"Father, please don't! This time, Mother was wrong. I apologize to Consort Ying on her behalf and promise that nothing like this will ever happen again. Otherwise, I am willing to bear any consequences without hesitation!"
She knew that her mother's actions were just a momentary impulse, but her father's desire to depose her was not something that had just begun.
But she couldn't let her mother be deposed!
It wasn't for her own sake, nor for the reputation of the Duke's mansion, but for the stability of the court.
The sudden abolition of the empress's title will surely cause a huge uproar.
Afterwards, the Emperor would also feel regret. He couldn't let the country fall into unknown turmoil just for the sake of Consort Ying's last bit of perfection. The censors and officials would also condemn the Emperor for favoring his concubine over his wife!
The abolition of the empress may seem like just two simple words, but the impact behind them is immense.
Moreover, in her opinion, Consort Ying was not someone who cared about such empty titles.
Thinking this, the eldest princess became even more sincere and apologized to Chu Yuan on behalf of the Empress, "Your Highness Ying, this time it was really my mother's fault. Please forgive her this time, okay?"
I swear on my life that she will never again harbor any ill intentions towards the Crown Prince, the Prince Xian, or the Prince Qi!
She would definitely give her mother a thorough analysis later. Given her mother's current situation, protecting herself was the most important thing. As for the Shan family, if her mother were deposed, they would get nothing at all!
Chu Yuan tugged at Emperor Wei Xian's sleeve, remembering that the eldest princess had stopped the empress at the first moment.
But she couldn't bring herself to say "forgive," because this was not something that could be forgiven.
Her child was her Achilles' heel!
She might not care about anything else, but not her child!
Emperor Xian of Wei understood Chu Yuan and his daughters; he knew exactly what was going on in their little heads.
So he forced himself to calm down, frowned and pondered for a while, and then came up with a compromise solution:
"The Empress intended to harm the imperial heir. She may be spared the death penalty, but she will not escape punishment. From now on, she shall be confined to Yikun Palace and shall not enter or leave without my decree!"
"From today onwards, Consort Ying will temporarily take over the management of the six palaces on behalf of the Empress. She no longer needs to come to Yikun Palace to pay her respects on the first and fifteenth of each month. If she encounters any difficulties that she cannot resolve, she may go directly to Yongshou Palace to consult the Empress Dowager."
This effectively sidelined the empress, as if removing her sharp claws and fangs.
Then, the power was transferred to Chu Yuan, which gave Chu Yuan more ability to protect herself.
Chu Yuan was very satisfied with this solution and curtsied to express her gratitude, saying, "Your Majesty, I accept the decree!"
The Empress was completely exhausted. She stumbled back a few steps and crashed heavily against the edge of the table.
As the emperor, with a cold face, led Chu Yuan and the children away without looking back, she finally couldn't hold on any longer and slowly slid down.
She slumped to the ground, completely losing her composure, muttering, "So cruel, Wei Sanjin, how cruel you are!"
The eldest princess rushed over and hugged her, "Mother, don't be sad, Yan'er is still here, Yan'er will always be with you, Mother."
Her mother is obsessed with the past and cannot see the present, but she is still her mother. She has loved her like a treasure since she was a child, and she will not abandon her.
It was unclear how much time had passed before the Empress gradually recovered.
She pulled the eldest princess up, who was swaying and unsteady on her feet. "Yan'er, are you hungry? Your mother will have the kitchen make you your favorite squirrel-shaped mandarin fish."
"Um... Qiu Tong, who was the best at making this dish, is gone. Your mother is cooking it for you herself. You didn't know that, did you? Qiu Tong's skill in making this dish was taught to her by your mother. Your mother makes it even better than her."
"Mother..." The eldest princess helped the empress up, hesitating to speak.
The Empress was very insistent on making squirrel-shaped mandarin fish for the eldest princess, as if to say that she didn't blame the eldest princess.
The eldest princess suddenly couldn't hold back and hugged the empress, bursting into tears.
"Mother, please don't do this! It's not that Sanyan doesn't want to help you, but the best way to help you now is to hand over the power to manage the six palaces. Not only that, you should also take the initiative to draft an imperial edict requesting your abdication, so that Father can see your attitude of admitting your mistakes. Otherwise, I'm afraid you won't even be able to keep your position as Empress!"
The Empress turned her head, her face full of confusion and bewilderment.
She didn't understand why Yan'er, who was only twelve years old, would say such things.
Was it someone else who taught her, or...?
The eldest princess understood the meaning in the empress's eyes, shook her head, and helped the empress walk towards the inner palace. "No, Mother, no one instigated me. On the contrary, Qiu Tong by your side has been under the instructions of your uncle, wanting you to fight with Consort Ying. It would be best if you made a ruthless decision and caused Consort Ying to die along with her unborn child."
Think about it carefully. If your daughter hadn't stopped you, you would have already done it, wouldn't you?
But is this really a good idea?
Not to mention the unease that comes with killing so many people, how could he possibly do it without anyone noticing and without being held accountable by his father?
Furthermore, even if Father has no sons, and I become Empress as you wish, do you think the civil and military officials will submit to me?
Not to mention, by then, my maternal grandfather's family will hold an extraordinary position. What will they demand of me? Will they use me as a puppet ruler? Have you considered these things?"
The Empress turned to the side, looking at the eldest princess with sorrow, "No! Your maternal grandfather and uncle are not like that!"
The eldest princess smiled bitterly, "Isn't that so? If not, why have you been pushing Mother Empress for so many years, making her do this and that, even going so far as to have Qiu Tong monitor Mother Empress's every word and action?"
Your mother assumes these are all expressions of concern from your maternal grandfather and uncles, but she asks herself, "Do you ever show me such 'concern'?"
That last sentence struck the Queen squarely where it hurt the most.
She wasn't completely oblivious...
Her father and brothers only ever wanted her to be an empress who would benefit the family; whether she was happy or not, whether she was willing or not, seemed to be of no importance.
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