Killer Queen: Tyrant, prepare to die!

Chapter 49 The Tyrant's White Moonlight Asked Me Out Late at Night? The Gift Was the Empress Dowager's Last Edict

February 14th, 3:45 PM.

The dinner at Tangli Palace had just been cleared away when Bao'er, nestled in Jinshu's arms, burped from nursing, her little face flushed.

Shen Qingci sat under the lamp, flipping through the account books that Qian Sihai had just brought in today—Jinxiufang would open in three days, and all preparations were in their final stages.

"Your Highness," Jinshu coaxed Bao'er softly, then suddenly lowered her voice, "Xiao Luzi just delivered a message saying... there's a letter."

Shen Qingci didn't even look up: "Where did you come from?"

"I don't know. The letter was tucked inside the package of medicinal herbs that arrived today, and it was specifically addressed to... 'Night Phoenix'."

The hand that was turning the pages of the ledger paused.

Night Phoenix.

This was her code name outside the palace.

Besides the four core members—Qian Sihai, Mo Shisan, Sun Qiaoshou, and Zhao Laoshi—who knew this code name,

There were only the hidden threads left by the late Empress Dowager.

Secret communications, on the other hand, have fixed channels and codes.

We would never use such a crude method as "clamping it inside a herbal medicine package".

"Where's the letter?" Shen Qingci put down the account book.

Jinshu handed Bao'er to the wet nurse and took out a thin envelope from her sleeve.

The envelope was made of ordinary kraft paper, without a signature, except for a small phoenix with outstretched wings drawn in the lower right corner.

It has the same design as the one on the Empress Dowager's token.

Shen Qingci took the envelope, and the moment her fingertips touched the paper, her heart skipped a beat for no apparent reason.

She opened the envelope; inside was only a plain note with a line written in strong handwriting:

"At 3:45 PM tonight, in the private room 'Tingtao Pavilion' on the third floor of Wangjiang Tower."

After the passing of an old friend, he received gifts from the late Empress Dowager. Only Ye Huang was seen.

There was no name at the end, only a personal seal.

The design on the seal is quite unique—it's half a phoenix feather.

Shen Qingci stared at that line of text for a long time.

Wangjianglou is the tallest restaurant in Beijing, built over the river, with its three private rooms offering panoramic views of half of the city.

At 3:45 PM... exactly one hour after the palace gates were locked, the guards were at their most relaxed.

"Who could be the descendant of someone I've lost..." she murmured to herself.

Jinshu leaned closer for a look, her expression changing slightly: "Your Majesty, could this be a trap? The Liu family just fell, perhaps..."

"It doesn't look like it."

Shen Qingci shook his head.

"If the remnants of the Liu family wanted to set a trap, they would choose a more secluded place, not a crowded and conspicuous place like Wangjiang Tower. Besides..."

She pointed to the seal: "This pattern... I feel like I've seen it somewhere before."

Just then, footsteps came from outside the door.

It's Eunuch Li.

His legs have improved a lot in the past few days, and he can walk slowly without crutches now.

He came in carrying a bowl of freshly brewed medicine and paused for a moment when he saw the letter in Shen Qingci's hand.

"Your Majesty, this is..."

"Master, you've come at the right time." Shen Qingci handed him the letter. "Take a look at this."

Eunuch Li put down the medicine bowl and took the letter.

When he saw the phoenix feather seal, his hand trembled violently, and the letter almost fell to the ground.

"This...this is..." His voice trembled.

"Does Master know him?"

Eunuch Li did not answer immediately.

He walked under the lamp, brought the letter close to his eyes, and examined the seal carefully several times, even rubbing the ink marks with his fingers.

Then, he slowly raised his head, his eyes filled with shock and...excitement.

"Your Majesty," his voice was extremely low, yet trembling uncontrollably, "this is...this is half of the late Empress Dowager's personal seal!"

Shen Qingci's heart skipped a beat: "The late Empress Dowager?"

"Yes." Eunuch Li nodded emphatically. "The late Empress Dowager had two private seals."

One is a complete phoenix, used in formal documents.

The other one... is this half of a phoenix feather, which she used when communicating privately with people she trusted.

