Chapter 65. Affairs within the Palace.
Chu Heng knew that the Empress Dowager would not like him being too close to Daiyu, but he was only worried that the Empress Dowager would make a big deal out of it or find fault with Daiyu. In front of outsiders, she would definitely have to put on the appearance of a harmonious relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.
He thought the Empress Dowager wouldn't do something like instructing others to make things difficult for Daiyu in front of everyone, since she valued her reputation above all else.
But clearly, Chu Heng didn't understand the Empress Dowager well enough.
"I just don't understand why the Empress Dowager would do this?" Daiyu asked, puzzled.
Previously, they thought that he had offended someone, or that this was a veiled attack on Daiyu, but actually an attempt to find fault with Chu Heng. They even suspected that there might be some unknown enemy behind the scenes.
However, the truth was beyond their expectations.
The good news is that they haven't encountered any new enemies.
Chu Heng sneered: "She must be unhappy because she saw that I was with you, so she found someone to make things difficult for you. You were embarrassed, and I was embarrassed too. If this happens too often, we will inevitably have conflicts and naturally become estranged."
Daiyu asked in surprise, "Isn't the Empress Dowager hoping for our well-being?"
From their first meeting at Renshou Palace to the two weeks they spent together at Longhua Temple, it was all orchestrated by the Empress Dowager.
Chu Heng said, "That was then, and now is now. It's good, but it has to be good enough for the Empress Dowager to like it. Ideally, it should be like the Emperor and Empress, where they are a respectful and harmonious couple. Any better, and the Empress Dowager won't like it."
"This is really..." Daiyu was speechless for a long time before finally saying, "I will be more careful in the future."
Chu Heng rubbed his temples and said, "She is the Empress Dowager. If she really is deliberately trying to find fault with you, it will be useless no matter how careful you are. I will accompany you every time you enter the palace in the future."
As Daiyu was the Empress Dowager's daughter-in-law, she had to be careful in her words and actions and not overstep her bounds.
Chu Heng was different; he was the Empress Dowager's biological son, so he could contradict her without being punished. Even if he were punished, the Emperor could intercede for him because of his status, whereas the Emperor couldn't easily interfere in matters between a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.
Daiyu shook her head: "Can you always stay at home? If the Empress Dowager really wants to find fault with me, what if she summons me to the palace while you're not home? I still need to face this matter myself."
Chu Heng disagreed: "There are too many insidious ways to torture people in the palace. The Empress Dowager has been in the harem for many years. If she really wants to make things difficult for you, I'm afraid you won't be able to handle it."
If Chu Heng were here, he could still cause trouble and provoke the Empress Dowager to take her anger out on himself. But Daiyu was all alone and helpless, so how could he feel at ease?
“In that case, sitting here and waiting to die is not a solution.” Chu Heng clenched his fist. “I will go and beg the Emperor to let us leave the capital and go to our fiefdoms.”
Once they arrived at their fiefdom, which was thousands of miles away, the Empress Dowager would be unable to reach them.
Daiyu shook her head again: "Listen to me first. The fact that the Empress Dowager instructed Wen'an to take action shows that she doesn't want to make things difficult for me personally..."
"But..." Just because the Empress Dowager isn't taking action herself doesn't mean she'll remain inactive.
"Let me finish," Daiyu said. "Let's not even talk about whether we can leave the capital as we wish. Since the Empress Dowager is determined to make things difficult for me, she can't punish me personally after we leave the capital, but she still has other ways. Avoiding me is only a temporary solution, not a long-term one. We need to think of a way to make her give up this idea."
Chu Heng has been entrusted with important responsibilities by the Emperor. If he insists on leaving the capital, it may cause the Emperor to harbor resentment. Moreover, as long as the Empress Dowager is determined to cause trouble, no matter how far they run, she will always find a way.
Chu Heng sighed: "She's lost interest? Then it's up to you and me to make her happy."
The Empress Dowager's satisfaction is endless; she has satisfied her this time, but there is another step waiting for her.
"Why don't we find something for the Empress Dowager to do, so she won't have the mind to concern herself with our affairs?" Chu Heng suddenly smiled, an idea forming in his mind.
Daiyu pondered for a moment and said, "This is certainly a solution, but what kind of important matter would it be to make the Empress Dowager attach so much importance to it?"
Chu Heng smiled and said, "The eldest prince is already thirteen years old this year, and His Majesty should also consider the matter of establishing an heir."
He spoke casually, but Daiyu's eyes widened suddenly: "Establishing an heir... this is not something you can touch! You absolutely must not mention this to the Emperor! Absolutely not!"
"I know." Chu Heng patted her hand reassuringly and took her hand into his palm. "I just wanted to mention the eldest prince's marriage to His Majesty. A prince's wife and a crown princess are completely different. His Majesty should have thought about it without me having to say anything. It concerns the succession, and the Empress Dowager can't possibly ignore it."
The eldest prince and the second prince are the same age. If he is to get married, the second prince naturally cannot be left behind. Even if the emperor does not openly mention establishing an heir, he and the empress dowager will still be on edge.
The reason why the late emperor and empress took the risk of murdering the eldest prince was because the late emperor had arranged an excellent marriage for him, which almost secured his position as the crown prince.
Daiyu breathed a sigh of relief, but couldn't help but remind him again: "Discussing the crown prince is no small matter; you must never get involved."
"I know," Chu Heng said earnestly. "I won't act rashly, so don't worry."
