"Lord Zhao, accept this change with resignation. Your profound grief must sadden Consort Zhao's spirit in the afterlife."
"My lord, Consort Zhao saved us all. Her virtuous act must have moved the heavens. Perhaps she has already been reborn into the future life she yearned for."
"Ah!! Lady Zhao has passed away!"
Someone cried out in alarm.
Several Imperial Physicians hurried to wipe away their tears and attend to the fallen Lady Zhao.
Zhao's Father felt a blackness engulf his vision as he swayed unsteadily, caught by a pair of strong hands. Turning his head, he saw his Eldest Son.
His son's face was streaked with tears, a mixture of resignation and worry in his eyes.
"Father, the Emperor is too cruel!"
"What shall become of us now?"
"What can we do? Under this very heaven, none can rival the Emperor's domain. All this land belongs to him, and subjects must die when the sovereign demands it."
*Ding!*
*Connection established!*
As the video call connected, Gu Sang heard Zhao's Father's despairing words.
Likewise, Lord Zhao and the others' gazes met Gu Sang's sorrow-filled eyes!
This...this...the Empress Dowager?
Confronted by the astonished looks of those present, Gu Sang spoke with a calm, gentle tone: "Lord Zhao, accept this resignation."
"There is a saying: 'Human determination can prevail over Heaven.' When pushed to the brink, one can unleash unimaginable abilities. What's more, you have not yet reached that brink."
"Pei Changying released you under pressure, but once he recovers, he will seek vengeance."
"Lord Zhao, Imperial Physicians, if you trust me, then leave the capital for Lingnan or the plague-stricken cities and seek refuge with the Elder Princess as swiftly as you can."
Her words hung in the air, and all the Imperial Physicians, their families, and Lord Zhao's household fell silent.
Was she suggesting they flee?
No!
Rebel?
"The sooner you act, the safer you will be. Pei Changying dare not openly pursue you due to public pressure. Once you reach those places, you shall be unharmed!"
"Of course, if you cannot make that choice and do not wish to join the Elder Princess, then you must travel to the border towns near the barbarian lands."
"There, Pei Changying's reach will be limited, and you can live out your lives in peace."
After Gu Sang finished speaking, not a soul uttered a word.
Some still harbored hopes towards the Emperor, believing that since Consort Zhao had perished, he would no longer pursue them.
So upon hearing Gu Sang's two suggestions, they instinctively wished to resist.
Join the Elder Princess? That would be outright rebellion!
Punishable by the extermination of nine generations!
And the border towns not only had harsh, uninhabitable climates but were also frequently raided by barbarians.
"Perhaps it is not so grave? We have been pardoned, and the matter is settled. Surely the Emperor will not pursue us further?"
An Imperial Physician's Wife mustered her courage to ask, surreptitiously glancing towards Lord Zhao's household.
Moreover, it was Lord Zhao's family who provoked the Emperor's wrath.
The Emperor's resentment would surely be directed at Lord Zhao's clan.
Seeing they still clung to hope, Gu Sang shook her head, shattering their illusions: "When has he ever kept his promises?"
"In the past, I had no choice but to help him ascend the throne. He vowed to be my life partner and grant me the empress position, but what happened? He told me not to cling to vain fantasies, and I died a wretched death in the inner palace."
"To seize the throne, when the palace coup failed, he slaughtered his own father."
"The Second Prince was once brave and resourceful, yet he suddenly died in terror..."
Gu Sang merely recounted a few of Pei Changying's deeds, but the assembled officials and Lord Zhao's household were drenched in cold sweat.
These were palace secrets - knowledge of even one could mean execution.
In that moment, the Imperial Physicians and Lord Zhao's clan realized that this commoner who now occupied the throne, having been rained upon, sought to tear away everyone else's umbrella!
"You still hesitate? So be it. I have said my piece."
"Only, next time, there may not be another Consort Zhao to sacrifice her life to save you!"
