Emperor Mingxian suddenly put down his teacup, squinted at the outside, and said, "The night sky seems particularly bright tonight."
"Yes, Your Majesty, the night sky is exceptionally beautiful tonight, and tomorrow will surely be another fine day." Fu Shun smiled meaningfully.
"Good weather is good, and it's getting late. Serve me to rest." Emperor Mingxian stood up, but a dark glint flashed in his eyes before disappearing. Fushun immediately bowed and followed Emperor Mingxian to the inner room to rest. Emperor Mingxian was very serious about official business, and sometimes he would rest in the Imperial Study if he worked late. There was a room for resting in the back, where two men in black were already kneeling. Emperor Mingxian waved his hand, and the men in black retreated. He whispered a few words in Fushun's ear and then left.
Fu Shun helped Emperor Mingxian undress and said softly, "Your Majesty, the weather is nice tonight, but it's a bit dry and hot."
Emperor Mingxian smiled and said, "You can handle it. I'm tired."
Fu Shun acknowledged and withdrew, but dared not go far. He stood respectfully at the inner gate. When he sensed that Emperor Mingxian had fallen asleep, he had two trusted eunuchs keep watch over him, and then he went to the outer room to take a nap.
Emperor Mingxian lay down on the bed, but did not fall asleep immediately. Instead, a cold smile appeared on his face, his eyes darkened, and finally he closed his eyes and fell asleep.
A day later, and two days later, an urgent letter arrived at the palace. Baili Cheng, who had been ordered to suppress the bandits, had been received by local officials. Baili Cheng was supposed to arrive in a few days, but these officials, eager for merit, had sent men to inquire a few days earlier. However, the returning men reported no news of the Crown Prince. Enraged, the officials dispatched a large force. They discovered something unusual in the forest where a fire had recently broken out: ashes, partially burned human and horse bones, and even unmelted silver and jade artifacts. Clearly, someone had been there, and according to their investigation, quite a few people had died. However, the fire was too intense; although they found human bones, no whole bodies remained, and even based on what they found, they didn't know the exact number of dead.
The official sent men to search along the original route, at each fork in the road, but there was no news of Baili Cheng. He was terrified. Could the Crown Prince have been in the fire? He was afraid of taking responsibility, but he had to report it. Besides, they were still far away at the time, and no one knew how the fire started. Perhaps someone near the Crown Prince's residence accidentally set it on fire, making it difficult to implicate him. So the message was sent to the palace by fast horse.
Emperor Mingxian was extremely anxious upon hearing this and immediately dispatched a large number of people to search for him. However, for half a month, there was still no news of Baili Cheng. Near the fire, they also found a piece of jade fragment that the Crown Prince liked to carry close to his body. This undoubtedly provided a new clue to confirm Baili Cheng's whereabouts, but it was a sad result. Emperor Mingxian was very sad and suspended the morning court for two days. Finally, after being persuaded by his ministers, Emperor Mingxian issued an edict to hold a funeral for the Crown Prince.
This time, however, it's quite puzzling. The Crown Prince died without a complete body; even his ashes were left in such a place that it was impossible to tell which parts belonged to him. They had no choice but to grab a handful of soil, add some jade fragments from his body, and mix them with other ingredients to create a venomous curse before burying him. This is probably the most aggrieved death for a member of the Great Zhou Dynasty royal family. Even the death of Baili Jian, though a gruesome one, at least left him with neatly arranged ashes. Compared to the Crown Prince's indistinguishable burial in the royal mausoleum, Baili Jian would have been better off even if buried outside.
Upon hearing that Baili Cheng had been burned to death, the Empress fell ill immediately and was unable to even get out of bed to attend the funeral. Baili Cheng's death shook the court and the public. The ministers who had relied on Baili Cheng were now somewhat bewildered; it was all too sudden, leaving many of them unprepared for their future. Because of Baili Cheng, they had naturally favored other princes, and most of them were not close to either the Seventh or Ninth Prince. Moreover, with Baili Cheng dead, only Baili Chen and Baili Mao remained as the most qualified contenders for the throne. It seemed a major upheaval was imminent in the court.
In the Empress's Palace of Peace and Joy, the Empress lay on her large bed, sobbing incessantly. She was not sleeping soundly, her head shaking repeatedly, large beads of sweat rolling down her forehead. "Cheng'er!" Suddenly, the Empress's eyes widened, and she sat up abruptly, her eyes still filled with the horror and confusion of her dream.
