novelraw Chapter 430
Chapter 430
Zhongcui Palace.
After Empress Pei and the Second Prince moved out of Kunning Palace, they temporarily resided here.
When Chu Ruoyan arrived, Imperial Physician Hu was just coming out. Seeing her, he bowed and paid his respects: "Your Majesty, after careful treatment, the former Empress Pei has recovered her senses. However, her body is still weak, so she should speak as little as possible."
Chu Ruoyan nodded and walked through the palace doors. She saw Pei Heng leaning against a soft couch, talking with her son.
Murong Rui saw her and hurriedly stood up: "Greetings, Your Majesty the Empress!"
Pei Heng's gaze paused, a subtle expression appearing on her face. Chu Ruoyan lightly raised her hand: "Prince Rui, there is no need for such formalities."
Murong Rui quickly thanked her for her grace. Turning his head and seeing his mother unmoving, he awkwardly explained, "Your Majesty, my Empress Mother... no, my mother has just recovered from a severe illness and her body is still terribly weak, so she cannot bow to you..."
"Rui'er!" Pei Heng suddenly interrupted, staring unblinkingly at Chu Ruoyan. "Changle, how did this Empress treat you in the past?"
By calling her Changle, she was reminding her of her status as a county princess of the previous dynasty.
Chu Ruoyan sighed softly: "Your Highness treated me very well. Whether it was Noble Consort Xue or Princess Jiahui, you lent a helping hand several times."
Pei Heng suddenly sneered: "So you usurped my son's throne. Is this how you repay me?"
Chu Ruoyan remained silent.
"Mother!" Murong Rui stared in horror. "Your son voluntarily abdicated..."
"Shut up! If Yan Zheng hadn't brought his army to the city gates, would you have voluntarily abdicated?" Pei Heng shouted harshly. Murong Rui's legs gave way and he knelt down. "Mother! I know you ache for me, but I have no talent for ruling a country. Even when Imperial Father was alive, his preferred successor wasn't me..."
"That was because your Imperial Father's heart was blinded by lard, his mind bewitched by Noble Consort Xue!" As Pei Heng grew angry, she immediately clutched her chest and began to cough.
Murong Rui hurriedly rubbed her back to soothe her breath, saying sorrowfully: "Mother, whether your son has the talent to govern the world, you actually know better than anyone. You just can't get over that hurdle in your heart... The current Emperor has grand plans and great strategies, praised by both the court and the common people. Moreover, he did not pursue the faults of the previous dynasty, and even granted me the title of Prince Rui. Now, I can raise flowers and tease birds in my manor, so carefree, and I can still accompany you. Isn't this good?"
Pei Heng's tears rolled down in streams. Holding his hand, she sobbed uncontrollably: "My son, you are truly too foolish, too foolish!"
Under the heavens, what man wouldn't want to sit on the highest throne?
Her Rui'er was no exception. But for her safety, he could only hand over the throne. She was so unwilling!
Chu Ruoyan quietly waited for the mother and son to finish crying bitterly before saying: "Rest assured, Your Highness. The Emperor is a magnanimous and tolerant ruler; he will definitely treat you and Prince Rui well."
After speaking, she turned around. Pei Heng called out: "Wait!"
She said to her son: "You go out first. Mother has a few words to say to Her Majesty the Empress alone."
Calling out 'Her Majesty the Empress' meant she had accepted her fate.
Murong Rui let out a huge sigh of relief and hurriedly withdrew.
Pei Heng looked at Chu Ruoyan. Chu Ruoyan said, "All of you may withdraw as well."
Nanny Zhou said in a low voice: "Your Majesty, this old servant should stay by your side to serve you. In case you have any orders, there will be someone to obey."
That was what she said, but in reality, she was worried about Pei Heng.
After all, her own Empress had just given birth, and this Empress Pei was a remnant of the previous dynasty. If she harbored malicious intentions, the loss would outweigh the gain.
Chu Ruoyan looked at Pei Heng, who said: "It doesn't matter. What I originally wanted to say to you is nothing shameful." Saying this, the topic shifted, "Empress, I heard you suffered a miscarriage recently, is that true?"
A flash of pain crossed Chu Ruoyan's brows. Nanny Zhou shouted: "Empress Pei, mind your words!"
