Han Mingze left without looking back. The Empress gazed at Han Mingze"s back, eyes blurred with tears, muttering, "It"s not like that, it"s not like that, Your Majesty, this concubine truly didn"t want to hurt you, this concubine truly didn"t…"
Several guards came in from outside and took away all the palace maids and eunuchs. The two guards who had previously entered before approached the Empress and said, "Empress, you should go. Don"t make things difficult for us humble servants."
These guards often followed Han Mingze. They had highly respected the Empress in the past, so even now, they retained some respect for her.
The Empress rose from the ground. Muddleheaded, she left this place she had lived in ever since Han Mingze ascended the throne.
On the far side of the courtyard wall, a figure revealed themselves after the Empress had been escorted away, rus.h.i.+ng to tell their mistress about the information they had collected.
The Empress Dowager was reclining on a chaise, eating fruits imported from the Western Regions. Seeing the person entering, she lightly asked, “What’s the situation?”
“Mistress. The Empress was dethroned by the Emperor and banished to the Cold Palace. The palace maids and eunuchs have all been sent to the prison and handed over to the Ministry of Justice to be interrogated.
“Oh? Banished to the Cold Palace?” The Empress Dowager sat up and asked. “Only banishment to the Cold Palace?”
“Yes.”
“She didn’t reveal anything?” The Empress Dowager asked, rubbing the fingers of her right hand together.
“No, His Majesty the Emperor asked her, but she didn’t say anything.”
“If it’s like this…”
“Mistress, although Her Majesty the Empress didn’t say anything, it’s inevitable that she still might in the future. Should we?” Nanny Xi proposed from off to the side.
"Banishment to the Cold Palace." The Empress Dowager pondered, "What excuse did the Emperor use to banish her to the Cold Palace?"
"Responding to Mistress, the Emperor used the excuse that the Empress harbored a.s.sa.s.sins with the intention of plotting against him to send her to the Cold Palace. He also said– in order to prevent her from colluding with the a.s.sa.s.sins– to deploy heavy troops to guard the Cold Palace. Now, outside the Cold Palace, there are no doubt already many officers and soldiers."
“Mistress, what does the Emperor mean by this?” Nanny Xi was somewhat puzzled by Han Mingze’s actions.
“Hmph, what else can he mean?” The Empress Dowager snorted coldly, “The Emperor found Du Xiaoli, so he naturally knows she was kidnapped from the Empress’ place that night. Last night, he was using the excuse of looking for an a.s.sa.s.sin to search this Empress Dowager’s residence. Today, if he wants to punish the Empress for her crimes, he can naturally use that excuse as well.”
“Then him sending soldiers to surround the Cold Palace– is it because he’s discovered something? And will Princess Anle expose us?” Nanny Xi asked with uncertainty.
"He probably has some information, but hasn"t yet discovered who was behind this. His reason for sending soldiers to guard the area is so that if we send someone to either a.s.sa.s.sinate or save the Empress, they can take advantage of it, arrest that person, and use them as a trail to find us." The Empress Dowager continued, "As for that Anle, Nanny Xi, have you forgotten what kind of Gu insect we used? With that kind of insect planted in her, it"s impossible for her to have been conscious at that time."
"That’s true. Then should we go and dispose of her?" Nanny Xi asked.
"That woman, the Empress, is very manipulable. As long as the Crown Prince is still in our hands, she won"t dare to speak. Just let her remain there," the Empress Dowager said confidently. "Speaking of this, women like her are quite pitiful. Just by telling her that we planted Gu insects in the Crown Prince and the Emperor, and that if she didn"t listen we would take both of their lives, she became as obedient as a dog and gathered so much information for us. A woman who spends her life revolving around her husband and child, how pitiful..."
"Then this servant will continue to send people to monitor what’s going on at the Cold Palace."
"Go on, tell those people to be cautious. If they are discovered, they’d best fear for their measly lives!"
“Yes.”
Nanny Xi left, and the person who had reported the news to the Empress Dowager also left. The Empress Dowager picked up a fruit and bit into it, producing a crisp crunch.
Outside the Cold Palace, a maid arrived with a basket and told the officials and soldiers guarding the gates that she was here to deliver food to the Empress. The officials and soldiers checked her basket, then let her in.
"Your Majesty the Empress, this maid is here to bring you lunch."
The rooms here were furnished simply, with only a bed, a table, some chairs, and the necessary heater.
The palace maid brought out the meal as she spoke, then looked at the officials and soldiers outside. Seeing that they weren’t paying attention to her, she took out a small shoe from her sleeve.
The Empress had been sitting on the bed with a vacant and lifeless gaze, but when she saw what was in the palace maid"s hand, she launched herself forward, falling off the bed in her panic to grab the small shoe.
"What have you all done with Heng"er?" The Empress s.n.a.t.c.hed the small shoe and looked at the palace maid sharply.
"Empress, don’t be angry. The Empress Dowager said that His Highness the Crown Prince"s health is not very good, so he has been brought to her side to be taken care of. Fearing you might miss the Crown Prince, she gave you a shoe to remind you of him," the palace maid said.
"You all haven’t hurt him, have you?"
"The Empress Dowager has always liked the Crown Prince, how could she hurt him! As long as the Empress Dowager is in good health, she will definitely take care of His Highness the Crown Prince. Your Majesty, with this chilly weather, the food will easily get cold, you"d best eat as soon as possible."
After she finished speaking, the palace maid carried the empty basket out. When she reached the gates of the Cold Palace, she even exchanged a few words with the officials and soldiers standing guard there.
Du Xiaoli, unaware of what had happened in the palace, was boiling tea and composing poems with Han Mingxiang on the carriage, trying to kill their boredom.MoonWhisperer, skyrise"s Thoughts
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