A son who doesn't resemble his father? Love you, old man, see you at Xuanwu Gate!

Chapter 266 Forged Imperial Edict
"Who altered the Empress Dowager's handwritten letter?"

A startled cry rang out from Princess Dou.

She didn't know how many years this yellowed handwritten letter had remained unopened; it seemed to have been unopened ever since Empress Dowager Dou died in the sixth year of the Jianyuan era.

Empress Dowager Dou was a figure who was both "disliked" and "revered".

Emperor Xiaojing was like this, His Majesty the present is like this, and so is she.

Perhaps it was because Empress Dowager Dou bestowed all her maternal love upon her youngest son, Prince Liu Wu of Liang, that the love her other children and grandchildren received was limited to a certain degree.

After Emperor Xiaojing ascended the throne, he honored Lady Dou as Empress Dowager.

Empress Dowager Dou vigorously promoted her relatives, resulting in three members of the Dou family being enfeoffed as marquises. This set a precedent in the Han Dynasty for enfeoffing relatives by marriage as marquises. She also repeatedly suggested that Emperor Jing appoint her nephew Dou Ying as prime minister, but Emperor Jing ultimately did not adopt her suggestion.

Furthermore, due to a personal grudge by his grandson Liu Rong, who murdered Zhi Du, the general who had repelled the Xiongnu, the Xiongnu cavalry re-invaded.

At the same time, he condoned the extravagant construction projects undertaken by Prince Xiao of Liang, which burdened the people and wasted resources. He even overstepped his authority as emperor and plotted to have Emperor Jing of Liang pass the throne to Prince Xiao of Liang, intending to become the "Crown Prince." However, this plan was opposed by the court officials and failed to materialize.

After the death of Prince Xiao of Liang, Empress Dowager Dou went on a hunger strike and made a scene, claiming that Emperor Xiaojing had killed Liu Wu, which caused Emperor Xiaojing to grieve and fear.

Emperor Xiaojing passed away, and His Majesty ascended the throne, honoring Lady Dou as Grand Empress Dowager.

At that time, His Majesty implemented the Jianyuan New Policies. Empress Dowager Dou disliked Confucianism and believed that His Majesty was challenging her authority. Therefore, she executed Zhao Wan and Wang Zang, members of the New Policies, and abolished all the New Policies implemented by His Majesty.

He died in the sixth year of the Jianyuan era and was buried with Emperor Xiaowen in Baling.

From the reign of Emperor Jing of Han to the end of the Jianyuan era, Empress Dowager Dou reached the pinnacle of her power. Her favoritism and conservatism allowed her to interfere in politics according to her own mood and preferences. It can be said that the only difference between Empress Dowager Dou and Empress Lü was that Empress Dowager Dou did not have the intention of replacing the Han dynasty with the Dou family.

Over the course of more than twenty years across two dynasties, Princess Dou used flattery and manipulation to gain countless benefits from the blind Empress Dowager Dou. She even directly interfered in the selection of the fifth emperor of the Han Dynasty, arranged a marriage with Empress Dowager Wang, deposed Liu Rong, and installed Liu Che as emperor.

Knowing that she had attracted countless troubles and misfortunes throughout her life, Empress Dowager Dou requested a letter before her death, in which all her sins would be forgiven.

Empress Dowager Dou readily agreed, but made an excuse that it was dark and asked her to come back the next day to pick up the letter. When she came back the next day, Empress Dowager Dou had already prepared the letter. But just as she was about to unfold it, Empress Dowager Dou began to nag and warn her, telling her to reduce her selfish desires, restrain her personality, and stop interfering in politics. This made her head almost boil.

After patiently agreeing with Empress Dowager Dou, when she left the palace again, she had no interest in opening the scroll, let alone anything else. She ordered someone to seal the letter of pardon in a brocade box and then went to have fun with several thirteen-year-old boys.

For more than a decade, except when her daughter Chen Ajiao was involved in a witchcraft case, and Dou Taizhu considered taking out the Empress Dowager's handwritten letter to ward off evil spirits, she never needed to use it at other times.

Moreover, His Majesty's purpose in that witchcraft case was primarily to depose Empress Chen Ajiao. After sending Chen Ajiao to Changmen Palace, he chose to stop there and did not implicate Princess Dou further. Therefore, the Empress Dowager Dou's handwritten letter was never opened.

