Chapter 148: The Empress And Emperor Quarrel
“The Empress said that His Majesty wants to depose the Empress.”
Eunuch Qin Fu stood in Marquis Yichun’s study room with his head lowered.
Suddenly hearing this sentence, Chai Yuan jumped up in fright.
“He’s gone too far! How dare he!” he shouted.
Marquis Yichun was relatively calm and was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing because of his son’s words: “Who could the Emperor rebel against?”
No one can say Deng Shan has rebelled now; on the contrary, whoever doesn’t listen to Deng Shan is the one who has rebelled.
Chai Yuan was about to say something when Marquis Yichun waved his hand.
“The Emperor is not that kind of person,” he said, looking at Qin Fu. “What exactly happened? Why bring this up out of nowhere? Did you quarrel?”
At this point, he frowned again.
“Because of the White Horse Town matter? Did the Emperor tell the Empress that Yang Luo is Yang Tong’s daughter?”
Qin Fu shook his head: “This slave doesn’t know the specifics. Because it was heard that His Majesty hadn’t eaten, Your Ladyship had someone prepare a meal and personally sent it over. His Majesty only let Your Ladyship in, and this slave was left outside. At first there was no movement, then suddenly the Emperor raised his voice and said, ‘What do you mean by that?’ Then there was the sound of bowls and dishes shattering. After that, the Empress shouted, ‘That’s right, I did it, are you going to depose me?’ Then Your Ladyship walked out of the Imperial Study, returned to the Empress’s Palace, and Your Ladyship cried and summoned this slave to tell this slave to come inform the Marquis that His Majesty wants to depose the Empress.”
Chai Yuan truly could not bear to hear these two words and paced anxiously indoors.
“How dare he!”
He looked at Marquis Yichun again.
“I understand, Father. Back then, Eldest Sister insisted on driving that woman away, and now that woman died outside, so the Emperor is taking out his anger on Eldest Sister…”
Marquis Yichun slapped the table twice: “If it was taking out his anger, he would have done it when the news of that woman dying first came! Why wait until now! Besides, how does Deng Shan have the face to depose the Empress for such a reason?”
That was true; repudiating his wife and remarrying, abandoning his wife and daughter—Deng Shan would never publicly announce such a thing to Under Heaven even if he went mad.
“So this is Younger Sister speaking in anger?” Chai Yuan breathed a sigh of relief.
The Empress did often speak angry words to the Emperor, but it was fine before; now with Lady Yang in between…
“Father, quickly have Mother enter the palace to take a look.”
Marquis Yichun ignored him and asked Qin Fu, “What was His Majesty’s reaction afterward?”
In the past, when the two quarreled, the Emperor would always coax the Empress.
Qin Fu lowered his head and said, “His Majesty has been in the Hall of Diligent Governance and has not gone to the Empress’s Palace, nor has he sent anyone to inquire.” He paused here. “Beauty Qi personally came to send pastries, and although His Majesty did not let anyone in, he accepted the pastries.”
Besides the Empress and the Imperial Consort, the Emperor’s harem had three other imperial concubines, who had respectively given birth to Princess Nangong and Princess Shengping, as well as a prince who had just turned one year old.
Beauty Qi was the birth mother of this prince.
These three imperial concubines were selected from beauties offered by local government offices every three years according to custom; they came from simple backgrounds and were not from prominent families, and were usually quiet and unnoticeable in the palace.
“Good,” Chai Yuan shouted again. “It was just breaking a bowl, and all the ghouls and monsters are getting restless!”
After saying that, he urged Marquis Yichun again.
“Call Mother…”
Marquis Yichun shook his head: “No need to call your mother; I must go personally for this matter.”
After saying that, he gestured to Qin Fu.
“Go back and tell the Empress that I know, and to not worry.”
Qin Fu acknowledged and withdrew.
Marquis Yichun then summoned the old servant in.
“Write a letter of self-confession for me.”
Chai Yuan jumped in fright: “What sin does Father need to confess?” He then became angry again. “Is he really going to depose the Empress?”
Marquis Yichun said calmly: “He is not going to depose the Empress; he is not coming for the Empress either—he is coming for me.”
After saying that, he looked toward the charcoal fire basin where the transcribed bloody letter from Ji Ying had already turned to ashes.
“The reason Ji Ying did that in White Horse Town was for me.”
“He can tolerate me driving away his woman, but he cannot tolerate me controlling his officials.”
……
……
Daylight fully brightened, and Princess Pingcheng sat in the Empress’s Palace, looking at the Empress.
“How does it look?” the Empress asked. “Are my eyes swollen from crying?”
Last night, the Empress and the Emperor had a quarrel and smashed plates and bowls; the matter naturally spread instantly throughout the Imperial Palace.
Princess Pingcheng learned of it immediately.
But after thinking it over repeatedly, she did not go that evening, so that Mother Empress could be alone and not have to muster her spirits to comfort her daughter.
Early the next morning, Princess Pingcheng came over and saw the Empress sitting in the flower room trimming branches as usual.
