Consort Xian looked up, her face suddenly startled, her heart nearly leaping out of her chest...
Everyone, including Emperor Cheng, stared in astonishment at the man behind Xiao Jinheng.
"Why is he here?"
"I don't know, isn't he walking right into his death by coming now?"
"Not necessarily, all the trouble was caused by Consort Xian alone, it has nothing to do with him..."
"Heh heh, this is going to be interesting!~"
Several old officials chatted amongst themselves in the dark room, then eagerly leaned towards the small window to watch the drama unfold...
The person who had arrived was none other than Xiao Jinfeng, who had rushed back from Dashui Village.
Xiao Jinheng had foreseen Consort Xian's attempt to usurp the throne a few days prior and had written a letter to Xiao Jinfeng, asking him to return to the palace.
This might also be the last time he would see his mother...
"Jin, Jinfeng?" Consort Xian scrambled to her feet, clutching her skirt as she ran to Xiao Jinfeng. "Who told you to come back to the palace? Hurry and leave, go as far away as possible, and never return!~"
Xiao Jinfeng: "..."
As the saying goes, defeat is like a collapsing mountain. His mother was probably pushed to a dead end.
But wasn't all of this caused by her own greed, arrogance, and ambition?
"Mother, surrender quickly!~"
Xiao Jinfeng patted Consort Xian's shoulder and said earnestly, "The rebels in the palace have all been eliminated. Those who dare to oppose imperial power will not end well. Mother, Father is kind-hearted and still has some affection for you. If you admit your mistakes and surrender, he might spare your life..."
Consort Xian heard this as if it were the greatest joke, and with a 'smack,' she slapped Xiao Jinfeng's hand away.
"What joke? Where did I go wrong? Why should I apologize?" Consort Xian shouted in a sharp, high-pitched voice with a gloomy expression, "If it weren't for you, this useless thing, ruining my plan, would things have come to this?"
Xiao Jinfeng: "..."
"Even now, you are still unrepentant?" Xiao Jinfeng roared, tears welling up in his eyes, "Mother, your son has no desire to be emperor, nor does he want to see kin kill each other. Why can't you understand?"
Xiao Jinfeng felt very indignant that even a child could understand this logic, but his mother was feigning ignorance.
Throughout history, haven't there been countless wars fought over power?
How many innocent souls had become wandering spirits due to the selfish desires of a few, and how many unfortunate people caught in the vortex of imperial power had been implicated...
"You shut up!~" Consort Xian's almond eyes widened, and she slapped Xiao Jinheng directly. "What do you mean unrepentant? Everything I've planned, for whose good was it? You are the most selfish, completely unable to feel my hardships and efforts..."
Xiao Jinfeng listened, then reached up to rub his reddened cheek, the last glimmer of light in his eyes extinguished. "If Mother thinks this way, then your son would rather not have these benefits!~"
With that, he knelt on the ground with a 'thump' and kowtowed three times to Consort Xian. "Mother, if there is a next life, I... I still wish to be your son. At that time, I hope you can be a simple, kind, gentle, and virtuous mother, not a consort who is slandered and leaves a bad name for posterity."
Although Xiao Jinfeng appeared calm on the surface, his heart could not find peace, and even his voice trembled slightly...
From childhood to adulthood, Consort Xian had only instilled in him ideas of power struggles. He had never experienced motherly love or care.
Perhaps it was precisely because of this lack that he had fallen in love with a country girl!~
"You, you, you... what do you mean by that!" Consort Xian's eyes widened, and she retorted angrily, "Are you not going to care about me anymore?" httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
Listening to her son's tone, it was as if he had come to bid her farewell.
Xiao Jinfeng quietly wiped away the tears from his eyes and looked up at Consort Xian. "Mother, may you have a good journey!~"
With that, he walked to the small window again, bowed to Emperor Cheng and the assembled ministers, and then walked out of the Hall of Mental Cultivation with tears in his eyes...
"Oh, His Highness Prince Ming is indeed a clear-headed person. Consort Xian pressured him so much, but he didn't fall into her trap!" Prime Minister Yang said with great admiration.
Xue Luhai nodded. "Yes, I wonder what Prince Ming is thinking. The former him was not as obedient as he is now. Perhaps he met someone or something that made him change..."
Emperor Cheng stroked the short mustache on his lips and snorted coldly, "Hmph, his death sentence is spared, but his life sentence is unavoidable. It's all his 'good mother's' fault for being so troublesome, even he was implicated. If I don't punish Jin Feng a little, won't the palace fall into chaos?"
Although he knew Jin Feng was not ill-intentioned, the matter of usurping the throne almost led to the extermination of the entire clan...
Emperor Cheng was Xiao Jinfeng's biological father, and he couldn't exterminate his own kin, so he had to make up for it through Xiao Jinfeng.
"Your, Your Majesty!" an old minister leaned over and asked in a low voice, "How do you plan to deal with His Highness Prince Ming?"
It wouldn't be killing him anyway...
Emperor Cheng rolled his eyes and suddenly thought of an idea, saying faintly, "Let's deal with Consort Xian's matters first!~"
Just then, Xiao Xi甜 sweetly ran over. Due to her short stature, she couldn't see what was happening inside the small window.
Helplessly, she raised her small head and called out crisply, "Uncle Emperor, are you comfortable staying in the dark room?"
Fortunately, she had left enough ventilation holes, otherwise, with so many people crammed in, they would have suffocated to death...
When Emperor Cheng heard this, his gloomy mood instantly cleared, and he chuckled, "Ha, it's the Yun family girl. This secret room you made is amazing! Uncle Emperor doesn't want to leave!"
The first time he saw Xiao Xi甜, he knew this little girl was not simple...
He hadn't expected her to save his life at such a critical moment.
Such a great kindness could only be repaid with various rewards...
"Uncle Emperor, it's no longer dangerous outside, you should come out quickly!~" Xiao Xi甜 said.
The mechanism to open the iron door was inside the dark room, and it couldn't be opened from the outside.
Emperor Cheng nodded repeatedly, "Okay, okay, Uncle Emperor will come out now..."
A moment later, the old emperor, along with the assembled ministers, emerged from the secret room, all taking a deep breath of fresh air.
Someone had farted twice in the dark room just now, almost making Emperor Cheng dizzy.
Seeing that his father was unharmed, Xiao Jinheng finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Since things were mostly settled, it was time for him to enumerate Consort Xian's crimes...