Chapter 18: Edict Naming the Empress
“Second Older Sister is truly adorably foolish. If His Majesty is sincere towards Second Older Sister, then why is he making Mowan empress?” Yao Mowan walked to Yao Suluan, taking in her glowing complexion with an amused smile. Yao Suluan was truly an uncrushable c.o.c.kroach. However, it was fine. Fortunately, she hadn't gotten tired of this cat and mouse game yet.
“His Majesty's going to make you empress? That's not possible!” Yao Suluan's eyes widened and she was so stirred up that her voice had become a little shrill.
“Second Older Sister, if you don't believe me, you can go ask His Majesty. Oh, I almost forgot. Father had died in the imperial prison. I hear that his death was very tragic,” said Yao Mowan as if this had suddenly occurred to her.
“Humph! That old thing should've died a long time ago! You should be thanking this consort about this. If it weren't for that infected rat, he wouldn't have died so quickly.” A burst of disgust appeared in Yao Suluan's eyes when Yao Zhenting was brought up.
Yao Mowan was silent. She suddenly felt a little pity for Yao Zhenting. Even if Yao Suluan hadn't been valued, she was still a daughter of the main line and Yao Zhenting hadn't treated her badly in this lifetime.
As Yao Mowan watched Yao Suluan angrily leave the garden, she couldn't help but shake her head. Why couldn't Yao Suluan learn that a wise man submits to circ.u.mstances?
Inside the imperial study, Ye Hongyi had just finished writing the edict to make Yao Mowan empress. Just as he was about to stamp it with the jade seal, he saw An Bingshan push open the door and enter.
“Reporting, Your Majesty. n.o.ble Consort Li is outside asking for an audience,” reported An Bingshan respectfully as he flicked back his horsetail whisk.
“Allow her to enter.” Even though Ye Hongyi desired from the very bottom of his heart to just tear that woman apart, limb by limb, some of what Yao Suluan said did make sense. Rather than staying on guard against her all the time, it would be better to postpone their conflict for the time being. That way at least there'd be one less enemy.
In reality, the outcome they wanted was the same. It was just that their goal was different. Yao Suluan wanted to protect her life while he wanted to protect the stability of his throne. However, this didn't mean that he had forgotten how Yao Suluan had cornered him back then.
“This subject wife, Suluan, kowtows in salute to Your Majesty,” said Yao Suluan gracefully as she curtsied.
“You may rise. Why did you come here? Didn't we say that if there wasn't anything important, it'd be best if you didn't enter the imperial study?” Ye Hongyi restrained the coldness in his eyes as he said this mildly.
“This subject wife naturally came to see Your Majesty because there was something urgent.” After Yao Suluan got up, she walked quickly to the dragon desk. When she lowered her eyes, she just happened to see the edict.
“Your Majesty, are you really going to make Yao Mowan empress?” Yao Suluan reflexively swallowed hard, then looked towards Ye Hongyi in shock.
“Why not?” replied Ye Hongyi. He wasn't doing this in a moment of impulse.
“Your Majesty likes Mowan. This subject wife is well aware of that, but no matter what, Mowan is a fool. If Your Majesty names a fool empress, we'll become the laughingstock of all the other nations. All the citizens of great Chu will feel humiliated,” said Yao Suluan earnestly.
“It was the person you're calling a fool that obtained a treaty of eternal friendly relations.h.i.+p with the nation of Loulan. This is an ability that not even you possess. We have already decided on this matter, so there's no need for you to say any more about this.” Ye Hongyi glanced at Yao Suluan coldly, then moved to pick up the jade seal.
“Eternal friendly relations.h.i.+ps… Your Majesty! This proves that Yao Mowan isn't a fool! Otherwise, how could she possibly think of something like that? Your…”
“Enough! Yao Suluan, we have agreed to restore your freedom and give you the rank of n.o.ble consort, but that doesn't mean you have the right to interfere with our decisions. We will not change our mind about making Wan er empress! You can withdraw!” Ye Hongyi looked towards Yao Suluan coldly.
“But…”
“Withdraw!” bellowed Ye Hongyi. The darkness that was whirling in the depths of his eyes made Yao Suluan once again sense eminent danger. Yao Suluan knew that it was not a good idea to question imperial authority so she turned around to leave. As she was about to step out of the study, she glanced back and saw that Ye Hongyi had just pressed the jade seal onto the imperial edict.
