The Humble Family's Daughter Has A Spatial Pocket!-Chapter 1021 - 859, A False Imperial Edict

Cining Palace.

The Empress Dowager, dressed in her magnificent Dowager’s attire and wearing an exquisite makeup, sat dignifiedly on the main seat in the great hall, watching as the Emperor entered.

The Emperor looked at the Empress Dowager for a while before he spoke, "Empress Dowager has summoned me here, is there something you wish to discuss?"

The Empress Dowager stared straight at the Emperor, "I heard you posthumously honored the Gu Family and even bestowed the title of Duke upon Gu Jian?"

The Emperor did not speak, which was taken as an acknowledgment.

The Empress Dowager smiled, "Your Majesty, have you forgotten who poisoned the late emperor, and who set the fire that killed Imperial Consort Wan?"

Hearing this, the Emperor’s expression grew ugly.

He had been dragging his feet on rehabilitating his mother and uncle for fear that the Empress Dowager and the Jiang Family would bring up these issues. Now that the Jiang Family had fallen, the Empress Dowager still intended to use this to threaten him.

The Empress Dowager ignored the Emperor’s displeased face and continued, "Let the Jiang Family go. Whether you exile them from the capital or banish them, just spare their lives. As long as you agree, I will forever keep this secret."

The Emperor snorted coldly, "Has the Empress Dowager also forgotten that it was you who gave the order back then?"

The Empress Dowager did not argue with the Emperor, "I don’t have many days left to live. Spare the Jiang Family, and I will spare you."

The Emperor laughed coldly, "And what if I refuse?"

The Empress Dowager’s face turned cold as well, "Then I will make the events of that year known to all. Even if you are the Emperor, you cannot protect Gu Jian. I have already sent someone to summon the Imperial Clan and the ministers to the palace; they should arrive before long."

Upon hearing this, the Emperor’s gaze turned sharp as he looked toward Eunuch An.

Eunuch An’s complexion changed, and he quickly exited the great hall.

It wasn’t long before Eunuch An returned with a pale face, whispering into the Emperor’s ear, "Your Majesty, Xiaoliu from Qianqing Palace is one of the Jiang Family’s people. He used your name to summon the Imperial Clan and ministers into the palace. Now they are all headed toward Cining Palace."

After hearing this, the Emperor coldly looked at the Empress Dowager, "Empress Dowager has quite the tactics, even Qianqing Palace was infiltrated by your people."

The Empress Dowager stood firm, "Your Majesty, my demands are not excessive, just let the Jiang Family go..."

"Spare the Jiang Family, so they can continue to wreak havoc upon the world?"

Gu Jian, Xiao Yeyang, and Daohua suddenly entered the great hall.

Seeing Gu Jian, the Empress Dowager finally became unsettled, losing her previous composure; she began to breathe hurriedly, and with difficulty said, "You truly are not dead..." She gasped for breath and with malice said, "Indeed a calamity that lasts a thousand years."

Gu Jian looked coldly at the Empress Dowager, "Speaking of calamities, who can compare to you, Empress Dowager?" With that, he strode towards her.

Frightened, the Empress Dowager’s face drastically changed as she clapped her hands to summon the Hidden Guard.

Unfortunately, the Hidden Guard had already been secretly dealt with by the Emperor.

The Empress Dowager, eyes widened, turned to the Emperor, "You..."

The Emperor looked emotionlessly at the Empress Dowager, "Empress Dowager, you underestimate me. How could I not be prepared against you?" Now in Cining Palace, aside from the two Palace Maids close to the Empress Dowager, everyone else was his person.

Watching Gu Jian continue to approach, the Empress Dowager was a mixture of fear and fury, "What do you want to do?"

Gu Jian, "Don’t you want to make the past known to all? If you’re mute, you should be able to keep a secret, right?"

The Empress Dowager angrily stood up, "How dare you!"

Just then, a commotion could be heard from outside.

The Empress Dowager knew the Imperial Clan and ministers had arrived, and she opened her mouth to shout loudly.

Upon seeing this, Gu Jian quickly flicked a pill into the Empress Dowager’s mouth.

But the Empress Dowager was old, and failing to swallow, the pill got stuck in her throat, and not long after, her face turned red and her neck swelled. freewebnøvel.coɱ

Gu Jian was taken aback; the Emperor also looked astonished.

Daohua and Xiao Yeyang exchanged glances, unsure what to do.

Considering the Imperial Clan and ministers outside, the Emperor still instructed Eunuch An to clear the Empress Dowager’s airway.

