Chapter 615: Empress as a Burial Sacrifice
Chapter 615: Empress as a Burial Sacrifice
Meng Qianqian went to the camp of the Black Armor Army. When she returned to Kunning Palace, the Empress was sitting in the room, sipping tea.
"Sister-in-law, why are you out of bed?"
Meng Qianqian asked with concern.
The Empress weakly smiled and said, "I woke up and didn't see you. Yuanyang told me you went to the military camp. Have you found any leads on your brother?"
Meng Qianqian sighed deeply, her face showing her helplessness. "Not yet. My brother disappeared in the Cold Palace. I went to the dry well in the palace, suspecting there might be a trapdoor that can only be entered, not exited."
The Empress's face paled, and she tightly gripped Meng Qianqian's hand. "If it can only be entered, not exited, doesn't that mean the Emperor is... in grave danger?"
Meng Qianqian lowered her head, her eyes slightly red.
The Empress patted her hand, trying to comfort her. "Look at me, how could I say such things to you? You and the Emperor have the closest relationship. If something happens to him, you would be more heartbroken than I am."
Meng Qianqian choked back a sob. "Sister-in-law's affection for my brother is no less than mine. I'm very worried about you. No matter what happens, I don't want you to do anything foolish."
The Empress was taken aback.
Meng Qianqian wiped her tears and spoke with determination. "Sister-in-law, I plan to go down into the dry well myself to rescue my brother."
The Empress grabbed her hand. "But... didn't you say that place can only be entered, not exited?"
Meng Qianqian paused. "Actually, I have a bold hypothesis about the secret passage under the dry well. I suspect it leads to an underground palace."
"An underground palace?" The Empress was utterly surprised.
"Yes."
Meng Qianqian continued, "If it's an underground palace, there must be an exit. This time, I brought twelve thousand troops, including ten thousand elite Black Armor soldiers. Additionally, I've invited a Miao shaman who can use insects to find me. Once I find my brother in the underground palace and lead him to the exit, the Black Armor soldiers will be there to assist us."
The Empress took a sip of tea. "That sounds like a well-thought-out plan, but what if something happens to you? How will I explain it to our ancestors?"
Meng Qianqian spoke solemnly. "But if I don't go to find my brother, I'm afraid you might do something foolish. In the past few days, you haven't eaten or drunk anything, which really scares me."
The Empress's eyelids trembled.
She began to cough lightly.
Meng Qianqian hurriedly patted her back. "Sister-in-law, are you okay? Don't think too much. Without my brother, you are the closest person to me."
Clang.
The sound of breaking porcelain came from the door.
The Empress and Meng Qianqian looked out together.
Fu Wang stood outside the door, looking flustered, his eyes filled with worry.
Meng Qianqian asked irritably, "No manners at all, can't even carry a bowl of medicine steadily?"
Fu Wang looked at the Empress.
The Empress gently patted Meng Qianqian's hand. "Fu Wang has a filial heart. He has been serving me these past few days. I originally said that the palace attendants could do these things, but he insisted on doing everything himself."
Meng Qianqian huffed.
The palace maid, who was quick on her feet, stepped forward to clean up the broken ceramic and medicine residue.
Fu Wang stepped inside, his face full of concern. "Mother, you..."
Meng Qianqian said coldly, "Stammering and unable to carry medicine steadily, can't even speak clearly? I warn you, take good care of the Empress. If anything happens to her, you'll have a hard time in the Prince of Fu's residence!"
Prince Fu looked like a meek younger relative. "I understand, Aunt."
That day, the news that the Empress was grief-stricken and wanted to follow the Emperor spread quickly, reaching every corner of the palace within half a day.
"Is she really going to die for her cousin?"
Empress Hu sat in the small garden of her chambers, sneering. "Just putting on a show. Do I not know her well enough?"
"Sire, be careful; these walls have ears", her attendant warned.
Empress Hu snorted. "My cousin is gone. Why should I fear her? My son is about to ascend the throne. I will be the true Empress Dowager, and she will have to bow down to me!"
According to tradition, both the Empress and the Emperor’s birth mother could be honored as Empress Dowager, with the former being the more respected. However, due to the Emperor’s favor, the latter often held more prestige and power.
Thus, Empress Hu no longer feared the Empress.
She smiled faintly. "Come, let’s go see the Empress."
At the entrance of Kunning Palace, Empress Hu unexpectedly met Lady Chen and Lady Jiang.
She glanced at them with a haughty air, asking nonchalantly, "Why are Lady Chen and Lady Jiang here?"
Lady Jiang sneered. "Is Kunning Palace a place we can’t visit?"
Seeing Lady Jiang, Empress Hu was reminded of the humiliation of being slapped in the past, and her cheek throbbed.
She mocked, "Some people can’t even save themselves, yet they still meddle in other people’s affairs. They won’t even know how they’ll die one day."
Lady Chen smiled. "Lady Jiang is right. If you can’t save yourself, just stay in your chambers. Don’t risk falling and never getting up again."
"You!"
Empress Hu’s eyes flashed with anger.
Lady Jiang patted Lady Chen’s hand. "Speak more if you can."
Lady Chen smiled. "Sure."
The two women walked into Kunning Palace together, leaving Empress Hu fuming.
She glared at their backs, sneering, "I’ll see how long you can keep up this act. Once my son ascends the throne, you’ll all be bowing at my feet!"
As soon as Lady Chen and Lady Jiang entered Kunning Palace, they began to comfort the Empress, offering words of reassurance.
"The Emperor is only missing", "The Emperor will surely return safely", "Empress, don’t lose hope", and so on.
"Although there are precedents for burial sacrifices in the past, it’s not mandatory in our dynasty. Empress, please take care of yourself."
Lady Chen said this.
Lady Jiang was too lazy to play along; she just watched the show.
The Empress met Lady Chen’s concerned gaze and realized that this woman, who had been submissive in the Prince’s mansion for half her life, was not as simple as she appeared.
She even mentioned burial sacrifices.
If anything were to happen to her in the future, it would seem like a foretold fate.
Lady Chen said gently, "Empress, take care. Lady Jiang and I won’t disturb you further."
As they left Kunning Palace, Lady Jiang said to Lady Chen, "I never knew you were so clever. If only you had been like this before."
Lady Chen blushed and smiled. "I’m sorry for disappointing you."
Lady Jiang said, "Come, let’s play a few rounds of mahjong at my place."
Lady Chen said, "You mustn’t cheat."
Lady Jiang: "I said I was wrong last time!"
Empress Hu stood behind a flower bed, watching the two women chatting and laughing, and rolled her eyes in frustration.
In Kunning Palace, the maid Yuanyang presented the Empress with a medicinal soup.
The Empress waved her hand.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Yuanyang withdrew the soup.
The Empress gazed quietly at the bronze mirror, gently removing her ear ornaments and dropping them into the makeup box.
Meng Qianqian, having finished preparing her belongings for the underground palace, went to rest.
It was a dark and stormy night.
A venomous snake, its tongue flickering, silently slithered through the window and onto Meng Qianqian’s bed.
(End of Chapter)
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