Chapter 225 Illicit
In November, the first snow fell in Yanjing City.

The snow was not heavy, but the weather was extremely cold. I heard that the road to the mountains in the east was blocked by snow, and hunters dared not go into the mountains. Some people would risk their lives to go into the mountains. If there was nothing else, they could get a hundred taels of silver by hunting a white wolf skin and selling it to the wives of wealthy families.

People will do anything to make a living.

The walls and eaves outside the palace were covered with a layer of white snow, although not as thick as in winter, but the silver-white snow was beginning to show. The young eunuchs and maids who had just entered the palace were still very curious. When sweeping the snow in the yard, they couldn't help but step on it. Sometimes when they were resting and no one was around, they would make snowballs and throw them to each other, which was quite interesting.

The older ones were not in such a good mood. In winter, people always become particularly sentimental, as if everything has lost hope. Looking at these new palace maids, they just shook their heads and sighed. There is no future, every year someone enters the palace, and every year someone dies. Don't you see how many nameless corpses are buried under the land despite the purity of the snow? The palace looks magnificent, but it is actually dangerous. For them, the greatest blessing is probably to spend a few years in peace, and then be released from the palace smoothly at the beginning of the year, get married and have children, and live a stable life.

The sound of Buddhist scriptures being chanted in the Cining Palace has not been as frequent as before. Perhaps it is too cold, and the empress dowager's hands and feet become stiff after a while of copying scriptures in the palace, and the palace maids quickly bring a heater for her to warm her hands.

"I'm old." The Queen Mother sighed and said, "My hands and feet are always cold lately."

"Perhaps it's too cold in the palace," Meixiang replied, "I'll ask someone to add more silver charcoal later."

The Queen Mother smiled but didn't say anything. She just frowned slightly and pressed her forehead. Mei Xiang said, "Would you like to go to the bedroom and rest for a while, Queen Mother?"

"Okay." The Queen Mother replied. Meixiang helped the Queen Mother to the bedroom as she was told. When they reached the door of the bedroom, the Queen Mother was stunned and suddenly said, "Meixiang, you guard the door and don't let anyone in."

Meixiang didn't ask why, she just nodded and left. The Queen Mother then looked at the people inside.

There was a person sitting next to her bed, with his hands behind his back and his legs crossed on a chair. She had always been pampered and her bed and mattress were the finest and softest. When this person sat down like this, the bed was sunken for most of the way, which was really funny.

"Are you trying to kill yourself? How dare you come here?" The Queen Mother said calmly, trying her best to hide the shock in her eyes.

He was a middle-aged man, with a resolute and handsome appearance, and a kind of unrestrained and unrestrained style that did not belong to Yanjing City. Hearing this, he just smiled and said, "Roujia, long time no see."

The empress dowager's body trembled slightly. "Roujia" was her maiden name. So many years had passed, and when the late emperor was alive, he had never called her that. But the man in front of her, no matter she was the daughter of the Lin family, or the crown princess, or the queen, or even the empress dowager now, he always called her "Roujia".

This man is Yin Zhan.

Prince Xia, the late emperor's brother, the famous General Zhaode, broke into the Empress Dowager's bedroom and called her so intimately.

The Queen Mother's calm expression that she had maintained for so many years now had a crack, and she even looked a little nervous.

"Don't worry," Yin Zhan said, "I came to see the emperor. When I came to your place, no one noticed. You have to believe in my ability. Roujia, you are still so cautious."

The Queen Mother said coldly: "After all, decades ago, I got into big trouble because of carelessness."

Yin Zhan was silent for a while before saying, "That's all in the past."

"Not for me," the Queen Mother said calmly, "I have been fasting and chanting for decades just to make up for my sins back then."

"Oh?" Yin Zhan smiled and said, "I thought you were praying for me, praying that I would be safe and sound."

His words were so frivolous that the Queen Mother frowned. She said, "I don't understand. What are you doing back here?"

"Roujia," Yin Zhan put away his smile, "You always refuse to tell the truth. Isn't the purpose of my coming back the same as your purpose for all these years?"

The Queen Mother said, "I have no purpose."

"You should have seen Zhili." Yin Zhan interrupted her, "He looks a lot like you."

The Queen Mother's body suddenly couldn't help but tremble. She had been calm from the beginning until now, but at this moment, she suddenly collapsed.

"Zhili, he is..."

