Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne
Chapter 72 Empress Xie’s Conspiracy

Chapter 72: Chapter 72 Empress Xie’s Conspiracy

"The Empress is meticulous," the Emperor said with a gentle smile. "Let it be as the Empress suggests."

Sun Kui had thought the Emperor would oppose the Empress’s proposal, but to his surprise, the Emperor agreed, making his eyes widen in shock.

"I will carefully select a few fertile beauties to send to Prince Dai’s Mansion," Empress Xie said, a hint of hesitation appearing on her face.

Seeing Empress Xie’s expression as if she had something to say but stopped herself, the Emperor gently said, "Empress, speak your mind."

Empress Xie hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Your Majesty, should we send a few Imperial Physicians to Prince Dai’s Mansion to check the pulses of Prince Dai and Princess Consort Dai?" She quickly added, "Prince Dai has been frequently engaged in battles over the past few years, suffering various injuries and taking numerous medicines. As the saying goes, medicine is three parts poison; perhaps it’s harmed his foundation. It might be best for the physicians to carefully examine him and prescribe something for proper recovery."

"Then send the Imperial Physicians to Prince Dai’s Mansion."

After speaking, the Emperor noticed Empress Xie wearing another hesitant expression and smiled at her softly, "Empress, is there anything else you wish to say?"

"Your Majesty, if I arrange for physicians to visit Prince Dai’s Mansion and reward beauties to Prince Dai, I fear Noble Princess Consort Rong will be displeased and will not agree with my actions," Empress Xie said, with a wry smile on her face, "I’m afraid Noble Princess Consort Rong might consider that I’m deliberately humiliating Prince Dai."

Sun Kui thought to himself, isn’t that the case?

"You mean well," the Emperor said, "even if the Empress hadn’t mentioned it, I would have sent the physicians to Prince Dai’s Mansion tomorrow."

"Your Majesty, truly a benevolent father."

"Tomorrow, make the arrangements."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The Emperor then asked, "Empress, is there anything else?"

"I have nothing more, Your Majesty, I shall not disturb you further," Empress Xie curtsied respectfully, "Your Majesty, please rest early."

"The Empress should also rest early," the Emperor glanced at Sun Kui, "Escort the Empress out."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Sun Kui escorted Empress Xie out of the Imperial Study. Empress Xie did not rush to leave but instructed Sun Kui, "Mr. Sun, when His Majesty is busy, he forgets the time; remind him to go to rest early."

"Rest assured, Your Majesty, I will certainly remind His Majesty."

"If His Majesty feels hungry, remember to prepare a night snack for him," Empress Xie said, "The night snack should be easy to digest. Also, do not prepare strong tea for His Majesty at night. If he drinks too much strong tea, he’ll have trouble sleeping at night..."

Empress Xie instructed many things, and only after Sun Kui remembered them all did she leave, holding Jiang Chuan’s hand.

Sun Kui escorted Empress Xie a little further, then was sent back by Empress Xie, urging him to hurry back to attend to His Majesty.

"Your Majesty, the Empress just gave me many instructions."

Without looking up, the Emperor asked, "What did she say?"

"The Empress told me to remind Your Majesty to rest early..." Sun Kui conveyed to the Emperor everything that Empress Xie instructed him to do, in full detail.

After listening, the Emperor merely nodded slightly without saying anything.

"Your Majesty, the Empress truly cares about you."

The Emperor merely responded with a soft "Hmm."

Seeing that the Emperor had nothing more to say, Sun Kui did not wish to disturb him further, but seeing the lotus seed soup on the table, he had to speak up again, "Your Majesty, the soup sent by the Empress will grow cold if not consumed soon."

The Emperor glanced at the lotus seed soup set aside and said in a bland tone, "Take it away."

"Yes." Sun Kui carried the soup out.

His apprentice approached upon noticing, "Is His Majesty not drinking it?"

Sun Kui handed the soup to his apprentice, "His Majesty doesn’t particularly like drinking soup. Whether it’s sent by the Empress or Noble Princess Consort Rong, His Majesty seldom drinks it." When Noble Princess Consort Rong sent soup, His Majesty would take a couple of symbolic sips, leaving the rest for him to remove. However, each time His Majesty visited Kunde Hall, Liang Zhaoyi would prepare a bowl of soup, and His Majesty would finish it entirely.

"What should be done with this soup?"

"Consider it a treat for you." Sun Kui knew this lotus seed soup wasn’t personally brewed by the Empress, so he let his apprentice have it. If it had been personally made by the Empress, Sun Kui would have disposed of it.

"Thank you, Master." The apprentice carried the soup back to his room before drinking it.

Empress Xie returned to Zhao Yang Palace and instructed Jiang Chuan and Nanny Sun to select two beautiful palace maids from Zhao Yang Palace. The others were to be chosen from other palaces.

