Ji Hui was a bit surprised. She and the Regent Wangfei couldn’t be considered very close. Although the Regent Wangfei hadn’t targeted her, she didn’t like her either. In a way, they were naturally in opposition—ever since she was sent to the capital as one of the reserve consorts of the Regent, she had become the enemy of the Regent Wangfei against her will.
Fu Zifei always understood this well, so Ji Hui had ample reason to believe that Fu Zifei had ulterior motives. But what was she planning? Ji Hui couldn’t guess and didn’t dare to deny it. If she were to preemptively claim that she wasn’t close to the Regent Wangfei before the latter spoke, it would clearly seem dismissive. Ji Hui could only remain silent.
Wet Nurse Xiao lowered her head guiltily. Earlier, in her desperation to ensure that Gou Ye’s calligraphy and paintings reached Mei Yusi, she had blurted out a lie. Why did these cunning people have to keep bringing it up? Now, with the Great Empress Dowager already offended and the Empress increasingly displeased with Miss Ji, securing the Regent Wangfei’s favor was crucial. If they could move out with her approval, it would be ideal. Even if not, knowing that Miss Ji had a good relationship with the Regent Wangfei would deter palace residents from bullying her too much. So, Wet Nurse Xiao kept her mouth shut.
Mingzhu glanced at Fu Zifei, ignoring Ji Hui completely and not sparing her any face. “Sorry, Miss Ji Hui is a nice person, but we don’t share the same goals or interests. Occasionally having tea together is fine, but saying we’re close friends is impossible.”
Wet Nurse Xiao was furious. What was there to be proud of? Just because she was the Regent Wangfei? Was it really okay to be so arrogant and domineering, looking down on everyone like this? It’s too bullying and disrespectful.
Ji Hui’s face was hot enough to fry an egg; she felt an unprecedented sense of shame. However, what Mingzhu said was the truth, and she couldn’t refute it or brazenly approach them again. She spoke clearly, “The Empress misunderstood. Indeed, as the Regent Wangfei said, the interaction between this humble woman and the Regent Wangfei is limited, and there is no close relationship, let alone being ‘very close.'”
“You don’t have to pretend. I understand,” Fu Zifei said casually, glancing at the tightly closed hall doors. She smiled and continued, “After all, Miss Ji Hui lives in the Changxin Palace. Associating with someone the master dislikes is a great disrespect to the master. Don’t worry, I won’t say anything. Miss Ji Hui has a noble character, and I also like her very much.”
Mingzhu narrowed her eyes and looked at Fu Zifei. “The person you mentioned, who is disliked by the master, is that me?”
Fu Zifei covered her mouth and chuckled, “Auntie, how could you think that? You misunderstood.”
Mingzhu said flatly, “My hearing impairment was cured a long time ago, and my mind is still sharp, with a good memory. So, there should be no misunderstanding. So, the person you mentioned is me.”
Fu Zifei smiled provocatively. “Yes, I’m talking about Auntie. What will Auntie do? Do you want to slap me like you did before, scold me, and then splash me with tea?” Seeing Ji Hui’s eyes widen in surprise, she nodded towards Ji Hui. “That’s right, my aunt is like that, so in the future, if Miss Ji Hui enters the royal palace, remember not to provoke my aunt. All the concubines in the palace have been tormented by her, left lonely and miserable.”
Mingzhu looked silently at Fu Zifei. This first round of probing was over. She had sufficient reason to confirm that the Great Empress Dowager was indeed doing something earth-shattering, and this matter was already underway. Therefore, the Great Empress Dowager tightly closed the hall doors, not caring whether she had sealed off the Changxin Palace. And Fu Zifei, even if she wasn’t directly involved, must have heard the rumors.
Mingzhu stood up abruptly. She walked outside and forcefully pushed Sang Shen aside, ordering Xia Xue and others, “This Wangfei suspects that there are traitors plotting against the Great Empress Dowager. Smash open the hall door for me!”
Fu Zifei was furious. She lifted her skirt and ran towards Mingzhu. “Do you dare? Even the Regent wouldn’t dare such an act of defiance, yet you?”
Mingzhu looked at her coldly. “I am the Great Empress Dowager’s niece, and I grew up in front of the Great Empress Dowager. I am more affectionate and respectful to the Great Empress Dowager than the Empress. I have heard that the Great Empress Dowager is dissatisfied with His Majesty and intends to establish County Prince Xiangcheng as the ruler. The Empress has not yet firmly secured her position, so she must be very anxious and dissatisfied. Therefore, it’s inevitable that she would do something disrespectful to the Great Empress Dowager.”
Fu Zifei heard for the first time someone speak so convincingly about the Great Empress Dowager’s intentions to depose Yuwen Guang and establish Yuwen Nuo, but upon careful thought, it was entirely possible. After all, Yuwen Guang only listened to Yuwen Chu, which greatly offended the Great Empress Dowager.
So, if Yuwen Guang were deposed, what would happen to her as the Empress? Even though she had not consummated the marriage, the title was already set, and she could never remarry to Yuwen Nuo like before! Becoming a deposed empress was the greatest tragedy in the world. Everyone would dare to trample on her, everyone would dare to spit in her face! So, it seemed that she had every motive and possibility to do such a thing.
“You’re talking nonsense! I didn’t!” Fu Zifei protested.
Mingzhu sneered disdainfully. “Can innocence be proven just by empty words? If such a thing happened, wouldn’t we know if we opened the hall door and asked the Great Empress Dowager? Step aside! Open the door!”
The people from Changxin Palace naturally couldn’t let Mingzhu just easily break into the Great Empress Dowager’s bedroom like this. The two sides confronted each other, refusing to yield to each other. However, Mingzhu came prepared. If she didn’t do it, she wouldn’t do it at all. She ordered the people to overturn anyone who dared to oppose her on the grounds of intending to commit treason and had them open the Great Empress Dowager’s bedchamber by force.
With such a big commotion, the Great Empress Dowager couldn’t possibly not hear it. She sat up on the bed and calmly looked at Mingzhu. “This day has finally come.”
Mingzhu walked up to her. “Yes, this day has finally come. I dared not imagine this day, dared not think of this moment. I tried every means to delay it, but it inevitably arrived.”
“Yes,” the Great Empress Dowager smiled faintly. “What do you want to do now?”
Mingzhu retorted, “What are you doing now?”
“I have no comment,” the Great Empress Dowager looked out the window, where the blue sky, white clouds, and gentle breeze brushed the treetops softly, creating a tranquil and beautiful afternoon. She smiled faintly and said, “When you were born, I really didn’t expect such a moment. If I knew, I would have drowned you.”
Mingzhu felt a surge of anger in her heart. She sneered, “You wouldn’t be able to drown me. Because I have parents and older brothers, they wouldn’t allow you to do that. Just like how you wanted to kill my second brother, wanted him to die miserably at the vegetable market, but he ended up on a different path.”
