11: The past

Chapter 11 Past Events

Wang Zhongyi was also covered in cold sweat; at this moment, even for him, a single slip of the tongue could possibly lead to Emperor Zhengyong ordering his execution!

He hurriedly bowed and said, "Y-Your Majesty, this servant does not know."

"However, the people who could know about this matter, besides the inner palace, are only that teacher of yours..."

"Tang Xiaozu!"

Emperor Zhengyong suddenly opened his eyes, and killing intent flashed across them.

He was not a natural eunuch!

Twenty years ago, the former crown prince was implicated in a treason case; the crown prince was deposed and also imprisoned.

At that time, he also had the Opportunity to vie for the position of crown prince.

Who would have thought he would be targeted by someone with ulterior motives, who dispatched a woman well-versed in matters of the boudoir to secretly enter his residence and carry out seduction?

As a young man full of vigor, how could he resist the seduction of a charming woman?

Therefore, for several consecutive years, he indulged in singing and dancing every night, even dealing with a dozen wolf-like and tiger-like women in a single night.

That woman even presented him with potent aphrodisiacs, making him think only of affairs between men and women day after day.

With a young body, how could he withstand such devastation?

In just a few years' time, his energy was already exhausted, and he could no longer rise up.

Later, he found out that this matter was orchestrated by the Tang King's birth mother, Consort Sun of Langya County!

Therefore, after becoming the crown prince and successfully seizing the imperial throne, he immediately raised the butcher's knife against the Tang King's lineage.

As for his own teacher, Tang Xiaozu, he also learned about his physical condition during an accident.

A prince who cannot father children, how could he act as the common master of this world?

That was why he turned to support the Tang King, almost causing the imperial throne to fall into someone else's hands.

Thinking of this, Emperor Zhengyong's hatred for Tang Xiaozu grew even deeper!

"The inner palace, Tang Xiaozu... Who on earth is it?"

Wang Zhongyi whispered, "Your Majesty, this servant's subordinates once heard that when Tang Xiaozu was locked in the celestial prison, Prime Minister Yang had personally gone to inspect."

"At that time, we thought Prime Minister Yang was there to persuade Tang Xiaozu. Now it seems he must have learned about this matter from Tang Xiaozu's own mouth."

"Prime Minister Yang! Yang Xuansu!"

Emperor Zhengyong's tone immediately changed; if this matter had spread from Prime Minister Yang's residence, wouldn't that mean...

Just at this moment, a little eunuch outside the door suddenly knocked and said, "Your Majesty... The Empress Dowager sent word asking you to go to Yongshou Palace for a chat."

"Empress Mother..."

Emperor Zhengyong abruptly stood up, took a deep breath, and said, "Pass the order to the Empress Mother, I am going right over."

"Yes! Your Majesty."

The little eunuch hurriedly retreated, and Wang Zhongyi hesitated and said, "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager summoning you at this hour..."

"Go and see."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Wang Zhongyi bowed and withdrew, arranging the sedan chair to head in the direction of Yongshou Palace.

The reason Emperor Zhengyong was able to ascend the throne as emperor even after losing Tang Xiaozu was entirely thanks to this Empress Dowager!

Yongshou Palace.

Dressed in magnificent attire and wearing a dignified expression, the Empress Dowager sat alone. After Emperor Zhengyong walked in, he waved his hand, and Wang Zhongyi hurriedly retreated outside.

"Your imperial son pays respects to the Empress Mother, wishing her robust health."

"Rise."

The Empress Dowager gently raised her hand and said, "Your Majesty, please sit."

"I wonder what important matter the Empress Mother has in calling this child here so late?"

The Empress Dowager glanced lightly at Emperor Zhengyong and said calmly, "Logically speaking, this empress dowager need not bother with the affairs of the outer court, but this matter involves imperial family affairs after all."

"If the outer court is unstable, how can the inner palace be at peace?"

"Your teachings are right, Empress Mother."

"Now rumors are flying everywhere in the court, what does the Emperor plan to do?"

Emperor Zhengyong hastily said, "This child has already ordered the Royal City Division to strictly investigate this matter, and anyone caught spreading rumors will be executed without exception!"

"Foolish!"

The Empress Dowager said coldly, "By doing this, aren't you practically telling outsiders... that the rumors are true?"

"The Empress Mother's lesson is correct..."

"Sigh..." The Empress Dowager shook her head and said, "You are still the same as before, with far too many thoughts."

"If not for that, you also..."

"Forget it." The Empress Dowager continued, "Right now, there is only one plan that can resolve your urgent crisis."

"Please instruct me, Empress Mother."

