Chapter 198
**Chapter 196: The Empress's Resolve**
The Yan Wang Mansion had become a thing of the past, as the wives and concubines within the palace gradually entered the new emperor's harem. The Wangfei had moved into Kun Ning Palace.
Standing at the imposing entrance of Kun Ning Palace, she gazed at the gilded characters of "Kun Ning" on the plaque, a victorious smile gracing her lips. From this moment on, she was no longer Yan Wangfei Dan Tai Shu Ya; she was the esteemed Empress of the Da Qing dynasty, revered by all.
"Mother, you once treated me with such hostility. Did you ever think I would end up residing in your palace?" The newly appointed Empress Dan Tai Shu Ya smiled brightly.
It was said that the Empress Dowager had gone to Tai Hua Mountain for recuperation. Yet, in the Empress's eyes, it was clear she had been forced out of the palace. The Xie family, relying on the Empress Dowager's support, led a group of old ministers to criticize the new emperor's policies. To maintain stability, the new emperor had sent the Empress Dowager away.
The emperor was ruthless; perhaps a rift had formed between mother and son.
The young Empress chuckled, feeling a sense of triumph as she settled into Kun Ning Palace. She had suffered many grievances at the Yan Wang Mansion, where Li Yuan Jing had harbored numerous discontentments towards her.
After some thought, the Empress decided to pay a visit to the emperor. She meticulously adorned herself, gazing into the mirror at her fading beauty, feeling a twinge of regret. Over the years, in caring for her children, she had lost both her looks and her husband's affection.
Fortunately, fate had not abandoned her; the Bodhisattva had shown her a new path.
Accompanied by her maidservants, the Empress arrived at Chang An Palace, where Li Yuan Jing was attending to state affairs.
"Your Majesty, the Empress is here," a eunuch by the emperor's side reported respectfully. "Princess Zhao Yang is inside the hall; please wait outside for a moment."
The Empress was not displeased and waited outside with her attendants. As her gaze casually swept across the area, she suddenly recognized the eunuch who had delivered the message.
He was young, with sharp features.
Wasn't this De Shun, the eunuch who had served beside the Shen family?
With Shen being ousted from the palace, De Shun had indeed found good fortune, becoming a favored eunuch by the emperor's side. This position had a promising future; if he served a few more years, the head eunuch position would surely be his.
"Your master has been expelled from the palace. Why didn't you leave with her?" the Empress asked with a hint of sarcasm.
De Shun smiled, "Water flows downhill, and people seek higher ground. I have only one master—the emperor."
The Empress's smile widened.
Ah, Shen Wei, you enjoyed a brief period of glory, only to end up in such a pitiful state. Your servants scatter like birds and beasts; it truly is a sad sight.
Just as the Empress reveled in her schadenfreude, the sound of soft footsteps approached the entrance of Chang An Palace. Zhao Yang, with red-rimmed eyes, brushed past the threshold, clearly having just received a scolding from Li Yuan Jing.
"Zhao Yang, why are you crying?" the Empress feigned concern.
Zhao Yang wiped her tears, "No need for you to worry, Sister-in-law."
Zhao Yang felt a deep sense of frustration.
For the past six months, chaos had engulfed Yan Jing City. Her father and elder brother had been killed by her third brother, her second brother had ascended the throne, the Empress Dowager had left the palace, and Shen Wei had been abandoned... A series of blows had left Zhao Yang feeling lost.
She felt as if she were caught in a raging river, the waters swirling around her, pushing her downstream.
The pace of change was too rapid for her to adapt. Today, she had entered the palace to plead with the emperor to bring Shen Wei back, only to be met with harsh rebuke, forcing her to leave in tears.
The Empress had always found Zhao Yang displeasing and deliberately teased, "You're not a child anymore. Once the war in Liangzhou settles and the Yan family’s young lord returns, I’ll make sure he becomes your husband. After all, women must marry. At your age, if you wait any longer, you might find it hard to find a match."
At twenty, Zhao Yang had yet to marry, and rumors were already circulating in Yan Jing City.
