"Hmph! That Jiang Xuan is nothing but a woman who has lost her chastity. So what if she is a princess? Does she deserve my princes? Tell me, even if it's not the seventh prince, which of the third, fourth, or ninth princes would be suitable? If all the women in the world were dead, and my princes were to marry a woman who is promiscuous, who would dare to marry her? I would break their legs!" Emperor Mingxian roared, and the Empress's face turned pale. "I was a little annoyed by the seventh prince's wife's crying, but that Jiang Xuan, relying on her beauty and the fact that she is a princess of the Great Gan, doesn't even put me in her eyes. If I were to satisfy her, wouldn't that mean I'm afraid of a mere princess like her?"
"Furthermore, my imperial decree has already been issued. Does the Empress intend for me to break my promise to the people?" Emperor Mingxian stared at the Empress with extremely sharp eyes.
The Empress was startled and quickly rose to her knees, saying, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I had no such intention. I only wished for peace and prosperity for the Great Zhou and did not want any major conflict. So I misunderstood. I am guilty."
"Hmph! As the mother of the nation, you, as Empress, should be thinking about the face and dignity of the Great Zhou. If a princess from another country can make you this afraid, what would happen if the Emperor of Daqian came? Would I then be so afraid that I would hand over the throne? Empress, you come from the Lin family and have received the best education. You should understand that the dignity of the royal family cannot be tarnished in the slightest. Instead of meddling in these trivial matters, you should take better care of your children. Fourth Prince's wife has been suffering from severe morning sickness lately. Send someone to check on her when you have time. That's what a mother should do." Emperor Mingxian didn't hold back, and the Empress's face became somewhat embarrassed.
The Empress originally wanted Jiang Xuan to marry into the Prince Chen's mansion so that she could have someone to keep Ouyang Yue in check and make Ouyang Yue feel disgusted. She could also secretly add fuel to the fire and cause chaos in the Prince Chen's mansion. Besides, it was precisely because Jiang Xuan lost her virginity that she was a good match for that bastard Baili Chen.
"Your Majesty, I know..." The Empress lowered her head, appearing docile.
Seeing this, the Empress Dowager's eyes flickered slightly and she said, "Alright, the Empress was only acting out of consideration for the court, so Your Majesty should not blame her."
"What Your Majesty says is true. I know that the Empress is wholeheartedly devoted to the court, but she used the wrong method. Empress, please get up, the ground is cold." Emperor Mingxian nodded and even got up to personally help the Empress to sit down. The Empress looked flattered, but her heart trembled.
Seeing this, the Empress Dowager smiled kindly: "I am too old to interfere in the affairs of you juniors. It is good that the Emperor knows the situation. However, Jiang Xuan is a princess after all, so we will have to appease her properly."
Emperor Mingxian nodded in agreement and said, "I will trouble the Empress Dowager to send someone to do these things."
"Don't worry, I know how to handle this. I will make sure she obediently marries into the Sun family. You probably haven't had a proper rest because of this, but don't worry. If Princess Jiang Xuan is sensible, she will know how to choose."
"The Empress Dowager is wise."
"Alright, it's getting late. Your mother won't keep you any longer. You still have a lot of official business to attend to, so don't delay." The Empress Dowager gently patted Emperor Mingxian's hand, and Emperor Mingxian responded before leaving with his entourage.
The Empress Dowager narrowed her eyes and glanced at the Empress: "Don't you know what you should and shouldn't say? You know the Emperor favors that seventh prince, so why are you saying these things to upset him?" The imperial decree has already been issued. Even if Emperor Mingxian wanted to change it, he would have to think it over carefully. Yet the Empress still brought it up. Isn't this deliberately provoking Emperor Mingxian to anger?
"Mother, but the Emperor has chosen the Sun family. With the help of Daqian, the Sun family is going to overshadow the Lin family. How can I not be anxious?" The Empress also felt a little aggrieved.
