Chapter 765 Harem Movements
Emperor Xiaozhao asked three questions in a row. Just as everyone was waiting for him to ask Li Jingyue, he simply glanced at Li Jingyue and said in a casual tone, "Get up. Stand over there."
"Thank you, Father!"
Li Jingyue expressed her gratitude, stood up, and calmly walked to stand opposite the officials of the Three Departments.
King Qi, King Chu, and Li Sanqi all turned to look at Li Jingyue, their eyes filled with surprise.
Li Jingyue, who was the least valued, actually received the greatest preferential treatment today?
However, the three of them quickly looked away and knelt down properly.
Emperor Xiaozhao did not speak again.
Silence fell over the hall once more.
After an unknown amount of time, just as the three were about to collapse from their knees, a young eunuch entered and reported: "Your Majesty, the Marquis of Yongning, the Marquis of Yongchang, and the Marquis of Enping have arrived."
Emperor Xiaozhao nodded: "Let them in."
Soon the three marquises strode into the hall.
The three greeted each other, and Emperor Xiaozhao pointed to the seat next to him: "Wait here, not everyone has arrived yet."
The three of them dared not say anything and quickly stood in the empty seats next to Li Jingyue.
Looking at the three people kneeling in the hall, and then at the people standing on both sides, everyone understood that Emperor Xiaozhao was about to launch a major attack.
While everyone in the Imperial Study was waiting quietly, the inner palace was also busy.
The Empress summoned all the concubines to her palace, ostensibly to prevent them from causing trouble for the court, but in reality, to put them under her control.
When Consort Liu heard that a female official from the Empress's palace had come to invite her over, she instinctively wanted to refuse. Unexpectedly, the female official immediately ordered someone to arrest Consort Liu.
It was as if they would forcibly take her away if she didn't obediently follow along.
Consort Liu wanted to have her palace ladies-in-waiting take action, but considering her own status and what was happening in the Imperial Study, she swallowed her anger and waved her sleeve, saying, "You don't need to do anything, I'll go with you."
Ha, she'll see how long the Empress can be so smug.
The evidence against the King of Chu for murdering his elder brother and deposing the crown prince is irrefutable. Today is the day to confirm his guilt and make him completely lose his chance at the throne!
It would be nice to see the Empress's reaction to this news in person!
Meanwhile, the Empress summoned all the concubines in the palace and ordered the underage princes and princesses in each palace to be kept under guard.
No one is allowed to go out or wander around without her permission.
The lady-in-waiting beside her asked worriedly, "Your Highness, there's been no news from the Imperial Study. If you do this, what if you displease His Majesty..."
Another female official chided softly, "Your Majesty is doing this precisely to share His Majesty's burdens!"
"Today, the front lines are executing the former Crown Prince and establishing a new heir. If the inner palace isn't strictly controlled, won't it cause trouble for the front lines?"
"Besides, once His Highness Prince Chu becomes the Crown Prince and ascends the throne, won't those people have to bow down and obey the Empress Dowager's every command?"
His Majesty's health is poor, and he doesn't have many days left. Once the Prince of Chu ascends the throne, the Empress will become the Empress Dowager. Dealing with those few troublesome concubines in the harem will be a piece of cake.
"But if it is..." The female official A wanted to say a few more words, but the Empress waved her hand to stop her.
"Stop talking, just do as I say."
"Anyone who disobeys orders shall be killed on the spot."
The female officials were all taken aback, and then they heard the Empress say in a detached tone: "Whether it is a concubine, a prince, or a princess, anyone who dares to disobey the order shall be killed without exception."
The female officials all gasped in shock.
Although shocked, the two responded respectfully and were about to go down to take a look.
Then a palace maid rushed in.
"This servant greets Your Majesty the Empress. A message has come from the Imperial Study."
The two female officials, who were about to leave, stopped in their tracks.
The Empress didn't pay any attention and looked at the palace maid, asking, "What news?"
The palace maid, her face pale, said, "The King of Chu, the King of Qi, Princess Huaiyang, and Princess Liyang have entered the palace."
"His Majesty also personally inquired about the reasons why the Prince of Qi, the Prince of Chu, and Princess Huaiyang were summoned to the palace."
"King Chu, His Highness the King of Chu says..."
The Empress frowned impatiently: "What did the Prince of Chu say?"
The palace maid gritted her teeth and said quickly, as if she were going to do anything: "His Highness the Prince of Chu admitted that his wife was not virtuous and his household management was not strict. He also guessed that the death of the deposed crown prince might be related to the Princess of Chu and the Yongchang Marquis's mansion, and asked His Majesty to punish him."
As for whether the punishment should befall the King of Chu himself, or the Queen Consort of Chu and the Marquis of Yongchang's household, that depends on the Emperor's will.
However, these are not the main points.
The key point is that by admitting this without being asked, the King of Chu not only cut off his own future but also inadvertently ruined the Yongchang Marquis's mansion.
The Yongchang Marquis's Mansion is not only the maternal home of the Princess Consort of Chu, but also the maternal home of the Empress!
The female official's expression immediately changed drastically. "Your Majesty, the Prince of Chu is like this..."
When something goes wrong, he pushes his wife and in-laws to take the blame. What minister would trust someone like that?
How will His Majesty view the King of Chu?
Now that the Marquis of Yongchang's mansion knows what the King of Chu said, will they still support him wholeheartedly?
Will the King of Chu really become the crown prince?
If the Prince of Chu fails to become the Crown Prince, and given the Empress's apparent bloodthirstiness today, won't she face retribution from the Emperor afterward?
Lady B tugged at Lady A, "Her Majesty knows what she's doing. Why do you need to worry about her?"
After saying that, he pulled the female official out the door.
Lady A looked at Lady B with concern, "Why don't you try to persuade Her Highness? You come from the Yongchang Marquis's mansion, Her Highness might listen to you to some extent!"
The second female official looked at the first female official speechlessly, "Since you know that I came from the Yongchang Marquis's mansion, can't you see that?"
"The Marquis of Yongchang's mansion is determined to make the Prince of Chu the Crown Prince. Besides, His Majesty's health has been poor for quite some time. Once the Prince of Chu is made Crown Prince, His Majesty might..."
The female official was immediately shocked and her gaze towards the female official was filled with astonishment and bewilderment. She couldn't utter a single word.
At the same time, Lady Wen, the wife of the Marquis of Yongchang, also entered the palace.
She entered the palace not by summons from Emperor Xiaozhao, but by her own initiative, under the pretext of seeking an audience with the Empress.
She wasn't worried about what was happening in the front; what she was worried about was the inner palace. Would the Empress be too soft-hearted to control the various troublemakers in the palace?
To her surprise, she encountered Qiao Qinghe and Madam Zheng, who had been summoned to the palace, as soon as she arrived at the palace gate.
"How did you get into the palace?"
Madam Wen clearly hadn't expected to encounter them at this time.
Qiao Qinghe was also puzzled as to why Madam Wen had entered the palace at this time. Thinking of her relationship with Madam Wen, she immediately nudged Madam Zheng with her elbow.
Madam Zheng understood and immediately replied with a smile, "We were summoned to the palace by His Majesty. We do not know why."
"But why did Madam Wen also enter the palace? Was she also summoned by the Emperor?"
Lady Wen smiled and said straightforwardly, "No. I came to the palace to visit Her Majesty the Empress."
"I see. Then we shall part ways here."
Madam Zheng nodded to Madam Wen and, together with Qiao Qinghe, followed the young eunuch toward the Imperial Study.
Lady Wen frowned, then suddenly remembered something and quickly walked towards the Empress's bedroom.
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