When the letter was opened and the words "the ten unpardonable crimes" were heard, Princess Dou felt a chill run down her spine. She also thought of the illogical things her mother had said before giving the letter. How could the old lady, who had been blind for many years, feel that it was dark?
Did Mother scheme against her?
"It's good that His Majesty has acknowledged that this is a letter from the Empress Dowager." Zhang Tang smiled.

"No, this is not a letter from the Empress Dowager!" Princess Dou denied.

"Since this is not a letter from the Empress Dowager, Your Highness, where is the Empress Dowager's letter?"

Zhang Tang's smile vanished, and he said coldly, "Furthermore, who forged the Empress Dowager's will?" "Should I go and verify it?"

Unlike Emperor Dou Ying's will, Empress Dowager Dou's will was definitely recorded. After all, relatives of the empress are relatives of the empress. They can be harmed, but their daughter is their own daughter. Even tigers don't eat their cubs. To write a will to exterminate their daughter's entire clan is something no human being would do.

This is why Princess Dou was not afraid of verifying the authenticity of the will. However, this is also where the problem lies. Once verified, if the contents are exactly the same, the unforgivable crime becomes a fact.

"no no……"

Princess Dou had never been so flustered. Her eyes regained their clarity, and her hearing improved. She exclaimed in a panic, "It's true! It's true!"

The imperial court is launching a counterattack and settling scores. Without this imperial edict as a shield, all the crimes, big and small, committed in the past, even the emperor himself would not be able to withstand the reckoning.

What is real?

"The Empress Dowager's handwritten letter is genuine."

"In that case, with the Empress Dowager above us, we shall obey and act in accordance with the Empress Dowager's decree."

Zhang Tang took the Empress Dowager's last will and testament from the trembling and flustered Marquis Chen Xu of Tangyi once again. Facing the frightened Empress Dowager, he smiled faintly and said, "Your Majesty need not be so nervous. Among the ten unpardonable crimes, you committed the crime of blasphemy and moral depravity. However, in the sixth year of Yuanguang, didn't His Majesty pardon you for this crime?"

After the death of the previous Marquis of Tangyi, Chen Wu, Dong Yan openly entered and exited the Marquis of Tangyi's residence, which became known throughout the land.

Serving the Empress Dowager privately was a grave crime. Fearing this, Dong Yan, after being reminded by his friend Yuan Shu, persuaded Empress Dowager Dou to offer Changmen Garden to His Majesty.

His Majesty was delighted to acquire Changmen Garden and converted it into Changmen Palace. At the same time, he pardoned Dong Yan for his crime of serving someone privately.

Having given up a garden, Princess Dou naturally couldn't have gained nothing. Not long after, His Majesty visited the Marquis of Tangyi's residence. Princess Dou bowed in gratitude, and after exchanging pleasantries, before she had even sat down, His Majesty asked Princess Dou's aunt, "I would like to pay my respects to the master of the house."

Upon hearing this, the emperor immediately descended from the throne, removed his earrings and jewelry, and prostrated himself on the ground to apologize for his improper behavior.

His Majesty told her to get up, and the Princess quickly tidied up her hairpins and jewelry, then went to the east wing to lead Dong Yan out, where they kowtowed and begged for forgiveness together.

His Majesty did not blame Dong Yan, but instead bestowed upon him clothes and a hat. The Princess hosted a banquet and invited His Majesty to take his seat, personally serving the emperor food and wine. At that time, Dong Yan noticed that the emperor did not call himself by his own name, but referred to himself as "the master of the house." His Majesty laughed heartily upon hearing this, and the banquet was very enjoyable. During the banquet, His Majesty pardoned the Princess and Dong Yan for their disrespectful and immoral acts.

The ten unforgivable crimes are, in the eyes of the Lord, nine unforgivable crimes.

"..." The Lord wanted to speak to Zhang Tang, but no sound came out. After calming down and thinking about it, he realized that he had lost his voice because he was too frightened just now. But he knew that he would not be punished, so he slowly calmed down.

"But I do not know whether Emperor Xiaowen, Empress Dowager Dou, or Emperor Xiaojing issued a prior edict to pardon the Crown Prince for secretly forging weapons and armor with the intention of assassinating the emperor and committing treason?"

The secret letter that Zhang Tang obtained from Guantao County and Tangyi County was stained with blood.

(End of this chapter)