Chapter 830: First Volume, Chapter 830: The Empress

First Volume, Chapter 830: The Empress's True Identity

The Empress did not rise, nor open her eyes; she merely whispered, "Leave."

The Imperial Guard, as if granted divine pardon, hastily withdrew.

The Qiyang Commandery Princess, who had just returned from Taishan, stood at the doorway, watching the Empress and her mother kneeling in devout worship, her heart filled with unbearable complexity.

She knew clearly that her mother had surely been drawn into this rebellion.

Though the Qiyang Commandery Princess always obeyed the Chang Princess, as the daughter of a loyal minister, no matter how spoiled or haughty her temperament, she would never commit any act of treason.

Otherwise, how could her father's spirit rest in peace?

Yet now, the Qiyang Commandery Princess's mother had become entangled in this massive rebellion, compounding one error after another, beyond redemption.

The Qiyang Commandery Princess felt both immense relief at the rebellion's suppression and deep dread for her mother's future fate.

"Mother, let us return to the Wangye Fu."

Gathering her courage, the Qiyang Commandery Princess asked softly.

After a long silence, the Chang Princess's voice drifted out faintly: "Go back first—I still have words to speak with the Empress Title."

The Qiyang Commandery Princess clenched her fists tightly; her mother's downfall was entirely the Empress's doing!

She could no longer suppress her resentment and cried out sharply: "It's come to this—what's left to say!"

"You raised an army to force the palace—have you even considered who stands beside His Majesty?"

"Even if you seize the imperial power in Beijing today, Qin Feng will march his army tomorrow and crush Beijing to dust!"

At these words, the Chang Princess snapped: "Insolent!"

"This is no place for you to speak!"

"Someone! Take the Princess back to her residence!"

Seeing her mother's firm resolve, the Qiyang Commandery Princess, though unwilling, could only give up, turning away in furious rage.

Only the Empress and the Chang Princess remained in the Guanyin Temple; after another silence, the Empress's calm voice echoed through the temple.

"The young are always impatient."

"The Seventh Prince raised his army in rebellion—his own sins. What does that have to do with you or me?"

"Though I've lent old seven my support, it was only in words—I left not a single piece of tangible evidence. Even if heaven collapses, it won't crush us."

"If we lose, we lose. Victory and defeat are common in warfare. From Long-Term Planning is all that remains."

Hearing this, the Chang Princess could not help but smile bitterly.

"Even now, in this dire situation, the Empress Title remains unfazed—this kind of resolve truly amazes me."

"As for From Long-Term Planning…"

"Your Highness, do you truly believe there's still a chance for From Long-Term Planning?"

The Empress did not answer, but asked instead: "Are you afraid?"

The Chang Princess closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and said nothing.

If she had to answer, the Chang Princess had been afraid from the very beginning!

After all, she stood on the opposite side of her own blood brother.

The Chang Princess hated the Liang Emperor; had he not ordered her husband to the Rong Border, her husband would not have suffered Military Death.

Afterwards, she became a pawn in the Liang Emperor's control of the Hou Gong—even her mourning for her husband was hastily concluded.

Yet no matter how much she hated him, she could not change the fact that she and the Liang Emperor were blood relatives.

…

The Chang Princess had watched Li Qian rise, then watched him fall; Li Yong had taken residence in the Eastern Palace, and everything seemed to have changed—even Qin Feng had changed, grown stronger, more invincible.

From the moment Li Yong decided to force the palace, the Chang Princess had foreseen this outcome.

"Empress Title, you knew Li Yong would fail—and yet you still incited him…"

Before the Chang Princess could finish, the Empress cut her off directly.

"Incited? When did I ever incite anyone? Li Yong lost his composure himself—I merely breathed, and he panicked. Blame him for lacking the barest composure required of a sovereign."

"He fancies himself brilliant, seven years of hidden patience, then a sudden outburst—he overestimated himself. Youth, given a little success, grows conceited."

"Reality is cruel: just prod him once, and his true nature collapses instantly."

The Empress's lips curled slightly—not in sorrow over her failed scheme, but in pure triumph.

"If old seven succeeds, I become Empress Dowager, still Lord of the Six Palaces."

"Now that he's failed, he's cast into the Cold Palace, and he'll be flayed alive—but I still profit."

Even the brilliant Chang Princess was now bewildered; she stared at the Empress, utterly perplexed: "Profit? You've lost your last pawn—how can you possibly profit?"

The Empress opened her eyes, revealing boundless cunning, and asked instead:

"Do you believe in fate?"

Seeing the Chang Princess nod, the Empress smiled wider: "I do not."

"When I married into the Wangye Fu, it was never due to fate—everyone knows I came from the Folk, of lowly bloodline—but they do not know I was already entrusted with the mission of reviving my Clan."

"Chang Princess, I shall tell you a secret—throughout the entire palace, no, throughout all of Beijing—I have told only you."

"My original surname is Nangong; under my Clan's arrangement, I changed it to what it is now."

The Chang Princess was stunned into silence, her gaze toward the Empress transformed utterly.

Nangong Clan…

Nangong…

The foremost of the Four Great Clans of the Southern Border!

This earth-shattering secret left the Chang Princess both shocked and furious: she had never imagined that the Folk woman who married into the Wangye Fu under the guise of "fate" carried the blood of the Nangong Clan!

That meant, over these years, the Empress had been secretly representing the Nangong Clan, lying dormant in the Hou Gong, waiting for the day she could help the Nangong Clan seize supreme power.

At this moment, the Chang Princess finally understood why the Empress had claimed that even if Li Yong suffered Military Defeat, she could still reap the benefits of others' strife.

For this uprising, the Powerful Clans of Nan Jing and the Jiangnan Lin Family have both responded.

Next, Qin Feng will surely aid the Liang Emperor in subduing the Lin Family; at that time, the Qin Family and the Lin Family will clash like two tigers, both suffering heavy losses, while the Powerful Clans of Nan Jing can sit back and watch the tigers fight.

Moreover, after this rebellion, the Central Plains Imperial Party will find it nearly impossible to regain the Liang Emperor's trust.

The real power held by the Imperial Party will surely be drastically weakened.

When the Qin Family and the Lin Family begin to fight, and the Central Plains Imperial Party grows weak, the Four Powerful Clans long suppressed by the Liang Emperor in Nan Jing will seize this once-in-a-millennium opportunity and march northward…

The treachery of the Powerful Clans of Nan Jing even surpassed the Chang Princess's understanding—so much so that even the current Crown Prince had become a Sacrifice in their power struggle.

"Should I now address you as Nangong Empress?!" The Chang Princess's face darkened, her eyes locked fiercely on the Empress, burning with rage.

Yet the Empress still smiled sweetly: "We are Sisters—how could I object to any title you choose?"

"We are on the same boat. Even if you don't care for yourself, shouldn't you consider Qiyang?"

"Heh, don't blame my Nangong Clan."

"Originally, the Four Powerful Clans led by my Nangong Clan helped the founding Emperor of Shedynasty carve out the Ten Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains—what did we get in return? In an instant, we were discarded like a dog after the rabbit was dead!"

"Had our Four Powerful Clans not been strong enough to retreat and hide in Nan Jing during the chaos, we would have been bloodily purged by the Li Imperial Clan!"

"Such a betrayal and Blood Feud cannot go unavenged!"