Chapter 471

Hu Xiaotian said: "Rescuing Princess Anping and eliminating Wen Boyuan are not contradictory; the reason Wen Chenghuan had Wen Boyuan take charge of the safety of the bridal procession is to make an issue out of me and Princess Anping. If I don't act against Wen Boyuan, Wen Boyuan will act against me; in this matter we cannot show mercy, we must strike first."

Zhou Mo said: "Have you considered that if Princess Anping goes missing and Wen Boyuan is killed, the emperor will likely hold you responsible?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "For now, I can only take a gamble; I must choose a side between Ji Feihua's camp and Quan De'an's camp."

Zhou Mo said: "Is it Ji Feihua who is using your parents' lives as leverage against you?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "He promised me that if I accomplish this, he will help my father regain his official post." Strangely, deep down Hu Xiaotian still believes Ji Feihua's promise; at least compared to Quan De'an, Li Yuncong and their ilk, Ji Feihua is more reliable.

Zhou Mo exclaimed in astonishment: "Did he really say that?"

Hu Xiaotian nodded and said: "Ji Feihua is no ordinary person; even the emperor is wary of him three points. I estimate he will certainly take some action soon."

Empress Jian heard that Ji Feihua had come to see her, hesitated a moment, but still ordered someone to let him in. She has always harbored deep resentment toward Ji Feihua, for he not only snatched away the power and honor that rightfully belonged to her in the harem, but also took her husband; the emperor spends far more time with him than with her.

Ji Feihua slowly entered the Xin Ning Palace, his gaze sweeping left and right; a group of palace maids and eunuchs lowered their heads under his gaze. In the hearts of these palace people, Ji Feihua is far more terrifying than the empress. Ji Feihua said: "You all go out first; Zajia and the Empress have some words to say."

Those palace maids and eunuchs glanced at the empress; although they were afraid in their hearts, since the empress said nothing, they dared not leave.

Empress Jian felt a sudden surge of anger for no reason; this fellow is truly arrogant, completely disregarding her as the mistress of the harem. She was almost about to erupt, but an inner voice reminded her to stay calm. She took a deep breath, thereby soothing her emotions, and softly said: "All of you withdraw; I will speak privately with Eunuch Ji."

Upon hearing those words, those palace maids and eunuchs hurriedly retreated.

After those palace people had all left, Ji Feihua then slightly bowed and said: "Your humble servant pays respects to the Empress, may she enjoy Thousand Years (honorific), thousand times Thousand Years (honorific); I wish the Empress a happy new year."

Empress Jian coldly stared at Ji Feihua; this fellow had no intention of kneeling, nor did he humble himself before her by calling himself a slave. Such audacious arrogance deserves death ten thousand times. Although she hated Ji Feihua intensely, the most she could do was to let him stand before her, and she had no other means of retaliation against him.

Ji Feihua naturally could sense Empress Jian's dissatisfaction toward him, and a faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

Even Empress Jian, being a woman, could not help but admit that Ji Feihua's smile was more bewitching and charming than any woman's. Possessing a charm that could overturn the world, such a monstrous beauty—no wonder the emperor is infatuated with him.

Your humble servant

Actually I had long intended to come over to pay New Year's respects to the Empress, but these past two days the emperor kept assigning me duties. Hence the delay." Ji Feihua slowly walked to a nearby cushioned stool and sat down; he would not wait for the Empress to grant him permission to sit. This man's arrogance is evident.

Empress Jian's emotions surged again, her chest rising and falling, nearly reaching the point of eruption.

Ji Feihua said: "Yesterday, I accompanied the emperor to Mount Piaomiao to pay New Year's respects to the Retired Emperor."

Empress Jian put on an indifferent facade and said: "That's hardly anything novel."

Ji Feihua smiled and said: "You, Empress, pay no heed to the matters of the emperor and the retired emperor. Then what exactly do you care about?" After a pause, he lowered his voice: "Could it be the affair of the crown prince?"

Empress Jian shrieked like a cat whose tail has been stepped on, shouting angrily: "Impudent!"

Ji Feihua, knowing he had hit the mark on Empress Jian's thoughts, couldn't help but chuckle.

Empress Jian's phoenix eyes widened in fury, she gritted her silver teeth, wishing she could rush forward and cut off Ji Feihua's tongue, but she dared not; even if she dared, she lacked the strength to do so.

Ji Feihua said: "Actually, the Empress is the mistress of the six palaces; even showing some concern is appropriate."

Empress Jian snapped: "Ji Feihua, at the start of the new year, you come to my palace and say these words—what exactly is your intention?"

Empress

Dakang

Ji Feihua said: "The Empress has expended considerable effort in the matter of the Talented Person entering the palace; she truly deserves her title as mistress of the harem, mother of the world, with a broad and open heart."

Empress Jian snapped: "Enough, Ji Feihua; you need not mock and ridicule me with cutting words. I know the emperor favors you ever more, but in this harem you cannot act with impunity."

