The Battle of the Noble Ladies (Book 2)

Chapter 9 - Poison

The Princess of Zhennan leaned forward, bending down to grasp Song Chuyi's hand. Her eyes were fixed on her, filled with curiosity. "Old Lady, Xiao Yi, don't laugh at my curiosity. I just don't understand why you, Xiao Yi, insist on selecting Princess Shijia as your choice?"

She later learned from Princess Rongcheng that it was indeed Song Chuyi's goal from the beginning. This little girl had more capability than she imagined, being able to persuade Zhou Weizhao, the Chen family, and even her own family to agree with her ideas and willingly pave the way for her.

Old Lady Song knew the reason. In that terrifying dream, it was the empress dowager Rongxian and Wang Jinsi who cruelly drove Song Yan to his death, nailing him alive before sending him into the Princess's tomb for a ghost marriage with Princess Shijia.

She could see the deep hatred in Song Chuyi's eyes—every time she mentioned Shen Qingrang, her eyes were filled with disappointment, but when it came to Empress Dowager Rongxian, the hatred that burst forth was astonishingly intense.

"Princess Shijia may indeed be unaware of this matter," Song Chuyi considered for a moment before finally not avoiding the Princess of Zhennan's question. "But the empress dowager really does intend to pin the blame for the crown prince's death on our family... I think only Princess Shijia can make the empress dowager feel pain."

Not just pain; Prince Tai was dead, Wang Jinsi was also dead, and now Princess Shijia was practically the empress dowager's life. Song Chuyi, clearly meant to take Empress Dowager Rongxian's last hope.

The Princess of Zhennan couldn't help but feel fear for this little girl's ruthless intent to target someone's lifeblood, yet she couldn't help but nod like the King of Zhennan—just as Princess Rongcheng said, if something really happened to the crown prince, she feared the empress dowager would want more than just the life of Song Chuyi.

With different camps, their perspectives on issues were naturally different. From the perspective of the Princess of Zhennan, she certainly wished for misfortune to befall the empress dowager, who was eager to see the crown prince fail.

She patted Song Chuyi's hand, unable to articulate her feelings at that moment, and after a while, sighed, "I fear that now the empress dowager and Princess Shijia truly know what it feels like to have one's heart gouged out."

The Princess of Zhennan's guess was not wrong; Empress Dowager Rongxian was already on the verge of emotional collapse. Days of pressure and quasi-house arrest had tortured her to the point of unbearable suffering, and her concern and worry for her daughter grew stronger by the day. She continually sent people to request the emperor to see her, but it was all in vain.

Of course, the emperor seized the opportunity and wished for her and Princess Shijia to die; how could he possibly show mercy? Her remaining fingernails had already been worn down, and she looked so haggard and aged that she was entirely unrecognizable from the person she was a month ago. With a heavy air, she turned to glare at Yu Pei: "How long has it been? Can it really take a whole day to walk from Changning Palace to Qingning Palace?!"

Yu Pei had also been worn down to a shadow of her former self. Cautiously, she leaned in to comfort her, "The little eunuch hasn't returned... Your Highness, don't worry, the emperor always..."

Empress Dowager Rongxian had already overturned the small table, scattering the items on it everywhere. She glared with bloodshot eyes, looking deranged. "Send someone again! I want to see if he really can avoid me for the rest of his life!"

And that shameless empress! How many people she had sent out had returned defeated by the empress...

Yu Pei was anxious and didn't know what to do; the worries of the past days had caused her lips to break out in sores. The little eunuchs she had sent out recently were, without exception, unable to even enter the doors of Qingning Palace or Taiji Palace...

Fortunately, just as Empress Dowager Rongxian was about to throw something else in anger, a loud voice from outside announced, "The emperor has arrived!"

The enamel cloisonné mirror that Empress Dowager Rongxian was holding narrowly escaped disaster. She raised her head coldly, watching Emperor Jianzhang walk step by step toward her, her words were rushed and sharp: "The emperor has finally come to see me; it's truly rare. I thought you were already mourning the empress dowager of Changning Palace."

Emperor Jianzhang clasped his hands behind his back, and upon hearing her words, couldn't help but chuckle: "How could that be? The empress dowager is thriving; she will surely live to be nine thousand years old."

Empress Dowager Rongxian's face was full of disdain and mockery—she had always disliked Jianzhang's demeanor, as he spoke without truly understanding her words, seemingly oblivious to all attacks.

"What does it matter how long one lives? Isn't it all just a matter of your word, Emperor?" She rubbed her barely covered short nails and looked up at Jianzhang: "You took so long to come; you must have already figured out how to deal with me, right?"

The Empress Dowager is the mother of the nation and the legitimate wife of the late emperor. How dare a son dispose of you?" Emperor Jianzhang picked up a chair and sat down, his tone as calm as if he were merely discussing the arrangements in Changning Palace with her: "I have come to pay my respects and, by the way, bring you some news. My elder sister has been spoiled in recent years and has actually come to resent you for the death of her husband, blaming you for making her a widow all these years and not allowing her to divorce. She even practiced witchcraft at home to curse you..."

Years ago, under the strong influence of the Empress Dowager, Princess Shijia had chosen the legitimate second son of the Duke's residence as her husband. Later, when the Duke's residence was destroyed, the husband was also implicated and executed along with his family...

Due to the Empress Dowager's selfishness, Princess Shijia had remained a widow all these years and had not sought a new husband.

Bringing up two painful matters at once, each word a sharp blow, the Empress Dowager could not contain her anger and stood up furiously: "Nonsense!"

Emperor Jianzhang was not affected by her anger and leisurely took a sip of tea offered by Eunuch Feng: "How could I be spouting nonsense? There is evidence and witnesses; the Jinyiwei and the Dali Temple have investigated... If Mother doesn't believe it, we can ask the three divisions to hold a public trial..."

He was threatening her; if she did not accept this claim, he would allow the three divisions to conduct a public trial, openly establishing the charge of poisoning the Crown Prince.

"This matter has nothing to do with her! She was completely unaware, you know it..." She closed her eyes, feeling as if her blood had frozen: "You are targeting me..."

The teacup in Emperor Jianzhang's hand was placed on the table, making a crisp sound. He remained silent for a moment, his voice cold as the autumn evening: "Mother, the matter of witchcraft is a major crime punishable by the extermination of one's family. My elder sister is so reckless, harboring discontent towards you over trivial matters... It is not worth your pleading on her behalf."

He paused and sighed: "Moreover, my elder sister has already taken her own life with a cup of poison in fear of punishment..."