Zheng Qingling's departure did not stir up much of a wave, and Shu Fei and the others only thought that Rou Pin would likely remain outside until her death, never to return to the palace.
After all, smallpox was difficult to treat, and even if one was lucky enough to recover, it was very likely to leave scars on one's appearance. For such a woman, the Emperor would hardly bother himself.
In Yongshou Palace, Empress Dowager Cining, upon hearing about Zheng Qingling's situation, was somewhat displeased. She felt that the Emperor was becoming increasingly disrespectful to her—such a significant matter, and he hadn't even come to consult her, deciding everything alone.
Once again, she took out the jade token she often toyed with, recalling the late Emperor's dying words:
"Qingyan, I know you hate me, but when I was young, I truly did not mean to separate you and Ziyu. I leave you this safeguard—this jade token can command three thousand Shadow Guards. Can you forgive me?"
At the time, she had only sneered coldly, ruthlessly rejecting that man's plea:
"Forgive you? What a joke. If you could bring him back from the dead, I would forgive you. Otherwise, I will always hate you—and I will pass that hatred on to your descendants as well…"
Thinking of the disbelief on that old man's face before he died, Empress Dowager Cining felt her mood inexplicably brighten today.
A belated plea is cheaper than grass. Between them lay a human life—how could it be brushed aside so lightly?
Still, the jade token was her safeguard, which was why the Empress Dowager so often fondled it.
Meanwhile, Emperor Xiao Qianming's plan against the Empress Dowager had already been set in motion. He had found a man whose appearance bore a striking resemblance to Xu Ziyu, and deliberately assigned him to guard Yongshou Palace.
At the sight of the guard's face, Empress Dowager Cining seemed to once again behold her childhood sweetheart. Delighted, she believed it was Heaven's favor, granting her a second chance.
From then on, she secretly plotted how she might spend the rest of her life with this man.
But once the Emperor's Shadow Guards discovered the whereabouts of the jade token, they infiltrated the Empress Dowager's chambers under cover of a sleeping drug, and without a sound, stole it away.
At that moment, in Qingyu Hall, Xiao Qianming was in high spirits, eagerly awaiting the news he had long anticipated.
"Your Majesty, this servant has fulfilled the task. The token has been secured."
"Good, very good! You've done well. Now we can set our final plan into motion!"
As Xiao Qianming gazed at the jade token presented by the Shadow Guard commander, his hands caressed the three engraved characters—Yingwei Ling (Shadow Guard Command)—his heart surging with excitement.
Heh, who would have thought his father had been such a fool for love, leaving behind such a life-saving talisman for the woman who caused his early death? Too bad—it had ended up in his hands instead.
The very next morning, Eunuch Yuan hurriedly reported in a panic:
"Your Majesty, terrible news! The Empress Dowager has been discovered by her maids—with a man in her bedchamber!"
At these words, Xiao Qianming shot to his feet, barking sharply:
"Xiao Yuanzi, take men into Yongshou Palace at once. Seal off the news immediately!"
Though the Emperor's orders were swift, word still reached a number of noble families. Yet a scandal of this nature, concerning the royal family, could only be treated as if it were never heard.
Inside Yongshou Palace, Empress Dowager Cining looked at the naked man in her chambers, and hearing the clamor outside, quickly realized she had fallen into a trap.
And in the palace, who had the ability to arrange such a scheme if not that wolf cub? She should never have left him alive to torment slowly. Now, she had fallen into such a passive situation.
Not daring to waste another moment, the Empress Dowager hurriedly threw on a robe and rushed to the hiding place of the jade token. She triggered the mechanism and reached inside, only to grasp at empty air.
Murmuring sorrowfully to herself:
"Heaven is unjust. In the end, it still sides with the Xiao clan…"
Knowing she had been utterly defeated, her last hope gone, she was a woman of decisive action—without hesitation, she chose to poison herself rather than suffer torment at the hands of that wolf cub.
In the end, the Emperor proclaimed to the outside world: the Empress Dowager had succumbed to a heart ailment and passed away in Yongshou Palace. Ordinary commoners, ignorant of the truth, only thought her death the result of frail health.
With the sudden passing of the Empress Dowager, Xiao Qianming seized the opportunity to cancel that year's selection of new consorts. To the unknowing officials and people, this only reinforced the impression of a dutiful, filial emperor, and their admiration for him grew.
By using the Empress Dowager's death, Xiao Qianming not only boosted his standing among the populace, but also washed away much of the infamy of having slain his own brothers.
However, this news was hardly welcome for families who had prepared their daughters for the draft that year.
At the very least, for Zheng Qingyu, who had just arrived in the capital for the selection, it was a devastating blow.
She was already sixteen this year. In another three years, she would pass the age limit of seventeen, and never again have the chance to enter the palace.
Realizing this, Zheng Qingyu could only resign herself to missing the draft. Her whole life, she would never surpass her legitimate elder sister.
She was truly unwilling. After their father's demotion, the family's circumstances had grown ever more difficult.
If she could not enter the palace, her father would likely only marry her off to some barbarian in a remote place. How could she accept such a fate?
"Auntie, why am I so ill-fated? Eldest Sister is already promoted to the rank of Pin, and has a younger brother to support her, while I have no one to rely on."
"My poor daughter, don't grieve. As for your elder sister, I've heard she has contracted smallpox. Whether she lives or dies is still uncertain."
"Auntie, is that true?"
"Of course it's true. You can't imagine—this matter has already spread among many of the capital's high officials and noble families."
Hearing that Zheng Qingling's life was even worse than hers, Zheng Qingyu stopped her tears, instead feeling a burst of schadenfreude. Compared to her sickly elder sister, she was still the fortunate one.
Meanwhile, Zheng Qingling, enjoying her convalescence, no longer needed to attend morning greetings, could sleep until she woke naturally, and had two imperial chefs preparing her meals, along with two experienced palace matrons attending to her daily needs.
Mm, such comfortable days were simply delightful!
At first, those two matrons, relying on their past status as imperial wet nurses, had tried to control Zheng Qingling's daily life strictly, insisting she follow their prescribed diet and regimen.
But Zheng Qingling had no intention of being cowed. She coldly ordered:
"Remember your place as servants. Don't presume to act like mistresses. Here, I am the one in charge. If you are dissatisfied, I'll write to His Majesty at once—perhaps he'll grant you an early retirement."
Choked by her sharp words, the matrons dared not flaunt their past status again.
At the imperial villa, the air was fresh, the scenery pleasant. Every morning, Zheng Qingling would stroll in the garden, dissipating much of the gloom that had weighed on her in the palace.
If only the Emperor would write fewer letters, it would be even better. Indeed, now that she carried his heir, his attitude had clearly changed—Xiao Qianming was paying extraordinary attention to the child in her belly, sending letters nearly every three days.
Upon receiving his letters, Zheng Qingling had to feign rapturous joy, the most troublesome part being that she had to rack her brains to compose replies.
Fortunately, recent state affairs had been heavy, so the frequency of Xiao Qianming's letters had decreased. Otherwise, Zheng Qingling would truly have run out of words.