"Your Majesty, you've had another nightmare. Quickly drink some water to soothe your throat." Lanhe, who was standing nearby, immediately brought water and handed it to the Empress's lips.
The Empress did not drink it immediately. Her expression was stiff, and she seemed somewhat dazed. Suddenly, she blurted out, "Where is Cheng'er?"
Lan He and the several palace maids serving her dared not speak. The Crown Prince was dead, a fact known throughout the Great Zhou Dynasty. The Empress looked at them blankly, seemingly unaware, before suddenly shouting angrily, "I am asking you a question! How dare you disobey my orders!"
"Thump, thump," all the palace maids knelt down, but dared not utter a single word.
The Empress stared at them coldly, remaining silent for a long time before suddenly saying, "Get out!"
The palace maids, as if granted a pardon, hurriedly ran out, fearing the Empress might try to torment them again; they couldn't withstand such fright. Since Baili Cheng's death, they had all become much more cautious. Everyone knew that in the palace, having a child meant hope, a powerful backer. The Empress had been framed because she had given birth to the Crown Prince. Over the years, the Crown Prince had become the most likely candidate to seize the throne, making the Empress's position as Empress as secure as it could possibly be. But now, it seemed that while she might still hold onto her position, things had changed.
Now that all the princes have grown up, and Consort Fen has just died, there are simply no newborn princes in the palace for the Empress to raise. Although the birth mothers of the three and seven princes are all deceased, they are still the children of the Emperor's first wife, holding a higher status than Baili Cheng. How could they be adopted by a concubine? That would be lowering their status. Besides, the seventh prince and the Crown Prince haven't gotten along over the years. Even if the Crown Prince's past affairs haven't spread widely, those who are interested understand what happened. Even if the Empress wanted to raise him, it's impossible for her to do so.
The Fourth Prince was sickly and frail, which the Empress had never taken a liking to, so there was no possibility of him being adopted. The Ninth Prince, Baili Mao, was also alive and his mother was still alive, and he was already an adult. There was no situation where Emperor Mingxian had no children and needed to be adopted. Under these circumstances, the possibility of him being adopted by the Empress was almost nonexistent.
Even if the empress holds a high position, she will certainly not become the emperor in the end, no matter who it is. And even if she were to adopt a prince in the end, could she really help that prince ascend the throne? She would be using her power, but these are all grown princes who are already sensible. Who would really treat her like a real mother? She might end up doing all the work for someone else and ending up pleasing neither side.
The Empress's mood must be terrible, utterly terrible. The death of Baili Cheng is an indelible wound in her heart. Since entering the palace, the Empress had only conceived two children, a rarity in the palace; some women never had children at all. Yet, she lost both of them. The Empress loved Baili Jing more, but Baili Jing and Baili Cheng had acted out of line. Baili Jing even became pregnant with Baili Cheng's child. Leaving aside the fact that this child was her own brother's, which would be condemned and scorned by the world, thus affecting Baili Cheng's reputation, even for a princess like Baili Jing, premarital pregnancy was absolutely unacceptable. Didn't the Empress feel pain? Of course she did, but what could she do? Great men don't concern themselves with trifles. She endured the heartache and poisoned her own daughter. The Empress often dreamt of Baili Jing's angry and resentful death, but the Empress felt she had done the right thing. As long as Baili Cheng ultimately ascended the throne, everything would be worthwhile, and everything she had done would be forgiven.
Baili Jing deeply loved Baili Cheng, didn't she? She would understand that. After Baili Jing's death, the Empress gave all her love to Baili Cheng, but who could have imagined that such a thing would happen? In the end, she couldn't even protect her son, her last support.
When the Empress heard the news, her first reaction was that it was no longer possible to adopt a prince. What should she do? What should the Lin family do? What should she do about Cheng'er's revenge?
That fire was so strange. Why was there such a big fire? And how could those elite guards be so incompetent? Even if it was an accidental fire, how could they not have rescued Baili Cheng immediately? Instead, the entire army was wiped out and burned to death inside. Were all of them asleep at night? Otherwise, how could not a single person have escaped?
After calming down, the Empress suddenly realized that something was wrong. First, the Emperor had asked the princes to go and suppress the bandits. Only a few princes knew about this first. By the time Baili Cheng set off, even some of his enemies would not have reacted so quickly. These people must be among the princes.
