"Greetings, Miss." The visitor bowed respectfully.
Jiang Chuwei raised her hand. "No need for formalities. What brings you here?"
"This servant was sent by the Empress Dowager Cixi." The old woman was dressed in proper clothes and exuded composure in every gesture.
No wonder she's someone who serves the Empress Dowager.
"Please have some tea, Granny. May I ask what brings Your Majesty the Empress Dowager here?"
"Her Majesty the Empress Dowager was overjoyed to hear that Miss Jiang had saved the people of Nanzhou, and specially sent me to deliver some rewards." After saying this, she had the people behind her present the items.
Jiang Chuwei was taken aback. How much time had passed, and the Empress Dowager was only now coming to bestow her gifts?
"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. Please convey my gratitude to you." Jiang Chuwei glanced at the items, which were all precious medicinal herbs and jewels.
"In addition, there is something else I need to tell you, Miss. Next month is the Empress Dowager's birthday, and His Majesty hopes that you can come to the palace to attend the birthday banquet."
Jiang Chuwei thought to herself that after the Emperor bestowed the marriage upon her, the Empress Dowager had never summoned her to the palace.
It seems she's unhappy with the marriage and is now trying to make amends, simply because she saved the people?
As the future Princess Consort of Yu, Jiang Chuwei was obliged to attend the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet.
The fact that the Empress Dowager has sent someone to inform her shows how much she values her.
"Your subject obeys. I will certainly attend the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet," Jiang Chuwei said.
She knew she could not refuse the Empress Dowager's decree, so she respectfully agreed.
The old woman looked Jiang Chuwei up and down, but there was no hint of surprise on her face.
Calm and composed in the face of adversity, neither arrogant nor humble—this is how the old woman described Jiang Chuwei.
She nodded secretly. After the Emperor bestowed the marriage upon her, the Empress Dowager fell ill from anger.
No one in the harem knew this.
The Emperor is not the Empress Dowager's biological son.
The Empress Dowager's own son died at a very young age.
The Duke of Su's mansion sent another daughter to the palace.
This person was the Empress Dowager's half-sister, and the purpose of sending her to the palace was to give birth to a son for the Empress Dowager.
The half-sister thought that after giving birth to a son, she would live a life of wealth and honor.
She never imagined that her elder sister had no intention of letting her live.
Sure enough, seven days after giving birth to her son, her half-sister died from postpartum hemorrhage.
Even the biological mother of her half-sister died mysteriously after her daughter's death.
The Empress Dowager thus quietly gained a son.
She devoted all her efforts to raising this son, and the Duke of Su's mansion was practically guaranteed to seize the throne.
During the reign of the previous emperor, there were two powerful families who wielded immense influence in the capital.
One is the Sun family of the Duke of Su's mansion. The other is the Pang family of the Duke of Ning's mansion.
The Pang family were among the first group of meritorious officials who helped their ancestors conquer the country.
Its position in the capital was once unshakeable.
People often say that the moon wanes after it is full, and Ponzi's overwhelming power fueled his ambition.
They actually had thoughts they shouldn't have had.
They placed their own people around the emperor.
They openly maintained a private army in the capital.
The Pang family's actions aroused the emperor's suspicion, and he decided to investigate the matter secretly.
By chance, the emperor discovered the existence of the Pang family's private army.
The Pang family is driving themselves to their doom.
The emperor may not care about anything else, but the Lin family's empire cannot be ruled by the Pang family.
Shocked, he became even more determined to eradicate the Pang family's power. The emperor began to formulate a plan.
So the late emperor began to set a trap, and he appeared to favor the Pang family even more.
On the one hand, they were secretly gathering evidence, and on the other hand, they were weakening the Pang family's influence in the imperial court.
Unaware of the impending disaster, the Pang family became even more domineering and tyrannical in the capital.
On one occasion, a member of the Pang family killed someone in the capital.
What does the Pang family think is a big deal if one or two people die?
The common people cannot fight against the officials; the Pang family's power is second only to the imperial family.
But that time they ran into a brick wall.
The deceased's family beat the Dengwen Drum (a form of petition to the emperor). Upon learning of this, the emperor was furious and immediately dispatched men to arrest the Pang family members. Furthermore, the emperor used this opportunity to thoroughly investigate the Pang family, gathering a wealth of conclusive evidence.
The Pang family was filled with fear and unease, yet they still clung to a sliver of hope, believing that their power might allow them to escape. However, they underestimated the emperor's determination to eliminate dissidents.
Soon after, an imperial edict was issued, and the entire Pang family was executed. The once-powerful Pang family thus fell into decline. The people of the capital applauded and praised the emperor's wise decision.
At the same time, the Empress Dowager's family noticed the turbulent events at court and seized the opportunity.
The old Duke of Su successfully gained the trust of the late emperor by using his wisdom and connections.
After gaining the trust of the late emperor, the old Duke of Su began to win over court officials and cultivate his own power.
He knew that the struggle for power required balancing the interests of all parties, so he skillfully maneuvered in the court and gradually began to distinguish himself.
At the same time, he also promoted young members of his family, giving them important positions in the court.
The most beautiful woman in the family was sent to the palace to become the emperor's concubine.
The daughter of the Sun family was very clever and gradually gained a foothold in the harem.
The imperial court and the harem were inextricably linked.
In the previous dynasty, there was the old Duke maneuvering within the court, and in the harem, there was the daughter of the Sun family who became the late emperor's favorite concubine.
As time went on, the Empress Dowager's family grew increasingly powerful, becoming a force to be reckoned with in the court. Other aristocratic families followed suit, making the political situation increasingly complex.
The rise of the Sun family aroused the vigilance of other powerful clans, who, not to be outdone, sent their daughters to the palace in an attempt to gain a share. The struggle in the harem intensified, with the concubines using every trick in the book to outshine each other and win the emperor's favor.
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