Chapter 156 "I just wanted my mother to..."

Like a harbinger of spring that arrived sixteen years late, it dispelled the long-standing haze that had lingered over the central palace.

Empress Wei suddenly "manifested herself," and Madam Chen revealed her malice, like blood rust sediment rising from the bottom of an ancient well, finally seeing the light of day again.

The frantic curses of Madam Chen as she was dragged away still seemed to echo in everyone's ears. Amidst the confusion and anxiety, Princess Tong'an calmly walked to the front and nodded slightly to Lan Ya'er.

"continue."

Lan Ya'er came to her senses, and the ancient and melodious sound of the wooden fish echoed once again in the hall.

The lingering chanting of Buddhist scriptures miraculously calmed the uneasy atmosphere.

Princess Tong'an held a long incense stick and bowed three times before Empress Wei's ancestral tablet.

Although this religious ceremony was just a prelude to their exposure of Madam Chen's evil deeds, Princess Tong'an had no intention of giving up halfway.

No one, no accident, could prevent the successful completion of this ritual, allowing the spirit of the Empress Dowager to rest in peace.

Emperor Qingxi cried until he was exhausted, and Chief Eunuch Huang helped him to rest on a low couch to the side.

He felt as if all his strength had been drained away, and quietly watched as Princess Tong'an led everyone in the hall to complete the ceremony meticulously.

In a daze, he seemed to see a resemblance to Empress Wei in Princess Tong'an's upright figure, and his eyes showed satisfaction.

Shenyin, can you see? Aying has grown up. That little eagle can now soar through the sky and reach the highest heavens.

...

The religious ceremony ended in the afternoon.

The women who had stayed in the palace for three days were finally able to go home.

Not long after they left the Fengxian Hall, they could no longer contain themselves and began to whisper among themselves.

"Was it really the Empress herself who appeared to us?"

"Of course, otherwise why would Madam Chen suddenly go mad?"

"Amitabha! You can know a person's face but not their heart. How dare she kill the Empress?"

"Ha, isn't she always been this arrogant and domineering? She dares to do things that we wouldn't even dare to dream of."

"It must be that Heaven has eyes and can't bear to let such a good person as the Empress suffer injustice, so it gave her a chance to come back in person to seek justice."

"Well... to be honest, I think I also saw Her Majesty the Empress appear in the palace just now..."

"Me too! Me too! I thought I was seeing things, I was almost scared to death..."

Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi followed the crowd at the back, listening to their chatter about how many people had "seen" Empress Wei in the palace.

She clung tightly to Yan Yi's arm, muttering softly, "What they saw was all prepared by the princess; what we saw was the real thing..."

The irregular ink blocks painted on the curtains hanging in the main hall were actually a reversed version of the portrait of Empress Wei, which Princess Tong'an had prepared in advance on Yan Yi's advice.

“The portrait doesn’t need to be very realistic. Just a general outline and the attire and style associated with Empress Wei are enough. The rest will be filled in by people’s minds.”

Humans have a rich imagination, especially when they are in a group environment. With the combined effects of sound, light, and smell, even a three-tenths truth can be imagined as seven or eight tenths.

Shen Lingyue rubbed the goosebumps on her arms, and, unwilling to give up, asked Yan Yi again, "Did you really see me lose consciousness and write by myself just now?"

Yan Yi nodded, and ignoring her pale face, added, "Moreover, the last sentence is written in a different style than the seal script you wrote before."

Empress Wei was most skilled at writing seal script, which is why they made Shen Lingyue memorize those few sentences.

Rather than saying the little moon was written, it's more like it was "drawn".

But the last sentence, the admonition left to Emperor Qingxi... the brushstrokes are fluent, the characters are beautiful, and it was written in one go, definitely showing that the calligrapher is a master of seal script.

Yan Yi gently patted the back of her hand to comfort her: "Even if it really is the Empress's soul returning, she has no ill intentions towards us, does she?"

Shen Lingyue breathed a sigh of relief and comforted herself: "That's right, we didn't do anything wrong, and we have a clear conscience."

Yan Yi smiled slightly, her gaze drifting into the distance, a hint of barely perceptible worry in her eyes.

They have done all they can; now it depends on whether Princess Tong'an can overcome the most dangerous hurdle.

...

Lu Xilou was extremely efficient. That very night, he entered the palace with a thick stack of confessions and brought Aunt Liu, a witness, with him to meet the emperor.

