Chapter 1664: The Empress Dowager’s Dominant Protection
Chapter 1664: Chapter 1664: The Empress Dowager’s Dominant Protection
The Empress Dowager arrived.
Wearing the Nine Phoenix Crown and the Empress Dowager’s Court Dress, she entered the grand hall with Eunuch Hai supporting her hand, walking toward Emperor Chu.
All the ministers were shocked; they hastily knelt and kowtowed, crying out, "Long live Your Majesty."
The Empress Dowager Wang strode forward with her head held high and chest straight, her gaze not deviating an inch.
Emperor Chu was also somewhat taken aback. Why has Royal Mother come? This is the early morning court; she has never attended early court before, yet now she descends like the phoenix, and dressed so solemnly.
"Royal Mother, what brings you here?"
"If I, the Empress Dowager, did not come, you towering, stalwart men would be pushing some defenseless, half?in?the?grave old woman out to pray for blessings and rain." The Empress Dowager Wang gave a cold snort, her authority unmistakable.
Emperor Chu felt his face burn.
So, she has come to back up Old Madam Song.
As soon as the Empress Dowager Wang appeared, Eunuch Zhou had already ordered a chair placed beside the dragon throne. The Empress Dowager sat down and called out, "Rise."
Only after the crowd surged to their feet did she lift her chin arrogantly and ask, "Just now, who proposed sending Old Madam Song to the temple to pray for blessings and rain?"
Imperial Censor Zhu’s heart gave a jolt; sweat seeped onto his brow. He stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "In reply to the Empress Dowager, it was indeed this humble official."
"Oh? And whose household are you from?" The Empress Dowager Wang looked at him coldly.
Emperor Chu said, "Royal Mother, this is Imperial Censor Zhu."
"From the Zhu Family, then, Eunuch Hai."
"Your servant is here." Eunuch Hai bent forward and stepped up.
The Empress Dowager said lightly, "Convey my gracious decree: Imperial Censor Zhu loves the people as he loves his own sons and cannot bear to see the common folk, besieged by calamity, suffer. I share his feelings; thus I specially invite Old Madam Zhu, in my stead, to proceed to Huangjue Temple to pray for blessings and rain for the myriad people of our Great Qing Country. She is to depart immediately upon receiving the decree."
Imperial Censor Zhu’s scalp went numb, and he dropped to his knees with a thud. "Empress Dowager, my humble mother is advanced in years and frail of body, and she is unwell. I fear that..."
"Fear what? Being old and frail is no great matter. In any case, the person is still alive and can still pray for blessings and rain, can she not? What, is Old Madam Song some fifteen? or sixteen?year?old youngster? Since you could propose sending her to pray, then having Old Madam Zhu go in my stead—why ever should that not be possible?" The Empress Dowager’s smile was not quite a smile. "Or is Old Madam Zhu more exalted than everyone else?"
"This humble official would not dare." Imperial Censor Zhu sprawled on the floor, trembling all over.
This was truly going to cost his mother her life. His aged mother was nearly of "rarely seen in ancient times" age; in such terrible heat, to travel by boat and carriage all the way to Huangjue Temple—would that not be fatal?
Imperial Censor Zhu felt like crying and instinctively glanced toward a certain spot.
Prince Xiao’s expression darkened slightly. He stepped out and cupped his hands. "To report to Imperial Grandmother, to report to Father Emperor: Imperial Censor Zhu made this proposal only because the rumors among the people refuse to die. After all, the folks are saying... If Old Madam Song dares to go to Huangjue Temple, that would naturally silence the murmuring tongues; would not the rumor thus collapse of itself? This was also for the sake of Old Madam’s reputation."
"Royal Mother..."
The Empress Dowager Wang said, "What rumors, what monsters and demons—this is sheer nonsense on the grandest scale. In my view, the ones spreading such tales are those truly sowing demonic words to mislead the masses, aiming to throw the Great Qing Country into chaos. Old Madam Song is righteous to the core, compassionate and benevolent. How could she be some monster? If she were, then Prime Minister Song would be the first who could not accept it. Look at him—as her own son, has he ever said any such thing? Or do you think Prime Minister Song is willing to acknowledge a demon as his mother?"
"All of you are men of letters. It is said that a son does not discuss strange powers and spirits. With Great Qing Country in peril, you men who serve as officials at court do not rack your brains to relieve disaster and protect the realm, do not seek ways to soothe the people’s grievances and steady their hearts, but instead only think of pushing out an aged old lady to pray for blessings and rain? Pah! I, the Empress Dowager, am ashamed on your behalf; I am mortified on behalf of the old ladies in your own households!"