"She's just a princess who's lost her virtue. What good can she be? A married daughter is like water spilled from a cup. If the two countries were to go to war, she would be the first to be killed. You're just short-sighted and have no chance of incurring the Emperor's displeasure. Now, you should first manage this little corner of the palace properly. Consort Sun is getting more and more arrogant. You've learned to be patient now, but whether it's patience or aggression, you have to find the right balance. You're still too young." The Empress Dowager shook her head.
The Empress's eyes darkened, but she lowered her head and agreed without saying anything more. The Empress Dowager looked exhausted, waved her hand, and the Empress withdrew.
Back in Anle Palace, the Empress sat there for a long time before she could catch her breath: "They're all like this, blaming me for everything. It's really hateful."
The Empress's face flushed with anger. She gritted her teeth slightly, squinted at the palace maid standing beside her carrying a fruit plate, and suddenly narrowed her eyes: "Come here and massage my legs."
The palace maid approached timidly with her head down, but as soon as she lowered her head to strike, the Empress suddenly reached out and slapped her across the face: "Why are you hitting me so hard? You're going to break my leg."
The palace maid's cheeks flushed red from the blow, and her eyes welled up with tears of grievance. The Empress, however, sneered, "What, who are you trying to impress with that expression? You're upset that I hit you?"
The palace maid trembled with fear: "This servant dares not, the Empress was right to punish me, this servant accepts, accepts."
"Who are you crying for? Lying in front of me? Insubordination! Guards, take her out and give her fifty strokes of the cane!" The Empress waved her hand coldly. Two maids were dragged out, and the maid cried out in terror, "Your Majesty, spare me! I truly meant no disrespect, it was just... it hurt, not that I was angry! Your Majesty, spare me!" The maid trembled with fear, screaming and begging for mercy. But the Empress waved her hand impatiently. The maid was dragged out and beaten to death in less than thirty strokes. The Empress didn't even blink, only sneering, "Looking at that face reminds me of Xuan Yuan Yue. She deserved to die."
The palace maid beside her was too frightened to look up, fearing that the Empress would continue to be angry. In fact, the palace maid's features were far inferior to Ouyang Yue's, but her face shape was very similar to Ouyang Yue's. It was a pity that she suffered such a fate.
Inside Chenyu Palace, Ouyang Yue was sitting on the outer side of a soft couch reading a book. Inside, a small figure was lying sprawled out, blinking its big eyes and staring intently at Ouyang Yue. Its small, red lips, as if smeared with cherry juice, were slightly pouting, looking dissatisfied and aggrieved.
However, the person he was looking at was happily engrossed in her book, seemingly too lazy to even spare him a glance. Baili Su became even more dissatisfied, her lips pouting so much they looked like oil bottles hanging from them: "Mother~"
Ouyang Yue smiled and glanced at Baili Su, who was waving his chubby little fist at her: "What's wrong?"
"I'm so bored. There are too many rules in this palace. It's not fun at all. I want to go back to the Prince's Mansion." Ever since Baili Su was able to speak, he has had no problem speaking thanks to his intelligence from two lifetimes. However, to prevent others from seeing him as a monster, only Ouyang Yue has the privilege of hearing his soft, chattering voice.
Ouyang Yue nodded in agreement, saying, "I have indeed stayed for a few days, and now that the problems have been resolved, I should find an opportunity to leave the palace."
Speaking of this, Baili Su gritted his teeth: "That Jiang Xuan is really annoying. When she sent people to take me and my great-aunt away, she was even planning to deal with us. Humph!" This great-aunt was naturally Liu Shi. Ouyang Yue was, after all, the princess, and since Liu Shi was not her birth mother but was a concubine who was promoted, Ouyang Yue naturally could not lower herself to call her that. However, Baili Su, as a junior, could call her that, but in order to distinguish her from his birth mother, he called Liu Shi his great-aunt. "Hmph, she even wanted to be my father's concubine. She's shameless."
Ouyang Yue smiled and said, "Oh, isn't it good to have another mother to love you?"
