“Your Majesty, how could Prince Zhao, being your own father, coerce you? Everything His Highness does is for you and the Crown Prince.”
Wang Xi said with a smile, while placing the last golden hairpin in Empress Zhao’s hair.
Empress Zhao scoffed twice, a hint of weariness suddenly appearing on her face. She said to Wang Xi, “You may withdraw. I am going to visit His Majesty.”
“Yes.” Wang Xi’s face still held a faint smile.
Supported by palace maids, Empress Zhao turned and left Fengming Palace, heading directly to Bishui Pavilion. After Emperor Xiaowenxuan fell seriously ill, he had been recuperating in Bishui Pavilion, diligently cared for by Consort Zhen.
Logically, I, as the Empress, should have been the one to care for him, but at this time, Emperor Xiaowenxuan had issued an imperial decree to recuperate in Bishui Pavilion, which made me, the Empress, lose face, and because of this, palace rumors increased.
Among them, the rumor that angered me most was that the Emperor’s serious illness this time was directly related to me. Thinking of this, a wave of anger surged in my heart.
“Your Majesty.”
Upon reaching Bishui Pavilion, Empress Zhao directly entered the inner chamber. Seeing Empress Zhao enter, Consort Zhen bowed.
Empress Zhao nodded, her eyes no longer holding the familiar intimacy of sisters. With Emperor Xiaowenxuan, the person who maintained the veil of shame between them, falling ill, the imperial concubines in the palace revealed their true colors.
They used every means at their disposal to plan for the rest of their lives.
“You may leave. I have something to say to His Majesty,” Empress Zhao said to Consort Zhen in a commanding tone.
Consort Zhen wanted to say something, but seeing Empress Zhao’s cold gaze, she finally sighed and walked out.
On the bed, Emperor Xiaowenxuan’s face was sallow, his lips pale, and he was so weak that he couldn’t even utter a single word.
At this moment, his gaze fixed on Empress Zhao was unusually complex, yet he still remained silent.
“Your Majesty, why is this?”
Empress Zhao looked at Emperor Xiaowenxuan, her eyes filled with confusion and bewilderment. She had never disliked Consort Zhen before, but because of this incident, she hated her like never before.
Emperor Xiaowenxuan’s eyes shifted, and his expression suddenly became somewhat fearful. He dared not look into Empress Zhao’s eyes, but desperately searched for Consort Zhen’s figure.
A wave of sorrow suddenly swept through Empress Zhao’s heart. Her eyes reddened slightly, and she said heartbreakingly, “Do our decades of affection now mean less than Consort Zhen? Even if I am old and faded, and you are unwilling to acknowledge me, even for the sake of the Thirteenth Prince, you should not treat me like this.”
Upon mentioning the Thirteenth Prince, Emperor Xiaowenxuan’s eyes suddenly became dazed. He looked at Empress Zhao and, for the first time, said weakly, “My life will probably fall into your and the Thirteenth Prince’s hands.”
“Your Majesty, the Thirteenth Prince is but an infant. How could he harm your life?” Empress Zhao said sharply. “Does Your Majesty dislike me so much that you won’t even give a decent excuse?”
“Hehehe…” Emperor Xiaowenxuan suddenly let out a hoarse laugh, but this laughter was filled with despair.
Two months ago, Empress Zhao gave birth to the Thirteenth Prince. That day was the happiest day for him in years. This joy even surpassed Xiao Ming’s capture of Shanhai Pass.
Over the years, he and Empress Zhao had a deep affection and always supported each other. Empress Zhao’s child was his most beloved child, and it was for Empress Zhao’s sake that he always supported the incompetent Crown Prince.
But he never expected his life to one day fall into the hands of Empress Zhao and her son.
Ever since Empress Zhao gave birth to the Thirteenth Prince, the Crown Prince, citing filial piety, had sent blood swallow’s nests to Empress Zhao. Because there was too much of this blood swallow’s nest, Empress Zhao would always send a bowl to Emperor Xiaowenxuan to nourish his body.