No more than five people in the entire world know of the existence of this seal.

He paused, a complex light flashing in his eyes: "And among these five people, there is one... who is the late Empress Dowager's adopted daughter, Princess Xiao of Zhenbei."

Princess Consort of Zhenbei?

Shen Qingci suddenly remembered something: "Xiao Jue's mother?"

"That's right." Eunuch Li nodded.

"The Princess Consort of Zhenbei and the late Empress Dowager were like mother and daughter. When the late Empress Dowager was seriously ill, the Princess Consort entered the palace to take care of her for three months."

This personal seal... was most likely given to the princess at that time.

"So the person who wrote the letter..."

"They're most likely from the Prince of Zhenbei's residence," Eunuch Li said confidently.

"Moreover, the letter said that there were 'relics left by the late Empress Dowager' as gifts... This old servant guesses that it is probably that item."

Shen Qingci pressed, "What is it?"

Eunuch Li did not answer immediately.

He walked to the door, made sure no one was outside, and then closed the doors and windows tightly before returning to Shen Qingci, his voice so low it was almost inaudible:

"A blank secret decree."

Shen Qingci was stunned: "Blank...a secret decree?"

"Yes." Tears welled up in Eunuch Li's eyes. "Before the late Empress Dowager passed away, she wrote a secret edict in front of this old servant."

The decree was blank, but it bore the Empress Dowager's imperial seal and personal stamp. The Empress Dowager said... "This decree is for the future."

"Whom should it be left to?"

Eunuch Li looked at her and said, word by word, "It's for you, Your Majesty."

The room fell silent instantly.

The only sounds were the crackling of the lamp wick bursting open and the baby's babbling in the wet nurse's arms.

Shen Qingci stood there, her mind blank.

The late Empress Dowager... left her a blank secret edict?

Why?

"The Empress Dowager said," Eunuch Li's voice choked with emotion, "that the girl from the Shen family is kind-hearted, but too upright."

This palace is a den of iniquity; I fear she will suffer mistreatment in the future.

This imperial decree... can be seen as leaving her a way out.

No matter what happens in the future, as long as she fills in the information, her life will be saved.

He wiped his eyes: "But the Empress Dowager didn't expect that before this decree even reached you, you..."

Then something bad happened.

The witchcraft case, the deposed empress, and the cold palace.

Everything happened too fast, too fast to catch.

"Then this imperial decree..." Shen Qingci's voice was somewhat hoarse.

"They should be with the Princess of Zhenbei."

Li Gonggong said,

"The Empress Dowager entrusted the decree to the Princess for safekeeping, saying that it would be given to you three years after your wedding."

But you passed away the year after your wedding… so this imperial decree never had a chance to reach you.”

Shen Qingci took a deep breath.

Blank secret edict.

What does this mean?

This means that as long as she fills in the contents and affixes the late Empress Dowager's seal, it becomes a legally valid imperial edict.

It could be a pardon, a reward, or... a reversal of the verdict.

Her heart was pounding.

"Your Majesty," Jinshu whispered, "it's almost time for the third quarter of Hai hour..."

Shen Qingci looked out the window.

The sky had completely darkened, and the palace lanterns were lit one by one.

There is less than an hour left until the third quarter of Hai hour.

To go or not to go?

If it's a trap, this journey is extremely dangerous.

But if it's true... that blank secret decree might be the most crucial step for her to overturn the case in the future.

"Master," she looked at Eunuch Li, "do you think... we should go?"

Eunuch Li remained silent for a long time.

"This old servant doesn't know," he finally said, "but if it were this old servant... I would go."

He looked at her, his eyes filled with trust: "Your Majesty, you are no longer Shen Qingci from three years ago. You are Ye Huang. Ye Huang... it's time for you to spread your wings."

Shen Qingci closed her eyes.

Many images flashed through my mind—the snow in the cold palace, the scorching heat of the fire, Bao'er's cries at birth, and Nangong Ye's desolate figure standing under the tree.

Then, she opened her eyes.

Only unwavering determination remained in his eyes.

The item may be key to overturning the verdict in the future.