"Where is the princess of Dongqing Kingdom?"
"They're still in the Cold Palace, watched over by the Imperial Guards."
After inquiring about the situation of the concubines and learning of the Empress's actions, the Emperor drafted an imperial edict and ordered it to be issued.
Except for Zhao Yuning, women who have not given birth to princes or princesses were sent home directly and were free to marry in the future. Those who had princesses or princes were dismissed from the palace, but were not allowed to leave Zhaodu for the rest of their lives.
When the emperor was drafting the imperial edict, he overheard 001 muttering about how difficult it was for women in ancient times to remarry, especially since they were women of the previous emperor. After a moment's thought, he added a few strokes to the edict.
The chief eunuch he appointed was Li Youcai, who was also a spy he controlled. He was luckier than his godfather and survived.
Li Youcai received the imperial edict and listened to its instructions. He was slightly surprised, but dared not ask any further questions.
The Empress and the others consciously stayed in the Phoenix Palace and did not go out. When they learned that the Grand Eunuch had come to deliver the imperial decree, they quickly came out together.
They were terrified, even more so than when they served Emperor Jiande. They were worried about their lives and property, fearing that this was a death warrant. However, seeing that there were only a dozen or so imperial guards following Li Youcai, they breathed a slight sigh of relief.
These women were all exceptionally beautiful, but since entering the palace, they had been unable to sleep peacefully day after day. Without the adornments and makeup to conceal their exhaustion, their haggard appearance became apparent.
The Empress, along with her concubines and princesses, bowed and received the imperial decree. Upon learning that the new emperor had granted them permission to return home and remarry, they were filled with gratitude and smiled with relief, tears streaming down their faces.
Someone whispered about the sisters who died at the hands of Emperor Jiande, but was covered up by someone next to them.
Having received the imperial decree, these people did not linger any longer. When the Empress was about to leave with her daughter, she was respectfully stopped by Li Youcai.
"By order of the general, Wu and her daughter Mu Ruoyin are summoned to an audience."
The two followed the eunuch to the imperial study, where they found the head of the Wu family already there, standing with his hands clasped behind his back.
The weather was slightly chilly, and there was only a brazier of charcoal burning inside the house, placed three steps in front of the head of the Wu family. It wasn't hot, but the fumes still made him sweat profusely.
The brother and sister looked at each other, both of them completely bewildered.
The young man in dark blue robes on the dragon throne was engrossed in dealing with the piles of memorials. He glanced at some of them and threw them into the basket next to him, while he examined others carefully and then annotated them with red ink.
After finishing with the pile of items, Di Xiu put down his pen and said to the screen, "Bring the things up."
A guard stepped forward, carrying a tray in his hand.
When the head of the Wu family saw the contents of the tray, his pupils suddenly contracted, and he felt his hair stand on end. There was a strange sense of history repeating itself, but this time he was the protagonist, and it wasn't a slander.
The Empress's heart skipped a beat. Mu Ruoyin stole a glance at the young man above, thinking that Yanling was at war with Dongqing Kingdom, and wondered how many people his fiancée status could protect.
"I've heard that Prime Minister Wu originally planned a rebellion?"
The head of the Wu family was sweating even more. He hurriedly knelt down, prostrated himself on the ground, and shouted, "Your humble servant is guilty."
The Empress and Mu Ruoyin also knelt down to beg for forgiveness.
Emperor Xiu gave an ambiguous "hmm" and nodded to the guard. The guard walked to the brazier, tilted the tray, and the exquisitely crafted dragon robe fell into the brazier. After a short while, it gradually turned black, and then flames lit up.
The head of the Wu family rolled his eyes and was stunned when he saw this scene.
"Minister Wu, you may step down."
"Yes." He dared not say more, got up, bowed, and left the Imperial Study.
When he stepped outside, a cool breeze made him realize that his chest and back were soaked with sweat. He developed a fever that night, and after much hesitation, he dragged himself out of bed and wrote his resignation.
After he left, Emperor Xiu told the Empress and Mu Ruoyin to get up.
"General Yan will return to the capital in a month. We will hold the wedding then, according to the standards for a princess's wedding. You may discuss the specific details with the Imperial Household Department."
The mother and daughter looked at each other, not daring to ask the reason, and thanked each other in unison.
They couldn't stay in the palace any longer, so they didn't go back to pack anything. They only took their loyal servants with them and returned to the Wu family empty-handed.
The imperial edict followed closely, bestowing upon Mu Ruoyin the title of Princess Zhaoyue.
After Emperor Xiu dealt with the concubines and princesses, he ordered someone to bring Zhao Yuning out of the Cold Palace and together they went to see Emperor Jiande.
It goes without saying how furious Emperor Jiande was upon seeing his enemy, but before he could even reach Emperor Xiu, he was easily subdued by the guards.
Zhao Yuning rubbed her wrist, which had been sore from being handled by the guards, and glanced at the disheveled Emperor Jiande with disdain. She complained to Emperor Xiu, "Why did you bring me here?"
She deliberately spoke with a nasal tone, which, combined with her charming face and captivating eyes, could make anyone's bones melt. However, none of the people present were swayed by her act and didn't even look at her, which inevitably frustrated her.
"Make one of your incense sticks."
Zhao Yuning raised an eyebrow and glanced at the pile of prepared items on the table next to her, along with a jumble of miscellaneous materials. It was a hodgepodge, but it contained all the ingredients she needed to make the "Soul-Stealing Elixir".
She approached Di Xiu, fluttering around him like a butterfly, her steps almost dancing: "General, would you like to try my fragrance?"
She giggled and tried to tap his chest with her finger, but he dodged it. She snorted unhappily and rolled her eyes with a charming smile: "You have no sense of romance."
The guard who had been standing behind Di Xiu pressed his sword against the guard, revealing a glint of cold light as he stared at her with hostility.
Zhao Yuning pursed her lips, choosing to be pragmatic, and gracefully walked to the table. After sitting down, she crossed her legs and gave him a captivating look.
While wondering if she hadn't done her makeup properly, which was why her charm had faded, she casually picked out two flowers from a pile of things with her delicate fingers, plucked off the blossoms, threw the stems into the mortar and pestle, added a piece of cinnabar, and began grinding them carelessly.
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