The Dowager Empress's Gambit

I woke up to find myself the Dowager Empress.

Not the kind of young stepmother empress dowager you see in dramas—the one who's eighteen while the emperor is sixteen, with all the generals and ministers at her beck and call. No, I was the emperor's actual birth mother, a woman teetering on the brink of fifty. The genuine article.

What could I possibly stir up now? With this brittle old frame that needed a change of trousers after a single cough, this feeble body that wheezed after three steps, what waves could I possibly make?

Just as I was thinking life had become as bland as plain water, with nothing left to live for, someone started pounding on the gates of the Hall of Compassionate Tranquility.

The empress led a crowd of imperial consorts to kneel before me. "We beg Your Majesty to seek justice for us!"

Upon further inquiry, I learned that a few days ago, the emperor had brought a woman back from outside the palace. Lately, he'd been spending every day carousing with her in the inner court, neglecting the six palaces and abandoning state affairs.

My spirits lifted instantly. I gathered a grand procession and marched straight to the Hall of Heavenly Favor.

When he heard his mother had arrived, the emperor came to pay his respects with obvious reluctance.

I studied him. He wasn't bad-looking, so why couldn't he act like a decent human being?

Just as I was muttering to myself, I saw the emperor pull a plainly dressed woman with no makeup to kneel stiffly before me:

"Your son was forced onto the throne by Your Majesty back then. It was never my intention."

"All I've ever wanted was to live a carefree life, free from worldly strife."

"Lanyue has a temperament as pure as a chrysanthemum. She understands my heart best—she's nothing like those ordinary, vulgar women. I've long held deep feelings for her."

"If Your Majesty refuses to let me make her empress, I'd rather not be emperor at all!"

His words rang out with conviction, but they only set my teeth on edge.

I swept my gaze left and right. Everyone in the harem was stunned by his speech, their faces twisted as if suffering from indigestion.

The emperor, completely oblivious, hugged his beloved tightly and declared with fervor:

"Don't think you can trap me with royal power and wealth any longer! I'd rather live as a simple villager with Lanyue than break my promise to her—one heart, one person, for this life and the next!"

After comforting the woman in his arms, he turned to look at me, his eyes blazing:

"Mother, I've long tired of being your puppet on strings. Now, I want to live for myself for once."

At this, a hint of provocative smile curled on his lips:

"Your Majesty has schemed your way to this supreme position. I doubt you even understand true human affection anymore."

Well, well. He actually made me laugh in anger.

To hell with your "it was never your intention." You're the legitimate son of the principal consort. If you don't become emperor but go off to be a carefree recluse, do you think your brothers and uncles would let you live?

Besides, even though I'm not the original, I know how much effort she put into getting her son onto the throne in this treacherous harem.

How she exhausted herself managing the court on his behalf.

Without this so-called ambitious mother of yours, would you be standing here talking to me about pursuing your ideals?

Suppressing my disdain, I asked my trusted eunuch, "How many consorts in the harem have given birth to princes?"

The eunuch's eyes darted shrewdly as he replied respectfully, "Reporting to Your Majesty, Consort Shu, Consort Liang, Consort Li, and Lady Guo all have princes."

I slapped my thigh. Why keep this worthless son around, then?

Looking at the two lovebirds pouring out their hearts to each other, I simply pursed my lips and said, "Then get lost."

"Take your beloved woman and move straight into the deep mountains and forests."

"Don't let the wealth and danger of this palace poison her."

The emperor was stunned.

The entire hall fell silent for a long moment before the empress stepped forward.

She forced a smile onto her face. "Your Majesty must be joking."

She removed her hairpins and ornaments, took off her outer robe, let down her hair, and led all the consorts of the harem in a grand bow to the emperor:

"Your Majesty, the Dowager Empress's deep hatred comes from her deep love. We beg Your Majesty to prioritize the empire and never again say such things to wound Her Majesty's heart."

The emperor, already caught between a rock and a hard place, became even more flustered. He looked up to gauge my expression, as if trying to figure out whether I was serious.

