She only needed to hand over the evidence to the Emperor. The rest, as a dead person, she could neither control nor manage.
The Zhu family had sent her into the palace years ago and then abandoned her, as if they had merely sent a hostage to the palace.
Her father and mother professed their love for her, yet when the Emperor asked her father to come to the capital to serve as an official, they flatly refused.
She lived in constant fear, caught in the middle and torn between sides.
Not long ago, her father had written to her, asking her to collude with the Zhu family members to eliminate the Emperor and change the dynasty's surname to Zhu.
Though she was a Zhu family daughter, she was also a Shen Family daughter-in-law.
The Xuanwu Emperor might not have been a good husband, but he was undoubtedly a patriotic and benevolent Emperor.
The Great Yan Dynasty was becoming increasingly prosperous, with surrounding territories submitting and common people living in peace and abundance.
Why rebel against such an Emperor? On what grounds?
The Empress outwardly agreed but secretly collected evidence. As the Zhu family's legitimate daughter, officials of the Zhu faction never suspected her.
Originally, she had planned to keep this as her bargaining chip, to negotiate with the Emperor if anyone ever threatened her position.
Now, she couldn't use it herself anymore.
But Jiang Xinyue could still make use of it.
After receiving the Emperor's affirmative response, the Empress told him where she had hidden the evidence.
The light in her eyes gradually faded. Through the Emperor's silhouette, she seemed to return to their wedding day years ago.
In twelve towers, all are in full dress, from Wangxian Tower, waiting for the king. Golden beasts with cold linked rings hold the doors, copper dragons drip water marking time. Cloud-like hairdos undone, still facing mirrors, silk robes to be changed, more fragrance added. Peeking at the main hall where curtains open, palace servants in robes sweep the royal bed.
"The Empress—has passed away!"
A great fire had taken the life of this strong-willed Empress.
She hadn't lived to see the fifth prince grow up, to arrange his marriage and witness the birth of his children. She hadn't become the wise Empress she had aspired to be, instead dying in this treacherous harem, amidst schemes and the Emperor's indifference.
In Yanqing Palace—
"Is Your Highness displeased?" Luyin asked, puzzled, as she fanned the gloomy Consort De sitting by the window. "Among the high-ranking concubines in the palace, only you and Senior Concubine Xian remain. Senior Concubine Xian hasn't been in the palace long and lacks support. She doesn't have the means to compete with you. The position of Empress is already as good as yours."
But Consort De wasn't as optimistic: "Do you really believe that Consort Rong set that big fire that killed the Empress?"
"Wasn't it?" Luyin recalled what she had seen the day before. "The fire starter fell from Consort Rong's hand, the hairpin that wounded Fen Yun was hers, and there was Senior Concubine Xian's jade button. Palace maids from Jingren Palace all the way to Yikun Palace saw Consort Rong going to Yikun Palace with their own eyes."
No one had held a knife to Consort Rong's throat and forced her to go. How could this be fabricated?
"The Empress could summon Senior Concubine Xian, and she could also summon Consort Rong at the same time."
As long as the timing was staggered, with Senior Concubine Xian entering the Empress's chambers first, and all the nearby palace maids and eunuchs removed, Consort Rong would instinctively try to eavesdrop on the Empress and Senior Concubine Xian's secret conversation when she arrived.
The main door of the chamber was far from where they were talking. To hear everything clearly, one would have to go around to the back of the chamber.
Perhaps Consort Rong went to the back to eavesdrop on their conversation, falling right into the Empress and Senior Concubine Xian's trap.
Who knows what happened in that unseen place?
Without seeing Consort Rong set the fire herself or personally wound Fen Yun, Consort De refused to believe it.
Luyin couldn't understand at all: "Then was it Senior Concubine Xian who set the fire? But that doesn't make sense either! Why would the Empress say it was Consort Rong?"
"Indeed!" Consort De frantically turned the prayer beads in her hand. "Why did the Empress say it was Consort Rong?"
Wasn't it actually the Empress herself who set the fire?
If it wasn't her, how could the palace staff in Yikun Palace be so cooperative, all disappearing at that exact time, conveniently allowing Consort Rong to eavesdrop?
And Fen Yun was so cooperative too. Even with her face so badly scarred, she could still chase after Consort Rong?
"Why should Your Highness overthink this?" Luyin replied, "Whether the fire was set by Consort Rong or Senior Concubine Xian, you will be the ultimate beneficiary. As the legitimate daughter of the Cheng Guo Gong's family, you are more than qualified to be the Emperor's new Empress."
Consort De also felt that she had been too tense lately, but what could she do?
The third prince had lost his voice and become mute, rendering all her years of effort futile. The second princess was still young, and without a capable older brother as support, she would not escape the tragic fate of being sent away in a political marriage.
But Luyin was right. Among the high-ranking concubines in the palace, only Senior Concubine Xian and herself remained.
In terms of seniority, family background, reputation, and even length of time in the palace, Consort De believed she far surpassed Jiang Xinyue.
As soon as news of the Empress's death spread, the entire country went into mourning.
The Emperor ordered a spirit hall to be set up in Taihe Hall for inner court officials and noblewomen to pay their respects. The spirit hall typically contained various tablets, titles, and objects used by the Empress during her lifetime.
The Xuanwu Emperor posthumously bestowed upon the Empress Zhu the title of Filial, Virtuous, Declarative, and Cultured Empress, and set her burial for the sixth day of the month at the Eastern Mountain Imperial Mausoleum.
The Emperor kept vigil in Taihe Hall for three days and nights, then ordered the restoration of the burned palace in Yikun Palace to its original state over the following days.
Pei Wu went to Chengqian Palace for three consecutive days, further convincing the Empress Dowager that she could rescue Consort Rong from the Investigative Bureau.
During these days, the back palace was as quiet as a dead city. No one dared to do anything extra to provoke the Emperor's wrath.
In the Investigative Bureau—
Consort Rong, with disheveled hair, clutched at the cloak of the woman outside her cell, pleading urgently, "Pei Wu, did Aunt Empress Dowager send you to rescue me? Please let me out, please let me out quickly. I don't want to stay in this hellish place for another moment."
Beneath the cloak was a charming and alluring face. She smiled, tugging at the corners of her mouth, "The Empress Dowager instructed me to inform Consort Rong that it would be best to take all the blame upon yourself. Otherwise... Her Majesty will ensure you never speak again."
"Wh-what?" Consort Rong's fingers loosened as she stepped back. "Aunt... wants to kill me?"
Pei Wu smiled, "How could Consort Rong say such a thing? The Empress Dowager is kind-hearted. If it weren't for her taking pity on you and Consort Shu years ago and bringing you into the palace, you should have been exiled to Ningguta."
What kind of place was Ningguta?
Even Consort Rong's father couldn't endure it and died there. One can imagine what would have become of two delicate young girls.
The two sisters should have died in Ningguta long ago. How could they have had the chance to enter the palace and become well-fed and clothed imperial concubines?
A myriad of complex emotions flashed through Consort Rong's eyes as she shook her head, "If I confess, the Emperor will kill me."
The Emperor didn't know about the false pregnancy incident that framed Consort Shu. If she revealed everything, the Emperor would surely kill her.
After all, she had played a significant role in Consort Shu's fall from being the Emperor's beloved to a discarded lover.
