Chapter 57 She wanted to kill Wu Yang and the Duke of Yan with her own hands…

In the inner palace, the chilling atmosphere of late winter had already permeated the palace walls, while in Shangyang Palace, the air was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood.

Now Empress Dowager Chen Xiang leaned against the phoenix couch, her well-maintained hands, adorned with gold and jade-inlaid nail guards, gently massaging her temples.

With her eyes slightly closed, Pei Shang'er sat upright on a rosewood chair beside her. Pei Shang'er was rather thin, and even her bright yellow dragon robe did not give her enough majesty; instead, it made her figure appear even more frail.

The palace servants who had been standing inside had long been dismissed, and heavy curtains hung low, isolating them from the outside world, leaving only the mother and daughter.

“Chang’er, you are now the emperor, and there are some things that should be taken care of as soon as possible,” Chen Xiang broke the silence first, her tone tinged with worry, “The affairs of the harem cannot be delayed any longer.”

Pei Chang'er raised her eyes and looked at her mother, puzzled: "The harem?"

Chen Xiang slowly opened his eyes, his gaze sharp as a knife, showing no trace of his previous fatigue: "The concubines who served the late emperor, according to ancestral rules, should stay or leave, there are established procedures. However, the current situation is special. Your Majesty has just ascended the throne, and your foundation is not yet stable. You cannot afford the slightest mistake."

She paused, lowering her voice further yet making it clearer, "Let those who received the emperor's favor serve him faithfully and follow him in the afterlife. This will fulfill their bond as ruler and subject, husband and wife."

Loyalty? To follow in the afterlife?

Did Mother mean for them to be buried with her?

Pei Chang'er thought this was making a mountain out of a molehill: "Mother, when Father Emperor was on the throne, he did not linger in the harem for long. Moreover, our dynasty has no old custom of funerary sacrifice. If we do this, I'm afraid there will be criticism from the court and the public. Let's just forget about it."

"Criticism?" Chen Xiang sneered, sitting up straight. "You are the emperor, do you need to fear criticism from your court officials? Your mercy may bring you utter ruin in the future!"

Her gaze was sharp as she stared intently at her daughter: "Those women, who have been immersed in the palace for so many years, are all cunning and ruthless. How many former dynasty forces are they involved with? Keeping them alive is like keeping countless seeds of trouble and spies! They may bow down to you today, but who knows if they won't collude with outsiders and stir up trouble in the future? Only the dead are truly docile."

Pei Shang'er's face turned slightly pale.

Although the Emperor loved his mother dearly and had a nominal six palaces, after ascending the throne, he was pressured by his court officials to gradually fill the palaces with women. Although the Emperor did not often look at those women, he did not completely ignore them.

No one wants to share their lover with others, so it's understandable that her mother wanted those women to disappear. Pei Shang'er wasn't unaware of these principles; she had grown up in the palace and was used to intrigue and power struggles.

But the thought that they were all vibrant lives, especially the many young women who had never truly been favored by the emperor, made it unbearable to send them all to their deaths.

Chen Xiang observed her expression and knew she was soft-hearted, so she softened her tone: "Let the low-ranking concubines who have never served the emperor be sent to guard the imperial mausoleum. Let them spend their remaining years in seclusion with Buddhist scriptures and lamps. That's a good place for them, and it's better than wasting their time in the palace and causing trouble."

This might sound like a mercy, but Pei Chang'er knew that guarding the imperial tombs, far from the palace, in a harsh environment with strict rules and isolation from the world, was nothing more than another form of slow execution.

Pei Shang'er remained silent for a moment.

Finally, she whispered, "Then let it be as Your Majesty wishes. I will issue the decree later."

Hearing her daughter's agreement, Chen Xiang's face showed a hint of satisfaction, and she leaned back on the cushion, resuming her languid posture: "This is the decisiveness a ruler should have."

However, the turmoil in Pei Chang'er's heart did not subside.

After hesitating for a long time, she couldn't help but ask, "Mother, Father didn't favor the concubines in the palace much when he was alive. Why do you want to kill them all? Wouldn't it be better to make them become nuns?"

"To exterminate them all?" Chen Xiang seemed to have heard a naive joke. She turned her head, and her voice suddenly became extremely serious, even carrying a hint of fierceness: "Since ancient times, palace intrigues have always been a matter of life and death! If you show them any mercy today and go easy on them, they or their families will make sure you die without a burial place when they gain power in the future!"

Pei Shang'er stared blankly at her mother, thinking that her mother might have been angry for a moment, so she patiently explained.

“My father only has one daughter, me. No matter how powerful they are, without children, it’s all just empty talk.”

