Seeing that the Empress could not persuade her, Ji Yun sighed helplessly and wanted to go back to avoid seeing it. However, the Empress Dowager told her to stay here and watch Zhao Shu be punished. She would stay here and watch for as long as Zhao Shu knelt.
In the Taihe Hall, Liang Yunsi had already informed Emperor Mingde. Emperor Mingde only glanced at him after hearing this, said nothing, and then lowered his head to review the memorials.
After a while, Liang Yunsi said, "Your Majesty, the tea has gone cold. This servant will replace it for you."
Emperor Mingde gave a grunt of approval and continued reviewing the memorials.
Liang Yunsi picked up the teapot, took the whisk, and left the main hall. After exiting the hall, he looked at the sun and said to the little eunuch Xiao Duzi who was guarding the gate, "Go and change the Emperor's tea."
"Yes, Master." Xiao Duzi picked up the teapot and quickly left. At this moment, a little eunuch, Xiao Liangzi, came from the side. He shared the same surname as Liang Yunsi and was taken in as Liang Yunsi's godson. He walked up to Liang Yunsi and whispered, "Godfather, the Empress is still kneeling at the entrance of Cining Palace. The Princess has not gotten up either. Hongxia has left the palace and gone to Biyou Palace."
After Xiao Liangzi finished speaking, Liang Yunsi sighed for the Empress in his heart, and at the same time had a bad feeling. What was Hongxia doing at Biyou Palace? He waved his hand, turned around and went into the hall.
Upon entering the hall, hesitant and unsure how to report, Emperor Mingde, with his head bowed and reviewing memorials, suddenly asked, "Is there anything you wish to say?"
Liang Yunsi already had something on his mind, and when Emperor Mingde asked him this, he steeled himself and said, "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager sent Hongxia to Biyou Palace."
Emperor Mingde raised his head and put down his vermilion brush. He looked at Liang Yunsi for a few moments until Liang Yunsi spoke up and called out again, "Your Majesty."
"Go see the Empress Dowager." Emperor Mingde said, standing up with his hands behind his back. His expression remained normal, and his steps were steady. Only his clenched fists revealed his nervousness.
Upon arriving at Cining Palace, Emperor Mingde's face darkened. "Bai Yue, help the Empress back."
Bai Yue and the others, who were kneeling with him, hurriedly greeted Emperor Mingde, saying, "Greetings to Your Majesty."
"I don't want to say it a second time, Bai Yue," Emperor Mingde said coldly.
Bai Yue knelt down to help the Empress up, but the Empress shook her off. She remained stubbornly kneeling on the ground, showing no gratitude, and merely said perfunctorily to Emperor Mingde, "Your Majesty, I pay my respects."
Emperor Mingde walked up to her, looking down at her with an icy expression. "Empress, do you no longer listen to my words? Are you going to disobey my decree?"
"Your Majesty, I am sorry. Please forgive me this time, for we are both mothers." The Empress looked ahead and did not meet Emperor Mingde's gaze. Her words did not seem to be a reply to Emperor Mingde.
Emperor Mingde was furious. He pointed at Bai Yue, Lu Fushou, and the others, saying, "You, and you, you shall all escort the Emperor back to Fengqi Palace. You are not to come out without my decree."
"Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager is only feeling guilty and wishes to ask the Empress Dowager for forgiveness. She begs Your Majesty to spare the Empress Dowager for the sake of His Highness the Crown Prince." Upon hearing this, Bai Yue and the others were so frightened that they hurriedly kowtowed repeatedly.
However, the Empress sneered, "If Your Majesty wants to punish someone, you should wait until the Crown Prince has recovered. My son's life is still uncertain, yet Your Majesty wants to punish me again and again. Are you trying to break the hearts of my son and me?" She spoke these frivolous words in a fit of pique, and everyone around her instantly changed color.
Emperor Mingde's face was ashen, his temples throbbing violently. "Guards, escort the Empress back to the palace!" If it weren't for the Crown Prince, he would have deposed the Empress today! The dignified Empress had completely lost her manners, kneeling here with her bare face—what kind of decorum was this? This wasn't an apology; she was forcing his mother, the Empress Dowager. No wonder his mother sent someone to Biyou Palace!
Zhao Shu knelt on the ground, seemingly not hearing anything. She also resented the Empress, so apart from paying her respects to Emperor Mingde, she was unwilling to say a word at this moment.
Liang Yunsi greeted her and walked to the Empress's side, saying, "Your Majesty, please."
The Empress snorted coldly, "Don't touch me! I can walk by myself." She stretched out her hand, and Lu Fushou and the others hurriedly stepped forward to help her. She had been kneeling for too long and was a little unsteady on her feet. The little palace maid behind her quickly stepped forward to massage her knees.
"Get out of here!" Emperor Mingde glared at the little palace maid. "If she likes to kneel, let her kneel. Go back to her Phoenix Palace and kneel there. Don't come here and make a fool of yourself."
"Your Majesty should never have married me in the first place. I would never have embarrassed myself before Your Majesty." The Empress retorted, giving Emperor Mingde a cold look before slowly walking away with the help of Lu Fushou and others.
Emperor Mingde was so angry that he didn't know whether to leave or stay. His face turned from blue to purple, a truly spectacular sight. If he hadn't maintained his composure, he would have blurted out the words to depose the empress.
Zhao Shu was unaware that the Empress was so bold and resentful that she could utter such words as "I shouldn't have married her," but she still did not intend to say anything.
After a long while, Emperor Mingde finally suppressed his anger and ordered, "Hold an umbrella for Ajun."
Liang Yunsi responded, and Emperor Mingde then entered the Cining Palace.
The Cining Palace was quiet. All the palace maids and eunuchs lowered their heads, not daring to move or even breathe. When he entered, a eunuch announced loudly, "His Majesty has arrived!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Emperor Mingde entered the hall. Inside, the Empress Dowager was drinking tea with an extremely gloomy expression. Emperor Mingde and the Empress Dowager looked quite alike, and with both of them wearing gloomy faces, they looked even more alike.
Upon seeing the Empress Dowager, Emperor Mingde finally managed a smile. "Mother, you should at least eat something, otherwise when my nineteenth brother returns, he will surely blame me for not taking good care of you. The nineteenth brother has gone to serve the country and fulfill his duties as the Prince of Dayong. Mother should be happy, as my nineteenth brother will eventually grow up."
The Empress Dowager sneered, her face even colder than before. "Emperor, stop with your high-sounding words. I only ask you: Why did you hide the Crown Prince's disappearance from me? Did you even bother to search for him properly? And why did you also keep all of A-Jun's misdeeds from me?"
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