Free Web NovelChapter 1066: Chapter 1056: No Life (2)
The Emperor continued to gaze at her, and the Empress continued: "...Do you still remember when Yan’er was born? You were so happy, as if you had obtained a precious treasure. You held him in your hands with trembling hands, and you kissed my forehead, thanking me..."
"I still remember..." The Empress wanted to go on, but the Emperor interrupted coldly: "Enough, what exactly do you want to say?" The Empress was startled and replied without thinking: "I just want you to remember the beauty we once had. We still have a child. He is very smart and driven. He admires and respects his father. This is the pure dependence and reliance of a wife and child on their husband and father. I hope you can remember, even if it’s just a little."
The Emperor pressed his lips tightly, his eyes dark and unreadable.
The Empress suddenly stood up from her chair, holding the back of it to keep herself from falling: "I also want you to know that neither the Shen family, nor I or Yan’er, have ever had a second thought about the Emperor, never!" She spoke with firm conviction, taking a step forward: "Therefore, that Testament has long been destroyed. Mother did not deceive you. The Shen family did not deceive you. I have never deceived you."
The Emperor scrutinized her with sharp eyes, but seeing the Empress’s earnest words, his expression gradually softened.
The Empress, ten steps away from him, found herself out of strength. She gazed longingly at the Emperor: "Emperor, Yan’er is your child. His heart is pure, and even if he hides something from you, it is only because he fears his father would worry about him, not because he intends to deceive a Monarch... He’s so young and understands nothing. Once I’m gone, he has no other family in the palace besides you." Tears fell as she finished: "I beg you to love him well and give him a complete life!"
The Emperor didn’t expect the Empress to summon him just to speak of these things. He thought she would wield the late Emperor’s Testament to coerce him into proclaiming Yan’er as the Crown Prince, but never anticipated she would plead with him as a wife to treat their son kindly.
Thinking of the Second Prince’s deception, the Emperor found his anger hard to dispel. But upon looking at the woman before him, he felt a pang of sympathy.
She was right; after all, Yan’er was innocent, his own flesh and blood...
"Empress." Suddenly, the Emperor noticed blood trickling from her seven orifices and stepped forward to approach her. The Empress, upon seeing his instinctive concern at her sight, laughed. She gave the Emperor a desperate look and spoke each word slowly: "I stood by you for ten years. Though it was bitter, there were also sweet times, yet I do not regret it... If there is a next life, I would wish to meet the Emperor again..." Before finishing her words, she fell straight down, a faint smirk of irony curving at her lips before her eyes closed, never to open again.
In the tenth year of Ren Zong, on the fifteenth of September, Empress Shen died and was posthumously titled the Dutiful, Filial, Kind Empress, buried in the Imperial Mausoleum.
Later generations, to avoid confusion between the two Empress Shens of Ren Zong, referred to the former Shen as Shen Senior in Fujian, and the latter as Shen Junior.
The Second Prince, Zhu Yan, personally carried the spirit tablet and requested the Emperor’s decree to mourn for three months at the Imperial Mausoleum, displaying great filial piety that moved the world.
Princess Consort Ying stood before Fengwu Palace, looking at the lock that had fallen over the door, she smiled lightly. The Empress had indeed kept her word; she had promised to deliver and did not expect it to be so swift.
She questioned the eunuch behind her: "Go to the residence and inquire when Count Dingyuan will return to the capital." She intended to discuss matters thoroughly with her brother.
"Yes, your humble servant will ask immediately," the eunuch replied.
The Third Prince, with no family to rely on, was frail and too kind-hearted, incapable of bearing such great responsibility. In her eyes, her only real rivals were Le Xiu and the Eldest Prince. Though the Eldest Prince now lacked external family support, the power of Ms. Le’s family was immense and deeply rooted. To bring down the Eldest Prince, they must first solve Le Xiu. Without Le Xiu’s assistance, he was but a parentless youth, unlikely to achieve greatness!
But to solve Le Xiu, she and her brother alone feared they could not succeed; they would need someone to assist them...
The Second Prince was already ten years old this year, and at an age eligible for betrothal. If they could find him influential family support, it would be like adding wings to a tiger’s back.
"You, bring me the list of all nobles of the Great Zhou." She waved her handkerchief and took one last glance at Fengwu Palace, leaving without looking back.
The eunuch followed behind, replying affirmatively, taking small steps as he followed her: "Before leaving, the Second Prince asked me to tell Princess that if you have matters to attend to, write a note and place it in the cabinet in his room!"
"Mm." Princess Consort Ying nodded slightly and instructed: "Give the order that no one should approach the people of West Five Houses. Those who violate this shall be severely punished." A large group of people bowed their heads.
She plotted every next step diligently, yet did not anticipate that not far away, Le Xiu was watching her with a beaming smile, her every move falling into those bright eyes.
Le Xiu helped Min straighten his mourning clothes, saying, "You’ve been weary these days. Go back and have a good rest; you’ve lost a whole lot of weight."
"Yes." Min smiled and acknowledged, bowing to Le Xiu before returning to West Five Houses. As soon as he entered, Chief Su came forward to greet him, handing him a letter: "Your Highness, the Great Governor has sent a letter."
Min opened the letter, his gaze scanning the text as a sigh of relief escaped him, a gentle dimple appearing on his cheek with his smile.
In Jiaotai Palace, Nanny Mao knelt before the Emperor, offering her loyal respects. She said, "This servant returns to report!" The Emperor looked at her with appreciation, nodding: "You have labored hard for ten years." After a pause, he continued, "I recall promising you that once you completed the task I entrusted to you, I would release you from the palace to enjoy your years. Now, I fulfill that promise." With these words, he nodded at Chief Chang, who understood and stepped forward, placing a box he had been holding in front of Nanny Mao.
The Emperor added, "This is a reward from me to you. Take it and leave the palace, pursue business or farming as you wish."
"Thank you for your grand kindness." Nanny Mao bowed deeply again, picked up the box, rose, and nodded to Chief Chang before taking her leave of Jiaotai Palace.
After Nanny Mao had left, Chief Chang quietly reported to the Emperor: "This servant thoroughly searched both inside and outside Fengwu Palace and the Second Prince’s room, and indeed did not find what Your Majesty wishes to see."
Could it really have been destroyed back then? The Emperor was somewhat puzzled and couldn’t help recalling the Empress’s words: "...Neither the Shen family nor she had ever done anything against him."
His gaze landed on the corner of the Dragon Case, on the piece of Yellow Silk that he had been pressing beneath his papers...
Chief Su followed his gaze and was startled—was the Emperor about to make a will?
