Krampus

"This is 'Deng Xian'. [Become Immortal]" The Empress Dowager didn't explain more, but Zhao Bi Xuan understood that this was poison. What kind of poison was Deng Xian, it could only mean going to the Yellow Springs.

"No, I can't…" She shook her hands in refusal. After her sweetheart's face was destroyed, her head instantly cleared up, she realized that he never had a chance of taking the throne, and all her glory and wealth, was now all tied to the Emperor. If the Emperor was in good health, she could have a good life.

"You don't want to? Have you forgotten how you knelt at my feet, crying and shouting that in this life, you'll only ever love Jin Yu? You sure changed your mind quickly, as expected of a heartless whore….." The Empress Dowager leaned back into the couch and sighed, then gave a neurotic smile after a moment, "But you're not allowed to forget this, whose blood is running through the Second Prince's veins. Tell me, if Qi Yi Ning found out, would he spare you? Anyway, your body is so filthy it can never be cleansed, why not add a bit more dirt?"

Her biggest weakness pinched in the other person's hand, Zhao Bi Xuan had no room for resistance, she pushed down her tears and agreed to the Empress Dowager's request, her heart filling with extreme remorse. If she'd endured the loneliness of the Cold Palace at that time, if she'd realized who was really worthy of her love sooner, how would she be reduced to such a hopeless situation? The Emperor was always good to her, and now that she thought about it, his love had surpassed Qi Jin Yu's hundreds of thousands of times.

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Qi Jin Yu received a great blow from Zhao Bi Xuan, after returning home, he didn't want to meet with the princess. But the princess had outstanding martial arts, and a domineering character, even though five guards came out to intercept her, they were unable to get up after receiving her kick. She pushed open the door and saw Qi Jin Yu's face, her pupils flashed for a moment before returning to normal, then she unexpectedly smiled.

"Were you injured over here?" She pulled Qi Jin Yu's hand away from covering his face and asked, grinning.

Qi Jin Yu saw where she was pointing and immediately understood her meaning, he shook his head, utterly discomforted, "Of course not!"

"Good, excellent." Qian Fangfei patted him and smiled.

She grew up in the barracks and saw numerous disabled soldiers, she naturally wouldn't be scared of Qi Jin Yu's face. And her life experience was very special, as a result, her character was very eccentric.

When Qian Tong's Qiu Ming Mountain camp was besieged by the northern tribe's army, their rations and fodder were cut off. Seeing the soldiers rapidly starving to death, and completely losing their fighting spirit, Qian Tong chopped up all his concubines and their children to feed the hungry soldiers, but afraid that it wouldn't be enough, he also wanted to slaughter a few of the first wife's children. At that time, Lady Qian knelt on the ground and begged, but only managed to protect the two older sons, Qian Fangfei was abandoned. She was locked inside a sheep's pen, a soldier slowly sharpening a cleaver beside her, grinding away while staring at her with a starved look.

She was so frightened, she let out a piercing cry, and kept shouting for her father and mother, but her family didn't come, instead, a military adviser came forward. He told her that since she was the first wife's daughter, if she was also killed to feed the soldiers, the people would denounce the General as cold-blooded and ruthless, lacking humanity. So she was taken out, and her mother hugged her, incessantly calling out 'my poor child'. Within her mother's warm embrace, Qian Fangfei's heart gradually grew colder than iron. She wasn't grateful to the military adviser, because he'd only saved her to protect Qian Tong's reputation, if she didn't have her status as the first wife's daughter, she would now be a pile of ground meat in the pot.

When Qian Tong decided to send the first wife's sons and daughters off to the capital, her two older brothers were anxious, but she was ecstatic. She believed that she had to live her life well, and never marry a man that would only treat her as a tool or a decoration. Her husband must treat her well, otherwise, she would pull him with her into hell. When she received the marriage imperial edict, she was actually very dissatisfied, but Qi Jin Yu lived cleanly and honestly, and was very affectionate, so she saw hope. Her only worry was, with his noble identity and handsomeness, what would she do if he someday wanted to take a concubine? If it was an ordinary person, she could crush them, but the imperial household was not so easy to take care of.

But Qi Jin Yu was now disfigured, apart from her, who else in the world could accept him? Because of this, when she saw the hideous, evil spirit-like Qi Jin Yu, she not only didn't feel nauseated, she cherished him more than ever.

"Jin Yu, men balance the forces between heaven and earth, relying on true talent and hard work, rather than an attractive face. Don't be discouraged, we'll still get along like before." She hugged her husband, kissing his grim scar, her eyes twinkling happily.

Before, she was worried he'd take in a concubine, so she didn't want to get pregnant, just waiting to see if she could train him, or determine that he couldn't be changed. In short, she doesn't want to have children too quickly. But now was different, Qi Jin Yu was now hers alone, she would love being gifted with a child.

