Chapter 1289 - Capítulo 1289: 1284: Pleading Guilty
Capítulo 1289: Chapter 1284: Pleading Guilty
But she also understood, this plan was devised by Murong Li because her son wanted to protect his mother and did not want to hand her over to Zhou. This was the only way to protect the Yan Kingdom and her.
However, whether her brother or Xiao Rongyan, neither agreed to this plan, which greatly reduced Empress Dowager Yan’s doubts about Xiao Rongyan.
She understood… After Bai Qingyan prematurely gave birth, she disregarded her own body and two children. She insisted on rushing to Xiliang, deployed troops at the Yan Kingdom’s border, and sent her loyal eunuch to question Xiao Rongyan… These actions combined made A Yan feel chilled towards Bai Qingyan.
She finally believed that even if A Yan married Bai Qingyan and became husband and wife, his heart placed Yan first. Otherwise, when Xiao Rongyan proposed such a plan to merge the two nations, A Yan should have agreed immediately, then secretly helped Bai Qingyan to surpass Yan, thus securing the whole realm for his children.
Empress Dowager Yan’s eyes were filled with tears, moved by Murong Li’s willingness to gamble a nation to protect her, and feeling a mixture of guilt towards Xiao Rongyan. Her heart was overwhelmed with emotions.
She struggled to maintain the demeanor of the Empress Dowager as she stepped into the grand hall, each word firm and resolute: “The matter of betraying Zhou is the action of I, the mourning family! If Zhou insists on requiring an explanation from us Yan Kingdom, then hand over I, the Empress Dowager of Yan! I would rather die than see His Majesty gamble the nation’s future with open eyes!”
Upon seeing the Empress Dowager entering, the court officials of Yan Kingdom all greeted her with ceremony.
Even Xiao Rongyan stood up from his chair and gave Empress Dowager Yan a deep bow.
Murong Li saw his mother stepping into the hall, and when he noticed all court officials, including his Ninth Uncle, bowing to his mother, he lowered his gaze, clenched his fists, and tightly pursed his thin lips.
Empress Dowager Yan looked at Murong Li and Xiao Rongyan on the high platform, took a deep breath, and said, “I ask all the esteemed ministers to wait outside the hall. The mourning family will persuade the Emperor!”
Upon the Empress Dowager’s words, the court officials rose and exited the grand hall.
Just as Zhong Xingxiao was about to leave, Empress Dowager Yan spoke: “Stay…”
“Yes!” Zhong Xingxiao immediately gave a deep bow in response.
Soon, only Xiao Rongyan, Murong Li, Empress Dowager Yan, Murong Ping, and Zhong Xingxiao remained inside the grand hall.
Standing on the plaza outside the hall, the court officials of the Yan Court discussed the matter, shocked that the Empress Dowager really colluded with Xiliang to betray Zhou. Since the alliance with Yan Kingdom, Zhou had shown great care towards Yan. If this news spread… wouldn’t Yan Kingdom be seen as unrighteous and ungrateful?
Inside the hall, as the court officials left, the Empress Dowager couldn’t hold back her tears, which started falling.
“Ah Li! You’ve gone mad to come up with such a plan!” Empress Dowager Yan lifted the hem of her gown as she ascended the high steps, exclaiming, “You’ll even dare to contradict your Ninth Uncle and your uncle, Ah Li… you’ve truly become formidable!”
“Empress Dowager, it’s better to advise the Emperor!” Xiao Rongyan spoke leisurely, “We Yan Kingdom have reached this point, and while others may not know, the Empress Dowager understands what sacrifices our brother and this King have made for this nation…”
Xiao Rongyan abruptly paused before continuing: “What our Yan Kingdom’s people have sacrificed, Empress Dowager should be even clearer than the Emperor!”
How could the Empress Dowager not understand? Her husband sacrificed greatly for this country, and Xiao Rongyan sacrificed even more for Yan Kingdom… Almost every day, he put his life on the line for Yan Kingdom, including the people of Yan…
Empress Dowager Yan looked at Xiao Rongyan, nodded tearfully towards him: “A Yan, you have been wronged, your sister-in-law knows you’ve worked hard for this country! Ah Li’s words have hurt you! Your sister-in-law will reprimand Ah Li! But do not take it to heart, A Yan!”
“My plan was not endorsed by Ninth Uncle. Then what brilliant idea does Ninth Uncle have?” Murong Li turned his head with boldness, anger blazing in his eyes, and shouted, “If Ninth Uncle can think of a better plan than Ah Li, the Yan Kingdom Emperor, to resolve Yan’s current plight, Ah Li… is willing to abdicate to Ninth Uncle and cease to be Emperor!”
“Ah Li!” Empress Dowager Yan raised her hand high, staring at Murong Li with wide eyes, but the slap did not fall.
She remembered the time she lost her temper and slapped Ah Li during an argument, regretting it ever since. She tightly clutched her raised hand into a fist and swept it aside, unwilling to look at Murong Li, speaking with apparent authority but inner weakness: “Apologize to your Ninth Uncle! The matter of Zhou deploying troops at Yan’s border… demanding an explanation from us Yan Kingdom, if it comes to it, Mother will personally go to Zhou and ask the Emperor of Zhou for forgiveness!”
Upon hearing this said, Zhong Xingxiao felt his heart sink.
“Mother…” Murong Ping uncomfortably called out to Empress Dowager Yan.
“The trouble was caused by me, so I will bear it alone. My life, and the honor and disgrace that come with it, are of little importance compared to our Yan Kingdom!” Empress Dowager Yan spoke these words with the readiness for her end at Zhou, believing she could not let Ah Li use such a plan to fight for a chance for Yan Kingdom.
If, in the future, Yan Kingdom were lost due to this gamble, how could she face her deceased husband?
After all… the cause was due to her, and Ah Li’s plan was to protect her, the mother!
“That would truly make Yan Kingdom’s disgrace known to all! Let everyone know… our Yan Kingdom is badly deceitful with a poor reputation!” Murong Li’s words were sharp.
“Empress Dowager!” Before the Empress Dowager could unleash her fury, Zhong Xingxiao quickly stepped forward to kneel, “Sending the Empress Dowager to Zhou for penalizing would be a more shameful act than losing territory! This would be equivalent to admitting to the world that Empress Dowager had betrayed the allied nation Zhou from behind, and people would judge the Emperor as unfilial, pushing his own mother to soothe Zhou’s anger. How would this reflect upon our Yan Kingdom’s Imperial Family? The Yan Imperial Family would lose credibility among the populace!”
“Then what better method do you have?!” Empress Dowager Yan’s voice was hysterical, carrying a sobbing tone, “What other better methods are there? I don’t mind dying, but I cannot lose Yan!”
More importantly, Empress Dowager Yan did not believe Bai Qingyan would truly dare to kill her!
“The Minister of State is right…” Xiao Rongyan spoke slowly, for once agreeing with Zhong Xingxiao, “If the Empress Dowager is pushed out, then the world will not only call our Yan Kingdom ungrateful, but also speculate about what the Emperor and the Imperial Family, which greatly harms Yan Kingdom!
“If the mourning family ends up at Zhou, it would be the hot potato held by Bai Qingyan!” Empress Dowager Yan’s chest heaved violently, her mind started calculating, and she spoke whatever came to her mind, “If she kills the mourning family, it will inevitably incite anger throughout Yan Kingdom, and at that time, if Bai Qingyan attacks Yan again, Yan Kingdom will certainly rise to resist!”