Linghu Lan pondered these words repeatedly, a warm feeling welling up in her heart. She thought for a moment and said, "Please also convey a message to His Majesty on my behalf: 'Once you enter the gate of longing, you will know the bitterness of longing; plant the tree of longing, and beneath it, you will remember longing.' I await His Majesty to open the palace gates for me."
Zhou Anyuan continued, "This servant has noted it down. His Majesty also asked this servant to request something from Your Highness as a keepsake. Please ask Your Highness to find something for this servant to take back and report."
Linghu Lan couldn't help but smile; it was this innocent, youthful feeling that made her heart flutter.
She thought for a moment, then pulled a hairpin from her hair and said, "This is my favorite jade magnolia. I present it to Your Majesty, please do not worry about it."
"Yes!" Zhou Anyuan said, taking the things and leaving.
As he walked out of Suning Palace, a group of guards sealed it off, preventing even a bird from flying in. It truly became a cold palace where one could only look at the sky from the four corners.
The remaining people were all filled with unease, but seeing the Empress's calm and composed demeanor, and knowing that she had already made proper arrangements and that the palace was well-fed and clothed for at least three months, they resigned themselves to their fate and went about their business.
Linghu Lan looked up at the sky. This major incident was over, and the palace should be at peace now!
...
The news that the Empress's Suning Palace had been sealed off and turned into a cold palace spread like wildfire to every corner of the palace.
People are talking about it everywhere.
In Xiankun Palace.
Yun Nian happily informed the Empress Dowager of the news, but the Empress Dowager sneered: "How could I not know about my own son? It's just an act. Unless the Prince of Qinyang's mansion falls, His Majesty's actions are merely a smokescreen to avoid provoking public anger. Afterwards, will the Empress be released? Do you all think I'm really senile?"
Yun Nian took a deep look at the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager was well-maintained and did not look old. On the contrary, having experienced countless years of palace intrigue, she was even more far-sighted. Since the Empress Dowager said she would release her, then she must have.
"If that's the case, what should we do?"
"Continue the impeachment process and deal with it severely."
"Yes!" Yun Nian responded, and served the medicine to the Empress Dowager with both hands.
A palace maid's clear voice rang out from outside the door: "Reporting to the Empress Dowager, Consort Yuexian requests an audience with you."
The Empress Dowager took a sip of the 'medicine' and frowned because it was so bitter.
Yun Nian glanced at the Empress Dowager's expression and said cautiously, "Consort Yuexian is probably here because of the Qinyang Prince's Mansion. I guess she's afraid His Majesty will also confine her to her quarters."
The Empress Dowager remained expressionless for a long while, a hint of disgust flashing between her brows. She had thought that Yue Qingyin could win the Emperor's heart and be on par with the Empress, but who would have thought she would be so useless, a mere pawn. Angry at her lack of ambition, she said in a deep voice, "Tell her to show a shred of loyalty, and I will protect her. Otherwise, what use is a useless person to me?"
"yes!"
The young palace maid immediately went out to relay the Empress Dowager's words to Yue Qingyin.
At that moment, Yue Qingyin knelt quietly outside the Empress Dowager's Xiankun Palace, dressed in a light green lotus dress, looking pitiful. However, her heart was cold and hard.
The incident at the Prince of Qinyang's residence caused a huge uproar, even the Empress was confined to her quarters. It was probably only a matter of time before she was also confined. All talk of the Emperor's deep favor was a joke. What good was being as favored as the Empress? Once the Emperor's power collapsed, she was bullied by everyone.
Ultimately, the Empress Dowager in the harem is more reliable than the Emperor. As long as you please the Empress Dowager, even the Emperor will have to give her some face.
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