Yan Fu Palace, as the residence of the Empress, was a magnificent palace where the servants were diligent. Even the flowers and plants there were all trim and leafy.

Though the Emperor had taken over the reins of government, Yan Fu Palace was as magnificent as before.

Yun Fenghuang was led to the gate of the palace. After waiting for a while, she was invited inside by a maid.

“I’ve thought that His Majesty has forgotten you and planned to remind him. However, he mentioned about you just now, saying that you should come back.” Empress Ji probably just came back from the outside because she still wore Diyi, with a piece of jewelry on which a red phoenix held the beads in the mouth. But she looked quite tired and much thinner than before.

With a weak voice, she pointed to the embroidered stool not far away, “Sit down.”

“Your Highness, what’s going on?” After Yun Fenghuang thanked Empress Ji and sat down, she couldn’t wait to ask, “Wasn’t it alright at the summer banquet?”

Empress Ji sighed, saying, “Who knows?”

She was also a little surprised, “Didn’t the eunuch tell you? The drought hit Gongzhou, Hengzhou and Zhizhou, so some guys took the chance to gather together and plan to rebel!”

Yun Fenghuang smiled embarrassedly, “I was so surprised after hearing His Majesty’s personal rule that I didn’t pay attention to what the eunuch said afterwards.”

The Empress could understand her gaffe for she was not much calmer than Yun Fenghuang when this news came out.

“But, Your Highness.” Yun Fenghuang replied, “It… was not necessary for His Majesty to rule personally to deal with it, right? Couldn’t those courtiers come up with a feasible method?”

The Empress said, “You are really startled this time. You don’t even hear a word.”

Courtiers would certainly not agree to the Emperor’s personal rule only because of the drought in the three regions and the rebellion… At least, they would not easily agree.

The key was that this group of rioters had no simple aim but had the purpose of cleaning the traitors. They claimed that Ji’s Family colluded with Zheng Ju, General-in-chief of the Cavalry, to control the government and had killed the late Emperor Xiaozong and even Emperor Chunjia. The current emperor was just a substitute.

Otherwise, why didn’t Emperor Chunjia rule the country as he was 23?!

Moreover, Emperor Chunjia had no child in the past eight years, and his beloved Noble Consort Shu and Consort Yue who were pregnant didn’t delivery their babies. At the beginning of this year, Empress Dowager cordially invited a group of concubines, and news came out soon that some concubines were pregnant. But who were they?

Noble Consort Gui and Consort Yue who was demoted as Jie Yu Yue now.

Who was Noble Consort Gui?

The niece of Zheng Ju, General-in-chief of the Cavalry.

Who was Jie Yu Yue?

The childhood sweetheart of Emperor Chunjia.

What did this mean?

It meant that after Ji’s Family and Zheng Ju killed Emperor Xiaozong and assassinated Emperor Chunjia, they planned to give up the substitute and support the young crown prince, so as to control the regime of Gongxiang’s Family!

After all, whether the baby delivered by Noble Consort Gui was the biological child of Emperor Chunjia, Zheng Ju would certainly support him; while as for the baby of Jie Yu Yue, the Empress would probably kill his mother and adopt him to compete for the crown prince… But why didn’t the Empress deliver a child since the Emperor was a fake one? She didn’t need to raise a child of other people to bother herself.

First, since the substitute was arranged by Ji’s Family and Zheng Ju, how could the Empress, the legitimate daughter of Ji’s Family, have relationship with him? Second, Empress Ji had been married for 10 years and was bedded by the Emperor for several days every month, but she had never been pregnant. Maybe, she was doomed to be infertile because her family did many treacherous things?

Besides, as Ji’s Family had already killed two emperors of Gongxiang’s Family, this unborn successor would be expected to have no good ending in the future.

After all, Zheng Ju was a eunuch and everyone looked down upon Noble Consort Gui and their family. No one would be curious about how ruthless they were. However, although Ji’s Family was not kind, it was a big family.

If Empress Ji was pregnant, whether it was a child of Ji’s Family, since the mother and child were naturally bounded, what if the Empress would be reluctant to grieve her own child in the future?

Therefore, it would be better for the Empress to bring up others’ child and even the child of Yuan Lianniang, the most hated person of the Empress. In that case, she would not be distressed no matter what would the child suffer in the future!

… No one knew that who made the rumor. If Yun Fenghuang didn’t know the inside story, she would believe it.

Empress Ji sighed again when she said this, “The rumor spreads quickly and widely. Many scholars have submitted their question papers… How hateful Gongxiang Mao is! He did not help to refute the rumor but aggravated the situation, saying that as the Prince Regent, he wanted to support His Majesty but was powerless because Ji’s Family and Zheng Ju had colluded… Now, there are many nursery rhymes and playbooks in which Ji’s Family and Zheng Ju are vile characters while Prince Regent is the hero… How shameless!”

“…” How did the Emperor who basically did not leave the Imperial Palace and had no chance to come into contact with substantive power after he was enthroned at 15?!

Yun Fenghuang couldn’t figure it out. She calmed down and comforted the Empress softly, “Your Highness, he just has the right to deal with the political things. When I learnt embroidery, my parents invited the first-class teacher for me. She taught me carefully but now I am still not good at it. How could it be easy to rule the country? In my opinion, since such remarks prevail among the public, it is better to let His Majesty to rule personally. The drought hit three regions, rioters made troubles, and rumors about many important officials came out, which were too hard to deal with. If His Majesty fails to deal with them or he does something wrong, then it can be seen that the courtiers are right not to let him rule the country. He is not wise enough so that he needs further study.”

Held on!

We could win!

The Emperor used the public to create a chance for personal rule.

Then let him rule personally!

