Chapter 92 Qingying's Appearance
I've always wanted it, but never got it.
For him, being born on the throne and possessing the supreme status of an emperor meant he had everything the world could offer, yet there was one thing he had never obtained.
Whether she was a prince or the emperor, the Empress Dowager always had more important people and things in her heart. Now, the only one she truly cherishes is... the fourteenth prince.
"Your Majesty, Prince Yi requests an audience outside the palace." Just as he was thinking this, Xia Zi bowed his head and quickly walked in to report.
Xia Yi had already quietly slipped out the moment Hong Zhao entered.
Hongzhao looked up at his father and said tactfully, "Father, are you going to discuss important matters with Uncle Thirteen? Then I'll take my leave."
“No need.” Yinzhen tightened his arms to restrain the child who was trying to run away from him. “Your thirteenth uncle is probably worried that you want to come and see, so this is a good opportunity for him to see.”
Prince Yi sensed something was amiss as soon as he entered the hall, and Su Peisheng, standing to the side, glanced at him knowingly. Although his elder brother was holding his beloved son, his expression was different from his usual relaxed and carefree demeanor; it seemed more like a facade of peace.
"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty." Prince Yi bowed gracefully, then cupped his hands in greeting to Hongzhao, "Your Highness the Crown Prince."
"Hello, Uncle Thirteen." He didn't get off the ground, but just smiled sweetly and cupped his hands in his father's arms.
He looked Hongzhao up and down, then smiled and said, "Your Majesty, I see that the Crown Prince is fine. This should be a joyous occasion. Why do you look so worried, Your Majesty?"
Looking at his most beloved younger brother, Yinzhen rarely revealed his true feelings—"It is thanks to the protection of Heaven that Hongzhao is safe, but the person behind him is so vicious that it chills me to the bone."
He was now increasingly certain that Hongzhao was the reincarnation of his and Chun Yuan's second son. Chun Yuan, kind-hearted, had begged him to treat her younger sister well before she died. If heaven were watching, and saw their child reincarnated and returned to his side, only to be harmed by Yi Xiu again, he would have been unable to resist protecting him.
Thinking of this, the hatred in his eyes deepened, and he cut to the chase, saying directly, "It's the Empress. She was responsible for the plague before, and now she's responsible for the arson, and even Chun Yuan died..."
This is a family scandal, but it involves the Empress, the imperial ancestral temple, and the imperial offspring, and is also a matter of state. Under the shocked gaze of Prince Yi, he slowly spoke, "I want to depose the Empress."
Prince Yi looked at Crown Prince Hongzhao. His elder brother had so frankly stated his decision in front of the child, which made him realize how much he valued the child.
He lowered his eyes and pondered for a moment, unlike others who immediately offered advice. After all, he knew how much Empress Chun Yuan meant to his elder brother, and with Hongzhao in such perilous situations twice, his brother must have reached his limit.
"The matter of deposing the empress is no small matter. It will cause great turmoil to both the court and the harem. First of all, has Your Majesty thought about how to deal with the Empress Dowager?" He put his hands behind his back and began to analyze the situation in the manner he usually used when discussing state affairs.
Yinzhen nodded. "That's exactly what I wanted to talk to you about. I demoted Nian Gengyao. But the war in the Northwest is not completely over. The Dzungars are still eyeing us covetously. Who do you think can take over this mess?"
Following his words, Prince Yi pondered in court for a moment—"If we're talking about a temporary measure, I think Lord Yue Zhongqi, whom Your Majesty previously arranged, would suffice. But if it's for a long-term military command..."
Looking at his elder brother's inscrutable expression, and recalling what he had just said about the Empress Dowager, he felt as if his meridians had been instantly opened. He opened his mouth and tentatively asked, "Your Majesty, are you referring to... Fourteenth Brother?"
Yinzhen hadn't really thought it through. After all, letting the Grand General Wang, who had once turned against him, lead the army again was a risky move in his eyes. It was just a temporary delaying tactic. He was willing to loosen his grip so that his mother could see him.
