In the Ci Qing Palace, Dugeaux was waiting on the side, her brows tightly knitted.
At this moment, there was no one in the hall. Dugeaux couldn't help but ask, "Crown Princess, that old palace maid's words … are you telling the truth?"
Recently, the Yang Family had been everywhere. The Yang Family's grandson's murder and murder hadn't been settled yet, but Yang Shoufu's wife had been dragged into the water. Murdering the former Empress was a crime that couldn't be compared to murdering a commoner.
Especially when it involved the Empress' difficult labor. When Empress Zhong was pregnant, her fetus was unstable. After the premature labor, the Crown Prince was born with a weak body. Because of this, Empress Zhong was left with an illness that lingered in bed for two years before she passed away. According to the old palace maid, Empress Zhong wasn't supposed to give birth prematurely. After eating porridge, she suddenly went into labor. On the day of labor, everything went smoothly at first. Later, the midwife deliberately delayed it, causing Empress Zhong's labor to not go smoothly and her vitality to be greatly damaged.
Tampering with a woman's labor was tantamount to murder. If the old palace maid's words were true, then Madam Yang would have to face more than just prison.
Cheng Yujin's fingers flipped and pierced the brocade. Her right hand held the needle and gently turned it in the air. "She dared to stand on the surface and say it, and put the evidence in front of everyone, so it must be true. It's just that so many years have passed. Even if it's true evidence, it won't be easy to reexamine it. What we really need to see is the Emperor's attitude. "
Dugeaux naturally sided with the East Palace and the Crown Princess. Not to mention the East Palace's position, just based on the fact that Madam Yang tampered with Empress Zhong's labor, it was difficult for Dugeaux to have a good impression of the Yang Family. A woman giving birth was like stepping into the gates of hell. During labor, she was in so much pain that she didn't have time to pay attention to anything else. It could be said that she had no ability to protect herself. Harming others at this time and even bribing the midwife to deliberately delay time was really too vicious and sinister. Dugeaux was also a woman, so she instinctively despised this kind of behavior.
If this was true, then now that everything was out in the open, there was no reason for Madam Yang not to pay for her evil deeds. Du Ruo frowned and thought for a while, but she still felt uneasy. "Crown Prince Consort, then do you think His Majesty will uphold justice for the late Empress, punish Madam Yang, and avenge the late Empress?"
Relying on the Emperor to take revenge? Cheng Yujin was not optimistic at all. If the Emperor had the heart, he should have had suspicions and investigated when Empress Zhong had a difficult birth. However, the Emperor did not. He had been married to Empress Yang for more than a decade.
She couldn't even count on him when he was still alive, let alone twenty years after his death. Cheng Yujin pierced the needle again. Her fingers turned, pressing the end of the thread and the last needle at the same time. "The justice of the late Empress will definitely come, but it will not come from His Majesty."
Dugeaux was enlightened and understood the second half of Cheng Yujin's unspoken words.
It was the Crown Prince.
He would investigate Empress Zhong's matter many years later. He would collect witnesses and material evidence from all sides. He would preserve the evidence for many years and announce it to the world at the right time. There was only one person who would do this and had the ability to do so.
Moreover, the timing of the old palace maid's complaint was also very coincidental. It happened on the fifth day of the Dali Monastery's investigation of Yang Hsiao-yu's case. Yang Hsiao-yu's case was not difficult to investigate. The real difficulty was the relationship behind it. The Emperor, the Crown Prince, and the Grand Secretary were in a stalemate. There were also people in the middle who stood on different sides. The result of the Dali Monastery's investigation could be said to be very difficult.
However, within ten days, Empress Zhong's matter was suddenly exposed. At this moment, the Yang Family was already at the cusp of the storm. Suddenly, there was the news of the suspected murder of the former Empress, causing a lot of discussion inside and outside the palace. If Empress Zhong's matter was true, Madam Yang would not be able to escape the blame. This was tantamount to smashing a hammer on the Yang Family's head. The tripartite balance of power was instantly reversed. With this, the Yang Family's power was greatly weakened. The final result of the case could be looked forward to.
Cheng Yujin was basically certain that the evidence that the old palace maid and the evidence that she brought out must have been arranged by Li Seung-kyung. However, the original time of the plan was not necessarily now. Yang Hsiao-yu's strangulation was too sudden. No one had expected it. Li Chengqian was also very surprised. However, the time was fleeting. Li Seung-kyung made a prompt decision and immediately threw out the trump card, Empress Zhong.
