CHAPTER 672: CHAPTER 672: DEFYING IMPERIAL ORDERS

Jiaofang Hall

Broken porcelain teacups littered the ground before the Empress’s sickbed, a scene of utter disarray.

Shih Jieyu knelt on the floor, not daring to breathe too loudly.

Her forehead pressed against the shards, allowing her skin to be pierced and blood to flow freely. Yet, her figure from behind was exceptionally resolute.

The Empress struggled to sit up, sneering as she watched her.

"What did you promise me back then?"

"I raised her until she was a year and a half, nurtured her from a sickly infant into a chubby baby, through so many fears and anxieties!"

"What did you promise me back then?"

Her voice was hoarse, her body trembling.

The Empress was beside herself with anger.

Shih Jieyu felt a surge of panic.

Yes, I did say I wouldn’t ask for my daughter back.

But I truly haven’t asked!

All I did was stand secretly in the Imperial Garden, just wanting to hear my daughter’s voice.

Who knew the Emperor would happen upon me?

And who could have known the Emperor would issue such an imperial edict?

The content of the edict made her ecstatic.

Her daughter hadn’t been with her for many days since birth.

Oh, how I miss her!

I miss her so much I can’t sleep at night, miss her to the point of losing my mind, to the brink of madness.

I want to raise her, not for a lifetime—just a few days would be enough!

Just to have a good look at my daughter would be enough!

Shih Jieyu kowtowed again.

"Your Majesty!"

"This consort did not intend to snatch the Princess back. It’s just... this is the Emperor’s will!"

"Just for a few days. Once Your Majesty’s health improves, this consort will personally bring her back!"

"I beg you, Your Majesty!"

She kowtowed, then kowtowed again.

Blood from her forehead streamed down her cheeks, but Shih Jieyu did not waver, continuing to kowtow incessantly.

The Empress, trembling with rage, sneered.

"Just for a few days?"

"You wish!"

It seems simple, but in truth, once such a precedent is set, where would it end?

In the future, might she not take the Princess back and forth whenever she pleases?

Allowing Shih Jieyu to even see the Princess is already the greatest act of benevolence.

To raise her? She shouldn’t even dream of it!

"The Princess doesn’t even know you. Wouldn’t she be frightened if she went with you?"

"I will never agree to this, not as long as I live!"

"Attendants, show her out!"

With a dismissive wave of her hand, she lay back down on the bed.

"Your Majesty!"

Shih Jieyu was on the verge of collapse.

Is the Empress going to defy an imperial edict? Does the Emperor’s decree no longer hold any power?!

Meanwhile, the Empress was calculating.

Even if it means defying the edict, I must keep the Princess.

The Emperor issued this edict just to make me lose face!

But I am the Empress, not some concubine he can manipulate at will. I will defend my position to the death!

Therefore...

She had her people mercilessly expel Shih Jieyu.

Then, after lunch, she draped a cloak over her shoulders and went to Zhaochen Palace.

She knelt outside the Emperor’s Imperial Study Room.

Zhao Junyao had just woken from his afternoon nap and was reviewing memorials.

Li Shengan entered, his face pale.

"Your Majesty, Her Majesty the Empress..."

Zhao Junyao didn’t even lift his head.

"What is it?"

He felt a touch of disdain. If she was ill, why couldn’t she just recuperate peacefully? Why did she have to keep stirring up trouble?

Hasn’t she caused enough turmoil in the Harem? Now she wants to bother me too?

Li Shengan dared not conceal anything and reported the matter truthfully.

"Her Majesty the Empress is kneeling outside. She says that while she herself is ill, the Third Princess cannot be entrusted to another’s care. If Your Majesty is truly worried, then the Third Princess should be sent to the Empress Dowager to be raised for a time!"

Zhao Junyao’s brush paused.

His expression darkened instantly.

Ultimately, he said nothing more than an "Oh" of acknowledgment.

