Suddenly, I heard a baby crying beside me.
This greatly displeased Empress Yan, who got up and went to look in the direction of the crying. Sure enough, she saw a small child lying on the ground with his forehead swollen and red from being bumped.
Upon seeing the person who had arrived, the child was so frightened that he shut up and began to sob incessantly.
"Your Majesty..." Qingzhi panicked and stood in front of the child; "Your Majesty, the young prince is still young, this servant will take him away right away."
Empress Yan glanced down at the young prince and said sternly, "Bring him with you!"
Aokiji probably guessed something.
Every time Empress Yan heard that Princess Jiahua was living a good life, she would lose control of her emotions, and there was only one way to vent her anger.
He cruelly abused the Third Prince's wife.
Over the past year, the Third Prince's wife had already been tormented to the point of wishing she were dead.
This time is no exception.
Sure enough, Empress Yan went to the side hall to visit him. When she opened the door, a strong smell of medicine wafted out. Qingzhi carefully led the young prince.
Empress Yan turned her head and slapped the young prince's tender face.
"Wow!"
The sound of crying began.
The person on the bed was startled.
The Third Prince's wife opened her eyes wearily, stood up in a panic, and tried to take a step forward, but she fell down after only a few steps and fell heavily to the ground.
The chains around his ankles jingled.
The Third Prince's wife knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Empress Yan: "Your Majesty, I was momentarily blinded by greed and shouldn't have listened to that vile woman Zhao Jiahua. Please, Your Majesty, have mercy!"
He kowtowed repeatedly.
One after another.
Soon his forehead turned a purplish-blue bruise.
"That bitch Zhao Jiahua, I will never forgive her even if I become a ghost, for daring to deceive me!" The Third Prince's wife had long since guessed Empress Yan's thoughts.
Only by constantly insulting Zhao Jiahua could Empress Yan's anger be appeased and she be prevented from targeting the young prince.
Empress Yan's anger subsided considerably, though her face remained taut and somber: "If it weren't for your help, Zhao Jiahua wouldn't have left Southern Frontier, she wouldn't be protected by the Emperor of Northern Chu, and her daughter wouldn't be the future Crown Princess, and her son wouldn't be Prince Jing..."
Thinking of this, Empress Yan's heart was bleeding.
With Zhao Jiahua around, Empress Yan suffered for thirteen years, but before she could even vent her anger, Zhao Jiahua had already gone to enjoy a life of luxury.
She was left alone in the Southern Border Palace to continue suffering.
How could she not be angry?
Empress Yan spread her palms out behind her.
Seeing this, Qingzhi had no choice but to take down the whip hanging on the wall and hand it to Empress Yan.
"Smack!"
The whip fell.
The skin was torn open and the flesh was ripped open.
The Third Prince's wife bit her lip tightly and refused to let go, curling up on the ground.
I can't remember how many lashes were cast.
All that was known was that Empress Yan was exhausted from beating him and stopped only when she was panting heavily. She stomped her exquisite embroidered shoes hard on the Third Prince's wife's cheek: "You better pray that I can capture Zhao Jiahua alive, otherwise, I will not let this matter go so easily."
The Third Prince's wife was in unbearable pain, but dared not cry out, for fear of frightening the young prince.
Aokiji covered the young prince's eyes, a hint of reluctance in his eyes.
After Empress Yan vented her anger, her emotions gradually calmed down. She bent down, took the young prince's hand, and her face regained its usual dignified elegance: "Come, I will take you to see the Seventh Imperial Uncle."
The young prince dared not refuse, and his eyes secretly peered inside, but Qingzhi blocked his view and forcibly dragged him away.
Aokiji glanced back at the Third Prince's wife, who was lying on the ground in a pitiful state.
She still remembered the last time the young prince accidentally saw the Third Prince's wife, he was so frightened that he had nightmares for several days and cried out for his mother.
It took more than two months to slowly recover.
Once outside, Empress Yan seemed to be in a good mood. As she walked out, she encountered Prime Minister Yan on the way.
"What brings you here today, Father?"
Prime Minister Yan glanced at the trembling young prince and asked in a deep voice, "Where is Your Highness going?"
“This child said he misses his seventh uncle, so I will take him to see him.”
Prime Minister Yan frowned: "Your Majesty, please stop."
"Father, what kind of talk is that?" Empress Yan's face showed displeasure. She let go of his hand and let Qingzhi take the young prince away.
With no one around, Prime Minister Yan said, "Do you know what's being talked about in Jincheng right now?"
Empress Yan casually smoothed her sleeves. Prime Minister Yan held his breath: "Everyone is saying you're a scourge to the country, committing evil deeds, and abusing your power! The Third Prince's Consort is imprisoned in the Phoenix Palace by you, never seeing the light of day. And rumors are circulating outside that you..."
..."
Prime Minister Yan suddenly couldn't continue speaking.
"These are just rumors and gossip; they shouldn't be believed," Empress Yan said.
"But the Emperor believed it!" Prime Minister Yan said anxiously, "After the morning court sessions these past few times, the Emperor has summoned me alone and presented me with countless memorials impeaching you. The Emperor is almost losing his patience."
Empress Yan's expression changed.
"Give up your feelings for him. He's just a useless man now, powerless and without influence. As long as you live a peaceful life, what's wrong with becoming Empress Dowager in the future?" Prime Minister Yan's voice was very low: "Don't inquire about Northern Chu anymore. Many things are in the past."
"Northern Chu is not the Northern Chu of the past."
Empress Yan's eyes turned cold upon hearing this: "How dare a tiny country like ours compare to the Southern Frontier?"
Seeing that Empress Yan was stubborn and unyielding, Prime Minister Yan said angrily, "This is no reason for you to falsely issue an imperial edict to Northern Chu to demand people!"
Empress Yan had long known that this matter would eventually be exposed, but she didn't expect it to happen so soon. She pursed her lips and still didn't take it seriously.
"Your father commands the Imperial Guard and 200,000 troops. The Emperor will not do anything to you. Why should you be intimidated by Northern Chu? The Emperor has never been one to interfere in affairs..." Empress Yan rubbed her temples and said disdainfully, "It has been a long time since the palace has welcomed any new women. I will find a few beauties for the Emperor."
Prime Minister Yan was furious to see his daughter's stubbornness, but he was helpless: "Your mother is sick because of this anger. The Yan family is now being scorned by the people. If the Yan family falls from power one day, no one will be able to protect you."
Empress Yan narrowed her eyes, her expression turning serious: "Who is spreading rumors and slandering me behind my back?"
Prime Minister Yan shook his head; that was the strange thing.
He searched almost the entire city of Jin, but still couldn't find the source.
"It's Zhao Jiahua!" Empress Yan said with certainty.
Prime Minister Yan was skeptical, while Empress Yan frowned and said, "This wretched woman, I regret not killing her back then. Leaving such a worthless life to annoy me!"
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