Xia Yunshang's face didn't change much, but she looked much more haggard.
Perhaps because she was disguised, her face was bare of makeup, and the dark circles under her eyes were clearly visible, suggesting that she hadn't had a good night's sleep for quite some time.
Su Wanyan frowned slightly at Xia Yunshang's words, but did not show it on her face. She said, "The Empress Dowager is second only to the Emperor and above all others. She is the mother of the Great Jin Dynasty and a role model for all people. How can she belittle herself like this?"
"Hmph." Xia Yunshang sneered again: "There's no one else here, so why should Princess Gong flatter you? How much of what you say do you even believe yourself?"
"..." How did this get blamed on her?
If she doesn't say it that way, then what should she say?
With a slow step, Yu Nanqing steadily shielded Su Wanyan behind him, his tall figure like a mountain, completely enveloping Xia Yunshang in front of him.
The chilling light in his eyes pressed directly at Xia Yunshang. Although his expression was indifferent, it made Xia Yunshang's heart tremble, and she couldn't help but take a step back.
Xia Yunshang was always weaker than Yu Nanqing. Despite her high status and position, she lacked the aura of an empress dowager.
She said breathlessly, "Now that the Empress Dowager is in power in the palace, I have no other choice but to risk coming to you. What I said just now was just my way of speaking in anger, and I did not mean to target Princess Gong."
Xia Yunshang said this, but Yu Nanqing's expression did not soften: "Sayings in anger?"
His tone was icy: "Are we palace maids and eunuchs?"
Is he someone she can vent her anger on at will?
Xia Yunshang's heart clenched, and she lowered her eyes weakly, saying, "I...I really have no other choice..."
Su Wanyan stepped out from behind Yu Nanqing: "I know why the Empress Dowager came to see the Prince, but even if you come to us, we can't help you."
I can't help, and there's no way I can help.
Xia Yunshang's expression was unpleasant, and she frowned: "When you came to the Xia family to find me that day, I did everything you asked. Now you want to wash your hands of this?"
Upon hearing this, Su Wanyan's brows furrowed instantly: "Is the Empress Dowager now using this to blackmail the Prince Gong's Mansion?"
Between his brows, there was an aura similar to Yu Nanqing's, and the Empress Dowager's heart skipped a beat.
Su Wanyan suddenly let out a cold laugh: "Since the Empress Dowager is going to settle scores after the fact, then the Prince Gong's Mansion probably doesn't need to be polite anymore. Compared to six-year-old Yu Jing'an, the child born to Consort Lin is the one that best fits the Empress Dowager's choice."
Xia Yunshang's eyes widened, speechless with shock at Su Wanyan's imposing aura.
Now that Yu Jing'an has ascended the throne, how can the imperial throne be changed so easily? Does Su Wanyan really think that the court will follow their lead?
As if seeing through Xia Yunshang's thoughts, Su Wanyan frowned and said in a calm tone, "How many people in the court do you think are dissatisfied with the young emperor's rule? The Great Jin Dynasty is handed over to a six-year-old child. How many ministers do you think the Empress Dowager will support abdication?"
Upon hearing this, Xia Yunshang's face turned deathly pale.
Su Wanyan took a step forward, forcing Xia Yunshang back a step. Her deep voice held an unquestionable tone: "How many court officials do you think would want to see Yu Nanqing overthrow the puppet government?"
Upon hearing this, Xia Yunshang's body went limp, and she staggered a step.
Although she was imprisoned by the Empress Dowager, she was aware of this fact.
It was precisely because the court was dissatisfied with the Empress Dowager's regency that she felt she had a chance to challenge her. However, no matter what she did, the old witch seemed to see through everything and was always one step ahead of her.
She caused all the court officials whom the Xia family had won over to turn against her the moment the Empress Dowager came to power, and now the Xia family is also being suppressed by the Empress Dowager.
Although more than half of the ministers in the court were dissatisfied, they could only choose to endure it due to the current situation in the Great Jin Dynasty, because no matter which prince ascended the throne, he could not escape the fate of the Empress Dowager ruling.
But... it would be different if Yu Nanqing were to step in.
Yu Nanqing was born to the late emperor and made great contributions to the Great Jin Dynasty. He fought in the north and south and achieved numerous military exploits. Now he has won a great victory in the East Sea. Whether in the court or in the hearts of the people, Yu Nanqing has extremely high prestige.
If he wanted to overthrow the government, all the officials in the court would respond without hesitation, and at that time... she would really have nothing to do with it.
Xia Yunshang couldn't utter a single word in rebuttal.
She also understood that even if Yu Nanqing and Su Wanyan hadn't gone to the Xia family, they could have gone to Consort Lin and Consort Xian, or even directly to the Empress Dowager.
The reason for seeking help from the Xia family is simply that Yu Jing'an, as the eldest son, has a more legitimate claim.
Now that she's come to see Yu Nanqing and Su Wanyan, isn't it because she sees their prestige among the court officials?
Xia Yunshang was only half right. The other half was because Yu Jing'an's age made him easy to manipulate and more likely to cause strife in the court. In order to consolidate their position, they dared not deal with Prince Gong's Mansion casually. That's why Yu Nanqing dared to focus on dealing with Donghai.
Seeing Xia Yunshang's reaction, Su Wanyan stopped pressing her and slightly composed herself, saying, "Why are you in such a hurry?"
Xia Yunshang's eyebrows twitched slightly as she looked at Su Wanyan, her pale lips opening and closing: "What does Princess Gong mean?"
Su Wanyan sighed inwardly before saying, "The Empress Dowager's rise to power is fierce and domineering. There is no benefit in going head-to-head with her. The Emperor's birth mother is still you. As long as you don't die, you will always have a chance to turn things around in the future."
The key point is that Xia Yunshang's methods are really inferior to those of the Empress Dowager. Although Su Wanyan did not know how the struggle between them was going, just by looking at how the Empress Dowager was so eager to threaten them and never considered whether her own methods would work, she knew that she was no match for the Empress Dowager.
Did she really think the Empress Dowager valued the Prince Gong's Mansion?
At least that's what the Empress Dowager is showing now; seeing the situation clearly and remaining calm are the most important things.
"You mean you want me to do nothing?"
"What do you want to do?" Su Wanyan asked back.
Xia Yunshang gritted her teeth and pursed her lips, clenching her fists tightly in her sleeves.
Su Wanyan suddenly smiled, a smile tinged with sarcasm: "I know what you want to do. You want us to take action, to bring down the Empress Dowager, and to support you in ruling from behind the curtain. You want to use us to seize control of the court, Empress Dowager..."
Su Wanyan raised her voice: "You're using us as pawns while you reap the benefits behind the scenes. Do you think there's such a good thing in the world?"
She stepped forward and looked coldly at Xia Yunshang: "Does the Empress Dowager think that the Prince Gong's Mansion is so easy to manipulate?"
Even when Emperor Yuanhe was still alive, he couldn't control the Prince Gong's Mansion. What makes Xia Yunshang think she can?
Even the Empress Dowager, who ruled from behind the curtain, still had some methods and abilities. What did Xia Yunshang have?
Did she think the Great Jin Dynasty was a plaything in her hands?
Xia Yunshang pursed her lips, her eyes lowered, her face filled with resentment: "If you help me seize power... I will certainly not treat you unfairly..."
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