Chapter 195 He Wants to Depose the Empress!
When Narcissus woke up, she felt pain and weakness all over her body even before she opened her eyes.
My heavy eyelids slowly opened, revealing the familiar bright yellow canopy top.
And, Tinglu and Yinzhu's faces, filled with worry yet instantly breaking into smiles when they saw her open her eyes.
"Your Majesty! You're awake!"
Yinzhu's voice was hoarse from crying as she quickly picked up the warm medicine cup from the side.
"How are you feeling? You've been unconscious for three whole days!"
Tinglu carefully propped her up with a soft pillow and helped her sit up slightly.
Narcissus tried to move, and instantly, a wave of soreness, as if all the bones in her body were being dismantled and reassembled, and a deep-seated weakness swept over her, causing her to involuntarily gasp.
However, it is different from the sense of powerlessness that comes with the uncontrolled loss of vitality during production.
Although she was weak at that moment, she could clearly feel her heart beating steadily in her chest.
She...really survived.
Narcissus gave a weak smile to the two loyal maids, shook her head gently, and indicated that she was alright.
Yinzhu and Tinglu each spoke a sentence, recounting what happened while Shuixian was unconscious.
Especially those major events... that could shake the entire harem.
While listening to the two maids talking, he slowly drank the medicine with Tinglu's help.
She had only drunk half of the medicine when she heard hurried footsteps outside the hall, sounds that were very familiar to her.
The beaded curtain rustled as Emperor Zhaoheng, dressed in court robes, rushed over, clearly having just finished court and not even had time to change his clothes.
He saw Narcissus leaning against the headboard, pale but with her eyes open. His tense facial features softened instantly. He strode to the bedside and gently touched Narcissus's slightly cool hand, as if to feel its temperature.
"How are you feeling? Is there anything else that's bothering you?"
He naturally took the medicine bowl from Yinzhu's hand, waved for them to leave, and personally picked up the jade spoon, scooped up the warm medicine, carefully blew on it to cool it down, and then brought it to Shuixian's lips.
Narcissus took small sips of her medicine from his hand.
Her gaze fell on his chin with its fine stubble and the pale blue under his eyes, and her heart softened.
After administering the medicine, Emperor Zhaoheng did not leave. Instead, he ordered the wet nurse to bring the two young princes over and had Princess Yongning, who was already toddling, brought to the bedside.
Two tiny, bright red babies were placed beside the narcissus.
They were fast asleep with their eyes closed, their tiny fists clenched, a sight that melted one's heart.
“Yongning, come see your younger brother. This is Qingyan, and this is Qinghe.”
Emperor Zhaoheng said gently.
Supported by her wet nurse, Yongning curiously approached the two little red babies, stretched out her chubby little finger, and very gently touched the cheek of one of the younger brothers.
Then, as if discovering something interesting, she grinned, revealing her few teeth, and giggled. She turned around and wobbled towards the narcissus, waving her little hands with a "whoosh" sound.
Shui Xian leaned against Emperor Zhaoheng's strong and warm chest, looking at the little girl snuggling in her arms, and then turning her head to look at her two newborn sons beside her. An indescribable sense of satisfaction instantly filled her heart.
The bitter winds and rains of the past life, and the perilous steps of this life, all seem to have found meaning at this moment.
She reached out her hand, which still had some strength left, and gently pulled Yongning into her arms.
She lowered her eyes slightly, and just then, her eyelashes trembled, and a crystal tear rolled down her cheek.
Emperor Zhaoheng sensed the turbulent emotions of the person in his arms, tightened his arms, and silently conveyed a comforting force.
The warm silence lasted for a moment before Emperor Zhaoheng spoke in a low voice about the important matters that had recently occurred in the inner palace.
He told her that he had issued an edict confining the Empress to Kunning Palace, and that she was not allowed to leave without his permission.
Narcissus nestled against him and spoke softly, her voice still weak from her illness.
"Your Majesty, I just heard from Yinzhu and the others that... the court has expressed some dissatisfaction with this matter, believing that Your Majesty should not severely punish the Empress, lest it discourage this old minister..."
Emperor Zhaoheng snorted coldly, interrupting her, his tone icy and unyielding.
"They are only wary of the Liu family's deeply entrenched power! I am fully aware of what the Empress has done to you and my son!"
"Xian'er, you should rest and recover. I have made up my mind that when the time is right, I will depose Liu and give you the position of Empress in a dignified manner."
The position of the Central Palace...
Upon hearing these four words, Narcissus felt no expected elation, but instead a profound and indescribable weariness welled up within her.
Having struggled through two lifetimes, from a maidservant to an imperial concubine, and now even touching the pinnacle of female power, she feels utterly exhausted, as if she had fought a hard battle that drained all her strength.
She buried her face deeper into Emperor Zhaoheng's neck, inhaling the comforting scent of ambergris emanating from him.