Her heart abruptly clenched like someone had wrung it. Drops of blood seemed to flow down. For the sake of the empress seat, she had spared no effort to scheme against Yao Moxin to make her fall in disgrace from that seat. However, she never imagined that after Yao Moxin died, a Yao Mowan would appear. This pair of sisters seemed to have been born to be her enemies.
The next day, Yao Mowan's feelings were honestly mixed when she got the edict that made her empress.
“This old servant congratulates you, Empress! By His Majesty's orders, the blueprint for Your Highness's palace has already been finished and the construction will start in a few days. During this time period, we'll have to trouble you with staying here for the time being. Once the new palace is built, Your Highness will be able to move into it right away!” said An Bingshan respectfully in an ingratiating manner.
“But this consort doesn't want to move. This consort has gotten used to this place and doesn't want to leave. Why don't you tell His Majesty not to build a new palace after all? Wan er doesn't want it.” Yao Mowan blinked innocently as she looked towards An Bingshan, her childish voice filled with beseeching.
“This old servant can't make this decision. Your Highness, if there's nothing else, this old servant will withdraw first.” As An Bingshan took in Yao Mowan's naive manner, he inwardly sneered. However, it wouldn't be too bad to have a fool as empress. At the very least, she wouldn't get involved in any of the things she shouldn't get involved in.
Once An Bingshan left, Yao Mowan threw the imperial edict to Ting Yue in disgust, then called Yin Xue out.
“This consort wants to see Ming Yu tonight. Arrange for it,” instructed Yao Mowan, her eyes completely cold.
That night, when Ming Yu appeared in Guan Osprey Palace, Yao Mowan was completely taken aback.
“How did you become so thin?” asked Yao Mowan worriedly when she saw how colorless Ming Yu's face was and how her eyes were bulging out from malnutrition.
“This servant thought that this servant would never have the chance to see Your Highness again. Since this chance to meet has come, Ming Yu will be bold and ask one thing of Your Highness.” As Ming Yu spoke, she dropped to her knees while sobbing.
“What exactly happened? Yin Xue, help her up.” Yao Mowan looked towards Ming Yu with heartache and concern.
“Your Highness, if you don't agree to it, this servant will die before she gets up.” When Yao Mowan saw that Ming Yu would not be swayed about this, she indicated for Yin Xue to return to her side.
“Speak.” Yao Mowan nodded slightly.
“Ming Yu knows that she doesn't have much longer to live, but Ming Yu can't accept this! Why is An Bingshan able to live, unfettered by law despite all the people that he hurt, but Hong Mei and my other pitiful sisters have to die so tragically? This servant only asks that Your Highness will allow this servant to see An Bingshan get his retribution while this servant is still alive. This servant only begs this of you, Your Highness!” Ming Yu sobbed as she knocked her head hard against the ground in imploring kowtows.
“This consort owes you this, so don't worry, this consort will definitely allow you to see An Bingshan's tragic end while you are still alive. What has happened during this time? How did you end up in such a state?” asked Yao Mowan with heartache in her voice.
“Replying Your Highness, during this time as Your Highness headed to Loulan with the esteemed prince, Consort Li somehow managed to regain imperial favor. After regaining favor, the first thing Consort Li did was seek out this servant for revenge. This servant had no choice but to beg An Bingshan to change this servant's position and in a strange twist of fate, he actually transferred this servant to the pill refining room.
“Perhaps it is fate. Although this servant was able to escape Consort Li's retaliation, a big accident occurred in the pill refining room. There was a huge issue with the batch of pills An Bingshan refined this time. All the palace maids that tested the medicine died. Even the palace maids like me who were only in charge of refining the pills were poisoned. To prevent this matter from reaching His Majesty's ears, not only did An Bingshan have those dead palace maids secretly transported out of the imperial palace to be buried, he locked all of us up as well. Without his permission, we can't take a single step out of the pill refining room.
“Ming Yu knows that she didn't have long to live and originally wanted to stake it all and take An Bingshan's life, but An Bingshan was afraid of also being poisoned so he hasn't taken a single step into the pill refining room. This servant could not get any chances…” Tears spilled down Ming Yu's cheeks and her voice choked with sobs as she voiced this truth.
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