The Empress's face was extremely cold, and she suddenly sneered: "The position of Crown Prince is not easy to hold. Now that my son has died tragically, who among you can still sit on it?"
The Empress suddenly stood up: "Help me get dressed, I'm going to the Empress Dowager's palace to pay my respects." The Empress's smile was very strange. No matter who it was, she would not let these princes go, but the biggest suspect was Baili Chen, who had recently had a conflict with Baili Cheng.
She had already done everything she could to protect this major threat, not killing him back then but letting him run rampant for so long!
☆、248、She's about to give birth!
Inside Chengxiang Hall, the Empress Dowager was resting. When the Empress arrived, she was naturally refused entry into the main hall. The only one who dared to do so was Zhan Mama, who had accompanied the Empress Dowager to the palace when she was young. Zhan Mama was a very serious and cautious person, and even the Empress did not dare to be presumptuous in front of her. If one were to ask who the Empress Dowager trusted most, it would probably not be any relative, but rather this servant.
"Did Mother Empress just rest?" The Empress asked Zhan Mama, sitting at the lower end of the table.
Granny Zhan, dressed in a dark brown cross-collar palace maid uniform with only two symmetrical silver hairpins in her hair, bowed respectfully to the Empress and said, "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager has just fallen asleep. I wonder if Your Majesty has anything to say? Would you like me to inform the Empress Dowager later? The Empress Dowager is always a light sleeper, and once she is awakened, it is difficult for her to fall back asleep. She has also been feeling a bit unwell lately, so please forgive me for not waking her up in time."
Although the Empress was anxious, she suppressed her urgency. Having served the Empress Dowager for many years, she understood her well. The Empress Dowager appeared kind and approachable only if you didn't offend her or cross her; otherwise, you might not even know how you died. The Empress Dowager had indeed been a light sleeper since her youth; the slightest sound could wake her. When the Empress Dowager was favored in the palace, the late Emperor punished countless palace maids for her sake. From then on, when the Empress Dowager rested, the maids only dared to stay in the outer hall of her room, constantly straining their ears, afraid they wouldn't hear her if she woke up. If the Empress were to disturb the Empress Dowager now, even though she was the Empress Dowager's niece, a reprimand would be inevitable.
"What are you saying, Granny Zhan? The Empress is resting, how could I disturb her? I will wait here for the Empress to wake up, Granny Zhan need not mind." The Empress said calmly, much more silent and indifferent than usual. Granny Zhan watched quietly, guessing more or less the Empress's purpose for coming, but said nothing and stepped aside.
After a while, the palace maids brought tea and fruit, and the Empress drank her tea while waiting. Almost half an hour later, some noises came from inside. Zhan Mama immediately said, "It may be that the Empress Dowager has woken up. Your Majesty, please wait a moment, I will be right back." Zhan Mama went in, and the sounds inside seemed to be louder. The Empress knew that the Empress Dowager had indeed woken up.
The Empress squinted, gently smoothing the folds in her skirt. She had already stood up and was waiting for the Empress Dowager to come out. Soon, the Empress Dowager came out, supported by Granny Zhan and a pretty palace maid. The Empress Dowager was only wearing a bright yellow phoenix dress, with only a single phoenix hairpin in her hair. Her face was somewhat pale, and her eyes seemed a little red and swollen. When the Empress saw this, her heart suddenly ached. She thought of her son, but she did not forget the rules. She first bowed and said, "Your daughter-in-law greets Your Majesty."
The Empress Dowager ascended to the seat of honor and looked at the Empress, who, though dressed in luxurious attire, had an extremely unpleasant expression, with bloodshot eyes and a pale face. She sighed deeply and said, "Get up quickly."
The Empress sat down upon hearing this, but the more she thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt, and tears streamed down her face. The Empress Dowager's eyes trembled slightly at the sight. She glanced at Zhan Mama, who immediately understood and dismissed everyone else from the hall. Only the Empress's two maids, the Empress Dowager, Zhan Mama, and another older maid, Mei, the Empress Dowager's chief maid, remained in the hall. The Empress Dowager let the Empress cry for a while, but the Empress was indeed crying bitterly. When the Empress entered the palace, she had come for the Empress Dowager's sake. From childhood to this age, she had done many things, using many underhanded methods to harm people, all so that she could enjoy the Empress Dowager's later years in peace. Now that Baili Cheng was dead, the Empress seemed to have lost all hope. Even though she told herself she couldn't give up, she simply couldn't accept this reality.