Pei Heng laughed: "Don't worry, I'm not trying to poke at your sore spot. I just want to tell you a story. Have you heard about Emperor Jingwen of the Sheng Dynasty and Empress Duanshu?"
Chu Ruoyan was slightly startled. Nanny Zhou said: "Isn't this known to everyone? Emperor Jingwen dismissed the six palaces for Empress Duanshu, but Empress Duanshu's brother had achievements that threatened the emperor, so Emperor Jingwen had no choice but to execute the Empress's entire family..."
"Wrong. From beginning to end, this matter had nothing to do with Empress Duanshu's brother. The so-called achievements threatening the emperor was just an excuse to depose the empress."
The two were stunned. They saw a mocking smile rise at the corners of Pei Heng's mouth: "Back then, the Emperor and Empress ascended the great throne together, and indeed enjoyed a period of marital harmony. But later, the imperial physicians diagnosed that Empress Duanshu had injured her body while helping Emperor Jingwen fight for the succession, making it difficult for her to bear children. She suggested to Emperor Jingwen to widely expand the imperial harem to produce imperial heirs, but Emperor Jingwen rejected it."
Nanny Zhou couldn't help but say: "Yes, historical records state that Emperor Jingwen spoke with righteous indignation, saying that when he ascended the throne, he proclaimed to the world that he would only have the Empress in this life, and how could he break his promise! These words were highly praised by women all over the world at the time. Isn't this universally known?"
"Universally known?" Pei Heng's lips twitched. "That universally known reputation was exactly what he wanted! Emperor Jingwen had a lifetime of great achievements without a single blemish. How could he get a reputation for being treacherous and breaking promises over a woman? Therefore, on the surface, he rejected Empress Duanshu's proposal to take concubines. Behind the scenes, he gathered ministers and used underhanded tactics to pin the crime of treason and threatening the throne on Empress Duanshu's brother. He slaughtered her entire clan, driving her completely mad. Then, under the kneeling pleas of his officials, he took another noble consort and fathered imperial heirs. Pitiful Empress Duanshu, even until her death, she didn't know that she ended up in such a state entirely because she was harmed by the man sharing her bed!"
Every word was shocking. Nanny Zhou's mouth was wide open, unable to close for a long time.
The world all praised Emperor Jingwen's deep affection. Even though he placed righteousness above family and slaughtered the Empress's entire clan, he still never abandoned the Empress.
But who would have known that there was such a hidden truth inside!
Pei Heng stared unblinkingly at Chu Ruoyan: "Your Majesty the Empress, I am telling you this secret of the imperial court. The underlying meaning doesn't need to be said further, right?"
Chu Ruoyan remained silent.
Even a fool could understand that she was using the past to allude to the present.
Nanny Zhou looked uneasily at her own Empress, feeling very uncertain in her heart. However, Chu Ruoyan slowly opened her lips: "I am not Empress Duanshu, and Yan Zheng is not Emperor Jingwen."
Pei Heng smiled, revealing an expected expression: "Back then, when this Empress married the late Emperor, I also thought this way, but you have seen the outcome. From ancient times to the present, through all dynasties and generations, there has never been a childless woman who could securely sit on the Empress's throne. Your Majesty the Empress, are you really going to gamble with your whole life, and even the fate of your family?"
A flash of impatience crossed the depths of Chu Ruoyan's eyes: "After saying so much, what exactly do you want to say?"
Pei Heng said sternly: "Welcome my niece Pei Bingqing into the palace. I, Pei Heng, am willing to guarantee with my life that the son she bears will be given to the Empress to raise. In the future, he will respect you as his mother and absolutely not dare to have the slightest disloyalty!"
Chu Ruoyan frowned. Pei Bingqing again!
Was the Pei clan really this persistent in sending a woman into the palace?
She looked steadily at Pei Heng for a moment and said: "Empress Pei, why are you saying these words to me?"
Pei Heng was taken aback, and then saw the woman stand up and indifferently drop a sentence: "If you feel that the Emperor will take another virtuous consort because I cannot bear children, you should offer the person directly to him. Going around in such a big circle to talk to me is nothing more than because you know perfectly well in your heart that Yan Zheng will not agree."