The scent of sandalwood permeated Kunning Palace as the Empress Dowager spoke with a sigh, “I truly never imagined Ji Shi would be such a person.”
Emperor Jingming echoed her sentiment, “Neither did I, Mother.”
Thinking of Consort Xian’s kind face but poisonous heart, Consort Ning who ate roast chicken during a crisis, and the Empress who dared to turn her sleeve at him, Emperor Jingming felt women were too complex. There was nothing they couldn’t do that he couldn’t imagine.
Considering the many consorts in the harem, Emperor Jingming suddenly felt that the “three thousand beauties of the harem” were the greatest pressure for an emperor.
“I’ve already told the Empress that Fuqing shouldn’t come here anymore,” the Empress Dowager said.
“Mother—” Emperor Jingming’s expression changed slightly.
The Empress Dowager smiled bitterly, “This time, Consort Xian instructed Xiao Dengzi to deceive Fuqing using Cining Palace’s name, which allowed her to act. It also cost the Fourteenth Prince his life. The Lantern Festival incident was also related to Cining Palace. I can’t bear it anymore. I can’t let Fuqing be harmed again for my selfish desires…”
Emperor Jingming hurriedly comforted her, “Mother, this has nothing to do with you. Fuqing serving you is her filial duty as your granddaughter.”
The Empress Dowager shook her head, “Please don’t try to persuade me, Your Majesty. Time and again, Fuqing’s troubles have been linked to Cining Palace. No matter how I try to comfort myself, I can’t get past this.”
“Then if you like any of the other girls, let her come to keep you company.”
The Empress Dowager sighed, her expression forlorn, “No need. I’ll be fine worshipping Buddha quietly as I did before.”
Emperor Jingming felt very guilty, “It’s all because of my incompetence. I haven’t been able to root out the traitors causing trouble in the palace, and it’s affecting Mother’s peace of mind.”
The Empress Dowager looked at Emperor Jingming with a frown, “Your Majesty, do you mean to say you believe there’s someone behind Consort Xian?”
Emperor Jingming hesitated, then explained awkwardly, “That’s not what I meant. I just feel there have been too many incidents in the palace…”
The Empress Dowager sighed softly and pointed out the window, “Your Majesty, look. How much bigger can the sky within the palace be compared to the sky outside? So many people spend their entire lives in this most noble place, unable to leave. The desires that breed here are numerous, and naturally, the troubles caused by unfulfilled wishes are many. In my view, this is normal. The palace infinitely magnifies people’s desires. You are the ruler of the nation; you should look beyond the palace and not get entangled in these internal affairs.”
Emperor Jingming nodded, “Mother’s words are wise.”
The Empress Dowager turned her gaze back to Emperor Jingming, “Does Prince Qi know?”
At the mention of Prince Qi, Emperor Jingming’s expression darkened slightly, “He knows. I allowed him to see Ji Shi one last time, fulfilling their mother-son relationship.”
The Empress Dowager nodded, “Your Majesty has thought it through. After all, Ji Shi was a high-ranking consort. Her sudden death requires some explanation to certain people to prevent issues. Has Prince Qi returned?”
Emperor Jingming was silent for a moment before saying, “He’s still kneeling in Yangxin Hall, saying he’s come to ask for punishment.”
The Empress Dowager fingered her prayer beads and lowered her brows, “Your Majesty hasn’t seen him?”
Emperor Jingming laughed coldly, “Seeing him would only irritate me.”
The Empress Dowager shook her head and advised earnestly, “Your Majesty, Consort Xian made a grave mistake, but Prince Qi was unaware. He is your son; there’s no need to take out your anger on him.”
Emperor Jingming moved his lips but said nothing.
To be honest, he had always felt indifferent towards his fourth son. He couldn’t say he liked him, nor could he say he disliked him, though now it was all dislike.
Perhaps it was just a clash of personalities?