"He is your child." Yin Zhan said gently, "I have taught him well over the years. He is very outstanding, but he is a little soft-hearted. This is very disadvantageous." He showed a little troubled look on his face, "It is an obstacle to what he wants to do in the future."

"Why are you telling me this?" The Queen Mother sneered, "Even if he is mine... he cannot be seen in public. Since you have remarried, just live your life in peace."

"So you are angry with me because of this." Yin Zhan smiled as if he was a little surprised. If his expression fell on Yan Ze, the Yin family, Mrs. Yin, he would be shocked. He was resolute and rough, unrestrained and unrestrained, but he had no tenderness. It turned out that he used all his tenderness on the person in front of him.

"The late emperor was wary of me back then, so I had to marry her, not just for me, but also for you and Zhili." Yin Zhan said, "After we fell in love, the late emperor dispelled his concerns. I never touched her again, Roujia," he stared into the queen mother's eyes, "there has never been anyone else in my heart."

The Queen Mother turned her head, trying to avoid his gaze, but bumped into the bronze mirror beside her. The woman in the bronze mirror was no longer the charming and charming woman she used to be. After so many years, her face gradually aged, and even a few white hairs grew on her hair. She was no longer as young as before. Time has never been merciless to the destruction of beauties, and it is more cruel to women than to men. Yin Zhan is more mature and charming than before. Standing next to him, no one would think that they are a good match.

The palace finally turned her into a stranger.

"I don't want to hear this." The Queen Mother said, "If you are here to reminisce about the past, please leave. I told you very clearly that I don't want you to see me again in this life. It seems that you didn't take my words to heart."

"Back then, I was forced by circumstances. I have been planning for twenty years, just for this moment." Yin Zhan said, "Rou Jia, even now, you still have me in your heart, don't you? Even if you are willing to give up me, you can't give up Zhi Li. You haven't seen him for so many years, he has always thought that his biological mother had died a long time ago. If I tell him his identity..."

"No!" the Queen Mother interrupted him quickly, "Don't tell him."

"You know this is impossible, Roujia." Yin Zhan said, "He should learn to accept his fate. He should also recognize his biological mother. Don't you want him to call you mother? Zhili is very kind. He won't hate anyone. He doesn't want you to be sad."

The Queen Mother's shoulders shrugged.

She has stayed in the palace for so many years, and seemingly indifferent to worldly affairs, but she has been able to firmly hold the position of empress dowager. To be precise, when the late emperor was alive, she had always held the position of empress very firmly, and did everything impeccably.

The Queen Mother was a young lady from the Lin family. When she was young, she was the eldest daughter of the Earl of Fengcheng. She was known for her gentleness and virtue. When she was sixteen years old, she was betrothed to the Crown Prince by the then Emperor and became the Crown Princess.

Once you enter the deep palace, it is like entering a deep sea. From then on, Xiao Lang is a passerby. The Queen Mother also has a Xiao Lang in her heart. This Xiao Lang is none other than the prince's half-brother, Xia Jun Wang Yin Zhan, who was still a prince at the time.

One day, when Lin Roujia went up the mountain to pray at the temple, she met a villain. Yin Zhan happened to be nearby at that time and saved Lin Roujia's life. Lin Roujia was grateful and bandaged the injured Yin Zhan. The two young people developed a special feeling. She was moved by Yin Zhan's bravery and power, and Yin Zhan liked her tenderness and gentleness. Feng Chengbo thought it would be bad if the news of his daughter's attack spread, so he did not make it public. All the servants of the Lin family who were present at the time also dealt with it. So no one knew about this incident in the past. In the eyes of others, Lin Roujia and Yin Zhan are still two unrelated people.

But the growth of emotions does not require any environment. If you like someone, you like him/her. Sometimes, a casual glance can lead to a huge obsession over time. Yin Zhan originally planned to ask someone to propose marriage to the Lin family, but before he could do so, the news of the marriage granting came from the palace.

Lin Roujia became the Crown Princess.

Life is probably like this, there will always be imperfections of one kind or another. Lin Roujia thought, maybe Yin Zhan is the one obsession that she can never fulfill in this life. She decided to let go of this love in her youth and be a good princess.

She did a good job. When the emperor passed away, the prince became the new emperor, she became the queen, and even gave birth to a little prince.

That was the happiest time for Lin Roujia after she entered the palace. Marquis Fengcheng was very satisfied and asked Mrs. Lin to come to the palace to talk to his daughter every now and then. The Lin family was proud of Lin Roujia. Her brothers and sisters were protected because of this, and the emperor, because he had the little prince first, was particularly concerned about this eldest son. He would come to the Cining Palace to take a look around on weekdays when he had nothing to do. This was what surprised Lin Roujia the most.

