"Shut up! How dare you curse the Empress Dowager! You deserve to die!" Granny Zhan angrily slapped the Empress across the face. Before, when Princess Shuangxia dared to say such things, she had to consider her status. But the Empress was already a deposed empress with no title or status. She could do whatever she wanted, especially since the Empress was so rude.
The Empress was stunned for a moment, then suddenly touched her cheek. When she looked up, her face was blank. The next moment, she suddenly pounced on Zhan Mama, swinging her fists and hitting Zhan Mama's face and body: "You wretch, you wretch, you are all wretch! I'm a tiger fallen into the plains, and you all dare to bully me! I'm not dead yet! I'll beat you to death right now, you wretch, you wretch!"
"Bang! Bang! Bang!" The Empress's fists pounded all over Zhan Mama's bones, not only her nose and forehead, but also her ribs. She pounded her fiercely with each punch. Zhan Mama was already badly injured from Dongxue's previous beating, and the Empress's desperate and angry counterattack made her even more painful. She cried out in pain, completely losing all semblance of her former image.
The Empress also lost all decorum, completely disregarding her disheveled clothes, determined to beat Zhan Mama to death.
The two burly old women were initially frightened. When they came to their senses, they immediately tried to pull the Empress away. However, people who have gone mad are often much stronger than ordinary people. It was as if they had discovered all her potential. Even the two old women could not pull her away. With a wave of her hand and a struggle, the Empress pushed the two of them and made them fall over. One of them, who was close to the Empress Dowager, was pushed and bumped, directly knocking the Empress Dowager to the ground.
The Empress, straddling Zhan Mama, laughed heartily: "Good, good, kill her, kill that old woman, haha, good!"
The Empress vented her anger, her mind replaying the moment she fell in love with Emperor Mingxian at first sight and intended to marry him. The Empress Dowager, upon learning of this, fully approved and constantly brought her into the palace, creating opportunities for her. Emperor Mingxian's indifference had saddened her, but it was the Empress Dowager's repeated encouragement that sustained her. To win Mingxian's heart, she had done many things: she harmed royal offspring and framed both favored and unfavored concubines, all to remove any obstacles in her path.
Later, she gave birth to Baili Cheng and Baili Jing, but still did not gain Emperor Mingxian's favor. She had to suppress her hopes. She wanted to put her son on the throne, but after so many years of hard work, what did she get in the end? Her son and daughter died, and she was eventually despised and executed. She died at the hands of the old woman who had pushed her all the way to the abyss. She was unwilling and she hated it!
"You old hag, I'll make you pay with your life!" The Empress suddenly stomped on Zhan Mama's face and, with unexpected speed, pounced on the Empress Dowager, throwing a punch at her. The Empress Dowager was startled and quickly swung her hand, striking back with her own palm.
The Empress suddenly felt a chill in her nose and a coldness in her heart. She roared in anger, "Damn it, I'll kill you!"
With a "bang," the door was pushed open, and several guards entered. They were somewhat stunned by the scene in the main hall. They had come in after hearing the noise from outside, but they hadn't expected to see such a situation.
The Empress Dowager and the Empress were shouting and slapping without any decorum. The three maids were all injured. Was this a gang fight, or was it happening between the Empress Dowager and the Empress, who were of noble status and high position? This was too much of a visual shock for them, and even made them doubt the authenticity of what was happening.
This suddenly reminded them of the street women they had recently witnessed arguing with each other, which was... really, really hard for them to accept.
However, they were only stunned for a moment. They couldn't let anything happen to the Empress Dowager, or none of them would have a good time. Immediately, guards rushed over and held the Empress down tightly. The Empress was still cursing and shouting: "You old hag, you will die a horrible death! You have done so many unscrupulous things, you will definitely die a horrible death! I will be watching you from below, and I will definitely watch you die. The scene will be very good, very exciting. I look forward to it. It's just a pity that I can't drink your blood and eat your flesh anymore, but there will always be a chance. I'll be waiting for you down there, hahaha!"
At this point, the empress was indeed somewhat insane, but the ferocious look on her face was extremely frightening, and the guards were all stunned.
