Emperor Lu Xingjian never acknowledged Yan Ge'er's royal bloodline, not even Su Wanwan mentioned it, only saying that he was an adopted son of the charity.
Such a status, no matter how much one tries to explain it, would never be recognized by the imperial family and court officials, nor would it grant them the right to inherit the throne.
She just didn't expect that Liu Jin would actually send someone to deliver a message to her.
Empress Dowager Zhang immediately became excited.
Liu Jin was Lu Xingjian's most trusted and top eunuch!
With his support, she was able to secure her position as Empress Dowager in the harem and support the young emperor's ascension to the throne. She was none other than the Empress Dowager Xiaosu of that time!
The situation in the capital is becoming increasingly tense.
Everyone was waiting for the emperor's next move.
However, everything in the palace remained the same, and no other news came out.
The important military and national affairs were still being handled by Liu Jin, the Ninth Prince.
Rumors were rampant that Sister Feng, a tavern girl outside Juyong Pass, had given birth to a prince.
On the day of Empress Dowager Zhang's birthday, there was not a single word from the palace.
Lu Xingjian, however, came to Cikang Palace in person.
"Your Majesty, on this auspicious day, how could your son remain silent? I have specially arranged for a performance to be prepared for Your Majesty's enjoyment."
Empress Zhang looked at Lu Xingjian with a wary expression, "Your Majesty has quite the refined taste."
I have no idea what he's up to.
The actors in the opera were all children, some seven or eight years old, and some ten or so.
When the seven- or eight-year-old girl appeared, Empress Dowager Zhang's expression changed instantly.
They look so alike.
She looks almost exactly like her little princess, Xiuyi.
Tears welled up in her eyes instantly, and she stood up, wanting to pull the little girl over to take a closer look.
However, the little girl sprinkled a packet of medicine powder into the wine pot, making it rattle loudly.
He said smugly, "I've heard that some people can't eat peanuts. I'd like to see if eating chrysanthemum wine or Chongyang cake mixed with peanut powder will kill me."
Empress Dowager Zhang's face turned deathly pale instantly, and she froze on the spot like a statue.
In the next scene, the little girl is drinking and eating Chongyang cake with an eleven or twelve-year-old boy.
"Brother Crown Prince, please try the chrysanthemum wine and Double Ninth cake from the Empress Dowager's palace."
The little boy refused to eat or drink, so the little girl, to allay his concerns, drank the wine and ate the Double Ninth cake first.
Seeing this, the little boy also took a piece of Chongyang cake, ate a small bite, and sipped a little chrysanthemum wine.
The little girl was even happier, and drank another glass of wine and ate a piece of cake.
Soon the little girl's face turned painful, and she reached for her neck with both hands.
Upon seeing this, the palace maids cried out that something was wrong and tried to rush out to call the imperial physician.
A woman dressed as a matron came out and stopped the palace servants: "You are not allowed to go!"
The little girl cried out for help, grabbing the little boy's sleeve: "Brother Prince, please save me!"
"I will never hurt you again!"
The little boy looked reluctant and said to the nanny, "She's my sister, quickly go and fetch the imperial physician!"
The old woman sneered and ordered the door to be locked, forbidding anyone from leaving.
"You treat her like a younger sister, but does she treat you like a older brother?"
The little girl was in despair, her voice growing weaker and weaker: "Weren't you supposed to die from eating peanuts? How come you're alright?"
Empress Dowager Zhang could no longer bear to watch this.
She turned around and stared at Lu Xingjian with a venomous look, her face filled with despair:
"So, the rumor that you would die from eating peanuts was false?"
Lu Xingjian did not answer her question, but simply stared at her coldly.
Empress Dowager Zhang let out several cold laughs.
"I kept it a complete secret that Xiuyi couldn't eat peanuts. Even Xiuyi herself didn't know. How did you know?"
Lu Xingjian remained silent.
He didn't actually know.
Once, when he was ill, he said that he couldn't eat peanuts, and the imperial physician confirmed this.
Empress Dowager Xiaosu then ordered that peanuts be prohibited from appearing in the palace.
The one who stopped him from calling the imperial physician to save Princess Xiuyi was none other than his birth mother, Zheng Jinlian.
Zheng Jinlian hysterically poured out all the grievances she had suffered over the years, accusing Lu Xingjian of disobeying her, his biological mother, by going to rescue people.
She said everything was for his own good.
Only if Princess Xiuyi dies will there be a possibility that the imperial fetus in Empress Zhang's womb will be miscarried.
She had no other way to challenge the Empress, so she resorted to this foolish method to protect her son. She was willing to bear all the blame with her own life!
Lu Xingjian did not agree with Zheng Xiulian's approach.
Unable to accept what was happening, she desperately pounded on the door and shouted loudly, trying to call the imperial physician to save Xiuyi.
However, it was of no use.
Zheng Jinlian clung tightly to his waist, preventing him from calling the imperial physician:
"One of you must die today. If you want to get out of this door, you have to kill me first!"
Lu Xingjian's forehead veins bulged, and his eyes were bloodshot.
He watched helplessly as Xiuyi breathed her last in front of him.
Princess Xiuyi cried and begged in the end:
"Brother, I'm sorry, please spare my mother, I beg you."
Lu Xingjian wasn't so hard-hearted back then, and he tearfully agreed to Xiuyi's request:
"I will not harm your mother."
He had longed for years that Empress Zhang would love him as her own son.
Xiuyi will respect and love him as if he were her own elder brother.
Everything went against my wishes.
How old is he?
How could he possibly stand up against Empress Zhang, who was the sole favorite in the harem?
Empress Dowager Zhang appeared erratic, alternating between crying and laughing.
"So it was my own fault that Xiuyi died!"
"So it was my own fault that Xiuyi died!"
Back then, it was she who had someone prepare Chongyang cakes mixed with peanut powder and send them to Crown Prince Lu Xingjian.
At that time, the imperial physician had already confirmed that she was carrying a male fetus and that her delivery was imminent.
Who would have thought that her little princess, Xiuyi, would get involved and excitedly participate in this matter?
This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
