nucmednet Chapter 208 The Secret of the Palace
Chapter 208 The Secret of the Palace
Chapter 208 Palace Secrets
The Emperor personally handed the tea to the Empress Dowager. His eyes swept over the box on the table and he said calmly, "Your Majesty, you must have worked hard on the journey. Why didn't you ask someone to carry the sedan chair?"
The Empress Dowager's face was sullen, completely different from the Emperor's gentle demeanor. If someone had come in and seen this, they would have thought the Empress Dowager was sarcastic, while the Emperor was incredibly gentle and someone who deeply valued filial piety.
However, the Queen Mother was too lazy to play along and said in a serious tone, "The box contains the will left by your father. Your Majesty, please open it and take a look."
The emperor hesitated for only a moment before opening the box and taking out the imperial edict. His expression changed instantly as he looked at the empress dowager in disbelief: "What...what is this?"
The Queen Mother closed her eyes and coughed a few times, her tone becoming calmer: "Your Majesty can read, how could he not know what that is?"
The emperor's face was grim, and he shouted: "No, I don't believe it, this must be..."
"If the emperor doesn't believe it, please ask all the ministers to come and identify it to see if this secret decree is a fake!" A look of sarcasm appeared on the empress dowager's face. This imperial decree was real, but if it was spread out, it would only make the emperor lose face, and the decree he issued before would also be withdrawn.
After all, the imperial edict clearly stated that Concubine De had a bad character and was not fit to be a concubine. The posthumous title of concubine was given because she was the biological mother of the prince. When the previous emperor passed away and the new emperor ascended the throne, Concubine De could not be canonized as the empress dowager under any circumstances, and she could not be buried in the imperial mausoleum.
That year, after the emperor ascended the throne, he was forced to go against public opinion and appoint Concubine De as the empress dowager.
At that time, all the ministers were outraged and opposed, and they all tried to persuade the emperor.
"The Emperor is the Empress Dowager's son, so it's the Empress Dowager whom he should show respect to. Now that the Empress Dowager is still alive, how can someone else be posthumously honored?"
"Your Majesty, the late Emperor passed away less than three months ago. Before his death, he had already made arrangements for the imperial mausoleum. Concubine De should have been buried in the imperial mausoleum. Now that Your Majesty wants to make Concubine De the Empress Dowager, does that mean she will be moved into the imperial mausoleum?"
But no matter how much his ministers objected, the emperor persisted. Finally, the empress dowager intervened, arguing that the Great Zhou ruled with benevolence and filial piety, and that the emperor's filial piety in posthumously honoring his biological mother showed his filial piety. She then staged a scene in front of the court officials and their families, showcasing the unaffected mother-son love, and the matter was finally settled.
The emperor's hands were shaking, and he almost wanted to tear the imperial edict into pieces. But he knew that since the empress dowager dared to come to him with the imperial edict, she must have a trick up her sleeve. It would be useless to tear the edict into pieces.
He almost gritted his teeth and asked, "What does the Empress Dowager want me to do?"
Even though he stopped calling her "mother" and started referring to himself as "I," the Empress Dowager didn't care at all. She only said, "I still remember when the Emperor was only ten years old, he ran away from the East Third Residence and bumped into the then Imperial Concubine. He was slapped half to death by a eunuch. It was ridiculous that a dignified prince was bullied, and no one from the court or harem stepped in to stop it. The little guy lay there covered in blood, so pitiful..."
When the emperor mentioned the most unbearable memories of his childhood, his expression darkened. In the past, he would have pretended to be moved by these things, but now he was unwilling to pretend at all.
The Queen Mother continued, "I was crowned a consort without a son, and I shouldn't have meddled in other people's affairs. However, I felt pity for you, and from then on, I had a son. Fortunately, I worked hard, and my son also worked hard, earning me honors in my old age. However, I am the Queen Mother, and I can't even protect my own family..."
The emperor sneered and said, "The Queen Mother said so much for the Si family!"
The Queen Mother raised her head and burst into tears: "You know, my poor sister died young, and Shao Qin was like my own daughter. Now she...she doesn't recognize anyone. There is no one in her family anymore. She..."
The Emperor said, "Her family and your aunt, the Empress Dowager, are making plans for her!"
The Queen Mother stood up suddenly: "She has an aunt like me, the most noble woman in the world, but I can't even protect her! I have wasted my sister's lifelong wishes. Now, her two sons are dead, and only women, children, and that incompetent son are left by her side. Your Majesty, you should rest assured, you should rest assured! Ahem…"
As she spoke, she spat out a mouthful of blood and her whole body was on the verge of collapse.
The emperor looked at him indifferently, not showing any intention to help him.
The Queen Mother took out a handkerchief and slowly wiped the blood from the corners of her mouth and her hands before she said, "Your Majesty is a filial son. It's impossible that I have come to this point and yet Your Majesty still cannot let me have my wish come true, right?"
The emperor took a deep breath and spoke after a long while: "I promise you that I will restore the title of Marquis Anle and bring them to the capital so that your 'daughter' can enter the palace and fulfill her filial duties!"
The Queen Mother achieved her goal and collapsed into the chair.
The emperor then stepped forward to support her, his gentle demeanor reassuring him, "Mother, this is all my fault. Please don't be angry with me. I will grant you whatever you want."
The Queen Mother laughed to herself and said, "I... I have become ill from longing for you... Please, Your Majesty, send me back to the palace."
Once again, the story of loving mother and filial piety was staged, but the two of them no longer had any of the closeness and tacit understanding they had before.
The Emperor did not immediately help her up. He continued, "Son, I have one more question. What did Noble Lady De do back then to earn such hatred from your father that he even wanted to sentence her to death?"
The Queen Mother said numbly, "She had an affair with the imperial physician."
The emperor looked surprised, then suddenly realized. No wonder he had been so miserable before the age of ten. He was clearly a prince, but he would step on any cat or dog that passed by. And he was clearly of royal blood, but when his father appointed the crown prince, he seemed to have never considered him. And the road to succession, his mother and he had walked such a difficult path.
The Queen Mother said, "Palace scandals are a closely guarded secret. I learned that your father was actually going to write a will. If outsiders knew about it, I'm afraid your cousins would use your royal bloodline as a pretext to target you. That's why I had no choice but to seize the will and execute anyone who knew about it."
"My queen mother did all this for me. I am deeply ashamed." The emperor said this, but there was no guilt in his heart.
If the Queen Mother really cared about him, she would have destroyed the edict when she received it, instead of keeping it and waiting for the opportunity to take advantage of him.
The Emperor personally helped the Empress Dowager out of the palace. Seeing the Feng family father and son still kneeling there, he said, "My dear and Ziheng, please get up quickly. You are my mother's family members, and you are also my cousin and nephew. We are all family. Why be so formal?"
Duke Feng looked up at the Queen Mother carefully and called out, "Her Majesty the Queen Mother."
The Queen Mother's face darkened and she said sarcastically, "Your Majesty is right. They are your cousins and nephews! I am a person who will soon be buried. How can I have any family? I am tired. The Duke's wife and the Crown Prince's wife are usually busy. Please don't come to the palace to disturb me if you don't have anything to do!"