Huangming

Chapter 16 The sun and moon are not in cahoots; things are different now.

September 2nd.

The Qianqing Palace was closed.

Li Jinzhong, accompanied by several capable subordinates, stood outside the Qianqing Palace.

The eunuch in charge of the Directorate of Ceremonial had a face even paler than the white powder on the palace walls, and his cheeks were flushed with a sickly redness from days of lack of sleep.

"What an ungrateful wretch!" He muttered a curse, but then glanced warily toward the palace gate and swallowed the rest of his sentence, "Does she really think she's the Empress?"

"Godfather, should we force our way into the Qianqing Palace?" The little eunuch behind him asked with a fierce look in his eyes.

slap~
Li Jinzhong slapped him across the face, the sound crisp and clear.

"What kind of place is the Qianqing Palace? How dare you barge in?"

Li Jinzhong was very good at reading people's expressions. He learned from Wei Chao that when the Wenhua Hall was in session yesterday, someone had petitioned to expel Consort Li from the Qianqing Palace, but the successor emperor refused.

Expelling them won't work; we can only try to persuade them to come.

The heir did not want to bear the stigma of being unfilial.

Since that's the case, Li Jinzhong naturally can't force his way into the Qianqing Palace.

Otherwise, even if he drove Consort Li out of the Qianqing Palace, Li Jinzhong would not have made any contribution and would instead be blamed by the successor.

This is definitely not the situation he wanted to see.

"But Lady Xi Li won't even open the palace gates, how can we invite her?" the little eunuch asked cautiously, covering his face.

"Then let's find a way to get her to open the door!"

Li Jinzhong's eyes lit up, as if he had thought of something, and he asked the eunuch beside him, "From last night to today, has Consort Xi Li sent anyone out?"

The eunuch on night duty nodded and said, "We sent someone to Cining Palace last night."

Cining Palace?
Isn't that where Consort Zheng is located?

Li Jinzhong grinned and immediately sneered, "I wondered what it was! It turns out that Consort Li is also an indecisive person. She sent someone to ask the noble lady of Cining Palace. In that case, I have an idea!"

As long as we can get Consort Li out of the room and save face for the heir apparent, that's fine.

As for the methods used, they were unscrupulous and unscrupulous.

now.

In the Palace of Qianqing.

Consort Li's black hair was disheveled like withered vines and tangled hemp, and the makeup on her face was eroded into deep grooves by tears and snot.

She was stunningly beautiful, and now that she was a widow, she seemed even more delicate and fragile.

Consort Li wept day and night, and now she is sobbing silently.

Beside her stood a little girl of six or seven years old, dressed in a light pink palace dress. Seeing her mother in such a state, she looked worried but seemed unsure of what to do. She could only bite her fingers and gently pat Li Xuanshi's back, as if telling her mother not to be too sad.

"Princess, go and rest."

Li Xuanshi's personal maid stepped forward and pulled Princess Zhu Huiti along.

Just then, a palace servant came to report.

"Your Majesty, the Imperial Concubine Cining requests an audience."

Consort Li was stunned upon hearing this.

"She invited me to an audience when the messenger I sent didn't reply?"

Consort Li's eyes flickered, but she slowly got up. However, perhaps because she had been lying down for a long time, she staggered as she stood up and almost fell down again.

The current situation is very unfavorable to her.

Crown Prince Zhu Youxiao has escaped her control.

She didn't even become an Imperial Noble Consort, let alone an Empress.

How could she be willing to do this?
Now they are thinking of using Zhu Changluo's remains to blackmail the successor.

but.
She had no idea how useful it would be.

After all, if the heir were to turn against her, a corpse could not protect her, nor could it serve as her support.

With that thought in mind, she steeled herself and said, "Change my clothes!"

Consort Zheng has been favored in the palace for many years. Given the current situation, perhaps we should ask her if there is any chance to salvage the situation.

A quarter of an hour later.

After getting dressed, Consort Li led a group of palace servants toward Cining Palace. The procession was grand, just like that of an empress.

Li Jinzhong hid in a corner, squinting as he watched Li Xuanshi leave. After she had gone far away, he waved to the people behind him.

Among the group, besides Li Jinzhong, there were also people from the Eastern Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard. At Li Jinzhong's call, they immediately rushed into the Qianqing Palace.

When the palace eunuchs and maids saw this, they tried to close the gate, but were blocked by a group of eunuchs. In a short while, Li Jinzhong took control of the situation in Qianqing Palace.

"Godfather, there is still the Eighth Princess in the palace."

Li Jinzhong immediately said, "Treat them well and don't upset them."

The eighth princess and the heir apparent grew up together, and Li Jinzhong dared not offend her.

If the relationship is bad, fine. But what if the relationship is good? If you offend him, will he get something good in return?

"In addition, go and report to His Highness that the Qianqing Palace is under control and that Consort Li has been moved to the Huiluan Palace."

That's right.

