These words set the mistress and her maid deep in thought.
Lady He took Wei Dongling's hand and earnestly exhorted, "Miss Wei, please tell Zixi not to act rashly. As a mother, I only hope for his safety."
Wei Dongling sighed, "As a prince, he's bound to be involved in the strife. How can he stay out of it unscathed?"
Tears welled up in Lady He's eyes. "He's not a son of the Murong family. He can completely stay out of it. There's no need for him to get involved."
Not a prince?
Wei Dongling was stunned.
The mistress and the maid fell silent for a long time. Finally, Nanny Sun sighed and said, "My Lady He was the queen of the previous dynasty."
The queen of the previous dynasty?
Wei Dongling was speechless. So what about Yu Zixi?
"Back then, the foreign king, Murong He, poisoned the former emperor and usurped the throne in order to possess my lady. At that time, my lady was already more than two months pregnant with Young Master Yu. Murong He promised my lady that he would treat the child as his own. As long as my lady was willing..."
Wei Dongling's mouth twitched as she listened. Seizing the world for a beauty! How... soap - opera!
Nanny Sun continued, "My lady refused resolutely. This King Murong was moody. Poor Young Master Yu became a pawn to control my lady as soon as he was born."
So that was it! Yu Zixi was actually the posthumous son of the previous emperor?
Wei Dongling felt a jumble of emotions and a faint ache in her heart.
Lady He lowered her head and shed tears, saying incoherently, "Miss Wei, there are many guards in the palace. You'll be discovered sooner or later if you stay here. Go back quickly. Knowing that Zixi is safe is enough."
Wei Dongling bowed and said, "My lady, don't be sad. If there's a chance, I'll definitely bring Zixi to reunite with you."
Lady He burst into tears and nodded vigorously.
After thinking for a while, Wei Dongling asked, "I'd like to know if Lady He has heard anything about the great fire in Jingyang Palace back then?"
Both Lady He and Nanny Sun were taken aback. Nanny Sun said, "Not many people know about that incident. Miss Wei, it's better not to ask. You might incur a fatal disaster."
Wei Dongling shook her head. "Back then, Prime Minister Su and my father were framed by traitors, and Concubine Chen died in the fire. I need to find out the truth and clear Prime Minister Su and my father's names!"
Lady He asked, "Who was your father?"
Wei Dongling replied, "He was a disciple of Prime Minister Su, named Wei Jiang."
Both of them shook their heads. Lady He said, "I've heard that Prime Minister Su's whole family was executed, but we don't know the details. As for this Concubine Chen..."
Nanny Sun sighed regretfully. "The great fire in Jingyang Palace burned for a long time. We could even see it from this remote courtyard. I heard that the people inside died miserably. Seventeen lives were lost, and no one survived."
Wei Dongling felt extremely sad when she heard this.
Nanny Sun sighed again. "Back then, Concubine Chen and Queen Zhao were pregnant at the same time. Given Queen Zhao's nature, it was probably a murder. Poor Concubine Chen was five months pregnant when she died."
Queen Zhao? The Zhao family again? How could they be so cruel to a pregnant woman?
Wei Dongling couldn't help but tremble.
It took her a long time to calm down. She bit her lip and said to Nanny Sun, "I have to rush back to the imperial garden. Could you tell me which way to go, Nanny?"
Lady He led her to the window and showed her the way.
Wei Dongling bowed respectfully and flew out.
Thinking of Lady He and Nanny Sun's words, Wei Dongling felt a sharp pain in her heart. She never thought that Yu Zixi's life experience was so strange and rough.
She rushed all the way in the direction of the imperial garden. She had not gone far when a familiar voice came from behind. "Stop!"
Wei Dongling looked back and felt her heart sink!
This familiar person was none other than Princess Yunxi, the seventh princess!
Wei Dongling quickly bowed. "Your servant pays respects to the princess."
Princess Yunxi looked down at Wei Dongling from her sedan chair. "I thought you looked familiar. It's really you! What are you sneaking around for in the palace?"
Wei Dongling made a mournful face and said, "Your servant had an urgent need and couldn't find a toilet. I was about to soil my pants, so I was in a hurry. Please forgive me, princess."
Hearing this, everyone couldn't help but smile. The little maid covered her mouth with a handkerchief and snickered.
Princess Yunxi looked impatient and pointed at the little maid. "You, take her there quickly and bring her back when she's done!"
The little maid reluctantly led Wei Dongling away.
However, unexpectedly, although she clearly saw the woman enter the toilet, she didn't come out after waiting for a long time. When the little maid went in to look, the woman seemed to have vanished into thin air!
The little maid was stunned and quickly went back to report to the princess.
Wei Dongling had already quietly slipped away.
She walked warily, looking around all the way. When someone came, she would slow down and act normally. In this way, she walked and stopped and finally returned to the imperial garden.
"Ah—"
A scream pierced the sky.
As soon as Wei Dongling stepped into the side entrance of the imperial garden, she was startled by this scream. She was even more flustered because it was clearly Qi Jinxuan's voice!
Wei Dongling rushed towards the source of the sound in a few steps.
From afar, she saw a courtyard with its gate wide open. Qi Jinxuan was standing at the courtyard gate, holding a blood - stained hairpin in her hand. In front of her on the ground, there lay a bloody palace maid!
Wei Dongling's heart was pounding. She rushed over quickly.
The palace maid lying on the ground had a big hole in her chest, and bright red blood was flowing all over the ground.
Qi Jinxuan was trembling with fear at the sight. Her face was as pale as paper. The blood - stained gold hairpin in her hand clattered to the ground. This gold hairpin was exactly the one that Wei Dongling had worn on her head today! And the one lying on the ground was the very palace maid who had received the hairpin at that time!
Not far away, a little maid was also screaming in horror at the sight.
Concubine Xue and a group of noble ladies who came after hearing the news were all terrified at the sight of the dead person on the ground and stepped back one after another.
Concubine Xue looked at the palace maid on the ground and then at Qi Jinxuan in surprise. "What's going on?"
"No, it wasn't me!" Qi Jinxuan's lips were trembling. Her hand that had held the hairpin was stained with blood. She rubbed her dress hard, trying to wipe off the blood on her hand.
Concubine Xue looked back at the kneeling palace maid and asked, "You, tell me! What did you see?"
The little maid was so frightened that her face was bloodless. She sobbed tremblingly, "Your servant was just passing by. I saw at a glance that Miss Qi... she killed Xiaotao..."
Concubine Xue's face darkened. She looked at Qi Jinxuan and softened her voice. "Jinxuan, tell everyone quickly. What's going on?"
Qi Jinxuan's tears were about to fall. She looked at the stunned Wei Dongling and then at Concubine Xue. She replied with a sob, "It wasn't me! Really not me! I just came here to look for a servant. When I opened the door, a palace maid stuffed this hairpin into my hand. I saw that the hairpin was all bloody and was scared. Then I saw a dead person lying on the ground! Your Highness Concubine! It really has nothing to do with me!"