Chapter 47
Xue Jin'an's words were truly astonishing to everyone present.
As the saying goes, "The coffin is closed, the matter is settled, and the burial brings peace." Many elderly people in modern society still hold a strong belief in traditional burial, let alone those from ancient times who received thousands of years of cultural education and were fascinated by the concept of reincarnation. Unconventional funeral practices or insufficiently spacious graves would disturb them, not to mention anything else.
Burning a corpse, to put it nicely, is to create relics; to put it bluntly, it's to grind bones to ashes!
Moreover, can these relics be burned so easily? Since the beginning of the Daqi era, only the former abbot of Wanfu Temple, Master Liaodeng, has left behind a flesh relic, which made Wanfu Temple an exemplary temple in the world. His relics are regarded as the temple's most precious treasure.
In fact, the existence of relics is just a gimmick. Anyone can burn them if done properly. In the late period of the previous dynasty, people especially liked to create such spectacles to promote their great nation's prosperity. They would often claim that a certain temple or master had burned hundreds of relics, which directly caused a relic inflation.
The current abbot of Wanfu Temple is quick-witted. The first thing he said after becoming a leader in Buddhism was: "Those whose achievements are not even half as great as those of Master Youdeng will not be able to produce relics."
The implication is that even if you burn a relic, it's fake.
And who is Master Liaodeng? He was a person who had saved countless people several times at the end of the previous dynasty. He was a recognized enlightened monk and someone who could be easily extorted.
It can be said that Xue Jin'an's words were a clear attempt to ruin Consort Zhen's reputation after her death, ensuring she would not die a worthy death. In future historical records, she would only be mentioned as a treacherous and wicked concubine.
Judging from Consort Zhen's various actions, she values her reputation quite a bit. Yet Xue Jin'an directly destroyed what she cared about most. Killing someone is just a matter of beheading them, but this is truly ruthless!
"Excellent!" The Empress Dowager clapped her hands and exclaimed, "I think this is a wonderful idea."
"This—" Imperial Noble Consort Min glanced at the Emperor's expression and said cautiously, "This seems somewhat inappropriate. Lord Chu is a pillar of the court, dedicated to serving the people and never making a mistake. Wouldn't such actions chill the hearts of his ministers? As the saying goes, family scandals should not be aired in public. This is, after all, a matter of the inner palace. If it gets out, how will Xuan Yue and Bao Ning face themselves in the future?"
What Consort Min really wanted to express was that if this matter were done as Xue Jin'an suggested, it would bring shame to the royal family, especially the emperor. Concubines poisoning the imperial heir, princes killing each other, princes killing concubines... it would be bad to put any of these things on the emperor.
Of course, the Imperial Noble Consort was clever. She didn't speak directly, but instead used the Fourth Prince and the Seventh Prince as scapegoats. The Fourth Prince had a poisonous concubine as his mother, so his future, if not completely ruined, was basically over; as for the Seventh Prince... Consort Zhen was, after all, his father's concubine, and he was bound to be branded as an insolent and presumptuous man.
Most people felt that Xue Jin'an had gone too far, thinking: Xiao Qi is still too young. Although she has brains and methods, she is arrogant and full of sharpness and does not know how to restrain herself. She will suffer some consequences.
However, this caused several people who were initially wary of Xue Jin'an to relax their guard.
"Young people should have some courage. What kind of person is hesitant and fearful?" Although the Empress Dowager was looking at Consort Min when she said this, her words were clearly directed at the Emperor.
Consort Min immediately fell silent, not daring to utter a word.
The Empress Dowager continued, “When the founding emperor established the nation, he said: ‘The foundation of our Great Qi is that those who have made contributions must be rewarded and those who have made mistakes must be punished. We should have strict laws and regulations, clean governance, enlightened people, wise ministers, enlightened emperors, and a bright and prosperous nation.’”
"If executing a single guilty person can make a subject lose heart, then such a trusted minister is better off not being needed." The Empress Dowager's voice was not stern, but it was very firm and resolute.
Suddenly she called out "Emperor," speaking softly as if chatting with someone, "Since when have matters of the harem become subject to the whims of court officials? Their reach is so far; do they truly believe I am already dead?"
"Grandmother, please calm down!" Upon hearing this, even the emperor had to bow his head, and the concubines who were called upon immediately knelt down. Then, the princes and guards also knelt down with a thud.
