Chapter 368 – Fuming with Anger

Chapter 368 - Fuming with Anger

"But now you're also approaching marriage age. Although you've betrothed yourself to the Liao family's child, no imperial edict has been issued yet. If the time comes, she can still be made a concubine. Tong-er is still young, but she can also be betrothed. In another year or two, it would be perfect for her to marry. Why not let Grandmother ask for His Majesty's approval and settle this matter for you?"

The Fifth Prince was taken aback before quickly responding, "Grandmother, you misunderstood. To me, Younger Sister Mingzhu is like a true sister. I have no such intentions and dare not accept them. I am rough and unrefined, unworthy of Younger Sister Mingzhu. Please let Father issue an imperial edict to find her a suitable match."

Upon his refusal, the Empress Dowager's expression soured.

"You, Ru-er, now claim to have no intentions?" The Empress Dowager's gaze turned cold.

The Fifth Prince, still young, was nervous. "Truly... It was truly a misunderstanding. Besides, even though Father didn't issue an edict, the Liao family's daughter entered the palace through the imperial selection and was officially kept. She should be my official wife, how could that change? Father wouldn't agree to it either. I don't wish to lead her on."

"The way you acted previously was different. Now that she made a mistake, she's not worth your pursuit?" The Empress Dowager's face remained cold.

The Fifth Prince grew angry as well. "Forget about other matters, what was that? A girl staking her reputation to force Ninth Brother to yield, or perhaps colluding with Second Brother? How dare I take her? Wouldn't there be trouble after? Moreover, Father arranged this marriage, and years ago, it was you who refused. Now that the New Year has passed, I'm due to marry soon. Isn't it too late for you to bring this up now, Grandmother?"

"I won't discuss these matters with you. Will you marry her or not?" The Empress Dowager was annoyed. Lately, she had trouble sleeping and suffered from severe headaches.

"....If Grandmother insists, then she can only be a concubine. The Liao family's daughter must remain the official wife." The Fifth Prince looked up. "I am, after all, a prince. If I were to make her my main wife, wouldn't that be shameful? Grandmother dotes on her, but I am your own grandson, carrying the Lin family's bloodline. It's only natural that our bond should be closer."

The Fifth Prince was, of course, doing this on purpose.

Everything was clear now. He had been rejected before, and the Empress Dowager hadn't been willing to give him the girl.

Now that Meizhuang was in such a state, the Empress Dowager was forcing her upon him. Wasn't that disgusting?

If it was disgusting, could he not make the Empress Dowager feel the same disgust?

Moreover, did the Fifth Prince not remember his own mother? He was already engaged; what kind of mess was this? Now, he truly saw Meizhuang as nothing more than a tattered rag.

The thought made him even more disgusted. Previously, the Empress Dowager had guarded against him as if he were an enemy. But now, for Meizhuang's sake, she was willing to compromise?

It was infuriating.

There was no way he would become a concubine, so naturally, the matter wasn't settled.

But the Empress Dowager also knew that His Majesty couldn't be left to decide on this.

She could only send someone to the Zhang family, asking Zhang Tong to come to the palace. Fearing that the Zhangs might refuse, she said it would be just a brief meeting.

After all, she was still the Empress Dowager, and a meeting could still be arranged.

Zhang Tong had lost a noticeable amount of weight in the past few months. When she saw the Empress Dowager, she broke down in tears.

The Empress Dowager felt a mix of concern and anger. After scolding her, she asked, "Now that things have come to this, what do you plan to do? Your marriage might not turn out as you wish."

Sniffling, Zhang Tong refused to admit defeat. "I didn't do anything wrong. That day was just a misunderstanding..."

"Enough with that. I'm not an idiot. If you hadn't acted impulsively, would things have ended up like this?" The Empress Dowager was deeply disappointed in her.

But now that she had taken it upon herself to intervene, she couldn't just ignore it. How could she live with herself if she didn't do something?

Hua Ying only had these two children. How could she abandon them now?

