Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 230 Ruthless to the Extreme

Emperor Chongzhao hurriedly entered the Cixi Palace, just in time to hear the sound of the Empress Dowager smashing a teacup.

Inside the palace, all the maids bowed their heads and retreated to the corridor, except for Lady Cui, who knelt on the ground, wiping the tea on the gold bricks with a silk handkerchief.

"Mother, please calm down." Emperor Chongzhao stepped forward quickly, supported the Empress Dowager's trembling arm, and coaxed her gently.

"If you're not feeling well, you should rest and recuperate. Why get so angry?"

Empress Dowager Chengqing leaned against the cushion, panting heavily, her pale lips covered with a handkerchief.

“The Prince of Duan actually imprisoned the Prince of Wei to interrogate him. Brothers have turned against each other like this. How can I rest in peace? And how can I face our ancestors after I pass away…”

"Your Majesty, I have already sent people to thoroughly investigate this matter, and there will surely be justice."

"Fairness?" The Empress Dowager stared at the deep wrinkles between Emperor Chongzhao's brows and suddenly sneered.

"Over the years, one scandal after another has plagued the royal family. The princes have been fighting openly and secretly, and the princesses have been selling official positions. Where is justice? Ping Le has colluded with powerful ministers, turning the court into a chaotic mess, and you still protect her and condone her every move. Do you really think I'm blind?"

Seeing the Emperor Chongzhao's embarrassed expression, she softened her voice.

"Whether Ping Le acts recklessly or seizes power and amasses wealth, I'm too lazy to interfere as long as you intend to protect her. But if she dares to touch the Prince of Wei, I can no longer sit idly by..."

Emperor Chongzhao looked at her face, contorted with anger, and remained silent.

Empress Dowager Chengqing suddenly trembled, grabbed her sleeve, and began to wipe away her tears.

"King Wei has been orphaned since childhood, and the entire court has bullied him because his maternal family is helpless, never taking him seriously. I have endured this for so many years, not hoping for him to achieve great things, but only wishing for him to live a peaceful life. But this time, Ping An has blatantly bullied him. Isn't this a slap in my face? I am still alive! There are still people from his maternal family who are not dead!"

"Mother, please calm down..." Emperor Chongzhao saw that his mother was furious, so he immediately took her hand and bowed down to apologize.

"Your son would never dare to slack off, but there are still some strange things about this matter. We will wait until we find out the truth and give Mother an explanation."

"I don't want to hear empty words. The Queen Mother of the Prince of Wei died young, and I personally raised her to be my son. For Ping Le to dare to use him to fill a fire pit is to ride on my neck and act wildly!"

Emperor Chongzhao pursed his lips.

Before she could speak, Empress Dowager Chengqing abruptly pulled her hand back, coughed violently, pounded her chest, trembled all over, and her eyes filled with turbid tears.

"Back then, to protect you, I served the late Empress tea and water, worked like a slave, and raised you, enduring countless hardships... If it weren't for your maternal grandparents' family giving away their entire fortune and risking their lives, how could we be where we are today..."

She cried so hard she could barely breathe.

"Everyone says that the Wei King's maternal clan is weak, but why is he weak? Your Majesty! How can you forget that to ensure your ascension to the throne, sixteen loyal and brave men from your maternal grandfather's family donned armor and went to war, dying on the battlefield!"

Emperor Chongzhao listened with a frown, feeling utterly overwhelmed.

The Empress Dowager always maintained her dignity and would not easily bring up old, trivial matters unless she was forced into a corner.

Everyone here is a sensible person. The Empress Dowager is using past favors to pressure him, reminding him not to forget his roots and to avoid disrespecting the King of Wei.

Over the years, Ping Le, relying on the emperor's favor, has acted erratically and arrogantly, which the Empress Dowager has all seen and has long been seething with anger. However, she has endured it for many years without saying a word, nor has she rashly intervened and tore apart the royal family's dignity.

Emperor Chongzhao looked at his elderly mother's tears, raised his hand, and pressed his brow.

"Mother, please don't worry. Prince Wei is also my own son. How could I not love him?"

At this point, Emperor Chongzhao let out a long sigh.

