novelraw Chapter 143 The King Doesn't Hold Morning Court?
Chapter 143 The King Doesn't Hold Morning Court?
His words only intensified the discussions within the hall.
The Marquis of Zhenbei, who was ranked first among the military generals, stepped forward and bowed: "Uncle, please be careful with your words. Although my daughter has lived in the Zichen Palace for a long time, she has never interfered in court affairs, let alone dared to be arrogant in the slightest."
The emperor's brother-in-law sneered disdainfully.
"Why should the Marquis of Zhenbei deceive himself? If it weren't for Consort Yuan's interference, His Majesty wouldn't be so exhausted."
"You..." Marquis Zhenbei strode forward, wanting to argue, but was stopped by his colleagues.
"What? Does the Marquis of Zhenbei also think that Consort Yuan is a bewitching concubine?"
The Marquis of Zhenbei waved away his colleague who was trying to persuade him, a gust of wind rising from the corner of his sleeve.
Li Fuquan tried to stop him, but no one listened to him.
Just as the argument was getting heated...
The King of Chu slowly stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "Stop arguing, listen to what I have to say."
The hall fell silent for a moment.
The King of Chu's gaze swept over the crowd, his tone unhurried: "My brother is made of flesh and blood, not made of iron. It's common for him to catch a cold. Where did this illness come from? Let's not dwell on it for now. Why should we pin it on Consort Yuan? Does the Imperial Uncle think that my brother is a foolish ruler who indulges in beauty and neglects state affairs, rather than someone who has worked tirelessly day and night for the sake of the country and the people, thus accumulating illness from overwork?"
These words resonated deeply.
The emperor's brother-in-law was speechless, his face turning pale and then red. In the end, he could only let out a heavy snort, turn his sleeve away, and turn his face away, unable to utter another word.
As soon as the court session ended, the emperor's brother-in-law couldn't wait a moment longer and hurried to the Shou Kang Palace.
When the Empress Dowager saw him arrive with an angry expression, she frowned and asked, "What happened?"
The emperor's brother-in-law bowed and said, "Sister, the emperor was absent from the morning court session this day. Li Fuquan only said that the emperor had caught a cold and was therefore unable to attend court."
"A cold?" The Empress Dowager was taken aback.
She knew nothing about it, which must have been kept very secret by the Emperor, and not a single word had leaked out.
The emperor's brother-in-law clenched his fists in his sleeves, filled with indignation: "Whether it's a cold or something else, I don't want to say. Previously, His Majesty broke the precedent by allowing Consort Yuan to reside permanently in the Zichen Palace, violating ancestral rules, but I refrained from mentioning it out of consideration for the relationship between the emperor and his subject. But today, for the sake of a concubine, the emperor has neglected his morning court! Sooner or later, he will become a laughingstock in the court and among the people. It's truly outrageous!"
The Empress Dowager slammed her prayer beads down and said in a deep voice, "That is indeed excessive."
Previously, in order to maintain this already fragile mother-son relationship, she had endured everything and suppressed her temper whenever she could back down.
But what the Emperor did today was utterly excessive.
It is a great taboo for a monarch not to hold morning court.
Moreover, His Majesty has always been physically robust, so this so-called cold is probably not a real illness.
If this continues, there will be widespread discontent throughout the court and among the people. It will only be a matter of time before the officials jointly impeach him. This is not to make things difficult for the emperor, but simply for his own good and for the stability of this vast country.
If Ze'er were to become emperor, he would certainly not allow such an absurd thing to happen. He would definitely do his best to manage the affairs of state and would never let her go through such trouble.
The Empress Dowager, accompanied by a group of palace servants and eunuchs, marched menacingly toward the Zichen Palace.
The palace guards rushed forward to stop her, but the Empress Dowager gave a stern and authoritative shout, and the guards immediately fell silent and dared not stop her any longer.
The Empress Dowager led her entourage straight in.
The Empress Dowager pushed open the door and entered. She immediately saw Xiao Yan leaning listlessly against the headboard, his face pale and his brows furrowed with illness. He looked genuinely weak.