Recalling the Fifth Prince's words from a few days ago, she felt vexed. "Have you thought about your future? The Fifth Prince said that if he were to marry you, it would only be as a secondary consort. Are you willing to accept that?"

Zhang Tong was taken aback, her eyes widening in surprise. It was clear that being a secondary consort had never crossed her mind.

With her background, she should at least be a primary consort.

Yet, after pondering for a moment, her face flushed slightly as she said, "If it were as a concubine... then... I would still choose Ninth Prince. I'd be willing to become his concubine."

The Empress Dowager threw the teacup in her hand at Zhang Tong.

"Disgraceful!"

Zhang Tong shrieked in fright and jumped back.

Fortunately, the cup missed its target.

"G-Great-Grandmother..." She had never seen the Empress Dowager lose her temper with her before.

The Empress Dowager placed a hand on her chest, too agitated to speak.

She had only intended to provoke Zhang Tong with her words; how could she have meant for her to actually become a concubine?

But what was wrong with Zhang Tong? Had she gone mad?

Why was she fixated on Ninth Prince now, of all people?

Recalling the concubine Xian's words, the Empress Dowager felt her blood run cold. Every single detail was suffocating her with rage.

Aunt Fan was terrified and hurried to placate her. "Your Majesty, please calm down. The princess is still young. You mustn't be angry."

After a long pause, the Empress Dowager finally spoke, "You dare not. It seems my affection for you all these years has been in vain. By imperial edict, Lady Zhang's frivolous conduct is unbecoming of a Commandery Princess. Her title shall be stripped, and she is to return to her residence to reflect on her actions. She is forbidden from marriage for three years."

Zhang Tong's eyes widened. "Grandmother? I was wrong, I shouldn't have said those words. Please don't do this, I was mistaken..."

"Be gone!" the Empress Dowager exclaimed angrily.

Zhang Tong dared not plead further, and was tearfully escorted out.

The Empress Dowager took a long while to regain her composure. "It was my fault."

"Auntie Fan sighs, Your Highness is also tormented by your thoughts of the princess. In the end, you do this for their sake."

Though it seemed as if they had taken away her title of princess, she was ultimately freed from constant scrutiny. The prohibition on marriage for three years not only prevented any hasty matches arranged by the Zhang family but also allowed time for the scandal to fade before she remarried.

As for the princess, if she could be stripped of her title, then so be it.

An empress's decree might not hold such authority, but if she wished to revoke it, the emperor wouldn't dare object.

Doing this would also help soothe the anger of the Zhang family.

It would also be beneficial to Zhang Yong, sparing him from constant reminders of his sister in the future.

The Empress Dowager had truly exhausted herself for Hua Ying's sake. Yet, sometimes children failed to understand their parents' intentions, leaving them disappointed.

News of these events spread swiftly.

Yun Li chuckled softly. "No matter how powerful someone is, they always have a weakness."

The Empress Dowager's weakness was Hua Ying.

And Qi Yunli's weakness was the Ninth Prince. This was only natural.

The difference lay in the fact that the Empress Dowager had to face her vulnerability alone, whereas Yun Li would drag the emperor along with her to accept theirs.

From this point on, the carefully cultivated relationship between the Fifth Prince and the Empress Dowager had crumbled.

The Zhang family indeed reacted gracefully, but they were not oblivious to the Empress Dowager's intentions. After all, their children were of the Zhang lineage.

To claim that they were completely indifferent would be a lie.

At the very least, Zhang Zizhi still doted on the two children.

However, it was uncertain what kind of future Zhang Tong could secure three years from now.

Following this incident, the Empress Dowager fell ill.

This time, the illness was severe, and it was caused by anger.

Ever since Zhang Tong's incident, the Empress Dowager has been in a state of constant irritation for these past few months.

Perhaps it was because Hua Ying was too well-behaved that her child turned out to be utterly worrysome.

Yet, the Empress Dowager was, after all, an elderly person. How could she endure such turmoil...

"I aspire to write a post-apocalyptic novel with a male lead but without a romantic pairing. In such a world, love shouldn't be the priority. Survival should come first."