Chapter 451 Empress Dowager (Second Update)
The matter concerning Prince Ning is of great importance and has brought shame upon the entire royal family. The emperor has tried his best to suppress the news and has even used both kindness and threats to Yuan Tang, hoping that he will keep quiet about this incident.
Yuan Tang verbally agreed, but what he did behind the scenes was none of the emperor's business.
Unless Yuan Tang is killed, his breach will be completely sealed. However, the emperor is not a tyrant after all, and in terms of ruthlessness, he is far less than Empress Dowager Zhuang and the late emperor.
The emperor ordered Prince Rui and his wife to keep quiet as well. The two were the most honest of men, and they kept their word.
Subsequently, the emperor ordered the Dragon Shadow Guard to capture Qi Fei, a trusted bodyguard of Prince Ning, and hand him over to Eunuch Wei. Whether through severe torture or coercion and bribery, they were determined to extract information about what happened four years ago.
After a whole day and night of fussing, when Eunuch Wei came to report, his hair was disheveled, and he tidied himself up outside the door.
"Alright, come in!" the emperor said impatiently.
When Eunuch Wei entered the room, he had served the emperor for many years, and their bond as master and servant was exceptionally strong. He looked at the emperor with a complicated expression, seemingly wanting to say something but holding back.
"Speak," the emperor said. "I can bear it."
Eunuch Wei sighed: "The murderer four years ago was indeed His Highness Prince Ning."
The cup in the emperor's hand smashed on the ground with a loud bang.
...
"It's terrible! It's terrible, Your Majesty! His Majesty is going to depose Prince Ning!"
Inside Yongshou Palace, a palace maid rushed in in a panic, lifting her skirt. Consort Zhuang's face changed color instantly. Ignoring the fact that she had only finished half of her makeup and hair, she turned around and went to Huaqing Palace.
She and Prince Ning knelt on the ground together. Prince Ning seemed to be crushed by the blow, his face ashen. Consort Zhuang crawled to the emperor on her knees, grabbed his robe, and pleaded, choking back tears: "Your Majesty! Please don't depose Han'er! Han'er is your own son...you watched him grow up little by little...back then, Han'er was the only child in the Sixth Prince's mansion...have you forgotten how much Your Majesty loved Han'er?"
She burst into tears!
Wasn't the emperor sad?
The son is his, not someone he picked up off the street!
Of all these children, only Prince Ning grew up by his side from childhood. He personally raised him, and as a prince of the country, he changed his diapers, bathed him, fed him, and personally taught him his studies.
The Prince of Ning's first smile was for him, and the Prince of Ning's first step was also towards him.
At that time, because he was a leisurely prince with nothing important to do, accompanying his eldest son as he grew up became the most meaningful thing in his life.
Later, he became emperor.
Later, he had Empress Xiao and many children.
His eldest son was still the most special person in his heart, but he was no longer the only one he cared about.
He had many things to care about. They were first ruler and subject, then father and son. Everyone says that the imperial family is heartless, so why does his heart ache so much?
Seeing that the emperor remained unmoved, Consort Zhuang's eyes gradually turned cold. She released her grip on the emperor's hem, knelt back on the cold ground, and looked up at the emperor with her reddened eyes.
"Your Majesty, execute my son and me," she said.
The emperor frowned.
Eunuch Wei was also shocked, never expecting Consort Zhuang to utter such treasonous words.
To have the emperor kill his own concubine and son—it seems like he wanted things to get out of hand.
Consort Zhuang raised her hand to wipe away the tears on her cheeks, but as soon as she wiped them away, more tears began to fall uncontrollably.
She sneered, "Hasn't His Majesty been waiting for this day for a long time? My son and I are an eyesore to His Majesty and are blocking His Majesty's path."
The Emperor said coldly, "What nonsense are you spouting, Consort!"
Consort Zhuang retorted resentfully, "I am not speaking nonsense. I am His Majesty's principal wife, but after His Majesty ascended the throne, he did not make me Empress. It is said that a wife who has shared hardship should not be abandoned, but what difference is there between His Majesty demoting his wife to a concubine and abandoning me? When His Majesty sees my son and me, he will be reminded of his disgraceful decision. We are a thorn in His Majesty's side. It is better for His Majesty to suffer a short pain than a long one. Please get rid of this thorn in his side!"
The emperor was so angry with Consort Zhuang that he didn't want to talk to anyone.
"I've figured it out now. It's all because of your bad influence on Han'er!"
She reflects her true thoughts in her daily life. She instilled in Han'er all the ideas that should belong to her and her son, causing Han'er to lose his balance and embark on a path of no return.
Isn't the reason why he didn't make Zhuang Mingzhu empress back then obvious enough?
With Empress Xiao and Marquis Xuanping keeping them in check, the Zhuang family still held absolute power. It's easy to imagine that if Qin Chuhan had become the Empress's legitimate son, the first thing the Zhuang family would have done was kill the Emperor and support Qin Chuhan to rightfully ascend the throne!