The political struggle outside was bloody and cruel, killing without spilling blood. However, the Eastern Palace was still peaceful. Cheng Yujin recuperated in peace and took care of the two children. The vitality that was damaged during the birth was slowly recovering. When Li Seung-kyung came back at night, he only accompanied her to take care of the children and chat. He rarely mentioned the storms outside.
Cheng Yujin knew that Li Seung-kyung did not want her to worry about the outside world. She also seized the time to recover her body. However, not getting involved did not mean that she did not know. Cheng Yujin would still listen to the movements outside the imperial harem during the day.
Cheng Yujin finished embroidering clothes for the two children. The Dugeaux immediately took it and carefully folded it. Cheng Yujin rubbed her wrists and sighed. "This is a showdown between His Highness and Yang Shoufu. We just have to wait."
This was indeed a battle between Li Seung-kyung and Yang Fucheng. The Crown Prince and the Grand Secretary, the Eastern Palace and the Empress's family. These two colossal figures were confronting each other head-on. The small officials and families did not dare to approach. When the immortals fought, the mortals suffered. Within ten days, there were people who did not dare to take sides. There were also families who expressed their stance one after another. Although it was dangerous, once it was done, it would be a merit to the emperor.
Moreover, the Yang Family's momentum was gone. The Yang family had been stuck in a rut for many years, and it was difficult for them to return to their old ways. However, the Crown Prince was on the rise. One had lost the hearts of the people, one had gained the support of the people, one was on the verge of collapse, and one was advancing rapidly. When Li Chengjing used his trump card, Empress Zhong, the Yang family was indeed unable to withstand it.
The Yang Family's reputation quickly deteriorated in a few days. Now, everyone who walked through the Yang Family's door dared to openly curse the traitors for covering the sky with one hand and being utterly devoid of conscience. Ten days later, the Dali Monastery came out with the results. Yang Shoufu's grandson, Yang Hsiao-yu, kidnapped a woman and killed her brother on the street. After that, he raped the woman. The woman held a grudge and took advantage of Yang Hsiao-yu's sleep to strangle him with a belt.
Dying in a woman's bed could be considered karma and reincarnation.
When the Emperor saw the results, he was extremely disappointed with the Yang Family. In the morning court, he publicly reprimanded Yang Shoufu for not managing the family well. Originally, it was agreed that Yang Fucheng would only be temporarily suspended. After the Dali Monastery's investigation, he would be reinstated. But now, Yang Fucheng was suspended indefinitely. The day of his reinstation was still far away.
At the same time, the case of the old palace maid, Ming Yue, was handed over to the Dali Monastery for investigation. The person in charge of this matter was still the Crown Prince.
When Empress Yang learned that Yang Fucheng was suspended indefinitely, she immediately went to the Palace of Heavenly Purity to plead for leniency. However, the Emperor refused to see her. Empress Yang knelt outside for four hours, but the Emperor never came out to take a look.
Empress Yang knelt on the hard white marble floor for four hours. When she returned, her knees were weak and she couldn't even walk. Because of this, the Emperor let Empress Yang recuperate in the Palace of Earthly Tranquility. If there was nothing important, she shouldn't go out. This decree seemed to sympathize with Empress Yang, but in fact, it was a disguised form of grounding Empress Yang.
The Empress' knees were injured, so naturally, she couldn't attend to her. Cheng Yujin naturally took over Empress Yang's duties and went to attend to the seriously ill Empress Dowager Yang. When Empress Dowager Yang suddenly heard that the Yang Family's only child had died tragically and that the Yang Family's bloodline was about to be extinguished, she was so anxious that she immediately vomited a mouthful of black blood. After vomiting blood, Empress Dowager Yang's condition took a turn for the worse.
Especially recently, Yang Fucheng was suspended, Mrs. Yang was involved in the murder case, and Empress Yang was secretly grounded. The news that came was worse and worse. It would be strange if Empress Dowager Yang's condition could get better.
The Palace of Cining, which was usually very quiet, now seemed to have opened its eyes and ears. The bad news of the Yang Family was passed in one after another. The imperial physician originally told the Empress Dowager to rest quietly and not worry about her. Cheng Yujin nodded and noted it down. As soon as she turned around, the slightest movement of the Yang Family would be passed to Empress Dowager Yang's ears.
