Joy of Life: Starting by clinging to the eldest princess's coattails!

The main hall of Chang Le Palace was dimly lit.

The Empress Dowager has been sitting in the main seat of the rosewood chair for three days.

Three days ago, she received news that the emperor had taken action, killing swiftly and ruthlessly.

Kyoto, Guanzhong, Jiangnan... those aristocratic families who participated in killing Ye Qingmei, and the Empress's forces, were all among those to be purged.

These are all part of the plan.

It was something she and the emperor had planned long ago; those people had to die, only then could they give an explanation to Ye Qingmei's side.

But what she couldn't understand was... why were her people, her mother's clan, also on the list of those to be killed?

Those were the emperor's maternal uncle and nephew.

The Empress Dowager gripped the armrest tighter and tighter, her face expressionless, but her eyes were icy cold.

The current emperor is a stranger to her, so strange that it's as if she's never really known him. Or is it that once he sits on that throne, he's truly all alone?

For the past three days, she has been sitting here waiting, hoping the emperor will come and give her an explanation.

Now the emperor has arrived.

Footsteps could be heard outside the hall.

It's very light.

The Empress Dowager raised her eyes.

Emperor Qing and Eunuch Hou walked in.

He was dressed casually today, his face was frighteningly pale, like a piece of paper covered with too much powder, even his lips were bloodless.

Eunuch Hou closed the door.

Only four people remained in the main hall: Emperor Qing, Eunuch Hou, Hong Sixiang, and the Empress Dowager.

"Son greets Mother." Emperor Qing bowed, his voice relatively calm.

The Empress Dowager remained silent.

She stared at Emperor Qing's face for several breaths before suddenly standing up.

"What happened? Your Majesty..." Her voice trembled slightly, "Why...why do you look so pale?"

She quickly walked down the steps and came to Emperor Qing.

The closer you are, the clearer you can see.

His deathly pale face was genuine, and fine beads of cold sweat even appeared on his forehead, as if he were enduring immense pain.

The Empress Dowager reached out to help him up: "Sit down quickly."

Emperor Qing was helped by her to slowly sit down on the chair next to him, his movements somewhat sluggish.

"Mother..." He sighed deeply, his sigh filled with weariness, "I... fell for Ye Qingmei's scheme."

The Empress Dowager's heart tightened: "What scheme?"

"The cultivation technique she gave me... has a problem." Emperor Qing closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again, his eyes filled with darkness. "My meridians... are slowly breaking down. I've tried many methods, but none have been able to stop it."

The Empress Dowager's hand trembled violently.

"How could this happen..." Her voice was strained. "Didn't you say in your letter that you were just injured and nothing serious?"

Emperor Qing forced a smile, a smile more painful than a grimace: "I didn't know then. Now... I'm afraid my days are numbered."

He voiced his guess.

Ye Qingmei deliberately gave him a flawed cultivation technique, causing his meridians to shatter and him to die. This way, she could completely control the Qing Kingdom and have her unborn child inherit the throne.

"That vile woman! I will tear her to pieces!" The Empress Dowager spat out these words through gritted teeth, her eyes glaring fiercely towards the side hall.

After the anger came even greater panic.

If the emperor really dies, what will happen to her, the empress dowager?

She grabbed Emperor Qing's arm:

"Since things have come to this, why did you still kill your uncle and the others? If something really happens to you, who will help Chengqian? Are you relying on Chen Pingping and the others?"

Emperor Qing did not answer immediately.

He gestured to the eunuch beside him.

Eunuch Hou immediately took out a bright yellow imperial edict from his sleeve and bowed to hand it to the Empress Dowager.

"This is..." The Empress Dowager took it and unfolded it.

She was stunned after just one glance.

"The imperial edict establishing Chengqian as Emperor." Emperor Qing's voice was calm. "Mother, if your son is truly dead, then produce this imperial edict and establish Chengqian as Emperor. Let... Li Yunrui and Prince Jing jointly rule as regents."

