Chapter 453: Peace
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Under the influence of the Empress Dowager and the Public House, the
Emperor decided to lift the confinement of the Empress and the Crown Prince.
However, he sternly cautioned the Empress, “The harem should not involve itself in politics, let alone conspire against a prince! Remember my words.” “If such a situation arises again, do not blame me for taking drastic measures.” “Starting today, you will be confined to the harem for three months.”
The Empress did not dare to voice any objections. She understood that her and the Crown Prince’s exoneration this time was largely thanks to the Empress Dowager and the Public House.
Their actions this time had not been coordinated with the Public House in advance, and as a result, she faced severe censure from her father and brother. They cautioned her that, should such a situation occur again, they would not shield her.
Their primary concern was the protection of the Crown Prince.
The Empress harbored her own grievances as well. She concealed this from the Public House for two reasons. Firstly, she did not want her family to learn about the fifth princess’s disgraceful actions, which were far from commendable.
Secondly, she was deeply swayed by the Crown Prince’s influence. The Crown Prince had persuaded her that Cheng Feng’s confession was sufficient to implicate the Third Prince while minimizing the consequences for the fifth princess.
As a mother, she cherished her daughter immensely, leading her to readily accept the Crown Prince’s words. She now grasped the Crown Prince’s true intentions, which involved implicating her in a false narrative to secure the full support of the Public House and the Empress Dowager.
They believed that, with the unwavering backing of the Public House and the Empress Dowager, they might succeed in entirely eliminating the Third Prince.
Unforeseen by the Public House and the Empress Dowager, someone had submitted all the evidence to the emperor, resulting in their unexpected defeat.
The Public House issued a stern warning to the Crown Prince, cautioning him against any further reckless actions in private, emphasizing that he must bear the consequences of his actions.
In response, the Crown Prince promised not to repeat such mistakes, deeply concerned that a string of irrational actions might lead to the Public House and the Empress Dowager abandoning him. After all, he was not the sole grandson of the Public House.
In a bid to strengthen the Empress’s position, the Public House introduced another girl into the palace after the Empress fell out of favor. This girl was the younger sister of one of the Empress’s concubines, born to a concubine of the old duke and occupying a lowly status.
She had garnered favor from the emperor and was fortunate enough to conceive a prince. However, her life was tragically cut short during childbirth. The Seventh Prince she had given birth to, who was now eight years old, was raised under the Empress’s name.
The Seventh Prince displayed remarkable intelligence from a young age, and the Public House held him in high regard. The Empress Dowager also doted on him immensely. He was considered a contingency candidate for the crown prince position.
The Empress was aware of the Crown Prince’s longstanding animosity towards the Seventh Prince. If the Seventh Prince had not been a young child, and the Crown Prince had perceived him as a threat, he would have targeted him much earlier. Raised within the palace, he had been groomed to be ruthless from a young age, as that was the path to securing ultimate victory.
The emperor did not show clemency to the fifth princess. Instead, he sentenced her to a lifetime of residing in the temple hall, where she would consume vegetarian fare and engage in perpetual prayers to Buddha.
The fifth princess was overwhelmed with sorrow, weeping uncontrollably. In private, she resorted to threats against the Crown Prince, warning him that unless he devised a means to rescue her, she would divulge all the classified information to the public.
The Crown Prince had no choice but to console her, pledging that he would find a way to secure her freedom once the current crisis had subsided.
The Empress also assured her, saying, “You are my flesh and blood, and you share a bond of blood with your brother. Neither your mother nor your brother will allow you to spend the remainder of your life alone in the temple hall.” “You mustn’t be rash. If you make this matter public,”
Ultimately, the Crown Prince and the Empress managed to pacify the fifth princess, and the tempestuous episode seemed to have settled on the surface.
Yet beneath the veneer of tranquility, the covert struggle between the Public House and the General Manor had intensified..
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