Autumn is thickening, the ginkgo tree leaves in the city of the capital is golden, beautiful. And at this time, the Minister's house, but the white silk and black streamers fluttering in the wind, a desolate scene, returned to the capital after three months, the Chancellor Zhao Zhiqian finally did not survive this serious illness, passed away. The Emperor pitied the orphans of loyal ministers, Zhao Qingli, the only daughter of the Chancellor of Qingli County for the Lord of Qingli County.

At that time, Zhao Qingli was dressed in white silk and was guarding the Spiritual Hall. The subordinate came to inform him:

"Miss, the Sixth Princess and an extra horse harnessed by the side of a team have come to offer their condolences."

Zhao Qingli turned around and saw Cheng Mingzhao and Qin Wan'er walking side by side, the man was heroic and the woman was delicate, a good pair of wall people made in heaven.

"County Lord, please save your grief. Mother Empress is worried that County Lord is too sad and has ordered my couple to come and visit."

Qin Wan'er's expression was a bit cold, but not arrogant. Zhao Qingli thought that she should know that she and Cheng Mingzhao were engaged to be married, and she was still able to be so polite and generous, it seemed that Mingzhao had married a good wife.

"Thank you very much for your concern, when things are over at home, Qing Li will go to the palace to thank you." "County Lord ...... Condolences."

Cheng Mingzhao paused and finally said nothing more.

"Thank you for the General's concern." Zhao Qing Li bowed slightly in return and turned to lead them into the Spirit Hall.

After the incense was served, Qin Wan'er did not want to stay any longer and said goodbye to Zhao Qingli:

"Yi An is still young, he will cry if he doesn't find me in a while. We won't stay much longer, County Master, take care of your health."

"Yi An?" Zhao Qingli was slightly stunned, her eyes glancing at Cheng Mingzhao. Yi An was Qing Li's alias when she pretended to be a man to join the poetry club, and only Cheng Mingzhao knew about it in the whole world.

Cheng Mingzhao stood at Qin Wan'er's side, half a step behind her, his expression maintaining the right amount of distance, but his eyes were fixed on Zhao Qingli, and his eyes were swirling with grief as thick as the sea. With mixed feelings in her heart, Zhao Qingli bowed to Qin Wan'er and said goodbye to them.

After taking care of his father's affairs, it was already early winter. Wrapped in a thick fox fur coat, Zhao Qingli boarded a carriage and went to the palace to thank her for her kindness. The fox fur was a gift from Cheng Mingzhao. That year, Cheng Mingzhao was ordered to leave the Customs House, and on his way back in triumph, he hunted a white fox and sought out the best craftsmen in Shangjing, and made this cloak and gave it to Zhao Qingli. In the cold wind, it seems that only this cloak can bring some warmth.

"My daughter Zhao's Qing Li, see Empress Dowager. Thank you for your concern, Your Highness."

Kun Ning Palace is warm as spring, the shop is burning silver wire charcoal, a wisp of light smoke swirls in the incense burner, a room of cozy fragrance. The Empress was sitting on the upper seat, a magnificent phoenix robe accentuating her nobility and majesty. Zhao Qingli knelt down and bowed respectfully before the Empress. The Empress wore a dignified smile, watching Zhao Qingli's every move, she couldn't help but sigh in her heart, "It's true that you are the daughter of a scholar family, but it's just as well, what this palace wants is for you to be knowledgeable and reasonable.

Zhao Qing Li stood up, took off her cloak and handed it to the palace maid, then stood with her head down, not seeing the Empress' pensive gaze as she looked at the fox fur cloak. Suddenly, the Empress stood up and waved her hand at the maids:

"All of you go downstairs, this palace will say a few words about itself to the prefectural lord."

"Yes." The palace maids replied quietly, gently leaving the palace and bringing the door with them. The empress spoke slowly:

"Qing Li, do you know that the Ming Dynasty made a deal with this palace to save your Zhao family?"

"A deal?" Zhao Qingli raised her head in shock, her pupils flickering with disbelief.

"Now that it has come to this, this palace will not hide it from you. Back then, Ming Chao promised to marry Wan Er, and in return, this palace helped him vindicate your Zhao family. Now that this palace's promise has been fulfilled, I only hope that you and Ming Chao will draw a clear line from now on and never interact again."