Two children—one she personally ordered to be poisoned to death, and the other died so mysteriously. No matter which one it was, thinking about it now still causes her immense heartache.
The Empress continued to sob, and the Empress Dowager, seeing that she showed no signs of stopping, said, "I know you are very sad right now, and I am too, but the dead cannot be brought back to life, you must try to think it through." With that, the Empress Dowager sighed deeply with heartache.
The Empress clutched her handkerchief, wiping away tears, but couldn't help glancing up at the Empress Dowager. Her heart tightened, and she wiped her eyes with the handkerchief, her voice hoarse as she said, "Mother, Cheng'er has always been very obedient and sensible all these years, and he is my hope for the next life. Now that he has died so mysteriously, I feel so much pain that I can't breathe."
"Your Majesty the Empress..." Lan He and Lan Ni, who had come with the Empress, saw her crying so sadly and wanted to comfort her, but they couldn't think of a way to do so.
The Empress Dowager felt a pang of pain when she saw the Empress's red eyes and her hands clutching the handkerchief so tightly they were almost twisted.
The fact that Baili Cheng, the Crown Prince of the Great Zhou Dynasty, was burned alive due to a possible oversight by his own people is unbelievable to anyone. Baili Cheng was a cautious man, and the Empress Dowager had taken good care of him since childhood. She knew Baili Cheng well; he wasn't the type to act recklessly. Even if he were, he would have deployed so many secret guards. In the event of a fire, they would have had no choice but to do everything in their power to protect Baili Cheng. How soundly asleep must these people have been to not notice the fire even when it was right in front of them, resulting in their complete demise? It's laughable, yet it happened despite its absurdity. No matter how doubtful or disbelieving they were, they had no evidence whatsoever.
When the news first arrived, the Empress Dowager had already sent people to investigate the area, and indeed found nothing unusual. Come to think of it, the person was burned to ashes; even if there was evidence, it would have been burned away long ago. Not to mention the area itself, a section of nearby woods was completely burned to the ground—it would be a miracle if they found any evidence at all.
The Empress Dowager and the Empress knew that things were not simple, but they couldn't even seek justice for Baili Cheng. Who could they seek justice from? Women of their status and position could influence everything they did, and their words and actions represented the dignity of the nation. They couldn't be out of line. To arbitrarily accuse someone was the behavior of a shrew. Could they do that?
The Empress Dowager sighed helplessly: "Yes, I don't know anything about this matter either, but it's already like this, and I can't think of a solution. People can't be brought back to life. Try to think more positively. We'll have to learn from what we've learned so far."
The Empress was taken aback and couldn't help but ask, "What do you mean by 'remembering the past'?"
The Empress Dowager's eyes were filled with undisguised pain. Finally, she said helplessly, "You know the current situation in the court. It's definitely impossible for the seventh prince among the four princes. The fourth prince is not a good help to us either. As for the third and ninth princes, you should think about it."
The Empress's heart tightened, her eyes suddenly darkened, and an invisible anger rose within her.
She understood the Empress Dowager's meaning, of course. Baili Cheng was the Crown Prince and the Empress's son, so he was very important. But he was dead after all. Even if Baili Cheng was dead, what difference would it make if many people were punished for this? Would Baili Cheng come back to life? Moreover, although they couldn't be sure who did it this time, it was done so cleanly and efficiently that she couldn't even find any evidence. Who could they seek revenge against? Who could they hold accountable? Reality is cruel like this. To hold a living person accountable for the crimes of a dead person—when faced with huge benefits, many people wouldn't choose that path. Besides, they had no evidence. If they wanted to make a scene, what could they use to do so?
One is the Empress Dowager, the other the Empress; both are figures of high renown and must be mindful of their words and actions. The matter concerning Baili Cheng appears to be an accident caused by the negligence of one of their own, yielding little to no results, yet they insist on investigating, which only makes them seem like they are wasting public resources. So many people die every day in this world; many grandmothers, mistresses, and children of both principal and concubines in high-ranking families die—were they ordinary people? Is it possible to investigate each and every one of them? If the Empress causes unrest in the capital because of this matter, people will inevitably question her abilities and her handling of affairs.
Now that Baili Cheng is dead, the Empress has no one to see her off in her old age. No one knows whether she will survive the struggles within the palace. Baili Cheng's death is like losing one, or perhaps both, arms of the Empress, leaving her to struggle on. If she were to cause panic and alienate the majority, it would only harm her future. Even if the Empress is heartbroken, she must quickly suppress the matter and pretend it never happened.