Li Shengan couldn’t help but ask again, "Your Majesty, what about the Empress then..."

"If she likes kneeling, then let her kneel!"

Li Shengan began, "Your Maj—"

"Say one more word, and you’ll go out and kneel too!"

Li Shengan instantly fell silent.

But he sighed inwardly. It’s cold outside. Besides, she is the Empress of the nation. It’s unseemly for her to be kneeling like this!

Yet, Zhao Junyao felt nothing was amiss.

If she likes to kneel, if she doesn’t mind the suffering, then let her kneel.

Not a single ripple disturbed his heart.

Their marital bond, he mused, was likely exhausted by now.

Things had once been superficially tolerable.

But now, the Empress had completely discarded her dignity.

And he didn’t feel the slightest bit of anger.

The woman kneeling there was like a stranger to him.

His heart was full of Qingqing.

That was his assurance.

As long as Qingqing was well, he could disregard everything else.

...

That day, the Empress knelt at Zhaochen Palace until late into the night.

She knelt until she fainted and vomited blood, at which point Palace Attendants finally carried her back.

The lights in Zhaochen Palace had long been extinguished.

Zhao Junyao had gone to the Harem. His imperial carriage left directly from the north gate, while the Empress, kneeling at the south gate, remained completely unaware.

...

The next day, the Empress fell gravely ill.

The one-and-a-half-year-old Third Princess was sent to the Empress Dowager.

To be fair, the Empress had raised the Little Princess well; she was fair, plump, and adorable.

She wasn’t shy around strangers. Upon seeing the Empress Dowager, the little girl timidly followed her Wetnurse Nanny, murmuring, "Grandmother."

The Empress Dowager held her, a pang of pity in her heart.

"Good child!"

"Sister Qing, take her away quickly. Find a few Little Palace Maids to play with her!"

"There are some suitable toys for her in the storeroom; give those to her as well!"

"And don’t restrict her in any way!"

"Very well!"

Sister Qing smiled and complied, then had people lead the Little Princess and the Wetnurse Nannies away.

Once everyone had left the room, the Empress Dowager sighed, then let out a cold, sarcastic snort.

"The Empress is truly too foolish!"

Never mind the Harem, the entire empire belongs to the Emperor! Why pick a fight with him?

She had heard about yesterday’s imperial edict.

Word of the Empress defying the edict had already spread throughout the Harem.

"Hmph! If it were the late Emperor, she might have already been deposed!"

As the Empress, she should be busy upholding the Emperor’s dignity, but instead, she’s the first to undermine him.

What harm would it do for the Third Princess to stay with Shih Jieyu for a few days?

That is her biological mother!

Why is she so obstinate?

Sister Ji also sighed.

"Alas! She is, after all, too young and lacks experience!"

"It’s clear His Majesty is just acting out of spite!"

"If she had just swallowed her pride then, the Emperor would have been appeased, and wouldn’t everything have been fine later? Alas!"

The Empress Dowager sneered again.

"Fine?"

"You’re thinking too simply. The Empress can find plenty of ways to stir up trouble!"

She can’t stand Consort Xian Pin and wants to drag me into suppressing her. Does she think I haven’t noticed?

If I didn’t also have a use for the Empress, why would I ever give her a pleasant look?

Such a fool. One glance is more than enough!

"Enough. Let the young ones sort out their own affairs. Your Majesty, you mustn’t worry about them anymore!" said Sister Ji.

The Empress Dowager took a deep breath and nodded.

She thought to herself:

Worry? Not a chance! Let them make a scene. The more chaos, the more delighted I’ll be.

Sister Qing also breathed a sigh of relief. She neatly tucked the quilt for the Empress Dowager and changed the subject.

"The weather is lovely today. I shall go brew a pot of fine tea for you!"

"Oh, and the small kitchen has also prepared stewed bird’s nest soup today!"

"Mhm."

The Empress Dowager nodded, her eyes closed.