Chapter 287 Grudges and Controversies
Dou Wenyi suddenly remembered that Emperor Muzong was unknown and powerless back then. If he had no one to help him, how could he have sat on the dragon throne?
Could it be that the person secretly helping him was the Duke of Wen at that time?
Pei Siyan's maternal grandfather?
Her doubts didn't last long before Wen Jingchu laughed sarcastically, "With the change of imperial power, how could things be calm? You should have guessed it by now, Your Highness. On the surface, the Wen family is extremely close because of their marriage alliance with Prince Xian."
"But in fact, Father had long guessed that the late Emperor's favorite was Emperor Muzong."
There's a term called "praise to death," you all know it, right?
Pei Siyan's eyebrows twitched slightly. The late emperor was wary of the maternal clan of Prince Xian, Pei Guanlan, and worried that after he succeeded to the throne, imperial power would fall into the wrong hands and there would be interference in politics by maternal relatives. Therefore, he always used the tactic of flattery to kill. No wonder Emperor Muzong later received an imperial edict and ascended the throne legitimately.
"After Pei Guanlan and Wen Wan got engaged, it was already destined that his death was not far away."
Wen Jingchu's eyes were filled with resentment. "Father discovered the late Emperor's thoughts. In order to protect the Wen family, he had no choice but to set a trap to kill Prince Xian. Wen Wan personally served him that cup of poisoned wine... The plan was originally going well, but Wen Wan noticed something was wrong. Prince Xian had already drunk half of the cup of poisoned wine in his hand, but unfortunately, under Wen Wan's cover, he escaped."
They went all out and spread the news that the virtuous prince had died. Afterwards, the late emperor fell seriously ill, and Emperor Muzong stayed by his bedside every day, naturally obtaining the imperial edict to succeed him.
According to the agreement between his father and Emperor Muzong, the empress could only be a member of the Wen family.
Even though Wen Wan betrayed the Wen family, Emperor Muzong still chose her as his empress.
However, she was aloof and never said a good word for the Wen family, showing no regard for their interests.
Pei Siyan's brows furrowed with a deep melancholy, and he grew somewhat impatient. "I have no time to listen to your storytelling!"
Wen Jingchu showed no fear on her face, a cold smile playing on her lips. "Your mother has always been aloof and arrogant. She didn't even respect Emperor Muzong. She didn't know how to assess the situation and loved to cause trouble, so she requested to go to the Cold Palace."
Her words are just sophistry.
Despite her gentle and unassuming nature, the person she clearly loved was the virtuous Prince Xie Guanlan. However, she was betrayed by her family, poisoned her own fiancé, and was forced to marry someone she didn't love. No one ever cared about her feelings!
They're pushing her to the brink of death, and they still expect her to help the Wen family?
Dou Wenyi said calmly, "The Wen family has been pressuring her so much, are they not allowed to harbor resentment? Isn't it the Wen family who want you to enter the palace to replace her?"
Wen Jingchu paused for a moment, but did not deny it. "Yes."
While Wen Wan was pregnant with Pei Siyan, her father once again suggested that she enter the palace to assist Empress Wen.
But she was emotional and resisted, causing trouble with the Wen family for several years. Emperor Muzong loved her deeply at that time and naturally indulged her, so things dragged on like this, and her best years were wasted by them.
"As her father's health deteriorated, Emperor Muzong granted her permission to return to the Wen family home for a visit on the eve of his fiftieth birthday. She had a fierce argument with her father, and a man sneaked into her room..."
Pei Siyan and Dou Wenyi exchanged a glance, already having made up their minds.
Wen Jingchu gave them a deep look. "You guessed right. That person is indeed Prince Xian, Pei Guanlan. He's incredibly audacious, still harboring wicked intentions, wanting to make a comeback, and even more so, wanting to see my sister..."
Dou Wenyi felt a sharp pain in her heart and gripped the fan tightly.
At that time, Wen Wan was already the Empress, and she even met with Pei Guanlan. If this matter were to reach Emperor Muzong's ears, it would be a fatal blow to her. The Emperor would only feel that she had trampled on the dignity of the Emperor.
What malicious intent did Pei Guanlan harbor when he went to see her?
Pei Shaoqin and Pei Siyan are less than two years apart in age. Isn't he just trying to use Empress Wen to give birth to a son and regain the throne?
"Consort Tan has always been jealous of my sister, so she spread rumors that she was having an affair with a man at the Duke of Wen's mansion, and that you are the son of Prince Xian!"
Wen Jingchu pressed her forehead firmly against the ground, then suddenly raised her head, which was stained with blood. "Your Highness, if you want to blame someone, you can only blame the old Duke. At home, one must obey one's father; after marriage, one must obey one's husband. I was forced into this situation. Whether I enter the palace or not is his decision. If I do not agree, I will only have one way out: death."
“My sister is such a stunningly beautiful woman, yet she has always resisted her family. Isn’t she a cautionary tale for me?”
She still clung to her last glimmer of hope; she was just a weak woman forced into this situation by her family, and she didn't want to do anything evil.
Wen Jingchu's eyes were filled with remorse, "It was all a mistake, a series of unfortunate events. I am truly innocent."
"absurd!"
Pei Siyan chuckled softly, "Do you think that you can get away with everything by shifting all the blame onto the old Duke? Let me ask you, how did Pei Guanlan manage to sneak into the Empress Dowager's room? And who relayed this to Consort Tan?"
Dou Wenyi accused her, asking directly, "Wen Jingchu, you've always been jealous of Empress Wen, haven't you? So, you deliberately let it slip and told Consort Tan about this, didn't you?"
"You have never been innocent and have always harbored malicious intentions. You were even ruthless towards your own mother, who was the most tolerant and loving towards you. How much more so towards the dazzling Empress Wen? Do you think that by eliminating her, you can smoothly enter the palace?"
"But Emperor Muzong didn't even think much of you!"
Wen Jingchu suddenly raised her head, as if she had suffered a great blow and was about to collapse.
Dou Wenyi saw right through her at a glance and analyzed her perfectly.
But she would never admit it, even if it meant her death.
Pei Siyan's eyes were filled with disdain as he pressed on, "There's one more question you haven't answered. Were Wen Zhisui and Wen Yannian involved in setting up this scheme?"
He didn't mention Madam Wen. Was it because he didn't want to know, or because he was afraid to face it?
Wen Jingchu lowered her eyes, her eyelashes obscuring the sharp glint in them.
When they brought her poisoned food, she initially thought the Crown Prince wanted her dead, and she was prepared to die. But then the young eunuch specifically mentioned that she should think more about her three children.
Before he finished speaking, she already understood that it was her brother who wanted to send her down.
If that's the case, then don't blame her for not showing any brotherly affection.
"What do you think? According to the agreement between Father and the Emperor, the Wen family should have shone brightly in the court long ago. However, despite the painstaking planning of my eldest and second elder brothers, they did not gain the favor of Emperor Muzong at all. One became the Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies, a fifth-rank official, and the other became the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Works, a fifth-rank official."
Do you think they don't harbor any resentment?
Pei Siyan's face was cold as he took Dou Wenyi's hand and led her out. Only after they were in the carriage did he speak, "Did the smell of the imperial prison bother you?"
"It's alright." Dou Wenyi's mood was very heavy.
What's the next step?
Pei Siyan smiled and whispered his plan to her.
The Duke of Wen's Mansion.
Duke Wen finally received news from Wen Yannian.
"...You mean Wen Jingchu is dead?"
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