That's exactly what the Empress Dowager meant. They wanted to pretend none of this had happened, and for the sake of their future and the Lin family's future, they needed to choose someone they could continue to support. The Fourth Prince was too weak; that was definitely not an option. What if he died after only a few days on the throne? That would be even more troublesome. The Seventh Prince, Baili Chen, was even less likely to succeed. Ever since Baili Cheng and Baili Jing targeted the Chen Prince's Mansion, they had been irreconcilable enemies. They didn't want to support Baili Chen only to have him turn around and bite them back. Wolves are hard to tame.
As for the Third Prince, Baili Zhi, although he and Baili Chen share the same mother, Baili Zhi has always been out of favor. If they could sow discord between the brothers, they could restrain the Chen Prince's Mansion while achieving their own goals. This plan was feasible. As for the Ninth Prince, Baili Mao, although he was originally affiliated with the Fifth Prince, Baili Jian, he hadn't actually done anything to truly oppose them over the years, and the two sides hadn't completely fallen out. If they could win Baili Mao over and protect him on the throne, it would be a viable option. However, Baili Mao currently has the support of the Sun and Ning families. Although the Leng family hasn't expressed their stance, Leng Caidie is Baili Mao's principal wife. If they also have the support of the Empress Dowager and the Empress, the throne will undoubtedly belong to Baili Mao. But the Sun and Ning families wouldn't let the Empress Dowager and the Empress reap such a benefit for nothing. If the Lin family were to get involved, they might end up in a worse position if they really wanted to help Baili Mao, which would be undesirable.
However, Baili Zhi was Baili Chen's elder brother, and the two brothers usually had a good relationship, making it even more difficult to win him over. Among these four princes, each had their own problems, making it extremely difficult for them to change their allegiance even if they wanted to. Yet, they had no choice but to work on it. If any prince became emperor in the future and didn't have a friendly relationship with them, even if they became powerful figures, they would only be figureheads, which would be pointless.
Thinking of this, the Empress felt even more pain in her heart. She understood the reason, but she could not understand why the Empress Dowager said such things.
Is Baili Cheng just anyone? He was the Empress Dowager's first grandson, and also her grand-nephew. From any perspective, among the princes, Baili Cheng was the closest to the Empress Dowager. Baili Cheng has just died, his body barely cold, and his death was so shrouded in mystery. The Empress is still reeling from this, yet the Empress Dowager tells her to rest assured. He was the child she carried for ten months, her hope for becoming Empress Dowager. But now he's dead, half of her hope gone. And the Empress Dowager wants her to just let it go and quickly find another prince to help them? Which of the Empresses isn't on their side? Are they so easily won over? The Empress is indignant, equally furious and resentful. The Crown Prince has just died, and instead of feeling heartache and sadness, the Empress Dowager is thinking of winning over a new prince to their side. Doesn't she feel any grief at all?
The Empress's heart ached more and more as she thought about it, and her tone naturally carried a hint of resentment as she said, "What Your Majesty says is true, but how easy is it to find such a person? These princes have all grown up, each with their own thoughts. I'm afraid that any of them will eventually become ungrateful wretches, and then wouldn't we be asking for trouble? Actually, everyone knows that this matter was probably done by the Prince Chen's mansion. Back then, the Crown Prince was busy running around for the Prince Chen's rebellion, so naturally they harbor resentment. The burning of the Crown Prince's mansion back then is no different from the current situation. The people of the Prince Chen's mansion are really ruthless, and that brat Baili Chen really deserves to die. When the Crown Prince's mansion was burned down, they might have deliberately killed the beauties in the Crown Prince's mansion. Now the Crown Prince not only died unjustly, but he didn't even leave behind an heir. Otherwise, why would Your Majesty have to worry about which prince to support? Baili Chen is trying to cut off the Crown Prince's lineage. If we don't get rid of such a person sooner, he might cause us even more trouble in the future."