Ji Feihua smiled and said: "The Empress probably forgot how she came to be empress."

Empress Jian glared at him angrily. She could become empress only because of the Emperor, yet the Emperor's throne came from Ji Feihua; if Ji Feihua had not plotted this palace coup, Long Yelin might still be a deposed crown prince, struggling in the remote western frontier—how could she possibly become the mother of the world's empress?

Ji Feihua said: "Grand Tutor Wen and others spent considerable effort to convince the Empress to bring the Talented Person into the palace; I have heard some rumors that if the Empress promotes Wen Ya into the palace, they will support the Crown Prince's ascension to heir apparent."

Empress Jian trembled, "You're talking nonsense!" Her voice had lost the anger of before; back then they had indeed reached such an understanding, but now with the destruction of the Bright Moon Palace and Wen Ya's death, that former understanding has become empty talk.

Ji Feihua said: "We are all sensible people; Zajia never says what shouldn't be said. The Empress has always regarded Zajia as her greatest enemy, but have you ever considered who the true enemy is? The Emperor is currently deliberating over the succession; Grand Tutor Wen and several officials yesterday advised him to appoint the heir apparent as soon as possible. Do you know which prince they are strongly recommending?"

Empress Jian shook her lips hard; she knew nothing about this matter. In fact, Long Yelin never told her about court affairs, and since his ascension their communication has dwindled.

Ji Feihua said: "You might not know, but Wen Boyuan has secretly sworn brotherhood with the Third Prince; the Shence Office under his command is a secret guard force prepared for the Third Prince, Long Tingzhen."

Empress Jian's face had turned pale; although Ji Feihua did not spell it out, she also knew that Wen Chenghuan, that old traitor, had betrayed his trust and failed to support her dear son's ascension to heir apparent as promised.

Ji Feihua said with deep meaning: "Not every consort gets a chance to become empress, nor does every empress get a chance to become empress dowager."

Empress Jian's heart felt as if stabbed by a knife, her lips bitten bloody by her own teeth; Ji Feihua's words, though harsh, were every word true. If the Third Prince, Long Tingzhen, were made heir apparent, the person who would become empress dowager would certainly not be herself. She closed her eyes, reminding herself to stay calm; after a long while she slowly opened them and said: "Ji Feihua, in my presence you stir up rumors, intending to sow discord within our royal family, urging the brothers to feud—if the Emperor learns of this, he will surely have your head."

Ji Feihua said calmly: "The Emperor has harbored such thoughts for more than a day, yet Zajia still lives well."

Empress Jian gazed at this arrogant eunuch, her feelings reaching the utmost complexity—anger, sorrow, helplessness mingled together, truly a medley of five flavors. A slave overmastering the master, today's Ji Feihua shows her no fear at all, not even giving her the slightest courtesy.

Ji Feihua said: "Zajia has devoted itself to the Emperor, giving its all until death, enduring countless hardships, bearing the condemnation of thousands, only then securing the Emperor's supreme position today; yet Zajia's painstaking efforts have received no sympathy from the Emperor, who repeatedly suspects Zajia, together with Quan De'an and Wen Chenghuan and their ilk of petty villains, laying layer upon layer of plots aiming to kill me—how could Zajia not grow cold-hearted?"

Empress Jian said: "You should say this to the Emperor." Yet secretly she felt uneasy, wondering if Ji Feihua had formed a hostile thought toward the Emperor.

Ji Feihua said: "Zajia has a few words from the heart it wishes to share with the Empress; I wonder if she is willing to listen."

Empress Jian pondered for a moment, then finally nodded slowly.

Ji Feihua said: "The Emperor's suspicion of the loyal and employment of the treacherous is no blessing for Dakang; if he is determined to deal with Zajia, Dakang's centuries-old foundation will surely be destroyed in an instant."

Empress Jian heard the threat in his words, her voice trembling: "What do you want?" After all, she is merely a virtuous woman; compared to Ji Feihua, that peerless hero, her scheming and means cannot be compared.

Ji Feihua said: "Zajia has learned that the Emperor is preparing to make the Third Prince heir apparent; the Third Prince is narrow-minded and ruthless, and if he becomes heir apparent, it would not be surprising to see a repeat of the Emperor's past treatment of the former crown prince."

Empress Jian sucked in a breath of cold air; if Long Tingzhen were made heir apparent, they would likely never have good days as mother and son, Ji Feihua's words are no empty alarm—back when the Emperor ascended the throne, he had already killed the Dakang crown prince, his own brother Long Yelin, and there is hardly any affection to speak of in the imperial family. Yet Ji Feihua, this wolfish ambitious one, actively sought her out, merely wanting to use them as mother and son; but on second thought, with most officials in court supporting Long Tingzhen, they mother and son must find a strong backing, and besides Ji Feihua there seems to be no better choice.

Fifth watch delivered, pleading for guaranteed monthly ticket! (To be continued~^~)