The Empress, who was usually dignified and noble, had never been seen like this before. Moreover, her expression was somewhat sinister, which sent chills down everyone's spines. Everyone sighed inwardly, thinking that the Empress Dowager had personally executed the Empress because she was resented. Looking at the Empress's angry appearance, one would think that the Empress Dowager and the Empress had some kind of grudge. The Empress was too radical.
They all knew the Empress Dowager's kind and compassionate nature over the years. Sometimes, if a guard was injured, the Empress Dowager would even send him some healing medicine. This time, it was out of necessity. The Empress's behavior was really going too far. Thinking this, the guards pressed down on the Empress more and more, and some even resorted to dirty tricks, pinching and pressing on the Empress's body. The Empress screamed in pain and struggled incessantly.
At this moment, Granny Zhan got up, and two eunuchs came in, carrying several items for execution, including poisoned wine, a sword, a white silk ribbon, and a thick rope. Granny Zhan hurriedly said, "Put that sword away. We can't let the Empress get it. She's gone mad."
How could the Empress possibly commit suicide in this state? If she picked up a sword, wouldn't she just start hacking people to pieces? Immediately, someone picked up a sword, and upon seeing these things, their eyes widened in horror, and they struggled even more fiercely: "Ahhh, you are so cruel! You will all die a horrible death! You will all die a horrible death! You old hag, you used me, you will die sooner or later, and you will die a thousand times, ten thousand times more miserably than me! You will, you will definitely!"
The Empress lay on the ground, her beautiful fingernails cracked from screaming, blood flowing from her fingers. Her hair was disheveled, her clothes were tattered, and she looked no different from a madwoman. However, her face was extremely ferocious. The Empress Dowager's expression was very grim. The Empress's constant cursing greatly affected her dignity, and if she were to continue, what she might say was not what she wanted to see: "The Empress has gone mad. Although I am reluctant, she has committed a grave mistake and refuses to admit it. Now she is acting so recklessly. I still want to preserve her last bit of dignity, so I will take action."
Granny Zhan rushed over quickly, grabbed the poisoned wine, pried open the Empress's mouth, and poured it down. The Empress struggled to drink, but Granny Zhan used both hands to pry open her mouth, preventing her from closing it. The Empress fiercely bit Granny Zhan's hand, and Granny Zhan, trembling with pain, did not let go. She poured half of the poisoned wine into the Empress's mouth and held her mouth tightly to prevent her from spitting it out. Several other nannies took ropes and forcibly strangled the Empress's neck, pulling her back with all their might. The Empress's face was contorted with rage, her eyes bulging, and she was in extreme pain.
“You…old hag…you’re ruthless…good…you’ll regret it…haha…you’ll regret it, I won’t let you go…you’ll definitely regret it…cough ha…you really think I’m stupid…I’m not…stupid…you’re using…me…I won’t…let you…get away with it…you wait…you’ll die a horrible death.”
The Empress was being strangled and gasping for breath, her eyes bulging outwards. She gave a bitter laugh and said something chilling. The Empress Dowager felt a tightness in her chest. She felt that the Empress's words had a hidden meaning, as if the Empress had done something behind her back that was detrimental to her.
"Pfft, pfft, pfft!" At this moment, a guard took out his sword and stabbed at the emperor.
He found it terrifying; the Empress's expression was utterly horrifying, a ghostly smile that sent chills down his spine. It was an instinctive urge to eliminate something harmful. After several stabs, the Empress finally breathed her last, but the expression on her face remained one of utter horror. Her eyes were fixed on the Empress Dowager, her sinister demeanor and unspoken words sending shivers down his spine. What was she going to say?
The Empress Dowager regretted it; if she had kept the Empress longer, she could have forced the truth out of her mouth.
Granny Zhan twisted her body and came to the Empress Dowager's side: "Empress Dowager, the Empress is just talking nonsense because she is unwilling to die."
Despite this, the Empress Dowager dared not relax. Her mind was in turmoil as she carefully considered how the Chengxiang Palace and those around her had ever given the Empress any opportunity to act. Moreover, the Empress was now clear-headed, but she had been incredibly foolish before. She had never been so prepared for such a situation; it was absolutely impossible.
At this moment, a bloody atmosphere filled the hall. The Empress was dead. When everyone calmed down, they couldn't help but feel a chill. The Empress's death was too tragic. Almost all the methods of execution had been used. It was truly a gruesome sight.