Hearing the Empress's resentment and dissatisfaction, the Empress Dowager narrowed her eyes, somewhat displeased, but said nothing, only advising, "I know you're upset, but we must face the facts. Cheng'er grew up under my watchful eye; how could I not love him? But now he's dead, his death shrouded in mystery. We want to do something, but we lack evidence. Of course, we must avenge him, but right now we can't do anything. We must wait for an opportunity. Otherwise, if we do anything now, so many eyes are watching to see what you do wrong. Do you think you can escape?" "Does it matter? Cheng'er is a sensible child. If you harm yourself because of this, I'm afraid he won't feel good down there either." Although the Empress Dowager's words were cold-blooded, she was not entirely without sorrow. The Empress was someone she had watched grow up, as was Baili Cheng. As an elder, she naturally loved her children and grandchildren. Baili Cheng had always been very well-behaved, and the Empress Dowager had indeed placed great hopes on him. However, in these two incidents, Baili Cheng had clearly acted somewhat hastily, ultimately leading to this predicament. The Empress Dowager's heart ached, and her eyes reddened. She had also cried sadly when she heard the news earlier.
However, the Empress Dowager had been in the palace since her youth, experiencing far more than the Empress. Unlike the Empress, she was consistently favored from the moment she entered the palace. This favor couldn't simply be due to the late Emperor's affection; she possessed considerable skill to maintain his favor. Compared to Emperor Mingxian, the late Emperor actually had more children and, predictably, more concubines. Yet, from the time she entered the palace until the late Emperor's death, she enjoyed unwavering favor. Furthermore, unlike Consort Sun's arrogance and indulgence, the Empress Dowager rarely faced negative rumors. In the late Emperor's eyes, the Empress Dowager was a perfect woman.
What kind of person is the most terrifying in the world? It's not the emperor who holds the power of life and death, nor the mighty general, nor the corrupt and lawless minister, and certainly not the ruthless bandits and outlaws. It's the perfect person, and a perfect person who wields great power and resides in the inner palace. This kind of perfect person has made acting a part of her body, a part of her life. No one knows whether she is being genuine or acting in her every word and action. The depth of her thoughts is far beyond what an empress can match.
Compared to the Empress Dowager, the Empress, though dignified and virtuous in demeanor, had been engaged in a constant struggle with Consort Sun ever since they entered the palace. Consort Sun's death was directly investigated and ended by the Empress. Later, with the growth of Consort Fenyan and the entry of Consort Sun into the palace, the Empress inevitably faced further conflict. Although the Empress was shrewd, her actions always provided ammunition for criticism. Even if people dared not speak openly, the Empress's outward actions were far inferior to the Empress Dowager's wisdom over the years, and even to the gentleness and magnanimity of Empress Bai. Even those in the palace who had never met Empress Bai spoke highly of her, something the Empress could never achieve. This was the power of shrewdness.
The Empress herself lacked the Empress Dowager's shrewdness and the Empress Bai's magnanimity. Her weakness lay in her somewhat petty nature. Moreover, the murder of her own son was something she could never accept, even if she knew the right course of action. Coupled with the Empress Dowager's calm analysis, it only fueled the Empress's resentment. Baili Cheng was her future hope; how could she let him die like this? She raised her head and stared intently at the Empress Dowager, saying, "Mother, tell me, was Baili Chen responsible for this incident?"
A hint of displeasure flashed in the Empress Dowager's eyes as she narrowed them and said, "That is possible."
"Mother, we cannot let Baili Chen live. Now that Cheng'er is dead, he is at the height of his power. If this continues, it will be too late for us to make our move. We cannot let him grow strong enough." The Empress's expression was somewhat strange. The Empress Dowager frowned and looked at her, saying, "Wan'er, your aunt understands your feelings, but you cannot be hasty now. You must calm down. Whatever you do now, if there is any unusual activity in the Chen Prince's mansion, everyone will know that you did it. This revenge will definitely be taken, but you must calm down. You must be obedient. Now is not the time to act recklessly."
"When will that be?!" the Queen exclaimed.
The Empress Dowager's expression turned cold and her voice grew even colder: "Lin Wan, listen to me carefully. The Lin family's century-old foundation cannot be destroyed in your hands, nor can it be ruined because of the death of a crown prince. Everyone understands your grief, but as the Empress, you no longer have the right to lose your composure, understand? If you want to die, I won't stop you, but if you cause the Lin family to suffer because of you, I will be the first to not forgive you. Go back and think it over. I will have people watching you during this time. If you want to do anything, you'd better think it over carefully. Go back."
