Chapter 681: The Deposed Princess Strikes Back at the Female General 128
Three days later, the Queen Mother regained consciousness.
"Yaoguang, how long have I slept? I had a very long dream. I dreamed of you, Hong'er, and Xiaoji. You were so small, and you grew up in the blink of an eye."
"I also saw Xiaohuaer riding her horse farther and farther away. I called her but she didn't even turn around. She must be blaming me."
"Yaoguang, I'm really old. When I get old, I like to think about the past. How did Ruier become like this? He was my child who grew up. Did I not teach him well?"
The queen sat on the edge of the bed and gently patted the queen mother's back. "Everyone has their own destiny, which is beyond human control. Prince Rui has committed evil deeds himself. It is all his own fault. Don't be too sad, mother."
The Queen Mother murmured, "Of all my grandchildren, I love him the most. I love him the most! He hurts my heart like this..."
Ji Yunhuan stood at the door holding the medicine bowl, hesitating to move forward. If she hadn't revealed all this in public, the empress dowager wouldn't have become sick with worry, nor would she have been so sad.
She didn't know how to face the sober Empress Dowager. She had no regrets in her move, she was just a little timid.
Ji Yunhuan deceived herself into thinking that as long as she didn't face it, she could become the empress dowager and always be the royal grandmother who loved her so much.
Xia Zhu came in from outside and asked in surprise: "Miss Ji, what are you doing standing here? Why don't you go in?"
"Shh~ Keep your voice down, just pretend I've never been here." Ji Yunhuan stuffed the tray to Xia Zhu and fled.
Ji Yunhuan did not leave the palace, but fled to the Queen's Zhanghua Palace. After making sure that the Queen Mother was safe, she packed up and returned to the Duke's Mansion.
The queen stopped her, dragged her to Kunning Palace, and pushed her in front of the empress dowager's bed.
Ji Yunhuan lowered her head, not daring to look at the Queen Mother. She was afraid of seeing the reproach and hatred in the Queen Mother's eyes. Before the Queen Mother spoke, Ji Yunhuan knelt down and said:
"After returning from the northern border, I planned to deal with Prince Rui. No one among the princes could compete with Prince Rui, so I chose Prince Yi. I knew Prince Yi liked me and was willing to do anything for me. I asked Prince Yi to stay in the capital to build momentum for him and let him fight against Prince Rui."
"Prince Rui has been doing well for so many years, but he is now in a state of panic. As long as he makes a move, I will have the opportunity to counterattack and knock him down in one fell swoop. I have blocked all of Prince Rui's paths, forcing him to take risky actions. The emperor can tolerate everything, but he cannot tolerate Prince Rui assassinating him!"
"I'm sorry, I took advantage of your kindness. At your birthday banquet, I deliberately asked Prince Yi to give you "Dead Trees Revived in Spring" just to please you and increase Prince Yi's bargaining chips. I also instructed Concubine Jiang to play the pipa and sing for you. I know what kind of music you like, so I cater to your preferences."
"Grandma, I am a person who will do anything to achieve my goal. I have used everything I could. If you want to hate me, then hate me. But I don't regret it. This result is what I want."
Ji Yunhuan tightly grasped the corner of her clothes. The thin silk was deformed by her pinch. Her fingertips sank into her palms. Time seemed to be stretched to infinity. She lowered her head, waiting for the Queen Mother's anger.
After a long time, a sigh came from above his head.
"You're still willing to call me Grandma, I thought you didn't want to see me anymore."
"Huan'er, you are really different from your mother. Your mother is a woman of the world, passionate and romantic, with chivalry in her heart. She can't handle those twists and turns. She is a stubborn girl who sticks to her principles. Such a person is really rare. I really like her."
Ji Yunhuan finally dared to look up. Thinking of her mother, her nose felt sore and she murmured, "Mom is the best. I can't compare to her."
"No!" The Queen Mother suddenly laughed, "Silly child, your mother is the wind in the sky, she shouldn't have stayed in the capital. You are different. Among so many children, you are the one who looks most like me!"
"Without some scheming and strategy, how can one survive in this cannibalistic capital? The emperor ascended the throne at a young age, and the country was in turmoil. I also planned everything step by step in the past."
"I am old, and I always want to maintain harmony, but the throne is very tempting. I also knew about the little tricks of Prince Rui in private, but I just turned a blind eye to it. But I didn't know that he actually disregarded the safety of the country and the lives of the people, and attacked Duke Ji at the most critical moment of the war!"
"Huan'er, you found out everything in the North, right? You dealt with Hu Anshan and others, so I thought you had avenged the Duke's Mansion. Why didn't you tell me?"
Ji Yunhuan was silent for a while, "Grandma, I don't want to embarrass you."
The Queen Mother patted the seat beside her and motioned for Ji Yunhuan to sit down. "Don't fool me. You just don't trust me. Are you afraid that I won't help you?"
Ji Yunhuan said sincerely: "Your Majesty is your only son, and Prince Rui is your most beloved grandson. Grandma, you are wise and brave, and you care about the country and the people in your heart, but you are also a human being, and you will have selfish desires. Your Majesty and Prince Rui are your selfish desires."
"Four years ago, Prince Rui colluded with the Wujin people and killed my parents and brother. Perhaps to wipe out the roots, or perhaps to make me more dependent on him, he colluded with the second prince of Zijing Country and, under the guise of a spy from Zijing Country, massacred the entire Duke's Mansion!"
"Chen State sent troops to avenge the Duke's Mansion. Prince Yi lost the first battle, and it was Prince Rui who interfered. He once again suppressed Prince Yi. Later, the eldest prince of Zijing State was pushed out to take the blame and lost his life. The second prince successfully ascended the throne."
"Now the evil deeds of Prince Rui have spread throughout the capital. The military officers are filled with righteous indignation, and the civil officials are eager to distance themselves from Prince Rui. Even the royal family cannot suppress the matter. Prince Rui cannot make a comeback."
The Queen Mother sighed, "I don't want to protect him, so let him fend for himself in Putuo Temple. I don't want to see him again."
"After all, the royal family is sorry for the Duke's Mansion and you, but he is my grandson after all. I promise that he will never step out of Putuo Temple in this lifetime. Just treat him as dead and don't touch him again."
Ji Yunhuan nodded and agreed, "As long as he doesn't cause any trouble, I can spare his life."
But given Prince Rui's temperament, it is impossible for him not to cause trouble. Besides, Su Ziyan is not a quiet person. She has high aspirations and it is impossible for her to give up just like that.
Ji Yunhuan just waited and would take King Rui's life sooner or later.
The Queen Mother patted Ji Yunhuan's hand and said with a smile: "You have guarded me for three days. Go back and rest. I will give you an explanation. Except for Prince Rui's life, I will give you everything you want."
Ji Yunhuan watched over the empress dowager until she finished drinking the medicine before returning to the Duke's Mansion.
After Ji Yunhuan left, the smile on the Queen Mother's face disappeared and she became as cold as ice.
"Hongying, go and invite the emperor over! This evil creature did such a stupid thing, and now he's scared? He hides in his bedroom and won't come out. He didn't even come to see me when I was sick. What an unfilial and unkind guy! How could I give birth to such a thing? If he doesn't come, I will go see him myself."
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