Chapter 43: Probing and Calculating

Chapter 43: Probing and Calculating

Inside the bedroom of Fengyi Palace.

Zhu Yan was slightly shocked to see Empress Liu sitting weakly on the bed. Empress Liu's face was exceptionally pale, and she looked exhausted and spiritless, lacking her usual confidence, composure, and steadiness. It was as if all her vigor had dissipated, leaving her listless.

Approaching, Zhu Yan led her son in paying their respects.

Empress Liu hurriedly extended her hand, calling out. Zhu Yan stepped forward, grasping Empress Liu's hand, "Your Highness, how did you suddenly fall ill?"

"The weather's been hot, and with so much going on recently, I've been too busy to take care of myself and ended up falling ill," Empress Liu said with a slight nasal tone, covered in a silk blanket, the room without any ice.

The latter part of her statement was indeed true.

The Empress was not only managing the harem but also dealing with recent court incidents, instructing princesses, and comforting noble ladies visiting the palace. She was indeed busy, a thorough person who took a hands-on approach in everything, dedicating herself wholeheartedly.

Zhu Yan, holding the Empress's hand cooler than her own, advised, "Nothing is more important than good health. No matter how busy you are, you must take care of yourself. Don't work yourself sick. The six bureaus of the Imperial Household Department and the Inner Officials are all awaiting your guidance."

The Twelve Bureaus are part of the inner court, assisting the Empress in managing the harem.

The Fourth Prince, Zhang Ji, felt hot since entering the room. Seeing his mother and Empress talking, he remained exceptionally quiet due to Zhu Yan's earlier instruction about the Empress being ill. Standing beside the bed, he finally spoke up, "Empress Mother, get well soon, or you'll have to drink bitter medicine like Mother."

Empress Liu turned her head and saw Zhang Ji's concerned eyes, his little nose wrinkling at the mention of medicine, as if he were the one to drink it. Noticing sweat on his forehead, she lovingly stroked his head, feeling his warmth and realizing the room was too hot.

She was ill, and there was no ice in the room, while Zhu Yan, usually frail and cold-sensitive, did not mind the heat.

"Look at you, all sweaty. Tian Tian, go play in the main hall. It's not good for you to catch the Empress's illness," she said.

"I won't go. I'm strong and won't get sick. I want to stay here and keep the Empress company," Zhang Ji insisted, clinging to Empress Liu's arm.

Touched, Empress Liu looked at Zhu Yan, "Take him away."

Zhu Yan agreed immediately, feeling guilty for forgetting children are more susceptible to heat. "Tian Tian, be good and go play outside with Zhong Fumu and Pingle. There are ice basins outside, it's cooler there."

Empress Liu wiped the sweat from Zhang Ji's forehead, "I've prepared your favorite candied fruits and new Ai grass dolls for the Dragon Boat Festival. Ask Liu Gu to get them for you."

At the mention of candied fruits, Zhang Ji's eyes lit up, but he looked up at his mother, calling out to her in a sweet, elongated tone.

Zhu Yan couldn't help but touch her forehead, wondering why her son had such a sweet tooth. She once saw a young child with cone-shaped teeth due to excessive sugar and was mindful of controlling her son's candy intake for the sake of his teeth.

"You can have one small plate, and remember to rinse your mouth afterward," she relented, knowing the candy's sweetness came mostly from malt sugar.

"It's really nice, Auntie. Tian Tian likes you the most."

Empress Liu, seeing Ajie's cheerful demeanor, teased him, "I remember, Tian Tian, you said you liked Mother the most, didn't you?"

"I like Mother the most, and I also like Auntie the most," Zhang Ji replied without any burden.

"Alright, alright, go on out," Zhu Yan laughed, somewhat exasperatedly waving her hands, then said to the Empress, "Your Highness, don't be fooled by him. This boy, when he's happy, tells everyone they are his favorite. He's only left with a sweet mouth."

"It's good to have a sweet mouth, especially for children. Like our Tian Tian, he's lovable wherever he goes," Empress Liu said with a faint smile on her pale face. Among the children in the harem, she favored Ajie the most, partly because of Zhu Yan and the Emperor, but mostly because Ajie was sweet-talking, brave, and not distant with her, unlike other imperial children who were too respectful and lacked closeness.

Even the Third Princess, whom she had raised, always kept a distance.

She was always timid and overly cautious.

Initially, Empress Liu felt pity for the Third Princess, suddenly facing such a drastic change. But as Consort Wei's return became impossible, the Third Princess grew more timid. Facing Empress Liu, she became stiff, exhausting the Empress to the point of being questioned by the Emperor. Liu then had to assign two additional nursemaids and chose four playmates of similar age for her, setting up a separate residence to ensure her comfort, and even exempted her from attending meals with the Empress to avoid discomfort.

Zhu Yan watched her son leave, then turned back to the Empress with a sense of helplessness, "Your Highness, please don't praise him too much. His boldness is growing, and no one in the palace is as daring as he is."

"Tian Tian's boldness is not something I encouraged. It's the Emperor who's responsible for that," said Empress Liu, patting Zhu Yan's hand. "He's the last one you need to worry about."

