Empress Dowager Chu set the book aside, then her gaze shifted slightly: "Lady Chen, why has she come to see me?"
The two of them didn't have much of a relationship before.
“Mother, the youngest son of Lady Chen, Chen Mingzhao, passed away unexpectedly a few days ago. I think Lady Chen has come to the palace to see you because of this matter,” the young man standing to the side said.
He was Huo Yanjun, the only son of Empress Dowager Chu.
The boy was only fourteen years old. He was not very tall, but he had a gentle and handsome face. However, because he was going through puberty, his voice was a little hoarse.
"Why is she coming to me instead of the Dali Temple after someone has died?" Empress Dowager Chu frowned slightly.
"My mother is devoted to Buddhist chanting and is unaware of what happened to the Bai family in the capital a few days ago. I will now tell you all about it."
Huo Yanjun told Empress Dowager Chu about Bai Yan's murder of Chen Mingzhao, and also about Huo Jin's support for the Bai sisters and his help in reclaiming their family property.
Empress Dowager Chu frowned upon hearing this and said unhappily, "With such a distant relationship, how could he ruin his reputation for a woman like this? He is the emperor!"
Huo Yanjun sneered, "Ninth Uncle used to be quite wise and capable. I think he knows he won't live much longer and wants to indulge himself now. After all, that Miss Bai is young and beautiful..."
"Shut up." Before he could finish speaking, Empress Dowager Chu stopped him with a glance.
Empress Dowager Chu then instructed the palace servants, "Go and let Lady Song in."
After entering the palace and paying her respects to the Empress Dowager, Lady Song tearfully accused Bai Yan of murdering her young son. After finishing her story, she kowtowed deeply to Empress Dowager Chu, saying, "Your Majesty's actions in protecting that vile woman are truly unjust!"
"Your Majesty, I humbly beg you to do justice for my poor son!"
Empress Dowager Chu had someone help up Song Shi, who was kneeling and weeping uncontrollably, and gently comforted her with a few words. Huo Yanzhao, who was standing nearby, also spoke up: "Mother, the Chen Marquis's family was granted the title of Marquis because their ancestors were meritorious officials. If we protect the murderer like this, won't we chill the hearts of meritorious officials?"
"Furthermore, Uncle Jiu drove Bai Chong's entire family out for the sake of the second young lady of the Bai family. A daughter defying her father, is that a good reputation for Uncle Jiu?"
Empress Dowager Chu hesitated: "He is His Majesty, how could I..."
With tears in her eyes, Madam Song said, "Your Majesty, an elder sister-in-law is like a mother! His Majesty has always respected you and would not disobey your advice!"
Empress Dowager Chu frowned slightly, but nodded nonetheless and patted Song's hand: "Go home first, I will give you an explanation for this matter."
Only then did Madam Song bow and withdraw.
After Madam Song left, Huo Yanjun said, "Mother, what are we waiting for? The evidence against Bai Er for murder is conclusive. We should send troops to arrest her immediately!"
Empress Dowager Chu hesitated for a moment, and Huo Yanjun, seeing this, continued, "I see that Ninth Uncle has fallen ill again?"
Empress Dowager Chu frowned slightly. Huo Yanjun said, "The imperial physician said that the more severe Uncle Jiu's illness becomes, the more confused he will become. Isn't that the case now? What you are doing is not going against Uncle Jiu, but helping him to restore his reputation!"
Empress Dowager Chu could only nod after hearing this: "Alright, I will give you an imperial edict. Send someone to the Bai family."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Huo Yanjun stepped back with his hands at his sides, a satisfied smile playing on his lips.
He received the imperial edict and quickly left Cixi Palace.
Empress Dowager Chu gazed at the bright moon outside the window and sighed softly.
“I know that Yan Jun is hypocritical. He appears to respect Your Majesty, but in reality he resents Your Majesty’s control over him in recent years.”