The Empress Dowager hadn't lost her temper in many years, and after talking so much, she was quite thirsty. She wanted to drink some tea to moisten her throat, but when she raised her hand, she found there was no teacup. She immediately glared at an old eunuch who was pretending to be nonchalant.
Fortunately, everyone had their heads down, so no one should have seen this embarrassing scene—but actually, some people did see it, such as Xue Jin'an, who had only learned basic etiquette.
He was probably the only one standing in the entire room, but he was surrounded by tall, armored guards, who were at least 1.5 meters tall even when kneeling. Xue Jin'an was the shortest among them, and his figure was perfectly concealed.
Xue Jin'an then saw the Empress Dowager pretend to straighten her sleeves and naturally withdraw her hand, before continuing her spiel, "The capital has always been a place of great Buddhist worship, and there must be countless people interested in relics. Why not invite the ladies of noble families to the palace to witness the ceremony and see if these relics can truly be burned? If they can, that's fine; if they can't, it means their hearts are not sincere. How can those who are not sincere worship Buddha? They might incur Buddha's wrath."
"I think three days from now is an auspicious day. I will have the Imperial Noble Consort handle this matter. Please do not neglect the ladies of the various families, lest the court officials feel disheartened." The Empress Dowager returned all of the Imperial Noble Consort Min's words, leaving the latter speechless and only able to respectfully accept this offending task.
Xue Jin'an's eyes brightened slightly. Having absorbed a lot of human language arts, he was no longer the original machine that couldn't understand sarcastic remarks at all. Thanks to the Fifth Prince, he could now understand sarcastic remarks.
He thought the Empress Dowager's insults were very sophisticated, especially this advanced version of sarcastic remarks, which he called "using their own methods against them"—it was fantastic!
While picking up skill books, Xue Jin'an also made a character model for the Empress Dowager and changed the notes for her and the Emperor.
The emperor is a false, useless, weak, and inefficient ruler; the legitimate power lies with the Empress Dowager.
What happened next made Xue Jin'an feel even more that his course on "how to be an emperor" could be put on the agenda.
After being forced to take on the task of organizing a group of ministers' wives to "observe the burning of relics" for a team-building activity, Consort Min had Consort Zhen's body covered with a white cloth and carried to the Imperial Prison for safekeeping—there was no other place in the palace that could be used to store corpses.
The fourth prince struggled desperately to stop them, but in the end he could only fall to the ground in a sorry state, helplessly watching the corpse being carried away.
He had no voice from beginning to end; no one heard his cries and shouts, and no one cared. For the first time, the Fourth Prince realized how insignificant and powerless he was.
The princes glanced at him sympathetically, but only for a moment before quickly looking away.
Just when everyone thought the matter was over, little did they know that the Empress Dowager's next move was only just beginning, and what followed was even more deadly.
She said to the emperor, "Xiao Qi has done a great service in exonerating the wronged and punishing the wicked. What do you think should be his reward?"
Upon hearing this, the Emperor immediately knew that the Empress Dowager was trying to destroy his morale. He looked up and met her sharp eyes for a moment, then composed himself, attempting to politely decline the offer. "Grandmother, this is inappropriate. Bao Ning has indeed overstepped his bounds. If he is not punished, I fear the entire court will not agree..."
"Oh? What is this saying? How come I don't know about it?" The Empress Dowager propped her head up with two fingers, looking as if she was deep in thought. "I've thought about it for a long time but I still can't remember which rule was violated. You can't deny getting old. When you get old, your memory gets bad and you can't remember anything. Consort Shu, I remember that your father, Yang Shunzhi, was the Minister of Rites, right?"
She beckoned and smiled kindly, "Come, tell me, which rule has been violated?"
When Consort Shu heard the Empress Dowager talking about the rules, she had a premonition that she would be implicated. She patted the Sixth Prince's back reassuringly. The Sixth Prince had entered after the Third Prince. At that time, the hall was in chaos and no one paid attention to him. He was so scared that he huddled up and dared not make a sound. He quietly slipped to his mother's side.
Anyway, the Third Prince, who was closest to him, only then realized that the Sixth Prince was not by his side.
With the help of the high-definition hearing camera, Xue Jin'an had a clear view of the entire scene and did notice him. However, the Sixth Prince was not a threat, so Xue Jin'an simply recorded his relevant data as a routine matter without conducting any detailed analysis.
