Chapter 236: Ties between Siblings
Marquis Piyuan and Jin Chunzhong came with hope but left with confusion.
In the study, Prince Donghai was even more puzzled. He walked to the desk and said, “I think I understand your meaning – letting the Xiongnu envoys spread word of the northern threat to force the Empress Dowager to resume her duties. But what good would that do? Once she takes power, the Shang-guan family will only become more powerful.”
“Indeed, so why won’t the Empress Dowager agree to resume her duties?”
“Because… because she needs a good excuse, and the Xiongnu envoys just provided that excuse.”
“Is there no other reason?” Han Ruzi unconsciously adopted Yang Feng’s tone – that questioning and probing manner, like a learned teacher guiding a new student, or an experienced hunter training a first-time apprentice.
Prince Donghai was displeased but still pondered it. “Well… of course, in these past months, not a single memorial sent to the palace has been approved, leaving countless problems unresolved. The Empress Dowager can’t just suddenly recover – that would tell the world she was faking illness, meaning she had disregarded the suffering people. So she must have planned her perfect return, and your interference might disrupt those plans.”
Han Ruzi smiled, “Actually, my thoughts weren’t so complicated. I just wanted to test the Empress Dowager, to see how much she could endure.”
“Be careful not to get burned.”
“The fire has already reached us.”