Mingzhu had anticipated Empress Dowager Xu’s response. After all, it was customary for emperors and empresses to be buried together, seen as an honor. The Great Empress Dowager had refused to be buried with Emperor Wen. Empress Dowager Xu, being timid and cautious, naturally wouldn’t dare break this precedent. The matter would have to be discussed with Yuwen Guang, who would then issue a decree.
Clearing her throat, Mingzhu prepared to persuade Empress Dowager Xu but realized she had lost her voice due to grief and an early morning cold. She could only look at Empress Dowager Xu with pleading eyes.
Imperial Consort Min stayed far away, fearing involvement. If Yuwen Chu were to become emperor, she would likely be posthumously honored and buried with Emperor Wen. If she interfered now, people might accuse her of plotting to usurp the Great Empress Dowager’s burial place for her own future.
Qi Wangfei, seeing the hesitation, stepped forward and asked, “What’s the matter?”
Empress Dowager Xu, seeing her as a savior, quickly handed over Fu Cong’s letter, “It says the Great Empress Dowager had such instructions earlier. This is a difficult matter; if mishandled, we’ll be drowned in criticism.”
Qi Wangfei calmly suggested, “To verify, summon the palace servants who attended to Her Majesty.”
Mu Gugu and Sang Shen came, both confirming the Great Empress Dowager’s instructions. Qi Wangfei then advised Empress Dowager Xu, “Your Majesty should let His Majesty decide.”
Empress Dowager Xu promptly sent the letter to Yuwen Guang, who read it without a word. He then asked sternly, “Where is Consort Jin?”
“Your Majesty, Consort Jin fainted from grief and is resting in the warm chamber,” replied Jiang Youyuan, carefully observing Yuwen Guang’s expression. He noticed a flash of anger in Yuwen Guang’s eyes, realizing the young emperor suspected the Regent and the Fu family of resenting the Great Empress Dowager and scheming to remove her from Emperor Wen’s mausoleum to make space for Imperial Consort Min. Frightened, he quickly lowered his gaze.
Fu Zifei laid on her pillow, lost in thought. With her support gone, she had no one to rely on but Yuwen Guang. She needed to seize this opportunity to secure his favor. Hearing the palace attendants calling for the emperor, she quickly pretended to be asleep. When Jiang Youyuan called her thrice, she finally opened her eyes, weakly but with a mixture of surprise and fear, struggling to get up and greet Yuwen Guang, “Your Majesty, why have you come?”
“You’re unwell, don’t strain yourself,” Yuwen Guang said, sitting beside her. “I’m here to ask if the Great Empress Dowager left any last words.”
What did this mean? Fu Zifei anxiously pondered but couldn’t figure it out. She glanced at Jiang Youyuan for a hint, but before she could grasp his signals, Yuwen Guang smashed a cup, “Speak the truth!”
Terrified, Fu Zifei immediately knelt and blurted out, “The Great Empress Dowager wished Your Majesty a long life and prosperity for the nation.” This statement was safe; she intended to say more but decided against it, unsure of the situation.
Unexpectedly, her words had a surprising effect.
Yuwen Guang’s anger slowly subsided. After a moment of silence, he said softly, “Is that so? Then let it be as she wished.”
He quickly stood up and walked out.
Jiang Youyuan was about to follow but was held back by Fu Zifei, “Chief Steward Jiang, what’s going on?”
Jiang Youyuan shook his head, “Don’t ask too much, just focus on your well-being.” He then hurriedly followed Yuwen Guang.
Fu Zifei, puzzled, instructed her confidante Ling Er to find out from Sang Shen. Ling Er soon returned, “It’s about the Great Empress Dowager’s burial place.”
Fu Zifei, understanding the implications, smirked coldly. The Great Empress Dowager, even in death, could manipulate people. If Yuwen Guang refused, he would offend the Fu family and the Regent. If he agreed, Yuwen Chu would be criticized, perceived as making way for Imperial Consort Min. Knowing Yuwen Chu’s temperament, he wouldn’t tolerate such gossip. Fu Mingzhu started this, so let her deal with the consequences. With a resolve to fight to the end against Fu Mingzhu, she prepared for the inevitable conflict.
Qi Wangfei took advantage of the moment when Mingzhu was taking her medicine to quietly remind her, “Although it’s to fulfill the late Great Empress Dowager’s wish, she must not have informed His Majesty or anyone else about this matter. Others will surely misunderstand it as an eager attempt to rearrange positions. It’s not appropriate.”
Mingzhu shook her head. Her father understood these matters better than anyone else, and he wouldn’t overlook them. But since he had made the decision, there must be a reason behind it.
Seeing her determination, Qi Wangfei sighed and remained silent.
Jiang Youyuan soon came out to convey the message from Yuwen Guang: since the late Great Empress Dowager had such thoughts, her wish would be fulfilled. However, it would take some time to select a new site and build the tomb anew. Moreover, the country was facing difficulties, and the treasury was already strained from military expenses and disaster relief funds. Therefore, they needed to temporarily delay the process and move the Great Empress Dowager’s coffin to the temporary palace for the time being.
Yuwen Guang was clever; he chose a middle path that could be retreated from or defended, leaving this difficult issue for Yuwen Chu to resolve.
Mingzhu didn’t feel disappointed. As long as there wasn’t a complete refusal, there was hope. It couldn’t be resolved in a short time anyway, so they would take it slowly. She had the messenger relay Yuwen Guang’s opinion back to Fu Cong.
Fu Cong quickly sent another message, stating, “Everything will be arranged according to His Majesty’s instructions.”
Thus, the issue of the late Great Empress Dowager’s tomb remained unresolved, but neither side was in a hurry, proceeding in an orderly manner according to protocol.
Busy until the next day, Mingzhu finally breathed a sigh of relief. Her throat could barely speak, but she overheard rumors outside about the Great Empress Dowager’s “last words” supposedly spoken by her. Suddenly, she remembered the Great Empress Dowager’s unfinished sentence. Ji Hui, what had happened to Ji Hui? What was her relationship with Ji Hui?
She felt she might have overlooked a crucial matter and immediately sent for Mu Gugu and Sang Shen to come.
Mu Gugu arrived quickly, and upon hearing Mingzhu’s concerns, she was also puzzled, “This old servant returned to Changxin Palace not long ago. The number of times I’ve seen Ji Hui is countable on one hand, and Her Majesty never mentioned her. Sang Shen might know.”
Sang Shen had been serving the late Great Empress Dowager closely for the past two years, and from what Mingzhu knew, she was involved in many matters and was the most likely person to unravel this mystery.
But a palace maid with a pale face came in, whispering, “Your Highness, Sang Gugu followed the late Great Empress Dowager.”
