CHAPTER 546: CHAPTER 546: THE LATE EMPEROR’S SUZHOU HISTORY

Whenever Song Ci encountered the Imperial Palace, he felt that the stories emerging from within were simply one tale of drama after another, much like what he was hearing now.

Empress Dowager Wang’s fury, it turns out, was still linked to the grudges from the Xianfeng era. Ah, the plot inevitably revolves around the tangled stories of the main wife, concubines, and their lord.

The story goes like this: Although the late Emperor had reigned for about ten years, he was not exactly a model of fidelity. After ascending to the throne, he naturally indulged in the great privilege of being the ruler of the world—having a Harem.

It was perfectly normal for the Emperor to take in concubines. The late Emperor was no exception; he accepted one concubine after another, without much heart, just driven by desire, giving them equal favor.

Fortunately, at that time, the realm was newly established with much to repair and manage. Although the late Emperor had a Harem, he was indeed too busy to even sow seeds in the Harem; otherwise, who knows how many siblings Emperor Chu would have.

This situation persisted until the sixth year of the Qing dynasty when a woman named Ji Lijiao appeared. It is said that the late Emperor encountered her while traveling to Jiangnan. At first sight, he was amazed by her beauty, bringing her into his Harem with a title known as Consort Li, becoming the favored one in the Harem, to the extent that it seemed the monarch could no longer hold morning court.

Consort Li indeed had her abilities; not only did she charm the late Emperor, advocating for the dismissal of several concubines, but she also impressively bore a son. The Emperor was so overjoyed that he awarded the child the title of Prince Min at birth, a rare honor for anyone.

With one leap, Consort Li rose to become the phoenix on the branch, and her family also prospered, gaining rank and titles with ease. At that time, the Ji Family was so powerful in the capital that they could walk sideways like crabs.

Such a figure naturally invoked secret hatred, and some people even called her a disastrous enchantress, wishing the late Emperor to depose her. But how could the late Emperor agree to such a thing, protecting her fiercely.

As the legitimate wife, Empress Dowager Wang also detested such a woman, not for stealing the late Emperor’s attention, but because Consort Li was so arrogant, even in her presence. The most intolerable thing for Empress Dowager Wang was that Consort Li even tried to whisper into the Emperor’s ear to dethrone the Crown Prince in favor of Prince Min.

The late Emperor, being a dominant figure of his time, certainly had brains. By then, the Crown Prince had already grown up and even had a Crown Princess Consort, so abolishing him was impossible.

However, despite having brains, he couldn’t withstand the influence of his lower half being unruly. With so many whispers from the pillow, he was indeed tempted, though he never acted on it. But during that period, he certainly looked at Emperor Chu with disdain.

Upon discovering this, Empress Dowager Wang almost took a knife to confront him. During a morning court session, she publicly scolded the late Emperor in front of all ministers, recounting the hardships they endured when they lived among the common people. She accused him of neglecting the sacrifices their family made for Qing Country, leaving the late Emperor with no color on his face.

That scolding woke up the late Emperor, yet he still favored those he cherished, only the topic of deposing the Crown Prince was never raised again. Later, he couldn’t have raised it, for his health, battered by years of battles, was failing.

When the late Emperor was bedridden, Emperor Chu, who was then still the Crown Prince, quickly ascended to power, swiftly taking control of the court. The faction of Consort Li dared not act recklessly, hunkering down quietly.

Upon the late Emperor’s death, a decree was issued commanding Consort Li and the then six-year-old Prince Min to leave for their fief in Xuzhou within seven days of his passing, not to linger in the capital, and not to enter the capital unless summoned.

Thus, after the late Emperor passed away, neither Consort Li nor Prince Min managed to see him off to his imperial tomb and hurriedly took their post in Xuzhou.

At that time, Empress Dowager Wang was elated, for although her husband had died, her son had become Emperor, and the thorn in her side had also left. She thought, is this life all there is?

But what happened in the end?