Chapter 567 Reclaiming the Victory (Second Update)
The lake water in January was icy cold. Even though Princess Ning'an could swim, she was so cold that she almost lost consciousness. In addition, her winter clothes were thick and heavy. After being soaked in the water, it felt like her whole body was tied with stones, and she could not swim at all!
When Princess Ning'an finally swam ashore, she was half dead.
The chubby boy who caused her to fall into the water had long since disappeared. Huangfu Xian didn't run away; he just sat there in his wheelchair on the shore.
Princess Ning'an lay shivering and panting in the grass, and after a long while, she finally mustered the strength to speak: "...Who gave you permission to come out?"
Princess Ning'an had already placed Huangfu Xian under house arrest.
Huangfu Xian said, "I came out on my own; they couldn't stop me."
Huangfu Xian was a troublemaker, always threatening to take lives, and none of the palace servants could stop him.
Princess Ning'an's injuries on her right arm and forehead were real. The injury on her forehead was minor and had scabbed over and healed, but her right arm had been seriously stabbed and required several stitches.
Her wound reopened after a struggle in the water, and blood seeped into her wet sleeves, staining a large area red.
Princess Ning'an endured the excruciating pain and gritted her teeth as she got up.
She walked shakily to Huangfu Xian, panting, and asked, "You did this on purpose, didn't you?"
Huangfu Xian met her cold gaze and said without fear, "I just saw my mother and wanted to say hello."
Princess Ning'an raised her hand to slap Huangfu Xian, but unfortunately she really didn't have much strength left. Before the slap could land on Huangfu Xian's face, she fell to the ground.
When Lian'er came out looking for Huangfu Xian and found her here, Princess Ning'an had already fainted.
Princess Ning'an slept for two whole hours before waking up. The first thing she did upon opening her eyes was to reprimand Huangfu Xian!
"Princess! Princess! Please put on some clothes!"
Lian'er grabbed her cloak and chased after them.
"Don't come in!"
Princess Ning'an locked Lian'er outside the door.
Ignoring the pain of her wound, she stormed to the bedside, ready to unleash her fury, but then she noticed something was amiss.
Huangfu Xian's condition was not good, to be precise, it was very bad. His face was as pale as paper, his forehead was covered with a thin layer of sweat, and his consciousness seemed to be somewhat detached.
Princess Ning'an suddenly panicked. Her terrifying demeanor vanished, and she sat down by the bed, took Huangfu Xian's hand, and touched his forehead: "Xian'er! Xian'er, what's wrong! Don't scare me!"
Huangfu Xian was tormented by the pain of his severed limbs, but he didn't say a word, silently enduring the pain of his flesh being pierced by bones.
Princess Ning'an choked back tears, "Xian'er! Xian'er, talk to your mother! Don't sleep! Don't let yourself leave your mother too! Your mother can't lose you! What's wrong with you? Ah? What's wrong with you!"
As she spoke, she turned and shouted towards the door, "Imperial Physician! Summon the Imperial Physician!"
Huangfu Xian finally opened his eyes and looked at her. Using most of his willpower to endure the pain, he weakly said to her, "Stop, Mother."
Princess Ning'an's emotions came to an abrupt halt: "What did you say?"
Huangfu Xian's breath lingered like silk: "I will be filial to you... for the rest of my life... I will be filial to you... I will not hold a grudge against you... I will not make you angry... I will be your good son... We will leave here... go far away... to a place where no one knows us... just like... when I was a child... like when I loved you when I was a child..."
Princess Ning'an wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes expressionlessly: "They killed your father, killed your maternal grandmother, and ruined the great cause that should have belonged to you."
"I don't want any of that..." Huangfu Xian grabbed her hand, the excruciating pain churning him, his eyes reddening as he said, "I just want you... Let's leave here... okay?"
"not good!"
Princess Ning'an coldly withdrew her hand, stood up, and looked down at the pale-faced Huangfu Xian: "Live well, and when you grow up, leave an heir for your father."
After saying that, she turned and left the house.
Lian'er arrived with the imperial physician, giving her mistress a strange look: "Princess? What's wrong?"
Princess Ning'an did not answer her question, but said, "Let the imperial physician go in and take a look."
"Yes." Lian'er led the imperial physician into the room.
Princess Ning'an returned to her room.
Before long, Lian'er came anxiously to report: "Princess, the young master is not cooperating and will not allow the imperial physician to treat him."
Princess Ning'an said calmly, "I see he's so strong, he won't get into any trouble anytime soon. I won't watch him, I'll just let him suffer the pain."
