Chapter 388: Reclaiming Military Authority

The night was heavy, shrouding the towering palace city, adding a few more chilling, desolate notes.

Inside and outside Empress Dowager Ning'an's inner chambers lay silent, only the faint, light footsteps of palace servants came and occasionally broke the stillness.

Suddenly, hurried footsteps sounded at the chamber door; the chief maid, accompanied by a man with graying hair dressed in a dark brocade robe, entered the chambers.

"Master, the Duke has arrived."

The chief maid bowed and stood before the twelve glazed screens, bowing to Empress Dowager Ning'an inside.

The inner hall was very quiet; occasional wafts of sandalwood incense drifted in, along with the chanting of Buddhist prayers.

After a while, Empress Dowager Ning'an's voice came slowly: "Allow him to enter."

Though her voice sounded steady, a trace of fatigue could be heard.

The chief maid replied, turned, and led Duke Duan into Empress Dowager Ning'an's chambers.

Empress Dowager Ning'an was a woman from the Duan family; back then the Duan family, though among the eight great clans, was far from the overwhelming power and unparalleled status they now held.

Noble Consort Duan, being a cousin of Emperor Longqing and niece of the Empress Dowager, held no title of Empress in the Imperial Harem, yet already governed the central palace.

Because of that, she became extremely arrogant and overbearing, even daring to use secret tunnels to the outside to clandestinely meet a lover—a scandal of monumental proportions.

This time, after Emperor Longqing completely eliminated her, Empress Dowager Ning'an had not seen the emperor for several months.

Each time Emperor Longqing came to pay his respects to Empress Dowager Ning'an, she found excuses to refuse, evidently creating a rift between them.

She wore a dark violet phoenix robe embroidered with cloud patterns, seated regally on a phoenix couch, her imposing visage reflected in the lamp light, shifting between light and shadow.

Duke Duan slowly entered, fell to his knees before Empress Dowager Ning'an with a thud, and began wailing loudly.

Empress Dowager Ning'an's brows furrowed sharply; the chief maid hurriedly ushered the serving palace staff away, then sealed the doors and windows tightly, standing outside to wait.

Empress Dowager Ning'an let out a heavy sigh and looked at the brother kneeling before her.

In truth, she hated this man; it was he who sent her into the palace years ago, and for the sake of the Duan family and herself she committed countless inhuman deeds, accruing so much sin to reach her current position.

She never expected the younger generation of the Duan family, spoiled by the clan, to be so unambitious.

All those excellent connections and resources were forced into this wretched state.

These days Duke Duan had been suppressing his inner grief and fury; Emperor Longqing had killed his daughter and adopted son Chen Fu'an.

Xiao Yin was even harsher, cutting off the Third Prince entirely.

Even Princess Changping had been harmed by that Gu family scoundrel; he did not understand that the Gu family, long unnoticed in Shang Jing, nearly wiped out the entire Duan clan through the Chongwen Tower incident.

If he had not been constantly kneeling at the palace gate while his sister Empress Dowager Ning'an held the seat, the Duan family would likely have been annihilated this time.

Since sending Empress Dowager Ning'an into the palace, the Duan family had managed affairs for decades, only to be reduced to their original state in an instant.

"Your Majesty! I truly feel distressed in my heart!"

"My daughter, my grandson, my..."

"Elder brother!" Empress Dowager Ning'an interrupted the tear‑streaked Duke Duan, her expression calm but her gaze as cold as frost.

She slowly rose, stared coldly at the kneeling Duke Duan and said, "What am I to do?"

The word "elder brother" made Duke Duan's heart race; he hurriedly kowtowed, "Your Majesty, please calm your anger!"

Empress Dowager Ning'an sneered, "Decades ago the Duan family sent my humble self into the palace, and I repaid you with a Duan family at its zenith."

"Your daughter took the central palace, preserving my family's face, yet she behaved erratically. Over the years, besides Crown Prince left by the late Empress Li, the Third Prince she bore, and the Sixth Prince born to Imperial Concubine Cao, look at the two princesses and a swarm of little princesses—do you know how many princes have died in this Imperial Harem?"

"The Second Prince drowned, the Fourth Prince contracted smallpox, the Fifth Prince struck a stone, the Eighth Prince fell down the stairs..."

"Enough about those; there are also the unborn—how many have died! They too were my family's grandchildren!"

"She even dug secret tunnels, secretly met an outside man, polluted our royal bloodline—she deserves death!"

Duke Duan trembled slightly, crawling on the cold ground, his breath even seeming to freeze.

Empress Dowager Ning'an closed her eyes briefly: "The Duan family... are far too arrogant!"

"I am old now, can no longer protect you, and also..."

Empress Dowager Ning'an coldly looked at Duke Gu: "The Duan family has become like this; do you think the emperor is unaware?"

"He is my own child; how do you think I should choose between my son and the Duan family?"

Duke Duan shivered, suddenly regretting having turned to his own sister for help.

Indeed, he too was old and muddled.

Empress Dowager Ning'an was no longer the naive, carefree girl of the Duan family; now she was the Southern Qi Empress Dowager, mother of Emperor Longqing, and the Duan family meant nothing to her.

Duke Duan bowed his head, kneeling on the ground, unable to lift his head again.

After a while, Empress Dowager Ning'an sighed, leaned forward slightly, and personally lifted Duke Duan to his feet.

"I have heard that the Third Prince's concubine bore him a son; what is that woman's name?"

Duke Duan hurriedly replied, "She is a maid previously favored by the Third Prince, named Hongyu."

"Hmm, when will the child in her womb be born?"

Duke Duan quickly answered, "In about three more months!"

Empress Dowager Ning'an nodded: "Very well, keep a heir. I hear Quzhou has fertile land and pure folk; let the Third Prince take his concubine and child there to become a feudal prince."

"You are also old now; my nephew has served as a general on the frontier for many years and should have returned to accompany you in filial duty."

"Let's go together!"

Duke Duan's complexion changed dramatically, then he slowly lowered his head, unwilling to meet anyone's gaze.

He responded haphazardly, unable to absorb any of the Empress Dowager's further nonsense.

Tonight was meant to gauge Empress Dowager Ning'an's thoughts; the probing succeeded, but I didn't expect her to be so ruthless.

Not only must they send the Duan family's relied-upon Third Prince Xiao Wei to a desolate place as a powerless feudal prince, but once he leaves Shang Jing, Xiao Wei will completely lose any chance to claim succession.

Emperor Longqing clearly abandoned the child.

That alone was tolerable, but Empress Dowager Ning'an and Emperor Longqing actually intend to strip the Duan family of its military command.

His son commands hundreds of thousands of troops at the border; if he returns with him and accompanies the Third Prince to Quzhou, wouldn't that utterly ruin the Duan family?

His sister wants military power!

Finally, after Empress Dowager Ning'an spoke heart-to-heart with the Duke of Tongduan for a while, she ordered someone to send him out.

He dragged his feeble, dying body through the palace corridor, his eyes filled with boundless hatred.