“You shouldn’t have come,” said the hermit Jiecao, without directly answering Zhao Shu’s question. “You should have stayed in the capital and lived your life of luxury.”
Her illusions about her master had long been shattered. Zhao Shu sneered, "A life of wealth and luxury? Just like in my previous life, I'll live a mediocre life, wait for Zhao Bi to ascend the throne, and then depose my father and myself."
Is this what they consider a life of wealth and luxury?
"So, my mother died because she was disobedient?" What she heard most about Jiang Ying was that she was unconventional and did many things that men did, even becoming one of the Four Young Masters of Mingde.
As her daughter, she felt proud and never thought her mother, who defied social norms, was wrong. If there was any mistake, it was that she had fallen for Jiang Yue's tricks because of others, or rather, that many people had set traps for her.
Jiecao Jushi gave Zhao Shu a deep look and said, "Things in this world are not as simple as you think."
"Before things get out of control, go back. Just pretend you were never here. Although your mother disappointed me greatly, she was a student I personally took on, and I once had high hopes for her." She seemed extremely tired, and her cold face now showed a look of reminiscence. "Go back," she emphasized again.
Zhao Shu didn't understand. Wasn't it impossible to salvage the situation once the facade was broken?
Before she could ask, the hermit Jiecao continued, "At this moment, the Empress Dowager is probably regretting letting you run rampant. You should be an outsider."
Zhao Shu narrowed her eyes upon hearing this. "Grandmother?"
Things in this world are indeed not so simple. At this moment, in the Cining Palace in the capital, Consort Ning of Emperor Mingde, whom she had not seen for several days, put aside her displeasure and appeared in the Cining Palace dressed in a plain brocade palace dress.
"Please inform the Empress Dowager that I have come to pay my respects to her and discuss matters concerning the Prince." The people in Cining Palace are all the Empress Dowager's confidants; even a gatekeeper is extremely reliable.
Upon hearing this, the eunuch guarding the gate's eyes lit up. "About the Prince?" he thought, and hurriedly bowed and went inside to report.
The Empress Dowager had just finished a plate of double-skin milk pudding, but she felt extremely hot. "The weather this year is really strange," she sighed. "There has been heavy rain in Jiangnan and Sichuan for days, but the capital is so hot."
"Yes, that's strange," said Granny Zhong, who was serving nearby.
"I don't know when A-Jun and Huai-Le will return. I feel uneasy about it." The Empress Dowager frowned after saying this. "Wu-Ying hasn't sent a message back either."
Just as Granny Zhong was about to speak again, the young eunuch guarding the gate entered the hall and knelt down at a distance to report: "Empress Dowager, Consort Ning has arrived and says she has something to say about the Prince."
Upon hearing the name Consort Ning, the Empress Dowager's face instantly turned icy, filled with murderous intent. However, she quickly suppressed that intent and said with an unfriendly expression, "Let her in."
The young eunuch bowed and let Consort Ning in. Consort Ning knew that the Empress Dowager disliked her, and all the effort she had put into trying to please her over the years had been in vain. However, she no longer needed to be so careful in trying to please her.
She walked in with a leisurely pace and a smug expression. Her body was no longer young, but her polite demeanor remained. When she came before the Empress Dowager, she curtsied and said, "Your Majesty, I greet you. May Your Majesty be well."
The Empress Dowager snorted coldly, "If you're not willing, why pretend?"
Consort Ning stood up straight, hiding her smugness in her heart, and only smiled gently. She came from the Gu family. Although the Gu family had declined in the last two generations, it was a family of scholars with a long history. The women raised by the Gu family were naturally much better at pretending than women from ordinary families. In addition, she had been navigating the palace for many years and had already become very shrewd.
The Empress Dowager had a cold face, but she smiled faintly. To outsiders, no matter how they looked at it, it was the Empress Dowager, the mother-in-law, who was making things difficult for her, the concubine.
However, this is the Cining Palace, and the Empress Dowager is the most honored woman in the world today, so there is no need for further acting.
"His Majesty has decreed that all the princes are forbidden from leaving their homes. I am very afraid. I wonder if Your Majesty has any way to allow Bi'er to go out for a walk?" Originally a woman from a scholarly family, she had probably been a concubine for too long. When she was pleased with herself, she lost her dignity and propriety and instead became more vulgar and flirtatious, which disgusted the Empress Dowager.
"The Emperor told them not to come out and cause trouble, so they should just stay away. I have no choice." She was holding back her anger, and her murderous intent could no longer be suppressed, which frightened Consort Ning into taking several steps back.
After retreating far enough, Consort Ning tried her best to suppress her fear of the Empress Dowager, swallowed hard, and said, "Now is the time to make achievements and establish merit. The Emperor allows the Crown Prince to share the burden of the Emperor outside, but he suppresses my son. Doesn't the Empress Dowager think this is unfair?"
"The Crown Prince is the heir apparent, born of the legitimate wife. What is your son?" The Empress Dowager, being born of the empress, never gave her concubines a kind look.
Upon hearing this, Consort Ning trembled with rage. Were concubines destined to be humiliated? Were illegitimate sons born without a chance? No! She would never accept her fate! So what if she was a concubine? So what if she was born out of wedlock? She would turn the world upside down for her!
"Does the Empress Dowager want the prince's son to die?" She should be grateful to the deceased Yi De; even though she's dead, she can still bring her so many benefits.
Clearly, this wasn't the first time she'd used this excuse to threaten the Empress Dowager, but the Empress Dowager, who had always been ruthless, was completely helpless in this matter. She stared coldly at Consort Ning, "If you want me to help you, then release her!"
"Your Majesty, please don't worry. The person will be returned to your side. As long as Your Majesty gives me what I want—help my son become the Crown Prince—I will definitely send your beloved grandson back." Consort Ning looked at the Empress Dowager triumphantly. This old hag, you've finally met your match!
"Bang!" The Empress Dowager slammed her hand on the table and stood up, pointing angrily at her. "Don't push your luck! The inner palace must not interfere in politics. I cannot do that!"
"Very well, Your Majesty, I will not make things difficult for you. As long as you pass on all the people in your hands to Bi'er, I will release them!" The Empress Dowager was the daughter-in-law personally chosen by Emperor Taizu. She once told her trusted ministers that if the country were in chaos and the emperor was tyrannical, they should obey the Empress Dowager's orders.
The Empress Dowager has the power to depose and install emperors!
This matter was originally a secret, but the Empress Dowager made a mistake. Emperor Mingde had been away from her for five years, and those five years were enough to uncover some secrets.
The Empress Dowager was able to suppress others all the way up not only because of Zhihai's help, but also because of the support of Emperor Taizu.
Of those who fought alongside Emperor Taizu to establish the empire, apart from those who were granted titles and honors, many have retired into seclusion, and few of their descendants remain in the court. Yet, these people have all become prominent clans in their respective regions.
With the reduction of the power of the princes imminent, the country will be in great chaos. If the Empress Dowager can personally write a letter to the descendants of these people, allowing them to follow her son, how can the weak and powerless Crown Prince, who is also rejected by the old party, resist her son?
The Empress Dowager scoffed, "Do you think I would believe that?"
"Your Majesty may not believe me." Consort Ning tried to appear indifferent, but in her heart she was extremely anxious. "If the Prince knew that Your Majesty had stood idly by in the face of his son's life and death, I don't know how heartbroken he would be."
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