Baili Su was speechless at his unscrupulous mother teasing him. He rolled his eyes and said, "Having a mother like you who makes trouble is bad enough. And now there's another one with ulterior motives. Do you think I'm that stupid? When I heard this news, I had already figured out how to deal with her if she really entered the manor."
"Oh, tell me, how do we deal with it?"
Baili Suku bit his finger and said, "How about feeding her croton seeds, then tricking her into going to the latrine with the steps removed, so she can experience the blissful feeling of being covered in excrement with both gods and men?" As he said this, Baili Suku seemed to imagine Jiang Xuan eating croton seeds, her stomach churning, clutching her stomach as she ran into the latrine, only to slip and fall into the latrine, covered in excrement from head to toe. He couldn't help but let out a strange "ga ga ga" laugh, his big, round eyes darting around with ill intent.
Ouyang Yue's lips twitched, because she suddenly thought of the heroic deeds she had committed against Hong Wantang and his son. Hong Wantang and his son were truly spewing filth back then. It's true that birds of a feather flock together; the mother and son were thinking the same thing.
"For example?"
Baili Su continued biting his fingers: "Actually, I thought about this method but gave up. It's too difficult. I was afraid she'd just drown. Then I came up with another brilliant plan: to cripple the bed she was lying on, and then she cruelly crushed it, demanding compensation for my emotional distress and the loss of items from the Chen Prince's mansion." Well, such a childish idea, he's only after money, isn't he?
Ouyang Yue didn't take it seriously. Baili Su crossed his arms and said, "That's not all. I have many ideas. I'll make her cry and beg her father to let her out of the manor every day. It's a good thing this woman is lucky. Otherwise, hmph!" To be honest, if Jiang Xuan really entered the manor, she probably wouldn't be able to stand it for more than a few days.
Ouyang Yue felt an itch on her leg. Looking down, she saw Baili Su poking her leg with his finger, staring at her with wide eyes. She asked, "What is it now?"
"Mother, I feel like this old emperor is alright. I play with his beard every day, and he doesn't get angry. In the end, he didn't actually find a concubine for Father." Baili Su said with puffed-out cheeks.
Ouyang Yue smiled and said, "You don't understand adult matters yet. Just know that no matter what you do, stand on the same side as your father. That's their business. You can continue to act cute to please him."
"Hmph!" Baili Su crossed his arms and glared at Ouyang Yue. "Mom, why do I feel like you're being so insidious when you say that?"
Where?
"Isn't it because you think I'm cute and can please the old emperor, so you're trying to take advantage of me? Humph, I knew it." Baili Su pouted and glared at Ouyang Yue with dissatisfaction.
"Su'er, you're wronging your mother! How could I? You're my most beloved baby." Ouyang Yue laughed as she hugged Baili Su tightly, playfully squeezing and rubbing him, making Baili Su scream and push her away.
"You...you're changing the subject again! Adults are the most shameless, humph!" Baili Su pouted his little red lips and arrogantly twisted his little head, looking like he was righteous, broad-minded, and tolerant, not stooping to the level of mortals like you. Ouyang Yue liked him so much that she pinched and kissed him. In the end, Baili Su couldn't help but laugh and joke with Ouyang Yue.
After playing around for a while, Baili Su nestled in Ouyang Yue's arms, watching Ouyang Yue flip through the pages of the book one by one, and played with his fingers out of boredom. After a while, he couldn't help but ask, "When is Father coming back?"
"What? Missing him?" Ouyang Yue's voice came from above Baili Su's head.
Baili Su would never admit it, and he widened his eyes and shouted, "No way! I'm not worried about him, he's the one who's fighting with me for Mom's affections. It's just that with him coming back, I'll have another powerful backer to rely on."
Ouyang Yue stroked Baili Su's little head: "Your father would be very happy to know how much you miss him."
Baili Su tilted his head, resting his little head on Ouyang Yue's arm. He thought of how his silly father had been excited and stunned when he suddenly called out to someone before leaving the capital. A smile appeared on his lips, and his chubby little hand supported his chin, as if he was thinking about something.
