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墨書 Inktalez
In an ordinary village, the bustling streets were filled with people coming and going, set against the backdrop of the endless mountains, resembling a paradise untouched by the chaos of the world.
The blood and gore from outside could not affect the warmth of winter here, which bloomed like spring flowers.
In the capital, a suffocating atmosphere hung in the air, as if it were pressing down on everyone, making it hard to breathe.
On this day, Liu Qingxi was putting the finishing touches on the heating system, ready to complete the work: "Everyone has worked hard. Let's push through and finish today."
Ah, working in the palace was indeed too stressful; rules had to be followed everywhere. At crucial moments, there were always a couple of beauties who would cross paths with her, probing in various indirect ways, which made Liu Qingxi feel quite troubled.
What she found most annoying was this roundabout way of doing things; it would be much better to be straightforward. The feeling of not being able to predict what the other party would do next was truly unbearable for her.
Compared to the emperor's dazzling golden pie, a simple bowl of congee and vegetables was much more comforting and wouldn't choke her.
In the palace, at ten in the afternoon, for some reason, Liu Qingxi's eyelids couldn't stop twitching, and the oppressive atmosphere grew even heavier.
Fortunately, the last bit of finishing work was about to be completed, allowing Liu Qingxi to relax her tense heart slightly.
However, just at that moment, an unexpected turn of events occurred.
In Yanlong Palace, a group of soldiers suddenly burst in, clad in bronze armor and wielding long swords. They marched in unison, causing Liu Qingxi and others who were working on the construction to freeze in place for a moment.
In an instant, more than a dozen soldiers charged forward menacingly: "If you don't want to die, behave yourselves and get down!"
Not understanding what was happening, Liu Qingxi immediately crouched down and curled up in the corner.
At this moment, with tensions running high, she felt like a shrimp destined to be cannon fodder.
Given the domineering entrance of the soldiers, could it be that she had run into bad luck?
Damn it! Having lived once again, she hadn't even enjoyed life enough yet—why did this have to happen now? Could it not have waited a little longer?
Even if it was just a moment late, she had left the palace, hadn't she?
She wanted to sigh deeply; Master, are you playing with me?
All she wanted was to earn some money and gain a bit of reputation. Did it have to be this exhausting? She didn't want to die.
But at this moment, all she could do was patiently wait.
She just didn't know how the one inside was doing. No matter what, even if Dugu Han's health had deteriorated significantly and recently the crown prince Dugu Li had been handling state affairs, as long as he remained in power, it was still his reign.
However, Liu Qingxi knew that ever since she started renovating Yanlong Palace, the emperor had not stepped out of the inner palace even once. From time to time, loud coughing could be heard from within.
It was evident that Emperor Dugu Han's health still showed no signs of improvement.
The sound of footsteps approached; another group of soldiers marched in unison, clearing a path in front of the main hall of Yanlong Palace, forming two rows with a passage in between.
As Liu Qingxi crouched down covering her ears, her peripheral vision kept an eye on the situation inside the hall while her mind raced, seeking an opportunity to escape.
At that moment, accompanied by an enchanting light laugh, a woman dressed in a bright red palace gown, adorned with a phoenix crown and golden phoenix-embroidered shoes, slowly walked in.
With each graceful step she took, it felt like she was stepping on people's hearts. The flowing skirt created ripples like blooming lotus flowers; this must be what "walking on lotus" meant!
Liu Qingxi couldn't help but be captivated by such an exquisite and enchanting beauty that left her spellbound for quite some time. How much more so for those men?
However, if they only regarded women as mere vases, they were gravely mistaken.
As the woman entered the grand hall step by step, the neatly arranged soldiers all saluted in unison. Their loud voices echoed throughout the hall, filling the vast space with resounding echoes: "We pay our respects to the Empress!"
"See Empress!"
It turned out that this woman was Queen Wang. Liu Qingxi recalled her information: the daughter of the Wang family, originally from an ordinary official family, who had won the favor of Dugu Han with her enchanting beauty.
After the death of the former Queen Empress Yu, Dugu Han faced immense pressure to elevate her to Queen, allowing her to maintain her position for over a decade.
Time seemed to have left no marks on her face; at forty years old, her skin looked as if it belonged to someone in their twenties.
Liu Qingxi couldn't help but admire her ability to captivate. With her stunning and alluring appearance, combined with the charm of a mature woman, any man would fall at her feet.
To Queen Wang's left stood the crown prince Dugu Li, dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe. His handsome face bore an expression of confident pride, as if he were about to secure his place on the throne.
Liu Qingxi could clearly see his eager steps and the smile that he struggled to suppress at the corners of his mouth.
Compared to the expressionless and composed Queen Wang, Dugu Li seemed like a clown, impatiently showcasing his antics.
The bright yellow Canopy leading to the palace was pulled aside by the accompanying eunuchs, revealing a figure lying down. The pale face showed clear blue veins as Dugu Han slightly turned his head.
"Queen, what are you doing?" disbelief, heartache, and despair surged from Dugu Han's eyes.
The woman he had trusted for many years and cherished for over a decade betrayed him overnight. When he truly saw it, the pain in his heart outweighed the shock.
"Your Majesty, This is what I should do, Your Majesty. Seeing that your health is poor and you are getting older, you should take good care of yourself. Our son is ambitious and capable; he will manage the affairs of the Common People well on your behalf."
Queen Wang gently stroked her bright red nails, speaking softly in a voice that could send shivers down one's spine as she leaned close to Dugu Han's ear.
"You..." Dugu Han trembled as he extended his right hand, pointing at Queen Wang: "Have I not treated you well all these years? If it weren't for my indulgence, do you think there would be a Wang family today?"
"Your Majesty, it's quite amusing that you're still bringing up these old matters at such a critical moment!" Queen Wang laughed lightly.
She maintained a relaxed demeanor, as if everything was under her control.
However, she also understood that keeping Dugu Han around served a purpose. Historically, emperors needed the Imperial Seal to pass on the throne.
But everyone knew that such an important item would be hidden in a place no one could guess.
Queen Wang, relying on her years of understanding of Dugu Han, sent several groups of people to search for it, nearly digging up Yanlong Palace, yet they still couldn't find the seal.
Without the seal and the emperor's edict for succession, even if someone ascended to the throne, it would be illegitimate and could become a point of contention in court.
Clearly, Queen Wang was wary of this; otherwise, Wang Wenyuan wouldn't have gathered so many people centered around Prince Dugu Li, along with privately allied troops, to seize the palace without difficulty.
However, the challenge lay in finding the Imperial Seal.
If it weren't for that, she wouldn't have spared Dugu Han's life until now.
"Your Majesty, it is true that you have favored her all these years."
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