Song Liangdi’s heart sank straight down, her face turning pale as gold paper, yet her hand still tightly clutched Xiao Jingzhao’s robe hem without letting go.
She knew very clearly that since this matter had already reached the ears of Emperor Yongchang, it absolutely could not be settled peacefully.
This was exactly the kind of person Emperor Yongchang was. Although he usually treated these princes and imperial grandsons well, once such matters were involved, it touched his reverse scale.
Today, not to mention Xiao Jingzhao, even the Crown Prince could not bear such a charge.
If Xiao Jingzhao stepped forward to admit it, he would undoubtedly be walking toward death.
Even the Crown Prince would not be able to protect him.
There was no mother in the world who could watch her son go to his death with her own eyes. Song Liangdi gripped Xiao Jingzhao’s sleeve tightly, her lips trembling: “No, no, let Royal Mother think, let Royal Mother think carefully.”
She could not accept letting her son go out to bear this crime.
But the situation gave them no time to react at all.
In just the time it took to say those few words, the bead curtain was lifted, and immediately Song Liangdi’s chief palace maid Zijing hurried in: “Liangdi, County Prince, the Imperial Guards are coming toward our hall!”
They had already arrived!
Xiao Jingzhao immediately moved to go out: “Royal Mother, your son cannot implicate you, I’ll go!”
He took a deep breath, but his hand was tightly grabbed by Song Liangdi.
Song Liangdi’s expression was extremely grim: “No, you cannot go!”
Once he went, he would not return.
Xiao Jingzhao immediately grew anxious: “Royal Mother, this is no longer something that can be solved just because your son doesn’t go. The Imperial Guards only listen to Imperial Grandfather, I have no way back now.”
If anyone was to blame, it could only be himself for not thinking thoroughly.
In such a short time, the only plan he could think of was to use County Princess Luochuan.
But County Princess Luochuan was not entirely a fool either; he could only provide some manpower.
At this moment he had already calmed down.
After all, victory makes kings and defeat makes bandits, losing meant losing.
Noise came from outside the sleeping hall. Soon Eunuch Zhang walked in lightly, lowering his head, hardly daring to look at Song Liangdi and Xiao Jingzhao: “Niang Niang, Your Highness, the Imperial Guards… Commander Lai requests an audience.”
Calling it a request sounded nice, but what request?
They had clearly barged straight in.
Xiao Jingzhao clenched his fists, but Song Liangdi had already strode outward.
Xiao Jingzhao was immediately surprised and instinctively followed behind her.
In the courtyard outside the sleeping hall stood more than a dozen Imperial Guards, all wearing flying-fish uniforms with embroidered spring knives at their waists.
Lai Chenglong had originally been looking down at something in his hands. Hearing the movement, he raised his head, revealing refined and handsome features.
Song Liangdi was momentarily stunned.
Lai Chenglong’s reputation preceded him, and recently he had been extremely prominent.
She had originally thought he would look fierce and rough, but unexpectedly he was merely a handsome young man.
So young…
She sighed inwardly, then lowered her eyes and stood under the corridor, raising her voice: “Little Pingzi is my person!”
Xiao Jingzhao was shocked and blurted out uncontrollably: “Royal Mother!”
“Silence!” Song Liangdi sharply rebuked him, turning and slapping him across the face.
Lai Chenglong raised an eyebrow.
Xiao Jingzhao, however, fell to his knees with a thud, tears bursting from his eyes.
Song Liangdi’s expression was cold: “I do not have a son as cowardly and rigid as you! Your grandfather is dead, what is wrong with this Ben Gong avenging him?!”
She stood righteously, without fear, sneering: “You only know to cling to that set of father-son and ruler-minister doctrines, but this Ben Gong only knows that my father was killed by them!”
Lai Chenglong’s gaze moved between the mother and son before he asked noncommittally: “It seems Liangdi knows why we are here?”
Song Liangdi sneered: “How could I not know? Wasn’t it because the Eldest Princess’s villa estate was attacked? That’s right, it was indeed because County Princess Luochuan and I were unwilling to accept it, so we sent people to do it!”
Lai Chenglong raised his brows and glanced again at Xiao Jingzhao with a half-smile: “Then may I ask whether Nanan County Prince is related to this matter?”
Before Xiao Jingzhao could speak, Song Liangdi sharply frowned and loudly scolded: “What could he have to do with it? He’s just a fool whose brain was ruined by studying! This matter, I alone will bear it!”
Xiao Jingzhao was already choking with sobs, unable to speak.
Several times he tried to open his mouth, but each time Song Liangdi firmly blocked him, leaving him only able to kneel there with a pale face.
Lai Chenglong’s expression did not change: “If that is the case, then Your Highness will have to trouble yourself to come with us.”
Whether she truly was the mastermind and whether others were involved would all become clear after questioning.
No matter how resolute Song Liangdi looked now, once inside the Imperial Prison, she would not remain like this.
He slowly lifted his hand.
Xiao Jingzhao immediately stepped in front of Song Liangdi: “No! You cannot take my Royal Mother! It’s not…”
Before he finished speaking, Song Liangdi suddenly pushed him aside. With lightning speed she pulled the silver hairpin from her head and, steady and ruthless, thrust it into her own neck.
Blood instantly sprayed out, splashing onto Xiao Jingzhao’s face.
Xiao Jingzhao stared in disbelief, then screamed: “Royal Mother!”
He rushed toward her.
Song Liangdi had already collapsed softly to the ground, her body convulsing. Hearing Xiao Jingzhao’s cry, her voice was faint: “I… I am going to see your grandfather…”
She turned her head and looked at Lai Chenglong and the others with difficulty: “It… it was me… I hate the Eldest Princess… hate that she caused my father’s death…”
Lai Chenglong narrowed his eyes.
Then he glanced at Xiao Jingzhao.
Xiao Jingzhao had already completely broken down. No matter how little he cared about human life, that had only been the lives of others.
His own mother had died in front of him, and had died in his place.
For him, the shock and pain were utterly devastating.
He simply could not accept it.
But whether he could accept it or not, the matter had already happened.
Before long, Song Liangdi completely closed her eyes.
Xiao Jingzhao sat on the ground holding her, completely at a loss for how to react.
The surrounding eunuchs and palace maids knelt everywhere, all terrified senseless.
The upheaval in the Eastern Palace quickly reached the ears of Emperor Yongchang.
Hearing that Song Liangdi had committed suicide, Emperor Yongchang slammed the memorial in his hand onto the table: “She died quickly enough.”
Lai Chenglong presented the case dossier to Emperor Yongchang.
It recorded in detail the course of events, the number of deserters, their origins, the number of household servants from Zhou Wang’s residence, and the situation of County Princess Luochuan who had appeared at the scene and already died.
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