Zhou Huaichuan's mind was a little muddled from the fever.
Three hours later, after leaving the palace gates, he mounted his horse and headed to the Qi residence.
Yun Zheng stopped him in time: "Master, you must return to the manor now... These are extraordinary times, Master, please bear with it for now."
Zhou Huaichuan sat motionless on his horse. After a long while, Yun Zheng heard a soft "hmm." Then, Zhou Huaichuan's vision went black, and he fell off the horse.
"master!"
......
Taiji Palace.
Consort Shu was having a meal with Emperor Zhou.
"Your Majesty, the defense of the capital and the Imperial Guards are so important. I have no experience and I am afraid I will fail Your Majesty's trust."
Consort Shu was beautiful and charming. In Emperor Zhou's eyes, she was the most gentle, virtuous, and understanding.
A closer look at her eyes reveals some wrinkles, yet she remains one of the favored concubines.
"You don't need to worry, I'll have Qi Yi help him."
Consort Shu frowned: "I'm not questioning Lord Qi's abilities, it's just that his health..."
Emperor Zhou: "He just stands by and gives Xian'er some advice and strategies; it doesn't tire him out."
The joy on Consort Shu's face faded considerably.
Qi Yi was a confidant of the Zhou Emperor.
On the surface, he entrusted the city's defenses and the Imperial Guards to Xian'er, but in reality, he didn't trust him at all and even sent Qi Yi to supervise him.
Consort Shu wanted Emperor Zhou to change the person again, but Emperor Zhou had already finished his meal and got up.
She had no choice but to give up.
"Your Majesty," said Grand Eunuch Su as he entered, "His Highness Prince An was forced to kneel for three hours by the Empress. He just fell off his horse at the palace gate and broke his leg."
Although Zhou Huaichuan no longer has the city defenses and imperial guards of the capital, he still has to lead troops to fight for the Great Zhou.
If I break my leg, what if there's some unrest in the Northwest?
Emperor Zhou paused in his tea-drinking, his expression turning cold: "Why did the Empress punish him?"
Eunuch Su bowed even deeper: "Her Majesty the Empress heard that Prince An had displeased His Majesty, so she punished him."
Consort Shu astutely noticed the problem. The Emperor had just punished Zhou Huaichuan in the Imperial Study, and Zhou Huaichuan hadn't even left the palace yet, but the Empress immediately received the news.
"Her Majesty the Empress is truly devoted to His Majesty and is always thinking of ways to share his burdens."
Upon hearing Consort Shu's words, Emperor Zhou's expression immediately turned extremely pale.
At that time, only Chu Xuan, Eunuch Su, and the palace maid serving tea were in the Imperial Study.
Although Chu Xuan was scheming, he was an upright official, and moreover, he was in the imperial study when the empress punished Zhou Huaichuan.
The same goes for Eunuch Su.
Then there were only those two palace maids serving tea.
Emperor Zhou's eyes turned deep and unfathomable.
That evening, the two palace maids were sent to the Empress's palace.
Its face was contorted in a grotesque grimace, and it was lifeless.
Eunuch Su was very respectful: "Your Majesty, His Majesty understands that you are short of people by your side, so he specially sent me to bring people to you."
The Empress remained unfazed: "Eunuch Su, I do not understand His Majesty's meaning."
"How dare this humble servant presume to guess His Majesty's intentions..."
The Empress's personal maid suddenly presented her with a heavy purse.
Peering through the loose opening, Grandpa Su saw that the bag was full of melon seeds.
"Your Majesty..." Eunuch Su's face beamed with a smile, "Today His Majesty heard from Consort Shu that you punished Prince An."
"Thank you, Father-in-law."
After Eunuch Su left, Princess Roujia came out from behind the screen: "Mother, why are you getting angry with that scoundrel?"
They lost two chess pieces for nothing and also alienated themselves from Emperor Zhou.
The Empress waved her hand, dismissing everyone: "Jia'er, the capital is about to change."
The sky over the capital represents... Emperor Zhou!
Roujia was shocked: "Mother, what are you saying? Is it the Prince of Huainan?"
Yes and no.
The Empress rose from her throne, gazing at the darkness outside the palace, untouched by the lamplight. Her voice was indifferent: "The Prince of Huainan will not die, nor will the Prince of An lose power. Consort Shu and Zhou Xian are nothing more than pawns in someone else's game."