“Your Majesty, this person is Lady Liu, the aunt of Minister Shen Hang, the Minister of Rites. Liu’er, the palace maid who worked in the flower room of the Empress sixteen years ago, is her aunt.”

Emperor Qingxi frowned. "Why is it the Shen family again?"

He looked at the woman kneeling below with a hint of suspicion, his deep voice full of authority, "Tell me everything you know."

Aunt Liu dared not hide anything and confessed everything in a trembling voice.

"I have a son with Shen Hang, named Mingda..."

She recounted how her attempt to poison Shao Minqing had backfired, resulting in the accidental injury of her own son. She also mentioned that the poison, known as the Heart-Eating Poison, came from her aunt, a palace maid named Liu'er. Before her death, Liu'er confessed everything to her, revealing that it was Madam Chen who had tricked her into using the poison to kill Empress Wei.

Emperor Qingxi sat above, listening quietly. The flickering candlelight reflected on his inscrutable face, and an invisible pressure swirled in the hall.

He suddenly asked Lu Xilou, "Was it Tong'an who handed Liu over to you?"

Lu Xilou bowed his head and replied, "...After Shen Mingda fell into a coma due to poisoning, Aunt Liu was taken into custody by the matriarch of the Shen family. She then went through several channels to Princess Tong'an to request the imperial physician to detoxify Shen Mingda."

After he finished speaking, seeing that Emperor Qingxi remained silent for a long time, he couldn't help but feel a little uneasy.

These were all instructions given to him by Princess Tong'an.

When Lu Xilou first heard this, he was shocked—didn't this confirm that Princess Tong'an had known the truth about Madam Chen's plot to murder Empress Wei all along?

What if Emperor Qingxi becomes suspicious and thinks that Princess Tong'an planned all of this in advance?

Could people suspect that she has ulterior motives, is trying to suppress Prince Yu, or even... deceive the emperor?

But Princess Tong'an told him to just tell the truth and not to hide anything.

Lu Xilou only remembered Princess Tong'an's meaningful words when he left the princess's residence with Concubine Liu:

Do you really think His Majesty believes in so-called ghosts and gods?

...

Princess Tong'an was summoned to the palace late at night.

She looked clear-headed and was dressed neatly, clearly having come prepared.

"Father, you wanted to see me?"

Before Emperor Qingxi lay Lu Xilou's interrogation confession. Apart from Madam Chen being mentally unstable and speaking incoherently, the other female relatives associated with Madam Chen had all confessed to some illegal acts.

However, this does not prove that Madam Chen was the real culprit who murdered Shenyin and Ji'er.

Emperor Qingxi flipped through the confessions expressionlessly. He didn't speak, while Princess Tong'an stood quietly below, waiting.

Until the cold words of the sovereign and father came from above.

"Kneel down."

Princess Tong'an bent her knees and knelt down calmly, her back still straight, looking at Emperor Qingxi with a serene expression.

"Father is wise; I knew nothing could escape your eyes."

Emperor Qingxi was amused by her calm and fearless demeanor and slammed his hand heavily on the table.

"Xiao Zhuoying, do you know what you're doing? This is deceiving the emperor! Don't think that just because you're my daughter you can act with impunity and do whatever you want!"

Emperor Qingxi threw the page of confession belonging to Consort Liu at her and snorted coldly.

"You knew all along that Chen Yang poisoned your mother, so why didn't you tell me directly? Why did you deliberately stage this whole thing, even using your mother's death anniversary as a pretext? She raised you for nothing for over a decade!"

This is what disappointed and angered Emperor Qingxi the most.

"It is precisely because I am the Queen Mother's daughter that I must seek justice for her."

Princess Tong'an met his furious face without fear, "If Chen Yang hadn't gone mad and exposed herself in public, what could you have done to her with just the testimony of a palace maid who had been dead for more than ten years, without any evidence? With the power of the Chen family and the status of Prince Yu?"

Emperor Qingxi was even angrier. "Shenyin is my wife of many years. Do you really doubt that I would disregard her injustice in order to maintain the balance of power in the court?"

Princess Tong'an calmly replied, "Sixteen years ago, didn't you sacrifice your mother and the Wei family for the sake of the court?"

Emperor Qingxi's expression froze, and his face turned slightly pale.

He gritted his teeth and forced out a few words: "Are you harboring resentment towards me on behalf of the Wei family?"

“Father, I am a daughter of the Xiao family and a daughter-in-law of the Wei family.”

Princess Tong'an said, "Your Majesty is a daughter of the Wei family and a daughter-in-law of the Xiao family. We can all understand your predicament, but we are also unwilling to be caught in the middle and unable to have it both ways."

