Quick Transmigration: Knowing I'm a Bad Woman, Yet Still Liking Me?

The people in the hall were stunned for only a moment, and then the Imperial Guards, the Eastern Depot, and the Embroidered Uniform Guards all began to draw their swords.

However, amidst the flashes of cold light, these blades were not aimed at the people in the hall, but rather at Wang Shun'an.

Wei Ci rushed forward and held a knife to Wang Shun'an's neck. "Wang Shun'an, how dare you slander us? We are paid by the emperor and are loyal to him. How could we stoop to your level?"

Wang Shunan's smug expression froze instantly. He slowly looked at Wei Ci, his eyes filled with shock, "You, you..."

The Empress Dowager's expression was icy. She glanced at Wang Shun'an and said in a deep voice, "Guards, seize this traitor Wang Shun'an, interrogate him thoroughly, and kill anyone implicated."

The Fourth Prince and Shen Xun'er were too frightened to speak. They knew they had lost, and there was no point in saying anything. They just stared blankly as Wang Shun'an was covered in the mouth and roughly taken away.

The capital was draped in white mourning clothes, and Xiao Chengyu's coffin lay in state in the palace for twenty-seven days.

When the coffin was carried out, people knelt along the streets to see it off.

Three days after entering the mausoleum, the new emperor Xiao Jingyu ascended the throne in accordance with the late emperor's will and announced it to the world.

The fourth prince was arrested three days after Xiao Chengyu's death, accused of plotting to murder the emperor.

According to the diagnosis of the Imperial Medical Academy, Wang Shunan had suffered a shock and gone mad.

The remaining members of the Shen family hidden behind him were robbed by bandits and slaughtered overnight.

As for Shen Xun'er, Bai Yuan directly made her die for Xiao Chengyu.

While the government and the public were shaken, everyone also breathed a sigh of relief.

If they can't find the person who poisoned His Majesty, they will be worried about the Fifth Prince's safety and will also suspect Bai Yuan.

As for Wang Shunan's identity and the fact that the Fourth Prince was not of royal blood, these were not made public.

Firstly, it would damage the royal family's reputation; secondly, it was to protect Wei Ci and the deputy commander.

Before Shen Xun'er died, she insisted on seeing Bai Yuan one last time, and of course Bai Yuan went, otherwise why would she kick her while she was down?

The women chosen to be buried alive were all kept in temporary accommodations. There weren't many of them, but they were all carefully selected by Bai Yuan for Xiao Chengyu.

For example, Shen Xun'er, Consort Li, the late Empress, and Consort Shu, the mother of the Second Prince.

Well, she can't be called Consort Shu now. Before, because the Second Prince was suspected of treason, Xiao Chengyu demoted her to the lowest rank, completely stripping her of her title.

Logically speaking, concubines with children would not be chosen as those to be buried alive with the emperor.

But Bai Yuan didn't care about any of that. She was going to use her power for personal gain. Otherwise, why would she bother climbing up the ladder?

It doesn't matter if you have children. For example, Consort Li's princess was Consort Hui's child, and she directly gave her to a noble lady who looked pleasing to the eye to raise.

Anyone who could threaten her, or anyone she disliked, was put on the list of those to be buried alive.

After all, they had known each other for a while, and she couldn't let Xiao Chengyu travel alone.

As soon as Bai Yuan entered the temporary residence, she heard bursts of crying, and some people were unwilling to leave.

But the courtyard was completely surrounded, so it wasn't so easy to escape.

What Bai Yuan didn't expect was that the most fiery-tempered one was actually the late Empress, who committed suicide on her very first day of being imprisoned.

She didn't want to go inside, so she sat in the courtyard and had someone bring Shen Xun'er out.

Shen Xun'er's expression was indifferent, but her hair and clothes remained neat and clean.

Her eyes brightened slightly when she saw Bai Yuan. "You've come."

Bai Yuan sat upright without speaking, her gaze falling on her with a hint of appreciation.

For people of this era, Shen Xun'er was quite bold; she genuinely admired the other party's methods.

By using the fourth prince, he directly caused the empress and the concubine to suffer a major setback, and his subsequent methods were basically all fatal.

Shen Xun'er suddenly laughed, a desolate laugh. "I schemed against everyone in the harem, but I failed to bring you and the General's Mansion down with me. I realized then that you were the one who was hiding the deepest secret. If I had more time, just a few more years, I would definitely not have lost."

After saying that, seeing that Bai Yuan still didn't respond, she softened her tone and asked, "When did you discover my plan?"

"It's quite early." Bai Yuan's voice was flat, revealing no emotion.

She learned all this through the plot.

Even if she didn't know the plot, if she wanted to climb the ranks, she would still try to win over Wei Ci and then thoroughly investigate Shen Xun'er.

After all, she first went to the Qi family, and then came to his side, encouraging him to go to the Imperial Garden. It was all too obvious.

She didn't lose because of her methods, but because of her arrogance.

Shen Xun'er's smile froze on her face. "When was that?"

"I'll have someone keep an eye on you as soon as you enter the Jade Hibiscus Palace."

A look of resentment welled up in her eyes. "So, you knew about my affairs?"

"Know."

Shen Xun'er gave a bitter laugh. "You just watch me fight with those people in the harem, and then scheme against me behind my back?"

Bai Yuan laughed along, "Heh, it's as if you wouldn't compete with others if I didn't scheme against you. You chose your own path, so don't make excuses if you lose. If you want to climb higher, you have to be able to accept defeat."

Shen Xun'er seemed to be provoked by her, "No, it's not like that at all. Actually, I was just a little short. I told Wang Shun'an a long time ago that Wei Ci wasn't that reliable, but he wouldn't listen. If it weren't for the Eastern Depot turning against us, this empire... should have been mine."

"You're far from good enough," Bai Yuan interrupted her.

She was able to rule from behind the curtain because her son was still young.

The Fourth Prince is already quite old. Even if he were to ascend the throne, Shen Xun'er would at most be an Empress Dowager.

As for Wang Shunan, no matter what, he was still an old eunuch.

Shen Xun'er's eyes reddened. "What makes you say that? Oh, I know, you just look down on me and don't want to acknowledge my abilities. But do you know? My Shen family was once a powerful and influential family. We were wrongly accused by the late emperor and executed. It was only with great difficulty that a few of us escaped. We just wanted revenge. What did we do wrong?"

As she spoke, she roared, "You were able to win because of your father. If I had the General's Mansion as my backing, why would I have had to go through such a difficult journey?"

"What do your family's tragic experiences have to do with me?"

Bai Yuan was somewhat disappointed in her. If she wanted revenge, she should have killed Xiao Chengyu as soon as possible; they would have had plenty of opportunities.

It's all because they covet imperial power. This whole charade is completely unnecessary.

It's not wrong for people to have ambition.

Bai Yuan didn't want to watch her go crazy anymore, so she got up and left.

As she turned away, she said casually, "Guess what the first thing the fourth prince will do if he really does ascend the throne?"

Shen Xun'er was stunned upon hearing this.

The novel is just a novel, and the story only goes up to the point where Shen Xun'er becomes the Empress Dowager.

The fourth prince knew early on that he was not a real prince, so after he ascended the throne, he would first appease Shen Xun'er and Wang Shun'an, and then find an opportunity to eliminate them completely.

Only when no one in the world knows his true identity can he truly become emperor.