Upon entering the Forbidden City, Chen Yi was led by the eunuch, walked a long stretch of road, reached the inner court, and finally came to Jingren Palace. Ever since the Empress Dowager began handling state affairs behind the curtain, Jingren Palace became her place for dealing with both internal and external affairs.
"Your Majesty, Chen Yi, the West Factory Thousand Households, requests an audience."
The eunuch said respectfully in a loud voice.
"Granted."
Chen Yi followed the eunuch into Jingren Palace, raised his eyes, and saw a stately and elegant woman sitting alone at the desk.
She wore a golden hairpin, donned a restful robe, and draped a gold-trimmed cape over her shoulders. Her figure was slightly voluptuous, and her eyebrows were adorned with a touch of gloom. When she leaned forward, her slender snow-white neck was revealed, her hair was styled in a peach-shaped bun, shimmering softly, very pleasant to look at. Though she was clearly twenty-eight, she exuded an aura of grandeur and elegance nurtured in the deep palace.
Some women enchant the nation at fifteen or sixteen, while others remain dignified and classical near thirty.
Yin Tingxue is the former; she was the latter.
The Empress Dowager An from Great Yu, one of the female protagonists of "Heavenly Realm." Since An had no son, and there was no prince in the court, Prince Hengshou's Yin Qi was the one to succeed, being the grandson of Emperor Wuzong. He ascended the throne at merely three years old, and now, as the young emperor, An wielded power alone, handling state affairs behind the curtain. Her methods were ruthless, her political tactics brilliant, coupled with the power of the An family clan, all the court officials and military personnel were in awe.
And the most significant relationship between myself and the Empress Dowager...
Lies in these remaining three years of life and the strange poison within my body.
That was a matter from ten hours before the archives opened, also from a month ago.
"You may leave first."
Empress An said to the eunuch.
After the eunuch left, Chen Yi lowered his head, performed a salute, and said:
"Chen Yi, Thousand Households of the West Factory, greets the Empress Dowager."
Empress An fixed her gaze on him, gently saying:
"Chen Yi, Elder Lin has recommended you to temporarily take on the role of Director of the Eastern Factory. Can you undertake this position?"
Chen Yi, without lifting his head, said:
"I will do my best; my only wish is to relieve the worries of the mother of the realm."
If I remember correctly...
At the beginning of the archived game, following the official perfect start guide, I claimed to be a descendant of the Chen Family from Jin Country. Elder Lin then took me for a secret discussion, after which he presented me to the Empress Dowager, who made me drink a decoction.
In the end, I secured a position in the West Factory as a Hundred Households.
Looking at Chen Yi, Empress An smiled faintly.
"What a determined endeavor.
Your loyalty and filial piety are truly reassuring."
Empress An picked up a memorial from the desk and said:
"Wu Qingsheng intercepted a memorial from the Directorate of Rites for you,
saying that you took away a maid from Prince Xiang's Mansion?"
Chen Yi's pupils slightly contracted.
After a moment, he understood.
Wu Qingsheng had intercepted Xue Youge's memorial for me earlier. Originally, this memorial would never reach Empress An's hands, but the situation suddenly changed: Xue Youge died, the Lin Mansion applied pressure, and I was about to temporarily take the position of Director of the Eastern Factory.
Therefore, Wu Qingsheng, who was loyal to the Heavenly Family and unaffiliated with any party, naturally had to report my background in full to Empress An.
The vast palace, with its golden-yellow floor, emitted a slight chill.
Empress An calmly asked:
"Chen Yi, when you took away that maid, was it to make her your legal wife, or a concubine?"
...Why would she ask this question?
In contemplation, Chen Yi occasionally glanced at Empress An's expression.
There was no emotion in her words, nor could he capture any information from her face...
After pondering, Chen Yi honestly confessed:
"To report to Your Majesty, she is my concubine."
Empress An lowered her eyes in thought and said:
"Pick up the memorial and burn it.
Remember, do not give others a chance to accuse you.
Especially... the people of the Ding An Party."
Chen Yi squinted his eyes slightly.
It seems I am aligned with the Lin Party, and Empress An's mention of the Ding An Party was a hint that... the Ding An Party might be harmful to me.
This implication, Chen Yi naturally caught on.
Chen Yi stood up, picked up the large red memorial from the ground, walked to the warming stove, lifted the lid, and tossed the memorial into the fire.
Waves of black smoke drifted out the window.
"It's well that she's a concubine.
Your official wife, I have other arrangements in mind." Empress An said abruptly as the black smoke floated out.
With his back to Empress An, Chen Yi furrowed his brows.
What does this mean?
This plot... I've never encountered it before...
Previously, in the original archive, I wouldn't have triggered this storyline.
Because, if according to the original archive, I would have absconded from the Capital City shortly after Elder Lin's downfall.
Empress An has other arrangements for my official wife,
Could it be... one of the hidden plots in "Heavenly Realm"?
The official perfect start guide, in order not to spoil, only tells players what to do, but not why.
And in the end...
So... I can't think of the reason behind it.
I'll have to slowly investigate after I take over the position of Director of the Eastern Factory.
As a result, Chen Yi could only respectfully say:
"Thank Your Majesty for Your great favor,
the kindness of the mother of the realm is something I cannot repay."
"If everyone was as loyal and filial as you, I would not be unworthy of being the mother of the realm."