The Empress Dowager felt a surge of hatred: "Take the Empress away." As a deposed empress who had been given a death sentence, she was not entitled to be buried in the imperial mausoleum. After her death, she would be no different from the palace maids and eunuchs in the palace. Those who lamented the empress's tragic death felt a chill in their hearts at this moment, and their eyes looked at the Empress Dowager with some strangeness!
☆、285、Midnight Thunder!
Sensing the strange looks from the guards, the Empress Dowager paused, then, though filled with resentment, said, "The Empress has been tortured and has become a deposed Empress. According to custom, she cannot be given a grand funeral. However, my niece is truly pitiful. She has lived a life of glory and yet she has no grave after death. It is truly lamentable. Zhan Mama, how about this: build a tomb for the Empress outside the city. I will discuss this with the Emperor."
Granny Zhan hurriedly said, "The Empress Dowager is merciful. There's nothing we can do about the Empress's fate after doing such a thing. This servant will do it right away." Granny Zhan sighed helplessly, looking at the Empress with regret. The guards had no other thoughts and carried the Empress's body out.
The Empress Dowager stood in the main hall of Anle Palace, but suddenly felt a chill down her spine. She reached out to her servants and said, "Let's go, help me back."
Upon returning to Chengxiang Palace, the Empress Dowager first had palace maids serve her a bath. After removing her clothes, the Empress Dowager, draped in a light gauze, slowly stepped into the bath. Two palace maids immediately stepped forward to gently wipe the Empress Dowager's body, and at the same time couldn't help but exclaim, "The Empress Dowager's skin is so beautiful, as smooth as porcelain."
"That's right, I think even the newly selected ladies-in-waiting in the palace are no match for the Empress Dowager."
"What are those young ladies compared to her? The Empress Dowager's radiance is far beyond their reach. They are not even worth a glance."
Two palace maids vied to praise her. What woman doesn't love beauty? Even the Empress Dowager couldn't resist. But she feigned displeasure and said, "Too talkative."
"Yes, yes, Your Majesty is right to reprimand us." The two palace maids immediately admitted their mistake, but they were not afraid at all. Being by the Empress Dowager's side, they could tell when she was happy or unhappy.
In fact, the two palace maids were not wrong in their praise. The Empress Dowager was already fifty years old, but in terms of youth, she was naturally no match for those fifteen or sixteen-year-old girls. However, in terms of beauty and charm, she was no less than them. She not only had the dignity and poise of someone in a high position, but also the allure of a young woman. Although she was over middle age, she did not look old at all. When she sat with the Empress, they looked like sisters. This was undoubtedly due to the Empress Dowager's good maintenance, and it also showed that the Empress Dowager was naturally beautiful.
In comparison, Princess Shuangxia, who was of similar age, appeared older. Although she was not yet severely aged, she was no match for the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager felt a surge of resentment when she thought of Princess Shuangxia.
Princess Shuangxia was right. The Empress Dowager hated her and was jealous of her. Princess Shuangxia was of noble birth, and half the credit for the Empress's ascension to the throne was due to her. This established Princess Shuangxia's unique status and position in the Great Zhou Dynasty. The Empress Dowager was also of extraordinary birth, the eldest daughter of the Lin family, the most prestigious family in the Great Zhou Dynasty. However, compared to Princess Shuangxia, she was far inferior. The Empress Dowager was very intelligent and quick-witted from a young age, and her appearance was outstanding. It is true that Princess Shuangxia helped the Empress Dowager out of friendship when she first entered the palace. However, no matter how much effort Princess Shuangxia put in, she could not win the Emperor's favor if she was an ugly woman. The Empress Dowager gradually gained a foothold, partly due to Princess Shuangxia, but mostly because the Empress Dowager was cunning and scheming.
Yet, despite being the most favored concubine in the harem, when the Emperor faced a problem and couldn't find a solution, he didn't think of her, but rather Princess Shuangxia. To the Emperor, she was merely a woman in the harem, only useful for his favor and procreation. Whenever she was refused entry to the study and Princess Shuangxia entered with ease, the Empress Dowager felt resentful and indignant. Moreover, although she was both talented and beautiful, daring to call herself the most beautiful woman, she had always been overshadowed by Princess Shuangxia since childhood. Even if this might not have been intentional on Princess Shuangxia's part, it was unacceptable to the Empress Dowager's pride.
