Chapter 225 The Confrontation (1/2)

The scene in Qiwu Palace was chaotic.

”Your Majesty, the Grand Councilor has asked you to gather all the concubines and send them to Jinluan Hall under guard.” Wen Xi said to the Empress. The Grand Councilor had sent the maid to the Empress half a month ago. The Grand Councilor had explained that Wen Xi would convey his orders to the Empress and also protect her.

The Empress was surprised at the instructions Wen Xi disclosed. She raised her eyes and looked at Wen Xi, ”What happened? Has the Emperor returned?”

Wen Xi lowered her head at the Empress's questions, ”I don't know.

His Majesty might have returned.” The Empress looked at herself in the mirror. The woman staring back looked graceful and elegant. She was wearing a robe with nine phoenixes embroidered on it. The phoenix crown glittered on her head. But the Royal Lady didn't look at ease. Her eyes reflected obvious anxiety. Her father was plotting a rebellion...... And she didn't have a choice...... Even though the Emperor didn't treat her well and he loved another woman, he was still the Empress's husband. How could she betray him?

”Your Majesty......” said Wen Xi.

'Majesty?' The Empress scoffed at the irony. If she followed her father's orders, the Empress would be a traitor to her own State. No matter whether her father won or not, she would never be an Empress again. Her father had forced her into the imperial household. The Li Clan had compelled her to fight so hard for this position. From now on, this position didn't belong to her anymore.

”Sister......” Li Fuyi's voice echoed through the Halls. The Empress's anxiety morphed into disdain. She walked outside, and found Li Fuyi standing in the outer Palace. She was smiling, ”Sister, Father told you to gather all the Ladies in Jinluan Hall. Haven't you received his order? Why haven't you done anything yet?”

The Empress sneered at Li Fuyi and replied coldly, ”I have my own decisions to make. Since you didn't fully devote yourself to the Li Clan, you have no right to question me. You were sent into the Palace to win favor for our Clan, but you didn't accomplish that. I wondered why you spent so much time serving Lady Ming in Changchun Palace. All you did was pray and practice abstinence from meat every day. I even thought about asking His Majesty to care for you more. Now, I finally know your real purpose for weaseling your way into the Palace.”

Li Fuyi sniggered and looked at the Empress. She tried to seem charming, ”Sister, you're behaving strangely. His Majesty is your husband. Even though I'm young and unexperienced in certain things, I know better than to steal from my sister. But it seems like you don't like me as much. What makes you so unhappy? Is it because I came here to relay Father's orders? Do you still want to be an Empress even after he betrays the State of Ning? Well, it's understandable. After all, His Majesty and you have spent more than twenty years together. You must be deeply in love with him.”

”Shut up!” The Empress was resentful indeed. ”Are you here to mock me?”

Li Fuyi smiled before shaking her head, ”No. I'm here to inform you of my arrangement. To encourage you to comply, I placed a spy in the temporary imperial palace in Laifeng City. I have asked my spy to find a chance to assassinate Lady Jin and her newborn baby. If my spy succeeds, don't thank me too eagerly. But if she fails, she will confess to Lady Jin and His Majesty that you're the one who wants Lady Jin and the baby dead.”

”Li Fuyi!” The Empress was shocked and angry, ”I underestimated you. How could I forget that you are an expert in scheming? You are exactly the same as your low-born and pathetic mother!”

Li Fuyi paused before she grinned at the Empress. ”Sister, why are you so angry? Father also agrees with my arrangement. He believes that you are loyal to our Clan. But it would not do to take such a risk. Things will end badly if you change your mind at the very last moment. I think our plan is perfect for now. The Emperor must hate you so much. Even without the assassination order, he will still penalize you. Besides, Princess Hua Jing has been framed by Princess Yun Shang many times. We don't even know whether Hua Jing is alive or not......”

”That's enough! Get out!” The Empress pointed at Li Fuyi. She was so enraged that the elegant woman the Empress had seen in the mirror a few minutes earlier was gone. In her stead stood such a bitter and resentful woman that she couldn't recognize herself.

Li Fuyi stood and spoke, ”Well, I'll take my leave now. Remember father's orders. Don't let him down.”

The Empress waited till Li Fuyi had walked out of the Palace and disappeared into the darkness before falling in her chair. Her whole body trembled with uncertainty and anxiety.

”Your Majesty......” Wen Xi called again.

The Empress turned to her maid with a cold expression. Wen Xi was scared and kept her mouth shut.

”Convey the order to take all the Ladies to Jinluan Hall.” The Empress said emotionlessly and forced a bitter smile as she thought of something. Even if she took all the concubines as hostages, it would not increase the Li Clan's odds of winning. No one understood the Emperor better than the Empress. The Empress knew what the Emperor valued most.