novelraw Chapter 605 - 17: Empress Dowager, May You Be Well (17)
Chapter 605 - 17: Empress Dowager, May You Be Well (17)
In the Myriad Beasts Garden, on a piece of open ground, a large soft couch was placed, and the Emperor was half-lying there.
Admiring the beasts? It seems somewhat peculiar.
All along the way, the guards who originally followed should have gone back to report by now.
After all, this is the Imperial Palace, not outside, and they don’t need to continue protecting anymore.
Yet they kept following, and nobody stopped them, as if everything was normal.
This made the Eldest Prince, who was somewhat nervous, breathe a sigh of relief.
It seems Father indeed trusts the Empress.
Indeed, the Eldest Prince replaced all of the Empress’s guards with "his own" people.
Seeing the Empress, the Emperor even smiled: "Ning, you’re back, was everything smooth?"
Li Shuning remained silent, her mouth pressed tightly.
The Emperor was very familiar with Li Shuning, and since Li Shuning came to this world, she had been trying to gain the Emperor’s favor, so naturally, the Emperor knew that at this moment, Li Shuning should have been somewhat worried for him.
Thus, the Emperor’s mood improved a bit.
No matter how awful the sons are, his Empress has always been good.
As the Empress said nothing, the Eldest Prince knew that if things continued, secrets would be exposed.
He waved his hand and rushed toward the Emperor.
He drew out his sword and stabbed at the eunuch beside the Emperor.
But he found the expected blood did not appear.
Two people stepped forward behind him and restrained him.
The Eldest Prince was still bewildered. What’s going on?
The Emperor then sat up, his face full of cold smiles: "You, my eldest, have grown out; you dare to hijack your mother’s carriage and secretly recruit troops, only it’s a pity that your every move has been foreseen by me. As for your maternal family, they have already been exiled."
The Eldest Prince was full of disbelief.
He looked up at the people he had brought, wondering why it turned out like this.
"You want to say these are your people? No, they are my Hidden Guards, merely lurking in the worldly society you recruited because of my order."
"As for those guards with the Empress, they are merely acting. Is this play, my eldest, still entertaining?"
The Eldest Prince shivered, knowing it was all over.
The Emperor was a bit disappointed.
I thought with such ambition, one naturally would possess a strong heart, but unexpectedly it turned out to be so fragile.
"I knew about you and that woman back then. Before she entered the palace, she knew you, and you were fond of her, even wanting to marry her."
"My eldest, it wasn’t me who wanted her to enter the palace, it was her who insisted. Do you know what kind of person this woman is? You seem clueless. Why did she seek you and have an affair? She was coldly treated and wanted to use you, yet you know nothing and are just foolishly used by people."
"No, you’re lying, she..."
Li Shuning suddenly said, "Eldest Prince, His Majesty is not lying to you. His Majesty has never touched her."
The Eldest Prince looked at Li Shuning with confusion. He didn’t understand; he was said to have thrown the palace into disorder and was then kicked out of the Imperial Palace.
Thinking about it now, indeed, if she really were Father’s woman and he touched her, the consequence wouldn’t have been so simple as being kicked out of the palace, right?
Li Shuning sighed inwardly; this Emperor was somewhat perverse, using such matters to test whether a person was fit for great responsibility.
It’s to be said that he is harsh on others and also harsh on himself.
"My eldest, do you know why I am staying in the Myriad Beasts Garden today? You’re worse than a beast. With what you did today, if successful, it would be regicide. Get out! I will pretend I never had you as a son."
The Eldest Prince was sent away, and the Emperor did not send him to the fief.
Since he wasn’t willing to go and dared to go this far, there was no need for leniency.
The Eldest Prince was thrown into the Imperial City.
No, at this moment he can no longer be called the Eldest Prince.
The Eldest Prince has already gone to the fief, everyone knows that.
Thus someone appearing in the Imperial City similar to the Eldest Prince won’t likely be thought to be him.
At this moment, penniless, what would happen to him is hard to say.
However, effectively, the Emperor abolished his status.
The Eldest Prince and Second Prince exited in succession, and the Third Prince was quite pleased.
Because these days, the Emperor began assigning him tasks again.
However, he didn’t know why his mother concubine’s health seemed to be declining.
Recently, Princess Consort Xian had been coughing blood from time to time, and several visits by the Imperial Physician haven’t helped.
The Third Prince was tangled in affairs, so he let Lin Xiaodie stay in Princess Consort Xian’s palace.
At this time Lin Xiaodie knew the incident was deliberately set up by Princess Consort Xian and her son; supposed to let Luo Lin fall into the water and instead harmed her.
Naturally, Lin Xiaodie harbored hatred.
She already resented her husband for treating her poorly; although they were finally intimate, he despised her.
Was it she who cried and shouted to marry him?
They hurt her to this end, and now dare to torment her further by making her care for Princess Consort Xian, who bossed her around like a palace maid. Lin Xiaodie was very unsatisfied.
When together with Princess Consort Xian, she always lacked care.
And so, while attempting to give water to Princess Consort Xian, without cooling it, she poured it directly onto her.
This caused Princess Consort Xian to push her to the ground.
Lin Xiaodie’s forehead hit the ground, and blood came out.
The Third Prince happened to enter, and Princess Consort Xian claimed it was deliberate, while Lin Xiaodie said caring for her made her tired, leading to carelessness.
The Third Prince was mentally exhausted.
Princess Consort Xian’s affairs were many, and the Emperor had assigned several tasks, leaving him worn out.
The Emperor’s health was deteriorating, and these days, he mostly lay reclining.
A few days later, the Emperor spent most of his time sleeping.
This day, he made everyone leave, even ordered Wang Yin out, leaving only him and the Empress in the room.
"Ning, the decree was written while I was alert; I didn’t let even Wang Yin see. There are two orders. One is to let the Third Prince become Crown Prince, to inherit the throne, and one is for you, handing all my Hidden Guards to you. If the Third Prince dares disrespect you, you may go to Nanyun with Xiao Six; there I’ve arranged everything for you."
Li Shuning appeared tearfully blurred: "Your Majesty, you’ll be alright."
"Fool, I know my own body. Don’t worry; I’ve arranged everything."
After explaining, the Emperor once again fell into a long sleep.
And this time, inexplicably numerous scenes appeared in his mind.
At first, the Emperor woke intermittently, thinking he was dreaming.
Since he established his posthumous edict, he had dreams.
But as those dreams continued, it seemed something was amiss.