Chapter 1032 - 235: General Protectorate
Regardless of the Empress Dowager’s good or ill intentions, Pei Qin would not allow anyone to harm her daughter. Her cold and sharp eyes looked at the Empress Dowager without courtesy, "Empress Dowager! With the Emperor critically ill, inviting me into the palace means I will take on the urgent task. As for who the new Crown Prince is, I will be loyal to the Emperor and follow the arrangements made by him! Just now, the Emperor asked me what should be done amidst the chaos in the Imperial City. Empress Dowager, if there is chaos in the Imperial City, what you need to do is to take good care of your life, and not be kidnapped and coerced by others!"
The Empress Dowager became angry and shocked with rage.
Her old Mammy immediately rebuked, "You’re in the court of the Empress Dowager, don’t be presumptuous!"
Pei Qin didn’t intend to play the good person, nor did she plan to be a virtuous and meritorious official, simply giving the old woman a cold glance and addressing the Empress Dowager, "My daughter is young and ignorant. When the world is at peace, I will bring her to learn the proper etiquette and pay respect to the Empress Dowager! I beg to take my leave!" She bowed her hands and turned to leave.
The Empress Dowager trembled with anger, "She’s so arrogant without having achieved anything yet!?" Resisting orders and disrespect, even saying she’s useless and could be kidnapped and coerced into disrupting the grand scheme.
Naturally, the old Mammy couldn’t swallow this insult, "Empress Dowager?" Now that she had military merits and was greatly favored, many were trying to curry favor with her, and it was impossible to deal with her, but they couldn’t let her go just like that; they were determined to teach her a lesson! Daring to disrespect the Empress Dowager. But they had forgotten their intentions to use someone else’s daughter as a hostage.
After a while, the Empress Dowager suddenly deflated and waved her hand, "She’s right. I’ve grown old, not like before."
"Empress Dowager..." the old Mammy wanted to say something.
"The Emperor hasn’t lost his mind yet; he will have arrangements," said the Empress Dowager, shaking her head. They are all her grandsons; although she is biased, she hasn’t lost her senses. Great Chu now needs a domineering and insightful sovereign! Seeing as she knows her place, why bother making such a fuss, sending her daughter to the palace, only to cause discontent in Mo Heng’s heart, another mishap, and it might lead to resentment, utterly backfiring.
Pei Qin left the Empress Dowager’s palace with a solemn expression and headed towards the Emperor’s bedchamber. Damn it! Scheming against her, harming her was one thing, but they even dared to touch her precious daughter! Not a single good person in this Royal Family! The dying Emperor... and her Radish... Forget it, for now, they’re an exception!
When she entered, Shen Bi, several Cabinet chancellors, and some court officials were discussing the succession with Emperor Chu Wen. The court was largely bought by Xiao Guangzhao, all of whom suggested Xiao Guangzhao ascend the throne, while the Crown Prince’s loyalists strongly supported Prince Yong’an, Xiao Guangjun. Some even petitioned that Xiao Guangzhao had hired assassins to kill the Crown Prince, asserting that Prince Yongle, Xiao Guangzhao, was the preferred choice for a benevolent and uncontentious monarch.