Her guards

Chapter 148 The Emperor and Empress Have a Fight

"The Empress said that His Majesty wants to depose her."

The eunuch Qin Fu stood with his head down in the study of the Marquis of Yichun.

Upon hearing this, Chai Yuan jumped up in fright.

“He’s gone too far! He dares to do that!” he shouted.

Marquis Yichun was alright; he paused for a moment, then chuckled at his son's words: "Who can the emperor rebel against?"

Now no one can say that Deng Shan has rebelled; on the contrary, whoever doesn't listen to Deng Shan is considered a rebel.

Before Chai Yuan could say anything, Marquis Yichun waved his hand.

“The emperor isn’t that kind of person,” he said, looking at Qin Fu. “What exactly happened? Why are you saying this out of the blue? Did you have a fight?”

He frowned again as he said this.

"Because of the incident in Baima Town? Did the Emperor tell the Empress that Yang Luo is Yang Tong's daughter?"

Qin Fu shook his head: "This servant doesn't know the specifics, because I heard that His Majesty hasn't eaten, so the Empress had someone prepare food and personally delivered it to him. His Majesty only allowed the Empress to go in, and this servant was left outside. At first, there was no movement, and then suddenly I heard the Emperor raise his voice and say, 'What do you mean by that?' Then there was the sound of bowls and plates shattering, and then the Empress shouted, 'Yes, it was me who did it! Are you going to depose me?' Then the Empress came out of the Imperial Study and returned to the Empress's Palace. The Empress cried and called this servant to tell the Marquis that His Majesty was going to depose the Empress."

Chai Yuan couldn't stand hearing those two words and paced restlessly around the room.

"He dares!"

Then he looked at Marquis Yichun.

"I understand, Father. My elder sister insisted on driving that woman away, and now that woman is dead outside, the Emperor is taking his anger out on my elder sister..."

Marquis Yichun slammed his hand on the table twice: "If we were going to take our anger out on the first woman we heard about her death, we would have done so already! Why wait until now! Besides, how could Deng Shan have the face to depose the empress for such a reason?"

That's true. Even if Deng Shan were crazy, he wouldn't announce to the world that he would divorce his wife and remarry, or abandon his wife and daughter.

"So this was just my sister saying something in anger?" Chai Yuan breathed a sigh of relief.

The Empress does often say hurtful things to the Emperor, but that was one thing before, but now there's Lady Yang caught in the middle...

"Father, quickly send Mother to the palace to see her."

Marquis Yichun ignored him and looked at Qin Fu, asking, "What was His Majesty's reaction afterward?"

In the past, when the two quarreled, the emperor would always coax the empress.

Qin Fu lowered his head and said, "His Majesty has been in the Hall of Diligent Governance the whole time. He did not go to the Empress's Palace, nor did he send anyone to inquire about it." He paused here, "Consort Qi came personally to deliver the refreshments. Although His Majesty did not allow anyone to enter, he accepted the refreshments."

Besides the Empress and Imperial Concubine, the Emperor's harem also included three other concubines who gave birth to Princess Nangong and Princess Shengping, as well as a prince who had just turned one year old.

Consort Qi was the birth mother of this prince.

These three concubines were selected from beauties presented to the emperor by local officials every three years according to regulations. They came from simple backgrounds and were not from prominent families. They lived quietly in the palace.

"Fine!" Chai Yuan shouted again, "It's just a broken bowl, and all these demons and monsters are getting restless!"

Having said that, he urged Marquis Yichun again.

"Call Mother..."

Marquis Yichun shook his head: "No need to call your mother, I can only handle this matter myself."

After saying this, he gestured to Qin Fu.

"Go back and tell the Empress that I understand, and tell her not to worry."

Qin Fu responded and left.

Marquis Yichun then summoned the old servant in.

"Write a letter of apology for me."

Chai Yuan was startled: "What crime is Father apologizing for?" He then became angry again, "Does he really intend to depose the Empress?"

Marquis Yichun said calmly, "He doesn't want to depose the Empress, nor is he targeting the Empress; he's targeting me."

After saying that, he looked at the copied Ji-Ying blood letter that had turned to ashes in the charcoal brazier.

"Ji Ying did that in Baima Town for my sake."

“He can tolerate me driving away his women, but he can’t tolerate me controlling his officials.”

……

……

As dawn broke, Princess Heisei sat in the Empress's Palace, looking at the Empress.

"How do I look?" the Queen asked. "Are my eyes swollen from crying?"

Last night, the Empress and the Emperor had an argument, and the news of the broken plates and bowls spread throughout the palace in an instant.

Princess Heisei found out immediately.

But after much deliberation, she did not go that night, so that her mother could have some alone time and would not have to cheer herself up to comfort her daughter.

