Chapter 90

The journey back to the capital was boring. Chu Shaoling wouldn't let Wei Ji go out because of his injury. Every day, they traveled by carriage during the day and rested at inns at night. At first it was fine when Wei Ji's wounds hadn't healed well, but later when the wounds were almost healed, how could he bear it? He leaned by the carriage window every day looking at the soldiers outside, wishing he could go out and ride a horse for a couple laps.

"Be good, what if you tear your wounds riding a horse now?" In comparison, Chu Shaoling was much more settled spending all day in the carriage. Chu Shaoling flipped a page in his book without looking up. "If you have nothing to do, read some novels and eat some snacks."

Wei Ji had already read through the box of books Chu Shaoling brought. He was no longer willing to flip through them again. Wei Ji pursed his lips, picked up a snack and broke off a small piece to put in his mouth. They had just eaten lunch, so he didn't really feel like eating. Wei Ji slowly chewed the snack and said softly: "Your Highness, what if His Majesty is still the same when we return?"

Although these words were very disrespectful, Wei Ji was truly a bit worried about what to do if the Emperor remained sickly. The imperial physicians in the palace were all very skilled. If they accidentally cured him... Wei Ji swallowed the snack. Then what would his prince do?

This time, Chu Shaoling executed first and reported to the Emperor later regarding the massacre of the city. When the Emperor becomes clear-headed, it's possible he might use this to condemn Chu Shaoling. Thinking that he was the one who caused trouble for Chu Shaoling, Wei Ji became even more worried. However, Chu Shaoling didn't take it to heart at all and said lightly: "If he remains like that, we'll just endure it. I hope he suffers in a half-dead state for the rest of his life."

Wei Ji bit his lower lip and said softly: "What if His Majesty's health improves?"

Chu Shaoling put down his book and smiled: "Impossible."

"How is it impossible? His Majesty is not very old. What if he recovers..." After all, this was still Chu Shaoling's father. Wei Ji didn't dare to speak too bluntly. "And seeks out Your Highness's faults in this expedition?"

Chu Shaoling smiled and rubbed Wei Ji's head: "I said it's impossible. Don't worry. Besides, what faults can he find with me? Don't tell me I shouldn't have destroyed Liaoliang? Just the fact that the Liaoliang princess dared to assassinate me in the army camp is enough reason for me to massacre the city."

"Moreover, now that Liaoliang is pacified, it will also make the surrounding small countries think twice when using petty tricks, whether they can withstand the iron cavalry of our great Chu." Chu Shaoling leaned lazily on the armrest. "If my dear Imperial Father doesn't commend me, so be it, but he still wants to condemn me?"

Chu Shaoling picked up his book again and said softly: "Even if he wants to punish me, he has to be able to get up first."

Wei Ji didn't know Chu Shaoling's plans, but after hearing these few words from Chu Shaoling, he inexplicably felt reassured.

Wei Ji really had nothing to do. After some thought, he took the melon seed box from under the small table and a clean small tea cup, placed it in front of him, and started cracking melon seeds one by one. When Chu Shaoling looked up again after reading for a while, he saw that Wei Ji had already shelled half a cup of melon seeds. Chu Shaoling smiled: "Who are you shelling these for?"

Who else could it be? Wei Ji rarely joked around, smiling: "Shelling them for my big brother."

Chu Shaoling slightly raised his phoenix eyes: "Who?"

Wei Ji didn't dare to joke anymore and could only answer honestly: "Shelling them for Your Highness."

Chu Shaoling directly took the cup and ate the melon seeds one by one. After finishing, he still handed the empty cup back to Wei Ji. Wei Ji good-naturedly took it and continued shelling. One ate while the other shelled. The carriage was tranquil for a time.

Compared to Chu Shaoling and Wei Ji's ease, the situation in the palace was not so good. In Ci'an Palace, the Empress Dowager put down her spoon, took a handkerchief to dab the corner of her mouth, and looked at Zhen Si kneeling on the ground, slowly saying: "Consort Li hanged herself?"