Lanyue, her eyes brimming with tears, threw herself at the emperor, sobbing as if she'd just lost her father: "No, Your Majesty, I don't want you to do this for me."

"I've said it before—as long as I can stay by Your Majesty's side, I'm willing to be your little cat or dog."

"Your Majesty, I love you. I love every part of you."

"I love your mother, your wives and concubines, your children!"

"From the day I fell in love with you, I knew you weren't just my lover. You're also someone else's son, husband, and father."

At this, her eyes filled with hot tears as she looked around at everyone in the hall, speaking to the emperor with pitiful sorrow:

"These are all your family! How could I bear to see you leave these people who also love you?"

"Your Majesty, don't take me away from here. Though this place is a cage, love is what holds it together."

She clasped her hands together and said pitifully, "Let me go in with you and face it together, alright?"

What kind of over-fertilized weed had sprouted from which field? I was full of questions.

"These people who also love him"? Hah!

If it weren't for the fact that he was the emperor, even his own mother—let alone these consorts who entered the palace for their family's glory—would have sent him far, far away long ago.

But this worthless son of mine was completely moved. He said emotionally, "You love me so deeply. How could I ever let you down?"

"Though I can't escape the shackles of imperial power, I will never let you suffer."

"I will make the whole world know that you are my wife."

With that, he looked at the empress, who had just tried to smooth things over for him, and said, "Yaoying, step down and make way for someone worthy."

The empress was frozen solid.

She came from a family of pure-minded scholars. Her father was the emperor's tutor and the head of the civil officials.

When the late emperor was on his deathbed, fearing that his wife would seize power and refuse to let go, he had specifically appointed Han Yaoying, the eldest daughter of Chancellor Han—famous for his integrity and impartiality—as empress.

Chancellor Han and his daughter had lived up to the late emperor's expectations. The father charged ahead and rallied support for the young emperor in court; the daughter cared for her mother-in-law in the harem and showed kindness to the concubines and their children. She was practically a model of female virtue.

Yet this empress, praised by everyone, was being publicly asked by her own husband to abdicate. She couldn't bear it and fainted on the spot.

With the empress unconscious, this farce in the harem temporarily came to an end. But the storm in the court was just beginning.

It was also at this time that everyone in the harem learned that this Lanyue had an astonishing identity before entering the palace. She was actually the Prince Cheng's consort.

It wasn't surprising that none of us had seen her before. Word had it that she was originally a female physician who had saved the injured Prince Cheng and became his wife.

Prince Cheng doted on her completely. After their marriage, knowing she was shy and timid, he never forced her to socialize or bow and scrape. So no one in the palace recognized her.

Now, Prince Cheng was off fighting on the battlefield. And the emperor he served had ended up in bed with his beloved wife.

Thinking of the hundreds of thousands of troops about to return in triumph, thinking of the iron-willed Prince Cheng, I felt a headache coming on.

I looked up at the sky with worry. Life didn't have to be this exciting, I thought.

Bad news kept piling up. Before we could deal with the aggrieved party holding military power outside, the pillar of the court inside had thrown in the towel.

Chancellor Han had fallen ill from anger.

No one could accept that the emperor they'd devoted their life to teaching had not only turned out to be a lovesick fool, but was also considering deposing their daughter to pave the way for another woman.

I sent my trusted eunuch out of the palace to offer comfort and issued an imperial decree allowing the empress to visit her family.

I heard that after receiving the decree, the empress was silent for a long time before bursting into grateful tears.

The young eunuch beside me didn't understand:

"Your Majesty, Chancellor Han has always opposed you, and the empress has only paid you lip service. Why are you showing her such consideration?"

Chancellor Han was a rigid and old-fashioned man who had always held a poor opinion of me, believing that I was a hen crowing at dawn—usurping power that wasn't mine and losing a woman's proper place.

Therefore, after his daughter Han Yaoying entered the palace, though she appeared respectful to me on the surface, she had actually been deliberately keeping her distance.