Ignoring Emperor Qingxi's unpleasant expression, she got up and went to the imperial desk to pour him a cup of tea.

“Father, whether you call me a ghost or a schemer, no one in this world longs for Mother’s innocence to be cleared and the truth to come out more than I do.”

Princess Tong'an placed the teacup in front of him and added, "Can't you tell which sentence on the sand table is the Empress Dowager's handwriting?"

Emperor Qingxi looked up at her, and a silent stalemate fell between father and daughter.

In the end, he accepted the cup of tea, as if talking to himself, "Your mother... she doesn't blame me anymore, does she?"

"I'm afraid you'll have to ask her that question yourself after you've passed away."

Princess Tong'an then changed the subject, "But can we do something for those who are still alive?"

Emperor Qingxi understood her meaning, lowered his eyes and remained silent, seemingly still hesitant.

Princess Tong'an didn't urge her, and handed her a small box instead.

"Father, this is the antidote for the Heart-Eating Disease. Shen Mingda has recovered about 70-80% and should be safe now."

Emperor Qingxi was slightly taken aback. "Wasn't it said that there was no antidote for this poison?"

"Imperial Physician Wen has a wonderful niece, who is quite talented," Princess Tong'an explained, then reminded him, "You can entrust the antidote to someone you trust for safekeeping, just in case."

As the night deepened and the dew grew heavy, Emperor Qingxi was startled by her words and broke out in a cold sweat. "What do you mean by 'being prepared for any eventuality'?"

"Madam Chen may not know that the antidote for the Heart-Eating Poison is already available." Princess Tong'an said meaningfully, "This kind of deadly poison, which kills without leaving a trace and even the imperial physicians cannot detect, has many uses."

Emperor Qingxi: ...

He shoved the brocade box into his sleeve with an annoyance. "What, do you think that ever since the eldest son forced the emperor to abdicate, the third son has dared to poison me?"

"Think what you will, but this is just my way of showing filial piety."

Princess Tong'an softened her voice, "Father, only when you are well can I dare to do anything. You are the sky above A-Ying's head. No matter how high I fly, I am still under your control."

Emperor Qingxi remained silent, tapping his knuckles lightly on the table. After a long while, he finally said, "Tell me the truth, when did you first have this idea?"

If he still can't see through Princess Tong'an's ambitions at this point, then all those decades as crown prince and emperor have been for nothing.

"I don't remember either," Princess Tong'an chuckled softly. "It probably started when my brothers gathered their own power around me, and everyone was eyeing the chair beneath you, but no one was willing to stand beside me."

"But you are my daughter—"

"So what? Don't we all have the blood of the Xiao family flowing in our veins?"

Two blazing fires lit up in Princess Tong'an's eyes.

“Father, if your reason for rejecting me is simply because I am a woman, that is the greatest injustice.”

Emperor Qingxi opened his mouth, "Of course I know you are capable and talented, but, but do you know how hard it is to be an emperor? I feel sorry for you. You only need to be a pampered and wealthy princess, why do you have to make yourself suffer like this?"

"Since being an emperor is so difficult, why does everyone want to be one? When Father was the crown prince, he walked on thin ice. Why didn't he just hand over the throne to someone else and become a carefree prince?"

Emperor Qingxi's face darkened after being rebuked by her. He said irritably, "In short, the ancestral laws have never stated that a woman can become emperor. This is against the rules."

“I’ve been reading the ‘Veritable Records of Emperor Taizu’ since I was a child. It says that princes and princesses have the same right to participate in politics. When was there ever an explicit prohibition?”

Princess Tong'an pressed on: "Besides, rules are made by people. Throughout history, reforms have always been about taking paths that no one has taken before. How do we know if it's possible if we don't try? Father, putting aside the issue of gender, am I not your most outstanding child? If it weren't for the fact that my eldest and third brothers have such bad records that they are unreliable, why would you still be so conflicted?"

"Ah Ying, you're being too naive. Do you know how difficult the road ahead is? How many officials in the court are willing to support you?"

Emperor Qingxi earnestly advised her, rubbing his tired brow, "Power may taste delicious, but it is also a poison coated in honey. Once you embark on this path, there is no turning back."

Princess Tong'an raised her eyebrows.