Empress Dowager Yang's condition didn't get better for a long time. It even showed signs of worsening. Cheng Yujin was very anxious about this. She gave Empress Dowager Yang all kinds of medicine as if they didn't cost money. No matter what the imperial physician prescribed, she would try them all.
The bitter smell of medicine in the Palace of Cining didn't disperse day and night. Empress Dowager Yang woke up from a restless dream. The tip of her nose smelled the bitter smell that lingered for a long time.
At this moment, the bedchamber was very quiet. There weren't many palace servants. After Empress Dowager Yang made a noise, the curtain was lifted after a while. Cheng Yujin stood outside the bed curtain and nodded with a smile at Empress Dowager Yang. "Empress Dowager, you're awake. How do you feel? "
Empress Dowager Yang struggled with great effort. It seemed that she wanted to get up. Cheng Yujin still stood there without moving. She just gave a signal with her eyes. A palace maid helped Empress Dowager Yang sit up. The so-called personal service was just a palace maid doing it for her. Don't expect Cheng Yujin to do it herself.
The palace maid brought a stool for Cheng Yujin. Cheng Yujin sat by Empress Dowager Yang's bed and asked with a smile, "Empress Dowager, the medicine is ready. Do you want to use it now or later?"
Drinking medicine again. Even if Empress Dowager Yang was past the age where children were afraid of suffering, drinking medicine as soon as she woke up wasn't a good experience. Empress Dowager Yang said with a gloomy face, "Wait a bit."
"Alright." Cheng Yujin nodded in agreement. She turned around and ordered, "Watch the fire of the medicine furnace. Keep the medicine warm and don't let it get cold. If it's too long and the medicine is damaged, then pour it all out and make a new batch. "
"Yes."
The palace maid left with the order. Empress Dowager Yang looked at everything in front of her and gave a cold laugh.
"You can all leave." Empress Dowager Yang pulled the corners of her lips and said in a gloomy voice, "Aijia has something to say to the Crown Princess."
The palace maids all looked up at Cheng Yujin. When Cheng Yujin raised her hand, they all moved back.
Empress Dowager Yang gave a fake smile and her turbid eyes were cold, "The Crown Princess is so powerful. Even the people in aijia's palace have to listen to your orders."
"I don't dare." Cheng Yujin's back was straight as she sat on the round stool. Her hands were crossed, and the folds of her skirt spread out on the floor like a peacock. She said, "Erchen has only learned a little from the Empress Dowager."
Now that there was no one else in the palace, Empress Dowager Yang was too lazy to argue with Cheng Yujin. She directly asked, "Who is pushing all of this?"
Empress Dowager Yang was not a fool. On the contrary, no one could underestimate her ruthlessness and heartlessness to be able to get to where she was today. The public opinion was so one-sided and everything was linked together. From a grain of snow to a snowball, Empress Dowager Yang would be the first to not believe that there was no one behind it.
Cheng Yujin did not answer. She raised an eyebrow and asked with a smile, "Who does the Empress Dowager think it is?"
Who had the ability to push such a large trend of public opinion, the ability to make many officials in the court express their opinions, the ability to put pressure on the Emperor and the Yang Family, and the ability to keep evidence of Empress Zhong in their hands for so long?
Empress Dowager Yang already had an answer in her heart. Now that she saw that Cheng Yujin did not deny it at all, her heart was completely clear. Empress Dowager Yang pulled a corner of her lips and put on a fake smile, "It really is you. That's right. Other than you, who else would hate the Yang Family to death and want the Yang Family to fall? "
"I can't agree with the Empress Dowager's words." Cheng Yujin straightened her long sleeves and raised her head to nod at Empress Dowager Yang with a smile, "The ones who hate the Yang Family are not us. The ones who want the Yang Family to fall are far more than us."
Empress Dowager Yang was stunned. Cheng Yujin looked at her and slowly said, "During the avalanche, did the Empress Dowager think that it was just the power of one person? Everyone who pushed the Yang Family from behind, everyone who watched with folded arms, wanted the Yang Family to fall from power, wanted justice to be brought to the world. "
Empress Dowager Yang was silent for a long time. After a long time, she smiled, "I thought that I had been careful and solemn for many years, and that I had worked hard and made great contributions. It turns out that there are so many people outside who don't like aijia and the Yang Family?"
