Hearing this, everyone showed joy, but Wei Xiuyan was the only one who couldn't stop crying. Yong Rong... thought about her safety until her death, but she killed Yong Rong and committed the most irreparable mistake in her life.
Father Wei said excitedly: "Thank you so much, Fifth Eunuch, can we go back then?"
Xiao Wu said coldly: "The emperor said that death penalty can be avoided, but living crime cannot be escaped. From now on, the Wei family will be exiled to Ning Guta and will never return to Beijing!"
His words were like a basin of cold water poured on everyone's heads. The environment of Ninggu Pagoda was harsh, the climate was abnormal, and the people exiled there had to do hard labor that far exceeded their burden every day. Many prisoners exiled there
Therefore, being exhausted to death, this kind of exile is not much better than death.
Wei De said: "Fifth Eunuch, you see that most of us here are old, young, women and children. Can you help us beg the emperor for mercy, so that we can be exempted from the punishment of exile, even if it is changed to... imprisonment?"
Xiao Wu sneered and said: "Is the emperor's decree something you can change just by changing it? Our family has already made arrangements with Shuntian Mansion. Let's leave immediately." Following his words, the jailer opened the cell and if
Just now, they would have wished to leave the cell earlier, but now, leaving here means going to Ninggu Pagoda. Compared with that, the cell is a good place.
Xiao Wu waited for a while, but saw no movement from them, and winked at the jailer, who nodded knowingly and urged: "What are you doing so slowly? Why don't you hurry up? Do you want to be whipped?!"
Under his scolding, everyone reluctantly left the cell. Wei's father was the last one. When passing Xiao Wu, he said: "May I ask the fifth father-in-law, is your concubine still okay?"
Xiao Wu smiled slightly, lowered his eyes and said, "Don't worry, Mr. Wei, your Majesty is fine."
His words made Wei's father breathe a sigh of relief. He bowed his hands to Xiao Wugong and walked out with the jailer. After arrangements were made for them to leave the capital and go to Ninggu Pagoda, he returned to the palace to tell Hongli his orders.
Yong Rong's death undoubtedly cast a shadow over the Forbidden City, especially after Ling Ruo fainted after learning about Yong Rong's death.
Xianyue held Qi Kuan's hand and hurried to Cining Palace. Hu and others were already there. When they saw her, they all stood up and saluted. Xianyue raised her hand and said, "How is the Queen Mother?"
Mrs. Hu lowered her eyes and said, "To report to the Queen Mother, the imperial doctor is still inside to diagnose and treat the Queen Mother and has not come out." As soon as she finished speaking, she saw the palace door open, and then Zhou Minghua walked out. Xianyue hurriedly stepped forward and said: "
Is the Queen Mother okay?"
"Don't worry, Madam. The Queen Mother fainted because she was overly sad. It's nothing serious. She has woken up now. She will be fine after taking medicine for a few days. However, I would like to say more. After all, the Queen Mother is old and her health is not as good as before.
, we should try our best to avoid such stimulation in the future.”
Xiayue nodded, and after ordering him to go down and prescribe the medicine, she walked in with Hu and others. Ling Ruo lay on the bed with her eyes open, her face looking very bad. When she heard Xiayue and others' greetings, she became dumb.
Said: "Yong Rong...really left?"
Xianyue walked up and tucked the quilt for her, and said softly: "Empress, please don't think about these things. The most important thing now is to rest and recuperate."
Ling Ruo closed her eyes and said painfully: "The Ai family just wanted him to wake up, but I didn't expect that it would lead to such a situation. It was the Ai family who harmed him and his own grandson!"
"No." Xianyue said hurriedly: "Everything Huang's mother did was for the sixth elder brother, and sixth brother also understood it, so he never blamed Huang's mother, and also told Yongxu and the others to be filial to Huang's mother.
.”
"This child..." Tears fell from the corners of Lingruo's eyes, and Mrs. Hu endured the sadness in her heart and said: "The sixth elder brother is so filial, I believe he has a spirit in heaven, and what he wants to see most is the safety and health of the emperor."
It looks like this, so you must take good care of your body, so as not to make Brother Six feel uneasy when he leaves."
Ling Ruo nodded, and when she opened her eyes, there was already a trace of anger in her eyes, "All of this happened because of Wei Xiuyan, this woman deserves to die!"
Xianyue sighed and said: "The emperor originally wanted to kill Wei Xiuyan, but before the sixth elder brother died, he begged for mercy. The emperor could not bear to deny his last wish before his death. He promised to spare the Wei family and instead
They exiled Ningguta."
Ling Ruo was stunned for a moment, then let out a long sigh, "What an injustice, what an injustice!"
Mrs. Hu said: "The Emperor's mother does not need to worry too much. Although Wei Xiuyan escaped with her life temporarily, Ninggu Pagoda is a bitter cold place in the far north. I believe she will not survive for too long."
Ling Ruo said tiredly: "The Ai family is tired, you all should leave."
Everyone did not dare to disturb Ling Ruo's rest, so they all retreated as instructed. On the way back to Kunning Palace, Mrs. Hu said somewhat reluctantly: "Mother, does your Majesty really intend to let it go like this?"
Xianyue glanced at her and said, "Is the imperial concubine talking about the Wei family?"
Mrs. Hu said angrily: "Yes, it's okay for Wei Xiuyan's family to be exiled to Ninggu Pagoda. After all, the place is extremely cold and it's not much better than death. As for your concubine, she is also a member of the Wei family, and after all, this matter
It all started because of her, does the emperor intend to let her go just for the sake of the princesses?"
Xianyue stroked her sleeves and said, "The emperor has no intention of punishing her for the time being, but for your concubine, this lack of punishment would be more terrifying than punishment."
Mrs. Hu asked doubtfully: "What do you mean by this?"
Xianyue smiled slightly and said: "Let's see, we will find out soon."
While they were talking, Wei Jingxuan was staring in horror at Huang Ying, who came to Yongshou Palace on Hongli's order to convey the decree, and said in a trembling voice: "What are you talking about, the emperor... wants to send the two princesses to his elder brother's residence?"
Huang Ying bowed and said, "That's right. I also ask your Majesty to bring the two princesses out. In addition, the Emperor has an edict. Without the Emperor's edict, I cannot visit my elder brother."
"No!" Wei Jingxuan flatly objected, "Always, only the princess whose mother has passed away will be sent to the elder brother's home. Now that I am still here, there is no reason to let He Jing and the others go to the elder brother's home!"
"I know that your Majesty is reluctant to let go of the two princesses, but this is the Emperor's will and no one can violate it. Furthermore, please forgive me for telling the truth. Compared with your Majesty's family, the Emperor is already kind to your Majesty."
Wei Jingxuan suddenly stared at him and said: "Didn't the Emperor promise that Brother Six would spare the lives of my family? Could it be that...the Emperor broke his promise?"
"The emperor will naturally not break his promise, but they can escape the death penalty, but they cannot escape the punishment of living. The emperor has asked the master to pass the decree to Shuntian Mansion and exile them to Ninggu Pagoda, and they will not be able to return to the capital for life!"
"Ning Guta..." Wei Jingxuan staggered back and fell into a chair. Exiling Ning Guta was not much better than death. It was even... more terrifying, because death was just a matter of one blow, but exiled Ning Guta would have to endure all kinds of hardships.
The only way to escape from the torture of hard labor is death.