Feng Yinwan hadn't anticipated this turn of events, and her heart faltered upon hearing it, her gaze towards the Emperor now tinged with apprehension.
The art of kingship was ever-shifting and unpredictable, making it impossible to discern truth from falsehood. And as Feng Jingyuan had said, the Emperor's previous attitude towards the Feng family had not been entirely clear, which naturally made her more wary.
As she was contemplating this, the young eunuch left by Ye Tingyun hurried in. Seeing the Emperor awake, he immediately knelt down in shock.
After offering several apologies, he looked up at Feng Yinwan and reported,
"General Song has returned."
The Emperor was awake, and Song Qing'an's return was timely.
Feng Yinwan's eyes flickered for a moment upon hearing this, and she said, "Have him come to the sleeping quarters quickly."
When Song Qing'an arrived, Feng Yinwan had already explained the current situation to the Emperor.
Seeing that the Emperor was awake, he instinctively glanced at Feng Yinwan before stepping forward to bow.
"Your subject has already moved troops into the city and positioned them around the palace, ready to be deployed at your command."
The Imperial Guards were limited in number, and with these preparations, it could be considered foolproof.
The Emperor nodded with a solemn expression. Before he could speak, he heard Song Qing'an continue with a grave tone,
"While out of the city, this subject also learned something else."
The Emperor's eyes tightened almost imperceptibly. "Speak."
"The soldiers of Yue Kingdom are advancing aggressively. They are being guided by remnants of rebels, and their rear supply line is well-provisioned. Our forces are struggling to resist, and the passes ahead... are likely to fall soon."
From Yuzhou into the capital, the terrain was mostly flat and vast, ideal for large armies to advance.
If the passes were breached, the Yue Kingdom forces would undoubtedly advance unimpeded, directly threatening the imperial city.
The current situation was more urgent than anticipated, and time was running out for them to resolve internal strife.
The Emperor's face grew solemn. After a moment of deep thought, he finally looked up at Feng Yinwan.
"As you said, we will deal with everything."
...
Having not slept all night, the Empress remained by Ye Tingzhu's side.
At dawn, the Xianghun Yin in Ye Tingzhu's body finally subsided. The Empress breathed a sigh of relief, but as she rose, a commotion erupted outside.
"Your Majesty."
Gao Gonggong's voice came from beyond the chamber door. The Empress paused upon hearing it and immediately asked,
"What is it?"
There was a slight pause outside, followed by a low voice, "The Emperor has passed away."
These four short words caused the Empress's eyes to snap open, and she took several hurried steps outward.
This was news she had long awaited, and now it had finally come!
She quickened her pace to the chamber door, then suppressed the excitement in her voice, and ordered, "Immediately announce this to the inner palace! Tell everyone to gather in the sleeping quarters. I will be there shortly!"
Ye Tingzhu had already shown signs of waking. By the time they brought the imperial decree to the sleeping quarters, the Empress Dowager and the other consorts were already waiting.
The Empress entered from outside the chamber and went straight to examine the Emperor's condition.
A heavy atmosphere filled the hall, and the consorts' weeping was mournful. Yet, the Empress's eyes glinted with calculation, while her face remained remarkably calm.
Annoyed by the noise, she frowned and reprimanded coldly.
"Enough! All this wailing and lamenting is mere pretense. If you disturb His Majesty's rest, I will, as per his decree, have you accompany the Emperor in death!"
The Jing Dynasty had no custom of concubines being buried alive with the emperor. Hearing her speak such words, everyone immediately dared not make a sound.
The Empress Dowager, already displeased with her actions, her face instantly darkened with anger.
"Empress, you show no sorrow at the Emperor's passing, yet you act so imperiously before the chamber. If it were I who were weeping, would you also have me buried with him!"
Her words carried great authority, but the Empress showed no flicker of emotion.
"Mother, you misunderstand your concubine. Your Emperor and I were husband and wife. How could I not be sad at his passing? It is simply that my sorrow lies within my heart and has not been outwardly displayed."
She then swept her gaze over everyone, her eyes disdainful. "I am the Empress and bear the responsibility for the entire inner palace. If I were to weep like others at this moment, how could I stabilize the inner palace and arrange for His Majesty's funeral rites?"
"Moreover, His Majesty left behind an imperial decree, secretly ordering me to read it at this time. Therefore, I must maintain my composure. I beg for your understanding, Mother."
As she spoke, she gestured for Gao Gonggong to bring out the imperial decree. No one knew of this development, and a murmur swept through the hall.
The Empress Dowager's gaze fixed on her, then intently on the imperial decree for a few moments before she fell silent.
The decree had been altered according to the Empress's wishes, and it naturally leaned heavily in favor of her and Ye Tingzhu.
After Gao Gonggong finished reading, the Empress triumphantly put away the decree. Her gaze met the Empress Dowager's displeased expression, and a subtle challenge arose.
"Mother, I know you favor Prince Yun, but the Emperor's will cannot be defied, and this decree is as it is; I cannot change it."
"I see Prince Yun's filial piety is commendable, and he may be unable to accept the Emperor's passing at this time. Furthermore, Consort Li is frail and cannot withstand any hardship. Why not let him remain in Linghua Palace to pray for blessings? What do you think, Mother?"
By using Consort Li as leverage, Ye Tingyun would naturally be forced to comply.
The Empress Dowager looked at her with cold fury. Before she could speak, Ye Tingzhu, standing beside the Empress, suddenly turned pale and then collapsed straight to the ground.
This unexpected turn of events caused the Empress to turn and look. Her face instantly contorted in shock.
"Zhu'er!"
Ye Tingzhu fell to the ground. Within moments, black blood began to pour uncontrollably from his mouth.
His body convulsed, and he was on the verge of losing his life. Seeing this, the Empress screamed like a madwoman.
"Imperial physicians! Quickly find imperial physicians!"
The eunuchs moved to go, but their speed was insufficient. Before they could rush out of the chamber, Ye Tingzhu had already breathed his last, his movements completely ceasing.
"No—"
The Empress clutched Ye Tingzhu tightly, her expression almost distorted. "What is happening? What exactly is happening?!"
Hadn't the Xianghun Yin in his body already been resolved?
How could this happen!
Unable to accept Ye Tingzhu's sudden death, she was consumed by rage, her mind becoming somewhat unclear.
Just as everyone was astonished by this turn of events, a commotion suddenly erupted from outside the hall. The Imperial Guards, who had been standing by, now surged in, swords drawn, surrounding everyone.
Gasps of alarm filled the hall. The Empress's consciousness was partially restored, and she froze upon seeing this.
Still wondering if she had not ordered them to be summoned, a figure appeared at the chamber entrance.
The morning sun shone brightly, and the figure slowly walked in against the light. The Empress's eyes followed intently, but upon recognizing the attire, her body stiffened with a jolt.
"You?!"
Everyone followed her gaze upwards and saw that the person entering through the doorway was none other than Consort Yu, who had disappeared for several days.