Empress An softened her voice and chuckled, saying,
"Go to the medicated diet room to drink the medicine, then return."
Chen Yi then turned around and left Jingren Palace. Empress An silently watched the youth's thin back, her previously warm expression completely withdrawn, her phoenix-like eyes sharp as knives, filled with cold hatred.
How could a bitter enmity be left unavenged?
Raising this child was only to one day have him, the son of the enemy, personally eradicate the enemy's entire family.
To have the son kill the father, to annihilate one's kin.
"However, this is not enough."
Simply having the son of the enemy eradicate the enemy's entire family wasn't enough, wasn't sufficient to vent the hatred.
One can kill the flesh, but not the spirit.
Only humiliation... would suffice to avenge hatred.
Empress An turned around, her robes swirling, and she slowly took a seat at the desk again.
She picked up a pen and wrote a name on the xuan paper.
The main family of the Chen Family in Jin Country has a single daughter, said to be of celestial beauty. Even within the six palaces of Jin Country, her future as a Crown Princess Consort was predetermined long ago...
Regarding this, Empress An had heard rumors for some time.
A brother and sister united is against human ethics and filial duty.
Your Chen Family exterminated my An Family's main branch, so naturally, my An Family must repay doubly, not only to annihilate your entire family but also to destroy your moral integrity.
As for whether you, Chen Yi, are truly a descendant of the Jin Country's Chen Family...
As long as your Chen Family believes it, then it is so.
"Madam."
Empress An glanced towards the screen within the hall.
An elderly woman with silver hair and a kind countenance emerged.
It was widely rumored in the Jianghu that an unnamed grandmaster of the second rank presided over the Capital City of Great Yu, intimidating the four major martial arts schools, six Prince Mansions, and even experts above the fifth grade from all factions of Jianghu, preventing them from acting recklessly in the capital.
A Martial Arts Third Rank individual may be called a minor grandmaster; a second rank is referred to as a grandmaster. Any grandmaster is a person in the Jianghu capable of founding a sect and establishing dominance, stepping into the second rank means having half a foot in the top ten of the martial arts rankings. Such individuals require cautious treatment even by the court.
"Have you found out anything about Xue Youge's death this time?"
Empress An inquired.
"Reporting to the Empress Dowager, Magpie spies investigated in the market, and it is said that the rumor of Xue Youge colluding with the Demon Sect was spread by the Wuyong Building."
The unnamed elder transmitted the message secretly.
"Heh, Wuyong Building dares greatly."
Empress An sneered:
"I've allowed them to take root, and now they dare to cause trouble for the Directorate of Rites."
Despite Empress An not relying heavily on the eunuch group like the Directorate of Rites, focusing more on her own family and external relations, Wuyong Building's actions were still a significant affront.
"Just give them a warning, clear out their spies."
Empress An instructed.
The unnamed elder nodded and quickly disappeared from Jingren Palace.
Empress An glanced at the spot where Chen Yi had stood, saying with disdain:
"Someone, clean the place where Chen Qianhu has just stood...
Thoroughly clean it."
............
"Chen Qianhu, come drink your medicine."
In the medicated diet room, an elderly palace maid with silver hair took out a decoction and placed it in front of Chen Yi,
"This is a great supplement."
Chen Yi looked at the inky black decoction, his mind slightly heavy.
What great supplement...
This is exactly the same decoction given to me a month ago.
The strange poison within me came precisely from this decoction.
Even though he was secretly musing, Chen Yi still drank the decoction.
After all, he knew the antidote method, although it was somewhat complex, requiring various Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, but it was doable.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have lasted until Yin Tingxue, the Demon Sect Saintess, came seeking vengeance.
The bitter decoction went down his throat, and Chen Yi felt his limbs growing weak, followed by a burning, intense pain.
As if something was shattering inside.
Chen Yi's face turned pale, but he steadied himself and slowly put the bowl down.
Seeing Chen Yi drink all the decoction, the elderly palace maid smiled more broadly.
"Then I shall take my leave."
Chen Yi said, then turned and walked out of the medicated diet room.
............
Eastern Factory Drill Field.
"If you want it, then you must consider what you should exchange for it."
That sentence kept echoing in Min Ning's ears.
The hand wielding the blade inadvertently slackened.
The blade struck the bottom of the wooden stake, and due to Min Ning's slackening, it lost force and flew out.
Fortunately, it didn't hit anyone.
Min Ning came back to her senses, took a breath, and pressed her forehead.
She picked up the Brocade Spring Blade, glanced around, and calmed herself down.
In the shadow of a locust tree not far away, Wang Gu, a Thousand Households of the Eastern Factory, stood hugging his sword, surrounded by several Eastern Factory captains who seemed to be discussing something during their break.
"That West Factory Qianhu is going to take over the Eastern Factory."
"How could they let someone from the West Factory take over the Eastern Factory, what are they thinking?"
"He's a Qianhu, and Wang Qianhu is also a Qianhu. He doesn't have the right to oversee us."
"Ha, who knows, maybe he's actually a eunuch from the Directorate of Rites."
"Haha, that's a theory, looking at that handsome face, he doesn't seem like a good man."
Several disgruntled Eastern Factory captains chattered.
Wang Gu spoke coldly:
"No matter what, they shouldn't let someone from the West Factory manage the Eastern Factory.
Behind this, the Lin Party is supporting it, it's all orchestrated by the Lin Party.
You all... understand, right?"