Remarrying Chun Yuan

Chapter 442 Goal

Emperor Qi Xiao's inner monologue is naturally unknown to outsiders.

Upon hearing the message sent by Cheng Hai, the Empress sat sullenly on the bed, unable to sleep at all.

"She is indeed herself, always unconventional and unpredictable."

These words were neither praise nor criticism, but Granny Chang sensed a long-lost jealousy in them.

"She wasn't doing it for His Majesty, but for the Duke and Duchess of Baoguo... I heard she didn't even mention the Duke of Baoguo, but instead pointed out the name of the Duchess of Baoguo." Granny Chang had naturally found out everything.

The Empress nodded knowingly, "That suits her character. She always knows to strike at the heart of the matter. Since she couldn't quite figure out Yuan Cuo's situation, she could only turn her attention to his family."

"So Your Highness need not think too much about it. You should rest early, as there are other things to do tomorrow."

Although the Empress does not need to go to the city gate to greet him tomorrow, she still needs to appear when Emperor Qi Xiao pays his respects, as the mother of the Great Qi.

"I can sleep, of course. It's just that one person who can't sleep." The Empress was referring to Consort Yu.

After all that fuss she's been up to these past few days, she's finally gotten a chance to appear in front of outsiders.

But this opportunity was like a fleeting dream, gone in an instant.

She would probably be furious in the palace, and might even berate the Chu Emperor for doing it on purpose.

"Moreover, the person leading the team back this time is the heir of the Marquis of Zhenning. I heard that the Emperor of Chu takes a particularly good liking to him and even treats him like a close confidant." Granny Chang was very well-informed.

She kept asking Cheng Hai questions for who knows how long.

As for Cheng Hai's whereabouts, it was naturally learned from the secret guards. But now all the secret guards were under Yuan Cuo's command.

Cheng Hai didn't know when it started, but while the ownership of the secret guards was nominally in his hands, they were actually all under Yuan Cuo's command and assignment. He even had to ask Yuan Cuo before he could order his men around if he wanted to know anything.

But Cheng Hai wouldn't tell Emperor Qi Xiao about this.

He could only silently savor the bias of power, and he could also see how disappointed the ministers of the Great Qi were with Emperor Qi Xiao and the royal family, and how much they admired Yuan Cuo, who had led the Great Qi out of the end of the Seven Kingdoms.

This is simply a sign of respect for the strong.

Even Cheng Hai, when he asked himself honestly, felt the same way.

The Empress fell silent for a moment. Of course, she knew that Wei Gongming had gone to follow Qin Muyan, but Qin Muyan had sent him to contact the Chu Emperor.

If Qin Muyan really sided with the Chu Emperor, would she still be able to help the Crown Prince retain his position as the Eastern Palace Prince?

In the Empress's view, the Chu Emperor would rather take Yuan Cuo away and support Qin Muyan to seize the throne of Qi, making him a puppet emperor...

"I still need to see Liu Yuechu." She needed to know Yuan Cuo's attitude. If things were really as she thought, she would use all her power to either eliminate the Third Prince or the Emperor of Chu.

"It's probably not a good time to announce it now, how about tomorrow?" Granny Chang noticed that the Empress was somewhat uneasy and hoped that she could think things through before making a decision.

The Empress nodded, knowing she couldn't sleep at all. She could only close her eyes and force herself to sleep after taking the calming pills that the imperial physician had personally prepared for her.

At this moment, Consort Yu was furious and smashed countless objects.

She had made all the preparations long ago, but Emperor Chu ruined everything? Moreover, Cheng Hai had just sent word that His Majesty would be meeting with the other rulers tomorrow, and Consort Yu did not need to attend.

In other words, given her current status, she is simply not qualified to appear in formal settings.

"To put it bluntly, this woman used her beauty to sow discord between His Majesty and Prince Chun. She fooled all these men, yet they were still willing to risk their lives for her."

"What exactly makes her so special?"

"How is she better than me?!"

The aunt beside her dared not speak and could only look at Jiang Yunjiao.

Jiang Yunjiao had already received the news when the Chu Emperor arrived at the city gate. She had already secretly entered the palace to see Consort Yu and even made a point of reassuring her not to cause trouble after learning the news.

Consort Yu then learned that all the arrangements for welcoming Emperor Chu to the capital the next day had been cancelled, and that Emperor Qi Xiao had not slept either, but had gone to the Bell Tower to gaze into the distance.

She was so angry she was practically fuming.

After all, in her heart, she had always believed that Emperor Qi Xiao loved her the most. Even knowing that Lady Ru was Emperor Chu, she still tried to deceive herself by thinking, "What about Emperor Chu? He's just a woman." But Emperor Qi Xiao's actions today have truly shattered her dreams completely.

“Aunt, there’s no need to be upset about this one thing. The key is to see how Cousin and Emperor Chu are discussing things behind the scenes.” Jiang Yunjiao came here specifically to advise Consort Yu to consider the bigger picture. She knew all too well that this imperial aunt was always proud and arrogant, and had been completely spoiled by Emperor Qi Xiao over the years. What kind of temper did she want to throw at this time? She was too ignorant of the situation.

Yu Fei was panting heavily.

She kept telling herself to stay calm, but how could she possibly stay calm?

She couldn't understand why, even though the Crown Prince had done such outrageous things, Emperor Qi Xiao was still able to maintain his position as the Eastern Palace because of the Empress, and was unwilling to depose him for so long. Meanwhile, her son had only made a small mistake, yet he was exiled to the west to become the successor to Prince Chun.

"What else can I do? You're not deaf, are you? Didn't you hear the message from the Imperial Household Department telling me I don't need to attend tomorrow?" She wasn't in a good mood.

Jiang Yunjiao had long understood her aunt's temperament and didn't care at all. "I did hear it, but this is the rule of Daqi, not Chu. Everyone knows what the Chu Emperor's purpose is. She can't possibly come to Daqi and immediately become close to you, Aunt. What would His Majesty think? What would Her Majesty think?"

"Then tell me what I should do?" Consort Yu was indeed flustered. She had been jolted awake from her beautiful dream and was now completely drained of energy.

“Didn’t the Emperor of Chu go to live at the Prince Chun’s residence? You can be polite and ask him anything you need me to inquire about,” Jiang Yunjiao offered.

Since she married into the Right Chancellor's household, her life has been unusually uneventful.

Not only was Pei Chun indifferent to her, but even the Right Chancellor's mansion treated her like an invisible person, completely ignoring her.

Jiang Yunjiao, however, did not want to give up and just wait to die. She had been secretly gathering information, since the social interactions among female relatives were the best source of news.

Ever since she learned that the Chu Emperor was going to the Great Qi, she began to strategize and make sure to stand out and do something in this matter.

She doesn't necessarily have to work hard for the Left Chancellor's Mansion; if she can help the Right Chancellor's Mansion, she won't stand idly by.

She was only doing it for herself.

It made her look less frail, and pitiful, unknown to anyone...

Back then, she was the most talented woman in the capital. How could she let Liu Yuechu, a merchant's daughter, steal her thunder?

Her chance has come.

Her target was the Chu Emperor.