“It just so happens that I am going to pay my respects to the Empress Dowager. Thirteenth Brother, come with me.” He pulled Hongzhao out of his arms and put him on the ground. He then spoke to Su Peisheng, who was standing to the side with his head bowed, “Send the Crown Prince to Yongshou Palace for half a day. Go and summon the Empress to Yangxin Hall. I want to hear what Chun Yuan has to say about her in person.” After saying this, he stood up and swayed as he walked out of the inner hall.
Hongzhao was sent to his mother's side by Su Peisheng, so he naturally didn't hear the famous scene that followed.
Lu Jiaying was almost seven months pregnant at the time, and her slightly fuller face made her look even more like a fairy princess. She had the Crown Prince in her left arm and Princess Gulun in her right, and she could hardly contain her smile.
Is this the joy of being carried by your son?
Hongzhao stayed absentmindedly in Yongshou Palace, and for the first time he began to regret that the surveillance camera had not been used on his own father. He couldn't see the tug-of-war between mother and son and the mutual accusations between the illegitimate emperor and empress, which was truly unbearable to him.
As darkness fell, Yinzhen stepped past Yixiu, who was kneeling and weeping with her face covered. He walked alone down the palace road with his head down, his steps heavy rather than light. His face showed no sign of having solved a problem. He did not look like the emperor who was usually dignified and imposing, but rather somewhat dejected.
He watched as Yixiu first tried to deny it, then confessed after seeing the evidence, and finally broke down in tears after he pressed her and learned that the Empress Dowager would no longer help her. He listened to her constantly mention Chun Yuan and recite the edict she was made when she was crowned empress with tears in her eyes. He was not moved, but only felt a sense of melancholy.
If it weren't for this wicked woman, his beloved Chun Yuan wouldn't have left him so early, and their child wouldn't have been repeatedly placed in danger.
At this moment, one imperial edict was being sent out of the palace by fast horse, while another was being passed around in the inner palace by Su Peisheng.
The first document states that the Emperor granted a special decree allowing Prince Xun to return to the capital from the imperial mausoleum for a short stay, and also granted special permission for Prince Xun's fourth son, Hongkai, to enter the palace to accompany the Empress Dowager.
Yinzhen did not ride in a sedan chair. As he walked, he kept recalling how his mother, the Empress Dowager, had argued so earnestly for Yixiu at noon. He closed his eyes wearily. He had not only promised to let the Fourteenth Prince return to the capital, but also promised to let Hongkai visit the palace often to keep him company. He had also promised to find a marriage for Hongkai from among the daughters of the Uya clan in the future.
The Empress Dowager was still not satisfied and mentioned that the Ulanara family had a young daughter, who was the niece of Yixiu and Rouze, named Qingying, who was the perfect match for Hongzhao.
He naturally couldn't agree to such a marriage for his own Hongzhao. Therefore, he simply took a step back and agreed to bring the person into the palace first, placing her beside Hongjin as a companion, just to cultivate their relationship.
The second letter was the imperial edict to depose the empress.
"Empress Ulanara, the Mandate of Heaven is not on your side. She is all show and no substance, she harms the imperial heirs, and she is a treacherous court official. How can she be a model for the nation? I, out of consideration for past favors, hereby decree that Fei be reduced to a commoner and confined to the small Buddhist hall in Jingren Palace. She shall not be allowed to leave unless she dies."
He knew that once this edict was issued, the court would surely be engulfed in bloodshed again the next day. He could hardly hide his weariness. Compared to this, Nian Shilan's few confessions seemed less serious. He had just taken the time to send someone to deliver a message, demoting Nian Shilan to the rank of Noble Lady and granting her permission to continue living in the main hall of Yikun Palace.
As he slowly walked, he arrived at the gate of Yongshou Palace. The candlelight that lit up the entire palace looked especially warm in the chilly autumn night. Hongzhou's loud voice was still laughing and joking without restraint. It seemed that a part of his heart that had been collapsed had been quietly stitched up.
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