Seeing him deep in thought, Ouyang Yue couldn't help but smile: "What important national affairs are you pondering now?"
Baili Su puffed out his cheeks and gave Ouyang Yue a disdainful look: "I'm thinking about important life matters."
"What major life event is it? Tell me about it." Ouyang Yue smiled, put down her book, placed Baili Su on her lap, and sat facing her.
Baili Su, the chubby boy, couldn't help but scratch his cheek with his finger: "I heard that the pills at Baiyun Temple are very effective. Mom, do you think there are any pills that will make me grow taller faster? I knew there weren't any. Hey, I heard that there's a kind of fruit in Linzhou that can only be grown locally. The pastries made from it are soft, fragrant, and sweet, and you won't get fat even if you eat a lot of them. Oh, and I heard that the pills are made from this fruit, so eating these pastries will make you grow taller. But with Father looking so silly, I really don't know if he'll even think about something that concerns my life." As he spoke, his eyes shone brightly as he stared at Ouyang Yue. Ouyang Yue chuckled, "You, if you heard that the pastries are delicious, just say so. Why make up so many nonsense?"
Baili Su puffed out his little chest: "No way, how is that a fallacy? If I didn't eat well when I was young and my growth and development were stunted, I would grow into a short person. Wouldn't you be the one who would be sad then? I'm doing this for Mom's sake."
Ouyang Yue shook her head, feeling helpless about Baili Su's twisted logic. He had to come up with all sorts of bizarre reasons to ask for something.
"Okay, it's for your important life event, I understand."
“That’s right.” After saying that, Baili Su looked at Ouyang Yue expectantly and said seriously, “Then when you write a letter next time, Mom, please include this important matter in my letter. Otherwise, wouldn’t Father be a terrible father who doesn’t even know what his son needs, right?”
Then Baili Su shook his head, looking helpless and distressed, and said, "Alas, there's nothing we can do about it. It's a congenital deficiency, so we can only educate him later. Father doesn't know how to be a father, so I, as his son, have to give him some pointers."
Ouyang Yue was so angry she almost laughed. She flicked Baili Su on the head and said, "You brat, you're getting cocky when I talk to you. Don't talk to your father like that. You have no manners."
Baili Su immediately covered his head with great resentment: "Mom, you're bullying me! You're taking advantage of my small size. I can't float now, it hurts so much! I have a big bump on my head. I'm going to be stupid from your flicking. You think I'm going to turn into a fool, the smartest and most adorable child in the world? How could you do this to me?"
Ouyang Yue ignored Baili Su's antics, pinched his chubby cheek, and then looked down at her book. Baili Su pouted and immediately fell silent, sitting in front of Ouyang Yue like a little adult, idly playing with the purse on Ouyang Yue's clothes and picking at the pearls wrapped around it.
"Ugh, this is so annoying. Another nasty woman is here. It's so irritating. I can't get a moment's peace." After playing for a while, Baili Su stood by the window and looked out again. Then he turned around and said with some dissatisfaction.
Just then, a shrill voice rang out from outside the hall: "Her Majesty the Empress has arrived! Kneel!"
Ouyang Yue raised an eyebrow and immediately picked up Baili Su to bow. At this moment, the Empress also led a group of people into Chenyu Palace: "Greetings, Your Majesty."
"Hmm." The Empress responded faintly. Ouyang Yue said softly, "I didn't know about Mother's trip..."
The Empress didn't waste any words and said directly, "Recently, the Empress Dowager's health has been a bit poor. The Imperial Hospital prescribed a treatment plan, but the palace maids haven't been taking good care of her. So the Empress Dowager has ordered you juniors to attend to her. It's inconvenient for you to be with Su'er, so I've come to pick him up today. He will be staying at my Anle Palace for a while. Please take care of him!"
Upon hearing this, Ouyang Yue's heart tightened suddenly. She looked up and saw the Empress giving her a half-smile, her eyes gradually darkening and becoming unfathomable...
☆、264、Snatch people!
Ouyang Yue lowered her head and smiled faintly, "Thank you for your concern, Mother. I am confident that I can handle this well."