The emperor has three palaces, six courtyards and seventy-two concubines. It is impossible for him to favor only one woman. Especially as a queen, she must be wise and generous and not jealous. But in Lin Roujia's heart, she is always just a little woman. She can't stand being ignored. Therefore, the care brought by her son is particularly useful to her.

Then, other princes appeared in the palace one after another. Concubine Liu gave birth to the second prince, Concubine Xia gave birth to the third prince, and there were new beauties and concubines. The emperor doted on Concubine Liu, admired Concubine Xia, and was also very good to the second and third princes. Fortunately, the crown prince was raised by the emperor, and the emperor's favorite was still the crown prince.

After Concubine Xia gave birth to the third prince, she died soon after, and the emperor raised the third prince under the name of the queen. Lin Roujia treated the third prince kindly on the surface, but in fact she hated him. She was afraid that the child would have thoughts that he shouldn't have and would want to compete with the prince for something, so she couldn't help but be on guard everywhere. After all, the prince was Lin Roujia's last thought.

But God took away Lin Roujia's last hope.

The prince died at the age of five.

Lin Roujia was almost going crazy. She was on the verge of madness and insisted that it was the Third Prince who did it. Otherwise, how come the Crown Prince was the only one who got into trouble when the two princes were playing together in the Imperial Garden?
The emperor comforted her, but Lin Roujia wanted the third prince to die immediately. Then the imperial physician came and examined the body. With the testimony of the palace maids, it was confirmed that the prince was born with a congenital deficiency and died of a sudden heart attack. The third prince was innocent.

Lin Roujia was on the verge of collapse. She knew so many people, and the imperial physician would not lie. However, this was not the answer she wanted. If it wasn't for the Third Prince, she would have no one to hate, and she would die.

After the death of the crown prince, the emperor was very considerate of Lin Roujia and obeyed her in everything. However, the emperor's patience was limited. Lin Roujia was gloomy all day long. After a long time, the emperor didn't like to come to Kunning Palace. The struggle in the palace was the most cruel. If you take a step back, you may fall into the abyss. For example, the second prince's mother, Concubine Liu Shu, was ready to make a move at this time.

If the second prince is made the crown prince, Concubine Liu Shu will be the crown prince's mother, and it will only be a matter of time before she, the queen, is replaced. The queen was a little panicked, and Fengchengbo told her not to be afraid, because she still had a third prince. The third prince's temperament was similar to that of the deceased Concubine Xia, and he was smart and knew how to advance and retreat, so he might be useful. In any case, having already lost a crown prince, it was impossible for her to lose the position of queen.

Lin Roujia was enlightened by the words of the Earl of Fengcheng. She was determined to keep her position and not let anyone take advantage of her. She began to treat the third prince gently again, raising him as if she were a loving mother. The third prince really lived up to her expectations and became fierce, calling her "mother" all the time, as if she was very affectionate. It almost made people forget that a few years ago, because of the death of the crown prince, the queen wanted to kill him.

Sometimes when Lin Roujia looked at the loving and filial scenes between her and the prince, she would silently mock them, thinking that they were just two people pretending to be nice. She missed her dead son more and more, and she became cold-hearted towards the emperor's ruthlessness.

At this time, Yin Zhan, who had returned from the battle in triumph, appeared. Since Lin Roujia became the Crown Princess, Yin Zhan left Yanjing City and went to the border. Lin Roujia could only learn about him from the palace people's victory reports. But as time went by, she was busy with intrigues and compromises, and her life changed dramatically, so she put all these things behind her. Yin Zhan seemed to be a phantom very far away from her. When Lin Roujia learned that he was coming back, she was also very calm, thinking that after many years, when she saw Yin Zhan again, it would probably be just two strangers meeting.

She didn't know whether she overestimated her determination or underestimated her feelings. When she met Yin Zhan, she suddenly realized that the past thousands of days and nights had not worn away her feelings for Yin Zhan. Yin Zhan was still the same as she remembered, even more fascinating than before. But Yin Zhan was married now, and she knew that the lady of that family was as gentle and kind as she was in the past. Looking at herself again, Lin Roujia felt that she was so different that it was difficult for her to face Yin Zhan.

But Yin Zhan actually broke into her palace.

