novelraw Chapter 608 - 20: Empress Dowager, Ten Thousand Blessings (20)
Chapter 608 - 20: Empress Dowager, Ten Thousand Blessings (20)
The old General was somewhat perplexed; what was his daughter going to say after summoning him to the palace?
Li Shuning found a seat and sat down, but then she pulled out a handkerchief and silently shed tears.
The old General was dumbfounded and awkwardly edged closer: "Daughter, don’t cry. What’s wrong? Tell your father, is someone bullying you?"
"Father, do you know? As soon as I entered the palace, the Emperor gave me sterility medicine. Not only could I never have children, but my body was also somewhat harmed, and I am very afraid of the cold during winter."
The old General felt melancholy: "Daughter, it’s all on me. I fear that Your Majesty is apprehensive of me, hence he treated you this way. It’s all my fault."
"Father, why should you be at fault? You’ve served the country wholeheartedly. How many men of the Li Family have gone to the frontier for the peace of this country, even losing their lives there? Your body is full of hidden injuries; did the Emperor see any of this?"
"He only sees that everything is stable now, and that you hold military power, so he’s apprehensive about you. Does he know you’ve always been devoted to the country, never harboring such thoughts? If my Li Family had such ambitions, we would have already seized the world, leaving no room for his apprehension!"
The old General’s eyes held a faint doting look, as if what Li Shuning said was just venting.
Indeed, in this era, when a monarch wants a minister dead, the minister cannot refuse, especially for someone like the old General, who had been educated since childhood to be loyal to the emperor and love his country.
"Father, a few days ago, the Third Prince tried to force me before Your Majesty. Father, I can’t live like this anymore."
The old General was stunned, what did she mean? What does forced mean?
Seeing the old General’s shock, Li Shuning’s eyes held vulnerability and relief: "Father, it’s exactly what you think. The Third Prince tried to force me to submit to him, even making moves on me in front of Your Majesty’s bed. Or why do you think His Majesty abolished his position as Crown Prince?"
"Father, the dynasty now lacks successors. The Emperor is beyond recovery but still intends for me to assist the Sixth Prince. Father, I don’t want that."
"The Sixth Prince’s external family is already wary of me everywhere, secretly joining forces with some courtiers to hinder me. Over time, once the Sixth Prince grows up, he might turn into another white-eyed wolf, and who knows, he might even act against me."
Li Shuning never referred to herself as "this palace"; she played the affection card.
The old General furrowed his brows: "Daughter, tell your father, what do you wish to do?"
"Father, I don’t want to be controlled by others anymore."
The old General’s eyes held pain, struggle, heartache, and pity, but eventually, all turned into doting.
"Alright, whatever my daughter wants to do, your father will help you."
Li Shuning knew that internally, the old General was resistant, but for his daughter, he was prepared to do what he was unwilling to do.
The old General’s plight in the storyline was too tragic.
Li Shuning summoned Wang Yin and spoke to him extensively, generally asking him to offer more help.
After being busy for a few days, when the Courtiers proposed to establish a ministerial assistant for the government, Li Shuning finally said, "Earlier, when the Third Prince had his incident, in His Majesty’s moment of urgency, he suggested I handle state affairs with the Sixth Prince. Since this is the case, I will solicit His Majesty’s opinion again."
One of the courtiers, however, seized the opportunity to say, "If His Majesty wakes up, could we see him too?"
Li Shuning revealed a mocking smile: "You may, Vice Minister Wang, if you wish, accompany His Majesty day and night, and see when he wakes up!"
Vice Minister Wang was startled; the palace was not a place where he could stay day and night.
"Forgive me, Empress."
Wang Yin, however, piped up sharply: "The Empress has been tirelessly caring for His Majesty, and helping the Sixth Prince here; she works very hard, but you, several gentlemen, constantly trouble the Empress. What are your intentions?"
Several courtiers had already knelt down.
Li Shuning, however, ignored them. These days, many matters she handled were nitpicked by them. Did they really think she was some ignorant woman?
A few days later, Li Shuning specially let the Emperor wake up again.
This time, Wang Yin and the others were all present.
This time, Li Shuning also specifically summoned some courtiers too.
"Your Majesty, these days, courtiers are very concerned about you, and also about the matter of who will handle state affairs next. Now that you are awake, why not speak up and put their minds at ease?"
The Emperor slowly awakened, feeling like he wanted to wake up but was held back by a force forbidding him to awaken.
At this moment, his mind was clear, but he wanted to speak yet couldn’t utter a word. What was going on?
The next moment, he looked toward the Courtiers and his Empress, but then he inexplicably felt his body turning inwardly, but it wasn’t his doing.
Later, he even heard his own voice, coming from near him.
"I have aged, and before, the Third Prince betrayed my expectations, leading to the abolition of his Crown Prince position. Do you all know why? In front of me, he dared tease the Empress. How could such a rebellious son remain?"
The Emperor felt some terror, why can’t his body move, unable to let others know that he wasn’t speaking at all.
"I have been disappointed by my sons long ago. During this time, I have let the Empress assist the Sixth Prince. The Sixth Prince is still a child, and naturally, all of this is thanks to the Empress."
"Moreover, the Sixth Prince is just a child, but his external family is already stirring, even causing trouble for the Empress, truly heartless and ungrateful."
"Since all of you faithful ministers are here today, I hereby announce, from now on, the Empress will handle state affairs. Whom she wants to establish as Crown Prince, let it be so. If she wants to sit on that throne, then let her take it."
"Your Majesty, please reconsider, a hen crowing at dawn will surely lead to a bad end."
"Your Majesty, the Sixth Prince is quite adequate, and we ministers will surely assist him."
"Indeed, Your Majesty, after all, the Empress is a woman."
Wang Yin was also shocked at this time; some time ago, the Empress mentioned that she and the Sixth Prince would handle state affairs, requesting his assistance since he was a trusted figure around His Majesty.
He never thought that in the end, His Majesty would have the Empress take that position.
The little eunuch beside the Empress had already scolded angrily: "How dare you? In the presence of His Majesty and the Empress, you are so disrespectful to the Empress. Do you still regard His Majesty?"
The one who spoke of the Empress as a woman was now a bit terrified; his words were somewhat too direct.
No matter what, indeed, there was some sense of belittling women in his words.
The Emperor at this moment turned around, looking at the Courtiers, his facial expression fluctuating unpredictably, as if he was struggling bitterly, seemingly disappointed and frightened, and suddenly he directly spat out a mouthful of blood.