The Empress was startled and looked up at the Empress Dowager in disbelief, only to see the Empress Dowager's unusually cold and stern expression. Startled, she gritted her teeth and left Chengxiang Palace. She had come today seeking advice from the Empress Dowager on how to avenge the Crown Prince, but who could have imagined the Empress Dowager would be so cold-blooded and ruthless, willing to disregard everything for her sake? Her heart must be black. From the moment the Empress entered the palace, she knew the Empress Dowager harbored immense ambition. She had never understood what ambition the Empress Dowager, already holding the position of Empress Dowager, could possibly have. Perhaps she was overthinking it, but the Empress Dowager's actions today sent chills down her spine. The Empress Dowager was too cold-blooded, as cold as a demon. Her own grandson was dead; how could she remain calm? Any grandmother, with the hope of her family gone, would lose her composure. But this woman, she was telling her to remain calm, telling her, a mother who had lost her own son, to remain calm. How could she remain calm?
The Empress Dowager is so cruel! In their hearts, she, Cheng'er, Jing'er, and the entire Lin family are probably just pawns in her game. Now that the pawns are dead, how could she, the one in control, possibly be sad? The Empress felt immense hatred in her heart. She wouldn't let Cheng'er's death go so easily, she definitely wouldn't.
In the hall, the Empress Dowager watched the Empress leave, shaking her head in disappointment. Zhan Mama couldn't help but say, "Empress Dowager, the Empress has just lost her son, so it's normal for her to behave this way."
The Empress Dowager shook her head and said, "I watched her grow up, how could I not know her temperament? Although I have kept her confined in the palace in recent years, and she is not as impulsive as before, she still does not meet my requirements. It's a pity. If she had half of Empress Bai's composure, I wouldn't have to worry so much."
Upon hearing this, Granny Zhan paused for a moment, then said softly, "But it seems that the Empress has misunderstood the Empress Dowager. Should I go and try to persuade the Empress?"
"Hmph!" The Empress Dowager snorted coldly: "If she doesn't even understand the principle that life cannot be brought back to life, and she still causes trouble for me, then there is no need to pay attention to her anymore. Even if we help her up, she will only cause trouble for me. What use is she to me?"
Granny Zhan went over and gently massaged the Empress Dowager, advising, "Empress Dowager, please calm down. The Empress's behavior was a bit excessive in the fight, but she is from the Lin family and is your niece. You love her the most. The Empress will understand your good intentions sooner or later."
The Empress Dowager sighed, "There are some things she's still trapped in her own narrow mindset, unable to see them clearly. It's not just Baili Chen who can do things so discreetly." She then glanced at Granny Zhan, "Have you investigated the Seventh Prince's backing?"
Granny Zhan said, "Based on my investigation, it seems that Empress Bai secretly had the Bai family train more secret guards, including those around the Third Prince and the Seventh Prince. The Seventh Prince, who did not die back then, went to Wuhua Temple and seems to have secretly trained some people to work for him. However, based on my investigation, I do not know whether those people from the Crown Prince's residence were all the Seventh Prince's men."
"Anything else?"
Granny Zhan hesitated for a moment and said, "When Fenyan was suddenly banished to the Cold Palace, only the Emperor's confidants knew about it, and even the Crown Prince refused to say anything. I also sent people to inquire. When the incident happened at Prince Chen's residence, Fenyan slept for one or two hours every day. Although she was pregnant, it was still a bit strange. Perhaps the Crown Prince and Fenyan had some kind of tacit understanding about that incident."
The Empress Dowager suddenly sneered: "Why don't you just say it directly, that they are having an affair?"
Granny Zhan was startled but dared not say anything. The Empress Dowager was furious: "Cheng'er is simply a hopeless case. With his lustful nature, he doesn't know how to judge the situation at all. He's even capable of incest with his sister. What else is he incapable of? I know the Emperor's temperament well. When he gets ruthless, he's the most vicious. Anyone who dares to touch his woman, the Crown Prince's death this time is well-deserved!"
Granny Zhan knew the Empress Dowager was just speaking in anger, but she still looked down on the Crown Prince. As the saying goes, even a rabbit doesn't eat the grass near its burrow; he'd even offended his own sister and committed such a disgraceful act. Now he dared to touch his own father's woman! The Emperor was a man who valued his reputation above all else; such a blatant disrespect might lead him to kill the Crown Prince. However, it was more likely that the Emperor wouldn't act openly, but rather deliberately lured the Crown Prince there before finally killing him. Indeed, the Emperor was ruthless; he killed the Crown Prince without even blinking an eye.
The Empress Dowager squinted her eyes: "The Emperor is warning me."