Consort Shu put down the somewhat frightened sixth prince, stood up, bowed, and replied, "Your Majesty, I am ashamed to say that I have loved poetry, calligraphy, chess, and painting since childhood, but my understanding of etiquette is superficial, and I do not know which rule it is."
How could a talented young woman with a renowned reputation not know what etiquette is? In addition, Consort Shu's last sentence coincided with the old matriarch's question, which seemed more like an answer than an admission of ignorance.
However, Consort Shu was someone who didn't get involved in either side and wouldn't easily offend anyone, so she paused and then said, "But since there is such an explanation, it must make some sense."
"Consort Shu is absolutely right." The other concubines, seeing the Empress Dowager's gaze sweep over them, quickly nodded in agreement with Consort Shu, fearing that they would be the next to be chosen as cannon fodder in the hands of the two powerful figures.
Seeing that they were bowing their heads and looking obedient, the Empress Dowager did not make things difficult for them anymore.
The emperor had already prepared his words and continued the conversation, "Since ancient times, children have not been allowed to inform their parents. While Bao Ning's argument is certainly reasonable, it is still an act of disrespect to his superiors and violates the principles of filial piety. If no action is taken, I fear that all the scholars in the world will condemn Bao Ning."
"He avenged his mother by killing the murderer, and I think he is quite filial." Although the Empress Dowager disdained these words, she knew that the word "filial piety" was too heavy and could directly drive a person to death, so she did not dwell on it. Instead, she readily nodded and said, "He should be punished for his mistakes. Considering his young age and his eagerness to avenge his mother, he should be confined to his quarters for three to five days and a teacher of etiquette should be found to teach him properly."
Everyone: "..." Killing someone and being confined for three to five days? Ancestor, aren't you being a little too biased?
"..." The emperor was worried that the Empress Dowager would make a decision immediately, so he quickly changed the date, "and placed her under house arrest for a year as a warning to others."
The emperor also felt that his grandmother was a bit too biased, but he knew that his grandmother was just like that—she loved people to death. Once someone caught her eye, she would protect them like a precious treasure, and she wouldn't let a single hair on their head be harmed, even if the sky fell down.
He had grown up in the same way. The emperor sighed inwardly, then thought it was for the best. The matter of scattering Consort Zhen's ashes would surely cause a stir in the court, and it would be good for Bao Ning to lay low for a while. He could also take this opportunity to properly correct Bao Ning's character. This promising talent for achieving great things in the future could not be just someone who acted impulsively.
The Empress Dowager did not try to negotiate the length of his confinement, but instead changed the subject back to the previous one, saying, "Since the punishment has been given, it should also be a reward. Shouldn't the punishment and reward be clearly distinguished?"
How could it not be clear? They had already brought up the founding declaration of the founding emperor, and he had just mentioned filial piety. An invisible heavy burden was being placed on him, and he had to agree whether he wanted to or not.
Now that things had come to this, the emperor simply stopped struggling and directly asked, "Grandmother, what do you think? I will listen to you."
"Therefore, Zhou Yuting's rank as Consort shall be restored, and she shall be posthumously honored as Empress. The Ministry of Rites shall draft her posthumous title within three days!" Weren't they all unwilling for Consort Zhen to become Empress? She's always the type to give others what they dislike!
The Empress Dowager's words were like a pebble thrown into a lake, creating a huge splash.
The concubines looked up in shock, each with a fascinating change in expression.
The Empress Dowager remembered something and said, "By the way, Li Hechun, you and your master will send the severed piece back to the Ningguo Mansion later. Be sure to hand it over to the Duke of Ningguo in person, so that it will not be used by someone with ulterior motives again."
The Empress Dowager deliberately emphasized the word "return". As a daughter of the Zhong family, she could not possibly have personally executed her own family, thus destroying the glory that her father had fought and died for.
However, not handling the matter personally did not mean she would allow the Ningguo Mansion to repeatedly defy her authority. She specifically asked Li Hechun to return the severed hair, which was also a way of telling the emperor that she would not interfere in the Ningguo Mansion's purge.
Yes, although he did not attend court or receive any news, he could tell from the emperor's attitude that he was preparing to take action against the Ningguo Mansion. Out of respect for her, he would not sever the Zhong family bloodline, but the title of Duke of Ningguo was completely over.
