Chapter 743 A Dream of Youth 275
With options to advance or retreat, the Empress remained calm. Yan Xi picked up the little prince, and her somewhat anxious heart gradually calmed down.
Although there had been warning signs, she was still very worried when she heard that the emperor was seriously ill, partly for her father and partly for herself.
At this point, only the Imperial Physician Jiang and a couple of high-ranking officials probably knew about the emperor's condition.
Her Uncle Rui probably knows too, but these people are all very tight-lipped.
"Your Majesty." Aunt Qian lifted the curtain and came in. When she saw Yan Xi and the young prince there, she composed herself and waited quietly to the side.
The Empress glanced at Yan Xi and said gently, "Your mother is a little tired. Yan Xi, take your younger brother down to play."
"yes."
Yan Xi could tell that the Empress was hiding something from her. As she left, she glanced at the palace maid serving soup and nodded slightly.
After Yan Xi left, those who remained were all her trusted confidants, and Aunt Qian then recounted all the news she had received.
I wasn't trying to keep the two princes and princesses at bay, but rather because they are young and I wanted to prevent them from accidentally leaking what I overheard. That's why I sent them away.
With the emperor seriously ill, the court and the harem were all restless. Even though a crown prince had been established, many people were still eyeing that position, since there were more princes in the palace than just the crown prince.
The young princes are still young and indeed don't understand things, but the power they represent does not allow them to back down.
Therefore, the Empress kept a close watch on the inner palace during this period, fearing that someone might harm the Crown Prince.
When Aunt Qian mentioned Consort Jing, the Empress paused. Consort Jing was pregnant and would probably give birth soon, but it was still uncertain whether it would be a boy or a girl.
Moreover, with the Empress Dowager present, she even had designs on him?
The Empress pondered for a moment, a sense of unease creeping into her heart. Although the Prime Minister's family held high positions, they lacked military power. These restless concubines were mostly from families with military power or had relatives in the army through marriage.
She and the Crown Prince are the rightful heirs, but what if they both die?
At this moment, Consort Jing was also discussing this matter with the Empress Dowager, "Aunt, the doctor has examined the fetus in my womb, and it's a boy..."
The Empress Dowager stopped Consort Jing from speaking, not wanting to hear any more. "Shu'er, the Crown Prince has been chosen. After His Majesty passes away, his throne should belong to Shi Nu. Do you understand?"
"Shi Nu" is the nickname of the young prince.
Consort Jing remained silent, gently stirring the soup bowl in her hand, and forced a smile, "Aunt, if the Prime Minister's family really rises to power, will our Li family still have a way to survive?"
The Empress Dowager's face darkened. "Was it really you who tampered with the Empress's delivery that day?"
"Aunt, don't wrong me. That cat isn't mine." Consort Jing tilted her head, looking at her aunt whom she had admired since childhood. Although she took this aunt as her role model, she could never win against others.
She also wanted to be empress, but what did her aunt say?
Why can't the Li family produce another empress? Why can my aunt do it, but she can't?
The Xiang family is no match for the Li family, so why was Xiang Yingli able to become empress while she couldn't?
If she were the empress, her child would be rightfully hers. What does it matter if he is the legitimate son of the empress? Her child is clearly the eldest son, but her poor child hasn't even lived past 100 days.
The Empress Dowager knew where Consort Jing's knot lay, but no matter how much she tried to explain, the other party wouldn't listen, and it would all be a waste of her efforts.
“Consort Jing has disobeyed the Emperor and has been confined to her quarters for a month as a warning to others.”
Consort Jing was surprised that the Empress Dowager was not on her side, even though they were clearly in the same boat!
"aunt!"
The Empress Dowager stood at the head of the table, looking down at Consort Jing. "Li Shu, do you know why the Empress Dowager and the Emperor didn't choose you as Empress? Besides your background, there's also... Xiang Yingli is the Empress, she can stand on the side of the royal family, but if you were the Empress, you would still stand on the Li family."
Do you understand?
"I am first and foremost the Empress Dowager, and only then a daughter of the Li family."
"Send Consort Jing back to her palace." The Empress Dowager no longer paid attention to Consort Jing's expression, but only ordered someone to bring out the little princess from Consort Jing's palace. The little princess was only a few months younger than Yan Xi, so she was already considered a big child.
If she does something wrong because of Consort Jing's instigation, no one can protect her.
The Empress Dowager rubbed her temples. She was truly exhausted. How could her niece be just as troublesome as her elder brother?
Thinking of what Consort Jing said, it must be that the Li family also had designs on her. They were relying on Consort Jing's unborn child and her status as the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager would never harm the imperial heirs for the sake of the Li family, but she also couldn't stand by and watch the Li family do something foolish.
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