sbdcsierra Chapter 323 Insight
Chapter 323 Insight
In the emperor's spacious and luxurious carriage, it was eerily quiet, with only Yan Wan sitting quietly on the side.
At this moment, the emperor was lying slumped on the brocade couch. His once majestic face was now lifeless, with only his eyeballs still moving with difficulty.
The corner of his mouth tilted uncontrollably to one side, and occasionally a few unclear syllables came out of his throat, breaking the panic-stricken silence.
The carriage swayed forward, and the bumps in the body made him drool uncontrollably. The saliva flowed down the corners of his mouth and soaked the pillowcase.
Seeing this, Yan Wan hurriedly picked up her handkerchief and wiped it gently and carefully, muttering something, as if whispering to comfort a child.
"Don't be afraid, Your Majesty. I will do my best to find a world-renowned doctor to cure you..."
After saying this, a hint of determination and coldness flashed in her eyes that was difficult for others to detect.
I won't let anyone heal you.
She thought this in her heart, but did not show it on her face. She still maintained that gentle and soft smile, raised her hand and slowly stretched it towards the emperor's eyes, her movements so gentle that they were almost pious.
In an instant, a rich yet faintly cool fragrance came over, the emperor's eyes slowly closed, his face completely relaxed, and he fell into an unconscious sleep.
Yan Wan looked at the sleeping emperor, the smile on her lips quietly disappeared, and there was only a bottomless darkness in her eyes.
After sleeping in the open and riding in a bumpy carriage all the way, the large group of people finally returned to the Old Summer Palace in exhaustion and haste.
Since the fire raged, the palace was destroyed and the emperor had to live in the Qinzheng Palace for many days. Many matters could only be handled in that slightly cramped place.
The Empress Dowager was old and her physical strength and energy were no longer as good as before. After much consideration, she decided not to accompany the emperor on the routine autumn hunting ceremony. Instead, she stayed in the Old Summer Palace to recuperate.
At this moment, the empress dowager sat steadily in the inner hall. Her eyes met the emperor's haggard and miserable appearance, but there was no trace of panic on her face.
She just slowly stretched out her hand, gently pulled the brocade quilt covering the emperor, and tucked in the corners.
"Er... Huang... er..."
As soon as the emperor woke up, he saw the empress dowager in front of him.
He shouted excitedly, but the broken syllables could not form a complete sentence.
The Queen Mother patted his hand soothingly and put it back under the quilt.
"Emperor, take good care of yourself. Don't worry, I will help you with those matters..."
After saying this, he stood up slowly and, supported by Yan Wan, walked towards the reception area in the side hall.
At this point, some things should be made clear.
The palace maids left one after another, leaving only Yanwan and the Queen Mother in the palace.
The Queen Mother took the initiative to break the silence with a sigh.
"Look at the emperor now. I'm afraid he can't handle anything. The court is full of complicated affairs. It can't be left without a leader or helmsman for a day."
After saying that, she turned her gaze and looked directly at the Imperial Noble Consort who was standing with her head bowed on the side. Her eyes were deep and unfathomable, and she spoke slowly.
"Royal Consort, I heard that you have been managing everything in perfect order these days. You are quite capable indeed. Could it be that you possess the power to know everything?"
The words fell softly, but they were like a heavy hammer hitting everyone's heart. The surroundings became so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
Time makes people grow old. The empress dowager's hair has turned white, wrinkles are all over her face, and her straight back is slightly hunched. She has completely lost the graceful demeanor she had in her prime.
Only the calm demeanor after going through the ups and downs remains, with a hint of majesty condensed between his eyebrows.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me."
Yan Wan bowed slightly, twirling the handkerchief in her hand, speaking in a slow and unhurried tone. She seemed to be sincerely repenting, but in fact she was scheming.
"It's all my fault for not serving the emperor well enough. I failed to take good care of him. The emperor felt better a while ago, and in a good mood, he drank a few more cups. He didn't expect the wind on the grassland to be so strong, and he caught a cold, which is why he is so ill..."
As she spoke, she gently raised her eyes. Although she was begging for mercy, there was no trace of cowardice or retreat on her face.
Instead, he raised his chin slightly, sat down directly, picked up the teacup and took a sip, looking relaxed.
Now that things have come to this, she doesn't want to pretend anymore.
Seeing this, the Queen Mother was not annoyed. She just looked at her deeply and sighed slightly.