Moreover, the Empress Dowager had vaguely sensed something at that time.
Princess Shuangxia's excellence is undeniable, even to the Empress Dowager. She won the title of the most beautiful woman in Langya Continent through fierce competition among nations. Although the Empress Dowager was confident that she would also be a sensation if she participated, she was not so sure that the title would be hers. However, she would not allow her man to have any improper thoughts.
Although the news was astonishing, the Empress Dowager, with her keen observation and shrewdness, naturally saw that the Emperor's feelings for his younger sister, Princess Shuangxia, were not merely familial affection. Although the Emperor had always concealed his feelings and never spoken of them to anyone, the Empress Dowager had discovered them. When Princess Shuangxia insisted on marrying Xuanyuan Hu, the Empress Dowager wondered if Princess Shuangxia had discovered something. But that wasn't important; what mattered most was that the Empress Dowager believed it was true.
At that time, Princess Xia was imprisoned by the late emperor. Princess Shuangxia insisted on marrying him and almost starved to death by refusing to eat or drink. The late emperor felt sorry for her and even more sorry for her, so he knelt in front of the late emperor's room for a long time. After the late emperor ascended the throne, he treated this princess even more kindly and never said a harsh word to her. He always put Princess Shuangxia first. Xuanyuan Hu held military power and was too arrogant. Many ministers in the court wanted to unite against Xuanyuan Hu, but in the end they all failed. Why? It was because the late emperor took action.
There were so many things, so many details that even the Empress Dowager herself might have forgotten. But one thing she remembered was that she, who had gone to such lengths to please the late Emperor, was no match for Princess Shuangxia. This was unacceptable to her, and even more unacceptable to the person who had always suppressed her since childhood—she had lost even in matters of the heart. The Empress Dowager and Princess Shuangxia had been so close, often meeting up, so they were frequently together both inside and outside the palace. The Emperor had even granted the Empress Dowager special permission to leave the palace if she wished to see Princess Shuangxia. No one, from concubines to palace maids, could leave the palace without the Emperor's permission, and leaving the palace involved a mountain of complicated procedures. The late Emperor, however, disregarded all of this for Princess Shuangxia, demonstrating his deep affection for her.
However, because of this, although the Empress Dowager resented it, she accepted it with great satisfaction. The Empress Dowager wanted to win over Xuan Yuanhu and also wanted to give Princess Xia a blow. She could take advantage of this purpose, but unfortunately she failed in the end. Not only that, she still remembered the expression on Xuan Yuanhu's face when he pointed at her nose and called her a shameless slut. That ugly and disgusting man dared to curse her like that. Since he could not be used by her, then let him die!
"Splash!" The Empress Dowager suddenly slapped her hand on the surface of the bathing pool, instantly creating a splash. The two palace maids were shocked and retreated to the side, not daring to speak.
Although the Empress Dowager appeared calm, the calmer she was, the more afraid they became. How many people had died in the past because of their own cleverness and rashness in trying to outwit the Empress Dowager?
The Empress Dowager stared coldly at the rippling water. She was well-maintained, but her breasts, which were beginning to sag due to her age, suddenly bulged with veins. The two palace maids retreated to the door, not daring to complain. The Empress Dowager held her breasts and rubbed them a couple of times, but still couldn't make them stand up. Her expression grew even more hateful.
Shuangxia had no idea what she had done to get into the palace, nor what sacrifices she had made to secure the emperor's favor. From birth, she had been loved by everyone in the world. She was exceptionally talented and beautiful; all the best things in the world had happened to her. So what was she? She worked so hard, yet she couldn't compare to Shuangxia in anything, not even men. That ugly, disgusting man, Xuanyuan Hu, pretending to be a virtuous man when he saw her, with her beautiful face, was indignant!
The Empress Dowager's anger was not outwardly concealed, which frightened the palace servants into trembling. She sat quietly in the bathing tub until the water gradually cooled down, then slowly stood up and said, "Help me change my clothes."
"Yes, Empress Dowager." The palace servants breathed a sigh of relief and immediately came over to help her change her clothes. They were afraid that if they were a step too slow, they would face either death or severe punishment.
