Empress Zhong’s words about playing big weren’t just idle talk.
As Empress Zhong stepped into Linzhi Palace, a large group of people flooded into the imperial palace.
These were all people the Empress had sent for: Taoist priests to perform rituals, monks to offer prayers for the departed, and even palace attendants carrying pastries and fruit baskets. Dozens of people in total entered Linzhi Palace.
Logically, with Empress Zhong causing such a commotion, Consort Xi should have been the first to receive the news, as her residence was closest to Linzhi Palace.
However, Consort Sun had overplayed her hand. Not only had she failed to delay Empress Zhong, but she had also been given a dose of medicine by the imperial physicians summoned by Empress Zhong. She was now sleeping soundly, lost in slumber. By the time everyone learned of the events, Linzhi Palace was already engulfed in an eerie glow of fire.
In the forbidden imperial palace, daring to openly set a fire could only be the Emperor, or perhaps the Empress.
Facing the Empress standing tall in Linzhi Palace, the palace attendants naturally dared not step forward to stop her. They could only grit their teeth and report the matter to the Emperor.
Emperor Xiaochang: "..."
Had the Empress gone mad?
Watching the flames in Linzhi Palace grow ever brighter and higher, Emperor Xiaochang feared that if he didn't intervene, the Empress would set his entire palace ablaze.
Linzhi Palace was in chaos. Taoist priests chanted incantations, and monks endlessly recited incomprehensible scriptures. As Emperor Xiaochang entered, he felt a throbbing headache. He strode towards the Empress and demanded, "Empress! What are you doing?"
Empress Zhong, who had been kneeling in prayer, turned around. The moment she saw the Emperor, tears began to stream down her face.
Emperor Xiaochang was stunned. She had set his palace on fire and still had the audacity to weep?
Empress Zhong cried, "Your Majesty, you’ve come at the perfect time. Please, help my fourth son..."
Emperor Xiaochang frowned, "Look at yourself. Get up quickly."
"This concubine doesn't care how she looks. This concubine only knows that my fourth son has had a difficult fate since childhood, always being bullied. Now that he's finally an adult and about to start a family, he's being conflated with the Western Rong prince who died who knows how long ago."
Emperor Xiaochang paused, his thoughts drifting back to the past.
The Empress was right. Fourth son had never truly enjoyed his life. Ever since the fire in Linzhi Palace, he had constantly doubted Fourth son’s identity. As a result, Fourth son, who had lacked a mother’s care from a young age, was even more ostracized among his brothers. Being beaten until his head bled and going hungry for days on end were commonplace. If not for the Empress’s later adoption, Fourth son would likely not have survived to this age...
"This concubine merely wishes to implore the Western Rong prince, to beg him to stop tormenting my fourth son..."
Faced with the Empress's tearful plea, Emperor Xiaochang slowly regained his senses after a long while. Looking at the Empress’s tear-streaked face, he finally understood. The Empress believed that the lingering spirit of the Western Rong prince was causing her fourth son's hardships.
But was that truly the case?
Of course not!
Emperor Xiaochang knew very well that the reason Fourth son was ostracized, and even subjected to open bullying and neglect by palace attendants in his youth, was entirely due to his own attitude towards Fourth son.
Over the years, Emperor Xiaochang had always doubted Fourth son’s identity but had never truly paid attention to what kind of life Fourth son endured. But now that the Empress mentioned it, how could he not think about it!
"For years, Fourth son has worked diligently in the Ministry of Revenue, never doing anything out of line. He's of an age where he should have married long ago, yet he's been delayed until now. If it weren't for Seventh son, fearing his elder brother would die alone and exchanging merits for this marriage, Fourth son would likely be alone forever..."
Empress Zhong knelt on the ground, her knees aching. Facing the Emperor's inscrutable expression, her palms began to sweat. But no matter how afraid she was, she had to speak, "In the end, it's all because this Western Rong prince's lingering spirit is causing trouble. This concubine will now burn this place to ashes and grant Fourth son peace! If that wandering soul truly seeks revenge, this concubine awaits him!"
Even if Fourth son was a Western Rong prince, so what?
Did a Western Rong prince deserve to die?
Since childhood, had Fourth son ever done anything out of line?
To be frank, if it were the real Fourth son, he wouldn't be as filial and grateful!
She was the Empress of Yulin, but she was also a mother. Her son's background was problematic, it was true, but her son's character was pure, without a blemish. Anyone who dared to touch her son in her presence would face her wrath!
Even this old scumbag in front of her should not even think about it!
The determination and resolve in Empress Zhong's eyes sent a shock through Emperor Xiaochang. He vaguely remembered the last time the Empress wore such an expression was when she stubbornly decided to marry him.
After a long pause, Emperor Xiaochang personally reached out to help the Empress up. He then looked up at Linzhi Palace, now swallowed by the great fire, and left with Feng Gu without a word.
As soon as the Emperor left, Empress Zhong's legs went weak, and she almost collapsed to the ground again.
Nanny Dai quickly came to support her, "Your Majesty, be careful..."
Empress Zhong leaned into Nanny Dai's embrace and let out a long sigh, "This concubine is fine, I just spoke too much."
"That almost scared this old servant to death. Aren't you afraid of achieving the opposite effect, Your Majesty..." Nanny Dai still felt her legs go weak just thinking about how the Empress had cornered the Emperor.
Empress Zhong smiled weakly, "If you don't go when pulled, you retreat when pushed. Since he wants to be a donkey, this concubine will whip him as he wishes."
Nanny Dai: "..."
This old servant heard nothing...
Empress Zhong, however, was unperturbed.
Scumbags need to be forced.
With such a huge incident, did the Emperor truly believe that only the Eighth Prince was responsible?
Perhaps the Emperor hadn't suspected Fifth Prince, but he favored Fifth son more than Fourth son, so he turned a blind eye to the matter.
The Emperor had been so biased since his sons were young, Empress Zhong was already accustomed to it.
Empress Zhong sneered. Consort Xi indeed had her ways, making the Emperor habitually extend his affection from the one to the other.
But fortunately, she wasn't one to be trifled with either. If they wanted to use Fourth son's identity to their advantage, they would have to see if she agreed.
This time, with Seventh son's life and death unknown in Tonglin, the Emperor, who knew the deep bond between Seventh and Fourth sons, would not be able to ignore this matter even for Seventh son’s sake.
Otherwise, when Seventh son returned, how would the Emperor face Fourth son?