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.

The cold palace was quite far from the location where the main hall was located. There were only a few soldiers around while the rest had died. Prince Ji Shu's soldiers were ordered to kill everyone and prevent those who were captured inside from getting out alive.

"Your Highness!"

"We're going inside now."

Imperial Concubine Xu knew the layout very well. It was not a secret that she had already ordered some people to draw the layout and kept the drawing safe in her residence. After all, it was important for her to know everything in the palace.

After a few turns, they arrived in an old building. There was no servant around and only one woman was sitting in before a table in front of the house. She didn't wear any makeup nor fancy clothes, so there were some traces of aging from her skin. However, her expression was calm and peaceful as if there was nothing wrong in this place at all.

When she heard footsteps, she raised her head and passed a glance to the entrance. Yet, her hands were still holding the same cup of tea that she has been holding all this time.

"You come, Xu'er?"

Xu'er?

Wei Xiao Hua never came to this place in the original novel. Because Prince Ji Shu was with them when they executed the Empress in the novel, he proceeded to take Wei Xiao Hua away to have some fun. But this time, she quickened the pace a little bit because she didn't want to see the mess in the hall.

The gore description in the novel already made her feel nausea.

Imperial Concubine Xu arched her eyebrows. "I never know that you've changed so much after all this time, Ling Jie."

Concubine Ling smiled faintly. There might be no makeup that she wore, but her appearance looked very beautiful. She looked at the three of them without any trace of fear.

"What brings my sister and her friends to visit me at this time? Unfortunately, I don't have anything but tea here, so I can't serve you."

Sister?

Wei Xiao Hua felt her brain short circuited for a moment when she heard the word. It was then she recalled that the two of them were actually blood related sisters. Concubine Ling was the older sister while Imperial Concubine Xu was the younger ones.

The novel only mentioned this once, so she didn't remember it until she heard their conversation with each other. The two sisters were from an ordinary family with not much backing but decent capability. Because the two sisters were extremely beautiful, the Emperor took fancy of them and took them as his concubines.

The older one never had any interest in the throne while the younger one was very excited. Not long after they entered the palace, both of them were pregnant, which was why Prince Ji Sheng and Prince Ji Shu was not that far in age. They only have several weeks' difference.

"I don't need the tea. I come here to inform you that your son will die soon."

Clack.

The previously composed Concubine Ling looked a bit disturbed. She raised her head and looked at Imperial Concubine Xu. "What did you say?"

"I said that your son will die soon, and you'll help us to achieve that."

Wei Xiao Hua thought that Concubine Ling would go hysterical, but what she saw next sent chills on her spine.

HAHAHAHA

Concubine Ling looked at the women who came but didn't even try to restrain her laugh. She laughed so freely as if she had received the best piece of news that she could possibly get. Tears also started to well up on the corner of her eyes.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Good," Concubine Ling said with a smile. "Finally I can get rid of that boy."

Imperial Concubine Xu's face turned ashen. She looked at her older sister as if she could not recognize her anymore. "He's your son and you want to see him die?"

"He's that man's child. Why do you think I'll care for him?" Concubine Ling asked back and looked straight to Imperial Concubine Xu's direction with an aghast smile. "If he could die in your hand, I don't mind in the slightest bit since he never allowed me to kill his child."

Wei Xiao Hua was stunned speechless. Seeing the crazy expression on Concubine Ling's face, she felt as if the entire world was turned upside down. It looked as if the decision to send Prince Ji Sheng to the frontline when he was nothing more than a ten years or so brat was not because the Emperor didn't favor him but because the Emperor wished to keep him away from his mother who tried to kill him.

In the palace, every concubine wished to have their son ascend the throne so that they would become the Empress Regent. Yet, Concubine Ling instead wished that she could kill her son because Prince Ji Sheng was the Emperor's child.

How messed up could this be?

Wei Xiao Hua felt that the author didn't mention this in the novel for a good reason. If she had shown such a crazy character, how many people would have run away in disgust?

Even she could feel chills creeping on her skin just from seeing Concubine Ling right now.

"What did you say?" Baili Lin found it hard to accept that Concubine Ling wished to have her son died so badly.

Concubine Ling looked at her sister and laughed sinisterly. "Aren't you the one who wished for me to be trapped in this place for my entire life? You killed my lover and forced me to attend the meeting just so that you can get close to the Emperor."