Chapter 41: A Visit

Chapter 41: A Visit

At the same time.

Inside Chongyang Mansion, in Chongyang Fang.

Hearing the news, Chongyang Grand Princess bursts into laughter in the courtyard, thrilled and clapping excitedly. "My second sister always keeps a low profile, but when she shows her true colors, she's daring! I always knew we sisters couldn't be so different, she's the outlier."

As she speaks, she doesn't care about the darkening face of her consort, Cui Xing, a top scholar and currently an assistant teacher at the Imperial College, holding the rank of a regular sixth-grade official.

Her words are clearly meant for Cui Xing, who looks even more displeased, but she finds it amusing and sarcastically comments while staring at him, “I think, my second sister is truly extraordinary, a real model for all the princesses of our dynasty, worthy of our learning.”

Consort Cui Xing looks up to meet Chongyang’s blatantly mocking gaze. Thinking of what Xiangyang Princess did, he feels a chill down his spine. He wants to argue but refrains, fearing it would amuse her more. He coughs softly and gently coaxes, "Chongyang, you're fine as you are, no need to imitate others."

Chongyang scoffs dismissively, tilting her head and casting a sideways glance at Cui Xing, “And who was it that recently said my brother's admonitions were quite sensible?”

Without waiting for Cui Xing's explanation, she huffs loudly and runs off.

"Chongyang, where are you going?" Cui Xing quickly stands and calls out.

“I’m off to the Jingzhao Prefecture to bolster Sister Xiangyang’s courage.”

“Remember, your brother said you shouldn’t go out these days.”

“Brother said not to meddle in Deng’s affairs, not that I can’t visit my sister. I'm off!” Chongyang is a whirlwind of energy, not looking back as she dashes out of the mansion.

Chongyang Grand Princess rushes to the Jingzhao Prefecture office, only to find Xiangyang Princess had already been summoned to the Dali Temple by the Prefecture Magistrate. Dali Temple's Junior Minister Qiu Yuyang, following imperial orders, took over the case, adjudicated the severance of relations, and immediately issued the decree. Xiangyang Princess, with the official document in hand, leaves the Dali Temple office and at the entrance, runs into her former mother-in-law, Grand Princess Xindu, who had come after hearing the news.

Seeing an enemy makes one's blood boil.

At this moment, Princess Xin Duolong resents Princess Xiangyang deeply, wishing her immediate death. She never expected Xiangyang to be such a vicious woman. When her son was exiled, she had thought of sending Xiangyang with him, never imagining Xiangyang would commit such heinous acts. She regrets not seeing Xiangyang's true nature all these years.

Remembering years of repression, Princess Xiangyang no longer showed her usual respect. Facing her own guilt, she adopted a reckless attitude, venting her anger first. The aunt and niece ended up fighting on the spot, involving their accompanying guards and shamelessly coming to blows themselves.

It was at this moment that Princess Chongyang arrived.

Observing the chaotic and wild fight, her eyes shining with excitement, the Grand Princess Chongyang immediately jumped down from her sedan chair and joined the fray, naturally siding with her sister, the Xiangyang Princess. She preferred this version of her sister, who was no longer upheld as a model of female etiquette and saintliness, a standard that made the other princesses seem lacking.

It was almost infuriating for them.

"Arrogant and domineering, jealous and unvirtuous – so what? As imperial daughters, don’t we even have this right?" This was the founding Grand Princess’s original sentiment.

The sight of three princesses brawling in the streets shocked the patrolling marquises and guards, who hastily avoided the scene. Even the Imperial Guards dared not intervene. Eventually, because the incident occurred in front of the Ministry of Justice, its Junior Minister, Qiu Yuyang, personally stepped in to stop the brawl. Known for his fearlessness towards the powerful, he arrested all the attendants and soldiers accompanying the princesses for public brawling, disrespecting the authorities, and disturbing the peace.

All three princesses were detained, and Chongyang failed in her attempt to escape.

Princesses fighting in the streets was not unusual in the dynasty, recurring every few years, but being detained by the officials and taken to the Ministry of Justice was a disgraceful and demeaning event.

When the incident was reported to the Emperor, he couldn't help but laugh.

Just moments ago, the ministers were vehemently criticizing the Xiangyang Princess’s actions before him, insisting on severe punishment to set an example. The censors from the Censorate gathered at the ministers' office near the Hanyuan Hall, submitting petitions. Students from the Imperial Academy were even more fervently demanding justice.

Amid this tumultuous situation, almost igniting a wildfire.

They still couldn’t stay out of trouble.

The Emperor was about to decree legal proceedings when he suddenly asked, "Why is Chongyang involved in this?"

Qiu Yuyang replied, "Grand Princess Chongyang arrived later to assist the Xiangyang Princess."

"Nonsense," cursed the Emperor, pondering for a moment, "Proceed according to the law in all cases. As for Chongyang, she was just joining the fray. Release her, but her attendants should be punished according to the law, as a lesson for her."

"Yes," responded Qiu Yuyang.

The Emperor was pleased with Qiu Yuyang's decisiveness and his ability to control the situation promptly, not intimidated by the status of princesses, unlike Fan Ning and former Minister Yan Zhou, who shirked responsibilities.

After Qiu Yuyang left, the Emperor summoned Xing En to visit Fengyi Palace, instructing him to inform Empress Liu about the incident. He requested the Empress to send someone to sternly reprimand Chongyang and to draft a decree on the Xiangyang Princess's actions and the princesses' brawl. He also asked for a meeting with all princesses in the palace for reprimand and to enhance the education of unmarried princesses.

He didn't expect the princesses to be models of feminine virtue for the dynasty, but at the very least, they should not cause such uproariously disruptive incidents.

What Xiangyang did made all men shudder, and that's why everyone was so collectively outraged.

