Chapter 296: The First Prince Rebels
These two people were responsible for serving the National Preceptor Xuan Ce and guarding the National Teacher’s Palace.
“They are Daoist Priest Wang and Daoist Priest Li. They have been cultivating by the National Preceptor’s side since childhood.”
Both of them looked to be over fifty years old, with about half their hair already white.
Qin Wanwan blinked.
If people who had been by their Imperial Advisor Daddy’s side since childhood were this old, how old must their Imperial Advisor Daddy be?
“Two Daoist Priests, may I ask when the National Preceptor will come out of seclusion?”
Usually, when Tianqi has no major events, the National Preceptor is in seclusion for cultivation, and very few people seek him out.
He himself also prefers tranquility and never appears before people unless absolutely necessary.
“Your Highness the Crown Prince, we don’t know either. The time for the National Preceptor’s seclusion for cultivation is not fixed.”
Alright, that means I won’t be able to see Xuan Ce today.
Qin Wanwan was a little disappointed and finally left, looking back repeatedly, following Yin Yuanli.
When they reached the pond, they saw Turtle Jiushiliu, who was motionless in the water, pretending to be a rock, with lush green moss growing on its shell.
That’s right, the old turtle was a year older again.
Qin Wanwan squatted by the pond and greeted it.
“Turtle Jiushiliu, I brought you a gift.”
She took out several pretty stones of different colors from her small pouch.
“Look, doesn’t the shape of this stone look a lot like you? I’m giving it to you.”
Turtle Jiushiliu slowly stretched out its limbs, then slowly walked to Qin Wanwan’s side.
It accepted Qin Wanwan’s gift and rubbed against her palm.
Qin Wanwan also stroked its smooth head.
“Do you like grass? Do you like flowers? I’ll bring you some flowers next time.”
“Turtle Jiushiliu, do you eat honey? The honey from the bees I raise is delicious. I’ll bring you some next time too. I came in such a hurry this time, I brought too little.”
The little one’s voice was soft and sticky, and she chatted with Turtle Jiushiliu for a long time.
She even made Turtle Jiushiliu fall asleep.
It was getting late.
She patted her head: “I forgot to take food to my fathers.”
Yin Yuanli stayed by her side, very patiently.
“Are you hungry? Let’s go to the Empress Dowager’s place to eat first.”
The Empress Dowager seemed to really like Qin Wanwan; when they were leaving, she specifically told them to come back for a meal together.
Qin Wanwan: “But I haven’t given the roasted honey sweet potatoes to my fathers yet. Daddy Yu really likes to eat them.”
Yin Yuanli: …
No, it’s only been a few months since we last met, and you’ve got another Daddy Yu?
“You… have another father?”
Qin Wanwan blinked: “Didn’t I tell Brother Yuanli? It’s Daddy Yu Wuyou, he’s a super powerful Divine Doctor.”
Yin Yuanli: “…I remember your Father Shang is still looking for him. This is truly fate.”
Qin Wanwan nodded and happily said to him: “Yes, I didn’t expect Yu Wuyou to be one of my fathers either.”
As they spoke, the two of them had already strolled to the outside of the Empress Dowager’s Cining Palace.
Suddenly, a commotion could be heard.
The two turned their heads at the same time and saw the eunuch who had been serving Yin Yuanli running over in a panic.
“Your Highness the Crown Prince, Your Highness the Crown Prince, something terrible has happened! The First Prince has rebelled!”
Yin Yuanli’s pupils contracted.
Although he was young, he immediately reacted and made arrangements swiftly.
“Guards, go summon the Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guard to bring men to protect Cining Palace, and inform the other female relatives in the harem to come to Cining Palace immediately.”
“Wanwan, you go in first. I have something to attend to and need to leave for a bit. Remember to protect yourself very well.”
Qin Wanwan grabbed his sleeve: “Where are you going?”
“I’m worried about my Empress Mother.”
Qin Wanwan nodded obediently. She also knew that the situation was urgent and she couldn’t be a burden to Brother Yuanli.
Before Yin Yuanli left, he also dispatched two of his Dark Guards to protect Qin Wanwan.
Qin Wanwan was led into Cining Palace by a palace maid and soon was held by Princess Zhaohua and sat next to the Empress Dowager.
“What’s going on? Why would the First Prince…”
The Empress Dowager was also flustered.
Qin Wanwan comforted her: “Empress Dowager, don’t be afraid, everything will be alright.”
Soon, the Empress and several Palace Consorts arrived.
The Empress was a strikingly beautiful woman. When she arrived, she was holding a sword, and blood was even dripping from it.
It was obvious she had fought her way here. The Palace Consorts who had come with her were clearly terrified, mostly pale-faced and crying, their makeup smudged.
“Empress Mother.”
The Empress was relatively calm, and the Empress Dowager seemed to see her as her main source of support.
“Ying’er, what’s the situation outside now?”
The Empress comforted her: “Don’t worry, Mother, the First Prince and Consort Ling will not succeed.”
Suddenly, the Empress felt her sleeve being tugged.
She looked down and saw a delicately carved, exquisite little face as beautiful as a porcelain doll.
“Are you the Empress? Where is Brother Yuanli? Why didn’t he come with you?”
She was worried about Yin Yuanli at this moment, and also about her fathers.
The little Qilin was very scared.
The Empress crouched down, wiped the blood from her hands, and then touched Qin Wanwan’s little face.
“You must be Wanwan. Don’t worry, Yuanli has gone to find his Imperial Father, he will be fine.”
The Empress had great faith in her son’s strange luck.
Qin Wanwan nodded: “Then what about my fathers?”
“I don’t know the situation with Lord Rong, but I believe he can protect himself.”
The noise outside Cining Palace grew more chaotic, and even sounds of fighting could be heard.
The women inside Cining Palace could only huddle together and cry in panic, with no other recourse.
The Empress held her sword: “Mother, rest assured, your daughter will go out and see.”
“I’ll go too.”
Princess Zhaohua held her whip: “If you want to enter Cining Palace, you’ll have to step over my dead body.”
Just as they were about to set off, two opposing groups of people had already arrived outside Cining Palace.
“Greetings, Empress. I hope you are well.”
Sitting on a sedan chair, carried high and protected behind, she met the gaze of the Empress inside Cining Palace, who was holding a sword.
It was Consort Ling, the First Prince’s mother.
“I advise you not to struggle in vain. Since my son dared to do this, he naturally has confidence.”
The Empress looked at her coldly: “Then speak again when your son succeeds.”
Consort Ling looked at the Empress and laughed, a mad laugh.
“Why!”
“Why was your son designated Crown Prince by the National Preceptor at birth? I was only one step away from the position of Empress, just a little bit, Tang Yunying, why did you have to appear!”
The Empress calmly looked at her: “Even if I hadn’t appeared, the Empress wouldn’t have been you.”
Consort Ling, after going mad, calmed down and elegantly adjusted her hair.
“It doesn’t matter, even if I can’t be Empress, I will become the final winner and be the Empress Dowager!”
“How dare you!”
The Empress Dowager was extremely angered by her words at this moment.
“Heh, how dare I? Mother, I’ve wanted to do this for a long time. I’ve been stifled in this harem for so long, who wouldn’t want to be bold?”
“Is it wrong for me to want to climb higher? Who in this harem doesn’t want to climb higher? I was the one who gave birth to the Emperor’s first son, I was the one who served by the Emperor’s side for so long, why, why do you all like her!”
Consort Ling pointed at the Empress: “What ‘Phoenix destiny’, what ‘destined by fate’, I refuse to believe such nonsense!”
