Chapter 786 - 231 Death News_5
The Empress Dowager looked at Emperor Hongxiao and did not speak for a long time.
Emperor Hongxiao then laughed again, he said, "I almost forgot, when Jinwu General was ambushed and encircled that year, Mother was also present, naturally you would take the side of the Prince of Xia County."
At this point, the Empress Dowager instead became calm. She looked at Emperor Hongxiao, smiled slightly, and said, "Your Majesty, all these years, I have not treated you poorly. If you want to see me dead, there’s no need to resort to such methods. Do you have any evidence to defame me like this?"
"Evidence?" Emperor Hongxiao laughed. He said word by word, "Yin Zhili is the evidence."
Mei Xiang’s hands clenched her skirt nervously. The Empress Dowager’s complexion changed dramatically—this was her greatest vulnerability. If Emperor Hongxiao used this to threaten her, she would stand no chance!
"Mother seems to have forgotten, shortly before the Prince of Xia County left Yanjing for Qingzhou, didn’t he pay you a visit?"
He had known all along! The Empress Dowager’s heart could not help but tremble. She looked at Emperor Hongxiao as if he were a monster. Many times she had thought that one day the truth would come out, but not like this. She held no cards in hand, and Yin Zhan was not by her side. She felt like a fish on a chopping board, utterly at the mercy of others.
It wasn’t that she was weak, but both she and Yin Zhan had underestimated this emperor.
"Mother has been restraining me in the palace, while the Prince of Xia County restrains Duke Su in Qingzhou. Yin Zhili leads the Yin Family Troops south of the Yangtze River in a rebellion. I can’t help but admire the patience of the Prince of Xia County. So many years lying in wait, all to set this trap," Emperor Hongxiao said with a smile. "Truly, he has exhausted his mind for Yin Zhili."
The Empress Dowager said, "Does Your Majesty wish to kill me?"
"How could that be?" Emperor Hongxiao said with a smile, "Isn’t Yin Zhili still alive?"
"Does Your Majesty wish to use me to threaten Yin Zhili?" The Empress Dowager sneered.
"No," replied Emperor Hongxiao gently, "Mother knows I do not like to do such things. Just as Prince Cheng would not risk himself for Empress Dowager Liu, Yin Zhili may not necessarily endanger himself for Mother."