Flipping through the rare treasures presented from various regions, I explained to the young eunuch in a measured tone:

"It's precisely at times like this that I must demonstrate my magnanimity to the world."

"Think about it. A loyal old minister is at death's door, yet the emperor doesn't even inquire after him, too busy fooling around with his favored consort. But I, putting aside past grievances, not only send doctors and medicine but also disregard palace rules to let his daughter visit him at home. Tell me, if word of this gets out, what will the world think?"

The young eunuch pondered for a moment, then gave me a thumbs-up. "Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant."

I flicked him on the forehead and scolded, "You little monkey. If you can't talk properly, shut up."

Hmm? Was that a bit too much like Empress Dowager Cixi?

Just then, a palace attendant reported that the empress had come to express her gratitude.

I had her shown to the outer hall and went over after a quick tidying up.

As soon as she saw me, the empress knelt down and refused to get up. "Thank you for your understanding, Mother."

I quickly instructed the attendants to help her up, kindly inquired about Chancellor Han's condition, expressed my concern for his health, and emphasized my deep affection and care for loyal old ministers.

The empress was moved to tears. Between sobs, she expressed the Han family's unwavering loyalty to the court and her overwhelming gratitude for my consideration.

She further expressed the Han family's determination and courage to serve the court with utmost devotion, even unto death.

After going through this standard routine, the empress and I sat there, looking at each other in silence.

I took the initiative, offering the empress a weary smile.

She tactfully took her leave.

I sat there, watching her walk out with perfect poise and graceful steps.

Outside the hall, the sky had darkened. Not a single star could be seen in the night, only ink-black darkness.

Inside, the palace attendants had already lit the lamps. Various lanterns were placed around, gleaming brightly like suspended moons.

At the doorway, the empress stopped in her tracks. She thought for a long moment, then gripped the doorframe tightly. After taking a few deep breaths, she quickly turned around, rushed back, and threw herself at my feet. "I beg you to save me, Mother!"

"The emperor has made up his mind to depose me. I'm at my wit's end. I only hope Your Majesty will extend a helping hand and save my life."

I took a sip of tea and asked her curiously, "What does your father say?"

I'd already let you go home to pour out your grievances. Didn't your father say he'd stand up for you?

A flash of embarrassment crossed the empress's face. "Father said that at times like this, I should be even more restrained and proper, and remonstrate with His Majesty. If that doesn't work..."

Her head drooped lower and lower. "He said I should die to prove my integrity and never disgrace the family's reputation."

At this, she could no longer suppress the grief and indignation in her heart. "But I refuse to accept this!"

"I was raised on family teachings from childhood, strictly observing the Three Obediences and Four Virtues. Since I came of age, I've been diligent and careful, never daring to slack off in the slightest."

"Whether as a daughter or a wife, I can honestly say my conscience is clear. But now, my husband wants to depose me, and my father wants to force me to death!"

As she spoke, flames seemed to burn in the empress's eyes.

"I won't accept this! I haven't done anything wrong. I don't want them to decide my fate!"

"I only beg Your Majesty to show mercy and point me toward a way out. From now on, I will obey Your Majesty in everything and never defy you."

"You old fool!" I set my teacup down on the small table, unable to hold back a curse.

He'd been opposing me at every turn in court. I'd thought he was just old-fashioned, unable to stomach women in power.

But I never imagined that when his blameless daughter came home seeking help, the first thing he thought of was the family's reputation.

After mentally running through every curse word I could think of—hypocrite, fake, stick-in-the-mud—I finally calmed down.

Looking at the empress, who seemed dead inside, I reached out with my ornate nail guard and lifted her chin.

The silver-gilt filigree guard set with gems was sharp and pointed, leaving long streaks of blood on her delicate face.

The empress didn't flinch or dodge. She simply raised her head quietly to receive my instruction.

I was satisfied with her submissive demeanor and began to teach her slowly:

"As a wife who considers her husband her heaven, what crime have you committed? You married His Majesty and served him as your master in all things—there's nothing wrong with that."