Chen Xiang took a deep breath and dropped a bombshell that would shatter all of Pei Chang'er's hesitations: "Your Majesty, why do you think I'm in such a hurry? That concubine surnamed Su from the Yeting Palace has only been in the palace for three months. I thought she was fine, but just yesterday, she tried to starve herself to death to follow the late Emperor. I sensed something was wrong and asked the imperial physician to examine her pulse. They discovered that she is three months pregnant."

"What?!" Pei Chang'er stood up abruptly, her face drained of color.

The late emperor's heir? An unborn child? She knew all too well what this meant.

"The late emperor has only been gone for three days. If this child is born, it will be fine if it is a princess, but if it is a prince... Chang'er, tell me, what will the officials, those old ministers who still have reservations about your ascension to the throne as a woman, and those treacherous members of the imperial family think? What will they do? At that time, will you still be able to sit on the throne securely?"

Every word was like a heavy hammer, striking Pei Chang'er's heart hard.

That slight reluctance and pity were instantly replaced by immense fear and a cold lust for power.

She could almost see the unborn child being proclaimed emperor, while she herself would become a prisoner or even a victim of the sword.

She absolutely would not allow such a thing to happen.

Pei Chang'er's eyes suddenly turned cold and firm, and the last bit of softness was completely stripped away.

She sat down again, her back ramrod straight, her voice regaining its calmness and decisiveness, even carrying a hint of ruthlessness: "I understand, Mother Empress, rest assured. I will issue an edict immediately, ordering all the concubines who served the late Emperor to be given white silk and poisoned wine, to be buried alive with him in the imperial mausoleum. Those who did not serve the Emperor will be sent to the imperial mausoleum immediately, and will not be allowed to leave without death! That concubine surnamed Su, I will definitely not let her live."

"Good, this is my good daughter. The emperor of the Tang Dynasty should be so decisive and ruthless."

Hearing her mother's praise, Pei Chang'er pondered for a moment, her voice filled with obvious annoyance and worry: "Mother, there is something that is really troubling me."

"Oh? What could possibly trouble the Emperor so much?"

Chen Xiang had achieved his goal. He leisurely picked up the warm tea beside him and gently blew on it.

“It’s my uncle,” Pei Chang’er blurted out, her tone filled with suppressed dissatisfaction. “The General has been getting more and more presumptuous lately.”

Upon hearing that it concerned her brother, Chen Xiang paused in her tea-drinking, looked up at her daughter, and asked, "What happened to your uncle?"

"My cousin mentioned to me the day before yesterday that he wanted to marry the former Crown Princess Xue Yingyue. I asked Xue Yingyue myself, and she refused. Although I threatened her on the surface that I would grant the marriage immediately and also informed Prime Minister Xue about this matter, I still refused my cousin on her behalf. But today, my uncle submitted a memorial asking me to issue an imperial edict to grant his son Xie Daojian the marriage to the Prime Minister's eldest daughter, Xue Yingyue!"

"Xue Yingyue?" Chen Xiang frowned slightly.

She was the principal wife of the former Crown Prince Pei Xuanlin and the legitimate daughter of Prime Minister Xue Wenmian.

Speaking of Xue Yingyue, Chen Xiang suddenly remembered her. In the past, she was of humble status, and Yang Mingkong did not agree to her becoming a royal daughter-in-law. Xue Yingyue's mother, Cui Yuerong, often ridiculed her for wanting to become a phoenix from a common chicken. Later, she became empress for only a few days before being exiled to Luzhou with Pei Lian. After returning to Chang'an, she was caught up in one rebellion after another and the process of stabilizing the government. In the midst of all this, she had forgotten about this incident...

Now that the crown prince has been deposed, the Xue family is in an awkward position, which is the perfect opportunity for her to take revenge.

Chen Xiang slowly put down her teacup. "She is no longer the Crown Princess, and the Xue family is no more noble than the royal family. But why is your cousin so determined to marry her? He is not a man who lusts after beauty."

Pei Chang'er sneered, her eyes full of mockery: "What else could Uncle be planning? He just values ​​Xue Yingyue because she was once the rightful Crown Princess, representing the dignity of the royal family. Cousin wants to marry Xue Yingyue, probably because he wants to become the next emperor."

Chen Xiang listened quietly, her face expressionless.

After a long silence, Chen Xiang finally spoke, her voice steady and calm: "Shang'er, don't think of your uncle like that."

She paused, seemingly weighing the options carefully: "Your uncle has indeed overstepped his bounds by marrying into the Xue family. His intentions must be far-reaching. But after all, he was the one who helped you ascend to the throne. The political situation is still unstable, and we still need to rely on his military strength to solidify your imperial position. It is not advisable to confront him directly."

Pei Chang'er said anxiously, "Are we just going to let him be so presumptuous? If we allow him to marry into the Prime Minister's family this time, what if he demands even more next time?"

A glint of light flashed in Chen Xiang's eyes: "Yes, of course we'll grant it."