"How do you know it won't work if you don't try? As long as you're willing to give your daughter a chance, I have my own ways to win them over. Father, I don't want to be just a daughter, a wife, or a mother. I have my own ambitions. I want everyone to be well-fed and clothed, to have someone to rely on in their old age, and to have children to be cared for. I want all women in the world to be able to step out of their homes with dignity, to read and write, and to work and earn money... If I can't sit in that position, all of this will be castles in the air. A princess's residence alone cannot support it."

At this moment, Princess Tong'an no longer concealed her ambition and aspirations. She gestured wildly as she described an ideal blueprint to Emperor Qingxi, her eyes shining with an unprecedented brilliance.

She could have chosen a gradual approach, or even used the power of Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi to quietly eliminate the obstacles in her path, including Emperor Qingxi himself.

But this wasn't the outcome she wanted. She wanted to step into the limelight and reclaim the victory that rightfully belonged to her. Emperor Qingxi looked at his eloquent daughter; she was like a rising sun, radiating boundless enthusiasm and sincerity, her light so dazzling it almost burned his eyes.

He touched the square brocade box in his sleeve. The sharp edges were a little rough to the touch, but it was truly heavy, containing a daughter's deepest love for her father.

She could have kept the antidote for herself; Emperor Qingxi believed that any of his other sons would have done the same.

A rare and incurable poison, when used at the most opportune moment, is the best killing move.

"Very well, I will give you a chance to prove yourself."

Emperor Qingxi finally made up his mind: "As long as you can convince and follow all the officials and ministers that you are my best successor, this throne will be yours even if it is not yours."

Princess Tong'an breathed a sigh of relief and immediately knelt down to express her gratitude.

"Thank you, Father. Your son will certainly not let you down!"

Emperor Qingxi deliberately snorted coldly, "Then you'd better be prepared. My requirements for my daughter and the crown prince are completely different. Be careful that you don't be the first to give up."

Princess Tong'an stood up and took out a palm-sized wooden carving from her sleeve.

"Father, please look, I want to build a Xuan Nu Palace in the suburbs of the capital under the guise of praying for Mother's blessings. I will say that Mother is the reincarnation of the Xuan Nu Goddess from heaven, who has come to the human world to accumulate blessings and overcome tribulations."

Emperor Qingxi took the wooden carving and examined it carefully. The outline of the deity did indeed have some of the charm of Empress Wei.

Princess Tong'an's suggestion really struck a chord with him.

Since Chen Yang plotted to murder the Empress, the Chen family could not be allowed to survive. Furthermore, the "miracle" on the day of the ritual would eventually be spread. It would be better to turn the tables and both build up merit by creating a statue of the Empress and deepen the people's awe of imperial power, thus deifying the majesty of the imperial family.

Ah Ying was able to devise a complete plan in just a few days, bringing all the relevant people to justice in one fell swoop. It was a perfect plan that achieved multiple goals at once, and one has to admit that she is a natural leader.

Emperor Qingxi wanted to agree, but he didn't want to agree so readily. He nitpicked, "Now you're building a palace and a statue of your mother. Next, are you going to rebuild a Vairocana Buddha statue for you?"

"Your daughter has no intention of becoming a saint in the physical body for the time being." Princess Tong'an heard his teasing and laughed, "I am your daughter, and my lineage can be found in the imperial genealogy. That's enough."

She lowered her head and gently stroked the wooden carving's eyebrows and eyes, her voice soft.

"I just want my mother to have a better life in heaven."

Emperor Qingxi was incredibly soft-hearted and waved his hand.

"I'll do as you say. Go and make the arrangements. Just tell Father what kind of manpower you need."

After Princess Tong'an left, Emperor Qingxi summoned Chief Eunuch Huang.

"Have Lu Sheng personally go to the north and bring the Wei family back safe and sound."

Chief Steward Huang accepted the order and left the palace, where he sneezed several times as the night wind blew through him.

He rubbed his nose, gazing at the faint light of dawn breaking on the horizon, and murmured to himself:

"The weather in the capital is about to change."

...

Chen Yang was found guilty of murdering the Empress and the Crown Prince. There was ample evidence and witness testimony, and the entire Chen family was imprisoned and their three clans were exterminated.

The Chen family had been entrenched in the military for many years, with deep roots and great power. Emperor Qingxi was determined to punish them severely. For a time, the Censorate was filled with impeachment memorials every day. Anyone who colluded with the Chen family and sold official positions through Madam Chen's connections was dismissed and imprisoned according to the severity of their crimes, awaiting further judgment.

