Chapter 416 Can he set such an example?
Concubine Zhang looked confused. "Isn't it? The Emperor didn't want to agree at first, but later Concubine Rou went to beg the Emperor, so the Emperor agreed to such a large amount of compensation. Besides, wasn't this matter originally Beining's fault?"
The Queen sneered, "I really can't imagine it. Your brother is the Prime Minister of the current dynasty and a veteran of the previous dynasty. You are his biological sister, how could you be so naive about these things? Could it be that the pampered life in the palace over the years has made you stupid?"
"Noble Concubine Zhang, the imperial harem has already started cutting back on expenses six months ago. What do you think that's the reason? Do you really think the Emperor is setting an example for the people of the world? With the Emperor's temperament of not letting anyone else suffer, how can he set such an example?"
"I'm not afraid to tell you, that's because the treasury has been siphoned off by corrupt officials and royal relatives under various pretexts. Continuous natural disasters have prevented tax collection, so the economy is running out. That's why they're thinking of sending a princess to marry into the royal family to ease the tension between the two countries."
"Guo Shuangwen's incident brought disgrace upon Beining. Da Zhou felt insulted and demanded compensation, which was reasonable. However, the treasury was short on silver, so the emperor secretly ordered someone to mix some worthless junk into the money. That's why the Regent and his wife came to collect the debt."
"The Emperor really didn't want to agree to the compensation at first. He agreed not because Concubine Rou begged him to, but because he received news that the Bu family army of the Great Zhou and the Nanxia army were gathering on the Beining border and had no choice but to agree."
"So, your nephew offended the princess, and you and the princess had a quarrel. If the princess really gets angry, who will be afraid?"
Concubine Zhang slumped down on the bed: "How...how could it be? She is just a princess of the Great Zhou Dynasty. How could she have such great power?"
The Queen sneered at her expression and said, "Princess? Is she an ordinary princess? You dared to come to her house without even knowing who she is. I really don't know whether to call you naive or stupid."
"The Regent Princess of the Great Zhou is a disciple of God and the patron saint in the hearts of the people of the Great Zhou. Her influence and status in the hearts of the people are even higher than that of the Emperor and the Regent of the Great Zhou."
"She also holds the military power of the Bu Family Army and is the most favored junior sister of the Southern Xia monarch."
"So, sister, do you think you, your Zhang family, and that former Tao family can really afford to offend her?"
"If I were you... Oh, forget it, I can't be you. I'm not as stupid as you."
Watching the Empress stand up to leave, Concubine Zhang roared, "Your Majesty, you've been Empress for so many years. Although the Emperor treated you well at first, he eventually grew tired of you. Have you ever thought about your own reasons? Are you happy?"
The Queen listened to Concubine Zhang's typical "If I don't live well, you won't live well either" rhetoric without a trace of emotion on her face. "Of course it's my fault. I've never tried to please him as hard as you have. I'm not afraid to tell you that I haven't been kind to him since the day I married him."
"So isn't it normal for him to hate me? He hates me, and I hate him even more. If it were possible, I wouldn't even want to see him."
"As for whether I'm happy or not... Of course I'm not, but it's not because I'm unloved, nor is it because I'm jealous, but because... I never wanted to marry him from the beginning, let alone be the queen."
Seeing Concubine Zhang's shocked expression, the Queen laughed. "Why would I tell you so much? Aren't you afraid you'll tell the Emperor?"
"Well, I'm not afraid, because...sister, starting from tonight, you've fallen out of favor."
"No... no." Concubine Zhang sat on the bed and shook her head absentmindedly. "The Emperor would never do this to me. He said that I am his favorite in the entire harem. Even Concubine Rou can't compare to me in the slightest."
"The Emperor is just angry with me. As long as I apologize and heal my face, the Emperor will definitely favor me again, he will definitely dote on me."
The Queen stood at the door of the bedroom and looked back at her: "Sister, he is selfish. When you lost the royal heir in your belly and could no longer conceive, when you lost your beauty and offended the princess, you had already fallen out of favor."
"If nothing unexpected happens, you will never see the emperor again, and this Ninghe Palace will no longer be yours starting tomorrow. Sister, cherish this last night of yours."
The queen walked out without looking back, and the smile on her lips could not be suppressed.
Tsk tsk, when the old emperor returns he will know what is going on with tonight’s assassination and he will probably vomit blood again.
…
In the imperial study, the old emperor looked at the secret guards kneeling below with anger in his eyes that almost burst into flames.
"What did you say? Say it again! What's going on with the assassin tonight?"
The leader of the secret guards lowered his head and said, "Your Majesty, I have found out that tonight's assassin was not sent by the Great Zhou, but... a secret guard of the Tao family of the previous dynasty."
"Based on the timing and route of their appearance and retreat, they are very familiar with the palace. It doesn't seem like this is their first time here. It seems they've been lurking in the palace for a long time and someone provided them with a map and directions."
The emperor frowned and said, "They are the secret guards of the Tao family. It is normal for them to know the layout of the palace."
The secret guard knelt on the ground and said, "Your Majesty, although the Tao family's secret guards are powerful, they can't possibly know everything."
"I discovered that they not only knew the internal structure of every palace in the harem, but also knew which concubine lived in which palace. I even captured a maid who escaped from Ninghe Palace... The rest of the matter will be known to the emperor once he asks."
The old emperor had a bad feeling in his heart: "Ninghe Palace? How is this related to Ninghe Palace again?"
"Your Majesty... You may not believe what I say, so please bring the person up here for questioning."
Soon, a palace maid was brought up and the emperor recognized her at a glance.
"Are you a second-class maid in Ninghe Palace?"
"Your Majesty, I am indeed a second-class maid in Ninghe Palace. Your Majesty, please spare my life. I didn't mean to run away. I was just... I was just too scared."
"What are you afraid of? Tell me everything you saw and heard."
The maid knelt on the ground and kowtowed, her head pounding until it was red and swollen. "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, please see clearly. I was truly unaware of what the Imperial Concubine had done. I never knew the Zhang family was part of the former Tao family. I only found out tonight from what the assassin said."
The emperor smashed a teacup down and said, "Stop talking nonsense! How could the Zhang family be the former Tao family? If they were, how could they harm the imperial concubine?"
"Tell me! Who sent you?"
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