During the time that Consort Li was away at Cining Palace, Li Jinzhong was to help her move. All her staff were to be moved to Huiluan Palace, and all the guards at Qianqing Palace were to be replaced.

Although the methods were dishonorable, the goal was always achieved.

And it's respectable enough.

In that case, the heir should now know Li Jinzhong's capabilities, right?
Meanwhile, on the other side, Consort Li arrived at Cining Palace, travel-worn. As soon as she entered, Consort Zheng greeted her.

"Where have you come, ladies-in-waiting?"

When Consort Li arrived, Consort Zheng looked surprised.

"Didn't Her Majesty send someone to summon me here?"

Consort Zheng was stunned and said, "I did not send anyone to summon you."

Just then, several palace maids rushed in from behind Consort Li's large entourage. When Consort Li saw the three women's faces, her heart sank.

This is his most capable personal maid who stayed in Qianqing Palace. Why is she in such a hurry to come here now?
"My Lady, something terrible has happened!"

Consort Li's face turned as black as a pot, and she immediately asked, "What happened?"

The palace maid hurriedly said, "That Li Jinzhong forced his way into Qianqing Palace and drove us all to Huiluan Palace."

"what?"

Upon hearing this, Consort Li nearly fainted.

"How dare you, you eunuch!"

When Li Jinzhong was still in the Prince's residence, he had flattered her. Now that His Majesty has passed away, he has actually done such a treasonous thing.
"Let's go back to Qianqing Palace and see who dares to drive me away!"

As she spoke, Consort Li hurriedly tried to get into the sedan chair.

Consort Zheng, who was listening from the side, already knew what had happened.

She immediately stepped forward and said, "Please wait, ladies-in-waiting."

Although Consort Li was furious, Consort Zheng had suppressed her for a long time, and the palace had a strict hierarchy, so at this moment, she stopped in her tracks.

"Whatever Your Majesty says, this servant will listen attentively."

Consort Zheng said slowly from the side, "With the passing of the late Emperor, the Qianqing Palace should naturally be vacated; this is only natural."

Hearing this, Consort Li became somewhat indignant.

"Is Your Majesty also on the side of the eunuchs?"

Consort Zheng immediately retorted, "Who is behind that eunuch? Don't you know?"

Upon hearing this, Consort Li fell silent.

If it were just a day ago, she wouldn't have been in such a passive position.

With the late emperor's coffin beside her and the crown prince of the Ming Dynasty in her grasp, it wouldn't be impossible for her to become an empress dowager, ruling from behind the curtain, let alone hold the positions of imperial concubine or empress.

But all that is gone.

"I am the foster mother of the heir apparent. Does he intend to commit matricide?"

Consort Zheng immediately said, "Your Highness, be careful with your words. If you want the new emperor to recognize you as his mother, you must act like a mother. If you go to the Qianqing Palace to cause trouble, you will lose even the little affection you have left. The heir apparent is the sun of the Ming Dynasty. If you want to be the moon of the Ming Dynasty, how can you compete with the sun?"

The truth is this.

but.
Can she become the Moon of the Great Ming?

“I see that the heir is completely different from when he was still a prince. The maids can hardly see him anymore.”

Seeing that Consort Li had taken her seat, Consort Zheng patiently guided her from the side.

"He's just a young man. No matter how capable he is, he's still a man. Don't you know what men like?"

Consort Li naturally knew this.

But the thought of Zhu Youxiao, whom he used to boss around, now having to fawn over him made Li Xuanshi feel disgusted and uncomfortable.

Consort Zheng saw through Consort Li's thoughts and immediately said, "The past is the past. You couldn't see what kind of person the heir was when he was still a prince. Now that he's in power, you can only see a few of his claws. Do you know what has happened in the palace these past two days, Consort Li?"

What happened in the palace?
Consort Li shook her head and said, "Besides His Majesty's passing, what else is there?"

Consort Zheng sighed.

This foolish woman, with all her abilities, still thinks about fighting against the court officials and the heir apparent?

Even if she were to become Empress Dowager, she would still be killed by her own stupidity.

"In the Wenhua Hall, the successor emperor held the upper hand over the assembled officials. This morning, Wang An was dismissed by the successor emperor, who promoted Wei Chao, Wang Tiqian, and Li Jinzhong. Are you unaware of this?"

Consort Li stared in shock, her beautiful eyes wide and her cherry lips agape.

"That old man actually fell down?"

Inside the Qianqing Palace, the old eunuch was still his equal, but that was only for a day, and it's all in the past now.

One can imagine the shock Li Xuanshi felt.

"The heir is far more patient and powerful than you imagine. Going against him will never end well."

The moon does not contend with the sun.

After listening to Consort Zheng's words, Consort Li finally found her direction.

She bowed respectfully to Consort Zheng and said, "Your words have saved my life. If I could truly become the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, I would never forget Your Majesty's kindness."

Consort Zheng smiled warmly and said, "I only wish for a peaceful life. You are still young. In this world, it always belongs to the younger generation."

(End of this chapter)