He risked losing his head if he was discovered, regardless of everything, just like when he first met the strange girl, he was so brave that he was injured in order to protect her, and broke into her bedroom and into her long-dry heart.

Yin Zhan knew all her reluctance, her pain, and her anger. He used his strong and turbulent attitude to soothe her pain and emptiness over the years. The emotions were out of control, like a dying spark that suddenly got firewood and burned brightly, turning into a huge fire.

None of them could stop the fire from growing bigger and bigger. Even though they knew the final result would be eternal damnation, like walking on a tightrope, sinking in danger, no one was willing to stop. As if dying like this was worth it.

Yin Zhan told her that he married his wife only because of his parents' name, and he had no feelings for her. In his heart, he would only fall in love with one woman in his life, and that woman was Lin Roujia.

Lin Roujia was a woman who had pretended to be dignified and virtuous for so many years, all for a man she did not love. At this moment, in front of Yin Zhan, she suddenly felt the taste of being loved. She was crazy because of this, so she risked her life, and she even gave birth to a son for Yin Zhan.

Yin Zhan gave this son an identity of the Yin family, and even Yin Zhan's deceased wife was a victim of this secret.

She betrayed her husband, and he betrayed his best brother. The two reached the ultimate pleasure in infidelity, but the pleasure was not eternal.

The emperor did hear some rumors, but they concealed it so well that he could not find any evidence. So the emperor issued a transfer order and sent Yin Zhan to Yunzhong.

Yin Zhan was very cool when he left. He even married a second wife before he left. Not long after, the second wife became pregnant. He left in a hurry and didn't leave a word to Lin Roujia. Lin Roujia hated it for many years. She thought she was abandoned again, but she was still unwilling to accept it.

Until the crown prince ascended the throne and became Emperor Hong Xiao, she became the empress dowager, and she hid in the Cining Palace every day to copy Buddhist scriptures. She copied for many years, making herself not show her emotions, but when this man, the man who had been entangled with her for half her life, ventured into her bedroom, she sadly discovered that her emotions would still fluctuate for him, and those Buddhist scriptures were of no use at all. She was easily provoked by him to crazy emotions, and there was no cure.

"You've confused me, Yin Zhan." She said softly. This sentence was not pretentious, but gentle, just like Lin Roujia many years ago. She said: "I will do what I want to do naturally. I don't understand why you come in like this."

"When I left, I was in such a hurry. My brother had spies everywhere in the palace. If I came to say goodbye to you, I would definitely be discovered. I don't want to implicate you, Roujia." He said gently, "You have suffered so much over the years."

Lin Roujia's tears were about to fall. She turned her head away and said, "Yin Zhan, I'm not suffering, I'm just tired."

The palace was silent for a while, and he said, "I think you might hate me for not saying goodbye to you last time, so I must say goodbye to you before I leave now."

"Goodbye?" The Queen Mother turned her head and stared at Yin Zhan, her voice changing a little, "Where are you going?"

"I have to do something, Roujia," Yin Zhan stood up and walked to the Queen Mother. The Queen Mother took a step back without leaving a trace, but he held her shoulders. He looked down at her, and the Queen Mother looked particularly petite against him. He continued, "There are many things that happened back then that have not been dealt with cleanly. If these troubles are not dealt with, you and Zhili will be very sad. I am your man and Zhili's father. These things should be done by me."

The Queen Mother heard some clues from his words, and she became inexplicably nervous. She could no longer pretend to be reserved and asked, "What exactly are you going to do?"

"Look," he looked at the Queen Mother's reaction and smiled with satisfaction, "You really still care about me."

"Brother Ji's son, now the Duke of Su, you have also seen it." Yin Zhan said: "He came for me."

The Queen Mother's body suddenly trembled violently. More than 20 years had passed, but she still felt scared when she heard the name.

"That person Ji Heng..." She said, "I don't understand. Over the years, I wanted to kill him, but," she shook her head, "I couldn't kill him."

No matter how powerful she was, she was just a woman in the harem. Ji Heng was not an ordinary person, so it was not easy to kill him. At least the Queen Mother had tried for many years and had never succeeded.

"I don't actually want to kill him," Yin Zhan said, "but he already knows that his purpose is to kill me. If I don't kill him, he will hurt Zhili. Roujia, I can't let this happen. This son born by Brother Ji is nothing like Brother Ji. Brother Ji is an upright, honest and generous person, but this son is unscrupulous and scheming. He is very much like his mother."

The Queen Mother couldn't help but tremble again.