"As a daughter who obeys her elders in everything, that's also as it should be."

"But where you went wrong is this: you forgot that you are first and foremost a person, and only secondarily someone's wife or daughter."

"Outside, they say I interfere in court affairs as a woman. But think about it—at that time, the emperor was too young to govern personally, and the imperial princes were eyeing the throne hungrily. If I hadn't stepped in to hold court behind the screen, we'd probably have a regent by now."

"Heaven gave you eyes and ears not just for breathing. You need to learn to think for yourself."

Seeing the empress lost in thought at my words, I didn't rush her. I simply told her to go back and think it over slowly. "Go back and carefully consider what I've said."

The empress looked up in panic, about to say something more, but I pressed my index finger to her lips. "Don't worry about anything else. I'll handle it."

"As for you, if you really can't figure it out, you can start by helping me with a few things."

Pretending not to see her terrified expression, I continued, "I'll send a few princes to your Palace of Earthly Tranquility shortly. Take good care of them. And while you're at it, take a look and think about how the education the princes receive differs from what you received."

Seeing her dazed state, I added, "Be careful. One of them might just be the future Son of Heaven."

I had just sent the empress off and was about to take a nap when a young eunuch came scrambling into the bedchamber, crying, "Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Something terrible has happened!"

My brow twitched.

My trusted eunuch kicked him. "Shut up!"

The young eunuch came to his senses, kowtowed in apology, then immediately spoke up. "Your Majesty, Prince Cheng has entered the capital!"

I sat bolt upright in bed. "Who? Who did you say entered the capital?"

After confirming that it was Prince Cheng, I sensed big trouble. "How many troops did he bring? What banners did he fly along the way?"

When the young eunuch said that Prince Cheng had entered the capital alone, on a single horse, I couldn't believe my ears.

After再三 confirming with the young eunuch that it was true, I was overjoyed. "Has he lost his mind?"

A prince holding military power, whose lawfully wedded wife had been taken by the emperor, and he does nothing?

I couldn't wipe the smile off my face. When the young eunuch said Prince Cheng was now at the palace gates seeking an audience, I immediately had an idea.

"Quick! Send someone out of the palace immediately to invite the elder princes from the Imperial Clan Court. Find someone else to go to the Han residence. As long as Chancellor Han still has a breath in him, drag him into the palace if you have to. Let him see for himself how our Son of Heaven disregards human decency and forcibly takes his younger brother's wife."

By the time I had finished my full ceremonial attire and led a grand procession to the Palace of Heavenly Purity, the eunuchs and palace maids outside the hall were kneeling in a dense crowd. Fierce arguments could be heard from inside.

"But I'm a person! I'm not some object you can just marry off, put on a pedestal, and be done with!"

It was Fang Lanyue, vehemently denouncing Prince Cheng's crimes.

The emperor also spoke up:

"Brother, you spend all your days with those roughnecks, scheming and fighting for power. When have you ever cared about Lanyue's feelings?"

"Ever since she married you, she's been crying every day, trapped like a bird in a deep mansion."

Prince Cheng muttered something in response, which only earned him a harsher reprimand from the emperor:

"Lanyue isn't like those dull, scheming noble ladies. She's noble and free. You shouldn't have locked her up in a cage."

"That cage was an exquisite tomb that buried the best five years of her life."

I looked at the panting imperial clansmen who had just arrived, then at the sickly-looking Chancellor Han, and snorted inwardly.

Without further ado, I bypassed the eunuch who was about to announce me and walked straight in.

The emperor, who had been in the middle of his impassioned speech, fell silent at the sight of the crowd of imperial relatives and important ministers entering.

In his arms, Fang Lanyue's small face was pale. Tears gathered in her eyes, poised to fall but not yet falling.

In the center of the hall, Prince Cheng knelt upright, his shoulders and back straight.

The entire Palace of Heavenly Purity was dead silent.