"Hmm." Daiyu leaned against him and said softly, "One must be careful at every step in the capital and the palace."
Chu Heng pulled her into his arms and said gently, "Don't be afraid. When the Empress Dowager summons you to the palace, just send someone to tell me that there's nothing I can't do without over there."
Since there is no way to escape now, Chu Heng's only option is to make himself more influential so that neither the Empress Dowager nor the Emperor would dare to act rashly.
...
The next day, Chu Heng went to the palace to pay his respects to the emperor. After exchanging pleasantries, Chu Heng got down to business.
"Yesterday, my eighth sister went to my residence to see the Princess Consort, hoping she could put in a good word for me with my brother, the Emperor. She was worried that if my brother-in-law was convicted of treason, it would implicate the children."
The Emperor said, “Wen’an also came to see me yesterday. She also went to Renshou Palace to see my mother. There are some things I can’t say, but my mother has already told her that I will not implicate her and the children. They’ve already caused such a big disaster, and they still don’t know how to restrain themselves.”
Chu Heng said, "Eighth Sister is a mother, so it's understandable that she's anxious about the children. Please understand, Your Majesty."
The emperor was somewhat surprised: "It hasn't been long since she made trouble for you and your husband, yet you don't hold a grudge."
Chu Heng smiled and said, "Your Majesty understands me best. I am indeed not a magnanimous person. It was the Princess Consort who advised me yesterday that parents all over the world are concerned about their children. Adults are adults, and children are children. They are unrelated."
The emperor nodded approvingly: "Your sister-in-law is more sensible than you."
"Having a virtuous wife is all thanks to my brother's grace," Chu Heng said with a smile.
The emperor waved his hand, "I'm relieved that you're all safe and sound." Then he added, "How long until the case of Prince Qi's treason is closed?"
“There is a lot of evidence, but it will take some time to find out how many people were involved,” Chu Heng said.
The emperor pressed further, "How much longer?"
Chu Heng thought for a moment and said, "At least half a month."
"The 20th," the Emperor said. "After the 20th, all those involved must be brought to justice."
Chu Heng rose and accepted the order: "Your subject obeys."
After finishing their business, the emperor started chatting with Chu Heng about everyday matters: "Yesterday, Man'er had another argument with her mother, and she's still sulking in her palace right now!"
After the New Year, Yongkang rarely clashed with the Empress Dowager anymore, so Chu Heng asked, "What was it about this time?"
The emperor's expression was not good: "Let's brothers whisper to each other that Mother was in the wrong, it's not Man'er's fault. If I were here, I would have gotten angry before Man'er."
Chu Heng could only say, "Mother is getting old, and she may do some foolish things. We, as her children, should be more tolerant."
It seems the Empress Dowager has truly become senile. Previously, she ordered Wen'an to make things difficult for Daiyu, something she would never have done given her previous temperament. Now, who knows what she's done? Judging from the Emperor's tone, anyone listening would disagree that the Empress Dowager is right.
"Mother summoned the young man from the Li family to the palace, intending for Man'er to meet him. That's fine; when our royal princesses choose their consorts, it's natural to be selective and choose someone to suit their taste. Although it's not entirely in accordance with the rules, it's ultimately for Man'er's satisfaction, and this little detail shouldn't matter," the Emperor said angrily. "But Mother's words also implied that she was trying to matchmake them. How can I tolerate this? How can Man'er, a young lady, maintain a respectable image?"
Chu Heng nodded. Given Yongkang's temperament, her ability to remain calm and composed in public was a testament to her princess-like refinement. If the Empress Dowager were to offer even the slightest hint, she would surely storm off on the spot. The Empress Dowager would be displeased and would inevitably reprimand Yongkang afterward, leading to an argument between the two.
From an outsider's perspective, it's understandable for a mother to worry about her daughter's marriage and to urge her to find a partner, but it's truly inappropriate for her to disregard the girl's feelings and arbitrarily matchmake in front of her.
However, the Empress Dowager is the one who sets the rules for others, and she has her own set of excuses. Judging from the Emperor's current expression, he certainly didn't get the upper hand in terms of words with the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager shed a couple of tears, lamenting the hardships and difficulties of being a mother. Chu Heng had experienced this firsthand; she could leave people speechless.
Chu Heng thought for a moment, then asked, "What did Mother say? Is she really determined to betroth her to the Li family?"
"The Li family is no good." The emperor shook his head decisively. "Man'er is so angry that she swore that if she were to be married into the Li family, she would hang herself immediately."
The emperor said with lingering fear, "That child was truly terrifying yesterday. I had someone send her to the Imperial Concubine's palace, where she spent half the night comforting her before finally sending her back to her own palace this morning."
Since the eldest brother is like a father to the emperor, logically the empress should step forward at this time. However, she is already involved, and asking her to persuade Yongkang would only add fuel to the fire. It is reasonable to shift the blame to the Consort.
As for whether the emperor had other motives, the empress dowager couldn't find fault with him openly, so she could only grit her teeth in her heart.
It seems that the emperor didn't only lose yesterday; he actually won.
Chu Heng is now worried about one thing, and for Yongkang, the current situation is not good.
Her words would surely be used by the emperor as an excuse. It would be difficult for the empress dowager to compete with the emperor for her marriage, and she would have to listen to the emperor and marry into the Fang family, which was the empress dowager's family.
Chu Heng then said, "Brother, I would like to go and see Yongkang."
The Emperor nodded: "Go, and persuade her well. From now on, your elder brother will protect her. Don't let her do anything foolish."
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