In view of the current situation, even Emperor Xiaozong would be wildered if he was reborn, not to mention Emperor Chunjia, who had never held court and had grown up under the eyes of those major courtiers from Ji’s Family?

When he was at a loss, and even made wrong decisions which would cause huge losses, wouldn’t the winner be us?

“I also think so. I have asked people to do it.” Empress Ji nodded slightly. As for the so-called “asked people to do it”, it was absolutely impossible for her to simply remind her family to laugh at the Emperor. She must have ordered people to make more troubles and make the situation more difficult.

If Emperor Chunjia failed and even failed quickly and thoroughly, people would find the excellence and good intentions of Ji’s Family over the years when they didn’t allow the Emperor to hold court.

However, the move was not carried out smoothly. Empress Ji added, “However, Prince Regent always helps His Majesty now. Shizi still reads together with His Majesty. I do not know whether Prince Regent will give His Majesty advice privately through Shizi.”

Both Empress Ji and Yun Fenghuang didn’t think highly of Emperor Chunjia’s capacity of ruling the country.

After all, ruling a big country, especially in crisis, required not only talents but also experience in many cases.

Emperor Chunjia did not have any experience.

But Empress Ji feared Prince Regent very much, because he almost succeeded the throne in the past.

He not only had rich political experience, but was taught by the sonless Emperor Xiaozong hand in hand. He was treated as a half-son by Emperor Xiaozong. After Xiaozong’s death, he failed to fight for the throne but still won the title of “Prince Regent” from his opponents such as Ji’s Family, Zheng Ju, and Cui Wan, and became one of the most powerful people in the country.

If Prince Regent didn’t want to be an emperor, showed no hostile attitude towards Emperor Chunjia and supported him loyally, Emperor Chunjia would find an opportunity to hold court earlier than now.

Now, Emperor Chunjia gained the opportunity to rule personally by utilizing the drought to guide the public opinion. From Prince Regent’s response, he was likely to put the grudge against his so-called nephew aside and cooperate with him to fight for Gongxiang’s Family… With his extreme patience and Prince Regent’s careful guidance, the Emperor Chunjia would probably overcome the difficulties. If so, the situation in the future would be unsure.

“Your Highness, take it easy.” Yun Fenghuang also felt uneasy. Looking at the depressed Empress, she dared not show her worry but comforted, “You see, if Prince Regent is sincere to His Majesty, how could it not happen until now? And the rumor taints the reputation of Ji’s Family and General-in-chief of the Cavalry while only mentions the virtue of Prince Regent but no excellence of His Majesty. It can be seen that though he helps His Majesty now, he still covets the throne.”

“In this case, even if he guides His Majesty, how could he be sincere?”

“He just seizes the opportunity to gain more power!”

She added, “Therefore, if the one who teaches His Majesty in private is Prince Regent, we can rest assured because if His Majesty is very wise, Prince Regent may be the first who wants to kill him!”

With such good words, she finally made the Empress stretch her eyebrows. Empress Ji said sincerely, “Well, I can only share my worries with you in this big Imperial Harem.”

Hearing that, Yun Fenghuang was relived. She thought to herself, “I have no choice. How dispirited you are! It doesn’t matter if you can’t cheer up, but if you want to cooperate with the Emperor and betray me, what should I do?”

This was the story of the one who had no strong family background. Although the Empress always showed little respect to the Emperor and embarrassed Yuan Lianniang, his favorite concubine, as merciless as Yun Fenghuang when making troubles for the lovers, if the Empress sued for peace, the Emperor would certainly agree.

Empress Ji was the legitimate daughter of Ji’s Family, the Emperor’s legal wife, whom could not be underestimated by people both at the Imperial Court and the Harem.

Even if the Empress couldn’t convince her family to surrender to the Emperor, the Emperor would forgive her if he could take the overall situation into consideration.

The reason why Yun Fenghuang could win a pretty status was that she took all parties into careful consideration.

When the Emperor was constrained, he might have some scruples. Now since he ruled personally and it was at the time when the political situation was unstable, no one would care about if he killed a concubine without reasons, let alone Yun Fenghuang offended him and Yuan Lianniang for countless times.

Therefore, Yun Fenghuang did not dare to let the Empress be dispirited for a long time.

She must persuade the Empress into fighting with the Emperor, so that she, as the leading protagonist for embarrassing the Emperor and Yuan Lianniang, was of value in the Imperial Harem!

“Your Highness, what happened at the summer banquet that day?” Yun Fenghuang asked instantly after seeing that the Empress was in a better mood, “After I came up from Pine Hill, I was taken to the vihara, and I have been confused… Did the news of rebellion came to the banquet at that time?”

She felt it impossible.

If those courtiers really valued the common people, even if Emperor Chunjia’s supporters misled them privately, the common people wouldn’t make such a big unrest. After all, they were not fool. Why should they do such a thing which could cause a disaster of their clan if they could live peacefully?

As she guessed, the Empress shook her head, “The drought in the three regions and the rebellion were reported to the Imperial Court a few days before the summer banquet. The courtiers had different opinions about the response measures, so they put it on hold and did not give an answer until the banquet was held…”

What made the summer banquet quit was… the death of Duchess Ye.

As the sister-in-law of Empress Dowager, the natural mother of Queen Mother Ji and the grandmother of Empress Ji, Duchess Ye was killed by a sudden arrow passing through her head when she was talking with Empress Dowager in private.

Because of the great strength of the arrow, her head was damaged thoroughly.

Empress Dowager, who was close to her at the time, was directly splashed with blood and brains!

… Well, this was also the reason why Empress Ji was so tired nowadays. Empress Dowager had been ill since the summer banquet. As a granddaughter-in-law, she took care of Empress Dowager with the Queen Mothers and others. The Emperor’s personal rule also put pressure on her. How could she bear it?