"You, you, I really underestimated you. After so many years of struggling in this deep palace, you have developed this kind of character. Well, now that things have come to this, it is indeed the emperor's own carelessness."
"Once all matters concerning the Autumn Hunt Ceremony are settled, I will summon all the ministers of the court, remove the imperial edict from behind the plaque of 'Zhengda Guangming' in the Qianqing Palace, and read it publicly. I will have the Crown Prince temporarily assume the role of Emperor in governing the country, thus stabilizing the political situation. As for external affairs, I will simply inform the public that the Emperor is ill and needs to remain in seclusion for a period of recuperation, so as to avoid public panic."
Having said this, the Queen Mother paused slightly, her gaze fixed on Yan Wan, with a hint of admiration in her eyes, and she spoke slowly.
"Is this arrangement to your liking?"
This woman before her, having endured decades of seclusion in the palace, was finally climbing to the most honorable position among women in the world. Such a strategy, I'm afraid no one in this harem could match.
"It would be perfectly safe and appropriate for Her Majesty the Queen Mother to personally take charge of the situation."
Yanwan bowed, her face full of smiles, her words full of respect
"The fact that Yongyan and I have such a peaceful and smooth life today is entirely due to the protection and grace of the Empress Dowager. Your Majesty, rest assured. Yongyan has been filial, kind-hearted, and sensible since childhood. When he inherits the throne, he will certainly not forget the care and love of the two princesses. He will surely treat the princesses and their descendants well, ensuring their prosperity and happiness for the rest of their lives, without a single mistake..."
These words were flawless, but they contained a hidden threat. They were flattering and ingratiating, but also contained a hint of threat that should not be underestimated.
The Queen Mother was so astute that she knew how to not hear the hidden meaning in her words. She was immediately startled.
The two princesses are the only concerns left in the Queen Mother's life. Now that the princesses have given birth to children, in the days to come, she will have to find a prince who is close to the princesses and cares about family affection to inherit the throne and ensure that they have no worries for the rest of their lives.
In order to help Yongyan ascend to the supreme throne, Yanwan resorted to many methods in secret. However, she never used any of those dirty tricks on Yongyan, deliberately keeping him away from the darkness of power struggles.
The purpose was to create a good impression of being innocent and harmless in front of the emperor and the empress dowager, and to successfully catch the eyes of those in power.
The child is still young and has a simple mind, so he cannot keep secrets. If you are not careful, you may lose everything. In this case, it is better to let him grow up ignorant and clean.
Indeed, Yongyan was the best choice among the princes.
"Now that Yongyan has been appointed Crown Prince, he must strictly follow the rules of our ancestors and strictly observe the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children."
The Queen Mother looked at Yan Wan with deep eyes and said slowly
"Since Yongyan has become the crown prince, he must be honored as the legitimate heir. I would like to offer my congratulations to you, your Imperial Noble Consort. The Qing Dynasty has never had a precedent of a Han Chinese woman becoming an empress."
The candlelight flickered in the room, and the dim light and shadow danced and flickered on the faces of the two people, outlining outlines that were sometimes bright and sometimes dark, but strangely blended to create an eerie harmonious atmosphere.
"Thanks to the Empress Dowager's careful guidance, I am able to navigate this palace with caution."
Yanwan raised her chin slightly, a faint smile appeared at the corner of her mouth, and her words revealed an irrepressible ambition.
"To be honest, Your Majesty, I have devoted all my energy and efforts over the years, and how could I have only sought the position of Imperial Noble Consort..."
At this point, the Queen Mother seemed to remember something and her expression instantly darkened.
Her brows furrowed, her tone cold, "The Emperor's sudden change of heart is the fault of the servants in the palace. They bear the responsibility of serving the Emperor, yet they are so negligent and incompetent. Keeping them around is useless. In my opinion, they should be beaten to death, so that everyone in the palace can see the miserable fate of those who fail to serve their master wholeheartedly."
After saying this, the Queen Mother raised her eyes slightly and stared straight at Yan Wan, her eyes as sharp as a knife.
Yan Wan's heart was shocked, but she immediately calmed down, knelt down and saluted, speaking softly.
"I dare to say this, but I believe that this matter must not be acted rashly. The Emperor is currently in poor health and urgently needs to accumulate good fortune and eliminate illness and disasters. Your Majesty has always been devout to Buddhism, compassionate and generous, and is well-known in this palace..."
"If we commit murder in vain to punish our servants now, I'm afraid it will harm the health and well-being of the Emperor. It would be better to spare them for now and wait until the Emperor is fully recovered before dealing with them."