"Prince Ning's secondary consort is already pregnant, but word has not spread yet. The Emperor can secretly carry out a substitution."

The Empress Dowager said directly, "After all, it is an imperial descendant; you can find an obedient woman to fake a pregnancy..."

"What?!"

Emperor Zhengyong abruptly raised his head, looking at the Empress Dowager in disbelief.

Substitution?

Prince Ning's son?

Wouldn't that mean this imperial throne would belong to Prince Ning's lineage in the future?

He hesitated and said, "W-What if it's a girl?"

"It is a boy." The Empress Dowager said coldly, "This empress dowager says it is a boy, so it must be a boy!"

Looking into the Empress Dowager's eyes, Emperor Zhengyong understood.

Whatever pregnancy, whatever Prince Ning's son—it was all fake!

As long as there was a woman to cooperate, ten months later, he would be able to hold a baby boy!

His thoughts turned, and he immediately said, "Empress Mother, please rest assured. I secretly dispatched the Royal City Division to Nanyue County and found a miraculous medical expert who claims to be able to cure dead people and bring flesh back to bones."

"Through his miraculous treatment, I have improved quite a bit, and furthermore... the other day I favored a palace maid."

"Is that so?"

The Empress Dowager looked Emperor Zhengyong up and down, shook her head, and said, "You... Forget it. Three months at most. If by then you still cannot do it, we can only resort to this."

"As for that palace maid, just give her a title."

"Above all, stability of the court comes first. Do you understand?"

"Yes... Empress Mother!"

Returning to Jiaotai Hall, Emperor Zhengyong's gaze remained extremely gloomy, his eyes full of struggle.

Wang Zhongyi cautiously edged closer: "Your Majesty..."

"Shadow... How is it over there?"

"Quite well." Wang Zhongyi said, "This lad is also a diligent person; although his talent is not high, he is very hardworking."

"What about his loyalty to me?"

"This lad is absolutely loyal to Your Majesty!"

Wang Zhongyi immediately said, "Heaven, Earth, Sovereign, Parent, and Teacher—this lad has long memorized these in his heart."

"During the assassination a few days ago, this servant was not by his side. If he harbored second thoughts, he could have completely taken that Opportunity to escape, but he still stayed in place waiting for the reinforcement of the imperial guards."

"As a mortal, being able to enjoy glory and wealth is already a supreme blessing. How could he easily give it up?"

Emperor Zhengyong tapped on the tabletop and said calmly, "In that case... then we will rely on this person!"

"If this person can bear a Dragon son for me, I will give him a quick and painless death!"

"Yes... Your Majesty!"

The Royal City Division made its move, widely arresting those spreading rumors.

In a mere seven days, hundreds of people had already been arrested.

This action only made the rumors rage even more fiercely; the latest rumor even claimed that the current Emperor Zhengyong was not the late emperor's son at all, but a civet cat transformed...

And under these circumstances, Emperor Zhengyong summoned the people from the Jingshi Department.

The Chief of the Jingshi Department knelt on the ground, holding a wooden tray in both hands, his heart filled with tension.

Of course he had also heard this rumor!

But tonight, Your Majesty actually took the initiative to summon him to flip the tallies!

Three years...

This was the first time Your Majesty had flipped the tallies since ascending the throne!

On the vermilion wooden tray lay six exquisitely crafted wooden tallies horizontally.

The Empress.

Consort Cui.

Consort Shu.

Consort De.

Consort Duan.

And... Noble Lady Bi.

Among these six, the Empress was the Empress Dowager's niece, a childhood sweetheart of Your Majesty, and their relationship was extremely good.

Consort Cui belonged to the Qinghe Cui Family, a millennium-old noble clan, and was also an ally of Your Majesty before ascending the throne.

Consort Shu was the daughter of the current Prime Minister Yang Xuansu, named Yang Huan; she possessed peerless beauty since childhood and was taken into the inner palace by Your Majesty two years ago.

Consort Duan was the daughter of Longxiang Army Commander Xu Mujun; in her youth, she had traveled through Jianghu, abhorring evil like a deadly enemy, and once single-handedly with a blade wiped out the Beggars' Sect members who specialized in trafficking and mutilating children.

Consort De was the granddaughter of Minister of War Li Changfeng; she loved military strategy and could be considered an extraordinary woman.

Noble Lady Bi...

Half a month ago, she had protected Your Majesty when Your Majesty was assassinated, and had just been conferred the title of Noble Lady.

Looking at these six tallies, Emperor Zhengyong's heart was filled with conflict. In the end, he grasped the wooden tally on the very edge and casually flipped it over.

This was also the reason why he had always kept Bi He hidden away.

"Let it be her."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"