Seeing that Emperor Jingming wasn’t taking her words to heart, the Empress Dowager sighed, “Your Majesty, you’re not just a father to the princes, but also their ruler. You can’t act solely based on personal preference. With the position of Crown Prince vacant, if the princes haven’t committed any major errors, don’t be too harsh. Otherwise, you might find yourself with no suitable candidates in the future…”
Emperor Jingming felt heavy-hearted hearing the Empress Dowager’s words.
The Crown Prince was dead, Prince Jin had made mistakes and was sent to guard the imperial tombs, and Prince Xiang had been stripped of his title and confined. He had thought having many sons meant no worries about heirs, but now, counting them, there weren’t many left.
“Your Majesty, be more tolerant of the children. Otherwise, you might find yourself in a passive position in the end,” the Empress Dowager said meaningfully.
Emperor Jingming nodded, “I understand your meaning, Mother.”
The Empress Dowager, satisfied with the outcome, picked up her teacup and said, “You may go attend to your duties now, Your Majesty.”
Emperor Jingming left Cining Palace and returned to Yangxin Hall, where he found Prince Qi still kneeling. His gold-embroidered dragon boots stopped in front of the wavering prince.
Prince Qi looked up, his expression sorrowful, “Father, I’ve come to ask for punishment.”
He began to kowtow, his forehead hitting the jade bricks repeatedly, soon leaving bloodstains.
Emperor Jingming stood for a while, then said flatly, “You may go. Ji Shi’s matter doesn’t concern you.”
“A son must pay for his mother’s debts. Mother’s wrongdoing is my wrongdoing. Father, if you’re angry, take it out on me. If you keep it bottled up inside, it will harm your health, and my sins will be even greater.”
“I said it doesn’t concern you. Go back.”
“Yes, Father.” Prince Qi kowtowed a few more times before staggering away.
Returning to his cold and quiet residence, Prince Qi rushed into his study and pounded on the desk, weeping bitterly.
His mother was dead, and his father despised him even more. The path he had yearned for for years was now completely cut off.
The desk shook, causing a book to fall with a dull thud.
This sound interrupted Prince Qi’s outburst, and he stared blankly at the fallen book.
After an unknown amount of time, Prince Qi suddenly sprang up and hurriedly went behind the bookshelf to open a secret compartment.
There weren’t many items in the compartment, mainly letters and other important documents.
Prince Qi quickly flipped through the letters and pulled out one from the bottom layer.
The envelope had no writing on its surface.
Prince Qi caressed the elegant patterns on the envelope, his expression constantly changing. Finally, biting his lip, he broke the seal.
The letter consisted of several thick pages. Prince Qi quickly read through it, then read it again word by word from beginning to end. Leaning against the bookshelf, he murmured, “So that’s how it is…”
His mother had harmed his Thirteenth Sister at the instigation of the Empress Dowager.
Prince Qi recalled the last time he paid respects to Consort Xian. Before he left, she had given him this secret letter, saying, “Zhangʼer, if there comes a day when I’m gone and you find yourself in a difficult situation, open this letter and read it.”
He had brought the letter back, resisting the urge to open it, and stored it in the secret compartment. For several nights, he had wondered what the letter might contain.
He never expected that so soon after, his mother would meet her end.
Prince Qi’s mind flashed to the Empress Dowager’s kind and gentle demeanor, and he felt incredulous.
The Empress Dowager had hidden her true nature so deeply!
With his mother’s letter, at least he wouldn’t be kept in the dark. If the Empress Dowager were to abandon him in the future, he now had leverage against her.
No matter how filial the Emperor was towards the Empress Dowager, this letter would be enough to make him suspicious of her, which was surely something the Empress Dowager wouldn’t want.
Of course, unless necessary, he wouldn’t mention this letter to the Empress Dowager. This was the backup plan his mother had left, ensuring that the Empress Dowager couldn’t use her and then disregard their agreement after her death without consequences.
Could the Empress Dowager help him ascend to that position?
The heart that had sunk into despair when Prince Qi left the palace began to stir with new hope.