The emperor looked at me warily. "What is Mother's intention in bringing so many people here?"

Before I could speak, Chancellor Han—rumored to be at death's door—opened his mouth, his voice filled with anguish. "Your Majesty, you are deluded!"

"This woman first had an illicit relationship with Prince Cheng without proper matchmaking, then seduced Your Majesty while Prince Cheng was on campaign. She is fickle and shameless!"

"Moreover, she has sown discord between brothers of the imperial house. Her intentions deserve death!"

Fang Lanyue's usually sparkling eyes were now truly streaming with tears. She shook her head frantically. "No, I didn't. I'm not."

She crawled out of the emperor's embrace and rushed before the crowd, trying to explain to everyone: "I never wanted to marry Prince Cheng in the first place."

"When Prince Cheng was injured and abandoned in the wilderness, I couldn't bear to see him suffer, so I saved him and brought him back to my mountain villa."

"But he repaid kindness with enmity. He forced me to marry him, then killed over three hundred of my uncles, brothers, and cousins in the villa."

"I wish I could eat his flesh and sleep on his skin. How could I possibly love him?"

By the end, she was sobbing so hard she could barely speak.

The emperor's heart ached. He pulled her into his arms and comforted her softly. "Lanyue, why didn't you tell me this earlier?"

Fang Lanyue smiled bitterly and said dazedly, "At first, I didn't dare. I was afraid you officials would protect each other. Later, I couldn't bear to. I couldn't bear to put you in a difficult position."

The emperor was deeply moved. Then he glared hatefully at Prince Cheng. "What do you have to say for yourself, brother?"

"Forcing yourself on a woman and murdering her family—these are serious crimes! Even you, as a prince of the blood, cannot escape punishment!"

At once, everyone in the hall turned to look at Prince Cheng.

Prince Cheng still knelt there, straight as a ramrod. He neither defended himself nor offered any explanation.

A prince without much power stammered, "Prince Cheng is kind-hearted. He couldn't possibly have done something like this. Could there be some misunderstanding?"

"Misunderstanding?" Fang Lanyue let out a mournful cry. "I saw with my own eyes as he slaughtered everyone in the villa. How could it be a misunderstanding?"

The emperor said coldly, "Has the imperial uncle gone senile? The matter is perfectly clear. Prince Cheng was贪图美色 and committed this terrible crime."

I couldn't watch anymore. I called out to Fang Lanyue, who was still lost in her grief. "Miss Fang, do you know the name of your family's mountain villa?"

Fang Lanyue looked at me timidly, a hint of pride in her voice. "I remember. My father named it the Villa of Righteous Gathering, to commemorate the bond between him and his sworn brothers."

I nodded. "Good. I'm glad you remember."

I raised my hand, and several young eunuchs filed in carrying two chests.

The chests were heavy, still bearing the seals of the Ministry of Justice.

I tore off the seals and opened them. Inside were old case files.

The files were years old, the paper cracked and dry, but still legible.

I casually took one out and handed it to Fang Lanyue. "I've heard Miss Fang is well-read and knowledgeable. Why don't you take a look at these?"

Fang Lanyue was bewildered, but she took the file and began to read:

"Early in the tenth year of Zhenping, the bandits of the Villa of Righteous Gathering swarmed out to rob a passing merchant caravan. No survivors were left..."

Her voice grew softer and softer, her face turning as pale as paper. "Impossible. This is fake. Fake..."

I bent down to pick up the file she had dropped and continued reading:

"In the spring of the thirteenth year of Zhenping, the bandits of the Villa of Righteous Gathering conspired with various outlaw gangs to attack the Han Family Village in Ju County. They burned down over a hundred houses, killing more than three hundred civilians, including nearly a hundred women and children."

"Aaah!!!" Fang Lanyue let out a bloodcurdling scream, her body trembling like a leaf in a storm.

I put the file down. "Miss Fang, this is just one of them."

"These two chests are filled with records of how your father's Villa of Righteous Gathering engaged in murder, robbery, and wreaked havoc on the land."