"Mother?!" Pei Chang'er asked, puzzled.

"The imperial decree can be issued, but this marriage may not be possible."

Chen Xiang smiled slightly and said, "Don't forget, Pei Xuanlin is not dead yet. Jiangnan and other places are all supporting him. He could attack at any time. Xue Wenmian, that old fox, would he let his daughter, who has a chance to become empress, remarry a general's non-biological son? Even if this general is currently all-powerful, the Xue and Cui families are old noble families and have looked down on the Chen family for a long time. Unless Xue Yingyue is married to your son again, they will not agree."

Pei Shang'er was stunned, lost in thought.

Chen Xiang continued, "Furthermore, Xue Yingyue and Pei Xuanlin have a good relationship. Whether she is willing to marry him is still uncertain. We only need to issue an imperial decree to throw this difficult problem to the Xue family and your uncle. If your uncle is really capable of forcing the marriage, he will be the one who offends Xue Wenmian. If he fails, he will be humiliated, which will also curb his arrogance. As for us, we only need to wait and see."

After listening, Pei Chang'er nodded: "Yes, I understand."

Chen Xiang looked at his daughter and said earnestly, "A ruler must not only know when to be firm, but also when to use others' strength against them and sit back and watch them fight. Your uncle is your subject, he can be used, but he needs to be checked and balanced. The best way is to let Xue Wenmian restrain him."

After listening to her mother's analysis, Pei Shang'er, although still harboring resentment towards Chen Rao, had to admit that her mother's thinking was more thorough and astute.

She took a deep breath, suppressed the surging emotions in her heart, and nodded: "Then I will follow Mother's plan and issue an imperial decree to grant the marriage."

*

The cold of winter also enveloped the Prime Minister's residence.

After returning home from the ancestral worship ceremony, Ling Zhenli couldn't stay alone in her bedroom, so she went to Xue Wenmian's study.

"Father."

Xue Wenmian was in his study preparing to read the official documents Pei Shang'er had brought him when he saw Ling Zhenli arrive, and he looked up.

"You haven't slept for more than a few hours, why don't you go and rest?"

Ling Zhenli hesitated for a moment before speaking, "I know that Father is well-informed. Does he know where Pei Xuanlin is now?"

"..." Xue Wenmian put down the official document in his hand, but did not speak.

Ling Zhenli immediately realized that Xue Wenmian knew where Pei Xuanlin was hiding, so she began to plead: "Father, please help your daughter and let her go to Jiangnan to stay with Pei Xuanlin."

Xue Wenmian's hand froze in mid-air, and the air in the study instantly solidified.

After a long while, Xue Wenmian slowly withdrew his hand, the gentleness on his face vanishing completely, replaced by an unprecedented seriousness and coldness.

"You are now a Shangyi in the palace. Just stay in the capital and don't think about going to Jiangnan to find Pei Xuanlin."

Ling Zhenli did not back down and tried to persuade Xue Wenmian with core interests: "Daughter will only cause trouble for father in the capital. If I leave, there will be no more incidents like those involving the Fang family and my brother."

"Don't go anywhere, just stay at home. Things aren't peaceful outside right now. His Majesty confiscated Wuyang's residence a few days ago, and Wuyang and the Duke of Yan have disappeared. In his fury, His Majesty arrested the Imperial Son-in-Law, the Prince of Gao'an, and the Princess of Yongtai. The Princess of Yongtai is temporarily being held by the Lu family. As for the Imperial Son-in-Law and the Prince of Gao'an, if Wuyang and the Duke of Yan don't return to the capital by nightfall, His Majesty will execute them both."

Upon hearing that their enemies were in trouble, Ling Zhenli became interested and quickly asked, "Has His Majesty said when they will be executed today?"

Xue Wenmian turned around and knew that Ling Zhenli still wanted to kill Wu Yang and the Duke of Yan's relatives with her own hands. His gaze was like a knife cutting into her face.

"At this critical juncture, you shouldn't get involved, lest you get yourself into trouble."

Ling Zhenli was immediately disappointed.

Xue Wenmian sighed as he looked at her distraught appearance. His tone softened slightly, but it was still unquestionable: "You should calm down. General Chen Rao has petitioned His Majesty for a marriage decree, requesting that his son Xie Daojian marry you. The wedding date is set for half a month from now."

This news, like a final blow, completely devastated Ling Zhenli. She couldn't accept it and collapsed to the ground.

"Father, do you really intend to make me remarry Xie Daojian? What will happen to me if Pei Xuanlin marches back to Chang'an? What will become of my position as Empress?"

Xue Wenmian closed his eyes wearily: "I have already told His Majesty that we will consider it later, but His Majesty has not yet given a reply. Let's wait and see."

As he spoke, he walked up to Ling Zhenli, helped her up, and then said earnestly, "Your mother does not approve of this marriage."