"Yi An, he named his son Yi An! No wonder, no wonder ......"

The Empress' words were like sharp blades that sliced into Zhao Qingli's mind. She immediately understood many details that she couldn't comprehend, and at the same time, her mind was shaken by the impact of the truth. It turned out that Cheng Mingzhao, her Mingzhao, had never betrayed the oath.

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The Empress didn't say a word, quietly watching Zhao Qingli's expression change from shocked to touched to sad. Only after a long time did she speak again:

"Wan Er is simple in nature and does not know anything about this, this palace does not want her to be harmed, do you understand?"

Only then did Zhao Qingli come to her senses, take a deep breath and slowly saluted: "Yes.The Empress ordered the female officer in the palace to personally escort Zhao Qingli out of the palace. Zhao Qingli followed behind the female officer, her footsteps were light, and she was in a trance, and when the female officer turned back to salute, she realized that she had already gone to the entrance of the palace. Zhao Qing Li lifted her head and looked around, at some point, the daylight pierced through the clouds and shone on the lofty palace, which was golden and brilliant. Zhao Qingli took a deep breath, turned around and left the palace, getting into the carriage waiting at the entrance.

Suddenly, a shouting sound came from outside the carriage, it was the ministers who had left the court, and they all walked out of the palace gate towards their own carriages.

"Miss, are we going back to the palace?" The coachman asked outside.

"Wait first." Zhao Qingli lifted the curtain of the carriage and looked out through the crack. "Maybe the Ming Dynasty has come to the court as well. Just a look, just a look."

At this moment, Zhao Qingli's thoughts about Cheng Mingzhao had reached their peak. The truth that she was not betrayed by the one she loved had been slowly awakening her cold heart for a long time, but the reality of parting love and not being able to seek it made her feel an enormous amount of anger. In this whole incident, there is no bad guy, she even hates, can not find a hateful person.

Suddenly, just as Zhao Qingli was about to reveal the tenderness of a young woman's family, a thunderbolt exploded. Two officials from the neighboring court were walking and talking, and as they passed the Zhao family's carriage, a conversation drifted into the carriage:

"Hey, Lord Zhao's death was really somewhat unjust ah ......"

"Senior Zhang is careful with his words! His Majesty's move is also for the sake of the kingdom's stability. Since ancient times, collusion between civil ministers and military generals has been a big taboo, not to mention that His Majesty only wanted to put Lord Zhao on hold for three years and then reinstate him, no one expected Lord Zhao to suddenly pass away ah"

"Lord Liu is right, it's just that the poor bookish Zhao family that has been passed down through generations is now left with only one orphaned daughter, the creation of the world ah ......"

"(Zhao Qingli's heavy trembling breath)"

Zhao Qingli was like five thunderbolts, her ears rumbling. Her heart was beating violently, her body was shaking, her hands were clenched into fists, her nails were digging deep into her palms, but she couldn't feel any pain.

Civilian ministers conspiring with military generals? It turned out that ...... it was because of her! She was the one who brought down the entire Zhao family! The father's deathbed was filled with guilt, thinking that it was his own career change that caused his wife to die in a foreign land, his daughter to lose her love, and the root cause of it all turned out to be himself! No wonder she and Cheng Mingzhao just engaged to marry, has always been clean and honest, in the civil official reputation of the father was inexplicably exiled because of the crime of trespassing on other people's land, no wonder when Cheng Mingzhao many points are useless, and once married to the emperor's daughter, the Zhao family case was suddenly vindicated, no wonder that they just returned to the capital, the father immediately returned to his official position. Sadly, on his deathbed, his father was still grateful for His Majesty's wisdom and blamed himself for not being able to continue serving the court and sharing His Majesty's worries!

Great anger filled Zhao Qingli's chest. The emperor had framed loyalists and let her family die just to balance the court and gain military power, but what had she done wrong? What had her father and mother done wrong? Why, why, why!

The flames of anger burned brightly, almost consuming Zhao Qingli's mind. She shook uncontrollably and forced herself to calm down. She lifted the curtain of the carriage once again and looked at the towering vermilion palace wall, the bright color seeming to be covered in human blood.

Just then, an erect figure stepped out of the palace gate. He was wrapped in a black cloak, his face was cold, and his steps were hurried.

"Ming Dynasty, take care."