"Go tell Prime Minister Bai that he must find out all the secrets of the Wei family. I want to see what these parasites, whom I've nurtured for twenty years, have been up to behind my back!"
"Yes, Father Emperor."
Ever since he fell ill, the First Prince had been diligently by his side, disregarding his own injuries.
The events at Fahua Temple had been clearly witnessed by those placed in the grand hall by Emperor Qi. The First Prince had indeed saved him.
Therefore, Emperor Qi's trust in the First Prince was now unprecedented.
The Empress was also overjoyed. Before she and her son could even mention it, Emperor Qi had proactively spoken of establishing a Crown Prince.
And the First Prince was the obvious choice.
"When my illness has recovered, I will issue a decree to appoint you as Crown Prince, to oversee state affairs on my behalf and to purge the court!"
The First Prince feigned apprehension. Although the position of Crown Prince was something he had sought for many years, this sudden stroke of good fortune still surprised him, especially after witnessing the Ninth Prince commit suicide by poison.
He couldn't help but wonder, was his father's favor truly favor?
Or was there some calculation behind it?
Thus, he dared not agree readily, and with utmost trepidation, he hoped Emperor Qi would retract his command.
This demeanor, however, only increased Emperor Qi's favor towards him.
"You are my legitimate son, and also my eldest. You have also given me my first imperial grandson. In terms of legitimacy, seniority, and virtue, this position belongs to no one but you. What you need to do now is not to refuse, but to assist me well and manage the empire of Great Jin even better."
The First Prince frowned. Never before had the position of Crown Prince felt so hot to the touch.
But at this moment, he had no better reason to refuse, so he could only grit his teeth and agree.
Thus, although the imperial decree had not yet been drafted, its intent was known to many, including the Empress.
"Your Highness, our Prince is finally going to be the Crown Prince!"
The wet nurse beside the Empress wept with joy. They had waited for thirty years, thirty years, and finally, this moment had arrived.
Once the position of Crown Prince was solidified, the Pang clan would have the possibility of rising!
Therefore, everyone in Changle Palace was overjoyed.
The Empress was also tearfully happy, wishing the decree could be announced to the public right now.
However, there was still one urgent matter they needed to attend to: sending Noble Consort Wei in the cold palace on her way.
"Such good news, of course, must be shared with Sister Wei. Otherwise, after a lifetime of struggle without a clear victor, wouldn't she die with regrets?"
"Your Highness speaks wisely! This old servant will go and prepare."
The Empress personally brought the poisoned wine to the cold palace, her purpose understood by all.
The decree of賜死 (forced suicide) had been spoken by His Majesty. Who would dare to stop it? Who could say no?
If Consort Zhen were still alive, she would likely have cowered in her palace, unwilling to utter a word. If even she was like this, what about others?
In the cold palace, Noble Consort Wei had been subsisting on leftovers for a long time. Fortunately, it was midsummer, otherwise, she would have frozen to death.
With a creak, the door opened.
Noble Consort Wei's quarters had not been visited for a long time. The sudden arrival of such a large group caught her by surprise.
"It's been many days, Sister Wei. Your beauty is still as exquisite."
It was the Empress who spoke. Knowing that Noble Consort Wei prided herself most on her unblemished appearance, she approached and immediately uttered a remark to provoke her.
After Noble Consort Wei was banished to the cold palace, the madness-inducing drug secretly administered to her was stopped. Thus, she was sometimes lucid and sometimes delirious.
At this moment, she was lucid.
Upon seeing that it was the Empress, and that the accompanying palace maids were carrying poisoned wine, she let out a scornful smile.
"This concubine cannot compare to Your Highness's aging beauty. Even in defeat, I was once a beauty renowned throughout the six palaces. As for Your Highness, until death, you will only be known for your virtue. The word 'beauty' was never yours, nor will it ever be."
"How dare you! How dare you speak to Her Highness the Empress like that? Are you tired of living?"
"Hahahaha, didn't you bring poisoned wine? My life ends today regardless, why should I fear you?"
Although Noble Consort Wei was now imprisoned, her demeanor in speaking was as imposing as that of a noble consort in her prime, which earned the Empress a measure of respect.
Stopping the wet nurse who was about to speak again, the Empress seemed unconcerned.
"Sister, you speak the truth. In the past, I could not compare to your beautiful countenance. Even my son was not as handsome as your Ninth Prince. However, whether one is handsome or not is no longer important. He committed patricide and rebellion, and has already been granted death by His Majesty. The entire Wei family has also been executed and exiled. What use is beauty now?"
"What did you say!"
Noble Consort Wei was astonished. She had never imagined that her father and son would leave before her. Overcome with grief and anger, she spat out a mouthful of blood. Her eyes, like poisoned daggers, fixed on the Empress, and she gritted her teeth, saying:
"It was you! You framed my father and my son! Wasn't it! Wasn't it!"
"Sister, you think too highly of this empress. What the Ninth Prince and the Wei family did in secret, do you not know? Their current fate is entirely their own doing, what does it have to do with me? As for this Ninth Prince, who constantly harbored improper desires, you certainly contributed a great deal, didn't you?"
Hearing her words, Noble Consort Wei was filled with both urgency and anger.
Pointing at the Empress, she began to curse loudly:
"Bah! What kind of person are you? An orphan of the Pang family. If not for the sake of reputation, His Majesty would have divorced you long ago. Look at how you've lived the past few decades, relying on others for sustenance. If I had dashed my head against a wall earlier, I wouldn't be here today, arguing with you! It's truly laughable."
"Yes, but here I am, living well. My son is about to be made Crown Prince, while you are only fit to be sent on your way with a pot of poisoned wine from me. Go and reunite with your father and son in the underworld. .oγg"
"Poisonous woman! Poisonous woman!"
Noble Consort Wei continued to curse, but the palace maids beside the Empress no longer allowed her such insolence. They stepped forward and slapped her several times, leaving her dizzy. Several of them then grabbed her and forced the pot of poisoned wine down her throat.
"I heard this poisoned wine causes the intestines to rupture and death. I cannot bear to watch. Sister, may you have a good journey on the road to the underworld. In your next life, choose your spouse with brighter eyes, and don't be a concubine again, don't you agree."
With that, the Empress turned and left, leaving behind the back of a victor.
Noble Consort Wei was left behind in the cold palace, writhing on the ground, feeling her life ebb away bit by bit.
The next day, a palace maid reported that Noble Consort Wei was truly dead and asked how to proceed.
The Empress smiled faintly, while having her hair and makeup done, she instructed on how to handle the matter.
"Someone died in the cold palace. Handle it as they normally would. However, one thing: do not leave her body intact. I want her to have no peace even in death!"
A sharp glint flashed in her eyes. The hatred she had harbored for the Wei family for many years was finally relieved at this moment.