"The local people suffered greatly at their hands. They called your father 'King Yama Fang.'"

"The righteous and noble father you speak of doesn't match what's in these files, nor what the people say about him."

"And the Prince Cheng you accuse of repaying kindness with enmity—after he was ordered to suppress the bandits, the local people were so grateful that some even set up longevity plaques for him."

"Miss Fang, what do you make of all this?"

"Miss Fang, this delicate skin and jade-like beauty of yours, nourished by the blood and tears of countless people—does it sit well with you?"

Fang Lanyue was panicked and distraught, reeling as if she couldn't bear these words.

Prince Cheng, who had been silent all along, finally spoke. "Your Majesty, a man should be merciful when he has the upper hand."

I cursed inwardly.

When those two were calling for your head, you didn't say a word. Now that I'm speaking up for you, you finally open your mouth!

I was going to ignore him, but after a moment's thought, I forced a smile. "You're right."

I could hold back, but Chancellor Han couldn't.

He jumped up and glared at Prince Cheng. "Prince Cheng made the daughter of a bandit chieftain his consort. What exactly are you plotting?"

The more he spoke, the more suspicious he became. His eyes darted between the two of them.

"Prince Cheng was so devoted to his consort, so why did he leave for the battlefield less than half a year after their marriage? Leaving behind such a beautiful wife—what scheme are you cooking up?"

Years of political experience had his mind spinning out a grand conspiracy.

He immediately petitioned the emperor. "Your Majesty, I request that this woman be thrown into the imperial prison and tortured until she confesses what other plots they have!"

The emperor was caught off guard. He was still reeling from the revelation that the woman he loved had such a sordid background.

Hearing Chancellor Han's words, he began to waver.

Fang Lanyue was first stunned by the revelation of her own origins, then saw her lover beginning to doubt her. She felt utterly hopeless.

Overwhelmed with grief, Fang Lanyue slowly rose and walked over to the emperor. Gently but firmly, she looked at him. "You don't believe me, do you?"

The emperor finally realized what he had just done. He hurried forward to take her hand. "No, no. How could I doubt you?"

Fang Lanyue shook off his hand. "But you hesitated! You were afraid!"

She even laughed. "You were afraid I had some ulterior motive for getting close to you. You were afraid that the daughter of a rebel father would also be a rebel!"

"Your Majesty, after all we've shared, you doubt me because of a few words from others?!"

"Then what reason do I have to go on living?"

With that, she charged desperately at a nearby pillar.

She was determined to die. Fortunately, Prince Cheng had been watching her closely. Seeing what was about to happen, he intercepted her, preventing a bloody tragedy on the spot.

But even so, the force of the impact knocked her unconscious.

The emperor was shaken to his core. He gathered Fang Lanyue into his arms and shouted hoarsely, "Summon the imperial physician! Quickly!"

His hands trembling, he checked her breathing. When he found she was still alive, he relaxed slightly, then began pounding his head in anguish. "It's all my fault, Lanyue. I deserve to die. How could I have doubted you?"

While the protagonists were locked in their anguished romance, some supporting character always had to cause trouble.

Chancellor Han was relentless. He insisted sternly, "Your Majesty, this matter concerns your safety. It absolutely cannot be set aside!"

"Moreover, this woman's father was steeped in evil. If you don't execute her according to the law, how can Your Majesty face the people who died unjustly?"

"No!" "Shut up!"

Prince Cheng and the emperor shouted at Chancellor Han simultaneously.

Prince Cheng realized his impropriety as soon as he spoke and lowered his head in dejection.

The emperor gave Prince Cheng a cold look before patiently explaining to Chancellor Han:

"Lanyue is innocent and pure-hearted, like a child. What does her father's crimes have to do with her?"

Chancellor Han was pained. "Your Majesty..."

The emperor suddenly exploded. "Chancellor Han, I've been lenient with you out of respect for our former teacher-student bond. Don't push your luck!"

