Even though I keep reminding myself to accept the fact that he will change his mind sooner or later.
But when the moment came, hearing what he said still made her unable to contain her joy.
Who wouldn't want their husband to be devoted and faithful?
The next day, just as Su Wanwan got up, a palace maid came to report:
"The Empress Dowager took Miss Ma to Cikang Palace to take care of her, and the Grand Empress Dowager sent people to demand her back, causing quite a commotion in the palace."
Su Wanwan and Lu Xingjian exchanged a glance, both seeing seriousness and profound meaning in each other's eyes.
She pursed her lips: "Your Majesty, I will return to the palace first."
Lu Xingjian stood up: "Let's go together."
"No need," Su Wanwan stopped him.
"It's just a power struggle between the two palaces. I'll assess the situation first. If I can't handle it, then I'll ask Your Majesty to step in."
As empress, she will have to establish her authority on her own sooner or later.
With her there to buffer the situation, things can be handled more smoothly.
Lu Xingjian paused for a moment, then agreed: "Fine, don't force yourself."
...
Cikang Palace.
The Empress Dowager took her seat and coldly looked at Empress Zhang, who could not hide her smugness.
"The imperial heir cannot be lost. The Empress Dowager has been recuperating for many days. Aren't you afraid of passing on your illness to Ma Ji? Why don't you hand her over and let me arrange for someone to take good care of her?"
"Your Majesty is mistaken."
Empress Dowager Zhang rolled her eyes dismissively.
"I have at least given birth before, unlike my mother, who has not given birth for so many years. How would she know the tricks of taking care of a pregnant prince?"
These words struck a nerve with the Empress Dowager.
She gave a cold laugh with a livid face.
"Although I have never given birth to any children, Emperor Xianzong had more than a dozen sons and six daughters, most of whom have grown up and call me Mother."
"Unlike the late emperor, who only raised one son, the emperor."
"The emperor has been married for several years and finally has a child. How can we risk entrusting him to you again?"
Empress Dowager Zhang thought of her two children whom she had not raised, and a fierce glint flashed in her eyes.
It was all because of that despicable couple, Lu Xingjian and Su Wanwan, that she lost her two children.
No matter what, she had to get the prince under her control and send that despicable couple to their deaths to avenge Xiuyi!
As for Maggie's Semu (Central Asian) ancestry, that was no longer a concern at the moment.
Wasn't the late emperor's birth mother also the daughter of a chieftain from Guangxi?
"Mother, I have a letter from Young Master Xing of Qiongzhou here. Would you like to take a look?" Empress Dowager Zhang said with a cold smile to the Grand Empress Dowager.
After Su Wanwan mentioned Young Master Xing of Qiongzhou last night, Empress Dowager Zhang ordered her family to investigate.
It turns out that Empress Dowager Wang lived in Jinling before she was selected as the Crown Princess.
She lived next to Mr. Xing, who was studying at the Imperial College in Nanjing, and they secretly fell in love, almost to the point of discussing marriage.
Young Master Xing's father was the prefect of Taizhou, Zhejiang, but he was implicated and imprisoned.
Young Master Xing had no time to worry about the marriage. He was running around doing errands, selling his house and property to help his father, and was almost beaten to death in the process.
The Wang family also firmly opposed any further involvement between Ms. Wang and Mr. Xing.
Just as the capital issued an order to widely select a Crown Princess, Wang, disheartened, was sent to the capital by her family to be a candidate. Step by step, she reached the final moment, but lost to Wu, who had a powerful family background.
Not long after Emperor Xianzong ascended the throne, he made Lady Wu his empress.
However, Wu was deposed a month after her wedding, and the honest and dutiful Wang took advantage of the situation and was put on the throne of empress.
That's fine then.
The Wang family was not content with their lot.
Through secret efforts, they rescued Xing Gongzi's father, Xing You, and appointed him as the prefect of Suzhou.
Xing You rose through the ranks, eventually becoming the governor of Zhejiang and concurrently in charge of the salt administration in Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces—all highly lucrative and prestigious positions.
If Xing You hadn't been so unlucky, falling ill and requesting retirement shortly after arriving in the capital to take up his post, and dying soon after, he might have become an important asset to the Wang family in the court.
Wang remained calm and composed.
Last time, she was caught off guard by Su Wanwan, which is why she had to pretend to faint to avoid the topic of Young Master Xing.
Now that several months have passed, she has cleared her tracks and left no room for Empress Dowager Zhang to use against her.
"The Empress is young and impetuous, and the Empress Dowager is also so unreliable?" Wang said coldly.
"I'd like to see what kind of letter the Empress Dowager can produce."
Zhang had someone bring the letter over.
Wang glanced at it briefly and said disdainfully, "Where did this forge? Your Majesty has truly disappointed me."
Su Wanwan's gentle voice rang out from the doorway: "Young Master Xing passed away three years ago. Where would he have any letters left behind?"
"However, his manuscript contains many poems about longing and love. Would Grandmother like to take a look?"
Wang's face instantly turned ugly.
Su Wanwan walked calmly into the hall, a half-smile on her face: "I heard that Young Master Xing has kept a woman's undergarment close to his body for decades, never taking it off day or night."
"The hem of that undergarment was embroidered with the words 'Qionghua'."
Qionghua, that was Wang's maiden name.
Wang's expression immediately changed.
Su Wanwan showed no sign of stopping: "There is a maid named Huancui who is still alive..."
Wang could no longer bear to listen. Her whole body trembled, and she slammed her hand on the table, interrupting Su Wanwan with a stern rebuke:
"Enough! You, the Empress, are filled with the desires of men and women; how can you be a model mother to the nation?!"
Wasn't Huancui executed by the Wang family long ago?!
How could he still be alive?!
Empress Dowager Zhang retorted without hesitation: "When I was the Empress Dowager, Young Master Xing wore my undergarments close to my body. Tsk tsk, how exciting!"
Looking at Empress Dowager Zhang and Empress Su Wanwan, who had joined forces, Wang knew that she would not gain any advantage today.
He had no choice but to get up and leave, but he still wanted to save face.
"Don't spread rumors like those common women in the marketplace!"
Su Wanwan didn't want to push the dog into a corner and suffer the consequences, so she wisely offered a way out:
"Your Majesty is right. I never said whose undergarment it was; it was Mother who misunderstood me."
"My grandmother has held the position of Empress for many years, and her character is evident to all."
Wang secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
He glanced warily at Empress Dowager Zhang and Su Wanwan.
If these two form an alliance, it will only be twice as difficult for her to help Yanruo rise to power!
She absolutely could not stand idly by and watch the situation unfold.
After Wang left, Su Wanwan simply bowed to Empress Dowager Zhang:
"Is Your Majesty certain you want to save Ma Ji's pregnancy?"
Empress Dowager Zhang lazily raised her eyelids: "What, you want to compete with me for it too?"
"How could I dare?" Su Wanwan smiled faintly. "With Mother Empress taking care of things, I don't need to worry."
Empress Dowager Zhang pursed her lips and offered a token reassurance:
"You are my niece, and our interests are intertwined. Listen to me, and you will naturally be blessed."
"Even if this child is born, he will be raised at your feet and called you Mother."
"Your Majesty is right." Su Wanwan bowed respectfully and took her leave. "Your Majesty, I will not disturb your rest any longer."
But in her heart she was wondering, who was the real father of the child in Maggie's belly?
It cannot be ruled out that Lu Xingjian lied to her.
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