"Just like how wolf cubs in a pack grow up and become rebellious against the wolf king, these two are not father and son. Shouldn't Your Majesty have foreseen this sooner?" The trusted palace maid draped an outer robe over Empress Dowager Chu: "If Your Majesty had not been so farsighted and devised a countermeasure, we would have been worried about this situation long ago."
Empress Dowager Chu lowered her head upon hearing this, the moonlight illuminating her flawless profile.
She whispered, "The second young lady of the Bai family is only sixteen, isn't she?" She's a full sixteen years younger than her.
The palace maid said, "Your Majesty has weathered many storms with the Empress Dowager over the years, supporting each other. How could you possibly fall for such a young girl? If you truly had such intentions, why didn't you marry an empress or take concubines earlier?"
Empress Dowager Chu's brows relaxed slightly, but her tone remained somewhat melancholy: "I hope he won't blame me after he recovers from his illness."
"How could that be? Your Majesty, you are only doing this for His Majesty's reputation."
...
The next day, just as dawn broke, Huo Yanjun summoned Bai Shengqi, who was studying at the Imperial Academy, and together they went to the Marquis of Boyuan's residence.
This was something the two of them had planned long ago; having Marquis Boyuan, Gu Cheng'an, send troops to capture Bai Yan was more suitable than anyone else.
Bai Ruifeng is the wife of Marquis Boyuan, and Bai Yan is her own sister. This can be considered as Marquis Boyuan putting aside his own family for the greater good, which is very beneficial to his reputation.
The Marquis of Boyuan's family holds military power, and a marriage alliance with him is part of Huo Yanjun's plan. Naturally, the reputation of his fiancée's family is closely related to his own.
Bai Shengqi cupped his hands in greeting to Huo Yanjun again: "Madam Liu hates Bai Yan to the bone. Your Highness inviting her along can be considered a way of befriending the Marquis of Boyuan's mansion."
Huo Yanjun readily agreed.
Liu Yunrou has a strong sense of self-respect. Ever since she had her teeth knocked out at the Bai family's house, she has not left the house. Now that the Prince Xian has come to deliver an imperial decree to capture Bai Yan, she immediately went back to her room to get her long whip.
Gu Cheng'an had followed Huo Jin into battle; he was a soldier trained by Huo Jin, one of his generals.
Huo Jin protected the people, and he dared not disobey His Majesty's decree.
Liu Yunrou then persisted, "Are you still the Gu Cheng'an I know? If you're afraid to go because you're worried about offending His Majesty, then I'll go alone!"
Seeing that she was angry, Gu Cheng'an was already somewhat hesitant, but Huo Yanjun spoke up from the side.
"My lord, you must know that the Empress Dowager is protecting His Majesty's reputation. With the Empress Dowager standing in front of you to protect you, what are you afraid of?"
He whispered, "The other day, Ninth Uncle's old illness relapsed. Lord Marquis has been with Ninth Uncle for quite some time, so you should know that once this illness flares up, it won't get better for at least four or five days."
"By the time he recovered and got up, Bai Yan had already been killed and beheaded."
Huo Yanjun said, "Lord Gu's actions are beneficial to the country. Besides, the man is already dead. Would Uncle Jiu dare to defy the world and punish the Lord?"
Urged by Liu Yunrou and tempted by Huo Yanjun, Gu Cheng'an was persuaded to kneel down, lift the corner of his robe, and accept the imperial decree: "Your humble servant respectfully obeys the Empress Dowager's decree!"
Bai Mansion
Bai Ruifeng closed the account book in her hand in a state of annoyance, got out of bed and put on her cotton boots: "She hasn't been home all day, she's really gotten quite bold!" She asked a servant to fetch her a cloak, and was about to go look for her sister.
Just then, the door was pushed open from the outside. It was the maid Caizhu who said, "Eldest Miss, the people from the Marquis of Boyuan's mansion have sent troops over. They are heading towards our Bai residence. I just found out that they are coming to take Second Miss."
"What?" Bai Ruifeng frowned.
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