Hearing Mother Empress’s question, Princess Pingcheng did not smile; she looked again and shook her head.
“No,” she said, then leaned closer and said softly, “Mother Empress, if you want to cry, you must cry it out. Don’t hold back just because you’re an adult—adults and children can all cry.”
The Empress was amused and looked at her daughter: “Your father Emperor and I are husband and wife, so we inevitably quarrel sometimes. You are our daughter, no need to be so cautious…”
She did not finish her words when a confindante palace maid hurriedly came in from outside.
“Your Ladyship, Your Ladyship, the Marquis has come to apologize to His Majesty.”
Princess Pingcheng stood up, her expression slightly startled: “Grandfather…”
Was this for Mother Empress?
She couldn’t help but look toward the Empress.
The Empress was still sitting, carefully snipping off a small twig and leaf before looking at Princess Pingcheng.
“Sigh.” She sighed softly, “You see, parents in this world all worry about their children. I am also someone’s daughter, and my father will take good care of me too, so I don’t have to live in fear.”
……
…….
“Grandfather.”
Princess Pingcheng left the Empress’s Palace and came outside the Hall of Diligent Governance. This time, she still did not go in and just waited outside.
She did not have to wait long before she saw Marquis Yichun come out.
His Majesty’s two personal eunuchs escorted Marquis Yichun on either side, chatting and laughing with him.
Seeing Princess Pingcheng approach, the two eunuchs warmly paid respects, then smiled and said to Marquis Yichun: “Since the Princess has come to see the Marquis off, we’ll take our leave and be lazy.”
With that, they took leave.
This was also to give them privacy, so Marquis Yichun and the Princess could talk, showing their respect for Marquis Yichun.
The eunuchs’ attitudes also represented the Emperor’s attitude.
Princess Pingcheng breathed a sigh of relief.
Marquis Yichun smiled at her and took the initiative to say: “It’s not because your father Emperor and mother Empress quarreled that I came to apologize to your father Emperor. The relationship between your father Emperor and mother Empress is not maintained by me bowing my head in apology.”
Grandfather always knew best what she was thinking. Princess Pingcheng smiled. Yes, if a couple’s affection was maintained by parents’ apologies, it would be hard for them to be loving.
However, though relieved, she was still a bit nervous.
What matter required Grandfather to apologize to Father Emperor? Father Emperor treated Grandfather like a father.
“It’s about Ji Ying.” Marquis Yichun said with a smile, “He entered officialdom initially through my recommendation. Of course, the path afterward was his own, but no matter what, without my initial recommendation, he wouldn’t have entered officialdom or committed such evil deeds now. It was my failure to judge character, so I came to apologize to His Majesty.”
The fault of recommendation. Princess Pingcheng was completely relieved; this really was not a big deal.
But she did not say that Grandfather was wronged.
“Ji Ying’s actions were truly vile.” She nodded and said seriously, “Grandfather, you are to be punished for the recommendation, so Father Emperor can harshly punish all those officials up and down.”
Marquis Yichun’s expression showed admiration.
“Good child, you are not acting on impulse and your mind is clear. Very good.” He said with a slight smile, “His Majesty is wise and upholds justice without favor to kin. Others cannot complain about His Majesty. This is good for both His Majesty and me.”
Princess Pingcheng nodded, about to say something, when one of her young palace maids came running from the direction of the Empress’s Palace, panting and beaming with joy.
“Princess, Princess.” She said, “His Majesty has gone to see the Empress.”
Princess Pingcheng looked at Marquis Yichun. After all, she was still young; she had just barely hidden her worry earlier, and now she could not hide her smile.
Marquis Yichun laughed heartily: “Alright, now Pingcheng can rest assured.”
Princess Pingcheng nodded with a smile, then thought of something: “I’ll go to Mother Empress right now, lest she quarrel with Father Emperor again because of you.”
Marquis Yichun waved his hand: “Go on, go on.”
Princess Pingcheng walked lightly toward the inner palace. After a stretch, she thought of something and turned back, but saw that Marquis Yichun had already walked far away.
“Princess, is there anything else you want to ask the Marquis?” The palace maid asked, “This servant will call him back.”
Princess Pingcheng shook her head to stop her: “No need.”
She did indeed forget to ask something.
Grandfather said it was not because of the Emperor and Empress’s quarrel that he came to apologize, but because of Ji Ying.
Then why did Father Emperor and Mother Empress quarrel last night?
Was it because Father Emperor wanted to punish Grandfather, Mother Empress stopped him, so they quarreled?
If so, then now that Grandfather has taken the initiative to apologize, Father Emperor and Mother Empress have made up.
In truth, Father Emperor and Mother Empress’s marriage was still maintained by Grandfather’s apology.
If not, what else could make Father Emperor and Mother Empress say things like deposing the Empress?
Her father Emperor and mother Empress might not be the simple couple who quarrels at the head of the bed and makes up at the foot, as she thought.
Princess Pingcheng clenched her hands in front of her.
