Chapter 451: Interrogation
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The Great Empress Dowager, annoyed, said, “Ah Shang, go tell her to stop crying. It’s unbearable for me.” In fact, she was already starting to soften but didn’t want to soften further.
Mu Gugu sighed and got up to leave.
Hearing the sound of the hall door, Mingzhu looked hopefully, but seeing it was only Mu Gugu, she felt a chill in her heart. It seemed that there was no turning back.
Mu Gugu approached Mingzhu, squatted down to look into her eyes, and said softly, “The Great Empress Dowager has decided to bring Miss Zifei into the palace to stay for a while.”
Mingzhu understood everything. She stopped crying, and very seriously asked Mu Gugu, “Gugu, does Aunt no longer favor me?”
Mu Gugu carefully replied, “I thought, aside from the late Emperor, the Great Empress Dowager has always favored the Wangfei the most.”
Mingzhu said, “Please convey a message to the Great Empress Dowager for me. In my heart, her importance is no less than that of my own parents. I never thought there would come a day like this, but no matter what, she is still my aunt, she is still the Great Empress Dowager, the eldest and most respected matriarch of the Yuwen clan.
I ask the Great Empress Dowager to uphold justice and not let chaos reign, chilling the hearts of the royal family. Otherwise, chaos will begin from now on. Today it’s me, tomorrow it could be someone else. When the royal mansion ceases to be a royal mansion, and the palace no longer remains a palace, when the ancestral system is scorned and trampled upon, no one will be able to escape.”
Mingzhu bowed again towards the direction of the hall, and loudly said, “As Ying Wangfei, Mingzhu of the Fu family, I earnestly request the Great Empress Dowager to uphold justice and restore order!”
Since affection couldn’t move them, she would use righteousness to force their hand. As long as the Great Empress Dowager dared to say that this matter wasn’t within the jurisdiction of Changxin Palace, and that Yuwen Chu deserved to be imprisoned at Zhaochuntai, the Ying Wang Mansion deserved to be raided, and she deserved to be assassinated, then she would let the Marquis of Changxing’s Mansion, the Min family, and even Linan Wang’s Mansion descend into chaos!
Mu Gugu gasped for a breath of cold air. She hadn’t expected Mingzhu to be so firm. She thought at most she would cry heartbrokenly, then act stubbornly, run to see Yuwen Chu, and then angrily leave the palace to figure out a solution. But she hadn’t expected Mingzhu to directly pressure the Great Empress Dowager in this way.
This time it wasn’t a family matter; it was a state affair, a public matter. The Great Empress Dowager absolutely couldn’t ignore it.
Mu Gugu’s hands and feet turned cold. She could almost see a thick layer of blood hanging over the capital.
The doors of the main hall were finally opened, and Liang Youyi stood at the entrance, saying coldly, “The Great Empress Dowager summons Ying Wangfei for an audience.”
Mingzhu, without hesitation, pulled Mu Gugu’s hand and stood up, walking into the main hall without looking back. She had knelt for quite some time, and her walk was somewhat unsteady. Mu Gugu subconsciously wanted to step forward to support her, but Liang Youyi smirked at Mu Gugu, revealing a hint of mocking understanding.
Mingzhu clearly saw it, and slowly pushed Mu Gugu’s hand away, gesturing for Donghui to come forward and assist her. As she passed by Liang Youyi, Mingzhu glanced at him, and Liang Youyi lowered his eyes, his pale face devoid of any hint of a smile.
Mingzhu clearly felt that since Liang Youyi took over as the head eunuch from Rong, the relationship between Fu family and the Great Empress Dowager had deteriorated. In the previous life, they didn’t have so many conflicts of interest, so her feelings weren’t as deep, but now it was quite profound. They needed to find a way to replace this steward of Changxin Palace.
Mingzhu entered the main hall and silently paid her respects to the Great Empress Dowager. After a while, the Great Empress Dowager said, “You may rise.” Her tone sounded very tired.
Mingzhu stood up and looked at the Great Empress Dowager. She saw that all of the Great Empress Dowager’s hair had turned white, and she had become much thinner, truly resembling an elderly person in the twilight of life.
Mingzhu couldn’t help but feel heartache. Couldn’t she take a step back? In the past, when they worked together, Min and his mother and Yuwen You weren’t so arrogant; they only dared to use some behind-the-scenes tricks.
The Great Empress Dowager keenly perceived the pity in Mingzhu’s eyes and immediately turned her face away, saying in a harsh tone, “Is it true that you had nothing to do with the incident involving Jiang Shanshan?”
Mingzhu smiled lightly, “I had nothing to do with it.”
“Somebody told me that you were the last person seen with Jiang Shanshan, and before that, she was plotting to enter Ying Mansion as a concubine.” The Great Empress Dowager’s expression was impassive. “In other words, whether Jiang Shanshan disappeared or died, the prime suspect is you. You were jealous of her, so you harmed her. The blame is falling on Ying Wang because of you.”
Mingzhu smiled gently, “I thought this speech would be given by the Empress Dowager of Zhaoyang Palace. I never expected it to be from Aunt. So, Aunt thinks that I caused trouble for Jiang Shanshan? Where are the witnesses and evidence? Just because I was jealous of her, I wanted to kill her? Why would I be jealous of her? Did our Wangye approve of her entering our mansion?
His Highness did not take a liking to her, so why would I be anxious? I heard another rumor, that both Empresses intended for Jiang Shanshan to enter Linan Mansion as a concubine, and Linan Wang also agreed. From this perspective, Princess Wusun is more suspicious. Please have the Great Empress Dowager issue an edict to summon Princess Wusun for questioning and investigation of this matter, then summon Linan Wang and ask him. If someone disappeared from his mansion, what explanation does he have? Only then can it be fair and impartial, and only then can I be convinced.”
The Great Empress Dowager was forced into embarrassment, and her temper flared, “You never listen to me, which is why we’ve come to this point! Do you think it’s all my fault? Have you never made a mistake? You always claim to love and respect me, is this how you show your love and respect? Are you happy to see me lonely and miserable?”
As these words were spoken, both of them were stunned. This was the Great Empress Dowager’s true feelings, something she had always cared about deeply – the betrayal of her beloved Mingzhu, who she treated like her own daughter, as well as the abandonment of her by her family members, who had sided with her son-in-law.
“I haven’t.” Mingzhu immediately defended herself, “I have never had such thoughts. It’s because you, Aunt, refuse to listen to advice!”
Liang Youyi tried to intervene, “Ying Wangfei! Please be cautious with your words!”
“You shut up!” Both the Great Empress Dowager and Mingzhu yelled at Liang Youyi simultaneously before turning away to continue yelling at each other.
“You’re unfilial! You still won’t admit it!”
“Isn’t this what Aunt thinks? Are you happy to help outsiders cause trouble for your own family?”
“Leave! Get out!” The Great Empress Dowager lost control and threw the lotus-shaped pen washer on the table towards Mingzhu. She shouted loudly to Mu Gugu, “From now on, she’s not allowed to enter Changxin Palace! I don’t want to see her! She’s heartless!”
Tears filled the Great Empress Dowager’s eyes, making her unable to straighten her back due to sorrow.
Mingzhu feared that she might worsen the Great Empress Dowager’s condition and said hurriedly, “Aunt doesn’t want to see me, so I’ll leave. Please take care.”
The Great Empress Dowager turned her face away.
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