After all, he was now old, and his health was deteriorating day by day.
But he never expected that after drinking it for a month, his body became increasingly weak, until one day he suddenly fainted, and after that, his health declined day by day, until he was finally confined to bed.
After much thought, he grew increasingly suspicious that something was wrong with the bird’s nest, because only this blood bird’s nest did not come from the Imperial Kitchen.
Thinking of this, he secretly ordered Feng Deshui to investigate, but Feng Deshui never returned after going. Since then, he found that his imperial orders could not leave Bishui Pavilion at all.
At this point, he finally despaired. In his opinion, Empress Zhao must have been impatient to have the Crown Prince ascend the throne.
Because he had once jokingly told her that he would make the Thirteenth Prince the Crown Prince when he grew up. After all, the Thirteenth Prince was also born to Empress Zhao, and was also a legitimate son.
“Your Majesty, you must be delirious from illness.” Empress Zhao’s heart grew heavier. The current Emperor Xiaowenxuan was simply unreasonable to her.
“Cough, cough!”
Emperor Xiaowenxuan coughed violently twice. During this time, he felt his body becoming increasingly weak, and he probably didn’t have much time left. Looking at Empress Zhao, he pleaded, “If you want me to die, I have nothing to say, but do not involve the innocent. Prince Qi is the only one who can stop the barbarians from marching south. If you send Consort Zhen to Qingzhou, Prince Qi will surely remember your kindness. Even if he does not support the Crown Prince, he will not allow the barbarians to enter the pass.”
Empress Zhao grew more and more confused. She said, “Your Majesty, what are you talking about? How could I want Your Majesty to die?”
Emperor Xiaowenxuan looked steadily at Empress Zhao. Ever since he fell ill, he had been wary of Empress Zhao and had never said anything to her. Now that Empress Zhao spoke so sincerely, he suddenly had a thought and asked, “Let me ask you, where did Feng Deshui go?”
“Feng Deshui.” Empress Zhao was suddenly startled. She said, “Didn’t Feng Deshui retire and return to his hometown?”
“Retired and returned to his hometown?” Emperor Xiaowenxuan sneered repeatedly, “I sent him to investigate the matter of this blood swallow’s nest, but now he has suddenly disappeared. Do you think he retired and returned to his hometown?”
Empress Zhao’s expression grew uglier and uglier. Thinking of Wang Xi’s face, a chill suddenly ran down her spine. During this time, it had always been Wang Xi who conveyed the political orders, and everything she heard was what Wang Xi said.
Now, looking back, it seemed that things had changed since she gave birth to the Thirteenth Prince, and the blood swallow’s nest that Emperor Xiaowenxuan mentioned was what he had asked Wang Xi to send.
Before, Wang Xi was very honest by her side, but now Wang Xi seemed to have changed into a different person.
“This is what Wang Xi told me,” Empress Zhao said hesitantly.
Upon hearing this, a hint of understanding suddenly appeared in Emperor Xiaowenxuan’s eyes. He understood that Empress Zhao was probably innocent in this matter. He said, “It’s too late. Everything is too late now. He has already acted. Wanrong, trust me, this is all your father’s conspiracy. Listen to me, take Consort Zhen and the Thirteenth Prince to Qingzhou to seek refuge with Prince Qi. I will now make the Thirteenth Prince the Crown Prince.”
“Father Emperor! You really intend to make the Thirteenth Prince the Crown Prince.”
Just then, a voice suddenly sounded from outside the inner chamber. The Crown Prince walked in with a gloomy face.
Empress Zhao was not a foolish person. At this moment, through Emperor Xiaowenxuan’s few words, she had already guessed something. She said angrily, “So it was you, unfilial son! Your Father Emperor suddenly fell ill, and it turns out it was all because of your secret collusion with Wang Xi. This is regicide!”