Chapter 182
Chapter 182
[Rebellion Beats Harem Intrigue – 3]
Except for Ying Zheng, the emperors all lived after the Han and knew Lü Zhi and her achievements.
Emperor Gaozu did not understand and quietly asked Li Shimin. After a brief explanation, he nodded. “So she was the female ruler of Han who governed for years as Empress Dowager. My respects.”
Then he noticed something. “Shi Huang, you met her?”
Remembering his homeland, Ying Zheng looked complicated. “Qin and Han were close. Liu Bang was only three years younger than me. In the Underworld I met Fusu and Huhai, as well as Liu Bang and Lü Zhi. I may have seen that couple more often than Liu Che did. By the time he arrived, Liu Bang had gone traveling and Empress Lü had reincarnated…”
Liu Che descended not from Lü Zhi but Lady Bo. In kinship, Lü Zhi stood at his great-grandmother’s generation.
An ordinary man meeting his great-grandmother in another life might feel awkward or delight in reversed generations. These emperors cared little for such labels. After surprise, Liu Che became delighted.
The white silk suggested the Zhou Family was doomed. That originally had nothing to do with Liu Che, except he was now its patriarch and father of three pitiful daughters.
Of course he must find a solution.
Better others perish than his family.
Since learning the plot, he had planned rebellion. The Crown Princess, noble and inside the palace, should be his best ally. But rebellion was grave, and one mistake ruined everything. He dared not move before understanding her character. Now he knew she was Empress Lü reborn…
Easy. Barely worth mentioning!
He even wondered what had truly happened without his arrival.
The silk said the Crown Prince made the brothel woman Empress. Therefore, he successfully ascended, while the former Crown Princess did not become Empress.
Two suns could not share Heaven; two rulers could not share a realm. One throne had to fall before another rose.
Perhaps Zhou Wan, the former Crown Princess, secretly contributed. She had motive, was Zhou Xuan’s full sister, and most importantly…
She was Lü Zhi!
A formidable woman remembered by history could never be ordinary.
Liu Che relaxed. The Zhou Family was powerful and had an ally of Lü Zhi’s caliber. Losing would be difficult. He only needed to learn his second daughter’s disposition.
As for the youngest…
Heaven be thanked if she caused no trouble.
After speaking with his eldest daughter for some time, a servant announced the Crown Prince’s return. Father and daughter went to welcome him. After bowing, Liu Che secretly studied his face and laughed silently in recognition.
These bitter enemies had somehow reincarnated together again!
The emperors saw his expression. “Liu Bang?”
They looked at Ying Zheng.
After examining the man, Ying Zheng nodded, then shook his head. “He resembles Liu Bang, but is not him.”
“Naturally,” Li Shimin said. “Liu Bang was shrewd. He would never install a brothel woman as Empress before securing the throne. Too stupid. Not him.”
Everyone believed Liu Bang favored Lady Qi. Men often liked beautiful concubines. But claiming he would disregard the realm for her was pure nonsense.
Liu Che felt no guilt about stealing a Crown Prince who resembled his ancestor. Even if it truly were Liu Bang, he would show no mercy.
How many generations separated them?
Besides, Liu Bang might have been a good emperor, but as husband and father he left little room for respect.
He treated the wife who cared for his parents without loyalty, kicked his children from a carriage while fleeing, considered sending his legitimate daughter to marry the Xiongnu at a concubine’s urging, and repeatedly tried to depose the heir, nearly making survival impossible for Empress Lü and her children…
During Liu Bang’s reign, palace politics centered on Empress Lü and her children against Lady Qi and her son. Lady Bo and Liu Heng were invisible background figures-but did anyone expect background figures to live comfortably?
Liu Bang had accumulated no virtue. Why expect descendants to revere him?
The emperors finally remembered the long-lost System and dragged it out. Emperor Gaozu produced sunflower seeds, and they sat around a table eating while listening.
The Crown Prince was the emperor’s eldest son but not legitimate. His mother held the high rank of Noble Consort, never Empress. Years ago, Consorts Liu and Chen became pregnant almost simultaneously. The emperor declared the firstborn son Crown Prince and his mother Empress.
During their confinements, the emperor left to worship the ancestors. Consort Liu gave birth prematurely to a son, then learned Consort Chen had sent assassins. To protect him, she hurriedly had a confidant smuggle the prince from the palace, then killed herself from fear of Chen’s torment. Consort Chen burned Liu’s palace to destroy evidence. Days later, she bore the current Crown Prince.