As Yan Wan spoke, she subconsciously clenched the handkerchief in her hand, and her knuckles turned slightly white from the force.
The moment he lowered his eyes, a strong murderous intent flashed across his eyes like a dark fire in the night, so fast that it was almost impossible to catch.
The Empress Dowager was referring to someone, and the person she was referring to was naturally Jinzhong.
This caused those who had remained calm in the face of a catastrophe to show some abnormality.
"What? You're pretending to be kind now. Are you really heartless, or are you just... reluctant?"
The Queen Mother's eyes were full of amusement, taking in Yan Wan's panic. The corners of her mouth rose slightly, revealing a distinct smile, and her words were full of teasing.
It is really rare that the imperial concubine who is fearless and ruthless in the harem would be so cautious and afraid to act rashly.
The empress dowager's expression remained calm, but a hint of barely perceptible interest flashed in her eyes.
She had long seen through everything that happened between her and the eunuch.
At first, the Empress Dowager thought that she was imitating Ruyi's ways, using some tricks to win over the people who served in front of the emperor, so that she could do some shameful things around the emperor.
It was not until a spy came to report that the eunuch frequently went in and out of Yongshou Palace and had an ambiguous relationship with her that she suddenly realized what was going on.
What a bold pair of wild mandarin ducks!
Gee, interesting.
If this happened to someone else, she would never tolerate it and would have issued an imperial decree to cut the root of the problem and prevent future troubles.
As luck would have it, this man was a eunuch, so it was not expected that he would cause any major chaos, let alone confuse the royal bloodline and endanger the foundation of the Qing Dynasty.
Because of this, she showed mercy and spared the eunuch's life for the time being.
Besides, there is another consideration for keeping this person.
The emperor has become increasingly displeasing to her over the years, and the empress dowager has some resentment towards this adopted son.
Humph, since he doesn't give me peace of mind, I might as well keep a troublemaker around him to make things more difficult for him.
As she pondered this, the empress dowager looked at Yan Wan with a look that was more playful and profound.
"I am ignorant and don't understand what your Majesty means."
Yan Wan took a deep breath, forced herself to suppress the panic and anger in her heart, put on a humble and submissive smile on her face again, and calmly practiced Tai Chi with the Queen Mother, trying to gently move on from the topic.
The Queen Mother didn't buy it. A cold smile appeared on the corner of her mouth, and her voice rose slightly.
"Hmph, don't play dumb in front of me. It seems that eunuch has been taking good care of you these years, and even now, when it comes to such a matter as the Emperor's life and death, you still remember his kindness and protect him, unwilling to let go..."
"But I have chosen to go against your wishes. This eunuch must be killed today. Not to mention the countless shameful things he has done in the past, running amok between you and the Emperor. Just the fact that he is currently serving his master with indifference, causing the Emperor to fall into this dangerous situation, is enough to punish him with death more than ten times."
"He's been at your beck and call, and you know all about his shady methods and dirty deeds. Think carefully. If these things were ever revealed, not only would your position as empress be in jeopardy, but even your life would be in jeopardy. Some people in this world are destined to share your hardships, but not your wealth. Imperial Concubine, I've always thought you were a wise person..."
The Queen Mother's face gradually grew gloomy.
Her words were meant as a reminder to Yan Wan from her own experience.
The supreme throne of the queen is now within reach, but the "old dust" that she has accumulated along the way to this point is not worthy of such a noble position.
Now that you have decided to reach the top, you should cut off all the past memories completely without leaving a trace.
Things and people that should not be there must be let go.
Otherwise, even the slightest mistake will lead to eternal damnation.
Yan Wan turned a deaf ear to him, completely ignoring the pressure that permeated her body. Her chin was slightly raised, and her eyes revealed an almost paranoid determination.
She met the Queen Mother's sharp, all-seeing gaze straight ahead, without moving for a moment, then she opened her lips slightly and spoke word by word.
"I am deeply grateful for the Empress Dowager's thoughtful reminder. My mind is as clear as a mirror. However, he..."
Having said this, Yan Wan paused slightly, her eyes softened unconsciously, and she spoke with almost certainty and piety.
"He is a man close to me, loyal and devoted for many years, following me through thick and thin. In this palace, if I do not agree, no matter who he is, even the king of heaven will not dare to touch him."
After saying this, Yan Wan revealed a bit of cruelty.
He revealed his true face that he had hidden all those years in front of the Queen Mother without any care.