The emperor's brows furrowed deeply.

Unable to understand why the Empress Dowager would do this, the Emperor stood up.

Shou Kang Palace.

The Empress Dowager sat on the phoenix throne, surrounded by a fierce aura, her lips almost pressed into a straight line.

The palace maids and eunuchs serving in the palace had never seen the Empress Dowager so angry before, and even Granny Zhao was seeing it for the first time.

Granny Zhao didn't know why the Empress Dowager was so angry. Ever since Empress Song left, the Empress Dowager had been like this.

Zhao Mama's intuition told her that the Empress Dowager was being threatened by Empress Song.

But what could Empress Song possibly do to threaten the Empress Dowager?

The evidence from the Meizhou granary has already been used to protect Empress Song and the Left Chancellor from being implicated, and the Empress Dowager would not allow them to use the Meizhou granary as a pretext again and again.

Without knowing the reason, there's no way to offer advice.

A palace maid rushed in and said, "Empress Dowager, the Duke of Maoguo has arrived."

The Empress Dowager suppressed the fierce look on her face and said, "Let him in."

The palace maid withdrew, and shortly after, Duke Maoguo entered.

Holding the pardon in his hand, Duke Maoguo asked, "Was it really the Empress Dowager who sent the Imperial Guards Commander to use the pardon to save Prince Jin?"

The Empress Dowager said, "It is I."

"Why?" Duke Maoguo's voice rose.

He had always treated the Empress Dowager with utmost respect and had never dared to raise his voice when speaking to her; this was the first time.

The Empress Dowager lowered her eyes and said, "The Emperor did not intend to execute Prince Jin, and I do not wish to create any discord between the Emperor and his son."

That's an excuse that might fool others, but Duke Maoguo doesn't believe it.

Even though the Empress Dowager knew that the Emperor did not intend to establish an heir at this time, she still pressured him to appoint the eldest prince as the heir apparent. Knowing that the Emperor had not yet made up his mind to execute Prince Jin, the Empress Dowager went on a hunger strike to force him to comply.

I wasn't worried about a rift between mother and son when I was on a hunger strike, but I am now.

The Empress Dowager was never one to be indecisive or procrastinate.

The Empress Dowager didn't want to tell him the reason for sparing Prince Jin—no, the reason for saving Prince Jin—she was using the Emperor as a shield.

Duke Maoguo originally wanted to know the reason, and now he was determined to find out.

But the Duke of Maoguo knew the Empress Dowager's temperament; if she didn't want to talk about something, no one could force her to, and he didn't dare either.

Mao Guogong said, "If it weren't for the Crown Prince's good fortune, he would have died at the hands of Prince Jin. Now, his injuries haven't fully healed, yet the Empress Dowager has even taken out the imperial pardon bestowed by the late Emperor to save Prince Jin. Isn't the Empress Dowager afraid of chilling the Crown Prince's heart?"

The Empress Dowager's eyes sharpened as she asked, "Are you questioning me?"

Duke Mao was startled and quickly admitted his mistake, "Your subject dares not."

The Empress Dowager said, "If you dare not, then do not ask any further. You may leave."

The Duke of Maoguo sensed the anger in the Empress Dowager's words, and Granny Zhao shook her head at him. The Duke of Maoguo did not dare to ask any more questions and quietly withdrew.

As the Duke of Maoguo was leaving, the Emperor entered. The Empress Dowager saw him and said, "Your Majesty, please do not ask any questions."

emperor,"……"

The Duke of Maoguo presented the imperial pardon to the emperor.

The Emperor said, "This pardon was bestowed upon the Empress Dowager by the late Emperor. The Empress Dowager pleaded for Prince Jin, and I will spare his life. There is no need to waste a pardon. You may take it back."

Granny Zhao hurried down the steps, but just as she reached the Emperor to receive the pardon, the Empress Dowager spoke up, "No need."

Eunuch Yuan looked completely bewildered.

The Emperor returned the pardon to the Empress Dowager, but she refused to accept it.

It was already unexpected enough that the Empress Dowager used her pardon to save Prince Jin, but the outcome was even more unusual.

Having the "immunity token" meant that the Empress Dowager could save one person's life.

The Emperor offered to return it to the Empress Dowager, but she refused.

Eunuch Yuan's intuition told him that the Empress Dowager regretted accepting the death-exemption token given to her by the late Emperor.

She didn't want to save the Prince of Jin, but she had no choice but to do something against her will.

But she is the Empress Dowager; who can make her do something she doesn't want to do?

When the news reached Shen Wan and Xie Jingyan that the Emperor had returned the pardon to the Empress Dowager, and that she had refused, their brows furrowed even more deeply.

It's plausible that the Emperor would return the pardon to the Empress Dowager.

After all, the eldest prince was not dead. As long as the Empress Dowager and the eldest prince did not pursue the matter to the end, Xie Jingyin would not have to be executed.

The Emperor was always filial, and the pardon was a keepsake left by the late Emperor for the Empress Dowager.

But the Empress Dowager's refusal was utterly incomprehensible.

It was Chen Feng who reported this matter. Shen Wan asked, "Have you found out why the Empress Dowager saved Prince Jin?"

Chen Feng replied, "Today the Empress went to plead with the Empress Dowager, but the Empress Dowager initially refused to see her. The Empress spoke to Granny Zhao about something, and Granny Zhao reported back to the Empress Dowager, who then allowed the Empress to enter. No one knows exactly what the Empress and the Empress Dowager discussed. Before the Empress even left, the Empress Dowager ordered the Commander of the Imperial Guards to take the imperial pardon to save Prince Jin..."

"When the Duke of Mao asked the Empress Dowager why she saved the Prince of Jin, he was scolded by her. The Empress Dowager also forbade the Emperor to ask."

Shen Wan and Xie Jingyan exchanged a glance.

Although the Empress Dowager said nothing, her silence hinted at a shocking secret hidden behind the matter.