Looking at Song Chaoyu's eyes filled with pity, Mu Changxi continued, "Rest assured, those who have made contributions today, even if the Emperor does not care, the Crown Prince will definitely provide sufficient death benefits to their families. The situation in the palace is stable now. The Crown Prince just received news that the reinforcements arrived earlier than we expected. They are now outside the capital and will soon quell this rebellion."
Song Chaoyu withdrew the emotion from her eyes. "What about Mu Hansu?"
Mu Changxi reached out and stroked Song Chaoyu's head. "He has been apprehended. The Emperor intends to spare his life, as there are many things to question him about."
Song Chaoyu asked again, "What about Ti Le? And King Wen, have you found King Wen?"
Mu Changxi shook his head, a shadow also falling over his eyes. "After Ti Le retreated, she fled. I imagine so; if she stayed here, her life would be in danger if captured. I estimate she will likely return to the Southern Kingdom."
Song Chaoyu reminded Mu Changxi, "Don't forget to send someone to Qianshan. I fear that in her desperation, Ti Le might still want to see Qianshan."
Although her assistance to Mu Hansu this time was merely a pretense using Qianshan, she had to admit that Ti Le certainly harbored feelings for Qianshan. In fact, Qianshan could be said to be Ti Le's obsession.
Some people's obsessions accompany them throughout their lives, never to be forgotten.
Mu Changxi lowered his head and looked earnestly at Song Chaoyu. "A'yu, don't worry about these matters. Perhaps others' affairs have concluded, but the difficulties we face are just beginning!"
Yes, Song Chaoyu had not forgotten what she had promised the Empress Dowager.
She understood even more clearly that the current Emperor's feelings towards Mu Changxi were likely no longer mere apprehension!
However, just as the two of them turned, they suddenly heard a eunuch's cry from the Guande Hall: "The Empress Dowager has passed away!"
The Empress Dowager has passed away?!
Song Chaoyu's heart leaped. She felt that this matter was even more shocking than hearing of Mu Hansu's rebellion!
She saw that Mu Changxi's eyes were also filled with shock. The two of them walked back towards Guande Hall together—
The Empress Dowager was still in the rear hall. The Emperor and the Crown Prince had also arrived in the rear hall.
Song Chaoyu felt a sense of unease, fearing that this matter might implicate her.
It seemed the Crown Prince also understood her concern. Seeing the couple approach, the Crown Prince was the first to greet them.
He spoke softly to Song Chaoyu, "Rest assured, this matter has nothing to do with you. Our Imperial Grandmother apparently suffered a sudden relapse of her heart palpitations, which led to her sudden death. The imperial physicians have entered, and the Emperor is also inside. We can go in, there's no need to worry too much."
Song Chaoyu knew that the Empress Dowager had always suffered from heart palpitations.
Her old age meant her health was declining day by day.
After the recent turmoil and fear, she was naturally exhausted.
When Song Chaoyu and Mu Changxi entered the rear hall, they saw the head of the Imperial Hospital kneeling before the Emperor to confess his guilt.
"Your Majesty, this humble subject deserves death! The Empress Dowager's heart palpitations acted up too suddenly, and she was discovered too late. This humble subject was truly powerless to save her!"
The Emperor knew that the Empress Dowager's palpitations had acted up suddenly, but when it was time to be angry, he would feign it: "You scoundrels, is this how you serve the Empress Dowager?!"
Thus, in the rear hall, the palace maids and wet nurses attending the Empress Dowager knelt in a heap: "Your servants deserve death!"
Among them, the wet nurse who served her closely also stepped forward and said to the Emperor, "Reporting to Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager has been emotionally exhausted these past two days and has been sleeping excessively. This morning, Her Ladyship said she was extremely tired and wanted to have a good sleep, asking not to be disturbed. That is why we did not enter to check on her, and there had been no sound from the hall."
Her eyes reddened. "Only when I calculated just now that Her Ladyship had slept for more than two hours and it was time for her to wake up and eat something, did I enter to try and wake her. Then I discovered that Her Ladyship had already..."
"Enough!"
The Emperor did not truly intend to punish anyone. Regarding the Empress Dowager's actions this time, he was also displeased.
So the Emperor merely sighed, then waved his hand. "It is truly that Mother Empress lacked the fortune. After finally waiting for victory, she instead departed! Will this not cause people to point fingers at me?"
The Emperor merely wanted comfort.
The wet nurse quickly replied, "No, no, no, Your Majesty, please do not think that way. It is the Empress Dowager who lacked the fortune. She has been overly worried and restless in her sleep these days. We have constantly advised her, but she is a person of deep thoughts and truly cannot be persuaded. How can the sudden onset of heart palpitations be predicted by others? It is simply that the Empress Dowager lacked the fortune to wait for her children and grandchildren to show more filial piety. Your Majesty must not blame yourself."
The Emperor seemed relieved, and Song Chaoyu could only feel that fate was playing tricks.
The Empress Dowager had held on for so long, only to die from a bout of heart palpitations!
She ultimately did not get to wait. Then her words about never wanting to see her again might just come true?
Despite this thought, Song Chaoyu still had to put on a sad expression.
Now that the external affairs were all settled, the next step was to clean up the mess.
Mu Changxi had no intention of getting involved in these matters and simply returned all the power in his hands to the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince still wanted Mu Changxi's help, but Mu Changxi declined, saying he needed to bring the two children back, and the King's residence needed to be thoroughly cleaned. Moreover, with the Empress Dowager's passing, they also needed to prepare for the national mourning.
The Emperor did not try to keep Mu Changxi. He probably wished he could strip Mu Changxi of all his power. However, out of consideration for the Crown Prince, he could not and dared not do so.
But he no longer gave Mu Changxi a good look, and even neglected the Imperial Consort.
Fortunately, the Imperial Consort's health was gradually improving. She had anticipated reaching this point with the Emperor from the day she sent Qianshan to the Southern Kingdom in Mu Changxi's stead.
Therefore, the Imperial Consort's side had no particular emotional turmoil, and her days passed as usual.
Song Chaoyu could not bother with so much. Her only thought now was to return to their home with Mu Changxi as soon as possible!
Song Chaoyu could not remember how long it had been since she and Mu Changxi had returned to the Chang King's Residence.
Fortunately, this "war" in the capital had not significantly affected the Chang King's Residence.
Inside the residence, there were only bloodstains on the eastern wall, and the main gate had a few knife marks. However, it seemed it had not been breached, and those attackers had given up on attacking the Chang King's Residence.
Song Chaoyu assumed that the people in the King's Residence had likely fled or dispersed.
When trouble occurred in the capital, everyone naturally had to flee for their lives.