"What?!" The Empress Dowager looked up abruptly. "To appoint Li Yunrui as regent?"

She could understand allowing Prince Jing to act as regent, as he was the emperor's younger brother and an elder member of the imperial clan.

But Li Yunrui... a princess, what right does she have?

She didn't ask why she wasn't allowed to be regent; she couldn't bring herself to ask such a foolish question.

If she were to become regent, the people left behind by Ye Qingmei would be the first to object.

"Prince Jing has no one else to rely on," Emperor Qing explained. "Ye Qingmei left behind too many people, and we can't kill them. Once she dies, only Li Yunrui... can keep those people in check."

The Empress Dowager opened her mouth, but the words stuck in her throat.

She wanted to ask, if that's the case, why did you still kill your uncle and nephew?

That's your own uncle!

Emperor Qing seemed to see through her thoughts and slowly said:

"The Surveillance Bureau... has traced it back to you, Mother. So Uncle and the others... must die."

"Otherwise, Chen Pingping won't submit, Fan Jian won't submit, the Ye family won't submit, and neither will the Jiangnan Navy, the Three Great Workshops, and so on."

"Only if my uncle and the others die will these people stop causing trouble."

The Empress Dowager understood everything.

The emperor is making arrangements for his funeral.

If he survives, the people he killed today will be an explanation to Ye Qingmei, and he will be able to consolidate power as planned.

But if he doesn't survive, this imperial edict and the deaths of these people will pave the way for Chengqian.

She paved the way with the lives of her mother's people.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Seven miles east of Kyoto lies the Qiwu Villa.

Wu Feng finally received Mei Gu's message by carrier pigeon.

He opened the thin piece of paper, unfolded it, and there were only three words on it: Chang Le Palace.

His eyes lit up, and he turned and strode into the inner courtyard.

Li Yunrui was sitting on the veranda reading a book. Her plain white skirt was spread out on a bamboo mat, and her long hair was loosely tied up. The bloody storm outside seemed to have no effect on her at all.

Hearing footsteps, she looked up.

"Your Highness, something has happened outside, I need to go out for a bit," Wu Feng said, bowing.

Li Yunrui looked at him for two seconds, then a faint smile curved her lips: "Go ahead."

I didn't ask a single question.

Wu Feng turned and left the villa, his figure quickly disappearing into the desolate mountains.

In the past three days, he had already prepared a coffin in the mountains and chosen a secluded and auspicious location.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Inside Chang Le Palace.

The emperor has already given most of his instructions.

The Empress Dowager's hand trembled as she held the imperial edict.

After a long pause, she asked in a hoarse voice, "And what about the Empress?"

"She will be permanently imprisoned in Weiyang Palace." Emperor Qing's voice was flat. "Chengqian cannot have a deposed mother, but she... cannot come out again either."

The Empress Dowager nodded, her mind a jumble of thoughts, filled with her son's words.

If the emperor dies, Chengqian will be enthroned as emperor.

But Chengqian was so young, so a member of the imperial clan had to act as regent to oversee the country.

Giving Li Yunrui power was to suppress the people left behind by Ye Qingmei.

The reason for having Prince Jing take charge was to keep Li Yunrui in check and to tell her that there were still members of the imperial clan and that she shouldn't have any improper thoughts.

Each step is interconnected, showing no favoritism, yet it is thorough.

"Mother," Emperor Qing looked at her with a complicated expression, "if your son... really can't make it through, then I'll have to trouble you from now on."

The Empress Dowager's eyes welled up with tears, and she turned her head away.

Emperor Qing said nothing more, turned around, and walked step by step out of the palace.

Eunuch Hou quickly followed.

The Empress Dowager sat alone in the empty hall, clutching the imperial edict in her hand. After a long while, she let out a long, silent sigh.

outside the temple.

Emperor Qing seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, but at the same time, a ruthless glint flashed in his eyes.