"But this time he really went too far. Putting aside the fact that Lady Xue is a concubine of Prince Duan, his trespassing into the Ministry of Justice prison is a serious crime of contempt for the law. If he is not dealt with impartially, it will be difficult to silence the public opinion in the court..."

"Stop trying to intimidate me with the imperial authority! Over the years, you have done your fair share of protecting and indulging Ping Le, exonerating her from her crimes."

The Empress Dowager suddenly sneered, pointed at his nose, and said sternly, "Consort Xiao has just passed away, and she dares to keep male concubines and indulge in debauchery in her residence. You, as her father, turn a blind eye to this? Do you think I am blind?"

"Empress Dowager, Empress Dowager, you are my own mother." Emperor Chongzhao pressed down on Empress Dowager Chengqing, who was trembling with excitement. His temples were throbbing, and he had to comfort her in a low voice.

"I assure you, once the truth comes out, I will punish her severely and seek justice for Prince Wei..."

The Empress Dowager sneered, "Then how does the Emperor intend to punish him? I've heard that Lu Jing and Lu Kefu jointly impeached him for committing over a dozen serious crimes... If the Emperor still intends to downplay this and cover it up, he will surely chill the hearts of the people..."

Emperor Chongzhao frowned and said, "Mother, Ping Le is also your granddaughter. No matter how willful and reckless she is, how could she possibly collude with the enemy to kill her mother..."

"I never said she colluded with the enemy and murdered her mother!" The Empress Dowager suddenly stared at the "Teaching Children" painting hanging on the wall, gave a heavy snort, and her face turned extremely pale. "It's just that this princess has been spoiled by the Emperor. Today she can use the Prince of Wei as a shield for her own selfish reasons. Who can guarantee that she won't turn against the Emperor and me in the future..."

The painting "Teaching the Son" on the wall was personally painted by the late emperor.

Emperor Chongzhao was startled and immediately stood up, straightened his robes, and bowed respectfully.

"Your son understands Mother's good intentions. When I return today, I will certainly give Ping Le a warning..."

"Emperor, oh Emperor!" Empress Dowager Chengqing sighed softly, "Do you know that I want to warn Ping Le, and even more so you—don't let the strife between brothers destroy the foundation of our ancestors."

"It is your unfilial son's fault... He cannot bring peace to the royal family, nor can he stabilize the court, and he has caused his mother so much worry..."

Empress Dowager Chengqing choked slightly, then suddenly grasped Emperor Chongzhao's hand.

"Your Majesty, I am old and do not wish to see my grandsons kill each other. Please do not make any more mistakes."

Emperor Chongzhao looked down and saw the white hair at the Empress Dowager's temples.

“Your Majesty’s teachings are correct. Your son will certainly uphold justice and remain impartial.”

Empress Dowager Chengqing sighed and shook her head. "A decisive action is necessary! We must cut the Gordian knot and eliminate any future troubles as soon as possible... We must not let our carefully cultivated princes sever their brotherly bonds over a woman..."

Emperor Chongzhao looked up, somewhat confused.

"What does Mother mean?"

Empress Dowager Chengqing glanced at him, a cold glint flashing in her eyes.

"I know you're in a difficult position, so you don't need to intervene. As for Ping Le, I'll send a supervising matron tomorrow to discipline her strictly; I believe that will make her more restrained. The real problem right now is that little Xue Shi..."

The hall remained silent for a long while.

She suddenly focused her gaze, and said meaningfully:
"Some say she emerged from the old mausoleum, carrying the resentment of two hundred thousand skeletons. I didn't believe it at first, but since her return to the capital, has the court ever been peaceful? At the Hundred Flowers Banquet, the princess suffered a hysteria, and the crown prince was poisoned. On my birthday, old cases were unearthed, and disputes arose constantly. At the Mid-Autumn Festival Banquet, Consort Xiao died suddenly, Lady Lu died tragically, and... the crown prince lost his temper in public because of her, Prince Duan's brothers turned against each other because of her, and now even Prince Wei has been dragged into this mess..."

Emperor Chongzhao was stunned. "Mother Empress Dowager, you mean..."

"This young Lady Xue cannot be allowed to live!" The Empress Dowager stared at him intently, her expression grim.