Zhen Si lowered her head and said: "Yes, it's all this servant's fault for only thinking that Aunt was having a hard time alone in the Cold Palace. This servant couldn't bear it, so brought some pastries to go see Aunt. Who knew..."

Zhen Si's eyes reddened and she said softly: "As soon as Aunt saw me, she kept asking how His Majesty and the Second Prince were doing. This servant answered one by one. Aunt also asked this servant to plead to the Empress Dowager on her behalf to let her out. How could this servant agree to that? This servant could only say that with my lowly status, I cannot make decisions. Aunt then scolded this servant and kept saying that she had no more hope and such. Seeing Aunt's condition, this servant felt it wasn't good and left first. Who knew that not long after, news came from the Cold Palace saying that Aunt had passed away. This is all this servant's fault. This servant shouldn't have disobeyed orders and gone to see Aunt..."

Tears flowed down Zhen Si's face: "Now the palace servants are all saying that this servant went to the Cold Palace to harm Aunt. Those words are not wrong. If this servant hadn't meddled, how could Aunt have become so disheartened and let go of her life? Empress Dowager, you are benevolent and have always spared Aunt's life. Who would have thought that in the end, it was because of this servant that Aunt lost her life. It's all this servant's fault..."

The Empress Dowager smiled kindly and ordered Granny Sun to help Zhen Si up, gently saying: "Silly child, how can it be blamed on you? No matter what, Consort Li was your Aunt. It's only human nature that you were worried and went to see her. Sigh, forget it. Consort Li was really a muddled person. She actually left just like that, making others suspect you. Don't worry, I have heard of the rumors in the palace. I have already ordered someone to punish those loose-lipped servants. They definitely won't let you be wronged. Consort Li hanged herself out of guilt. What does that have to do with you?"

Zhen Si's heart finally settled back into her stomach. Fortunately, she guessed the Empress Dowager's thoughts correctly this time. The matter of her going to the Cold Palace to strangle Consort Li to death definitely couldn't be hidden from the Empress Dowager. How the Empress Dowager dealt with her afterwards represented the Empress Dowager's attitude towards this matter. The Empress Dowager agreed to shield her, so it seemed this matter was done to the Empress Dowager's liking.

Zhen Si's complexion improved a lot as she lowered her eyes and said: "Thank you Empress Dowager for your clear judgment. This servant will definitely follow the rules in the future and no longer get involved in disputes."

The Empress Dowager smiled: "What dispute is this considered? When you live in the palace for a long time, you'll know. Sometimes it's not that people look for trouble, but that trouble looks for people. At that time, you can't avoid it. Don't worry, you are a smart child. I understand you."

A woman who could survive the near destruction of the Zhen family was naturally smart. Zhen Si instantly understood the Empress Dowager's meaning and lowered her head, saying: "This servant has learned. In the future, the disputes that should belong to this servant, this servant will naturally accept."

The Empress Dowager laughed even more kindly and patted Zhen Si's hand, saying with a smile, "Alright, you were wronged in this matter. Others only say that you caused the death of Consort Li, but why don't they mention that Consort Li hanged herself after you visited, deliberately slandering you? Palace servants say all sorts of things, just ignore them. Don't worry, just focus on raising the Sixth Prince well, and naturally there will be no shortage of good days for you in the future."

Zhen Si was completely reassured and nodded with a smile, "Isn't this all thanks to the protection of the Empress Dowager?"

The Empress Dowager smiled. Zhen Si chatted and laughed with the Empress Dowager for a while longer before saying, "The Sixth Prince is probably awake by now. This concubine should go back and check on him."

The Empress Dowager nodded, "Go. Little children at this age always have minor illnesses and pains. Be more careful in your daily care."

Zhen Si nodded and left.

Granny Sun tidied up the cups and saucers and supported the Empress Dowager into the inner room. The Empress Dowager leaned on the noble consort couch and wearily rubbed her brow. Granny Sun took a jade hand massage tool and gently massaged for the Empress Dowager, asking in a low voice, "Does the Empress Dowager really believe Consort Zhen's words?"

The Empress Dowager smiled with her eyes closed, "Of course not."