Returning, the emperor saw his beloved consort dead and knew something was suspicious. Yet to stabilize the court, he endured, made Chen’s son Crown Prince, but refused to make her Empress, leaving her Noble Consort.
The emperors fell silent.
Utterly absurd!
Ying Zheng said, “The emperor announced the eldest son would be heir and his mother Empress. Only two consorts were pregnant, so the future ruler was likely in one of them. Yet he placed no watchers beside either? Was his skull stuffed with straw?!”
Emperor Gaozu said, “Consort Liu bore the first son, thus the Crown Prince. If someone threatened him, protect him! Why send him away? Carry him to Consort Chen and say: someone falsely claims you intend to murder the heir, but I trust you. I have just given birth and cannot care for him, so please protect him. Would Consort Chen dare not guard him with her life?”
Zhu Di said, “Murdering the heir is a tremendous crime. The emperor suspected foul play yet swallowed it and made Chen’s son heir. How useless can an emperor be? Did he become emperor for decoration?!”
Li Shimin stared speechlessly. “Wet nurses and attendants are chosen before imperial births. Watch them constantly, eat and sleep together-how could Consort Chen strike? But Consort Liu sends her son to the streets and kills herself because she fears torture. What could Chen do, flay her? She is not Old Zhu!”
Zhu Yuanzhang rolled his eyes. “Chen is a consort, and so are you. You bore the Crown Prince. What are you afraid of? Fight! Can she personally stab you?”
After several silent seconds, they said together, “Given this world, perhaps she can!”
The Crown Prince was Consort Chen’s son. The beggar Zhou Xuan married was likely Consort Liu’s lost prince. Since the emperor had declared the firstborn heir, the lost son’s return could indeed drag the Crown Prince from his position.
Liu Che’s gaze swept imperceptibly over the Crown Prince and his wife.
Both wore splendid robes and possessed similar noble refinement. Their interactions were harmonious, but lacked intimacy and marital affection.
Liu Che did not know how far the plot had progressed and dared not move rashly. After dining in the Eastern Palace, he departed. Outside, he selected several fine gifts from those bestowed by the couple and summoned a confidant. “Visit the Marquis of Weining’s residence and deliver these to Second Miss. Say I miss her and she should come home when free.”
He wanted to assess his second daughter.
…
Seven or eight stewards stood in the front hall, hands lowered and silent as cicadas, awaiting the marchioness’s questions. Everyone knew their mistress was supremely clever and capable; no clue escaped her eyes.
Zhou Jing sat in a grand chair, reviewing ledgers while questioning them. She was perfectly calm, but the steward sweated and trembled, fearing an error and rebuke. Only when she said, “Handled well. Withdraw,” did he sigh in relief, answer respectfully, and back steadily from the room.
A maid brought tea and stood aside. Nanny Luo hurried in. “Madam, the Marquis has returned!”
Zhou Jing stacked the ledgers. “I know.”
Nanny Luo looked anxiously around and dismissed the servants. Once only Zhou Jing and several Zhou maids remained, she whispered, “The Marquis brought back a seductive woman. They say she is very beautiful!”
Zhou Jing said an indifferent “Oh.” Seeing Nanny Luo’s urgency, she laughed. “She is one woman, not a monster with three heads and six arms. What is there to fear?”
Nanny Luo finally understood what it meant for the eunuch to worry while the emperor did not. “The Marquis never approaches women. Apart from several chambermaids taken before marriage, he has no one. Now he returns from official business with a woman. Are you not afraid?!”
“Nanny, you think too much and create your own worries.”
Zhou Jing rose calmly. “I always knew men like Father were rare. The Marquis does not have one heart solely for me. Since I never expected it, I cannot fear heartbreak.”
She extended a hand for Nanny Luo to support. “I want a peaceful life, not romance. So long as the Marquis does not violate the rules, I will fulfill my duties as Marchioness of Weining.”
Nanny Luo thought her young mistress too innocent. Her father took no concubines, so the Zhou household had no harem battles. Raised in honey, how could Zhou Jing understand their terror?
She urged, “Let us observe first. Do not lose your temper and intimidate that woman. If the Marquis sees it, he will favor her from the start. We must proceed gradually! You saw how the Countess of Cheng’an fought her husband over a concubine until they became strangers, while a son and daughter died in the inner household. In the end, women suffer most…”
Zhou Jing shook her head with pity and disapproval. “Why could the Countess not understand? If something is wrong, what use is attacking the concubine? It merely scratches an itch through a boot.”
She waved her round fan and smiled charmingly. “A concubine creates trouble only because a foolish man supports her. Quietly killing the Count of Cheng’an would solve the problem most efficiently!”