fear as she stared straight at the two jailers who walked in.
"Please, stop hitting me. I've already told you everything I know..."
Her voice was weak, almost broken.
Yu Yanwan slowly walked into the cell. Her shaking hands gently touched Zhao'er's still bleeding cheek, and her voice was choked with sobs: "Zhao'er, it's me, don't you recognize me?"
Zhao'er stared blankly at the familiar face in front of him. The fear in his eyes gradually faded away, replaced by tears welling up in his eye sockets.
"Can I talk to her alone?"
Yu Yanwan turned to the two guards standing behind her and asked, her voice filled with unquestionable determination.
The two guards looked at each other, and finally nodded: "Princess, please hurry up, the eunuch who delivered the imperial edict from Yongshou Palace is still waiting outside."
After the guards left, Zhao'er's lips began to tremble uncontrollably. He clutched Yu Yanwan's clothes tightly with both hands and finally burst into tears.
"Princess, everything Zhao'er did was foolish. I never thought of hurting you. You must believe me."
Yu Yanwan helped Zhao'er up with tears in her eyes, her eyes full of pity: "I know you are a kind-hearted person. Now that things have come to this, I may not be able to save you, but I want to know if you have any unfulfilled wishes? As long as I can do it, I will definitely not refuse."
The scene of life and death was heartbreaking. Yu Yanwan felt mixed emotions. Although she knew that Zhao'er was trapped in the harem struggle and could not escape, she still hoped to do something for Zhao'er.
Zhao'er swallowed the blood in his mouth and looked at the narrow window of the cell in despair: "Zhao'er has nothing else to ask for. I just hope that the princess can help me pass a message to Concubine Shu. I have not betrayed her, nor have I revealed her secrets. I just hope that she can keep her promise to me and take good care of my family."
Yu Yanwan frowned when she heard this. She really couldn't imagine what kind of entanglement there was between Zhao'er and Shu Rao. It was so deep and unfathomable.
"What happened between you two?"
Yu Yanwan asked.
Zhao Er smiled sweetly, the despair hanging on the corners of her mouth like a dead branch in the cold winter wind: "Princess, please don't ask about this matter anymore. The more you know, the more dangerous you will be."
After saying that, she stood up suddenly and slammed her head against the stone wall behind her. Blood splattered instantly, staining Yu Yanwan's clothes red.
"Zhao'er!"
Yu Yanwan rushed over regardless of everything, hugged her tightly, and pulled out the handkerchief in panic, trying to stop the blood from flowing from her head.
Zhao'er's life was about to go out. She used up her last bit of strength to tightly grasp Yu Yanwan's sleeve and uttered her last words intermittently: "Princess...stay...stay away from...Noble Concubine Shu..."
---
At the same time, in the magnificent hall of Yongshou Palace, Ruan Qionghua's face was so gloomy that water seemed to drip out after listening to the guard's report.
"It turns out that bitch Shu Rao was the one behind all this, directing Zhao Er to do this."
Upon hearing the news, Su Jingya immediately stood up and approached Ruan Qionghua, looking worried: "Mother, what should we do now? Should we report this to the emperor and try to rescue the queen?"
Ruan Qionghua's eyes coldly swept over the teacup on the table that was still emitting hot steam, and her tone was indifferent: "It's useless. How could the emperor easily believe the jailer's one-sided words? This matter still needs to be considered in the long run."
After hearing this, Su Jingya sighed helplessly, her eyes full of sorrow.
"Yesterday, I saw my aunt crying so sadly for Zhao'er. My heart was really broken."
Shu Rao, the woman who appears weak but is actually very scheming, is really unimaginable. She actually colluded with Concubine Ning and jointly launched such a sinister offensive against the Queen.
How could Concubine Ning, such a seemingly kind and gentle person, be deceived by her sweet words and become a pawn in her hands?
A complex emotion flashed across Ruan Qionghua's face. She sighed and said, "In the final analysis, it is because the Queen has committed too many sins since entering the palace. She cannot give birth to a heir, and she even prevents others from getting pregnant. As a result, I have not yet experienced the joy of holding my grandchildren at my age. This may be her karma."
Just as she was lost in thought, a clear voice rang out from outside the house, "Empress Dowager, Young Master Nan Sheng requests to see you."
Ruan Qionghua immediately gathered her thoughts upon hearing this, straightened her body, and gently waved at Su Jingya beside her, motioning her to step aside. Her tone regained some dignity, "Let him in!"
After a while, Ruan Nansheng rushed in with an anxious look on his face, stumbled and knelt at Ruan Qionghua's feet, and said earnestly: "Aunt, please save Lingyun! She is the queen of Yuan Kingdom, and she is also your niece!"
The word "Ling Yun" was called out affectionately from Ruan Nansheng's mouth, which made Ruan Qionghua feel a little confused.
As far as he could remember, before Gu Lingyun entered the palace, Ruan Nansheng had proposed to the Gu family, intending to marry Gu Lingyun. Unfortunately, Su Jingchuan had already favored Gu Lingyun by then, and Ruan Nansheng's hopes were dashed.