Granny Sun's eyes darkened and she said softly, "Then why didn't the Empress Dowager take this opportunity to finish her off once and for all? Consort Zhen dared to privately torture and murder an imperial concubine. That crime is sufficient."

The Empress Dowager shook her head, "No need. Zhen Si is clever and has a sense of propriety. Most importantly, she has no wild ambitions. As the daughter of a convicted official, and without her maternal family, she can't turn the tables. She can only rely on me. Such a person can be used. Besides, with the Sixth Prince having that kind of maternal uncle, if he loses his birth mother too, I'm afraid he won't survive to adulthood. In the end, he is my grandson. Forget it, We'll just pretend not to see."

The Empress Dowager was already tired from playing dumb with Zhen Si and said indifferently, "I just had a bowl of bird's nest soup. Skip the midday meal. Help me go in to sleep for a bit."

Granny Sun quickly supported the Empress Dowager to rise and couldn't help nagging, "The Empress Dowager's energy is getting shorter these days. Please spend less effort worrying in the future."

The Empress Dowager smiled self-deprecatingly, "Our fate is to worry. I've been anxious our whole life. If you really don't let me manage things, I'll feel uncomfortable. It's fine, things will be good once Ling'er returns. I've already sent someone to urge him. That child, really, after finishing the war, just come back. How could he delay for so many days!"

Granny Sun laughed, "You were just saying you'd feel uncomfortable if you didn't worry, but now you're looking forward to the Crown Prince's return?"

"How could you understand Our troubles?" The Empress Dowager sighed. "I'm not anxious for Ling'er to return to manage affairs, but rather..."

The Empress Dowager sat down and said in a low voice, "Look, the Emperor's condition is not good now. Who knows when he'll no longer be able to hold on. I want Ling'er to hurry back and settle his marriage as soon as possible. Even if it's a bit rushed, it doesn't matter. It just must be done before the matter with the Emperor! Because I've always felt sorry for that child for not selecting someone, making him wait until such an advanced age. Could it be that I'll make him wait another three years? Speaking of it, it's all because I was too greedy. If I had just found a girl from another family early on, that would have been fine. We just had to wait for those few girls to grow up, delaying until now..."

Granny Sun understood and quickly nodded, "Very true, very true. In that case, why don't we have the Ministry of Internal Affairs start preparing now? When the time comes, we'll just say it's to bring good fortune to the Emperor. Holding a lively and bustling wedding ceremony won't delay anything then."

The Empress Dowager nodded, "That's exactly the idea."

In the temporary residence, Chu Shaoling received another letter from the Empress Dowager. Ever since confirming with Shu Shaotao that the Empress Dowager's phoenix body was unharmed, Chu Shaoling put his mind at ease and casually placed the letter aside without much regard.

Wei Ji had just finished bathing and was wiping his hair as he walked over. "Another letter from the palace?"

Chu Shaoling smiled reassuringly, "It's nothing, just urging me to return quickly."

Wei Ji picked up the letter to take a look and asked in puzzlement, "Why is the Empress Dowager in such a hurry? Aren't things in the palace settled now?"

Chu Shaoling smiled without replying. This time, he and the Empress Dowager were actually thinking along the same lines. However, the Empress Dowager wanted to settle his marriage before the Emperor's death, while he himself wanted to send the Emperor off to the netherworld before settling it.

The Empress Dowager was acting unintentionally while he was acting deliberately. Naturally, the unintentional could not compare to the deliberate.

Chu Shaoling pulled Wei Ji to sit down and lean on the couch together. Wei Ji was afraid his still damp hair would wet Chu Shaoling's clothes, so he gathered up his hair in a handful. Chu Shaoling laughed, "It's not dry yet, why are you tying it up?"

Chu Shaoling took a cloth and wiped Wei Ji's hair for him. He casually pinched Wei Ji's ear, which was flushed red from the hot water, in a wonderful mood. This time, his dear imperial father had done him a great favor. He didn't care about anyone else, but he couldn't refuse the Empress Dowager.

Observing the three-year mourning period would save a lot of trouble.