She spoke softly, her voice carrying an unspeakable vulnerability.
"Your Majesty... Having gone through this life-or-death experience, I now truly understand that all titles, honors, and the title of Empress are meaningless."
"Your Majesty, I do not seek the position of Empress, I truly do not seek it... I only wish to remain here as I am now, to stay by Your Majesty's side and watch our children grow up safely and happily. This is my greatest wish now."
Her words seemed to come from the bottom of her heart.
If it were said by someone else, Emperor Zhaoheng would suspect that person was using a feigned retreat as a tactic to advance.
But having survived the ordeal, what Narcissus says now must be her most genuine desire.
This attitude of being completely indifferent to power only stirred up a surge of affection in Emperor Zhaoheng's heart.
He held her tightly and solemnly promised in her ear, "Okay, I promise you. But what is yours, I will never let anyone take away."
After comforting Narcissus back to sleep, the tenderness on Emperor Zhaoheng's face was instantly replaced by icy coldness.
After stepping out of the inner room, he announced that he would be going to Kunning Palace.
Inside Kunning Palace.
The Empress had already received the news.
She removed the few hairpins and ornaments she wore in Japan, and wore only a simple, bright yellow casual dress.
She wore no makeup, her face was pale, and there were dark circles under her eyes.
When Emperor Zhaoheng arrived, she knelt in the hall to greet him, looking frail and haggard.
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects."
Her voice was so weak that it was hard to tell for a moment whether she or Narcissus had just given birth to twins.
Emperor Zhaoheng stood before her, looking down at her with disgust, and said:
"Liu, do you know your crime!"
The Empress raised her tear-filled face, her eyes filled with grievance.
"Your Majesty! I do not know what crime I have committed to incur Your Majesty's wrath... I have been ill and have been recuperating in the palace these past few days, not even stepping out of the palace gates!"
"Don't know?"
Emperor Zhaoheng sneered and walked away slowly, unwilling to see her feigned illness.
"I ask you, since Granny Sun is dead, where did the Netherworld Flower come from?"
"Who instructed that fake Ana, who was impersonating a sorcerer from the Southern Frontier, to try and kill the Imperial Consort and my son?!"
Upon hearing this, the Empress burst into tears.
"Your Majesty, please be wise! Your Majesty, I... Your Majesty, I admit that I was blinded by concern and mistakenly believed that Ana's nonsense. I thought she really had some kind of magic that could help my younger sister, the Imperial Noble Consort, have a safe pregnancy, which is why I ordered someone to recommend her to Your Majesty..."
"I never imagined she was a treacherous assassin! This was my oversight, and I am willing to accept the blame for my negligence! But if you say that I instructed her to murder the imperial heir, I would rather die than admit to this fabricated crime!"
She wept bitterly, as if she had suffered a great injustice, and then invoked the Empress Dowager and the powerful figures in the court.
"Your Majesty, I am in poor health. Since entering the palace, I have been exhausted from managing this vast harem for Your Majesty, yet I have never uttered a single complaint..."
"Moreover, my maternal family has been loyal and virtuous for generations. My father is diligent and conscientious in the court, and his students are all over the country. They are all loyal to the country. If Your Majesty suspects me so much, wouldn't that make loyal ministers feel disheartened?"
Her words completely absolved her of any responsibility, shifting all blame onto negligence.
Emperor Zhaoheng's gaze grew increasingly cold.
Emperor Zhaoheng watched as she tearfully and logically argued her case, and his anger surged.
The Empress was eloquent and well-prepared, but at this moment there was no irrefutable evidence to directly link her to the Netherworld Flower.
In addition, the Liu family was powerful and the Empress Dowager had always been biased towards them. If the Empress Dowager were to be forcibly deposed, it would inevitably cause turmoil in the previous dynasty.
He stared coldly at the Empress kneeling on the ground, who appeared weak but was actually arguing with every word, and said, word by word, "Good, very good."
"Since the Empress is seriously ill and exhausted, she should rest and recuperate properly in Kunning Palace!"
"Without my decree, you are not to step out of the palace gates! The Empress need not trouble herself with the affairs of the six palaces for the time being!"
These words were tantamount to completely stripping the Empress of her power to manage the six palaces, rendering her powerless, and imprisoning her in the Kunning Palace.
The Empress's prostrate figure stiffened almost imperceptibly, and her hands, hidden in her sleeves, clenched tightly.
With a sob still in her voice, she obediently replied, "Your Majesty, I thank you for your compassion."
Emperor Zhaoheng turned away without giving her another glance.
The palace doors closed behind them, separating the courtyard from the outside world.
The Kunning Palace, which was already desolate on ordinary days, was even more lonely at this moment, resembling a cold palace in the height of summer.
Inside the main hall, the Empress slowly raised her head, her red, tear-filled eyes filled with deep resentment.
"Depose the empress? Absolutely not!"
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