The Empress Dowager helped Lu Bingzhu to his feet, and as they walked down the steps, she said, "Some people, they just sit in their positions for too long, and their ambitions grow, and they dare to covet anything."
These words were directed at the Duke of Ningguo, but also served as a warning to the other concubines present.
After the Empress Dowager's series of moves, which combined offense and defense, both the palace and the court were able to behave themselves for quite some time.
The Empress Dowager should have killed the Emperor and become Emperor herself. Xue Jin'an once again put the Emperor down and decided to comment on him more during the morning court broadcasts in the future, so that he would know just how useless he really was.
If the emperor can't do it, he can donate it to those in need, really.
Xue Jin'an paused when he noticed the Empress Dowager standing in front of him. The Imperial Guards had already made way for him. He met the old woman's bright and alert eyes and tilted his head questioningly.
The Empress Dowager carefully examined the Seventh Prince from head to toe. The first thing she noticed was his clothes, which were old, faded from washing, and even had signs of mending, and they didn't fit him well. Next, she noticed his exposed wrists and ankles, and that his face and shoulders were much thinner than those of children his age.
It's hard to imagine that this child, after several rounds of maneuvering with the Imperial Guards, finally succeeded in killing Consort Zhen and achieving his goal.
The Empress Dowager felt a surge of affection, and her voice became much gentler when she spoke, "The Cining Palace is secluded and quiet, with few people around, making it a good place for confinement."
Everyone: "..." This is the first time I've heard of Cining Palace being so remote and deserted. It's true, but isn't it because Your Majesty doesn't want anyone to serve you? Is being confined to Cining Palace considered a punishment? All the princes would be vying to be this punishment, because their feet want a break and they don't want to go out!
Even the emperor was somewhat helpless: "Grandmother..."
However, to everyone's surprise, Xue Jin'an shook his head and refused, "I want to go to Zhaoyang Palace."
The Third Prince gasped: "Hiss—this kid's really gone too far! You're putting him under house arrest! Damn it!"
"Why?" the Empress Dowager asked. "Zhaoyang Palace has been abandoned for a long time, and it may not be comfortable to live there."
Xue Jin'an thought for a moment and said, "I've heard that when humans have a joyous occasion, they go to the grave to burn incense."
The princes, who had been complaining about Xue Jin'an's outrageous confinement, all turned to look at the fourth and fifth princes. The fourth prince stood there blankly, as if he had lost his soul and did not react to the sounds from the outside world. The fifth prince looked sickly and indifferent, showing no intention of paying attention to anyone.
"He is indeed a good child." The Empress Dowager patted Xue Jin'an's head with satisfaction and made the decision immediately. "Then go to Zhaoyang Palace. You have suffered so much over the years. Spend some time with your mother—no, you should call her Empress Dowager now."
As she spoke, the Empress Dowager instructed Granny Su to personally escort Xue Jin'an over.
Xue Jin'an didn't stand on ceremony. He nodded and gave a standard salute before walking out of Qian Yuan Palace. Behind him followed a large troop of Imperial Guards, their weapons and armor clashing, their steps precise and imposing.
In particular, he and the Empress Dowager left the palace one after the other, with the background music of "Respectfully seeing off the Empress Dowager" playing behind them.
It wasn't like a prisoner's pomp at all; it looked like he was about to be enthroned on the spot.
After seeing the people off, the emperor rubbed his temples with a headache and dismissed everyone.
Consort Xian and the Third Prince were the first to come out. The mother and son could see the Imperial Guards leaving in a grand procession with Xue Jin'an.
"This little seventh prince is truly blessed. He has won the favor of the Empress Dowager and has become the legitimate prince in one fell swoop, winning back the empress position for his deceased mother." Consort Xian felt that this development was really a bit like a dream. Even novels wouldn't dare to make it up like this.
Thinking about it, she glanced at the Third Prince, who was limping on one leg, and couldn't help but show a look of disgust. "If you can earn me the title of Imperial Concubine, I'll be burning incense in gratitude."
The Third Prince replied matter-of-factly, "Mother, don't worry. Even if you die, I will do the same for you as my Seventh Brother!"
Consort Xian was initially touched, but quickly recovered and grabbed the Third Prince's ear, "You little brat, who are you cursing to die?!"
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