allonlinenovel Chapter 160 Death
Chapter 160 Death
"Your Majesty speaks frankly, that's true. Now that Consort Jia is gone, leaving behind two children, everyone in the palace is worried. My husband and I have already decided to send the young prince to Consort Qin to be raised. So, I'm afraid the Seventh Princess will have to trouble Consort Yi to take good care of her in the future."
He Lingyi's attitude was good, and Consort Yi did not think that she had any scheming intentions. Then she glanced at the Crown Prince next to her before slowly answering.
"It's not really a problem. The Seventh Princess will be married out of the palace in a few years anyway. All I can do is raise her to be healthy. Her mother is still Consort Jia, which has nothing to do with me."
Consort Yi's attitude puzzled He Lingyi somewhat.
Since ancient times, a mother's status has risen with her son's, and a son's status has risen with his mother's. If the Seventh Princess were still the child of Consort Jia, her status would be worlds apart from that of Consort Yi's daughter. Regardless of anything else, she would have far fewer choices in marriage.
Therefore, he intended to say a few more words, but was stopped by the Crown Prince.
“What Consort Yi says is true. In that case, I will not disturb you any longer and will take my leave first.”
"Yes, Your Highness, please proceed with caution."
The couple came and went in a hurry, leaving Consort Yi's palace without even having a sip of tea. Only after boarding their carriage did He Lingyi finally ask a question.
"Your Highness, what does Consort Yi mean by this?"
"She is telling me that there is no interference from her maternal clan behind the Seventh Princess, so I don't need to worry too much. This is good. Although she can't show off in future marriages, she can still find a peaceful family to live a stable life. It's good for the Seventh Princess."
"I see. I thought Consort Yi was really that cold-hearted."
"Consort Yi is a rare and insightful person. If she had been born a man, she would surely have been a pillar of the court. It is a real pity that she is now wronged in this deep palace."
The Crown Prince's words reminded He Lingyi of some people.
These days, she has been following the Crown Prince in the Eastern Palace and occasionally participating in political affairs. Seeing a wise ruler widely accepting the opinions of virtuous ministers, she felt fortunate for those virtuous ministers. Therefore, she sincerely said to the Crown Prince.
"Your Highness is broad-minded. If given the opportunity, you will surely be able to enable these talented and ambitious individuals to serve our Great Long, regardless of their gender, social status, or family background!"
These words made the Crown Prince look at He Lingyi with new respect.
He Lingyi watched her quietly for a while without flinching, until the Crown Prince smiled, and then she heard him speak.
"Your Highness is right, I will certainly do it."
Now that the couple had entered the palace, they naturally had to go and see the old emperor.
He lay unconscious on the dragon bed. He Lingyi hadn't seen her many times, but each time he did, he grew thinner and thinner. Now he looked like skin and bones, not much better off than the little prince Ping An.
"How is Father today?"
The crown prince asked the palace servants, and the head eunuch stepped forward and whispered.
"Your Highness, His Majesty... can no longer take any medicine. The imperial physician says that his time may be limited to the next few days..."
The old emperor's illness has been intermittent for several years.
The palace servants who accompanied him had all watched him get through it step by step, so they were all prepared and could answer the Crown Prince fluently.
"In that case, the Inner Court should also make preparations, so that in case... they won't be caught unprepared."
"Your Highness, rest assured, preparations began well before the new year. The initial intention was to bring good fortune to His Majesty, but things didn't turn out as planned..."
The crown prince looked at the old emperor and felt a pang of reluctance to part with his father.
But this reluctance did not hold him back and quickly dissipated.
In his heart, his mother and father were completely different people. His mother gave him the best and deepest love in the world, but his father was just one of thousands of people. However, the crown prince still respected him as he should.
So after spending a short while with her, he left with He Lingyi.
On the way out of the palace, the Crown Prince spoke.
"After Father Emperor's departure, there may be some turmoil for a few days. I need to go to the palace immediately to arrange things. I'm afraid you'll also have to take care of things in the harem. The struggle with Consort Liang will take some of your energy. Also, things have been arranged with Consort Tong. This child will leave with Father Emperor, and Consort Tong will also lose her life because of it. Just don't interfere."
The Crown Prince would never allow Consort Tong to give birth to someone who would confuse the royal bloodline, so this arrangement was a way of saving face for everyone. As for the "adulterer," his fate would surely be the same as Consort Tong's.
In mid-June, the death knell tolled in the palace.
Soon, all the officials and common people in the capital knelt down in the direction of the imperial city. Some wept bitterly, some bowed their heads in silent mourning, and even the young children on the street who knew nothing were pulled down to kneel by their elders, covered their mouths and kowtowed.
Inside the Eastern Palace, the imperial carriage sped towards the capital.
There was only He Lingyi inside. As for the Crown Prince, he had been summoned to the palace two hours earlier to see the old emperor one last time.
What the father and son said behind closed doors is unknown to outsiders.
All that is known is that after the Crown Prince came out, he announced that the old emperor had passed away, and he held a bright imperial edict of succession in his hand, and everything seemed to be in the right place at the right time.
Outside the main hall, the ministers who had received the summons entered the palace and knelt outside to wait.
It was the hottest time of the year, so some of the senior officials collapsed from the heat after kneeling for only two hours. The palace servants immediately carried them away to a side hall to rest, giving them acupuncture and medicine. Once they felt better, they had to go back.
The entire palace was shrouded in gloom, and everyone spoke in hushed tones, not daring to overstep the bounds in the slightest.
In the Hall of Prayer for Peace, the Crown Prince knelt upright before the coffin, inside which lay the peaceful old emperor, dressed in a dragon robe. However, due to his prolonged illness, he could barely stand upright. His face was relatively calm, but his sunken cheeks showed that he had suffered greatly in his lifetime.
When He Lingyi arrived at the Qi'an Palace with the other ladies-in-waiting after changing into plain clothes, the palace was already prepared. Naturally, Consort Qin was in the lead, followed by the three consorts and the remaining concubines.
As soon as you enter, people start sobbing.
Some wept for their romantic ties with the emperor, while others wept for their uncertain future. He Lingyi also shed tears with red eyes, but for her, it was mostly the medicine on her handkerchief that was taking effect.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty..."
At Consort Qin's shout, all the palace concubines rushed toward the coffin, but fortunately, those around them stopped them and persuaded them, so they didn't disturb the old emperor too much.
Upon seeing this, the Crown Prince rose and bowed to Consort Qin.
"Father passed away peacefully. When he left, he was very concerned about Consort Gui and everyone in the harem. He specifically instructed me to ensure that you would live out your days in peace. So, after these few days have passed, I still need to discuss with Consort Gui where everyone will go."
With just a few words, the power was handed back to Consort Qin. Consort Liang's face immediately turned ugly, but due to the occasion, she dared not say anything more.