"Worked hard and made great contributions?" Cheng Yujin also smiled softly when she heard this, saying, "The Empress Dowager actually thinks that you have worked very hard for many years. That's not wrong, but the hard work is for the Yang Family, and the merit is for yourself. The Empress Dowager stands on the clouds and controls life and death. How could she see the piles of bones under your feet? How could she care about those innocent people who sacrificed themselves for your selfishness? "
"Ha." Empress Dowager Yang was disdainful, "When aijia swept through the harem, you weren't even born. Now, a mere child like you dares to talk nonsense in front of aijia? "
"I naturally don't dare." Cheng Yujin had a gentle smile on her lips as she said, "I was just following the will of heaven and realizing what everyone had hoped for for many years."
Empress Dowager Yang choked. Yes, no matter how fierce her words were, no matter how glorious she used to be, it couldn't be denied that now, the Yang Family was pushed down by everyone. Even Empress Dowager Yang was old and on the verge of collapse at the top of the harem. Even the palace maids and servants that she used to look down on couldn't be ordered around. The era that belonged to the Yang Family was over. Even if Empress Dowager Yang was the Empress of two dynasties, even if the Yang Family was at its peak and had great power, it couldn't compare to the fact that everyone had turned against them. The only son of three generations had died an unnatural death, and their bloodline was about to be cut off.
Empress Dowager Yang's heart was extremely sad. If she had known earlier, why did she work so hard all these years? Why did she painstakingly pave the way for the Yang Family all these years? Even if she had a rich family and great power, who would she leave it to?
Yang Hsiao-yu was dead, and Yang Shilong was almost forty years old. It wasn't realistic to have another son at this age. Even if Cheng Yujin and Li Seung-kyung didn't push behind the scenes, the Yang Family would collapse sooner or later. Empress Dowager Yang hated the woman who killed Yang Hsiao-yu in her heart. She wanted to eat her flesh, drink her blood, cut her into pieces, and scatter her ashes. But the people outside still called her a fierce woman and clamored to redress her grievances.
How ironic. Empress Dowager Yang actually had some regrets in her heart, but in front of Cheng Yujin, she still put on a tough appearance and sneered, "Crown Princess, you should worry more about yourself. Do you think that by toppling the Yang Family, you can get away with it? Hurry up and save it. When the birds are gone, the bow is put away. When the cunning rabbit is dead, the hound is cooked. When the Yang Family collapses, the next one will be you. "
"Empress Dowager doesn't need to worry about this." Cheng Yujin was unmoved and said, "No matter what, between the Crown Prince and His Majesty is a family matter. After all, the Empress Dowager and the Grand Secretary are surnamed Yang, but His Highness and my child are both surnamed Li. Don't you think so? "
This sentence could be said to have poked Empress Dowager Yang's sore spot. Empress Dowager Yang couldn't maintain the cold and hard expression on her face. She snorted coldly, "He's just an inauspicious person. He was born in the fifth month. Even if he can grow up, he'll have a lonely life. When he was just born, aijia shouldn't have been soft-hearted. "
No matter what Empress Dowager Yang said before, Cheng Yujin always maintained a smile and her tone was always amiable. But when she heard Empress Dowager Yang say this about Li Seung-kyung, Cheng Yujin's heart was suddenly filled with a nameless fire.
Cheng Yujin's smile couldn't help but fade. Her eyes were clear and bright. When she smiled, it was like a painting. When she didn't smile, her eyes were cold and frosty. "Empress Dowager, you rely on your grandmother's seniority to judge the fate of others. When His Highness was just born, you said it was inauspicious. When my child wasn't born, you also said it was inauspicious. Empress Dowager, look, you've done too many evil things. As expected, you've brought evil upon yourself. The Yang Family is already extinct. Empress Dowager, you are also extinct. "
Empress Dowager Yang's eyes widened. She angrily said, "You … …"
"Empress Dowager always says that others are inauspicious. It's like this for His Highness the Crown Prince and it's also like this for my child. Perhaps for the Empress Dowager, it really is inauspicious. All of your children and grandchildren are dead, but we will live well. We will live longer than you, thousands of times better than you, live. "
This was the pain that Empress Dowager Yang couldn't touch. For many years, no one in the harem dared to mention this matter. Even Empress Dowager Yang avoided it. At this moment, Cheng Yujin brought it up and laid out all the wounds under the sun. Empress Dowager Yang's heart was filled with anger. She was so angry that she kept coughing. She coughed for a long time. When she finally calmed down, her nose faintly smelled a fragrance.
