Shou Kang Palace.

The Empress Dowager leaned against the large pillow, coughing incessantly.

Granny Zhao served by the sickbed, hesitant to speak.

The Empress Dowager noticed and, while coughing, said, "Speak your mind."

Granny Zhao waved her hand to dismiss the palace maids serving in the bedchamber before saying, "His Majesty is currently having ice cellars dug in Hanyuan Hall..."

Others may not know the Emperor's intention in digging the ice cellar, but those who know the inside story will understand immediately.

The Empress Dowager's face changed drastically. Already coughing, she was overcome with anger and coughed so badly that she almost couldn't breathe.

The Empress Dowager's eyes were red with anger. "Is the Emperor trying to drive me to my death?!"

If this matter hadn't been so serious, Zhao Mama wouldn't have reported it to the Empress Dowager when she knew the Empress Dowager couldn't afford to be angry anymore and needed to rest.

I really have to say it.

The Empress Dowager wanted to get off her sickbed and go to Hanyuan Hall to stop the Emperor. No matter how much the Emperor hated her, she could not let him do such a thing.

Zhao Mama said with a headache, "Even if the Empress Dowager goes, it won't make a difference. The Emperor won't listen to you."

To avoid causing trouble for the Empress Dowager, Granny Zhao didn't even bother to stab the Empress Dowager in the heart.

The Empress Dowager was unaware of Prince Cheng's affair with Consort Chen, but she knew everything else. She protected Prince Cheng and helped clean up the mess. If she were to stop the Emperor now, it would only anger him. What Prince Cheng could do, the Emperor would not allow, and it would only backfire.

The Empress Dowager was ashen-faced and heartbroken. "What sins have I committed to have given birth to such two rebellious sons!"

With so many women in the world, is it really necessary to have only one Consort Chen?!

They were showered with love and affection while they were alive, and even after they died, they still had to stay by their side.

The Empress Dowager was so angry that she tasted blood in her throat.

At this moment, there was a knock on the door of the bedchamber, and a palace maid pushed the door open and said, "Empress Dowager, Eunuch Yuan has arrived."

Zhao Mama subconsciously assumed that Eunuch Yuan had come about the Emperor's plan to dig an ice cellar in Hanyuan Palace. She thought that Eunuch Yuan couldn't possibly dissuade the Emperor from doing what he was determined to do, and that he had come to find the Empress Dowager to stop the Emperor.

But the Empress Dowager now doesn't have that ability anymore.

Granny Zhao sighed inwardly.

When Eunuch Yuan stepped forward, although the Emperor was no longer as respectful to the Empress Dowager as before, Eunuch Yuan dared not be disrespectful to her. He bowed respectfully, not wanting anyone to find fault with him. This was also the reason why he had served the Emperor for decades and was deeply trusted by him.

Tears welled in the Empress Dowager's eyes, her anger barely contained. "Does Your Majesty intend to drive me to my death?!"

"It's clearly the Empress Dowager protecting Prince Cheng and angering the Emperor, yet she still says such things," Yuan Gonggong thought to himself, but said aloud, "The Emperor's filial piety towards the Empress Dowager is as clear as day..."

The Empress Dowager's sharp gaze swept over Eunuch Yuan, "The Emperor is digging an ice cellar in Hanyuan Palace, do you think you can hide it from me?!"

Eunuch Yuan said, "His Majesty wants to dig an ice cellar, but Prince Ling wants Consort Chen to be buried in peace. His Majesty can't go against Prince Ling's wishes, so he has already drafted an edict to have the Ministry of Rites begin to arrange Consort Chen's funeral."

Yuan Gonggong spoke calmly, and Zhao Mama was filled with regret. If she had known that Prince Ling could dissuade the Emperor from this idea, she would not have reported it to the Empress Dowager, thus causing the Empress Dowager to be so angry.

However, Eunuch Yuan didn't come to dig an ice cellar for the Emperor; he came here now to—

When the Emperor abandoned the plan to dig an ice cellar, the Empress Dowager's anger subsided, and she asked, "What did the Emperor send you here for?"

The Empress Dowager did not believe that the Emperor had sent Eunuch Yuan to visit her.

Eunuch Yuan said, "This servant is here to deliver a message for Prince Ling."

"What are you saying?" The Empress Dowager's face darkened.