When Granny Zhan returned, the Empress Dowager had already changed her clothes and was half-lying on the bed: "Your Majesty, the Empress's remains have been burned."
Given how mad the Empress was before her death, how could the Empress Dowager possibly grant her any honor? The reason she didn't do anything drastic in the main hall was simply to avoid misunderstandings with the guards.
"Yes, I understand." The Empress Dowager's voice was calm. Seeing this, Granny Zhan did not dare to say anything more and stepped aside to stand guard silently. She had been by the Empress Dowager's side for many years. The Empress Dowager's wisdom and cunning were unparalleled. There were very few people who could elicit such an expression from her. In the past fifty years, they could be counted on one hand.
After escorting Princess Shuangxia back to her residence and having lunch with her there, Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue brought Baili Su back. As soon as they entered the hall, Baili Su let out a sigh of relief: "Today was really enjoyable." He nestled in Baili Chen's arms, shaking his head and swaying. If it weren't for his husky voice, one would think he was an adult saying that, which made Baili Chen laugh.
"You know it feels good, right?"
"Of course! Look how impressive Mother looked wielding her sword! Doesn't Father think so too?" He said, glancing sideways at the young lady with a quirky air. However, his face was as smooth as a chicken's white, with a healthy rosy glow, which made him not only not annoying but also very cute.
"Of course! Don't you even know who your mother is? She's your father's wife." Baili Chen smiled with great pride.
“That’s still my mother,” Baili Su retorted, not to be outdone.
"Handsome."
"That's right!"
The two of them naturally started praising themselves, leaving Ouyang Yue somewhat speechless. She chuckled softly, took a sip of her tea, and realized she was indeed quite thirsty…
After the father and son bantered for a while, Baili Chen smiled and said, "Wife, have the kitchen prepare a few more dishes today. I'm in a good mood."
"..."
"Wife?"
"Mother?"
Ouyang Yue is usually in excellent spirits and very perceptive; she almost never fails to respond when called. The two initially thought she was asleep, but when they turned around, they saw her sitting there holding a teacup, lost in thought—something that had never happened before. The father and son walked over, and Baili Sugeng jumped up and down, waving his hand repeatedly in front of Ouyang Yue, but she still didn't react. They were truly astonished.
"Quickly, go and call the imperial physician! Something's wrong with the princess!" Baili Chen said hurriedly.
Ouyang Yue suddenly blinked, looking at Baili Chen and Baili Su with some surprise: "What's wrong with you two? You both look so pale."
Baili Chen and Baili Su were even more surprised than she was: "You still asked me? You were sitting here just now, not moving and spacing out. I thought something had happened. And you still asked me."
Ouyang Yue was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said, "I was just lost in thought. Look how scared you were. It's alright." As she spoke, she patted Ouyang Su's head, but suddenly her heart clenched, and something flashed through her mind. She felt like she had forgotten something.
Baili Chen frowned, feeling that something was wrong, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
Ouyang Yue smiled and gently rubbed Baili Su's head: "Alright, if Su'er is bored, Mother will take you to the General's Mansion to play with your little uncle." She was naturally referring to Ouyang Tong.
Baili Su pouted, "I'm such a grown-up, and my uncle still keeps saying he'll protect me, even though he's much weaker than me." Baili Su refused. Ouyang Tong really liked Baili Su, and whenever the two of them got together, the two-year-older Ouyang Tong would always act like a little adult and protect his little nephew, which made Baili Su's actions somewhat hindered, so he was very resistant to it.
“You…” Ouyang Yue tapped Baili Su’s little head, speechless for a moment.
In the Lin Prince's Mansion, Baili Chang and Bai Ying sat at the table in the master bedroom. Bai Ying occasionally covered her stomach with her hand and sighed, "I never thought the Empress would die like this. After this incident, the Lin family's power has been greatly reduced. We can no longer be ranked as the number one family in the Great Zhou."
Baili Chang poured Bai Ying a cup of water and himself a cup of tea. He took a sip to moisten his throat. The situation in the main hall was so urgent that they had all been so focused on watching that they had forgotten to eat and drink. Now his throat felt like it was on fire. Baili Chang put down his teacup and sighed, "She deserves to die for doing something like this."
