12dz Chapter 387 The Last Edict
Chapter 387 The Last Edict
After Qi Yuebin left, the three of them sat back on the couch and thought carefully about what Qi Yuebin had just said.
Zhen Huan quickly sorted out the situation and asked, "Rong'er, was it just for this day that we won over Concubine Duan?"
An Lingrong picked up her teacup and saw that it was almost empty. She waved to Liu Zhu to change her cup before saying, "Yes! She is the most senior person in the harem and knows many of the palace's secrets. It would be most appropriate for her to reveal these things without arousing the Emperor's suspicion. However, she is very cunning and I can never see through her thoughts. Working with her now is only a temporary solution. I still need to be more careful with her in the future."
At this point, An Lingrong paused, a complex emotion flickering in her eyes. There was still a past between them and Qi Yuebin, a past deeply buried in their hearts. Although on the surface, no one mentioned it, the thorn was always there, ready to prick Qi Yuebin's nerves and bite them back at any time.
Zhen Huan's eyes revealed a hint of solemnity: "I understand that although Qi Yuebin cooperates with us on the surface, she has been working in this palace for many years after all, and her style of action has always been cautious. We can't let our guard down, lest she retaliate."
Shen Meizhuang also nodded solemnly.
They all understood An Lingrong's meaning. In this deep palace, there were no permanent friends or enemies; everything was simply a matter of weighing interests. Although Qi Yuebin was now on the same side as them, no one could guarantee that she wouldn't turn against them at any time for her own benefit.
After the tea was replaced, An Lingrong took a sip and then looked at Zhen Huan. "Sister Zhen, Zhuxi, have you got the Queen Mother's will?"
Zhen Huan nodded, called Jin Xi over and gave her some instructions.
A moment later, Jinxi came into the hall with a small box and handed it to An Lingrong.
An Lingrong took it, took out a letter from it and opened it:
The Queen Mother issued an edict:
Since entering the palace, I have experienced the ups and downs of several dynasties. I know the importance of the foundation of the royal family and the importance of stability in the harem.
The Empress, a descendant of the Ulanara clan, had inherited her family's teachings from a young age, maintaining a dignified and virtuous character, always mindful of her country. After entering the palace, she served as a model for the nation, devoting herself to maintaining order within the harem and protecting the dignity of the imperial family.
Now that I am about to pass away, I consider the country and its people, and I worry about the unrest in the harem. I hereby issue this decree: Empress Ulanara's position shall never be abolished. This is to preserve the orthodoxy of the imperial bloodline and maintain the balance between the court and the harem. I hope my son will obey my orders and not disobey.
"Tsk!" An Lingrong glanced at the will in her hand with disdain on her face. She threw the memorial that symbolized the Queen Mother's will back onto the box with a raised hand and snorted, "The Queen Mother really loves the Queen!"
In the last moments of her life, her heart and eyes were filled with the glory of the Ulanara family, and she did not leave a single word for her son.
I wonder what Yongzheng would feel if he saw this edict.
Shen Meizhuang reached out and picked up the edict, sighing, "It seems the Queen Mother knew that the Empress had Queen Chunyuan killed. She knew that if this matter was exposed, the Queen's position would most likely be deposed, so she left this edict. The Queen Mother has spent her entire life balancing the forces of all parties to maintain the stability of the Ulanara clan. This edict, after all, is the last barrier she left for the Ulanara clan."
Zhen Huan nodded, a sharp look flashing in her eyes: "Fortunately, this will is in our hands, otherwise it would really cause us a lot of trouble!"
An Lingrong's eyes flickered, and there seemed to be an undercurrent in her eyes. Suddenly, she reached out and took the will from Shen Meizhuang's hand. With a flick of her wrist, the will floated gently in the air, making a slight rustling sound.
The corners of her lips curled up slightly, revealing a playful smile, and her voice was gentle but with a hint of temptation: "Sister, Sister Zhen, do you... want to be the queen?"
As soon as these words came out, Zhen Huan and Shen Meizhuang's eyes widened instantly, their faces filled with astonishment. They stared at each other, not knowing how to respond for a moment.
Seeing the two of them remain silent, An Lingrong's smile deepened, and her tone was a little teasing: "Don't tell me you've never had such thoughts!"
"This really doesn't happen!"
"You can have this!"
An Lingrong ignored the two people who were almost petrified and stood up and said, "Think about it now!"
As she spoke, she slowly stretched her stiff body, walked outside the hall, and said to Jin Xi who was waiting beside her, "Aunt, I'm hungry!"
Upon hearing this, Jin Xi bowed quickly with a gentle smile on her face, "The small kitchen is ready, Your Majesty, please wait a moment." Then she turned around and hurried to the small kitchen.
After strolling outside the hall and returning to the hall, the two were still frowning in thought.
An Lingrong walked up to them, held up her head, and blinked her clear eyes. "Hey, is this question so difficult to think about? If you want to think about it, then think about it. If you don't want to think about it, then don't think about it. Why bother with so much?"
The head of the harem, the mother of the country, this is the honor and status that all women of this era dream of. Now that the Empress Dowager's will is in hand, the Empress's dethronement is a foregone conclusion. Everyone wants to fight for the vacant position of Empress, especially Zhen Huan and Shen Meizhuang. They both have sons and daughters, and their status is noble, so they may not be unable to become the next Empress.
However, Shen Meizhuang was the first to shake her head, her tone firm and calm: "I don't want to."
Zhen Huan also followed suit, her eyes clear and frank: "I don't want to either."
An Lingrong was stunned when she heard this, "Why?"
She had expected the two to waver, and had even begun to plot how to push one of them to the throne. Unexpectedly, their responses were so straightforward and decisive, without hesitation.
Zhen Huan's expression was calm, but a hint of sadness shone in her eyes. She spoke slowly, her voice carrying the indifference of someone who had experienced many vicissitudes of life, "If it were the me before Ganlu Temple, I might have been very moved. But now, I have given up on the emperor. Whether he is the empress or not, I really have no interest in him.
Moreover, looking at the Empresses of Emperor Taizu and Emperor Shengzu, and now our Empress, we know that the position of Empress, while seemingly glamorous, is actually a tough job. It requires maneuvering between various factions all day long, which is thankless, and we also have to endure the Emperor's indifference and suspicion. They died at such a young age, and I don't want to be trapped in that."
Emperor Shunzhi's first Borjigit queen was demoted to Consort Jing in August of the tenth year of the Shunzhi reign and moved to a side palace because she was not in harmony with Emperor Shunzhi and Emperor Shunzhi considered her extravagant and jealous.
The second Borjigit queen was the niece of the deposed queen. Emperor Taizu was not satisfied with her, but she was able to keep her position as queen because she was loved by Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang.
The empresses of Emperor Kangxi were even more pitiful. Empress Xiaochengren Hesheli died at the age of 22, Empress Xiaozhaoren Niuhulu died at the age of 19, and Empress Xiaoyiren Tonggiya was empress for only one day and died at the age of 30.
"What about you, sister?" An Lingrong turned her gaze to Shen Meizhuang again.
Shen Meizhuang's eyes were firm and gentle. She reached out and stroked An Lingrong's cheek, revealing a faint smile. Her voice was gentle but incomparably firm: "I don't think as much as Huan'er does. I only know that a hundred years later, the Empress will be buried with the Emperor. I don't want to be buried with him. I want to be buried with you!"
At these words, An Lingrong's eyes instantly reddened, and an indescribable warmth welled up in her heart. She quickly hugged Shen Meizhuang's arm, rubbing against her chest like a child, her tone full of coquettishness and dependence, "Sister, then it's a deal. We'll be together through life and death!"