After Rebirth, She Becomes the Revenge Queen-Chapter 581 - 368: The Rise and Fall of the World, Every Man’s Responsibility (Requesting Monthly Tickets)_2

Chapter 581: Chapter 368: The Rise and Fall of the World, Every Man’s Responsibility (Requesting Monthly Tickets)_2

Seven years ago, the war between Great Zhou and Dayue was intense, back when Duan Ruo was still the King of Dayue. Duan Mian was in exile within the borders of Great Zhou, and indeed had the conditions to commit the crime. However, he had been dead for many years by then, so it naturally couldn’t have been him.

Duan Mian’s son, Xu Yin, had just entered the court as an official. He didn’t have the power to do these things at the time, and judging by Xu Yin’s trajectory in the years that followed, his actions indeed did not intersect with those of King Yan at all.

So, it couldn’t have been someone from the Prince Yi Mansion.

It could only have been someone from Duan Ruo’s faction.

Duan Ruo was in Dayue commanding the war, so he certainly couldn’t have come to Great Zhou Capital himself.

On the contrary, it was very likely to be his son, Lian Yang, whom he had let roam outside.

Fu Zhen had narrowed down the target and was about to listen further when a sudden thought flashed through her mind—

Lian Yang?!

Could it be possible that he had come to the Great Zhou Capital?!...

Inside the closed palace, the Empress looked at King Yan for a moment before calming down slightly.

"So how did you find Yi Yi?"

"The Guan father and son who died in the alley were taken from the pyre by the eldest brother and his men to be buried; I was bedridden, so although I could no longer follow or manage the matter, I was also half-skeptical of what that masked person said, so I discreetly had people keep watch at the city gates for several days. If anyone with a similar appearance entered the capital, they would go inquire about the origins.

"Later, they indeed caught sight of someone, but by the time they went to confront them, it was already too late as Zhang Shicheng had dragged the bodies outside the city to burn them.

"I couldn’t risk exposing myself in front of my second brother and Prince Rong, so the people I sent didn’t show themselves.

"But he found out that the eldest brother buried the Guan father and son at Longquan Temple. I presumed they were truly my kin, so once I located their burial place, I quietly dug them up again and reburied them elsewhere.

"As it was freshly turned earth, the eldest brother naturally didn’t notice anything suspicious.

"Later, when he went there to pay respects, I overheard his confession and couldn’t help but reveal myself."

"And how did you come to know that he was your eldest brother?!"

"When Mother sent guards out of the palace to seek medicine and to search for the whereabouts of the eldest brother, rumors occasionally leaked out. When I learned that I still had an elder brother, I would naturally investigate further!

"As long as you all were still searching for him, I knew he very likely wasn’t dead yet!"

The Empress pursed her lips and gazed at him, asking the final question: "Since you knew everything, how could you harden your heart to satisfy me for a full seven years?"

King Yan was speechless, tears welling up incessantly. As he cried, his crying turned into audible sobs, and his legs gave way, causing him to kneel on the ground.

Inside, there was only the sound of sobbing. The Empress watched the floor in front of her, her eyes gradually reddening.

Her eyes held grief, regret, heartbreak, and a sense of defeat.

"Although I was the mother of the world and raised three sons, not one conformed to my wishes or aligned with my heart. It shows my failure to deserve the title of virtuous Empress. Failing to cultivate a rightful Crown Prince for Great Zhou is my failure."

"Mother!" King Yan crawled forward on his knees, grabbing her hand, "Where is the eldest brother? I will go find him at once, narrate the whole truth to him, and bring him back to the palace!"

"It’s too late." The Empress’s tears overflowed as well. "He has never stayed in the palace for a single day, he does not know how to govern a country, nor does he know the Emperor’s skills. Even if he had returned to the palace seven years ago, he was only in his twenties and full of potential.

"But now he’s already over thirty, and even if he starts anew, it would take him at least several years to learn. Do you think the Emperor’s health can hold out for so many years?"

She looked at the young man before her with tear-filled eyes: "It’s not him you’ve delayed, nor me; it’s Great Zhou! It’s the people of the world who have just ushered in peace and stability!

King Yan appeared terrified, retreating in confusion: "I didn’t think about it so much... I actually thought, I’m not a person destined for a long life either, so once the Emperor declares me the Crown Prince, even if I die in a few years, before I die, I would reveal the whole truth to my eldest brother, and by then it wouldn’t be too late for him to return and take the throne!... Mother..."

Color drained from his face, mumbling incoherently: "What should I do now? What should I do?"

The Empress did not speak; she looked weakly forward, "What you need to do now is to safeguard this secret from the Emperor and wait for Qianqing Palace to decree your investiture as Crown Prince."

"No—I’m afraid—"

"You must dare!" The Empress stood up, firmly grabbing his arm with her right hand. "I don’t need you to govern the country now, you just need to bear the title of Crown Prince and move into the Eastern Palace. Just sit there and give the world peace of mind!"