Roujia was still completely confused: "Mother, what exactly are you trying to say?"
The Empress took her hand and said, "Jia'er, you don't need to worry about it. Your mother will take care of everything. From today onwards, you should stay in your own palace and not come out unless necessary."
Roujia nodded obediently.
"And..." The Empress's expression turned complicated, "From now on, when you see Prince An, even if you don't call him Fourth Brother, don't act the same way as before..."
Roujia's heart skipped a beat, as if she had just realized something, and she asked in disbelief, "Mother, when you spoke of a change in the world, you meant him...?"
The Empress shook her head: "I'm tired, you should go back now."
After Roujia left, the Empress sat alone in the palace for a long time.
Her personal maid, Qing Shuang, entered: "Your Majesty, what should be done with those two palace maids?"
"Let him be buried with great honors," the Queen said wearily.
Qing Shuang bowed and agreed, then stepped forward to help her back to her bedchamber.
"Qing Shuang, do you think he will really succeed?"
The Empress suddenly spoke up and asked a question.
Qing Shuang: "Your Majesty, that man is resolute and can endure what ordinary people cannot. If you want revenge, he will only want it more. Your Majesty's choice will not be wrong."
After Qing Shuang helped the Empress to bed, she came out of the bedroom, where Rou Jia was waiting for her outside the door.
"Aunt Qing Shuang, is Mother asleep?"
"Her Majesty has rested; the Princess wishes to see her again tomorrow..."
"Aunt, I've come to see you." Roujia looked intently at Qingshuang. "Aunt Qingshuang, can you tell me why Mother chose him?"
Qing Shuang subconsciously looked around.
Roujia: "I've already dismissed them, so Auntie can rest assured."
The Empress did not say that she was keeping it from the princess. After a moment's thought, Qing Shuang told Rou Jia the truth.
"The two palace maids Your Majesty beat to death today were not our people, but Consort Rong's."
Roujia frowned: "Then why did Mother accept it?"
Qing Shuang: "Your Majesty is using retreat as a strategy for advancement."
The empress came from the Grand Tutor's family; her father was Emperor Zhou's teacher.
Twelve years ago, a group from the Grand Tutor's mansion escorted the coffin back to their hometown, only to encounter rebel troops, and none of them survived.
Although those rebels were later annihilated, the dead are gone and can never return.
The Empress had always thought it was an accident, until Prince An sent her a person some time ago.
One of the clansmen who managed to escape.
The Empress then learned that it was not an accident, but a premeditated act.
These two palace maids are the Empress's pledge of allegiance to Prince An.
It was the Empress's sincerity and strength.
Although she had fallen out of favor with Emperor Zhou and was no longer favored, she had managed the harem for many years and her strength should not be underestimated.
She actually knew everything about the people that the various palaces had placed around Emperor Zhou.
However, although the Empress chose Prince An, she could not make the choice openly.
Concubines in the imperial harem who had sons held high positions, and their maternal families were all renowned.
The empress had no children and was always excluded from the struggle for the throne.
If others were to learn of her collaboration with Prince An, both she and Prince An would become targets of public criticism.
Creating distance and sowing discord—that kneeling punishment today was exactly that.
"That person wants this..." Qing Shuang raised her finger and pointed to the sky: "There are many difficulties. If the matter of the Prince of Huainan is not handled well, we will lose the hearts of the Southern Barbarian soldiers and also become enemies with the Prince of Huainan's faction."
Qing Shuang: "The Prince of Huainan is not a man of courage without strategy. He must have a backup plan. It is impossible for His Majesty to capture him all at once."
Prince An has now relinquished the hot potato of the Imperial Guards and military power, and the Empress has also taken the opportunity to be confined to her quarters, leaving room for Consort Shu, the Second Prince, Consort Rong, and the First Prince to cause trouble. It couldn't be more appropriate.
In troubled waters, it's wise to protect yourself; there's plenty of time in the future.
Qing Shuang looked at Rou Jia with loving eyes: "Princess, you are of noble birth; Your Highness and I will take care of these matters..."
"Princess, you only need to remember that you must never be an enemy of Prince An."
Roujia nodded: "Okay."
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