Lian'er opened her mouth: "Princess."
Princess Ning'an's eyes flickered: "Send a royal physician to keep watch."
"Hey!"
...
Princess Ning'an's expression was extremely cold.
She stood quietly by the window, gazing at the snow-white courtyard, and then at the crescent moon in the sky.
Suddenly, as if she had made a decision, she turned and headed towards Huaqing Palace.
Huaqing Palace.
Just as Eunuch Wei finished wiping His Majesty's body and was about to go to the small kitchen to find something to eat, he was suddenly covered in the mouth by a figure that darted out from the garden!
He was so shocked that he kept sobbing.
"It's me!"
The other person said in a low voice.
Eunuch Wei was taken aback.
The other person removed their hand, and Eunuch Wei turned around, exclaiming in surprise, "Eunuch Qin?"
"Shh." Eunuch Qin gestured for silence and pulled him behind a large tree.
Eunuch Wei asked in confusion, "Didn't you...escape? Why are you still in the palace?"
Eunuch Qin said, "I originally planned to leave that day, but after thinking about it, I felt uneasy and decided to stay for the time being."
Eunuch Wei clicked his tongue and muttered, "Aren't you afraid of getting caught!"
Eunuch Qin said, "I've worked in the palace for so many years, finding a hiding place shouldn't be difficult for me."
Eunuch Wei glared at him: "Then you can't come here! It's too dangerous! I'll watch over the palace servants for you in a bit, you leave now and don't come back!"
The fact that Eunuch Wei could still say that proves that he had not betrayed the cause.
Qin Gonggong breathed a sigh of relief. To be honest, he had mustered up a lot of courage to come to Wei Gonggong. He was worried that if Wei Gonggong really betrayed him, then his appearance would be his death.
Eunuch Qin looked around and lowered his voice, saying, "Tell me, what exactly happened in the Imperial Study that day? How did His Majesty become like this? Also, what's the deal with the Dragon Shadow Guards around His Majesty?"
...
Who is it?
When Princess Ning'an passed by the small garden of Huaqing Palace, she saw a furtive figure behind a big tree.
Eunuch Wei awkwardly emerged from behind the big tree: "Princess."
Princess Ning'an asked suspiciously, "What are you doing lurking around there?"
Eunuch Wei smiled and said, "I've lost my key. Please look around."
"Have you found it?" Princess Ning'an asked.
"No," Eunuch Wei said regretfully.
Princess Ning'an gave a cold smile and walked straight toward Eunuch Wei.
A hint of undisguised panic flashed across Eunuch Wei's face.
Princess Ning'an approached and saw another figure on the ground. Her eyes turned cold: "Get out here right now!"
The figure walked out timidly.
Princess Ning'an frowned: "You are—"
Eunuch Wei quickly shielded the person behind him, pleading, "Princess, I didn't mean it, I'll never dare to do it again, I..."
Princess Ning'an looked at the hand that Eunuch Wei was holding on the other's wrist, realized something, and chuckled: "So Eunuch Wei also has a love affair. It is indeed strictly forbidden in the palace, but this princess is kind-hearted and didn't see anything tonight."
Eunuch Wei pulled the palace maid behind him to kneel down: "Thank you, Princess! Thank you, Princess!"
After Princess Ning'an went to the emperor's bedroom, Eunuch Qin emerged from behind the big tree.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
"Is this person trustworthy?" Eunuch Qin was referring to the palace maid who had been temporarily brought in to play a part.
"I trust you, don't worry," said Eunuch Wei. Who doesn't have a few trusted subordinates? It was she who informed him that Princess Ning'an had entered Huaqing Palace.
"Eunuch Wei."
Princess Ning'an's indifferent voice came from inside the bedchamber.
"They're here!" Eunuch Wei quickly gestured to Eunuch Qin to hurry up and leave.
Eunuch Qin gazed at the emperor's bedchamber, then left Huaqing Palace with a somber expression.
"Princess!" Eunuch Wei approached Princess Ning'an with a grin.
Princess Ning'an sat on the emperor's chair, put down the edict she had just finished writing, and said to Eunuch Qin, "Alright, take the imperial seal and stamp it."
"This..." Eunuch Wei stared intently at the imperial edict, his eyes widening, "Princess!"
Princess Ning'an smiled slightly: "What? Did I write something wrong? His Majesty is unwell and unable to rule personally. The Empress Dowager has also conspired to rebel and frame His Majesty. A country cannot be without a ruler for a day. Is there anything wrong with letting the Crown Prince attend court and handle state affairs on behalf of His Majesty? Isn't this the rule set by our ancestors?"
