She paused, then made the decision, "Then Aunt Qiu should pack up and go to Kunhua Palace to serve tomorrow. The Empress Dowager and the little prince are of great importance and cannot be neglected."
"Yes." Aunt Qiu nodded quickly in response.
Although she didn't want to leave the Grand Empress Dowager's side, she was also afraid of losing her favor. But following the Empress Dowager and the little prince was also for the Grand Empress Dowager. It was an important matter, so she didn't have to worry about being ignored. Besides...
To be frank, the Empress Dowager was now the head of the harem, holding authority never before held by any woman in the harem since the founding of the nation. Ultimately, however, these powers would eventually be handed back to the young emperor, and serving that master might even offer her a better future.
The Grand Empress Dowager's move naturally wouldn't just target Aunt Qiu. The next day, when He Qing arrived at Kunhua Palace, he saw the place filled with items, all sent there by the Grand Empress Dowager's order. Aunt Qiu led several palace servants in inventorying and sorting, while Empress Dowager Zhang sat nearby, her expression relaxed. It was clear that Aunt Qiu's methods were extraordinary.
And the person holding incense had been pushed into a corner, quiet and invisible unless you looked carefully.
Upon seeing her, Empress Dowager Zhang stood up, a look of familiarity on her face. "Master, please take a seat. I was just talking about you with Aunt Qiu."
While it was meant to save lives, this couldn't be considered a woman's mercy. While the imperial plan might involve sacrifice, it certainly wasn't in this situation. Those awaiting the imperial court's response weren't just the people of Ruizhou, but those of countless prefectures and counties throughout Great Chu. Abandoning Tang Lichen would significantly undermine the imperial court's credibility in their eyes.
How can a court that cannot gain the trust of the people govern the country?
In fact, Gu Zheng had also planned to save Tang Lichen, so he was actually quite happy to know that He Qing had the same idea as him.
He looked at He Qing, who thought he was going to say something, but in the end, Gu Zheng just looked away calmly and nodded, "Okay, I'll help you with this."
It always saves effort to talk to smart people.
However, He Qing would not admit it voluntarily, giving people a chance to criticize her. She smiled and said, "How can this be considered helping me? Lord Gu is a pillar of the court. Isn't it his duty to save the country from danger and maintain the court's dignity?"
Gu Zheng laughed, "Master, you're really too quick to destroy the bridge after crossing it."
"Lord Gu already had this intention, so I am doing something unnecessary." He Qing said lightly without changing his expression.
Gu Zheng naturally wouldn't admit it. He just smiled and turned the topic back to Tang Lichen's matter, "Master, do you have any good ideas?"
"How can there be a foolproof plan for something like this?" He Qing asked. "Ruizhou may seem like a major commotion right now, but it's still all about the imperial court's response. We absolutely cannot back down from something like this. We should send troops to suppress it. Do we even have to reason with them?"
The more assertive the imperial court appears, the less likely the rioters will dare to act. Then, they can dispatch support. Tang Lichen is no fool; given the opportunity, he'll surely escape from the government office. Without the hostages, dealing with the rioters will be much easier.
Gu Zheng shook his head and said, "Given the current situation in the court, I'm afraid the Empress Dowager will not agree."
If a war breaks out, it will inevitably involve all parties and become a considerable burden for the imperial court. The Empress Dowager's attitude now must be "less trouble is better than more", and she will never take the initiative to take on such trouble.
It would be easier for her to appease the rioters in Ruizhou at a small cost.
"Don't worry about that," He Qing took a deep breath. "If Lord Gu can convince Minister Xue to speak to the Grand Empress Dowager in court, I can take this opportunity to persuade her."
Gu Zheng glanced at her, lowered his head and thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "Okay."
He didn't ask He Qing if he was sure. He Qing's nervous expression gave him a clue as to the answer. But there aren't many things in this world that are 100% certain. Most of the time, it's just a matter of taking a gamble. You can't just do nothing because there's no guarantee it'll work, right?
However, by choosing this path, Master Huiru was indeed quite bold. No matter how tactful her words, she was essentially trying to pressure the Grand Empress Dowager with the help of the court officials, using her power to suppress her. This approach, if not handled with caution, could easily lead to the downfall of everyone involved.
But the greater the risk, the greater the reward.
Since I have decided to do it, Gu Zheng thought, I might as well go for a big one.
The meeting continued in the afternoon, but He Qing did not participate. She had been there by chance in the morning, but it was inappropriate for her to remain in Ziping Hall. There was no need to arouse suspicion in such matters.
She went to Kunhua Palace.
Empress Dowager Zhang was already seven months pregnant, with a noticeable bulge. Although she appeared unaffected, the atmosphere throughout Kunhua Palace was tense. Someone had to step forward to assist her during every move to prevent any accidents. Aunt Qiu personally oversaw her daily life, keeping a close eye on her.
Even when He Qing came over to talk, she had to stay beside him to prevent He Qing from instigating Empress Dowager Zhang to do anything.
Right now, the baby in Empress Dowager Zhang's belly was the most important thing. He Qing had no intention of involving her. Seeing that she was fine, he took the initiative to stand up and say goodbye.
After returning to the Wendao Palace, she sat in her room, constantly flipping through her memories, looking for various statements and evidence that could persuade the Empress Dowager, hoping to impress her and make her change her mind.
As He Qing expected, the meeting that afternoon did not produce any results.
This is not surprising. Any matter involving such a wide range of issues can rarely be decided quickly, and it always takes several days to discuss it in the court.
My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It will be even more exciting later!
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