The princess's attitude made Qi Jin Yu feel much better, and he hugged her back tenderly. Currently, he desperately needed the Zhenbei General's support, so he naturally treated Qian Fangfei better than before. Both husband and wife were thinking about each other, very harmonious.

Contrary to the calm Gong Qin Mansion, the imperial palace was not so cal. The Empress Dowager had united several courtiers and proposed that it was time to set up an heir to the throne. Although Qi Yi Ning was still very young, he himself had previously suggested such a thing, so putting it forward now was perhaps playing into his own heart's desires.

"Ok, I'll immediately send down an imperial decree to have the First Prince canonized as Crown Prince."

The Emperor's reply almost made the Empress Dowager faint, her lips trembling, she asked, "Didn't you always have your heart set on the Second Prince?" How could you suddenly change it!

"Since ancient times, the Crown Prince has always been chosen this way, it's always the first wife's child and the eldest. I only have two sons, and the Second Prince is not the first wife's child or the eldest, how can I make him heir?"

The Empress Dowager had nothing to say. She really regretted stopping him from canonizing Zhao Bi Xuan so long ago, if she hadn't, the Second Prince would now be a legitimate son of the first wife. But she constantly exposed how much she disliked Zhao Bi Xuan, she couldn't suddenly advise the Emperor to change his mind. The matter had reached a dead end, in order to stop the First Prince from winning so easily, she could only have the courtiers propose a temporary hold, then try every means possible to kill the First Prince.

But Zhou Yun Sheng was one step ahead, and had already sent the First Prince to Qian Qing Palace to be trained. Although he didn't have the Crown Prince title, he was already a true Crown Prince. Currently, in the imperial court, except for the officials whose lifelines were seized by the Empress Dowager, the other officials only followed the Emperor. Even more, Luo Zhen and the others regarded him as a god, they revered him, whichever heir he selected would be seen as the best.

The First Prince's imperial concubine mother, Su Jie Yu's, status in the palace instantly transcended. She granted interviews to many palace concubines every day, her future scenery infinite.

Zhao Bi Xuan never knew that the taste of jealousy was so unbearable. She thought that the Emperor was merely vexed with her, and after she apologized, he would return to normal, but reality and her imagination were completely different. She personally prepared three dishes and one soup, sprinkled a little poison powder, and once again sent her chamberlain to Qian Qing Palace to invite the man over.

The chamberlain didn't even get to touch the palace's door before being driven away, while kneeling down to report what happened, he really wanted to plainly tell Hui Yi Imperial Consort: Lady, you've already fallen out of favor, better forget it, don't cause trouble.

Zhao Bi Xuan was silent for a moment, then she stood up and put the dishes into a food box, stroking her perfectly styled hair as she said, "The Emperor must be very busy with governmental affairs, I better personally deliver this to the palace." But when she reached Qian Qing Palace's gate, she was also stopped by the guards.

"Go deliver a word to the palace, His Majesty will certainly met with me." Zhao Bi Xuan barely maintained her beloved Imperial Consort pride.

The guards were indifferent, standing in place like statues, but they also extended out their spares to block the road. Zhao Bi Xuan clenched her teeth and tried to bypass them, but was again pushed back by the spares. She heard a soft crackling sound, the food box's handle had inexplicably broke, and the soup had poured out.

Zhao Bi Xuan exclaimed and shuffled away, not noticing the large soybean sized stone slowly rolling to her feet.

"Greetings Duke Yu Guo." The guards saw a man walk up and promptly half kneeled, then they moved aside to let him enter.

Zhao Xuan nodded slightly, and didn't even glance at Zhao Bi Xuan, walking straight ahead. When he reached the spilled soup, his expression suddenly darkened, cold killing intent emerging from the depths of his pupils.

"Big Brother, help me pass a word … …" Zhao Bi Xuan tried to tug his sleeve, but was jolted by the internal force he was expanding, he coldly ordered, "Drag her away!" While she was being driven away, bawling, he pointed to the dirtied ground and ordered, "Here where it spilled, no one is allowed to clean it up, wait until I return from meeting the Emperor to take care of it."

To be able to become imperial front guards- one, you have to be able to speak with your eyes; two, you must have an acute sense of urgency, the guards immediately sensed the mystery behind Duke Yu Gou's words and solemnly promised.

Zhao Xuan had eyes and ears everywhere, he naturally knew that Zhao Bi Xuan had already fallen out of favor. The Emperor really had kept himself chaste for him, so he was very satisfied. Feeling contented, he'd planned to leave Zhao Bi Xuan her life, but he didn't expect her to insist on slamming herself into the knife's edge. He could secretly kill her, but he wanted to completely remove her from the Emperor's heart even more.

It was time for that man to know just how vicious and loose his former beloved woman really was.