Chapter 1626: Emperor, Mind Your Attitude

Emperor Yuanding's days were not going well.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard had been handling the case perfectly well, and he had been on the verge of venting the hatred in his heart, when Consort Xiao's poisoning brought him under bombardment from the Zhengshitang and the court officials. There was even a Zhang Zhang Yushi who hinted obliquely, suspecting that he had ordered Consort Xiao to be poisoned.

Outrageous!

In his fury, he stormed into Kunning Palace, drove out all the attending palace servants, and confronted Empress Dowager Sun.

"Mother is being foolish! There are plenty of ways to deal with that old shrew surnamed Xiao. I could have used the laws of the land and the family rules to take care of the four of them, mother and sons, openly and honorably. Why did Mother have to go to such unnecessary trouble, giving others a handle against us, and ruining my plans?"

"How dare you! Are you accusing this Palace? Consort Xiao was poisoned — you suspect this Palace did it?" Empress Dowager Sun was both guilty and furious.

Her son had accused her without distinguishing right from wrong, with no regard for her face at all. Even if she had done it, could he not have spoken nicely?

"Is it not so?" Emperor Yuanding said in a rage. "The court officials suspect I did it, and I am well aware that I am innocent. If not Mother, then who?"

"You—you—you..." Empress Dowager Sun pointed at her unfilial son, beside herself with fury!

"Has Mother nothing to say?" Emperor Yuanding ground his teeth. "I must ask Mother not to act on her own authority in the future, lest she ruin my arrangements. If you want to vent your anger, there are plenty of ways. Poisoning is a low-class method. You are the Empress Dowager — how could you stoop to such a despicable trick?"

Even he had never thought of using poison, yet Mother had actually resorted to it.

If this got out, the two of them, mother and son, would be laughed at by the whole world.

A disgrace!

An august Emperor, an august Empress Dowager — they should conduct themselves with open and upright hearts, setting an example for the realm. Yet they resorted to underhanded means, and the royal family's face had been utterly lost. Even if one does such things, one must not let them be known.

Now Emperor Yuanding had taken the blame and could not defend himself — no wonder his temper was so fierce.

"You actually dare to call this Palace despicable. Emperor, mind your attitude!"

"My attitude is not the problem. On the contrary, Mother — it is time to sweep out the useless ones around you. Lest someone keep whispering in Mother's ear, offering bad counsel, and ruining my reputation."

Emperor Yuanding could not do anything to Empress Dowager Sun, so he would take out his anger on the useful servants around her. Kill a few and the rest would fall in line.

His attitude was hard as iron, leaving no room for negotiation.

No sooner had he left than palace servants came in to seize people. Even Empress Dowager Sun could not stop them.

Empress Dowager Sun was so angry she got a splitting headache.

She summoned physicians from the Imperial Medical Bureau to examine her, but it turned out that all the outstanding physicians had taken leave. Those left to hold down the fort at the Imperial Medical Bureau were all young apprentices — fine for treating ordinary people, but not qualified enough to treat the Empress Dowager.

When Empress Dowager Sun learned of this, her fury flared up on the spot.

If she could not deal with Emperor Yuanding, could she not deal with the physicians?

A eunuch took her edict, left the palace, and went to make trouble for the physicians.

After venting his fury in front of Empress Dowager Sun, Emperor Yuanding went to Fengzao Palace to make trouble for Empress Chen.

"Mother is being foolish — why did you not counsel her more? How are you managing as Empress?"

Empress Chen swallowed her anger, patiently coaxing and soothing him. "Your Majesty, calm yourself! You have been worn out all day — drink some cooling soup first to take the heat off. In my humble opinion, this is also an opportunity. Since Consort Xiao has been poisoned and her health damaged, the Prince of Ning is a filial son. Why not go with the flow — strip the Prince of Ning of his duties and let him attend his mother in filial piety. A prince with no duties, living only on his title and stipend, is beneath notice."

Emperor Yuanding could not help but turn this over in his mind.

"Without duties, he is still a prince of the court."

