Chapter 10, Cause of Death

She stood still in the locality, and everything went dark before her eyes

She was caught off guard and immediately retreated. At that moment, she was not yet dead and was still trying to fight back and save herself. Little did she know that a sharp blade suddenly emerged from the dressing table behind her, piercing through her back and protruding from her abdomen

A small golden mechanism was concealed beside the delicate child, who was merely one year old and had just been named the Crown Prince, Xiao Rong. The mechanism's spring was pressed beneath Xiao Rong. It was a linked mechanism; when the Crown Prince woke up and cried, the Empress naturally picked him up and comforted him. At that moment, the spring, which had been pressed down by the Crown Prince's body, immediately sprang open, activating the mechanism beside her. At such a close distance, with precise angle, it shot directly into the throat of the Empress, who was leaning over towards her delicate child and the spring.

She slowly extended her hand, gently touching her eyelid, as if she wanted to relive the heart-stopping and tragically intense scene from her memories through a touch that transcended time. The world was drenched in crimson, with a robe corner that seemed more vivid than blood itself, yet its color could no longer be discerned. A tenderly outstretched finger, a sharp object probing into the eye socket, the eye was gruesomely extracted, and darkness descended permanently

She has always been astute; after years of navigating through bloodshed and storms, how could she easily be taken advantage of? Yet, any loving mother, when facing her cherished child, inevitably feels a softness in her heart and lowers her guard. As the golden arrow is shot, it first targets the child's head, and after that, it is her throat. She has no choice but to momentarily abandon her child for the sake of the book. Then, as her throat turns cold, it is already too late.

Ah! Wenchang exclaimed in surprise, "Xiao Rong... Xiao Rong..."

Wenchang tightened her fingers, widened her eyes, yet the tears no longer flowed. She looked at Qin Changge and after a long pause, gently said: "Changge, I do not know how you returned, but I know you are her... Over these years, people in the palace have said that you had a dispute with His Majesty and left on your own. Only I know that you must have gone, but I do not know, I truly do not know where you went... It was so tragic... Over these years, people in the palace have said that you had a dispute with His Majesty and left on your own. Only I know that you must have gone, but I do not know, I truly do not know where you went... It was so tragic..."

Leaning slightly forward, Qin Changge took a golden hairpin and gently adjusted the candle wick. The warm yellow light directly illuminated her face, making her features appear even more hazy and indistinct. Meanwhile, the wall behind her and the bookshelves projected large, scattered patches of light, within which human figures became blurred and shadowy, adding an air of profound mystery.

Holding the small golden pointer before his eyes and gazing at it for a moment, Qin Changge smiled faintly and said: "I do not know how the people of today perceive the passing of Empress Ruiyi. In their imagination, it is merely the case of a national mother enjoying great honor and passing away peacefully. Only I know that on that night, the so-called founding empress, who was said to have left no plans unaccounted for, met a rather ridiculous end beneath a small golden pointer used solely for adjusting the candle flame"

A single sentence, like a massive stone thrown into a tranquil lake, creates ripples that spread out in concentric circles, revealing the astonished expression of Wen Chang at this moment

Qin Changge's previously calm and mask-like expression finally revealed a slight crack, like ripples on water, and in an instant, that expression vanished. She continued, "She cast aside her motionless son, using her last ounce of strength to collapse by the bedside. In her final moments of consciousness, she saw someone gently approach, using a golden instrument to scoop out her eyes."

A shiver ran through my entire body, and before the words could leave my lips, my voice had already gone hoarse: "Your Majesty..."

Her tone was indifferent, as if she were speaking of someone else's affairs, as if the eerie murder and the fatal outcome had nothing to do with her, yet Wenchang had already collapsed softly to the ground

I have contemplated many possible endings for the queen, always wondering what kind of person and what means could bring about her demise. It seems that she has already passed away, and this will inevitably remain an unsolvable mystery. However, I never expected that today, under such incredible circumstances, I would hear the victim herself recount that chilling and terrifying scene.

She thought she was so surprised or delighted that she felt faint, but after steadying herself, she realized it was Qin Changge adjusting the wick of the candle

I have returned

The tears of Wenchang have already rolled down in torrents, yet Qin Changge remains unmoved, continuing indifferently: "At that moment, she knew she was destined to die, and was aware that she had fallen into a carefully laid trap. In her despair, she did not retreat but advanced, desperately lunging towards the bed, facing her son who, unaware of his mother's impending death, still grinned and stretched out his arms and legs, waiting for her embrace, and delivered a single palm strike!"

She strained to support herself, gripping the window frame tightly, her fingers revealing the sinews and bones, listening in shock to the palace secrets that could shake the world, hearing the long-rumored and profoundly mysterious truth about the death of the wise and virtuous Empress.