Although Prince Yu was not directly involved in the matter, more than half of the bribes received by Lady Chen went into his pocket. He could not escape the charge of forming cliques for personal gain. He was stripped of his princely title and retained only his status as a prince. From that day forward, his entire family was demoted back to their ancestral home and sent to guard the imperial tombs for three years to observe their future conduct.

After the court session ended, Shen Hang was kept behind by Emperor Qingxi and given a severe dressing-down.

"You neglect your duties at home, favor your concubines over your wife, and fail to distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate children. How can I entrust the Ministry of Rites to such a muddle-headed fool?"

Poor Shen Hang had only recovered from his illness a few days ago, and he was scolded so badly that he could no longer speak fluently, and could only stammer and kowtow to beg for forgiveness.

Emperor Qingxi vented his anger and ultimately punished him by deducting two years' salary.

Shen Hang was stunned. It was just a fine?

"Hmph, if it weren't for the fact that you have a good daughter..." Emperor Qingxi flicked his sleeve, "Get lost!"

Shen Hang quickly rolled away, only remembering a life-threatening matter after leaving the palace.

Prince Yu... no, the Third Prince, the Third Prince's whole family has been sent to guard the imperial tombs, so what will happen to Yi'er?

...

Several days later.

Lu Sheng led the Wei family members back to the capital in secret and went to the palace to meet the emperor as soon as possible.

Emperor Qingxi strode down from the dragon throne, unable to believe that the gaunt, white-haired old man before him was his once tall, valiant, and invincible brother-in-law.

Wei Youning pushed away his nephews and nieces who were helping him up, and was about to kneel down to pay his respects when Emperor Qingxi pulled him up, his voice trembling: "Brother-in-law, what are you doing..."

"It has been several years since we last met. Is Your Majesty well?" Wei Youning made no mention of his old age, but looked at Emperor Qingxi with concern. "If the divine voice in heaven is watching, may it bless this sinful subject so that he may see Your Majesty's face again in this lifetime."

Emperor Qingxi's eyes welled up with tears, and he hurriedly summoned the imperial physician to take Wei Youning's pulse.

"How is General Wei's health?" he asked anxiously.

Upon hearing this form of address, Lu Sheng raised an eyebrow slightly, then lowered his eyes and remained silent.

"Your Majesty, General Wei has been traveling for days, which has left him exhausted. In addition, he has not been able to properly take care of the symptoms left over from his injuries in his early years, which is why he looks more frail than his peers..."

Emperor Qingxi immediately ordered him to devise a long-term treatment plan, and then held Wei Youning's hand tightly, saying, "Brother-in-law, you have suffered so much these years. I am sorry for you and Shenyin... Let's rest and recuperate for a while. Once you are better, I am counting on you and the men of the Wei family to restore the prestige of the army and uphold the glory of our Great Ye Kingdom."

Wei Youning immediately led his children and grandchildren to bow down and express their gratitude.

When the Wei family left the palace, they saw Princess Tong'an and Wei Shao, who were eagerly waiting, at the palace gate.

Unable to contain himself, Wei Shao stepped forward, knelt down, and kowtowed three times.

"Father, your son has finally waited for you to return."

Wei Youning helped him up, patted Wei Shao on the shoulder, and laughed as heartily and boldly as ever, "Alright, what's with all this crying? Didn't we just meet two years ago?"

Wei Shao sniffed sheepishly and muttered in defense, "That's different..."

Previously, the Wei family were exiled and punished for their crimes. Although the local government and garrison remembered the Wei family's glorious reputation for defending the border and killing enemies, they did not treat them harshly. Princess Tong'an and her husband also often sent people to secretly deliver supplies to them. However, they had to be somewhat cautious in their actions and could not be too ostentatious or high-profile.

With the downfall of the Chen family and the exoneration of the Wei family, who were pardoned and allowed to return to the capital, the days of careful forbearance over the past decade or so have finally come to a complete end.

Princess Tong'an stepped forward and bowed.

"Uncle, welcome home."

Looking at her spirited and handsome features, Wei Youning said "good" several times.

“Our Ah Ying has grown up. She’s no longer the little girl who sat on her uncle’s shoulders when she was little.”

Princess Tong'an smiled and said, "But in my heart, my uncle is still as tall and heroic as he was when he was young, a pillar of strength."

Wei Youning laughed and said meaningfully, "If that's the case, how about your uncle lets you ride a horse one more time?"

This is a girl raised by the Wei family, and also a daughter-in-law brought into the Wei family. Whatever she wants to do, her uncle will do his best to support her.

-----------------------

Author's Note: I'm back! [Let me see!]