I watched this confrontation between teacher and student coldly. Before Fang Lanyue appeared, they had been inseparable, the model of an enlightened ruler and virtuous minister that scholars never tired of praising.

Chancellor Han came from humble origins, and his abilities were actually quite mediocre.

But he was deeply influenced by Neo-Confucian thought, advocating the preservation of heavenly principles and the elimination of human desires. He was exceptionally harsh toward women.

The late emperor had seen this quality in him and promoted him from an obscure fourth-rank official straight to Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince.

And indeed, under his influence, the emperor had always had a strained relationship with his mother, which eventually escalated to open hostility.

After the late emperor's death, when I held court behind the screen, I became a thorn in Chancellor Han's side. He was constantly scheming to get rid of me.

Eventually, after the emperor came of age and I returned authority to him, I holed up in the Hall of Compassionate Tranquility, finally escaping his relentless attacks.

Now, just when he thought the most troublesome person was gone and he could assist the new emperor in ushering in a golden age of peace and prosperity, earning a reputation for harmonious ruler-minister relations, the emperor had to go and mess things up.

He must be finding it unbearable.

Of course, in his worldview, the emperor could never be at fault. If he made a mistake, it must be due to someone's deliberate seduction.

And that someone had to be Fang Lanyue.

The daughter of a bandit leader who, by some twist of fate, became a prince's consort—and then couldn't stay content in her role. While her husband was away, she seduced the Son of Heaven, bewitching him completely. Her crime was unforgivable.

So, ignoring the emperor's threat, Chancellor Han stubbornly pressed on:

"Good medicine tastes bitter but cures the disease; loyal advice may be unpleasant but benefits one's conduct. Today, I must offer some unpleasant but loyal advice."

"Your Majesty is bewitched by a woman's beauty. Have you forgotten the lessons of Mo Xi and Da Ji?"

Instead of getting angry, the emperor laughed. He looked at Chancellor Han with a chilling gaze. "Is my teacher saying that I am like Jie of Xia or Zhou of Shang?"

Anyone could see that the emperor was now at the peak of his fury, but Chancellor Han seemed oblivious.

Perhaps relying on his seniority, or perhaps trusting in their years of teacher-student bond, he not only didn't stop but became even more blunt:

"If Your Majesty doesn't rein himself in immediately, you won't be far from them!"

With a loud thud, the emperor kicked Chancellor Han. "Fine! Since I'm already a tyrant, I might as well do something tyrannical today."

"Guards! Take this old fool out and behead him!"

The guards looked at each other, none daring to move. They turned their pleading eyes to the imperial clansmen, who in turn looked at me.

Hah! Given my relationship with these two, not kicking him while he was down was already doing him a favor, for the empress's sake.

Seeing that I remained unmoved, one of the elder princes had no choice but to totter forward and plead, "Your Majesty, please think twice!"

The emperor looked at him darkly. "Does the imperial uncle know the story of Bigan?"

The elder prince fell silent.

When the guards actually stepped forward to drag him away, Chancellor Han, tears streaming down his aged face, shouted hoarsely:

"Heaven! Open your eyes! Strike down this tyrant and his seductress!"

I clicked my tongue. Heaven was busy and had no time for them.

Still, I called out to the guards, "Hold on!"

Meeting the emperor's murderous gaze, I smiled slightly.

"What, Your Majesty? Do you intend to surpass King Zhou of Shang by adding matricide to your list of crimes?"

The emperor opened his mouth to speak, but just then, the imperial physician's surprised voice rang out: "Your Majesty! Miss Fang is awake!"

Fang Lanyue slowly regained consciousness. In a faint voice, she said, "May we never meet again, in this life or the next," and then refused to say another word.

The emperor was heartbroken, but he followed the physician's advice and took Fang Lanyue back to the inner palace to recuperate.

As soon as he left, the imperial clansmen dispersed.

From their stumbling steps, one could guess how badly they had been frightened.

My trusted eunuch crept up to me. "Your Majesty, shall I take care of Chancellor Han and Prince Cheng?"

