"Now, are you willing to serve the country and the people once more?"
Empress Yuan’s voice was gentle, but she deliberately added a hint of authority.
Yet it was unclear whether it was because Empress Yuan lacked natural presence or sincerity in her speech. In any case, Tang Xiaobai found the words rather amusing.
She chuckled, raised her head, and looked directly at Empress Yuan.
The first ti Tang Xiaobai saw this Empress, she was a beautiful middle-aged woman with a round face. Now she seed thinner, with higher cheekbones, and her facial features appeared sowhat sharp.
Her expression was also slightly pointed, as if she was waiting to watch so drama unfold.
Seeing Tang Xiaobai looking up with a smile, she frowned displeasingly.
"Does Your Majesty rember that in April the eleventh year of Taixing, I was also summoned to Lizheng Hall?" Tang Xiaobai asked.
Empress Yuan frowned and thought for a mont, then nodded slowly: "You were still quite young then..."
She only managed one sentence before stopping.
Tang Xiaobai didn’t mind whether she truly rembered and continued, "When I entered the palace then, you ntioned, Your Majesty, that there were two cats kept in Yanjia Palace. They often road around, sotis even coming to Lizheng Hall at night. Four years have passed, I wonder if those two cats have beco more disciplined?"
The Empress’s expression changed: "You..."
Tang Xiaobai smiled slightly: "There doesn’t seem to be much difference between four years ago and now."
Four years ago, they did not ask Gu Ning, did not ask Tang Jiaojiao, but bullied a nine-year-old child for answers;
Four years later, they still bypassed everyone from Duke Yan Mansion and used such moral coercion on her under the guise of ’serving the country and the people’.
"I wonder if today, cats from Yanjia Palace are still causing trouble?" Tang Xiaobai’s gaze unabashedly fell on the screen behind Empress Yuan.
Empress Yuan also glanced back at the screen with a complex expression and did not speak.
Behind today’s screen, there was no one.
But Lizheng Hall still had many people present.
"If there were cats causing trouble, I’m afraid Your Majesty and I wouldn’t be able to have an enjoyable conversation!" Tang Xiaobai laughed and said.
Empress Yuan turned her gaze back, looking at the young girl in front of her as if she had beco a spirit.
After a montary struggle in her eyes, she finally ordered those around to withdraw.
"What do you want to say to ?"
"Four years ago, Your Majesty risked being resented by the Duke Yan Mansion, interrogating for Your Majesty. Did His Majesty ever comnd you?" The girl’s clear eyes revealed pity.
Empress Yuan tightened her palms, sneering: "At such a young age, you are quite adept at driving a wedge!"
Tang Xiaobai laughed and continued, "Not only was there no comndation, but the cats from Yanjia Palace continued to run to Lizheng Hall, right?"
The Yuan family fell into decline, while the Emperor favored the Zheng family, and Consort Zheng of Yanjia Palace gave birth to the Eldest Prince, always overshadowing the Empress.
Empress Yuan had diocre abilities, unable to control even the inner palace, so how could she gain the emperor’s favor?
More often, she was rely pushed out as a shield.
Such as that incident four years ago.
That ti, Empress Yuan did not extract anything from her, and naturally did not gain the emperor’s comndation.
Today, four years later, Empress Yuan was still pushed out again.
" marrying into the Turkic, what benefit does it have for Your Majesty? However, whether I agree today or not, once I leave Lizheng Hall, soone will surely investigate today’s events. At that ti, will anyone bear the responsibility for Your Majesty?"
A vein throbbed on Empress Yuan’s temple as she abruptly stood up, looking down on her: "Investigate? Who dares to investigate?"
"His Majesty commands you ministers to serve the country. Does your Duke Yan Mansion have such prestige? Still want to investigate this palace? Are you rebelling?"
Tang Xiaobai remained upright, sitting kneeling, smiling slightly upwards: "It may not necessarily be the Duke Yan Mansion investigating."
Empress Yuan sneered: "Who has the face to say that to , let hear it!"
Just as she finished speaking, a palace attendant hurriedly reported from outside the hall: "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince requests an audience—"
Though it was said to be a request, before the palace attendant finished speaking, the slender and upright figure of a young man appeared at the door of Lizheng Hall.
In the blink of an eye, he was in front.
Pale skin, crimson lips, a pair of eyes as if inked, deep and vibrant.
This Crown Prince was soone with striking good looks at a glance, also soone not to be trifled with at a glance.
Upon entering, his gaze fell upon the Second Miss Tang.
Empress Yuan suddenly recalled the rumors from a few days ago, her heart uneasy.
Was the Crown Prince here to snatch soone again?
If the young girl from the Tang Family was taken by the Crown Prince, how would she explain to the Emperor?
Empress Yuan instinctively glanced at Tang Xiaobai, only to see the young girl winking at her.
She hesitated, then let the palace attendant leave the main hall.
"Why does the Crown Prince visit Lizheng Hall?" Empress Yuan’s expression remained slightly rigid.
The Crown Prince didn’t respond to her but focused his gaze on Tang Xiaobai.
Tang Xiaobai stood up, smiling as she erged from her seat, slightly raising her face, and walked towards the Crown Prince with a dazzling smile.
With each step she took, the oppressive aura surrounding the young Crown Prince diminished.
By the last two steps, he seed to step forward towards her involuntarily.
The girl naturally took the Crown Prince’s hand, leading him back to her previous seat.
The Crown Prince silently allowed himself to be led, his deanor almost obedient.
Empress Yuan was so shocked her eyes widened, unable to speak for a mont.
Tang Xiaobai led Li Mu to where she was sitting earlier, seated him down, and looked up, smiling at the Empress Yuan who appeared to be questioning her own life: "There are always those who can hold Your Majesty accountable."
When Li Mu tried to release his hand, he held onto hers, asking as if no one else was around: "What did the Empress want with you?"
"In truth, it was not the Empress who sought . It was His Majesty who instructed the Empress to explore my stance, wanting to go to the Turkic!"
The boy’s cold gaze swept over, causing Empress Yuan to subconsciously step back half a step.
Tang Xiaobai squeezed Li Mu’s hand reassuringly, smiled at Empress Yuan, and said, "Even if Your Majesty accomplishes this for His Majesty, what would you gain? Prince Jin is already of age, yet the Empress still lacks a legitimate son!"
The color drained from Empress Yuan’s face.
The absence of a legitimate son was her greatest pain.
She had once adopted a young prince, but within two months, he had passed away.
After adopting another, by the second day he was feverish and did not recover.
Later, the Emperor had the Observatory cast a divination, which stated she was destined to be childless, and the Emperor no longer allowed her to adopt further princes.
"Even being childless could be borne, but why is there still Princess Guangling..."
The Empress bore a daughter, now but twelve.
"Has Your Majesty not considered for herself, nor planned for Princess Guangling?" The girl’s voice was gentle, carrying a subtle suggestion.
Empress Yuan slowly sat down, looking at Tang Xiaobai with a now calm expression: "What exactly do you want to say?"
Tang Xiaobai smiled, also sitting down, closely beside Li Mu, evidently intimate, still holding hands without releasing.
"Does Your Majesty still not understand?"
"Being Empress, how could it be more comfortable than being the Empress Dowager?"
"And how could being Empress Dowager compare to being the sole Empress Dowager?"
"Then, could Yanjia Palace still keep its cats?"
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