C91

He couldn't bear it.

It was only three words, but the queen understood. Other than 'unwillingness', what else could explain the reason they had risked their lives to deceive the king for hiding their illness and replacing the prescription?

The empress slowly raised her hand to cover her face, her voice low enough to be heard. "Is this really the right choice?"

Zhao Qingyan firmly spat out a few words, "I don't regret it."

"No regrets?" The Queen looked at the resolute young man through her fingers, her lips moving but unable to say anything.

What could she say? Apologize? Or thank him?

There was nothing to say.

"Empress." The empress looked towards the kneeling Zhao Qingyan and heard him say, "Nephew has a presumptuous request, and I hope esteemed Empress can agree."

The empress took a deep breath, suppressing the confusion she felt and nodded. "Speak."

Zhao Qingyan said, "Nephew hopes that the Empress can let Song Xiangran off the hook."

"Song Xiangran?" The empress was completely stunned by his sudden request. "Is this what you want?"

Zhao Qingyan nodded and replied, "Yes."

The empress suddenly felt like she was giggling at the same time. "You're telling me you want to protect an imperial physician in this situation?"

Zhao Qingyan bowed, "Please allow it, esteemed wangfei."

The empress smiled. "What if I forbid it?"

"The Empress won't forbid it." Zhao Qingyan straightened up, a trace of a smile could be seen in her dark eyes. "Because even if you didn't allow it, I would still have protected him."

The empress slightly raised her brows. "Who gave you the confidence that I would risk the life of one more person knowing the truth?"

Zhao Qingyan said, "Even more so, Empress wouldn't risk my life to try and kill him if I were to arouse Imperial Uncle's suspicions. "If my nephew is alive, then there should be no difference between him being alive and two others being alive, right?"

The empress laughed. "Oh, Zhao Qingyan, Zhao Qingyan, I'm really curious. What are you thinking? You actually dared to threaten me because of a mere imperial physician? "

Zhao Qingyan said, "My nephew dares not. My nephew is stating a fact."

The empress got up and slowly paced to him. "Song Xiangran is This King's imperial physician, not a victim of your schemes and schemes. No matter who your master is, don't even think of harming This King's people. ' Are you the one who said this? Told me? "

Zhao Qingyan raised his head to look into her eyes and nodded his head in a very natural manner. "The Empress's memory is indeed very good."

The empress was angered by his laughter. "You knelt here to express your goodwill and then confidently begged me not to touch your people?"

Zhao Qingyan slowly explained, "I am a junior, your senior. I am the Prince and you are the Empress. "It is only right for me to kneel to you, I do not have any intention of showing goodwill." There was no point in asking him to do so. Even if the Empress had the guts to do so, I wouldn't dare ask for your help. Nephew means... Song Xiangran is one of my people, and only Song Xiangran knows the problem with the prescription is still alive. "The Empress doesn't know about this matter, so why must he die?" She raised her face and smiled. "What do you say, Empress?"

"You …" The empress understood what he meant, and a chill ran through her heart, her eyes glinting.

Zhao Qingyan continued to speak his words unhurriedly, "Since Empress is so troubled about the medicinal formula, I am willing to share your worries." Corresponding... Can you prove that this was only my idea and has nothing to do with the Qi King Manor? "

The empress's throat was dry, and her voice trembled. "You're crazy!"

Zhao Qingyan kowtowed to her, then stood up and said with a lowered head, "Esteemed wangfei has nothing else to do, your nephew will take his leave."

"Wait!" The empress looked at him with a complicated and somewhat surprised expression.

Zhao Qingyan was an intelligent person, but anyone who knew him well would know. Zhao Qingyan had a weak personality. When she was faced with a problem, she would retreat in every possible way. Only when she had nowhere to run or hide would she show any signs of resistance. As the only child of the Qi King's concubine, the king's love and care for him went without saying. He didn't dare to suppress Zhao Qingyan too obviously because of his powerful father and not because he was afraid of a newly-crowned young nobleman like Zhao Qingyan.

"However, Zhao Qingyan's meaning was clear." I "came to be the bully of the king," I "showed weakness to the East Palace, in exchange for" Prince Qi's Mansion "peace.

Even if the empress didn't want to believe this, she had no choice but to believe Zhao Qingyan's words.

With the character of the Qi King and Qi Wangfei, even if they didn't want anything, it was impossible for them to not want their son's life. No matter what, they would never give their son in exchange for their own glory and peace of mind.

It was true that Zhao Qingyan had taken all the blame for 'deceiving the monarch' to himself, but at the same time, he was also the only one who knew the truth.

If this matter were to be discovered by the Ren Sect, Zhao Qingyan, who had protected Song Xiangran, would lose their trust. The only one who lost his trust was himself, and it had nothing to do with the Qi King Manor. The empress had no choice but to keep the Qi King's Residence out of the way. That was because he was in the hands of Zhao Qingyan.

As long as Zhao Qingyan was not discovered, then Song He was like a chess piece holding the empress down. If Zhao Qingyan was discovered, the empress had to be wary of him dying. From the looks of it, the Empress was being passive. However, she was still tempted by Zhao Qingyan's suggestion.