Jiang Chuan and Nanny Sun understood Empress Xie’s intentions and quickly selected two exceptionally beautiful palace maids from Zhao Yang Palace. Empress Xie was very satisfied after looking at them.

Nanny Sun took the two palace maids aside and instructed them on some matters.

"Your Majesty, there’s something I’m not sure whether to say."

Empress Xie spoke gently, "Speak your mind."

"Your Majesty, allowing the younger daughter of Marquis Kong to enter Prince Dai’s Mansion might not be a bad thing."

Empress Xie was somewhat surprised by Jiang Chuan’s words and asked, "Why wouldn’t it be a bad thing?"

"After Marquis Kong’s younger daughter enters Prince Dai’s Mansion, she will surely vie for favor against Princess Consort Dai. If she bears Prince Dai’s eldest son before Princess Consort Dai, her status in Prince Dai’s Mansion will surpass that of Princess Consort Dai," Jiang Chuan, having grown up in the Xie family, had witnessed many schemes and strategies in the Xie’s inner quarters. "Princess Consort Dai and Marquis Xuanping’s Mansion will surely not take this lying down."

Empress Xie hadn’t considered this aspect, but hearing Jiang Chuan’s analysis, she found it somewhat convincing.

"Your Majesty, Prince Dai’s Mansion’s inner quarters will certainly not remain peaceful."

Upon hearing this, Empress Xie mused, "Indeed, it might not be a bad thing, but what benefit does it bring us?"

"Your Majesty, didn’t you just say that the seventh prince is still young? In the coming years, the Crown Prince will need to engage diplomatically with Prince Dai." Jiang Chuan analyzed, "If we don’t create distractions for Prince Dai, he might successfully replace the Crown Prince before the seventh prince reaches adulthood, which would be detrimental to the seventh prince."

"You are right." Before Little Jing grows up, she must support the Crown Prince, preventing him from being replaced by Prince Dai. Otherwise, when Little Jing grows, Prince Dai will be firmly seated as the Crown Prince, making it extremely difficult to depose him then. "I will immediately write a letter to my brother, telling him not to prevent Marquis Kong’s younger daughter from becoming a concubine to Prince Dai."

"Your Majesty is wise."

"Thanks to your reminder." Empress Xie had been agitated with Noble Princess Consort Rong tonight and momentarily didn’t think in this direction.

"Your Majesty, how do you plan to deal with Noble Princess Consort Rong?"

"Let her have her moment of pride for a few more days," Empress Xie said, turning the ring on her ring finger with deep implications, "In a few days, it will be the memorial day of my dear sister."

"Your Majesty, do you intend to act against Noble Princess Consort Rong on the late Empress’s memorial day?" Jiang Chuan asked.

"Do you think in the Emperor’s heart, is Noble Princess Consort Rong more important, or is it my dear sister?"

Jiang Chuan dared not answer this question because Empress Xie would be displeased whether he answered Noble Princess Consort Rong or the late Empress.

"Speak truthfully, I will not hold it against you."

Jiang Chuan dared not remain silent and answered, "I believe in the heart of the Emperor, the late Empress is more important than Noble Princess Consort Rong." When the late Empress passed, the Emperor was upset and did not hold court for three days. Moreover, when the late Empress was alive, the Emperor was respectful and devoted to her.

She recalled once when the late Empress was ill, she accompanied the then-young lady into the palace to visit the late Empress. Soon after they arrived, the Emperor, having just finished court, hurried over to visit and personally fed the late Empress medicine.

At that time, Noble Princess Consort Rong was also ill, but the Emperor, upon finishing court, first visited the late Empress instead of Noble Princess Consort Rong.

Additionally, when the Emperor was not yet Emperor, he frequently fought in wars, and every time he returned, he brought things for the late Empress. The Empress was already envious of the late Empress then.

After the late Empress passed away, every year on her memorial day, the Emperor would personally pay respects. He remembered the late Empress’s birth date clearly and would go to Zhonghua Palace to honor her.

She also recalled when the late Empress was pregnant and returned to the Xie Residence. Then, the late Empress was four months pregnant, and her belly was not large, but the Emperor worried about her safety, not only did he personally help her off the carriage, but he also held her hand cautiously into the Xie Residence.

When the late Empress was pregnant with the Crown Prince, her appetite was poor, so the Emperor deliberately sought out a skilled cook to prepare her meals.

The Emperor’s concern for the late Empress was known to everyone in the Xie family at the time.

"If Yu Wanrong does something disrespectful to my dear sister on her memorial day, do you think the Emperor will be angry?"

"Of course, the Emperor will be angry."

Empress Xie devised a plan and beckoned Jiang Chuan closer. Jiang Chuan approached, and Empress Xie whispered her instructions in her ear.