"Regardless of her connection to those old acquaintances from the old mausoleum, she's a potential source of trouble in the palace. The longer she stays, the more complications may arise; it's better to eliminate her sooner rather than later. Besides—"

She paused, her voice even lower, "Right now, scandals are rampant in the inner court. The cases of Consort Xiao and Lady Lu remain unresolved, causing widespread panic. If we don't silence the gossip quickly, the court will surely descend into chaos! Do you really intend to have several princes kill each other for her sake, or to have Princess Ping Le bear the blame for her mother's murder?"

A cool breeze suddenly rose in the hall, causing the gauze curtains to rustle softly.

Emperor Chongzhao looked at the Empress Dowager's wrinkled face and nodded after a moment.

"What Mother says is... right."

"I am not heartless, but I am thinking of the country and its people. Keeping this little Xue woman around would only bring trouble."

The Empress Dowager sighed, her expression resolute.

"If I have mistakenly killed her, then let it be that she was born at the wrong time and her life was destined to end! If the Bodhisattva punishes me for this, I will go to the Yellow Springs to atone for my sins!"
-
The next day, at the beginning of the Shen hour.

The candlelight in the East Palace study flickered erratically, whipped by the north wind.

It was only September, but the weather was already freezing cold. Li Zhao, wearing a black sable fur coat, sat upright by the stove where tea was being brewed, oblivious to the tea splashes wetting his sleeves.

Mei Ruhui coughed lightly.

"Your Highness need not worry, Miss Xue is safe and sound."

Li Zhaoyuan wanted to give the "credit" to Prince Duan, and did not intervene in the rescue. He simply sent someone to inform Prince Duan and then watched coldly from the sidelines.

Without losing a single soldier, they resolved the predicament, saving lives and weakening their opponents, thus reaping the benefits without lifting a finger.

But at this moment, the atmosphere in the Eastern Palace was as heavy as iron, and everyone was extremely tense.

Empress Dowager Chengqing was furious about the imprisonment of Prince Wei and vented her anger on the emperor, making the matter known to everyone inside and outside the palace.

Royal scandals are always a source of great interest.

It was a good thing for the Crown Prince to ride a donkey to watch a play, but Night Owl just came in to report a strange event.

"This afternoon, the Empress Dowager summoned Wang Bo'an, a former official of the Imperial Medical Academy, to the Ci'an Hall. She dismissed everyone else and forbade anyone to approach. They talked for a full hour in the inner hall."

“Wang Bo’an?” Mei Ruhui stroked his beard, his brows furrowed.

"Your Majesty, I remember this man is most skilled at concocting unorthodox and unusual remedies. Back when the Empress Dowager was still the late Emperor's Consort Liang, Wang Bo'an was in charge of the Imperial Pharmacy... After Your Majesty ascended the throne, he retired to his hometown. The Empress Dowager's sudden summons of him is rather strange..."

Li Zhao did not remain silent.

The owl nodded.

Mei Ruhui's ancestors for three generations were all strategists, with extensive knowledge and a keen eye for detail.

"This Imperial Physician Wang is a master of medicine. He has a unique, forbidden formula called 'Snow-in-Dryness,' which, when it takes effect, is no different from a cold, but can erode the heart meridian within seven days..."

Li Zhao suddenly looked up, his voice icy, "What is meant by 'withered in the snow'?"

Mei Ruhui shook his head. "This formula is a forbidden technique in the palace, and it is not recorded in any medical books. I have no idea about it either. I only heard my father mention it in casual conversation many years ago. Back then, one of the late emperor's favorite concubines died suddenly, and her three thousand black hairs turned white overnight. Some people suspected that it was related to this formula..."

After saying this, he was still suspicious, looking at the crown prince and speaking each word carefully.

"Could it be that the Empress Dowager is unwell?"

“No, that’s not right.” Li Zhao suddenly stood up and strode to the table.

On the desk was a map of the layout of the Ministry of Justice prison.

His chilling gaze was fixed on a small circle marked with vermilion...

That's where Xue Sui is being held.

Xue Sui: Old ginger is spicier...

Li Zhao: It's alright, the smaller ones taste even better. You can boil them, mix them, eat them horizontally, or vertically...

Xue Sui: ? ? ?