After thinking for a moment, Granny Zhan said, "It's because the Crown Prince's actions were a bit out of line, otherwise the Emperor probably wouldn't have dared to do it."
The Empress Dowager scoffed, "What wouldn't the Emperor dare to do? He was already playing these little tricks before even ascending the throne. If I hadn't been unable to find a better candidate to support back then, would I have let him become Emperor? He's been Emperor for too long; his vision has become too high, and his ambitions have grown too big. I do regret adopting him back then, but once someone sits on this throne, they all change." The Empress Dowager said with some regret, "It's also the Empress's fault for acting too quickly. I received the news too late. If I had kept Jing'er and let him give birth to the Crown Prince's child, I wouldn't be worried about not having someone to support to ascend the throne now."
Granny Zhan shared this sentiment, but couldn't help saying, "But these siblings... I'm afraid their child won't be healthy." Living in the palace, she witnessed far more sordid things than outsiders. She knew more about the royal scandals than anyone else. In fact, incest between siblings had happened before, but it was always suppressed. Some cases were even discovered after the children were born. Without exception, these children were all born with defects.
The Empress Dowager smiled arrogantly: "Does it matter to me whether you think I'm foolish or stupid?"
Granny Zhan immediately bowed respectfully and remained silent. Yes, if the Empress Dowager wanted, she could support any child to ascend to the throne, it just depended on whether she wanted to or not.
The Empress returned to Anle Palace, seething with anger. As soon as she entered the palace, she smashed several precious vases. Sitting in the room, she breathed heavily. Damn it! She never expected her aunt to be such a cold-blooded person. All these years, she had been subservient to her, never daring to utter a single word of dissatisfaction. But now that she was in trouble, her aunt didn't care at all. What a vicious old woman.
The Empress outwardly showed great respect to the Empress Dowager, but in reality, she harbored deep resentment. Before entering the palace, she often visited, and she deeply envied the Empress Dowager's majesty and power. When the Empress Dowager asked if she wanted to enter the palace and become a woman second only to the Empress, the Empress agreed without hesitation. She had always aimed to enter the palace, and did many things to achieve this. Finally, she succeeded in becoming Empress and even defeated the White Empress to ascend the throne. Only then did she realize that things were far more complicated than she had imagined. Because she was merely an Empress, she was constantly overshadowed by the Empress Dowager. Despite holding the Phoenix Seal, which governed all matters of the harem, she couldn't act freely because of the Empress Dowager's authority. She had to consult the Empress Dowager on all important matters. She had always been constrained and had never experienced true freedom. She desperately wanted Baili Cheng to become Emperor, so that she could finally be a truly powerful person who could act as she pleased.
But her son died, tragically! The Empress Dowager didn't intend to help her at the time, perhaps because she harbored resentment towards her, fearing that if she truly supported Cheng'er to ascend the throne, she would become the Empress Dowager herself, and the current Empress Dowager would only be a nominal Grand Empress Dowager, unable to control the harem.
The Empress wasn't stupid. Having served the Empress Dowager for so many years, how could she not know that the Empress Dowager was an ambitious woman who disliked relinquishing power? The more she thought about it, the more likely it seemed. The Empress Dowager had even disregarded the life of her own grandson for her sake, showing just how cold-blooded she was. At this moment, all the Empress's resentment towards the Empress Dowager over the years was ignited, and her eyes were filled with intense hatred.
Seeing this, Lanhe poured a cup of water for the Empress and gently advised, "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince has just died tragically. You must be heartbroken, but if you collapse, the Crown Prince will not be able to rest in peace. You must think of the Crown Prince. You will definitely avenge him, but now is not a good time."
"What, even you think it's wrong to avenge Cheng'er!" The Empress said angrily, her brows furrowing.
Lan He immediately knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. That's not what I meant at all. I meant that although the Empress Dowager's behavior is unsatisfactory, she is not wrong. If Your Majesty does anything now, it will inevitably cause trouble. No matter how secretly you do it, people will probably find out that you made a mistake. In that case, although the Crown Prince's revenge will be achieved, if something happens to Your Majesty, that would be a great loss."
Although the Empress was filled with hatred, she calmed down a bit. Lan He was right, and the Empress Dowager was also right. It was just that the Empress couldn't stand the Empress Dowager's cold and ruthless appearance. How could she not understand these reasons? "But I hate it in my heart. I want to tear Baili Chen apart and all the princes apart right now."