Wei Xiao Hua merely smiled and refused to comment. She still remembered this scene in the novel even though there was some difference in the details. This was one of the reasons why the real Wei Xiao Hua was close to Baili Lin.

The two of them were equally ruthless and would not hesitate to do everything to achieve their goal.

"Don't take too long," Imperial Concubine Xu said from the back. She looked at the Empress with a faint smile on her lips. "We still have a lot of others whom we have to take care."

"True enough," Baili Lin said with a laugh. She pulled the sword from the nearby soldier near her. Every soldier who were still standing all belonged to Prince Ji Shu, so there was no need for them to worry about the Imperial family soldiers attacking them.

"Any last word?"

Empress You looked at Baili Lin with hatred in her eyes, then her gaze moved to Imperial Concubine Xu. The two of them have been fighting for who knows how many years in the harem. They would act as if they have amiable relationship on the surface, yet the truth was that they could not wait to kill each other.

Now, her son had lost and Imperial Concubine Xu's son won.

There was no way for her to turn the situation around anymore.

However, she refused to show a weak front. No matter how desperate the situation was, she would never show an aggrieved expression that her enemies wanted to see the most. Staring back at Imperial Concubine Xu, she showed a bright smile. "Are you that happy to stain your hands with blood? You'll never win, Ji Shu!"

Imperial Concubine Xu sneered. "Who cares about those who lost their lives because they lost? In the battle, winner takes all."

"True," Empress You replied. She still kept the same expression as before, unchanging despite the turmoil in her heart. "But you're not the winner."

At this moment, Imperial Concubine Xu's expression darkened. She waved her hands. "Kill her."

"Yes!"

Slash!

Even up until the end, Empress You kept her gaze looking straight at Imperial Concubine Xue. There was never any fear and despair in her expression. All that present was the condemning expression as if she was the one at the top and Imperial Concubine Xu was the one at the bottom.

Kick!

Imperial Concubine Xu's face turned slightly red. She had seen that expression so many times whenever Empress You won in their exchange. Whenever she saw that kind of smile and expression, she always wished to tear open the woman's face and pull her heart apart from her body.

'Even in the face of death, there's not a trace of fear in her eyes. Empress You might have already fallen from the glorious place, but the bearing of an empress who owned the world will never change. She's the mother of the kingdom and even until her death, it'll never change.'

It was the paragraph used to describe Empress You's reaction in the novel. Seeing how Empress You still kept her posture and dignity, it was clear that she would never abandon her identity as the Empress. Even at the end of her life, she was still the proud Empress of Han Shi Kingdom.

'I admire her.'

'But it's impossible to keep her alive.'

Wei Xiao Hua walked to Imperial Concubine Xu and bowed in formality. "Xiao Hua greets Mother."

"Silly girl, why are you still caring for formality at this time?" Imperial Concubine Xu was distracted when she saw how Wei Xiao Hua acted.

"Xiao Hua only feel that Mother is worthy of all the respect that I can give you no matter what the situation is."

Imperial Concubine Xu calmed down almost instantly. She nodded and smiled. "Come. It's time to visit the Cold Palace."

Cold Palace.

It was the place for the imperial family members who had wronged the Emperor before and banished to live in this cold and frigid place. No matter what, they were not allowed to leave the place.

There were several people who had been banished over the past few years, but Wei Xiao Hua knew that there was only one person whom her mother would want to visit.

Concubine Ling, Prince Ji Sheng's birth mother.

Unlike other concubines in the palace, Concubine Ling was an unloved concubine who stayed in the palace. She had Prince Ji Sheng due to an accident when the Emperor stayed with her during the routine night visit. But even if she had given him a son, the Emperor still disliked this woman.

Thanks to that, she was neglected and after Prince Ji Sheng was sent to the frontline, she was banished to the cold palace to live there on her own. Over the past few years, no one came to visit her, not even her own son.

It was unknown how her relationship with her son was.

However, Imperial Concubine Xu will not take a chance.

"How about the other concubines?"

"They're already dead," Imperial Concubine Xu said unhurriedly. She smiled brightly. "By now, they must be happy to be able to accompany the Emperor in the afterlife."

Even after all this time, Imperial Concubine Xu never loved her husband. What she wanted from marrying the Emperor was simply the power and position that could be given to her own son. Other than that, she didn't care about anything else in the slightest bit.

The Emperor also knew that he had to marry for political reason and not for love. Many of the concubines were those whom he needed to have relationship because of their parents. Some might not be of much importance but some were extremely important.

Having to share their husband, it was clear that the fight between the concubines was exceptionally fierce.

Wei Xiao Hua nodded. "In that case, let's visit the cold palace, Mother."

"Good child."

Watching as Imperial Concubine Xu and Baili Lin lead the way to the cold palace, Wei Xiao Hua slowly followed them. However, there was a complicated glint in her eyes.