For Baili Chang, he was also a direct victim. He was drugged and had to pretend to be sick after recovering in order to escape and grow up. His birth mother was also killed in order to protect him. He didn't know who killed them back then, but he hated the Empress.
"It's better that she's dead. Otherwise, she would still be eyeing the child in my belly. It's heartbreaking to think about." Bai Ying gently stroked her belly.
The princes who survived in the palace, and the legitimate daughters born into noble families, were all extraordinary individuals. Even if they were unassuming, they were not fools. The Empress's sudden show of goodwill, sending many gifts to their residences, meant that while they could not fully understand her intentions, they at least knew that the Empress harbored ill intentions.
“We should not let her scheme against this child. For that, we should thank Lao Qi and his wife,” Baili Chang nodded.
Bai Ying hesitated for a moment, then looked at Baili Chang, who smiled and said, "Why are you looking at me like that? Just ask whatever you want to ask."
Bai Ying pursed her lips and said, "Your Highness, have you really never thought about vying for the throne?"
Baili Chang fell silent, sipping his tea gently. After a long while, he said, "It's impossible for me not to think about it. Can you imagine what it was like to be beaten at every turn back then? Even the eunuchs and maids in the palace could mock me. Ha, I was supposed to be a prince, but I was not even as good as some of the senior palace maids and eunuchs. I swallowed my anger and was only fighting for a sense of pride. Of course, I wanted to turn the tables and punish these snobbish people. But in the end, I realized that I didn't have the chance."
Being in the palace, who wouldn't understand the importance of the throne? To possess the throne above all others—what prestige and domineering power that would be! As the saying goes, a soldier who doesn't want to be a general isn't a good soldier, and a prince who doesn't want to be an emperor isn't a prince at all. But Baili Chang's mother's family was far too weak, making it difficult to get help from them. Moreover, his mother had died early in the palace and couldn't offer him much assistance. Not only that, but to protect himself by feigning illness, Baili Chang, a sickly man, was not considered for recruitment by any power. Unlike Baili Chen, who had Emperor Mingxian protecting him, it was already difficult for him to survive. Forced by reality, he had long suppressed that delusion in his heart.
Even if he married Bai Ying, he knew it would be far too difficult to even entertain that thought. Firstly, the Bai family had already fallen from grace, ranking only at the bottom of the five great families. Even if he were the head of the five great families, what difference would it make? The Third Prince, Baili Zhi, and the Seventh Prince, Baili Chen, were both legitimate sons of Empress Bai, not only more legitimate than her, but also possessing far more power than he could ever hope to achieve. Although Bai Ying was a legitimate daughter, her influence within the Bai family was limited, pale in comparison to Empress Bai. The Bai family wouldn't be so foolish as to abandon two princes and offend them for the sake of Bai Ying, their legitimate daughter. Even if there were disagreements, they would likely choose to remain silent and quietly manage the family business, just like they are now.
It would be foolish to let Bai accept the ability to compete without absolute certainty; if things go wrong, they might all perish.
Baili Chang can't say he has no regrets, but things are not bad as they are now. He is physically strong, and although he ultimately failed to compete for that high position, he did not antagonize those princes. No matter who ascends the throne in the end, they will not choose to harm his reputation. As a prince, he is equally noble, and indulging himself will allow him to live a better life.
What do you think?
Bai Ying smiled, gently stroking her belly: "If possible, I hope this child will be a daughter." That way, she can truly hide herself behind the storm.
Baili Chang laughed and said, "What the princess says is true, and this is also what I hope for."
The two exchanged a glance and smiled. Smart people don't need to say too much. At the same time, Bai Ying breathed a sigh of relief. These were not only the questions she wanted to ask, but also the messages from the Bai family that they wanted her to ask. Whether Baili Chang wanted to compete and whether he was qualified to compete were two different things. Of course, she didn't want to expose herself to danger; this was for the best. Although it was true that she didn't dare to protect Baili Chang, at least it made her feel much more at ease.
Baili Chang smiled faintly and lowered his head to sip his tea.
In contrast to Baili Chang's side, Baili Mao's side was extremely happy and lively. The Lin family had been defeated, and Lin Chenglu had been demoted, which left an important position of a second-rank official vacant. Taking this opportunity to seize it would be a good thing for them.