"Why are you being so polite? Going to the Empress Dowager's place to care for her during her illness could take a whole day. Su'er is so young and precious; if something were to happen to her, no one could bear the responsibility. You don't need to be so polite here."
"How could I trouble Mother? I can handle this myself," Ouyang Yue said with a smile.
The Empress's face darkened: "Seventh Prince's wife, do you not trust me? Would I possibly harm my own grandson?"
Isn't this exactly what she fears? Ouyang Yue felt a chill in her heart, but she absolutely couldn't say anything, otherwise the charge of disrespect would be pinned on her, and then it would be even more difficult to say anything.
Ouyang Yue looked at the Empress with reverence and said, "Your Majesty, you are too kind. Your daughter-in-law has no such intention. As the Empress, Your Majesty lives in the inner palace and manages it. You are busy every day. How could your daughter-in-law bear to let Your Majesty trouble Your Majesty for such a small matter? Your daughter-in-law cannot bear it." As she spoke, she looked at the Empress with a pained expression.
The Empress, however, was unmoved and said indifferently, "I have many capable people around me. How could they not take care of a child? What is the Seventh Prince's wife still worried about? I'm afraid the Empress Dowager's decree will come down soon. You should go and prepare to go to the Empress Dowager's place now. You don't need to worry about anything else." As she spoke, she turned to Baili Su and said with what she thought was a very friendly smile, "Su'er, come to your Grandmother. Your Grandmother will take you to play."
Baili Su was pulled to squat down beside Ouyang Yue, but he stretched out his arms and hugged Ouyang Yue's arm directly. His round eyes showed a hint of timidity, and he looked very shy, showing no respect for the Empress.
The Empress's eyes darkened as she looked at Ouyang Yue and scolded, "Seventh Prince's wife, this is where you're wrong. Seventh Prince just left the capital, and Su'er was entrusted to your care as his birth mother. It's a sign of trust, but look at what you've done to Su'er! So timid and incompetent. If this continues, won't he turn out to be someone who can't be brought to the table? You can no longer take care of this child. He has no bearing whatsoever that a member of the royal family should have. Lan He, go and take the young prince with you."
Ouyang Yue's expression darkened, and Baili Su was even more stunned. He didn't want to go with this old witch, which was why he did this. He didn't expect the old witch to use this as an excuse to criticize his mother. Baili Su was furious. He clenched his fists tightly, wishing he could jump up and give the old witch two black eyes to see if she would still be so arrogant.
Ouyang Yue gently held Baili Su's hand, preventing him from turning around and showing his expression to the Empress. Baili Su was still young, and even if he was clever and cunning, he was no match for an old woman like the Empress who had survived palace intrigues. Besides, the Empress's actions were inappropriate. Even if Ouyang Yue went to attend to the Empress Dowager, couldn't she find a servant among the many servants in Chenyu Palace? Even if not, someone could be sent from the Prince of Chen's residence, or even sent to the grandmother's. Why let the Empress take care of the child? Instinctively, Ouyang Yue felt that the Empress had ill intentions. Her mind immediately turned to the young princes and princesses who had died mysteriously in the palace, some even children whose genders were unknown. Did the Empress intend to use this opportunity to harm Su'er?
Ouyang Yue immediately intervened, but Lan He missed her target. The Empress then shouted, "Seventh Prince's wife, what do you mean by this? Are you trying to disobey my orders?"
Ouyang Yue said calmly, "Mother, Su'er is just a little shy. He only had his first birthday celebration not long ago, and he's only one year old. Most children this age are shy. It's not difficult to teach him. I am very grateful for your love and care for Su'er, Mother. However, Su'er was born after I carried him for ten months, and I am reluctant to leave him. I also cannot entrust him to someone else to take care of him."
"What, are you afraid he'll cause trouble for me? Or do you suspect I'd harm my own grandson, huh?!" The Empress's voice was calm, but the slight lift at the end carried an imposing and intimidating aura that made people afraid to look directly at her.
