Jin Xiao hailed from a merchant background, and merchants were known for their focus on profit and their ability to adapt to circumstances. As long as Nan Gong Yi was captured, the Jin family would not dare to resist. The Crown Prince's gaze then fell upon the Minister of Works.
"Minister Xing, do you have anything to say?"
"This humble official has nothing to say." Minister Xing replied respectfully. Everyone knew the Crown Prince intended to make an example of someone, and he lacked the power to defy him. His only recourse was to submit and bide his time for a plan.
"General Zhou, are you glaring at this prince because you are dissatisfied with me?"
"Traitorous minister!" General Zhou rebuked, "You peddled official grain, plundered the people, causing widespread starvation in Jiang Zhou..."
"Widespread starvation!"
"Yes, widespread starvation!" General Zhou corrected himself. "You also engaged in debauchery in the Imperial Ancestral Temple, incurring divine punishment. You are a sinner, and instead of reflecting on your own faults, you intend to usurp the throne. You are utterly wicked!"
"This prince is utterly wicked?"
"Is he not?" General Zhou glared fiercely at the Crown Prince with his tiger-like eyes. "My Zhou family has served loyally for generations. We will never submit to the tyrannical power of a traitorous minister like you!"
"Very good, very good, you have backbone!" The Crown Prince applauded. "Guards, bring General Zhou's family here. I truly wish to see if Lord Zhou's family is as full of spirit and unyielding as he is!"
In just a moment, the guards dragged in Madame Zhou and Miss Zhou. Madame Zhou desperately shielded her daughter, while Miss Zhou was pale with fright, not understanding why they were being brought there.
"Madame, Xiang'er."
"Father, Father, save me quickly." Miss Zhou cried out.
General Zhou was furious. "You traitorous minister, may you die a horrible death!"
The Crown Prince sneered and ordered the Zhou family's women to be brought forward. "I did not wish to trouble you, but General Zhou insists on opposing me. Perhaps you can persuade him?"
Miss Zhou was about to beg for mercy when Madame Zhou covered her daughter's mouth and held her close. She looked towards General Zhou, who trembled and gritted his teeth, wanting to rush forward but being held back by the guards.
"General Zhou, I shall give you one last chance!" The Crown Prince drew the sword at his waist and placed it at Madame Zhou's neck. "Will you surrender or not?"
General Zhou closed his eyes, and two tears slid down his face. After a moment, he opened his eyes. "Even if you wish to exterminate my entire clan, I will not surrender to a traitorous minister. Kill me, torture me, do as you please. If you expect me to beg you on my knees, you can forget it!"
"Good, you have backbone!" The Crown Prince raised his sword and slashed down. Madame Zhou fell. Miss Zhou was utterly stunned. She was still young and did not want to die. She looked towards her father for help, but she never received his plea for mercy, even in death.
The Crown Prince's progress was not smooth. Most of the civil and military officials were not convinced. Only a few inconspicuous ministers had pledged their allegiance to the Crown Prince early on. The Empress was anxious.
"Guards, secure this place. No one is to enter or leave. Anyone who dares to trespass will be killed without mercy!"
"Yes."
The Empress left Xingqing Palace and headed directly for the Empress Dowager's Cining Palace. At this moment, to stabilize the situation, the only way was to ask the Empress Dowager to come out and support the Crown Prince's ascension. Only then would the Crown Prince be the legitimate emperor.
In Cining Palace, the Empress Dowager was chanting scriptures and meditating in a small Buddhist hall. When the Empress entered with her entourage, the Empress Dowager did not stop. One hand twirled prayer beads, the other struck a wooden fish, and she chanted scriptures.
"Your humble servant pays respects to Her Imperial Majesty the Empress Dowager." The Empress performed an elegant and composed bow. "His Majesty is gravely ill and unable to attend to state affairs. The country cannot be without a ruler for a single day, and the Crown Prince is the heir apparent appointed by His Majesty. I implore Her Imperial Majesty the Empress Dowager to come forward and assist the Crown Prince."
The Empress Dowager continued to strike the wooden fish, not replying. The Empress sat beside her. "Her Imperial Majesty the Empress Dowager, Minister Jin and his eldest son, Jin Da Gongzi, are currently in Qianqing Hall. Do you not wish to see them?"
Some time ago, rumors had spread throughout the capital that the Empress Dowager and Minister Jin had a private affair and had a son together. That son was the eldest son of the Jin family, Jin Yu.
The Empress Dowager stopped striking the wooden fish. "Empress, are you threatening the wrong person?"
"Your Imperial Majesty the Empress Dowager, how could this humble servant threaten the wrong person? It is widely rumored that when Her Imperial Majesty the Empress Dowager resided in the imperial villa, she had an affair with Minister Jin..."
"Presumptuous!" The Empress Dowager reprimanded. "This is slander!"
"Flies do not land on a seamless egg. If Her Imperial Majesty the Empress Dowager had nothing to hide, why would such rumors spread?" the Empress said softly. "Or do you wish for this humble servant to bring you the head of Jin Da Gongzi?"
The Empress Dowager frowned. "Empress, do you know that what you are doing is treason?"
"As long as my son ascends the throne, I will be the venerable Empress Dowager," the Empress said softly.
"His Majesty has not treated you poorly."
"He has not treated me poorly; he has suppressed me everywhere. Now he even intends to depose my son. He has truly not treated me poorly!" The Empress's expression turned cold. She swept the wooden fish from the table onto the ground. "Your Imperial Majesty the Empress Dowager, please accompany me. No matter who becomes emperor, you will still be the Grand Empress Dowager. Why must you protect the Emperor? The Emperor has very little time left!"
The Empress Dowager remained unmoved. "Empress, it is not too late to turn back now!"
"Turn back?" the Empress scoffed. "Empress Dowager, I advise you to accompany me obediently, or if you anger me, you will suffer!"
"What, you intend to kill this old woman?"
"This humble servant has received much care from Your Imperial Majesty the Empress Dowager over the years," the Empress whispered into the Empress Dowager's ear. "If you help my son ascend the throne, then you will be the venerable Grand Empress Dowager. If you refuse, then the Empress Dowager dies suddenly, and I doubt anyone will investigate."
The Empress Dowager heard this and could not stop her cold laughter. "I wish to see His Majesty."
"No hurry, when the time comes for you to see him, you will," the Empress said calmly. "Now, please accompany me to Qianqing Hall and tell the civil and military officials that you support the Crown Prince's ascension!"
"What if I do not agree?"
Upon hearing this, the Empress slowly stood up, showed the Empress Dowager a gentle smile, and then slapped the Empress Dowager fiercely across the face, knocking her to the ground. "You old hag, I have tolerated you for a long time! Today, you will go whether you want to or not!"
The Empress Dowager covered her face, remaining silent. The Empress, for the sake of her son, was disregarding everything. The State Uncle's mansion must be supporting the Empress from behind the scenes. One wondered how much confidence Yi'er had.
"Your Imperial Majesty the Empress Dowager, are you alright?" The wet nurse quickly helped the Empress Dowager. "Your Imperial Majesty the Empress, how could you treat Her Imperial Majesty the Empress Dowager like this?"
"She is used to acting imperiously in the harem and does not know that the situation has changed. Let alone hitting her, even if I killed her today, no one could do anything to me!"