bestfiction Chapter 256 'Goddess'
Chapter 256 'Goddess'
The palace maid approached Chen Xianlin from behind, hesitated for a moment, and then said in a trembling voice, "Your Highness... the mission... has failed."
The palace maid kept her head down, not daring to look at Chen Xianlin, for fear that Chen Xianlin would fly into a rage over this matter.
After listening to the palace maid's report, Chen Xianlin did not show the slightest anger.
Instead, she remained kneeling in prayer, but slowly opened her eyes and said softly, expressionless, "You should know what to do!" Her tone was calm, yet it sent chills down one's spine.
"Your Majesty, please give us another chance! It's really not that we didn't try! It's just that there are so many eyes watching Consort Shu at all times, we simply can't find a suitable opportunity to strike! That's why..."
The palace maid knelt on the ground in a panic, her body trembling uncontrollably, kowtowing as she urgently explained to Chen Xianlin.
Before the palace maid could finish speaking, Chen Xianlin shouted angrily, "Useless! A bunch of useless things! What use are you good-for-nothings to me? You can't even handle this little thing, what use are you? Guards, drag her away!"
As soon as Chen Xianlin finished speaking, two guards appeared in the Buddhist hall.
Without saying a word, they stepped forward, grabbed the palace maid, and dragged her out as easily as picking up a chick.
The palace maid was held tightly by the guards by the collar, her feet almost off the ground. She struggled desperately to break free, but all her efforts were in vain.
She could only cry out at the top of her lungs, "Your Majesty! Please have mercy! Spare this servant this time! I will serve Your Majesty wholeheartedly from now on!"
However, no matter how desperately the palace maid pleaded, Chen Xianlin remained unmoved. Her face was as cold as ice, until the desperate cries gradually faded away at the end of the palace corridor, and not a sound could be heard anymore.
.........
Two months after Consort Shu went to Liangzhou to assist in the control of the plague, she had already stabilized the epidemic and found an antidote. The news that Consort Shu was a goddess descended to earth spread throughout the Great Xia Kingdom.
Now that her mission is accomplished, Consort Shu has embarked on her journey back to the capital.
When Consort Shu arrived in the capital, the city gates were already crowded with people eagerly waiting for her.
Cheers erupted from the crowd from time to time: "Long live Consort Shu! Long live Consort Shu!"
"Thank you, Consort Shu, for saving Great Xia!"
For a time, the entire capital was immersed in a joyful atmosphere.
A teahouse stands beside a street in the capital.
Zheng Luoqi stood by the railing, looking down at the bustling crowd and grand scene below.
A faint smile graced his beautiful face, but it was not a smile of joy; rather, it was a mocking smile tinged with sarcasm.
At this moment, He Jinyu, who was standing next to her, also turned his gaze to the street below.
A large number of people stood neatly in rows on both sides of the road, waving various things in their hands and shouting slogans to welcome Consort Shu.
Their faces beamed with excitement and anticipation as they welcomed the arrival of this 'goddess'.
He Jinyu turned to Zheng Luoqi and asked curiously, "My lord! Do you think Consort Shu is capable?"
Zheng Luoqi answered without hesitation, "No!"
The answer was crisp and decisive, without the slightest hesitation.
Hearing such a confident answer, He Jinyu was somewhat surprised and asked in confusion, "Oh? Why are you so sure, sir?"
When faced with He Jinyu's question, Zheng Luoqi simply smiled and did not respond.
After a moment, Zheng Luoqi said, "Chen Tongyu underestimated his two daughters, and he also underestimated the emperor!"
"But it's alright, things will be over soon!" Zheng Luoqi said a few words that He Jinyu couldn't understand, her meaning ambiguous.
He Jinyu never understood what Zheng Luoqi meant by "the end" until the day Consort Jiang's 'child' was born, and then he finally understood!
..........
Not long after Consort Shu returned to the palace, Xue Huaiyu developed health problems. At first, he only felt unwell occasionally, but his condition deteriorated rapidly within a few days.
Many imperial physicians came to treat the patient, but no matter how hard they racked their brains, they were still helpless against this strange disease.
Xue Huaiyu was ultimately bedridden all day. Although his consciousness was still clear and his mind was still sharp, his whole body seemed to be under a spell, and he was completely unable to move.
Consort Shu died mysteriously without any warning, just a few months after she was hailed as a goddess!
This series of sudden changes happened far too quickly.
In just a few months, who could have predicted that the situation would take such a dramatic turn for the worse and undergo such a drastic change?
Let's go back to when Consort Shu had just returned to the capital from Liangzhou...
Inside the palace
"Your Majesty, Consort Shu is as usual!" A palace maid rushed into the hall, panting as she reported to Chen Xianlin about Consort Shu's return to the palace.
This has been the tenth consecutive day. Every day, the palace maids report in detail to Chen Xianlin about Consort Shu's every word and action.
In recent days, everything about Consort Shu, from her morning dressing to her dining preferences, and even what she did in her spare time, has been reported.
Chen Xianlin listened carefully to every detail, and a doubt gradually rose in her heart.
Chen Xianlin has always had doubts about the identity of this Consort Shu. Although she has some guesses, there is currently no conclusive evidence to prove that Consort Shu is Chen Ruoyao.
Prior to this, Chen Xianlin had also sent people to the temple where Chen Ruoyao was practicing meditation to look for her.
After some investigation, the confidant brought back news that Chen Ruoyao was indeed practicing asceticism in that temple.
Upon receiving this news, Chen Xianlin temporarily set aside her doubts about Consort Shu's identity.
However, as Chen Xianlin spent more and more time with Consort Shu, she felt that Consort Shu and Chen Ruoyao were extremely similar.
Sometimes, it was just a casual turn of Consort Shu or a subtle habitual movement that made Chen Xianlin feel as if she were seeing Chen Ruoyao.
This feeling grew stronger, and Chen Xianlin had to re-examine the true identity of Consort Shu, since people could disguise themselves.
Later, Zheng Luoqi discovered that Chen Xianlin was investigating the identity of Consort Shu, so she secretly helped her.
Chen Xianlin finally discovered that Consort Shu was Chen Ruoyao.
Upon hearing the news about Chen Xianlin, an indescribable feeling of nausea and discomfort instantly welled up in my heart.
Her eyes widened, her face turned ashen, and her lips trembled slightly, as if she had been struck hard by an invisible hammer.
Without the slightest hesitation, Chen Xianlin immediately set off to find Chen Ruoyao. Along the way, she walked hurriedly, her heart burning with rage.
Soon she arrived at Chen Ruoyao's palace. As soon as she entered the hall, she waved for all the servants to leave, and the entire hall instantly became extremely quiet, leaving only Chen Ruoyao and Chen Xianlin standing facing each other.