Empress Chen smiled contemptuously. "In the great realm of Daqian, so many princes have come and gone — has any of them ever amounted to anything? A prince with no power, no money, no fief, with only a few hundred guards around him — he does not even have the strength to make a ripple. Your Majesty must not overestimate him. Your Majesty is the lord of all under heaven. If the Prince of Ning has any sense, he should prostrate himself obediently at Your Majesty's feet. Your Majesty's concern for him is actually elevating him. What ability does he possibly possess, that Your Majesty should elevate him!"

These words clearly pleased Emperor Yuanding.

Emperor Yuanding put his arm around Empress Chen, thoroughly delighted. "Only my Zitong understands my heart. I have always kept firmly in mind the late Emperor's deathbed teachings — to love my brothers. Yet the world misunderstands me, thinking I deliberately make things hard for the Prince of Ning. Only my Zitong understands that all my measures are meant to elevate him. Hmph! Were it not for my elevation, who would spare him a second glance?"

"Your Majesty is simply too kind-hearted!" Empress Chen coaxed Emperor Yuanding, flattering him until his lips pursed up in a pout.

That night, the Emperor wanted to stay the night at Fengzao Palace, but Empress Chen chased him out — the excuse was ready-made: she was indisposed.

……

Empress Dowager Sun fell ill, sickened by Emperor Yuanding's fury.

Emperor Yuanding seized the chance, using the pretext of praying for the Empress Dowager's blessing, to hold back all the impeachment memorials without acting on them. When they piled up too much, he simply burned them all in one fire.

Privately, he ordered the Embroidered Uniform Guard to continue investigating the case, making sure to pin it on the Prince of Ning as soon as possible.

The Prince of Ning also used the excuse that Consort Xiao was ill and he needed to be filial, staying behind closed doors all day. However, every day he would send people to the Ministry of Justice to urge the investigation into the poisoning case.

Both sides were secretly jockeying against each other.

The Zhengshitang did not obstruct the Ministry of Justice's investigation, but they kept a tight grip on the Embroidered Uniform Guard, absolutely refusing to allow the Embroidered Uniform Guard to launch a great judicial case and seize more power in the process.

The power of the Embroidered Uniform Guard had to be ruthlessly suppressed. This was the shared view of the court officials.

Sun Sun Daoning was so anxious his hair was falling out, handful by handful.

Consort Xiao's case was actually very simple, yet extremely difficult to handle. The measure within it, if not grasped properly, would make one the first to bear the brunt and become cannon fodder.

Upon learning that Mu Wenxu had left the Imperial Medical Bureau and returned to the Heavenly Prison as a medical officer, he sighed, "He has a way out, but this old man has no way out. This old man can only brace himself and press forward into the difficulty! I wonder when this struggle will ever come to an end."

"My lord is deeply worried — why not consult Prime Minister Xie?"

"Prime Minister Xie only told this old man to handle the case earnestly, with no other instructions. Prime Minister Xie is also in a difficult position."

Sun Sun Daoning set aside his restless thoughts and continued to bury himself in the Fankanjuan Sect.

……

The Prince of Ning sat beside Consort Xiao, eating fruit.

He was both impatient and a little pleased with himself.

"Mother, now the situation is at a stalemate — what should we do next? Your son will give his full cooperation."

Consort Xiao lay on a reclining chair, resting with her eyes closed. "The Empress Dowager is ill — is it true?"

"It is true. I heard she was sickened by Wei Wei Laosan's anger." The Prince of Ning's face was full of schadenfreude. "He thought he had kept the news tightly sealed, but the whole Jingcheng already knows — everyone knows he is unfilial."

Consort Xiao chuckled. "Send someone to deliver a gift to the Empress Dowager, so she may rest and recover in peace."

"What does Mother intend to do?"

"This Palace will do what this Palace ought to do. The Empress Dowager is ill, and this Palace cannot enter the palace to visit because of her own illness, but the proprieties cannot be neglected. Do you understand?"

"Does Mother mean to use this chance to provoke the Empress Dowager?" The Prince of Ning ventured boldly.

Consort Xiao glared at him. "Do not do anything unnecessary. Right now everyone is jockeying openly, and observing the proprieties is a must. We cannot let anyone find fault with us. When sending a gift, send a proper gift. If you play any tricks, this Palace will not spare you."

"Mother Consort jests. Your son knows what matters and will not act rashly."

"That is well!"