Chapter 450: Entering the Palace
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“You want to enter the palace?” Fu Mingzheng furrowed his brows, thinking for a moment, then agreed, “That’s good. Instead of being passively beaten, it’s better to take the initiative. They’ve just caused a commotion today and haven’t figured out what to do next. It’s not possible for them to send people to the mansion again. The mansion should be safe for now. If you charge into the palace again and catch them off guard, solve all the problems that can be solved. Otherwise, when they have everything arranged and then send someone to announce your entry into the palace, the people in the mansion will be in danger.”
While speaking, Su Lan and the others had already prepared the attire Mingzhu would wear to enter the palace. Zhou Shuyi and Jing Song also came to listen to Mingzhu’s arrangements. Jing Song was very grateful to Mingzhu but didn’t express too much gratitude, only saying that he would follow Mingzhu’s arrangements and handle his tasks well.
Mingzhu arranged everything in the mansion properly and bowed to Fu Mingzheng, “If Fourth Brother has nothing else to do, please escort me to the palace.”
Fu Mingzheng nodded, “I’ll escort you to the palace gate, then I’ll go investigate the case related to Yang Dianjun. It’s not good to keep doing this. When it’s about time, I’ll come pick you up again.”
The siblings parted ways at the palace gate and went about their own business.
The first place Mingzhu wanted to go was Changxin Palace. In this matter, although the Great Empress Dowager was not the mastermind, she must have been one of the instigators. The reason was simple: she hoped that the Ying Wang Mansion and the Min family would have a fierce conflict. But as the Great Empress Dowager’s niece and the Ying Wangfei, Mingzhu had suffered so much injustice. It was reasonable and just for her to cry to the Great Empress Dowager, who was the elder in the family.
Changxin Palace had already quietly undergone changes.
At least, after the palace people saw Mingzhu, they no longer showed the previous warmth and thoughtfulness. Everyone was cautious, unwilling to help Mingzhu pass on messages.
Mingzhu felt a chill in her heart but pretended not to understand anything. She walked in by herself. When the palace people came to stop her, she just charged past them. Of course, no one dared to confront her. Who knew what the Great Empress Dowager was thinking? If something bad happened, and the Great Empress Dowager felt distressed, it wouldn’t be good for them, the palace people.
So Mingzhu walked all the way to outside the main hall.
Here was different from outside the palace gate; there were boundaries. She could charge straight in at the palace gate, but she couldn’t rush in here without any regard. Otherwise, the Great Empress Dowager would consider it a provocation and disrespect to Changxin Palace, inevitably teaching her a lesson. Then, all the remaining goodwill would be gone.
Mingzhu felt it was better to keep that bit of goodwill. She cherished it and needed it. She knelt down outside the hall, crying loudly, “Auntie, Auntie! You have to help me!”
Sang Mei hurried over to support her, whispering, “Oh my, Your Majesty, please don’t do this! The Great Empress Dowager is not inside. Please get up quickly. Let this servant help you to a side hall for some tea to warm yourself. Anything you have to say, wait until the Great Empress Dowager returns, alright?”
Mingzhu shook her head, “No, I’ll wait for the Great Empress Dowager here.” Seizing the opportunity, she grabbed Sang Mei and sobbed, “I’m almost dying! What does it have to do with His Highness if Jiang Shanshan disappeared? She disappeared from Linan Wang’s mansion. Instead of asking Linan Wang for her, they chose to make trouble for His Highness. Why is that? His Highness hasn’t even returned yet, but someone immediately broke into our mansion under false pretenses, searched the mansion, insulted me, and even attempted to assassinate me! Is the world in such chaos now? Are relatives and nobles so worthless?!”
Sang Mei awkwardly expressed astonishment, “Such a thing actually happened?”
Mingzhu cried bitterly, “Would I lie?!” She raised her injured wrist and quickly removed the bandage to show Sang Mei. “Even if the government wants to arrest someone from an ordinary family, they need proper documentation. Why did the Longlin Guards dare to use the excuse of arresting criminals to raid and search the Ying Wang Mansion? Sang Mei, tell me, is it because the Great Empress Dowager doesn’t like me that they can trample on me as they wish, even attempt to take my life?”
Because this incident was indeed the result of the Great Empress Dowager turning a blind eye, Sang Mei was speechless and could only keep persuading her, “It’s cold on the ground. Please get up. You’re pregnant; you must take care of yourself.”
Mingzhu refused to get up, “Let me cry to death here. Anyway, sooner or later, I’ll be killed when I go back. When Auntie loved me in the past, I could walk around freely, and no one dared to bully me. Now that Auntie doesn’t want me anymore, they drown me in saliva. What’s the point of living? I’m already too ashamed to face anyone! Just for the daughter of a third-rate noble, they can harass a prince. I’ve never heard of such a rule.”
Sang Mei couldn’t do anything with her and could only accompany her anxiously.
At first, Mingzhu was acting a bit, but later, she was genuinely heartbroken, “When I was a child, my favorite person was Auntie. I always wanted to save some special food for Auntie… Auntie always kept the best things for me… My parents were sour because of this…”
The sound of her crying reached the hall, where the Great Empress Dowager remained silent, and Yuwen Fu held the pen with a confused heart, not knowing what to do.
The Great Empress Dowager coldly said, “Continue silently writing your book! No meal until you’ve finished!”
Mu Gugu found it difficult to bear and discreetly signaled Yuwen Fu.
Yuwen Fu hesitated for a while, then looked up at the Great Empress Dowager as if he had made up his mind, “Grandmother, if what Cousin said is true, it’s not right. Let her come in.”
The Great Empress Dowager’s eyes flashed like lightning as she looked at him sharply, “What did you say?”
Yuwen Fu, fearing her, quickly lowered his eyes and whispered, “Grandson knows that Grandmother has always cared about Cousin. I’m afraid that you might get upset because of this. As long as you’re well, grandson doesn’t want anything.”
The Great Empress Dowager slammed the table hard, “Say that again?”
Yuwen Fu quickly got up and knelt down, “Grandmother, please calm down! Your grandson knows his mistake!”
Mu Gugu hurriedly approached to persuade the Great Empress Dowager, “Your Majesty, you’re scaring County Prince Sien.”
The Great Empress Dowager took a few deep breaths before managing to control herself, then said coldly, “Have you forgotten why I conferred upon you the title of County Prince Sien? Whose favor are you grateful for? Think about your father, who inherited this world. His descendants are the rightful heirs! You don’t need to worry about these matters; just focus on carrying out the tasks I’ve assigned to you. Go! Kneel before your father’s memorial tablet for an hour!”
Yuwen Fu silently bowed to her, then rose and retreated.
The Great Empress Dowager’s condition was worsening, often losing control and becoming irritable. Could it be because something was growing in her brain? Mu Gugu looked at the Great Empress Dowager with concern, unable to express her sadness.
Outside the hall, Mingzhu was still sobbing bitterly, deeply heartbroken.
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