The emperor did not die.
Zhu Min left him with a breath of life, to watch with wide eyes as his empire collapsed from within and without, as everything his late father had painstakingly built for him vanished into thin air.
After stimulating the emperor, the two embarked on their journey home.
For the next year and more, the south progressed smoothly on the righteous path, with all walks of life – scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants – rapidly rising, presenting a scene of universal harmony. Sudan Fiction Network.
As for the capital, there were a few brief periods of stability, but before they could consolidate their efforts to attack the south, it would descend into chaos again.
In the initial struggle between the Third and Fifth Princes, the Fifth Prince was defeated, and thus his faction, along with his maternal clan, saw hundreds of their members executed.
The Third Prince had barely become Crown Prince when the Fourth Prince, supporting his son who was less than a year old, engaged in further conflict. He too was ultimately defeated, and along with his infant son, was beheaded and displayed publicly.
After executing two princes in succession, the collateral royalty and nobility in the capital could no longer bear it. Several princes, including the Prince of Qin and various princes and heirs apparent, took up arms under the banner of "clearing the sovereign's surroundings," intending to kill the Empress. The Third Prince also sought to betray her, and a new conflict ensued.
During all this, the fate of the former Crown Prince, who had already been deposed, went unknown even in death.
After the Crown Prince was deposed, the Crown Princess, along with their child, returned to her powerful maternal family. Initially, the Crown Prince's residence still had some servants and concubines, but as the situation in the capital grew increasingly dire, they fled with their gold and silver.
No one knew when they had left. After about a month, someone broke into the Crown Prince's residence to steal, and it was then discovered that the deposed Crown Prince was dead. By the time he was found, his body had already decomposed beyond recognition.
This minor incident was disregarded, and his body was unceremoniously buried in a mass grave.
The royal nobles advanced with fierce intent, but the Empress was not to be trifled with. She first deposed the Third Prince, who was showing signs of rebellion, and then had the families of those who sought to "rebel" arrested.
To those willing to surrender, she would execute the ringleaders and spare their families. Conversely, she would kill all the family members and pursue the ringleaders.
Her ruthlessness was such that any official or noble in the capital rumored to be plotting rebellion or posing a threat to her was subject to her decree of "better to kill a thousand wrongly than let one go." Executions of entire families were commonplace, and several high-ranking officials were subjected to the extermination of their nine generations.
Her reputation was no less than that of Baili Chongyan in the past, and she soon became known to the common people as the "Demon Empress."
In stark contrast to the peaceful and prosperous lives of the southern populace, the capital was a land of suffocating gloom and suffering.
As for who the emperor was, perhaps only the south still remembered him.
Baili Chongyan had vowed to make the emperor watch his sons die in agony and his empire tear itself apart. Those under his command certainly would not let the emperor die easily.
The Empress forgot about the emperor, and the palace servants paid him no mind. However, Baili Chongyan's people continued to care for him daily, serving him good food and drink, keeping him alive with ginseng soup. Every day, they would regale him with stories of the events in the capital and the Empress's deeds.
The emperor was almost choked to death with rage.
But Baili Chongyan did not want him dead. His subordinates would replenish him thrice a day and five days a great deal, ensuring he could not die even if he wanted to.
The situation took a turn when the Empress sent people to the former Crown Princess's family to seize her.
She could not ascend the throne herself and intended to continue finding a puppet. When someone mentioned the former Crown Princess of the Wang family, she dispatched men to "invite" the imperial grandson back.
The Wang family was an ancient and influential clan, not easily swayed. They refused entry to her envoys and publicly denounced her as a "Demon Empress," declaring that the Wang family would never allow themselves to be bullied by her.
Having offended the Empress, the Wang family turned to the south for help.
The envoy sent was Wang Jing Shu, the second daughter of the Wang family, who had once been renowned throughout the land.
Upon hearing of the Wang family's visit, the expressions of Baili Chongyan's entourage soured.
Song Fang Hua, who was already married to Zhang Yi Cheng, inquired further upon receiving the news and learned that Wang Jing Shu and Baili Chongyan had once been betrothed.
However, after Baili Chongyan was severely injured, the Wang family had unilaterally broken off the engagement.
Over the years, Wang Jing Shu had remained unmarried. Now, with the Wang family sending her to plead their case, it was clear her intentions were far from solely about seeking aid.
Furious, Song Fang Hua stormed off to confront the Duke and Duchess Yan.
At that very moment, the couple was meeting with Wang Jing Shu.
As the once-famous Miss Shu of the Wang family, Wang Jing Shu was of the highest caliber in both appearance and talent. She was neither humble nor arrogant, and her demeanor towards the couple was impeccable.
"I beg Your Highness to protect the Wang family. The Wang family is willing to retire from public life henceforth, never to emerge again, and certainly will not interfere in imperial affairs."
"Whether you interfere or not, what concern is it of mine?"
Baili Chongyan was entirely indifferent to the fate of the Wang family. The Wang family's ambition to make their daughter the Crown Princess meant they had to bear the consequences of the Crown Prince's failed bid for succession. This was but a fair exchange.
He saw no need to involve himself in this matter.
Wang Jing Shu's expression turned grim.
The Wang family had always been a prominent aristocratic clan in Da Sheng. Many scholars nationwide were disciples of the Wang family. The civil and military officials in the imperial court, the women in the inner palace, and the ladies in various mansions – how many of them had ties to the Wang family?
Their influence was deeply entrenched and their power substantial.
Yet, they were now unable to contend with a mere Empress and could only seek help from Baili Chongyan.
She had originally believed he would be moved, but Baili Chongyan remained utterly unmoved.
"Is Your Highness angered by this humble woman's breaking of the engagement in the past?"