"Guards, convey my order! Drag Granny Ping out of the Empress Dowager's palace, cut off her hands, and send her to the Empress Dowager for inspection! Also, tell the Empress Dowager in detail about her collusion with that monk!"

Upon hearing that the Empress Dowager had received the severed hand, she was so frightened that she fainted. When she woke up, she wept bitterly.

Granny Ping was an old servant who had been by her side since she entered the palace.

Xu Ninghai personally conveyed the emperor's decree and also took the monk into custody, confessing to the affair of colluding with Granny Heping to poison the holy water.

Although the Empress Dowager was heartbroken, she had to put on a righteous and awe-inspiring appearance to avoid being implicated.

"I never imagined that Pinggu would do such a foolish thing behind my back. Enough said, give her a cup of poison."

"Let her go in a more peaceful way."

"After all, he has served me for so many years."

"Empress Dowager, His Majesty asked me to ask you if you will blame him?" Xu Ninghai wiped his sweat.

"Strange?" The Empress Dowager gave a bitter smile, her tearful eyes filled with resentment, but her wrinkled face showed a relieved expression as she shook her head. "The Emperor is the Son of Heaven, and he is impartial in dealing with the palace servants who have made mistakes. How could I blame him? You may leave."

After Xu Ninghai left.

The Empress Dowager fell seriously ill and became delirious throughout the night, clutching the hand of another trusted eunuch, Eunuch Zheng.

"I am dying, I don't have much time left. Go quickly and deliver my secret edict. Please, please invite Prince Yan and Prime Minister Xia to the palace tonight. Tell them that I have some things I want to tell them."

That night.

The starlight was dim, and the cool breeze was like water.

Prince Li Huaiyan and Prime Minister Xiahou Qing arrived in haste.

Xiahou Qing is now over sixty years old, and like the King of Pingxi, he is a veteran of three reigns.

As the youngest brother of the late king and the emperor's uncle, the sixth prince was devoted to the court and had no interest in marriage, only hoping for a better future.

The two rushed to the Cining Palace where the Empress Dowager was. The Empress Dowager struggled to sit on the couch and asked Eunuch Zheng to close the doors and windows tightly.

Seeing her emaciated appearance, the Sixth Prince frowned, his tone grave, and bowed, "Empress Dowager, what is the matter that you summoned us here in the dead of night?"

"Your Majesty, the Prince of Pingxi is currently in prison. Do you have any way to get him out?" Xiahou Qing asked urgently. He had a kind face and white hair and beard.

"I have summoned you here precisely because of the matter concerning the Prince of Pingxi. As everyone knows, he is a loyal minister. But the Emperor does not believe him and listens to the slander of treacherous officials. He not only intends to harm the Prince of Pingxi, but also plans to behead Kong Wang, the abbot of Yunyin Temple, the next day."

"Such atrocities, if actually committed, will surely arouse public resentment," the Empress Dowager said in a frail, heavy voice, her breathing sounding like a bellows.

"What? Did the Empress Dowager advise the Emperor to reconsider? I heard that Kong Wang is the next abbot of Yunyin Temple."

Xiahou Qing said in a somber tone, “The Yue Dynasty believed in Buddhism. Yunyin Temple was built by the father of the late king. During the reign of Emperor Taizu, he personally supervised the construction and sent people to build it. The abbot of the temple had a relationship with Emperor Taizu. His ancestors had a written contract passed down through generations.”

"It means that no matter how big the mistake is, a chance to correct it will be given."

"If Kong Wang had made other mistakes, it would be one thing. This time, he was implicated and imprisoned because he was helping the Prince of Pingxi capture the demon. He is usually charitable and has the deep faith of the people. He is the next generation of leader that the people hope for."

"On the contrary, Bai Lingyu has a full head of white hair and his origins are illegitimate. How can the emperor not understand this? He actually ordered the execution of the high monks of Yunyin Temple for the sake of a mere demon!"

Xiahou Qing was filled with righteous indignation and couldn't help but angrily rebuke, "It is truly incomprehensible to us that the emperor acts so rashly and capriciously!"

Li Huaiyan remained silent, pondered for a moment, and then slowly said, "The key is that no evidence has been found that Bai Lingyu is a demon. Kong Wang offended the concubine, so it is only right that he be thrown into prison. The Prince of Pingxi has made great military achievements, so I suppose the Emperor will not do anything to him, at most he will take back his military power."

"Yes, but it cannot be denied that His Majesty has become obsessed with beauty and has been bewitched by the bewitching concubine! I am utterly disappointed in him! Do you know that today, in order to avenge Consort Mi Hui, he actually chopped off the hands of the old nanny who had served me for many years, and even personally sent someone to present them to me for inspection!"

After the Empress Dowager finished speaking, tears streamed down her face. She coughed violently several times and slammed her hand on the table, exclaiming, "Outrageous! Utterly outrageous!"

"Such a thing has happened! Your Majesty is utterly confused! That Consort Mi Hui is the concubine born to the Vice Minister of Rites, isn't she? I even impeached her today, but I don't know if Your Majesty will listen."

Xiahou Qing grew angrier the more he thought about it.

His daughter, Xia Ranxue, has never been summoned by the emperor since she entered the palace!

The emperor was bewitched, or perhaps he had a problem with these veteran officials.

It's a pity that his daughter, at such a beautiful age, was sent to the palace, only to have her life wasted by the emperor!

“It is indeed inappropriate for the Emperor to show favoritism, and it is even more unacceptable for him to disrespect the Empress Dowager for the sake of a concubine.” Li Huaiyan’s brows furrowed with displeasure. “Empress Dowager, have you come up with a plan?”

"That's right. My health was already poor, and after this incident, I can feel my constitution deteriorating drastically. The reason I summoned you here so urgently is because I intend to depose the Emperor and select a virtuous and capable successor!"

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the two high-ranking officials changed drastically.

"Empress Dowager, are you serious?"

"Deposing and establishing a crown prince is no small matter. Even if you are willing, it cannot be accomplished simply by talking about it!" said Prime Minister Xia.

"I understand perfectly well that I said such a thing because I was very confident."

After she finished speaking, she coughed lightly, gestured to Eunuch Zheng, and spun the vase in the corner. The wall next to the bed moved, revealing a shelf.

Take a locked box from the top shelf.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!