The Empress lowered her eyes and said softly, "These are all old stories, and I shouldn't have told them to you."
Shen Tangning sensed something was amiss: "So, because of this, the Fourth Prince wants to kill you? But why didn't Aunt resist?"
Recalling the scene last night, she was clearly prepared to die, otherwise how could the Fourth Prince have sent the people from Kunning Palace away?
If she had arrived a moment later, her aunt might already be...
The Empress sighed, her expression complex, and suddenly remembered the letter she had received:
Only one of the Crown Prince and she can live. Who will the Empress choose?
...
"I wish to see my father, the Emperor."
Yan Huai stood outside the palace gate with the ministers, his face unusually sharp.
The palace gates were sealed off, and the news only spread outside the palace this morning. He came here early in the morning to wait to enter the palace for an audience, but was turned away at the door.
"Your Highness, please don't make things difficult for me. His Majesty is not seeing anyone these days." The Imperial Guard Commander stared at the person opposite him without a smile.
Yan Huai narrowed his eyes, a smile playing on his lips, but his tone was somewhat mocking: "Father has suffered such a great misfortune. As the Crown Prince, it is my duty to visit him. Your obstruction of me is indeed suspicious."
These words aroused suspicion among the ministers nearby. It was understandable that His Majesty would be on guard if something happened to him, but it was puzzling that everyone was blocking the palace from seeing him.
The commander's face stiffened for a moment, then he relented with a blank expression: "This humble servant can convey the message, but whether or not we can see His Highness the Crown Prince depends on His Majesty's decision."
He raised his hand, and someone jogged over to inform him.
Before long, Yan Huai, led by the Imperial Guards, headed to the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Along the way, he observed his surroundings discreetly and found that the palace was heavily guarded, with guards on duty almost every few steps.
He lowered his eyes to hide the thoughtful look in them, and in the blink of an eye, he arrived at the entrance of the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
It was Eunuch Fu who personally came out to greet him. The other party looked cautious and made a gesture of invitation: "Your Majesty invites Your Highness to come in."
Yan Huai casually asked, "Eunuch Fu, is Father Emperor safe and sound?"
The latter, with his head bowed, gave an affirmative reply: "Your Highness, His Majesty woke up this morning, but he is currently in poor spirits, and the imperial physician has advised him not to overexert himself..."
He wisely stopped talking after saying much.
No sooner had Yan Huai entered the Hall of Mental Cultivation than a majestic voice rang out:
"How dare you! Do you think your words no longer matter?"
He paused, then subconsciously looked up. Through a curtain, the figure of Emperor Chongde was faintly visible behind it.
The atmosphere inside the hall was tense. Yan Huai slowly stepped in and bowed, saying, "Father, please calm your anger. Your son is also worried about your health."
Emperor Chongde sneered: "Whether it's concern or ulterior motives, you know the answer in your heart!"
These words were serious. Yan Huai frowned: "What makes you say such a thing, Father?"
"I just had this incident last night, and you insisted on barging into the palace this morning despite all the advice against it. What, did you come here specifically to see if I had died?"
Upon hearing this, the temperature inside the hall instantly dropped.
"Father has misunderstood me..."
Yan Huai slowly exhaled, trying to explain in a gentle voice, but Emperor Chongde interrupted him hastily, his voice icy cold:
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