The rules set by our ancestors are like this, but your last sentence is against the rules!
How can you go to court to oversee the country?
Eunuch Wei tried his best to dissuade her, saying, "The Empress... I'm afraid she won't admit it easily."
Princess Ning'an sneered: "She either admits everything on the imperial edict or nothing at all. I bet she... will let her son rule in his own right!"
Empress Xiao would certainly allow the Crown Prince to rule in his own right, even if the price was having Princess Ning'an oversee the country.
Empress Xiao probably didn't even notice this widowed princess who had been behaving subserviently in front of her lately.
So be it. If she's in a position of regency, she can have the Crown Prince remove Ning'an's regency power whenever she's unhappy.
But will things really go so smoothly?
Ning'an is not a sheep, but a wolf!
It's hard to say whether the Crown Prince deposed Ning An or Ning An deposed the Crown Prince!
Back then, Empress Dowager Zhuang rose from the position of regent to become the sole ruler of the court!
Eunuch Wei wanted to cry but had no tears.
It's over, it's really, really over.
At night, an eagle circled above the palace, let out a cold, solemn cry, and flapped its wings to fly into the night sky.
The next morning, Empress Xiao received the news and was ordered to go to Huaqing Palace, where Eunuch Wei was to read out the imperial edict.
After washing up and dressing neatly, Empress Xiao went to Huaqing Palace with a complicated expression.
Eunuch Wei was waiting in the main hall of Huaqing Palace early in the morning.
Empress Xiao walked over angrily and said in a low voice, "Did His Majesty wake up again last night? Didn't I tell you to come and report to me immediately once His Majesty is awake? Did you ignore what I said!"
Eunuch Wei thought to himself, "It's not that I want to ignore your words, it's that Princess Ning'an didn't give me any time to prepare at all."
She had already finished drafting the imperial edict by the time I went in, so the result would be the same if you rushed over.
Eunuch Wei said awkwardly, "It was His Majesty's will. This servant had no choice. Please forgive me, Empress."
Empress Xiao glared at him coldly: "Wei Quan, you have a lot of nerve!"
Eunuch Wei was suffering in his heart, but he didn't say anything.
Before long, the crown prince also arrived, completely bewildered.
"Mother?"
"My son?"
Empress Xiao frowned. Why was even the Crown Prince here? Could the imperial edict be related to the Crown Prince?
Empress Xiao glanced calmly at Eunuch Wei: "The Crown Prince and I have arrived. Proclaim the decree."
Eunuch Wei chuckled dryly: "This is a matter of great importance. His Majesty intends to announce the decree in front of the Empress and the other consorts."
Those who deserve the title of "Your Majesty" must be at least a Noble Consort of the Third Rank or above.
Soon after, Consort Zhuang, Consort Shu, Consort Yu, and other ladies arrived at Huaqing Palace one after another.
Princess Ning'an also arrived.
There were enough people there, and everyone assumed that she had also been summoned to hear the imperial edict, so they didn't pay much attention.
Once everyone had arrived, Eunuch Wei unfolded the imperial edict in his hand: "All of you, listen to my decree—"
Empress Xiao and the others knelt down in a rush.
"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: I have been on the throne for twenty-one years. Although I have worked diligently day and night, I am of meager virtue and lack the ability to govern. Now I am bedridden and my health is failing. The Crown Prince is of noble character and closely resembles me. From this day forward, the Crown Prince shall rule the court and temporarily assume personal rule."
Hearing this, Empress Xiao breathed a long sigh of relief.
Thank goodness, it was an imperial edict to enthrone the crown prince.
The other concubines were also very surprised when they heard the contents of the imperial edict. However, they were not surprised that the crown prince was temporarily assuming power, but that the emperor was handing over power, which meant that the emperor was very ill.
It's even possible that the illness will prevent them from ever recovering.
That's how the late emperor was...
"Also," Eunuch Wei cleared his throat.
Everyone was startled.
besides?
"The Crown Prince is young and new to the court, which worries me. Therefore, I have established the position of Regent. —" Eunuch Wei opened his mouth, a strong sense of fear flashing in his eyes.
"By what?" the prince asked.
Princess Ning'an subtly curled the corners of her lips.
Eunuch Wei broke out in a cold sweat. After a long while, he steeled himself and read aloud the words on the imperial edict: "Princess Xinyang shall oversee the country!"
Princess Ning'an was struck by a bolt from the blue!
It's almost the end of the month, do you still have any monthly passes left?
(End of this chapter)
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