Chapter 1824

Emperor Yuanding left the Kunning Palace first; he had been very busy lately, busy fighting for power in the court, and didn't even have time for the harem. Being able to come to the Kunning Palace to visit Empress Dowager Sun and accompany her to talk was all due to filial piety.

Empress Chen stayed behind to accompany Empress Dowager Sun.

Empress Dowager Sun was extremely dissatisfied with her and said angrily, "I don't need you to accompany me, leave!"

She wanted to scold Empress Chen, but she couldn't.

The Empress is the mother of the nation, and she must give the Empress enough respect; this is decorum, and also national law and family rules.

Whoever dares to shout at the Empress, even if they are the dignified Empress Dowager, is the one who is being rude.

The Empress is not just the Empress Dowager's daughter-in-law, but also the royal family's clan wife, a role model for the world, a symbol. She is not a little daughter-in-law who can be bullied at will behind closed doors.

"Mother, calm your anger. I have punished Consort Jing with one year of confinement; she is not allowed to step out of the Prince Rui Mansion without an edict. In addition, I have also sent word to the Clan Court."

Upon hearing this, Empress Dowager Sun's mood improved instantly, "Did you really send word to the Clan Court?"

Empress Chen nodded with a smile, "Consort Jing is ignorant of what is good for her and has angered Mother, which I find extremely disgusting. Therefore, I have applied a small punishment to make life in the Prince Rui Mansion more difficult. Is Mother happy?"

Empress Dowager Sun gave a cold snort, not wanting to give the other party a good look, "You are sensible! Looking at that fox-like appearance of Consort Jing, she certainly couldn't keep herself. I suspect that the matter of her having an affair with an outsider is probably not groundless. You are the Empress; you must investigate this matter well, investigate it clearly, and nail her."

Empress Chen put on a difficult expression, "Mother, investigating Consort Jing is simple; the difficulty is that she holds the late Emperor's will, protecting the lives of her and her son. That will is something even the Emperor has to be cautious about, and I am also a clever woman who cannot cook without rice."

"You..." Empress Dowager Sun was extremely annoyed, "Can't you think of a way? It doesn't have to be that the Emperor agrees."

Empress Chen laughed, "Does Mother mean for me to take extraordinary measures? That wouldn't be good! Consort Jing is young; if she were gone, Mother, guess if the court officials would suspect the Emperor."

"The Emperor is not in a dominant position in the struggle for power with the Government Affairs Hall and is in an extremely difficult situation. If he were to be burdened with the crime of harming the late Emperor's concubine and the biological mother of his brother, his situation would be even more difficult."

"At that time, how would the court officials view the Emperor? The hearts of the people, at critical moments, often determine the success or failure of things. Why do the Royalists support the Emperor in fighting for power? Because of legitimacy, because of correctness. If he kills his brother's biological mother, is there any correctness to speak of? If he cannot even tolerate a woman, one can imagine his breadth of mind. I can already imagine the discussions in official circles; they would be very ugly."

"Nonsense, alarmist talk. Empress, are you trying to intimidate me? What virtue or ability does Consort Jing have to influence the Emperor's reputation and the court situation? I am not ignorant of everything; you had better think clearly before you speak."

One could tell a thing or two about Empress Dowager Sun's dissatisfaction with Empress Chen from the fact that she had occupied the Kunning Palace for many years.

Empress Chen still had a smiling face, and she didn't take Empress Dowager Sun's anger to heart at all.

After fighting with her mother-in-law for so many years, she had long since grasped Empress Dowager Sun's mind: she wanted to save face, was timid, and wanted to act like a shrew but couldn't muster the momentum of one. It was true that her temper was bad, and it was also true that she was calculating.

She said, "Consort Jing is of course not important, but she holds the late Emperor's will, and there is Prince Rui; doesn't she suddenly become very important? Even if we don't care about Prince Rui, can we also ignore that will?"

With the will in hand, Consort Jing is equivalent to having a gold medal for life.

How simple it is to execute a Consort.

But how difficult it is to execute a Consort who holds a will.

Things are not as simple as just saying them.

If she really listened to Empress Dowager Sun and handled Consort Jing, ignoring Chen Guanlou, she wouldn't be able to extricate herself from the court side. Emperor Yuanding might even take the opportunity to seize her Empress seal.

Sometimes, doing more things and doing them well doesn't necessarily benefit oneself. On the contrary, it might lead to losing one's life.

Empress Chen cherished her life and wouldn't do something like lifting a rock only to drop it on her own feet.

Empress Dowager Sun's coercion was useless.

Empress Dowager Sun was so angry that her face changed.

Seeing this, Empress Chen quickly comforted her, "Mother, think more openly. As long as the Emperor can win against the Government Affairs Hall this time, it won't be too late to deal with Consort Jing later. The key now is the Emperor; if the Emperor is well, we are all well."

Empress Dowager Sun shook off Empress Chen's hand, "Empress, regarding Consort Jing, do you know something?"

"I am wronged!" Empress Chen cried out, "I have only met Consort Jing twice in total; how would I know about her affairs? If I hadn't happened to run into her today, I wouldn't even bother to pay attention to her. I don't like talking to women who came out of the Music Bureau."

These words pleased Empress Dowager Sun, and she nodded in approval.

"Women from the Music Bureau are accustomed to serving men and are not good things. The late Emperor was bewitched by her, which is why he passed away early. The late Emperor was also muddled, leaving a will to protect her life."

Empress Chen secretly curled her lips, her eyes showing disdain.

If the late Emperor hadn't passed away early, how would it have been Emperor Yuanding's turn to sit on the throne? Empress Dowager Sun would probably have grass growing on her grave by now.

As for her, with the Marquis Mansion as her maiden family, at worst she would be a widow with children; she certainly wouldn't die.

Relating to the court, Empress Dowager Sun reluctantly thought it through, "You investigate well, be sure to find evidence. When the court is quiet, I will take out the evidence, and I want to see how Consort Jing can still argue. At that time, I will certainly sentence her to death!"

"I will obey! However, what if no evidence is found, and what if it really is just a rumor?"

Empress Chen asked one more question.

Empress Dowager Sun gave a cold snort, saying decisively, "Impossible! She is not a person who can keep herself. People leave traces when they pass; I don't believe we can't find anything. You send people out, and if it really doesn't work, then use... do you understand?"

Empress Chen, however, shook her head, refusing to agree, "The City Gate Army cannot be dispatched without the Emperor, and I dare not overstep. However, Mother, please rest assured, no matter what, this matter will be investigated to the bottom."

"That is very good!" Empress Dowager Sun was reluctantly satisfied.

She had countless times harbored some vicious thoughts toward Empress Chen. But every time, they were resolved by the other party in a few words. She had to admit that Empress Chen's level was higher than hers.

Precisely because of this, she disliked the other party even more.

No one hopes that their daughter-in-law is more capable than themselves, as if it were a provocation, a disdain, a grab for power.

Empress Chen didn't need a shred of her help to sit firmly in the position of the Middle Palace. Even if the harem concubines were noisy, they didn't dare to go too far. Compared to the years when she was Empress, it was incomparable.

Although she didn't want to admit it, Empress Chen was indeed more suitable for the job of Empress than she was, handling everything very well in every aspect.

The better she was, the more she loathed her! It was almost impossible to suppress!

She waved her hand dismissively, "Leave! The weather is hot, and I am unwell; don't come and disturb my rest."