"My marriage is for my elder brother to decide; there's no need for you to concern yourself, Sister-in-law," Zhao Yang retorted coldly, her words sharp, "Newcomers are entering the palace one after another. You should focus on the harem, lest you lose your status as Empress and become a laughingstock."
With that, Zhao Yang swept away.
The Empress ground her teeth in frustration. This headstrong princess would eventually face her reckoning.
The Empress composed herself, adopting a calm and gentle demeanor as she entered Chang An Palace, supported by Liu Mama.
"I pay my respects to Your Majesty," the Empress said, kneeling respectfully. She raised her head to look at Li Yuan Jing, who was seated at the desk.
Dressed in a dragon robe, Li Yuan Jing stood tall, with neatly arranged memorials on the long sandalwood desk. He held a wolf hair brush, his expression as distant and sharp as ever.
Facing the Empress, Li Yuan Jing's demeanor remained unchanged. "What is it?"
His voice was flat, devoid of any emotional inflection.
The Empress knelt, her gaze sincere as she looked at Li Yuan Jing. "I made a grave mistake back at the Wangfu. I have reflected on my actions for many days and have vowed to change. From now on, I will take on the responsibility of managing the six palaces and will no longer be negligent."
Li Yuan Jing set down the brush.
His tone remained even. "It is good that you think this way. You may rise."
The Empress felt a surge of joy.
As long as she truly changed and no longer neglected her duties, managing the concubines and children, perhaps the emperor would gradually remember her merits, and their estranged marital bond might slowly mend.
After presenting her case to Li Yuan Jing, the Empress left with a light heart.
Inside Chang An Palace, all was quiet. The incense from the crane-shaped bronze burner wafted gently through the air. In the cold of January, the palace felt desolate.
Li Yuan Jing stared at the mountain of memorials on the desk, weary as he rubbed his temples, recalling the various disputes of the previous dynasty.
De Shun entered with a cup of tea, placing it gently beside the desk. He then had a palace maid bring two soft golden cushions, setting them on the chair behind Li Yuan Jing.
Li Yuan Jing slowly opened his eyes and took a sip from the jade tea cup. The delicate aroma of the tea was accompanied by a hint of spiciness and a rich rose fragrance. One sip warmed his stomach.
"This tea..." Li Yuan Jing paused.
De Shun lowered his head. "This is the winter tea prepared by the Neiwufu (the Imperial Household Department)."
Li Yuan Jing knew well that the winter tea from the Neiwufu did not taste like this. Leaning back, he found the cushions exceptionally soft, perfectly conforming to the contours of his back.
When he touched them, he found them comfortable, made of exquisite cloud brocade, with a faint scent of mugwort.
The cushions made by the embroiderers of the Neiwufu were often more ornate than practical. Clearly, these cushions were not crafted by their hands.
"Where did these come from?" Li Yuan Jing asked De Shun.
De Shun hesitated for a moment before revealing the truth. "Your Majesty, these are the rose ginger tea and cushions left by Shen Zhu. She said that in the cold winter, you might feel fatigued while reviewing memorials, and that this tea could warm your stomach and relieve your weariness."
After a pause, De Shun continued softly, "Shen Zhu was worried about your back injury and feared the pillows in the palace were not soft enough, so she specially gathered the finest cotton and cashmere to make these two cushions."
A pang of pain surged in Li Yuan Jing's heart.
No one but Wei Wei could care for him in such a way.
Having ascended to the throne, standing at the pinnacle of the Da Qing dynasty, draped in glory, he felt a profound loneliness in the stillness of the night. Gazing at the vast palace, illuminated by lanterns, it felt like a giant cage, cold and devoid of warmth.
He felt isolated.
He often thought of Shen Wei, reminiscing about the ordinary yet beautiful five days they had spent in Liu Jia Village.
Unfortunately, the time was not yet right; he could not bring Shen Wei back to the palace.
...
Inside Qing Palace, the weather remained cold, and clusters of plum blossoms bloomed within the palace walls. The Empress was in high spirits; the feeling of regaining power was intoxicating, and she felt a bit carried away.
Liu Mama, observing her, couldn't help but remind her, "Your Majesty, while you now hold sway over the six palaces, you should keep your sights set further ahead. Do not get entangled with the concubines."
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