He made a slashing motion across his throat.

I gave him a sidelong glance. "No need. That old fool Han has been humiliated enough today. Without us lifting a finger, he'll stew in his own juices and die of anger."

"As for Prince Cheng, keep him around. I have use for him."

A lovesick fool who was also a military genius—I liked that.

Gazing in the direction the emperor had gone, I curled my lips slightly. You've crippled both your civil and military pillars with your own hands, Your Majesty. Let's see how you'll fight me now.

To control Prince Cheng, I needed to keep Fang Lanyue in my grasp.

I heard that since waking up, Fang Lanyue hadn't spoken a word. She just stared blankly out the window every day. I had an idea.

Taking only my trusted eunuch, I went to the emperor's Palace of Heavenly Purity.

The emperor was at his wit's end. When he saw me, he asked warily, "What business does Mother have here?"

I said to him kindly, "I've come to see Lanyue."

Seeing his disbelief, I took out my handkerchief and dabbed at the corner of my eye. "Why have we become so suspicious of each other, mother and son?"

"I still remember how you used to refuse to sleep unless I was with you when you were little. How close we were back then."

The emperor's face also showed a trace of sadness.

Seeing that the moment was right, I said to him:

"I may not want Miss Fang to be empress, but I never wanted her dead."

"I understand the principle of loving someone for who they love."

My trusted eunuch chimed in at the right moment. "Ever since His Majesty couldn't sleep because of Miss Fang, Her Majesty has also lost her appetite."

The emperor was finally moved and opened the door to let me in.

I instructed him, "Let me have a private chat with Miss Fang. Don't come in, so she can speak freely and open her heart."

The emperor had no choice but to agree.

When I saw Fang Lanyue, she was emaciated. I took out my handkerchief, rubbed my eyes, and squeezed out a few tears.

I grabbed her hand and choked up for a long moment before managing to say, "Good child, you've suffered."

Fang Lanyue remained dazed, showing no reaction.

I didn't give up. I continued to console her gently:

"I know your heart is bitter. For him, you've endured criticism and come to live in this biggest, deepest cage in the world. But him? He couldn't even give you the most basic trust."

Hearing me hit the mark, Fang Lanyue finally reacted. She buried her face in the bed and began to cry.

I patted her hand. "This is precisely the test of your love!"

"Forgive me for saying something unpleasant, but your relationship has hurt too many people."

Fang Lanyue wept sorrowfully. "But true love is innocent."

Suppressing the curse words that wanted to surface, I sighed along with her. "I know that. But others don't!"

"Especially Prince Cheng. He offended the entire imperial clan to marry you, and now he's become a laughingstock because of you."

Fang Lanyue became agitated. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she shook her head and cried, "I didn't want this! I didn't want to hurt him, but I truly can't love him!"

I sighed deeply along with her, then offered her a suggestion. "Why don't you tell him a kind lie?"

"Write a letter to Prince Cheng. Tell him that during your recent昏迷, a bodhisattva appeared to you in a dream and revealed that your relationship with him was destined to be one of suffering."

"Tell him that in a past life, you were a magical herb before the Buddha's throne. Prince Cheng and the emperor were both pages before the Buddha, who watered and cared for you daily, playing with you, planting the seeds of past-life karma."

"But in that past life, Prince Cheng was careless while weeding and accidentally damaged your spiritual roots. The emperor cared for you day and night and saved you."

"Therefore, in this life, Prince Cheng loves you but cannot have you."

"Tell Prince Cheng that you and His Majesty are a pair destined through two lifetimes. Tell him to let go of his delusions, cultivate himself properly, and focus on the welfare of the world. That is the right path."

After saying all this, my mouth was parched. I took a sip of tea and saw that Fang Lanyue was in a strange state.

Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes were shining, and she stared at me with狂热. "Your Majesty, this isn't just a story you made up, is it? The gods really did come to you in a dream, didn't they?"

Oh, for heaven's sake. I felt a toothache.