Of course, his decision at the time was based on his simultaneous fear of both Empress Dowager Zhuang and the Zhuang family.
Now he understands that his mother had no intention of harming him, but he still does not regret his decision.
Once Zhuang Mingzhu becomes Empress, it's hard to guarantee that the Zhuang family won't try to harm him. Whether Empress Dowager Zhuang condones the Zhuang family's attempts to kill him, or she breaks ties with the Zhuang family to protect him, it will inevitably lead to a bloody storm in the court.
At that time, he had been drugged by Consort Jing and hated Empress Dowager Zhuang with utter hatred. He would not appreciate Empress Dowager Zhuang's kindness at all, so the worst outcome would be a lose-lose situation for all three parties.
A nation facing internal troubles will inevitably attract external threats.
Consort Zhuang pleaded with the Emperor to no avail, and then got up and went to Renshou Palace.
With such a big incident, Empress Dowager Zhuang naturally couldn't have been unaware of it. She also expected Consort Zhuang to come looking for her, so she didn't hide and directly had Eunuch Qin let her in.
As soon as Consort Zhuang entered Empress Dowager Zhuang's bedchamber, she rushed to Empress Dowager Zhuang's feet as if she had gone mad, tightly hugging her legs and crying out, "Aunt... please save Han'er... please save him... Han'er is your grandson... your own grand-nephew... he has the same Zhuang family blood as you... please save him... Aunt... please save him..."
Empress Dowager Zhuang closed her eyes tightly and said, "You want me to save him, but who will save Xiao Heng and who will save Wen Yang?"
Consort Zhuang retorted, "Wen Yang's death is no loss! He was always of questionable character and had a wicked heart..."
Empress Dowager Zhuang looked at her coldly: "Wen Yang is of bad character. Your son has done such a thing, and you still have the nerve to criticize Wen Yang for being of bad character and having evil intentions."
Consort Zhuang exclaimed excitedly, "Everything I said is true!"
Empress Dowager Zhuang angrily retorted, "That crime doesn't warrant death!"
"Aunt!" Consort Zhuang raised her head and looked at Empress Dowager Zhuang with a wronged expression.
Empress Dowager Zhuang also looked down at her: "Fine, you say Wen Yang deserves to die, but what about Xiao Heng? What did such a virtuous and kind person do to offend anyone?"
Consort Zhuang's eyes flashed, and she said, "He, he, he is Empress Xiao's most beloved nephew! He is the legitimate son of Marquis Xuanping! Aunt, the Xiao family has harmed my son and me so badly. Empress Xiao and the Crown Prince have taken away everything that should have belonged to my son and me. Can't Han'er even avenge himself?"
Empress Dowager Zhuang clenched her fists, her body trembling slightly: "So that's what you actually think!"
Consort Zhuang realized she had misspoke and quickly corrected herself, saying, "I...I...no, Aunt, I was just saying that in anger! What I really meant to say is that Han'er definitely didn't harm Xiao Heng; they framed him! They framed Han'er!"
Empress Dowager Zhuang said calmly, "Is that so? Even the emperor is going to frame his own son!"
Consort Zhuang was taken aback at first, then gritted her teeth and said defiantly, "Aunt, you just don't want to save Han'er because Han'er sent people to kidnap that new top scholar who looks like Xiao Heng. Aunt treats that new top scholar much better than Han'er! Aunt is biased! Aunt doesn't even think about what she got for her current status! Without the Zhuang family, would Aunt be where she is today? His Majesty was suspicious of Aunt many times back then, and my son and I were implicated by Aunt and ended up like this. Now Aunt has reconciled with His Majesty and they have a deep mother-son bond, but poor Han'er and I have become stepping stones for all of you!"
Consort Zhuang was expelled.
Empress Dowager Zhuang slumped into her chair, her body leaning back weakly.
When Prince Ning got into trouble, Empress Dowager Zhuang couldn't possibly remain indifferent. After all, they were children she had doted on, whether it was Prince An or Prince Ning, they were the ones she liked the most.
If we don't compare Prince Ning to Xiao Liulang, there's not much to compare them; their feelings are different.
However, in this matter, Empress Dowager Zhuang did not show favoritism towards Xiao Liulang.
Prince Ning did indeed make a mistake.
"Your Majesty." Eunuch Qin walked in carrying a bowl of ginseng soup. "You've barely eaten these past two days, and you look quite pale. Drink some ginseng soup to nourish your body, otherwise Miss Gu and Xiao Xiuzhuan will worry again."
Empress Dowager Zhuang sighed: "I can't drink it."
Eunuch Qin comforted her, saying, "You don't need to take Her Highness's words to heart."
Empress Dowager Zhuang said wearily, "If she acts like this in front of me, I really don't know how she teaches her children in private. I am also at fault; I gave them the wrong impressions they shouldn't have."
Given her high position and power, coupled with her discord with the emperor, it was inevitable that people would assume she would one day break with him.
(End of this chapter)
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