Eunuch Yuan said, "His Majesty has decreed that the things confiscated from the Yan family back then be returned to the Yan family. However, the Ministry of Revenue has only returned half of what was confiscated back then. If those things are not returned to the Yan family within three days, Prince Ling will use the investigation of Consort Chen's case as a pretext to search all the mansions and find them one by one."

Eunuch Yuan came to deliver a message, and after delivering it, he bowed and took his leave.

The Empress Dowager leaned against the large pillow, her face extremely pale.

No one can be in a good mood when they are being threatened.

Especially since Prince Ling and Young Master Yan had just humiliated the Duke of Mao's mansion today, and now they're playing the "courtesy first, force later" game with her, the Empress Dowager.

Prince Pianling was a man of his word; by having Eunuch Yuan relay his message, he clearly indicated that the Emperor approved of his actions.

The raid was a lucrative task, and it was impossible not to take advantage of the opportunity to make some money. This was something that the emperor and his officials knew very well. But if they took half of it, it was no wonder that Prince Ling would pursue the matter.

The Empress Dowager closed her eyes tightly and said, "Go to the Duke of Mao's residence and convey my orders."

...

When Xie Jingyan returned to the Ling Prince's residence from the palace, it was already quite dark.

Shen Wan didn't ask him if he had persuaded the Emperor. In the matter of Consort Chen, the Emperor's word didn't count; only Xie Jingyan's word mattered.

After nightfall, Xie Jingyan, who had been sleeping in the study for the past few days, did not go to the study. Instead, he lay on the bed and held Shen Wan, saying, "Tonight, I'll sleep in the room."

Shen Wan said, "Just bear with it for a few more days..."

Xie Jingyan said, "Tomorrow I will send my mother's coffin to the palace, and I will spend the next few days keeping vigil for her in the palace."

"If there's anything you can't handle while I'm not in the manor, just send someone to the palace to find me."

Shen Wan should have accompanied Xie Jingyan to keep vigil for Consort Chen, but she had only given birth a few days ago and was still in her postpartum period. Let alone entering the palace, she couldn't even leave her room.

Xie Jingyan held Shen Wan as they slept that night, but when Shen Wan woke up at dawn, Xie Jingyan was nowhere to be seen on the bed.

During the morning court session, Eunuch Yuan publicly read out the imperial edict, posthumously conferring upon Consort Chen the title of Empress Wende Shunsheng, and ordering her burial in the imperial mausoleum with the rites due to an empress.

The civil and military officials looked at each other in bewilderment.

Wasn't Consort Chen's body stolen?

Has it been found?

Who dug up Consort Chen's body after her burial?

There was also the posthumous conferment of the title of Empress upon Consort Chen…

Although Consort Chen did not betray the Emperor, she was ultimately framed. Is it appropriate for her to be posthumously honored as Empress?

Some ministers had their doubts, but no one stood up to object. They weren't stupid; if they were tired of living, they could commit suicide. But to offend the Emperor and Prince Ling was to offend their entire family.

No one objected, and the matter was settled.

Just as Eunuch Yuan finished reading the imperial edict, Xie Jingyan brought Consort Chen's coffin into the palace.

When a palace attendant entered the Hall of State Affairs to report, the Emperor's eyes reddened, and he immediately abandoned the morning court session and left the Hall of State Affairs.

The Emperor went to welcome Consort Chen, so did all the civil and military officials. They all followed the Emperor out of the main hall and saw Prince Ling carrying the coffin step by step as they walked over from afar.

Consort Chen lived in Changchun Palace before her death, so the Emperor set up her mourning hall there.

The burial of imperial concubines was divided into small funeral processions and large funeral processions.

The minor funeral procession involves moving the body from the sleeping quarters to the funeral palace.

The grand funeral procession involved burying the deceased in the imperial mausoleum from the funeral palace.

As for when the burial will take place, there is no fixed date; the date will be determined by the Imperial Astronomical Bureau.

Seven years after Consort Chen's death, all the civil and military officials thought that the bones in the coffin were already just a skeleton. They wondered how to confirm that the remains were Consort Chen's, and whether there was any possibility of a mistake. When they learned that Consort Chen's body was well preserved, as if she had just died, they were all shocked to the point that their hair stood on end and they broke out in a cold sweat.

Inside and outside the palace, everyone was talking about who stole Consort Chen's body and how it was preserved so well...

No one knew that Consort Chen was found in Prince Cheng's residence. Xie Jingyan didn't want his mother to be criticized for her burial, so he took care of this matter before dawn without even disturbing anyone in Prince Cheng's residence.