Chapter 49 A fit of rage for a man
Ji Qingwu tucked the note into his sleeve and knelt down along with the palace servants in the hall.
"My imperial decree could not persuade you, so I had no choice but to come in person."
The Empress Dowager walked into Zhaoyang Palace expressionlessly, followed by Shixi and Fanghua.
Ji Qingwu lowered his head, not daring to answer, and obediently knelt to the side.
Li Yuzong went to court with Emperor Wusu, leaving only a few palace servants in the palace to handle all matters related to the inner palace.
The Empress Dowager lifted her eyelids and glanced at Ji Qingwu.
Seeing that her hair was slightly disheveled and she looked like she had just woken up, he became even more displeased.
At this hour, the emperor's morning court session was already more than halfway through, and the empress dowager, having spent the previous night with the frightened Princess Qingyun, had also been unable to get a good night's sleep.
Ji Qingwu, the troublemaker, is sleeping soundly!
Sitting in her armchair, the Empress Dowager's face was full of anger.
"I originally thought that you had been wandering outside for many years, all alone and with a young daughter, and I wanted to give you more care."
The Empress Dowager continued sternly, "But you dared to push my own daughter, the princess, into the lake, almost causing Qingyun to drown. You are truly audacious."
Ji Qingwu was still thinking about the contents of the note, which contained only two words.
Seeing her lost in thought, the Empress Dowager's anger intensified.
"Although you are my niece, you cannot disregard the law and act insubordination. Today I will punish you. Do you know your mistake?"
Even if you know you're wrong, you'll still be punished.
Ji Qingwu clenched his little finger. In the end, this matter was all because of one person.
If what Emperor Wusu left her in the note was true...
The Empress Dowager will surely be lenient.
But she didn't want to do that!
If she were in Li Chengxun's shoes, and he treated her like an object because the other party was powerful, she would also feel disappointed and sad.
Her relationship with Li Chengxun wasn't very deep.
But when so many people suddenly appeared to obstruct them, Ji Qingwu was instead determined to protect this "seedling" of their relationship.
Ji Qingwu made up his mind.
He looked up and stared directly into the Empress Dowager's eyes, his voice carrying a hint of determination.
"May I ask Your Majesty, did Her Highness the Princess explain why I dragged her into this?"
The Empress Dowager narrowed her eyes: "What do you mean?"
Shi Xi was startled; the fifth young lady of the Ji family seemed to be somewhat different.
She always seemed gentle and weak before, but now that the Empress Dowager has lost her temper, she is no longer afraid and insists on arguing her case.
Ji Qingwu explained clearly: "After the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet, Her Highness the Princess summoned me to the lakeside and bluntly stated that she had taken a liking to Li Chengxun as her consort and asked me to step down. When she saw that I did not agree, she pushed me into the lake. It was the princess who started it."
The more the Empress Dowager listened, the more her brows furrowed.
The more Ji Qingwu spoke, the calmer he became, and his anxiety subsided.
"Furthermore, the princess had already ordered guards to wait by the lake, just waiting for me to fall into the water. It was premeditated. Why didn't she arrange for a palace maid or eunuch who was good at swimming? Your Majesty, you must know the secret behind this."
How could the Empress Dowager not understand?
She stretched out her hand, which was covered with long nail guards, and pointed at her, saying, "What you're implying is that Qingyun is arrogant and difficult to deal with, and deliberately trying to break you and Li Chengxun up!"
Upon seeing this, Shi Xi immediately bowed and whispered a few words in the Empress Dowager's ear to calm her down.
The palace servants around us all serve the emperor; this is not the Cining Palace.
If gossip that is detrimental to the princess's reputation were to reach the ears of others...
The Empress Dowager was truly enraged and forgot about the incident, suppressing her anger.
"Shixi, go and invite Li Chengxun to the palace immediately. Don't tell him why, just order him to come directly to Cining Palace for an audience."
This is, after all, the emperor's palace. The empress dowager came here to take Ji Qingwu back, and she did not intend to deal with her here.
The Empress Dowager rode back in a sedan chair, with Ji Qingwu following behind the procession.
She was initially anxious, but upon seeing the Empress Dowager's angry expression, she calmed down.
She made a mistake, but she didn't start the trouble.
The Empress Dowager held a high position for a long time, second only to the emperor, and was the Ji family's reliance.
But she was not only a woman of the Ji family, but also had the blood of the Qiao family flowing in her veins. Her maternal family had a high prestige in the court, and matters in the harem would also affect the court.
Ji Qingwu did not believe that the Empress Dowager would have no scruples at all.
Cining Palace, main hall.
The hall was completely silent.
The Empress Dowager closed her eyes for a short rest, while Ji Qingwu stood quietly in the corner.
Princess Qingyun, her face pale, was helped in by her maid.
She called out weakly, "Mother."
The Empress Dowager opened her eyes, got up to help her, held her hand, and said with concern, "Qingyun, why didn't you lie down properly? Why did you get up? Didn't the imperial physician say you caught a cold and told you to rest more?"
Princess Qingyun said softly, "Mother Empress took good care of me last night. I heard that you got up so early today and went back and forth to make decisions for me. How can I lie down?"
Ji Qingwu was puzzled. When the princess was pulled up last night, she spoke in a loud and clear voice, full of energy.
After just one night, he became this sickly and weak?
Her eyes weren't cloudy, so she didn't look like she'd been infected by an evil spirit.
Noticing someone watching her, Princess Qingyun turned her head and saw Ji Qingwu. Her face immediately showed a look of panic and fear.
Princess Qingyun sobbed softly, "Mother, it was the first time I met my fifth cousin. I wanted to say a few words to her, but I don't know what I did to offend her, so she pushed me into the lake."
The Empress Dowager took a handkerchief and wiped away her tears, offering her a round of comfort, which earned Ji Qingwu a few more eye rolls.
"Reporting to the Empress Dowager, Young Master Li has been brought here."
Shi Xi was quick and agile, and hurried into the hall to report.
The Empress Dowager gestured for Princess Qingyun to sit down in the seat below her and said, "Let him in."
Princess Qingyun stopped crying and looked towards the palace entrance.
Ji Qingwu also looked up.
The man was dressed in white with black hair, his features were exquisite, and his noble appearance was like the moon in the sky.
After Li Chengxun paid his respects, he was given a seat, a much better treatment than Ji Qingwu, who was standing in a corner.
She tried to find humor in her predicament, thinking that she could be considered someone who had "lost her temper for her male friend."
The Empress Dowager, seated on her throne, remained composed and spoke with great authority: "Li Chengxun, I have summoned you here because I have something to ask you."
He said respectfully, "Your Majesty, please ask."
"I recently heard a rumor that I'd like to verify with you. Is it true or false? Are you and my niece, Ji Qingwu, engaged?"
Upon hearing this question, Li Chengxun and Ji Qingwu's eyes met, and he looked away first.
"Reporting to the Empress Dowager, no."
A verbal agreement doesn't really count as an engagement, and Ji Qingwu felt there was nothing wrong with that answer.
Princess Qingyun chimed in, "Mother, Young Master Li is merely a guest of the Qiao family. Why would you ask such a question? This rumor must be inaccurate."
The Empress Dowager said, "Oh? Qingwu, come before me again and tell me why the princess and you had an argument last night?"
Ji Qingwu walked into the hall and bowed.
"Your Majesty, it is because Princess Qingyun has chosen Prince Li as her consort."
Ji Qingwu replied decisively, "But I disagree."
Li Chengxun's back was stiff.
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