55Chapter 55: The two fought, and the Queen Mother was defeated
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"Guandu Marquis!"
"You are truly too presumptuous!"
Empress Dowager Dou stood up in a fit of rage, her face flushed with anger. She shielded the Prince of Liang behind her, her eyes wide with fury: "This is within the Imperial Palace! How dare you bring a weapon into the Palace? Are you planning a rebellion?"
Chen Yun looked at Empress Dowager Dou with disdain and simply said, "Empress Dowager, this is a sword bestowed by The Late Emperor, capable of striking down treacherous officials!"
He spoke each word distinctly: "Today, the Empress Dowager wishes to violate the rules of propriety by allowing the Prince of Liang to remain in the Palace for an extended period. This is an act of treachery! I, as a subject, uphold the dying wishes of The Late Emperor and the great favor of His Majesty, and I absolutely cannot tolerate such a thing from happening!"
"Therefore! Treacherous officials must be executed!"
Chen Yun held his sword and cupped his hands, saying, "And out of consideration for the Prince of Liang being of The Late Emperor's bloodline and the Empress Dowager's youngest son, I did not even intend to execute the Prince of Liang. I merely intended to accommodate the Prince of Liang and the Empress Dowager's wishes by finding a way for him to remain in the Palace."
"How can the Empress Dowager say I am presumptuous?!"
Empress Dowager Dou looked at Chen Yun, whose face held a determined expression. The anger in her heart surged like a raging fire, but at this moment, she dared not say anything.
She could only turn to look at Emperor Jing: "Emperor! Is this what you think as well?"
Emperor Jing's face was full of helplessness. He looked at the Empress Dowager, then glanced at Chen Yun, sighing softly: "Mother, the Guandu Marquis is the regent and prime minister left behind by Father. He holds the precious sword left by Father. How can I control him?"
"Furthermore..."
Emperor Jing looked at Empress Dowager Dou and said, "A male outsider staying in the Imperial Palace for a long time indeed violates the rules of propriety. The inner palace is filled with my concubines, this..."
He looked at the Empress Dowager, a hint of disappointment and sorrow deep in his brows: "Has Mother never considered my dignity by letting the Prince of Liang stay in the inner palace?"
Empress Dowager Dou felt somewhat guilty under Emperor Jing's gaze. She turned her head away, but still held onto the Prince of Liang's sleeve.
"This..."
"It was my oversight."
Finally, the Empress Dowager made a compromise: "If the Prince of Liang cannot stay in the Palace, then let him stay in the capital. I can summon him at any time. Is that acceptable?"
At this moment, a faint smile flickered in Empress Dowager Dou's eyes.
This was her initial goal!
After all, she certainly knew that it was impossible for the Prince of Liang to stay in the inner palace. But... if she had initially suggested staying in the capital, wouldn't both the Emperor and Chen Yun have been able to refuse her using the excuse of propriety?
She had also anticipated Chen Yun's actions and the Emperor's thoughts, which was why she initially only suggested staying in the inner palace. Then, once the Emperor and Chen Yun refused, she would take a step back.
Could the Emperor and Chen Yun refuse her again and again? Did the Emperor truly want to bear the stigma of being unfilial?
Politics, isn't it the art of compromise?
Empress Dowager Dou was very adept at this game.
So... would Chen Yun and the Emperor refuse the Empress Dowager a second time?
The Emperor would not.
But...
Chen Yun was not an ordinary person.
Chen Yun's face no longer showed any anger at this moment, as if that anger had been "feigned." He simply looked at the worried Emperor Jing and laughed loudly: "That the Empress Dowager can be so considerate of His Majesty, I truly congratulate His Majesty!"
Congratulate?
Not only Emperor Jing, but even the Empress Dowager and the Prince of Liang were bewildered.
What was there to congratulate at this time?
What good news?
Emperor Jing asked with a bewildered expression, "Guandu Marquis, why do you say that?"
Chen Yun simply said with a smile, "Emperor Taizu had an edict stating that Kings are not allowed to reside in the capital for long. If the Empress Dowager wishes for the Prince of Liang to remain in the capital for an extended period, His Majesty can only abolish the Prince of Liang's fiefdom and treat him in the same way as the ancestors, who had the title of King but no fiefdom."
"Currently, both the court and His Majesty's intention are to reduce the power of the vassal states. This action by the Empress Dowager is to assist His Majesty."
"Is the Empress Dowager's profound love not a good thing?"
Upon hearing this, Empress Dowager Dou's face stiffened, and the Prince of Liang's expression grew even more somber—only Emperor Jing's face looked quite amused, as he forcibly suppressed the smile in his heart.
He looked at the Empress Dowager in surprise: "Ah? Is that truly Mother's intention?"
What could Empress Dowager Dou say at this moment?
She could only change the subject—
"Heh heh, the Guandu Marquis is jesting."
"The Prince of Liang's esteemed title was bestowed by The Late Emperor's edict. How can his fiefdom be abolished just like that? I merely wish for the Prince of Liang to accompany me in the capital for a short time, a few months."
"Haven't there been such precedents in the past?"
Empress Dowager Dou took another step back, pinching her nose as she said, "The Prince of Liang and I, mother and son, have not seen each other for a long time. Let him stay in the capital for one month."
"What does Your Majesty think?"
She seemed to be asking Emperor Jing, but in reality, the Empress Dowager's eyes were fixed on Chen Yun, full of gloom.
One month!
This time, Chen Yun agreed.
Because the Prince of Liang indeed needed to stay in the capital for a period of time.
The Rebellion of the Seven Princes... was about to break out. They had to give the Prince of Liang and the Empress Dowager some "hope," otherwise, how could they wholeheartedly help the court resist the seven Kings?
The Chen clan was prepared to violently and swiftly suppress the Rebellion of the Seven Princes and inflict severe punishment on the seven Kings, but... this did not mean they did not want to weaken the Prince of Liang's power.
Therefore, when Emperor Jing looked over, Chen Yun remained silent, indicating his agreement.
And so, the banquet continued.
It was just that the cheerful and joyful atmosphere of before was largely gone.
.... .....
In the Empress Dowager's Palace
"Bang—"
Empress Dowager Dou threw things to the ground, her face contorted with rage. She said in a hoarse voice, "That thief Chen! How dare he bully me so!"
The maidservant beside her dared not say a word, merely standing there.
After Empress Dowager Dou had vented her anger, she narrowed her eyes and looked at the Inner Attendant beside her: "Go! Send a message to my brother."
"I want to see if the Chen clan is truly so pure and flawless!"
.... .....
In Weiyang Palace
Liu Qi could no longer suppress the laughter in his heart and burst out laughing. After a moment, he shook his head: "However, the Chen clan's goal should be the same as mine, otherwise he would not have finally agreed to the Prince of Liang staying in the capital."
He stroked his chin and said, "How can I make the Prince of Liang willingly help me?"
This was a problem.
After all... with the strength of the seven Kings, if they united, and the court truly fought them head-on, it might collapse by half, and the hard-won peace in the realm would once again fall into chaos.
"How about... succession from elder brother to younger brother?"
.... ....
Guandu Marquis Residence
"Father, you were truly too unrestrained today."
Chen Xi's tone carried a hint of seriousness: "I fear that after today, both the Empress Dowager and His Majesty will be wary of the Chen clan."