The Great Empress Dowager exhaled slowly and whispered, “They risked their lives for me; I cannot let them be implicated even in my death.”
The letters were sent by those loyal to her. When she was in power, she could manipulate them like chess pieces, deciding their fate. Now, nearing death, she felt she must do something for her loyal followers.
Sang Shen started to cry silently, “Your Highness, please don’t worry. Nothing will happen. His Highness County Prince Xiangcheng still needs your help.”
The Great Empress Dowager smiled faintly, “I can’t help him now. I only hope the late Emperor’s spirit will protect him, preserving our bloodline.”
These words were ominous. Sang Shen frowned, “Are you joking, Your Highness? Isn’t there still the Emperor?”
The Great Empress Dowager did not answer. “Go outside and see if there’s anything on the highest rubber tree.”
Sang Shen quickly returned, “Your Highness, there’s nothing.”
The Great Empress Dowager smiled slightly, “I see.”
The sounds of the palace being searched could be heard from next door. Sang Shen, indignant, said, “I’ll go watch to prevent any theft.”
“Let them be,” the Great Empress Dowager said. “Go fetch the Emperor and tell him I agree to all his requests, as long as he asks.”
Sang Shen had no choice but to bring Yuwen Guang in. He asked expectantly, “Does Grandmother know where my fourth brother is?”
The Great Empress Dowager smiled, “Silly child. If your fourth brother were in the palace, alive or dead, he would be a threat to you. Only if he’s missing, whereabouts unknown, are you safe.”
Yuwen Guang did not understand, “Why do you say this? Aren’t you worried about him?”
The Great Empress Dowager explained, “Unless he’s in the hands of enemies or Yuwen Chu, no one will harm him. If used properly, he’s your greatest safeguard and Yuwen Chu’s biggest obstacle. If you die, others could quickly enthrone him. As long as you live, he’s useless. So, stop asking about his whereabouts or if he’s alive. If you don’t believe me and continue to ask, I’ll tell you—I don’t know.”
Yuwen Guang’s face turned red with frustration, but he didn’t ask further. “What does Grandmother want from me?”
The Great Empress Dowager said, “Have the Empress brought here.”
Though reluctant, Yuwen Guang nodded and had the servants fetch Fu Zifei.
Fu Zifei had wanted to enter Changxin Palace to see the Great Empress Dowager but had been unable to. Now, she almost flew in upon hearing the summons. Yuwen Guang, disliking her, turned and left.
The Great Empress Dowager gestured for Fu Zifei to come closer and said softly, “Your father is dead.”
As if struck by lightning, Fu Zifei was stunned. She shook her head vigorously and whispered, “Grandmother, you’re lying, right? Wasn’t victory assured? I even heard the sounds of fighting at the palace gates last night…”
The Great Empress Dowager replied coldly, “There’s a very tall and old rubber tree in the palace. Your father and I had an agreement—if successful, he’d hang a red ribbon; if failed, a white ribbon. Now, there’s no ribbon, and everything has gone silent. It means he’s dead.”
Fu Zifei felt as if she had been slapped. She collapsed, tears streaming, unable to speak.
The Great Empress Dowager looked at her coldly, “The Emperor doesn’t like you. Your father is gone, and I’m not far from death. No one will support you. What will you do?”
Fu Zifei, recalling her actions against Mingzhu, became frantic. She lunged at the Great Empress Dowager, “Grandmother, you can’t die! If you die, our entire branch will perish. Can you bear that?”
The Great Empress Dowager’s eyes showed a trace of disgust. She coldly asked, “How did Fu Er die?!”
Fu Zifei’s hand trembled, cold sweat breaking out. The pain of losing her father couldn’t compare to the horror of this question. Her eyes darted around, “Wasn’t County Prince Sien trampled to death by Huayang Wang’s horse?”
The Great Empress Dowager understood everything. She took out a glass vial given by Mingzhu and asked Fu Zifei, “Do you recognize this?”
Fu Zifei’s heart pounded, but she steadied herself, “It’s a glass vial.”
The Great Empress Dowager silently praised her—neither admitting nor denying knowledge of it, simply stating its nature. A clever response, but time was running out.
The Great Empress Dowager showed the vial’s bottom to Fu Zifei, “This belonged to Emperor Shang. He bred poisonous insects and extracted their venom, having the Treasure Division make these vials for storing the toxins. He often added these to palace food or scattered them on faces and eyes, recording the reactions.”
Fu Zifei, pale, said, “Though it’s improper to speak ill of the dead, Emperor Shang was excessively cruel.”
The Great Empress Dowager continued, “In those records, there’s a poison called Drunken Immortal, made from a mix of insect venoms. Initially harmless, it causes confusion, loss of control, and unconsciousness, followed by a period of comatose. This is Drunken Immortal.”
Fu Zifei’s hands and feet went cold. She realized her short life had never felt this hopeless. She thought she was about to die. The Great Empress Dowager had adored Yuwen Fu, relying on him after Rongming’s death. But Fu Zifei had killed him and burned his body beyond recognition.
The Great Empress Dowager sighed softly, “Haven’t I treated you well? Didn’t Fu Er treat you well? Do you know how he pleaded with me in private? He repeatedly begged me not to marry you to the late Emperor Shang, saying he wanted to follow the example of Sixth Uncle and always be good to you.”
Fu Zifei covered her face and squatted down, sobbing uncontrollably.
“You ruined all my hopes and your own as well,” the Great Empress Dowager said with disgust. “Do you have anything to say now?”
Fu Zifei lifted her tear-streaked face, her eyes resolute, “This is slander! I know nothing about it! If there are few people in this world who genuinely wished for County Prince Sien’s well-being, apart from you and Consort Li, it would be me!”