Meanwhile, Consort Yuan was holding a bowl of medicine and feeding it to the Emperor.
Xiao Yan raised his eyes: "Why has the Empress Dowager come?"
Looking at his weak appearance, the Empress Dowager asked, "Is Your Majesty truly ill?"
Xiao Yan tugged at the corners of his lips, his laughter tinged with coldness: "In the Empress Dowager's heart, am I the kind of person who would use illness as an excuse to be absurd and neglect state affairs?"
The Empress Dowager panicked and hurriedly said, "That's not what I meant. Your uncle said you caught a cold, and I was really worried about you. I hadn't heard a word about it, so I rushed over to check on you."
Looking at the Empress Dowager's humble appearance, Song Shuangning couldn't help but recall a saying:
Belated affection is worth less than grass.
This saying applies to romantic love as well as familial love.
Xiao Yan didn't speak, but picked up a handkerchief and wiped his lips.
"But the Empress Dowager's demeanor just now didn't seem like she came to visit me; it was more like she came to interrogate me and was about to tear down the Zichen Palace."
Knowing she was in the wrong, the Empress Dowager did not offer any explanation; she had indeed come to confront her...
She turned her gaze to Song Shuangning, who was standing to the side.
"Your Majesty, it is improper for Consort Yuan to reside in the Zichen Palace for so long. I have heard about the outrageous things she did in the past. She was raised in a humble family after all. Even though she has been recognized by her relatives, she still cannot get rid of her uncouth habits. She even dares to use those ghostly tricks to scare people. She is really vulgar and has no manners of a lady from a noble family."
Xiao Yan slammed the handkerchief onto the table with his backhand, the force of which made the teacup tremble slightly.
The Empress Dowager swallowed back the words that were on the tip of her tongue.
Xiao Yan lifted his eyelids, his gaze indifferent.
"So what if she comes from a humble family? Consort Yuan acts with integrity. Even if she has made mistakes, she is still a hundred times cleaner than those who spout benevolence and morality but secretly scheme and plot. Her so-called 'ghostly methods' are just a helpless act. Why does the Empress Dowager keep harping on it? You're just killing her with another blow."
The Empress Dowager dug her fingertips into her palms, but remembering that she was ultimately the one who had wronged the Emperor, she didn't argue with him. Instead, she softened her tone and patiently advised him:
"It seems that Consort Yuan has repented. Why not let her go back?"
Xiao Yan looked up at Song Shuangning, a half-smile playing on his lips: "Oh? Have you repented?"
Song Shuangning glared at him.
Why did they have to pass this hot potato to her?
Xiao Yan was amused by her glare and stared at her affectionately, saying, "Thanks to Consort Zhao's tireless care, otherwise I'm afraid I wouldn't even be able to speak."
"Your Majesty, you may return. I am well aware of this matter. I am very tired and would like to rest for a while." He gestured to Song Shuangning, who helped him lie down.
Seeing his resolute attitude, the Empress Dowager knew that further persuasion would be futile.
"Then you should rest well. Your mother will come to visit again tomorrow."
Xiao Yan remained silent.
The Empress Dowager turned and left.
The current emperor seems to be bewitched by Consort Yuan. He only needs to criticize her a few times, and he protects her so much that he can't bear to hear anyone else say anything bad about her.
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.
The mirror reflected a pair of eyes with slender phoenix eyes, and when the eyelashes drooped, they concealed the surging light in the eyes.
She picked up a jeweled gold hairpin with her delicate hand and slowly tied it up to hold her cloud-like black hair. A pearl flower at her temple made her profile look even more gentle and graceful.
She looked at her reflection in the mirror, her lips parted slightly, and her voice was extremely low, "Go and send a message to Father, asking him to join forces with several senior officials and then to ask the Imperial Uncle to submit a joint memorial impeaching Consort Yuan. Also, those 'seditious and misleading' words should be spread even louder."
Having said that,
Her fingertips brushed against the cold light of the bronze mirror.
The person in the mirror had a faint smile, but it was impossible to tell whether it was joy or resentment; all that remained was a dignified and serene appearance.