Yu Hongye, this name had been her nightmare for a long time. She would not think of this person deliberately, but this person would always come into her mind uninvited.

Her intelligence, her cunning, her boldness, as well as her anger and despair, cursing and disbelief.

The Queen Mother suddenly closed her eyes.

"Roujia, don't be afraid. I came back to solve this matter. Ji Heng has been planning this for a long time. He supported me to become the king a long time ago, just to force me to come back. Even if I don't show up this time, he will start with you." Yin Zhan said: "Roujia, we have no other choice, are you afraid?"

He stared at the Queen Mother.

A smile suddenly appeared on the Queen Mother's face. This smile was a little contemptuous and mocking, and finally had some shadows of the Queen Mother. She said: "From the time I was born until now, I have never had other choices. You asked me if I was afraid. I understood many years ago that fear is useless. Go ahead." She lowered her head, "I knew this day would come. Go and kill all those people. The world is yours, and I am yours too. If you die, I will die with you."

Yin Zhan smiled and said, "I won't die."

The Queen Mother looked at his face and said, "Remember what you said."

Yin Zhan kissed the empress dowager, and she stood stiffly. After Yin Zhan left, Meixiang pushed the door open and saw the empress dowager slumped in the chair, her face pale.

"Empress Dowager." Meixiang came over quickly to help her, but before she reached the Empress Dowager, she waved her hand and told her not to get any closer.

She covered her chest, where her heart was beating rapidly.

She replied to Yin Zhan that she was not afraid, but how could she not be afraid? They were like mice that were fighting to the end, dark, mean, and waiting for an opportunity to strike. Many years ago, the decadent joy had planted the seeds of disaster, which had been silent for many years, and now it was time to explode.

No one knows what the outcome will be.

……

Yin Zhan left the Cining Palace. He took a detour and didn't notice that he had entered the palace today to see the emperor. Actually, he came to see Lin Roujia, but he couldn't do it openly now. He couldn't cause trouble for Lin Roujia.

When he walked around the palace corridor and was about to go out of the palace, a man came towards him and blocked his way.

The man was dressed in red with black butterflies embroidered on the edge of the red dress, black boots and silver belt, looking extremely seductive. He was holding a folding fan, which he never let go of even in winter. His eyes were captivating, staring at Yin Zhan with a half-smile, and he said, "Prince Xia."

"Duke Su." Yin Zhan stopped.

He looked at Ji Heng. Back then, Ji Minghan was a famous handsome man in Beiyan, and Ji Heng's mother was a world-famous stunning beauty, worthy of the title of enchantress. Now it seems that Ji Heng not only resembles Yu Hongye in temperament, but also inherits Yu Hongye's gorgeous features. As for Ji Minghan, he didn't inherit much.

He said, "You and your father are very different."

"But I look like my mother," Ji Heng said with a smile, "Yin Zhili and his mother don't look very similar."

Yin Zhan laughed loudly, "You can't just tell whether a person looks like someone or not."

"Prince Xia is right," Ji Heng said lightly, "Prince Xia knows my father and mother so well, no wonder they were friends back then."

Yin Zhan's feelings were a bit complicated. He and Ji Minghan were indeed close brothers, and they had also appreciated each other. When Yu Hongye encountered trouble in the brothel, Yin Zhan helped her out several times because he knew Ji Minghan's thoughts. He and Ji Heng's parents were indeed friends, and they were sincere friends. If it weren't for the accidental changes, Ji Heng should have called him uncle, and he should have called Ji Heng nephew.

Instead of like now, Ji Heng spoke to him in a frivolous, equal, and even disdainful tone. Ji Heng was condescending, and he had mixed feelings.

"That's true." Yin Zhan smiled and said, "If your parents were still alive, they would be very pleased to see you now."

"Not everyone has the blessing of being the prince's son." Ji Heng said with a smile.

Yin Zhan's face changed. On the surface, Yin Zhili's biological mother had passed away, but Ji Heng insisted on saying so... He really knew it.

Although he was mentally prepared, Yin Zhan still couldn't help but feel his heart skip a beat when he heard Ji Heng say that.

"General Zhaode, don't be nervous." Ji Heng looked at him calmly and said calmly, "It is only natural to pay back a debt, and it is also natural to pay back a life for a murder. No matter who it is, no one can escape. Right?"

The tail end of his voice cut through the air, and his smile was so cruel that it made people feel cold.

　Two emperors in a row were cheated on... It's terrible
　　
　
(End of this chapter)