Sometimes, the memory of smell was longer than the memory of sight. This fragrance was too old. Empress Dowager Yang was stunned for a moment. Even if she deliberately let herself forget, the grief immediately brought her back to that day.
The day her own son died in vain.
Her son was once the Crown Prince. That day, as usual, her son paid his respects to Empress Dowager Yang and went outside to attend an appointment. At that time, Empress Dowager Yang was still the Empress. She prepared fresh fruits and vegetables in Kunning Palace and waited for her son to return from the banquet. But in the afternoon, Empress Dowager Yang didn't receive any news from her only son. Instead, she received a servant saying that Imperial Consort Niangniang had invited her.
Empress Dowager Yang didn't think much of it. She casually tidied up and went to Changchun Palace to attend the appointment. That day, Imperial Consort Niangniang wore a light white dress. When Empress Dowager Yang saw it, she asked curiously, "Why is Imperial Consort Niangniang dressed so plainly?"
Imperial Consort Niangniang looked at her and smiled. She said, "I happened to hear news about an old friend. This concubine is sad for him and can't bear to wear bright clothes."
Empress Dowager Yang sneered in her heart and didn't ask much. Who would have thought that she would suddenly receive bad news from a eunuch halfway through her tea. The eldest son had an accident and died on the spot. Empress Dowager Yang's only son was killed by Imperial Consort Niangniang's son, Prince Rong.
Empress Dowager Yang remembered clearly that the fragrance that Imperial Consort Niangniang had ordered in Changchun Palace that day was exactly the same.
Empress Dowager Yang was suddenly frightened. Her heart contracted tightly, and she was in so much pain that she couldn't speak. That was her only son, the person who was truly related to her by blood in this world. If it wasn't for her son's wrongful death, why would Empress Dowager Yang summon Li Huan to the capital and hand over the throne in her hands? If it wasn't for her only son's death, why would Empress Dowager Yang support the Yang Family all these years? Those resources were originally reserved for her son.
It was probably because her son had died. Empress Dowager Yang had no one to rely on. She could only desperately support her younger brother and pull her younger brother and nephew to rely on.
This was the eternal pain in Empress Dowager Yang's heart. In these years, no one dared to mention Imperial Consort Niangniang and Prince Rong, let alone mention Crown Prince Huai Lian. After a long time, Empress Dowager Yang had almost forgotten these things. However, the familiar smell immediately brought her back to the pain of losing her son. It was so painful that Empress Dowager Yang almost couldn't breathe.
She didn't forget, she just didn't dare to let herself remember.
Figures flickered and her line of sight was disordered. Empress Dowager Yang suddenly discovered that Cheng Yujin was also wearing a plain white dress today. There were only scattered flowers embroidered on the cuffs.
Amidst the spiraling fragrance, the Cheng Yujin in front of her faintly overlapped with the Imperial Consort Niangniang of that year. Empress Dowager Yang's heart was in sharp pain. She pointed at Cheng Yujin, her fingers constantly trembling, "You … … How do you know this dress?"
Cheng Yujin had a smile on her lips as she said, "What are you saying, Niangniang? I'm serving you, so I should wear plain clothes. I can't bear to wear bright clothes."
When Empress Dowager Yang heard the second half of the sentence, her vision turned black and she almost fainted. Cheng Yujin stood up and looked down at the Empress Dowager who was lying on the bed. She swept a glance and walked out with a wave of her sleeve, "Someone come, the Empress Dowager is ill. Feed the Empress Dowager medicine to calm her nerves and help her sleep. "
From Empress Dowager Yang's point of view, Cheng Yujin's departing figure was especially similar to her sworn enemy, Imperial Consort Niangniang of Renzong.
Smelling the familiar smell, the plain and light figure in front of her eyes swayed back and forth. In a trance, Empress Dowager Yang almost thought that Imperial Consort Niangniang had come back to life. She had crawled back from the hell of Avici and came to find Empress Dowager Yang for revenge.
Empress Dowager Yang fell into a panic and completely fainted.
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