Zhu Yan mentioned, feeling a headache, "I'm just taking advantage of his young age to keep him under control."

"With filial piety governing the dynasty, you are his birth mother, and there's no need to worry about controlling him. Tian Tian is clearly a filial and good child."

"I hope it's as you say, Your Highness. Since you're Tian Tian's birth mother and have always been most fond of him, his filial piety also owes to you," Zhu Yan said, instantly realizing her mistake in mentioning 'birth mother.'

Before she could explain, Empress Liu sighed and asked, "Ayan, do you know? The Dowager Empress was deposed to commoner status and passed away the night before last."

"I heard about it last night," Zhu Yan said in a muted voice. She had decided not to bring up the topic when she first saw the Empress, not expecting her to mention it herself.

Empress Liu was not surprised, "In our dynasty's history, there has never been a case of deposing an Empress until the Dowager Empress. She was a successor Empress, chosen by Empress Dowager Zhuang Su, and served diligently in the late Emperor's palace for fifteen years, only to end up deposed and without a proper burial, merely buried under a mat of grass."

Zhu Yan felt Empress Liu's grip tighten, sensing her fear and panic. She calmed herself and reassured, "Your Highness, you are the central Empress, chosen by the late Emperor, his legitimate wife. There's no need to worry."

"As Your Highness said yourself, there has never been a case of deposing an Empress in the first five generations of our dynasty. The Dowager Empress is the first. Although I am unaware of her transgressions, as long as Your Highness avoids the mistakes the Dowager Empress made, you will not end up like her," Zhu Yan further advised.

In our dynasty, there has never been a precedent of deposing an Empress who bore no children. Since the founding, the focus has been on preventing external relatives from usurping power and maternal interference in politics. Thus, the only valid reason for the Dowager Empress's deposition would be her aspirations for power, posing a threat to imperial authority.

"As the Zhou rites state, the Heaven and Earth represent Yin and Yang. The Emperor manages Yang, the Empress governs Yin virtues, oversees the six palaces, manages the inner court affairs, assists the Emperor, and serves as the mother of the nation. Your Highness has always been known for your virtue. As long as you do not follow the Dowager Empress's path, you can emulate Empress Ma of Emperor Gaozong's reign, earning a good reputation both in life and after death."

Empress Liu seemed to be struck by this, as if reminded. Before the Dowager Empress's deposition, she had always considered Empress Ma, Emperor Gaozong's successor, as her role model. The deposition of the Dowager Empress had scared her, realizing that even an Empress could be deposed, "Ayan, do you really think I can do it?"

"Of course, Your Highness can. The Empress is crucial to the foundation of the state. We cannot speak lightly of deposition." Zhu Yan stated firmly, sensing that her hesitation might lead to the Empress's breakdown.

"Ayan, thank you," Empress Liu gratefully embraced Zhu Yan's shoulder.

Zhu Yan, observing Empress Liu's reaction, belatedly realized the reason for her actions. Apart from the Dowager Empress's deposition and death, a more crucial factor was an unpredictable Emperor. No one knew what he might do.

And at the moment, in the harem, she could influence the Emperor.

Thus, Empress Liu was testing her.

Zhu Yan never aspired to the queen's position, but the queen still didn't trust her. More accurately, Empress Liu didn't trust the emperor.

Zhu Yan patted Empress Liu's back, suddenly feeling an urge to escape from this place.

She disliked such scheming.

Just then, hearing footsteps, Zhu Yan was about to turn around when Empress Liu reacted faster, lying back against the pillows at the head of the bed.

The visitor was Aunt Liu.

Approaching calmly, she reported, "Your Majesty, the emperor has come to visit you in Fengyi Palace."

"The emperor is here," Empress Liu said in surprise, releasing Zhu Yan's hand.

Zhu Yan stood up, "The emperor is here to see you, I won't disturb you any longer. I'll take Tian Tian back to the palace first and visit you again in a few days."

"Alright, you go ahead. I won't see you out. Aunt Liu will escort you," said Empress Liu, whose face showed no joy at Aunt Liu's report, unusual and worrisome, and she didn't want to keep Zhu Yan.

Zhu Yan declined Aunt Liu's offer to escort her.

Aunt Liu stopped and stood by Empress Liu's bedside, seemingly having more to say.

Zhu Yan quickly left the chamber, only to meet the emperor outside. As she hurried to pay respects, the emperor supported her, "You take Tian Tian back, I'll come to you later."

His tone was more commanding than usual.

Zhu Yan braced herself and responded without looking up, then took her leave, suspicious if the emperor had been outside earlier and for how long, given his history.

If Zhu Yan had stayed in the chamber, she would have known the answer.

Because Aunt Liu was reporting to Empress Liu, "...the emperor didn't let us announce his arrival and came here directly, standing at the door for quite a while, not entering nor allowing us to approach until just now, when he permitted me to report his presence."

"I see..." Empress Liu looked up, saw the emperor walking in with an inscrutable expression, immediately stopped talking, and gestured for Aunt Liu to leave, feeling a twinge of anxiety.

Author's Note:

Today's update~~ Kisses~~