Having obtained the answer she wanted, the Empress said to the Emperor, "Your Majesty, you should go back. A sinner like me is not worth your coming here."
People are easily blinded when they love wholeheartedly, but now the emperor treats her differently than before, and she worries that she might say the wrong thing if she says too much.
Fortunately, she was sensible and could win the emperor's favor. After many years of marriage, she knew how to manipulate the emperor.
The emperor softened when he saw that she did not take the opportunity to plead for him or pester him. "Since you know you were wrong, then take good care of your health."
The child is coming back to get married. As the mother, you should think more about the child and make up for your past mistakes. The child is kind and may forgive you.
I will have Consort Han come to treat you. Cooperate with her and don't disappoint me again.
Han Meiren is the same Han female doctor from before.
The emperor was soft-hearted towards the empress, but he was also worried, so he thought of having Consort Han keep an eye on the empress.
The Empress understood his thoughts, her nails digging fiercely into her palms, her face still showing regret and gratitude. "Your Majesty, I thank you."
She screamed inwardly, "It's all fake! All that talk about loving me is fake! I only made one mistake, and the emperor doesn't trust me at all. He's so cold-hearted!"
Unaware of her thoughts, the emperor said earnestly, "Then enjoy your meal. I'm going to attend to my business."
Halfway there, the emperor remembered something and said, "Oh, right, Ye Jinghong is still alive. She is now married to Shi Yan and will be coming back with the children this time."
This was news that the Emperor had received from Xie Tingzhou's letter a few days ago. He told the Empress this in order to remind her not to make things difficult for Ye Zhen for Ye Jinghong's sake.
After all, Ye Jinghong had done them a favor.
But what the Empress thought of was that Ye Zhen had gained another reliance. Ye Jinghong was loyal to the emperor and loved his country, but he was also protective of his own people and did not fear the imperial power as much as ordinary officials.
Therefore, she absolutely cannot let Xie Tingzhou sit in that position; otherwise, she will have to live at Ye Zhen's mercy for the rest of her life.
Therefore, after the emperor left, she summoned her niece, Zheng Qiao'er, from her maternal family.
"Is there any movement from the Prince of Yan's heir?"
Zheng Qiao'er shook her head, "We haven't received any letters from outside the palace yet, but our people are certain that your letter has been delivered to the Prince of Yan's heir."
Back then, the Empress ordered the death of the grandfather, the Zheng family was exiled, the Prince of Yun got into trouble, and the Emperor punished the Zheng family again.
Today, the Zheng family holds no official positions and has become just ordinary people.
However, her family was unwilling to give up. When they learned that the emperor and empress had fallen out, they took advantage of the palace's selection of new maids and had her impersonate someone else to enter the palace.
His intention was to get close to the Empress and incite her to fight for power.
Now that the emperor and empress are no longer as loving as before, women who have been hurt by their husbands and lost their husbands as a support can only rely on their maternal families.
This presents an opportunity for the Zheng family.
She was very lucky; she was selected all the way into the palace and was even assigned to the Phoenix Palace, where she made contact with the Empress.
As her uncles and aunts had guessed, the Empress's attitude towards the Zheng family changed from distant to close after her fall from grace.
In fact, Zheng Qiao'er looked down on this kind of empress. In order to please the emperor, she had ignored the Zheng family all these years. Now that she needed help, she thought of her family again.
Even if they look down on her, they have to cooperate, because the Zheng family now only has the path of becoming empress, and she has had enough of the Zheng family's decline and wants a chance to turn things around.
Unfortunately, the Zheng family has few capable people now, so it is difficult for them to keep up with the situation in Yan.
The Empress was aware of her current situation. After thinking for a moment, she took out a box of silver notes and said, "Have your brother hire some people."
Money makes the world go round, and luckily the emperor didn't take away her wealth.
Zheng Qiao'er quickly took it.
The family would not place all their hopes on her alone, so they secretly sent her brother to the capital, where they would provide support both inside and outside the palace.
With money, things became much easier for my brother.
but.
"Aunt, the Crown Prince has the support of the Great Wei, and His Majesty trusts him greatly. Now that the Prince of Yan's heir has arrived, can he truly contend with him?"
The land of Yan is barren, and the King of Yan has no military power, while the Crown Prince has no shortage of money and military power, and has received much assistance.
The disparity in strength between the two sides is truly enormous.
She wanted to gamble for wealth and status, but if there was no chance of winning, then there was no point in gambling; her life was more important.
"His Majesty rushed over as soon as he heard you had fainted, which shows that he still cares about you. If you can regain His Majesty's favor..."
Consolidating her position as Empress and assisting the Emperor in governing as before is actually much safer than instigating the Prince of Yan's heir, whose stance is still unclear, to vie for the throne.
As long as the Empress regains power, she can also help the Zheng family.
The Empress saw that her resolve was wavering and sneered, "His Majesty has already decided to abdicate, and your grandfather once tried to use smallpox to murder the Crown Prince, and has repeatedly clamored to depose the Crown Prince."
"Your uncles have been secretly instigating Prince Yun to oppose the Crown Prince all these years. Do you think the Zheng family will have any chance of rising again once the Crown Prince ascends the throne?"
Zheng Qiao'er's expression froze. "Your Majesty is in the prime of life, how... how could you possibly have the thought of abdicating?"
This was something she never expected.
If that's the case, then if the Zheng family wants to rise to prominence, they really can't let the Crown Prince sit in that position.
She rolled up all the silver notes in the box and stuffed them into her sleeve. "Qiao'er will have her brother inquire about the situation of the Prince of Yan's heir."
The Empress watched her departing figure, her eyes filled with gloom.
The Zheng family has declined with each generation, and she would never have conspired with them if she had no one else to rely on.
But right now...
She lowered her eyes, looking at her withered fingers, and resentment welled up in them.
These hands were originally well-maintained and were the most precious hands in the world. It was all because of Ye Zhen. She had only complained a few times because she was grieving the loss of her son. What's wrong with Ye Zhen letting her have her way?
But she made things escalate to this point.
Now, she has no way out but to fight back.
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