"Someone, help me up to the small Buddhist shrine. Thank Heaven and Earth, thank our ancestors for their protection. Amitabha! Amitabha!"
The Empress Dowager kept muttering to herself, forgetting that she was wearing her nightgown and was disheveled, and wanted to run to the small Buddhist hall to offer incense to her ancestors.
"Oh dear, this won't do, Your Majesty—"
The old nanny, Zhao, followed behind to help her with her shoes, feeling a pang of emotion. It was rare for the Empress Dowager to be so happy in all these years, but it was no wonder, as this was a major event for the royal family to continue its lineage.
Although Xiao Heng was related to the Empress Dowager by blood, there was always a barrier between them. He was not the emperor's biological son and truly lacked the ability to govern the country.
Now that the emperor has the opportunity to have his own offspring, it's no wonder the empress dowager is so delighted.
"Yes, yes, yes, dress me properly, bathe and change my clothes, burn incense and pray, and let Master Hongyi perform the ritual."
The Empress Dowager, reminded by the nanny, seemed to suddenly realize something and began to give instructions.
"Your Majesty, this is unacceptable! It's so late; even Buddha needs to rest."
Granny Zhao was startled by her words. The Empress Dowager was really too excited. If she really made such a big fuss, there would definitely be ministers coming to impeach her tomorrow.
"Why don't we go see that person tomorrow? Let's rest early tonight."
After listening to Zhao Mama's words, the Empress Dowager thought about it again and realized that it was true. It was so late, and she should not disturb the Buddha, lest she end up with nothing.
She could only rest, but the Empress Dowager lay there for a long time, still unable to sleep from excitement, so she called out, "Rong Pei, Rong Pei!"
Upon hearing the Empress Dowager's voice, Rong Pei, who was on night watch, immediately went over to her.
"Your Majesty, are you having trouble sleeping?"
Rong Pei, having served the Empress Dowager for a long time, understood her temperament very well, and thus asked a question.
"It seems so. Do you think the Emperor's illness has improved? I heard that my brother's daughter is exactly fifteen years old this year, and is in the prime of her life."
The Empress Dowager was, after all, the daughter of a prominent family. She had enjoyed the benefits brought by her family, so naturally she had to give back to her family.
She used to think that she would marry her niece to Xiao Heng. If Xiao Jin really had no children, Xiao Heng would be the next emperor without a doubt.
The Empress Dowager wanted her to marry into the family. Although she wouldn't gain any immediate benefits, she could still achieve wealth and honor in the future and bring glory to the family.
Rong Pei knew that her mistress had been seeking various benefits for her family ever since she married the late emperor.
The late emperor was benevolent, and the empress dowager had given birth to a son and a daughter in succession, which was a great achievement and beneficial to the country. Therefore, he tacitly approved and indulged the empress dowager's various behaviors.
However, after the emperor ascended the throne, all the privileges that the empress dowager had granted to her family were rejected by the emperor. As a result, the empress dowager's family had no successor and quickly declined.
This greatly worried the Empress Dowager. She wasn't very clever to begin with, and the solution she came up with was a foolish one, which made the Emperor very angry.
In the end, the Empress Dowager relented and stopped insisting.
From then on, Rongpei thought that her Empress Dowager had let go of this matter and was enjoying her old age in the palace.
Unexpectedly, the Empress Dowager not only did not let it go, but it also became a source of worry for her. It is unknown what the Empress Dowager is thinking this time.
"Your Majesty, it's a bit too early for you to be considering this matter. The Emperor has just slept with Lady Song, this..."
"What if it's because of Song's special constitution that she has gained the Emperor's favor, but the Emperor's heart disease hasn't actually healed? If that young lady enters the palace, wouldn't she be living a life of widowhood?"
Rong Pei tried her best to consider things from the Empress Dowager's perspective. If she rashly sent the Empress Dowager's niece into the palace, it would not only displease the Emperor but also further escalate the conflict between the mother and son.
It would also alienate the newly arrived Song family, and if she were to whisper in the emperor's ear, the effect would only be counterproductive.
"Sigh, the kids are all grown up now, they always have their own thoughts."
The Empress Dowager thought about it and realized that it was indeed the case; she had been too hasty. However, seeing the Li family declining day by day, how could she not be anxious?
"Rong Pei, when do you think it would be appropriate? I'm always feeling uneasy, always thinking about doing something."
Rong Pei sighed inwardly. So this is how daughters of high-ranking families are raised. Even though the Empress Dowager has become the most honored woman, she still worries that she has not brought greater benefits to her family.
"Please don't worry about it for now, just focus on your own life. We'll take things slowly; everything needs to be discussed together."
Rong Pei truly didn't want the Empress Dowager to go through so much trouble for her own family anymore. After all, the Emperor was now young and vigorous, and the Empress Dowager had to rely on him for everything.
Previously, the Li family acted recklessly, relying on the Empress Dowager's influence. Several of their younger members committed all sorts of evil deeds, including arson, murder, looting, and abducting women.
The Emperor is only sparing their lives now because of the Empress Dowager. If the Empress Dowager continues to argue, the Emperor might just execute these youngsters.
"Your Majesty, the Emperor is the person you should be closest to. The Li family has enjoyed enough benefits; the rest depends on the younger generation to make a difference."
The Empress Dowager, however, was still unwilling to give up. In her mind, she was able to get to where she was today without the support of her powerful maternal clan, and she had to be grateful and think about giving back to her family.
Now that she has finally gained power and secured some benefits for the family, her newly enthroned son has taken it all away, and she's been feeling resentful ever since!
“Rong Pei, I know you are doing this for my sake, but seeing my maternal clan declining day by day, I am really worried. If I leave, who will take care of them?”
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