Chapter 511: Secret Medicine (Part One)
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Empress Dowager Min’s face brightened, but then she heard the Great Empress Dowager’s tone change. “However, His Majesty went to Ying Wang’s mansion for no reason and caused trouble, killing noblewomen and disrespecting aunts and nieces. This will also be criticized. The matter of the royal family boycotting court happened not long ago, His Majesty should think twice.”
She didn’t mention Yuwen Chu’s dislocating of Yuwen Bai’s arms at all.
Yuwen Bai, upon hearing her words, clearly realized that the Great Empress Dowager was going to be biased towards Yuwen Chu. The resentment in his eyes couldn’t be hidden. “Royal Grandmother’s words are naturally very reasonable. Hu Tong deserves to die, and I deserve to die.”
The Great Empress Dowager said calmly, “Emperor, be cautious with your words. You are the supreme ruler. Do not casually speak of life and death.”
Yuwen Bai sneered, “Royal Grandmother, don’t be so eager to see a joke. If I can’t hold onto this position, Second Brother won’t be able to hold onto it either. Sixth Uncle is sharpening his knife; don’t believe me, just wait and see!” After saying this, he didn’t even look at the Great Empress Dowager’s expression, and suddenly shook his sleeves, calling to Empress Dowager Min, “Royal Mother, let’s go!”
Empress Dowager Min refused to leave, looking at the Great Empress Dowager with a threatening gaze, “Royal Mother, if you don’t handle this matter, your daughter-in-law will have to ask Uncle Zhongshan Wang to come out and uphold justice.”
The Great Empress Dowager glanced coldly at her, smirked disdainfully, but said no more, “You may withdraw.”
Empress Dowager Min, feeling helpless, could only take Yuwen Bai and leave. Along the way, she complained, “What kind of days are these? If the late emperor were still alive, how could he let us, widowed Royal Mother and son, be bullied like this?”
Yuwen Bai’s face showed a strange smile, “Royal Mother, don’t worry. My life is not so easily treated like this. If I can’t get this world, then no one can live well. Let them fight each other like dogs and break the net for the fish to die!”
Empress Dowager Min was taken aback. “Your Majesty, what are you saying?”
Yuwen Bai snorted coldly and whispered, “Just wait for me. I will make sure each and every one of you dies without a burial place.”
Empress Dowager Min didn’t catch his words clearly; she was busy admonishing him. “Your Majesty, don’t be so quick to kill people in the future. The rumors outside are not good to hear. It’s fine that Hu Tong is dead. Just say it’s all his fault, leading Your Majesty down the wrong path.”
Yuwen Bai was extremely annoyed. “I am the Emperor, with control over the entire world. Whoever I want dead, dies; whoever I want alive, lives. Those whom I dislike cannot live! Mother, if there’s nothing else, go rest on your own.” With that, he left first.
Empress Dowager Min was deeply worried, crying as she spoke to the palace maids around her, “What kind of days are we living in? If the late Emperor were still alive, would he allow us, widows and orphans, to be bullied like this?”
The sound of crying drifted into the Great Empress Dowager’s ears, and she waved her hand somewhat impatiently, coldly saying, “If it weren’t for her inability to educate her son, why would we have such troubles today? The late emperor was truly blind to pick such a plaything as consort. One person’s mistake affects three generations.”
Liang Youyi remained motionless with his eyes closed, seemingly asleep. Sang Shen whispered softly, “Your Majesty, Ying Wang has arrived.”
“Announce him.” The Great Empress Dowager extended her hand to Liang Youyi. “Fetch me the medicine.”
Liang Youyi quickly took out a silk box the size of an egg from his sleeve and handed over a tiny pill the size of a fingertip. The Great Empress Dowager swallowed it with a sip of water from her cup, closing her eyes to rest. In an instant, when she opened her eyes again, she seemed rejuvenated, completely different from her previous listless and weary self.
Sang Shen watched with astonishment. She didn’t know where Liang Youyi had obtained this secret medicine for the Great Empress Dowager, but it seemed miraculous. She had seen many times when the Great Empress Dowager was clearly unable to hold on, but as soon as she took this medicine, she immediately became spirited. When Mu Gugu was around, she didn’t allow the Great Empress Dowager to take too much, but now that Mu Gugu was gone, taking care of the Fourth Prince outside, no one dared to stop the Great Empress Dowager. She kept taking more and more of it, looking very energetic. However, Sang Shen knew that the Great Empress Dowager was getting thinner and thinner. Every morning when she woke up, her clothes were soaked with cold sweat, indicating that this medicine was not good at all.
Liang Youyi gave Sang Shen a cold glance, and Sang Shen, afraid, lowered her eyes and silently withdrew.
Yuwen Chu walked into the hall, scanning the room before bowing to the Great Empress Dowager. “Official Yuwen Chu pays respects to the Great Empress Dowager.”
The Great Empress Dowager coldly said, “Ying Wang, are you plotting rebellion? You dare to commit regicide!”
“In response to Great Empress Dowager’s words, regicide is an unforgivable crime that I, as your son, cannot bear.” Yuwen Chu calmly replied with lowered eyes. “Regarding the eunuch Hu Tong, who incited Your Majesty to take lives, abused noblewomen, and disrespected elders, almost causing a major crisis for the nation, shouldn’t he die? I believe that allowing a monarch to commit atrocities unchecked, allowing the monarch to become increasingly cruel and brutal, tarnishing reputation and scattering public sentiment, that is the true treachery.”
“Are you accusing me?” The Great Empress Dowager erupted in anger, her face showing an abnormal flush, her whole body trembling.
Liang Youyi promptly reminded her, “Your Majesty, calm down.”
Yuwen Chu raised his head to look directly at the Great Empress Dowager and said softly, “I have no intention of accusing Your Majesty, but I want to tell Your Majesty that no one should dare to bully or harm my wife and children! Otherwise, even if I have to give my all, suffer disgrace and ruin, I will fight to the death against them!” In short, everyone knew what was going on; he didn’t want to pretend anymore.
“You…!” The Great Empress Dowager pointed at him angrily, gritting her teeth, veins popping on her forehead. “Guards! Drag Imperial Consort Min here for me to see what kind of son she has raised!”
Liang Youyi whispered, “Your Royal Highness, do you want wife but not your mother?”
Yuwen Chu glanced at him and softly asked the Great Empress Dowager, “Niang Niang, calm down. Are you sure you want to do this?”
The Great Empress Dowager stared straight at Yuwen Chu, gritting her teeth as she coldly chuckled, “Old Six, I underestimated you in the past. If I had known, I should have let Consort Zhou poison you back then!”
Yuwen Chu nodded gently, “Thanks to Niang Niang’s protection back then. If Niang Niang can forgive, in the future, this child will definitely respect and honor Niang Niang along with Mingzhu.”
The Great Empress Dowager laughed bitterly, “Only that foolish child Mingzhu would believe such words. I don’t know what kind of potion you’ve given her to make her so infatuated with you, charging into battle foolishly for you. I regret being soft-hearted and marrying her to you.”
Yuwen Chu said, “Niang Niang, there’s no regret medicine in this world. Even if Niang Niang is not happy, you have to accept it. If Niang Niang were here at the time, I believe she would have killed Hu Tong just like me, all for the sake of protecting Mingzhu. Why can’t I do what Niang Niang would have done?”
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