What was the reason? The harem was in charge, and she was the lord of the harem. Once it was discovered, the Queen would be doomed. Hundreds of people from her family and the General's Estate would also be implicated. However, the result of Zhao Qingyan's failure was completely different.

The Crown Prince and Empress had conspired together to bully the monarch, representing the interference of the two powers, the Qi King's Residence and the General's Estate, in the political situation. That was a matter for the imperial government.

On the other hand, Zhao Qingyan was deceiving the monarch by himself while the empress was trying to kill him. This was a matter for the imperial harem.

With regards to the face of the imperial family, the latter could be left alone with the death of two people. The former would undoubtedly affect the entire imperial government.

Zhao Qingyan and the empress's thoughts coincided with three points: concern for the Blessed Sect, protection of relatives, and stability in the imperial court and government.

Therefore, Zhao Qingyan transferred the crime of 'deceiving the monarch' to himself. The empress had come to ensure that the Qi King's residence would not be implicated. He had used this to separate the two of them from the power behind him. In the end, this deal was as simple as that.

Zhao Qingyan and the Queen seemed to have a chessboard placed in front of them. Among the countless chess pieces, there were those chess pieces that they wanted to protect with everything they had, those chess pieces that they coveted or feared, and the insignificant abandoned children.

He had a good impression of the crown prince, the trust of the sect, his family, and the power in his hands … This was the most important point of their game. There was something they needed in common, something they feared from each other, so now they could face each other in perfect confrontation. Rather than going on like this, it would be better to let the past stand.

As the saying goes, a wise man knows his place.

Zhao Qingyan bowed his head in concession and made a suggestion that would be beneficial to both sides. He had taken the initiative to hand over his weakness to the other party, and at the same time had made it clear that he was also in control of the other party's weakness. To retreat in order to advance, to submissively submit to eliminate the threat from their own, and then to win the victory in order to suppress the other side's arrogance, finally to propose an absolutely advantageous terms of cooperation to move the empress.

Zhao Chou didn't want to let go of Zhao Qingyan, and Zhao Xu didn't mind falling out with his father because of Zhao Qingyan. Now, Zhao Shu had completely expressed her affections towards Zhao Qingyan.

Under such circumstances, what reason could the empress have to reject Zhao Qingyan's goodwill?

No reason.

The current Zhao Qingyan no longer hid his sharp edge, revealing all of his brilliance and brilliance. He had made it clear that if they didn't force each other, then I would still be that young prince who was playing the flute and playing the zither. If they continued to push each other, he had enough ability to perish together with his opponent.

"Mo'er?" Having sorted out her thoughts, the Empress slowly spoke and called out to him.

Zhao Qingyan turned around and cupped his hands, "My nephew is here."

The empress pursed her lips and said slowly, "Fourth Brother has always cared for me. I have forgotten my grace."

Zhao Qingyan seemed to be smiling as he lowered his eyes and said, "Your Highness, you are too serious. It is your nephew's words and actions that are too inappropriate that are causing your esteemed self to be unhappy." My nephew has the same thoughts as my royal father. He is only willing to protect my Zhao Family, share the worries of being a ruler, and act as a subject. "Core heart and blood, please enlighten me."

The Empress sighed softly, her voice no longer filled with the aggressiveness she had before. "Your Majesty has no sons. In a moment of anxiety, I actually did something wrong and ruined the fortune of the younger generation. Mo'er, I know you have hatred in your heart, but I won't beg for your forgiveness. However, the three of you are the only ones standing behind the emperor, I hope … "

"Empress." Before she could finish, Zhao Qingyan kneeled down on the ground and said, "Geez, she's weak. She doesn't look like she has a long life. She owed her parents too much, and was only willing to return the favor. Uncle Meng dotes on me and my prince identity. However, there was nothing Qing Yan could do about it. He could only say that he felt guilty. I hope that the Empress will pity me and allow me to become the Duke of Carefree in this lifetime. "

The empress was startled. "This …"

Zhao Qingyan said, "But Qingyan will never forget her surname, nor will she just eat up Jun Lu. The imperial concubine was like a father to her father, so she didn't dare to forget this favor. "As long as it's within my capabilities, I will not refuse, but I would like to ask the Empress not to entrust any more words to me. I cannot afford it."

The empress looked at her overly intelligent nephew and felt an indescribable tiredness rise in her heart. She could only wave her hand and say, "You may go. I'm a little tired and wish to take a rest."

Zhao Qingyan kowtowed and said, "Nephew will be leaving now." He got up and left.

Nephew, Nephew, Geezer …

The empress looked at his departing figure in silence for a long time. Three names, three kinds of kinship. What did he feel in his heart?

"..."

"It's over, it's finally over."

Zhao Qingyan slowly walked behind the fake mountain and leaned against the cold stone. She took out a handkerchief from her chest and wiped the sweat off her forehead. Just now, he had appeared so calm, but now, his heart was already filled with panic.

The good thing was … This time, he won the bet.

Zhao Qingyan's face was pale, but a smile was plastered on her lips. It was finally over. It was all over.