Early the next morning, Princess Heisei arrived and saw the Empress sitting in the flower room, pruning the flowers as usual. Upon hearing her mother's question, Princess Heisei did not smile, but looked at her again and shook her head.

"No," she said, then moved closer and whispered, "Mother, if you want to cry, you must cry. Don't stop crying just because you're an adult. Adults and children can cry."

The Empress chuckled and looked at her daughter: "Your father and I are husband and wife, so it's inevitable that we'll bicker. You're our daughter, so you don't need to be so careful..."

Before she could finish speaking, a trusted palace maid rushed in from outside.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, the Marquis has apologized to His Majesty."

Princess Heisei stood up, slightly surprised: "Grandfather..."

Is this for the Empress Dowager?
She couldn't help but look at the Empress.

The Empress remained seated, carefully pruning a small twig before looking at Princess Heisei.

"Sigh." She sighed softly, "You see, all parents in the world care about their children. I am someone's daughter too, and my father will take good care of me so that I don't have to worry."

……

.......
"Grandfather."

Princess Heisei left the Empress's Palace and came to the outside of the Qinzheng Palace. This time, she still did not go in, but waited outside.

They didn't have to wait long before they saw Marquis Yichun come out.

The emperor's two personal eunuchs escorted Marquis Yichun on either side, chatting and laughing with him.

Upon seeing Princess Heicheng arrive, the two eunuchs bowed warmly and then said to Marquis Yichun with a smile, "Since the princess has come to see you off, we'll take a break."

He then took his leave.

This was also a way of avoiding conflict, allowing the Marquis of Yichun and the princess to speak, which shows their respect for the Marquis of Yichun.

The attitude of the eunuchs also represented the emperor's attitude.

Princess Heisei breathed a sigh of relief.

Marquis Yichun smiled at her and said, "I came to apologize to your father because your father and mother were arguing. Your father and mother's relationship wasn't maintained by me bowing my head and admitting my mistakes."

Her maternal grandfather always knew her thoughts best. Princess Heisei smiled. Yes, if a couple's relationship is maintained by their parents' apologies, then it's hard for them to be loving.

However, even though I felt relieved, I was still a little nervous.

What could have caused my maternal grandfather to apologize to my father? My father treated my maternal grandfather like his own father.

"Regarding Ji Ying," Marquis Yichun said with a smile, "I was the one who initially recommended him for officialdom. Of course, he paved his own way afterward, but no matter what, without my initial recommendation, he would not have entered officialdom, nor would he have committed such heinous acts. I misjudged him, so I have come to apologize to Your Majesty."

Princess Heisei was completely relieved; it was really no big deal. (The recommendation was a mistake.)

But she didn't say that her grandfather had been wronged.

“Ji Ying’s behavior is truly despicable.” She nodded and said seriously, “You, my maternal grandfather, were punished for making a recommendation, so my father can punish all the officials, from top to bottom, even more severely.”

The Marquis of Yichun looked on with admiration.

“Good boy, you are not impulsive and your mind is clear, which is very good.” He said with a slight smile, “His Majesty is wise and puts righteousness above family ties, so others cannot complain about His Majesty. This is good for both His Majesty and me.”

Princess Heisei nodded, about to say something, when one of her maids came running from the direction of the Empress's Palace, panting and excited.

“Princess, Princess,” she said, “His Majesty has gone to see the Empress.”

Princess Heicheng looked at Marquis Yichun. He was still young, and although he could not hide his sorrow just now, he could not hide his smile now.

Marquis Yichun laughed heartily: "Alright, Heisei can rest assured now."

Princess Heicheng smiled and nodded, then thought of something and said, "I'll go to my mother's place now, so she won't argue with my father again because of you."

Marquis Yichun waved his hand and said, "Go quickly, go quickly."

Princess Heicheng walked briskly towards the inner palace, but after walking for a while, she thought of something and turned back, only to see that Marquis Yichun had already gone far away.

"Princess, is there anything else you want to ask the Marquis?" a palace maid asked. "I will go and call him back."

Princess Heisei shook her head to stop her, saying, "No need."

She did forget to ask something.

My maternal grandfather said that he was not apologizing because the emperor and empress had quarreled, but because of the matter of Ji and Ying.

Why did Father and Mother quarrel last night?
Was the argument because the Emperor wanted to punish the maternal grandfather, and the Empress Dowager tried to stop him?

If so, then now that the maternal grandfather has taken the initiative to apologize, the emperor and mother will reconcile.
In fact, the Emperor and Empress Dowager maintained their marital relationship thanks to the apology from the maternal grandfather.

If not, what else could have made the Emperor and Empress say something like "depose the Empress"?

Her father and mother were perhaps not as simple as she thought, like a married couple who quarreled at the head of the bed and made up at the foot of the bed.

Princess Heisei clenched her fist in front of her.

(End of this chapter)