After Xing En left, Steward Zhang tiptoed in.

Even so, the emperor frowned and asked, "Who has come this time?" He thought that since opening his eyes in the morning, his Hall of Diligent Governance had been incessantly busy. For the first time, he felt that the name was a mistake; having "Diligent" in its name made it so busy.

"Your Majesty, it is Zhao Wang, the Minister of the Clan Affairs Department."

Hearing the title 'Prince Zhao', the Emperor felt a sense of urgency, perking up. "Serve me a bowl of tea first, then invite him in."

The current Prince Zhao, Zhang Yao, belonged to the same generation as the Emperor's great-grandfather and was the only adult prince allowed to reside in the capital since the founding of the dynasty. He held the hereditary position of the Head of the Ancestral Temple, with the crucial role of overseeing it, largely because they held an imperial edict from the great ancestor granting them supervisory authority.

Hence, since the reign of Emperor Taizong, each generation of Prince Zhao had been held in high esteem.

The current Prince Zhao, well into his advanced years, commanded respect both for his age and seniority. The Emperor himself stood up to welcome him, assisting him without allowing him to bow, then offered him a seat and smiled, "What brings Uncle to visit today?"

"I have something to report to Your Majesty alone. Please dismiss the others," said Prince Zhao Zhang Yao, a thin and tall elderly man with white hair and beard, leaning on a dragon-headed cane bestowed by the late Emperor, his voice carrying a note of severity.

The Emperor personally served him tea, then looking at Zhang Zhongguo and the four attendants in the hall, gestured, "All of you leave. Zhang Zhongguo, stay outside the corridor, and let no one approach Qinzheng Hall without my decree."

"Understood."

Zhang Zhongguo quickly led the four attendants out, clearing the area outside and standing guard himself. Prince Zhao's visits always carried an air of secrecy, and whenever he came to see the Emperor, someone was bound to be unfortunate.

Inside Qinzheng Hall.

The Emperor laughed lightly at Prince Zhao's words, shaking his head in denial, "Impossible. In the palace, only I and the Empress know that a consort's son, if made Crown Prince, must result in the mother's death. As for the others, Deng Shuren is mad, Wei Shuren is confined. If not for their pregnancies, they would have been executed. How could Lady Zhu possibly know this?"

"Even if so, someone must have told her, right?"

The Emperor countered, continuing, "I wouldn't say it, and neither would the Empress. As for Deng and Wei, they were dealt with as soon as they were discovered, then moved out of the palace. They had no chance to spread the word. How could Lady Zhu know?"

"Uncle, don't take any hearsay seriously. I've recently dealt with many in the court and the inner palace. Perhaps someone is intentionally slandering."

Hearing this, Prince Zhao, tugging at his goat beard, retorted urgently, "But the information I received came from the Empress Dowager."

"Uncle Emperor, can you actually believe the words of a Dowager Empress who plotted against her own sons? Moreover, the fact that Consort Deng and Consort Wei knew this secret implicates her. She has already caused the deaths of both the eldest and third princes. Who's to say she isn't plotting against the fourth prince?" The Emperor's face visibly chilled, his tone carrying a hint of interrogation.

"Your Majesty, is there some misunderstanding? The Dowager Empress is not such a person. She simply values rules and is dedicated to upholding ancestral decrees. Besides, this secret has been kept for a century under the principle of 'better to kill three thousand by mistake than to let one go.' Currently, there is no Crown Prince, and the Fourth Prince is Your Majesty's eldest and healthy son, very much favored by you. Perhaps he could be established as the heir apparent soon to settle people's hearts. Regardless of whether Lady Zhu knew or not, her death would be justified."

Hearing this, the Emperor felt a surge of immense anger, barely restraining himself while staring at the dragon-head cane in Prince Zhao's hand. He reminded gently, "I appreciate Uncle Emperor's concern, but I am still young, and the Fourth Prince is too. There's no rush to establish a Crown Prince right now."

Then, changing his tone to a more authoritative one, "Uncle Emperor, I respect you as a senior member of the royal family, but I hope you won't believe in rumors. As the Emperor, I will naturally uphold our ancestral rules. Rather than trusting the Dowager Empress, you should believe in me. After all, she will soon no longer be the Dowager Empress."

"What? What's going on?"

Prince Zhao, startled by this revelation, forgot about advising the Emperor to appoint a Crown Prince early. He stood up in shock, exclaiming, "Your Majesty, the Dowager Empress is your birth mother, the late Emperor's Empress. How can you depose her? That would be a great act of filial impiety. If you do this, how can you..."

The Emperor, lacking patience for a lecture, having heard enough from Xie Wu recently, interrupted, "It's not my decision to depose the Dowager Empress. I am merely executing the late Emperor's will. The late Emperor left a secret decree with the Director of Chancellery, Xie Wu. Now that the Deng family's plot to rebel has been uncovered, how can the Dowager Empress remain as the mother of the nation?"

Prince Zhao was reluctant to believe it.

The Emperor didn't give him the opportunity to evade, clarifying directly, "Uncle Emperor can confirm with the Director of Chancellery, Xie Wu, or check the records in the Tianlu Pavilion."

He didn't want to delay any longer.

The meditation room in Xiangguo Temple had been sealed for over ten days. According to Yang Xin's report, the Dowager Empress was already on her deathbed. He had to make the secret decree public before her death. If Xie Wu was unwilling, then let Prince Zhao do it. Prince Zhao, having served through four reigns and respected for his virtue and influence among the courtiers and royal family, was a suitable person to handle this.

With the Dowager Empress deposed and then dying, there would be no need for mourning, sparing him, the courtiers, and the people from the obligation.

Author's Note:

Today's update will be after 9 PM, except for correcting typos at other times.