Ouyang Yue gently stroked Baili Su's little head: "Mother has wronged your daughter-in-law. How could your daughter-in-law not know your love for the younger generation? I just feel sorry for your health. Besides, I am inexperienced. Su'er was just born and I have been taking care of him every day. I can't be separated from him for a moment. Please grant my request, Mother."
"Hmph!" The Empress sneered, a cold smile playing on her lips. "So, Seventh Prince's wife, you just don't want me to take Su'er away? I meant well, afraid you'd be too tired. I came to take Su'er in out of kindness, and after I've finished caring for him, you can naturally take the child back. But you think of me like this, that I'm such a vicious snake. Fine, fine! In all these years, no one has dared to insult me like this. You're the first, the first!" The Empress even clapped her hands twice as she spoke, her expression growing even more sinister as she looked at Ouyang Yue.
"Mother, your daughter-in-law has no such intention." At this point, Ouyang Yue was still kneeling on the ground, having performed the rites, and did not get up. Faced with the Empress's relentless pressure, a dark look appeared on Ouyang Yue's face.
"No? I think that's exactly what you mean!" The Empress sneered. "Or are you someone who doesn't understand kindness, doesn't know how to repay kindness, takes other people's good intentions for granted, and is an unfilial junior who dares to disobey the words of his elders?"
Whether Ouyang Yue refused the Empress or contradicted her, as long as she didn't agree, she would be labeled as unfilial and defiant, a label that not everyone could bear. Even though Ouyang Yue was a princess, she was still no match for the Empress. Punishing a junior was as easy as finding the right reason; the Empress could do whatever she wanted, and Ouyang Yue couldn't explain herself no matter how hard she tried. This was the cruel and domineering nature of imperial power in the face of absolute authority.
"Guards, take Prince Chen away!" The Empress flicked her sleeve, delivering the final verdict: "Seventh Prince's wife, if you still wish to stop me, I will sentence you to the crime of great disrespect. At that time, I think you won't be able to attend to my illness anymore; you can go back and recuperate on your own." The Empress's words were threatening, without the slightest hesitation. If Ouyang Yue dared to continue to argue and disagree, she would be sure to receive a beating for offending the Empress.
Ouyang Yue gritted her teeth, squinted her eyes, and was about to speak when Baili Su straightened up, smiled at Lan He who was walking over to pull her, and looked cute and charming. This made Lan He, who was originally a bit rough, pause for a moment, and unconsciously soften her movements.
The Empress seized the opportunity and sneered, "Seventh Prince's wife, I don't think Su'er is shy around strangers. Your worries seem unnecessary. You don't need to worry that I will mistreat my grandson. I love him too much."
When Ouyang Yue saw Baili Su turn his head, his bright eyes and raised eyebrows, her heart sank slightly. She smiled and said, "What are you saying, Mother? It's not that I'm afraid you won't take good care of him. It's that I'm afraid you'll take too good care of him and he'll become reckless. I'm happy to have you taking care of him. However, since he was born, he has had several people to take care of him. I'm afraid he won't be used to going to your palace. I'd like to send two of the people who take care of him in. I wonder if you would allow that?"
The Empress smiled sarcastically and said indifferently, "Very well, those people always know better than you. So, I'll grant your request."
In reality, both the Empress and Ouyang Yue knew that Anle Palace belonged to the Empress. Even if she wanted something to happen to Baili Su, two or three personal servants couldn't prevent it. With the Empress's imposing presence, none of the servants dared to confront her directly. Ouyang Yue was uneasy, but the Empress was determined. Unless she was willing to endure the punishment of disrespect and filial impiety, being beaten and tortured first, and then finally having the Empress take him away, that was probably her only option.
"The Empress Dowager commands: Kneel!"
Just then, a sharp voice came from outside. Ouyang Yue didn't need to get up; she just knelt there. The Empress, on the other hand, gave a slight bow and stood up. An old man entered. Seeing Ouyang Yue, he glanced at the dignified Empress and said with a smirk, "This servant greets Your Majesty the Empress."