After such an episode, however, the Empress Dowager could only gasp for air, no longer able to utter a word.

The Emperor glanced at Daohua, "Take Uncle away." They could not allow the Imperial Clan and the Ministers to see Uncle here, even though he had not mentioned the events of the past, but they would certainly still be able to guess that Uncle had a feud with the Jiang Family.

Daohua nodded and hurriedly led the master out of the back door.

At this time, the Emperor turned to look at Xiao Yeyang.

Xiao Yeyang nodded, stepped out of the main hall, and welcomed the Imperial Clan and all the Ministers in.

...

When the Imperial Clan and Ministers entered the main hall, they saw two Palace Maids attending to the Empress Dowager, easing her breathing; the Emperor stood beside with a face full of concern.

Seeing this, the expressions of the Imperial Clan and Ministers changed, and they respectfully approached to greet him, no one daring to rashly ask what was happening.

The Emperor sighed, "Today, the Empress Dowager called for me, asking me to spare the Jiang Family. I did not agree..." Speaking, he sighed again.

"Never mind, first help the Empress Dowager into her bedchamber and call for the Imperial Physician to see her."

As soon as these words were spoken, Eunuch An immediately led a few Palace Maids to assist the Empress Dowager.

After the Empress Dowager had been led away, the Emperor then sat down and looked at those present in the hall, and with surprise, he asked, "You guys came to the palace at this time for...?"

Upon hearing this, Old Prince Yong immediately understood that the Emperor had not summoned them, and hastily knelt and said, "A eunuch came to our doorstep saying the Emperor had summoned us, so that’s why we entered the palace."

The Emperor looked surprised, "I did not send anyone to call you."

At this statement, the Imperial Clan and Ministers all looked at each other, puzzled.

Just then, Wei Qi brought the small eunuch Xiaoliu who had been sent to summon the Imperial Clan.

After some questioning, both the Imperial Clan and Ministers knew that it was the Empress Dowager who had summoned them under the pretense of the Emperor’s name.

Old Prince Yong knelt down to beg for forgiveness, "Your Majesty, please pardon us, we truly were unaware."

Others also swiftly knelt down.

The Emperor showed a helpless expression, "The Empress Dowager... wants me to pardon the Jiang Family from the death penalty; I did not agree. Perhaps she was hoping you could speak on their behalf?"

At his words, the Imperial Clan and Ministers all bowed their heads, not daring to speak.

At this moment, the Imperial Physician arrived.

The Emperor looked toward the Imperial Physician, "Go and take the Empress Dowager’s pulse."

After the Imperial Physician entered the bedchamber, he soon came out with a pale face, "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager is old, and recently has..." he knelt down to beg for forgiveness, "Please forgive me, Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager’s pulse is very weak, I fear that... I fear that..."

The Emperor stood up abruptly, "How can this be? I order you, spare no effort in treating the Empress Dowager." He then instructed Eunuch An to summon all the physicians from the Imperial Medical Bureau.

The Emperor paced anxiously in the main hall, then turned to the Imperial Clan and Ministers, "Since you are all here, then just wait here."

When the Imperial Clan and Ministers heard that the Empress Dowager might be in a bad condition, they all felt a chill in their hearts, realizing that they had been used by the Empress Dowager to exert pressure on the Emperor.

After all, in Daxia, filial piety is paramount to heaven.

Having realized this, the Imperial Clan and Ministers were even less inclined to speak.

The Emperor had Palace Maids serve tea and refreshments, and waited with the Imperial Clan and Ministers in the main hall.

...

Elsewhere, Daohua had sent Gu Jian to Qianqing Palace to rest, "Master, you can rest assured, the Empress Dowager can’t speak now; she won’t be able to reveal what happened in the past."

Gu Jian’s brow furrowed, still feeling that the Empress Dowager might have another move up her sleeve. He quickly urged Daohua to go to Cining Palace, "Go and watch over there, and if anything happens, send someone to inform me immediately."

He could not show himself now, otherwise, it would not be helping the Emperor, but a burden instead.

Daohua nodded, leading Mei Lan and Mei Ju out of Qianqing Palace.

On the way, they encountered the Empress and the concubines hurrying to Cining Palace.

Daohua saw them but didn’t pay much attention. However, as he was about to reach the entrance to Cining Palace, he suddenly noticed a Palace Consort whose face was exceptionally pale.

Hesitating for a moment, Daohua looked at Mei Lan and had her stop the Palace Consort.