Li Man'er rose and expressed her gratitude. Then she heard Emperor Chenghua say, "By imperial decree, the Eldest Princess Qi Luo, having failed the Emperor's grace, disregarded human life, and shown neither loyalty nor filial piety, shall have her clan registration revoked, her name removed from the lineage, and she is to be granted the order of suicide."
Li Man'er never imagined Emperor Chenghua would actually kill the Eldest Princess, and she was momentarily stunned.
"What, you think I am heartless?"
Li Man'er immediately bowed and said, "Anning dares not!"
"What do you dare not? I think both of you are incredibly audacious!"
Qi Yihan merely said, "If Your Majesty harbors suspicion, let it fall upon this subject alone. Anning is so innocent and sincere; do not break her heart."
Emperor Chenghua snorted, "Do not think your words will make me believe you. She is more cunning than anyone, and you have the nerve to call her innocent? Humph!"
Li Man'er did not understand their veiled exchange, but she vaguely felt that Emperor Chenghua was not truly angry and appeared to be fully in control and confident.
"Your Majesty, Anning is indeed sincere. If there is blame, it lies with this subject who cannot bear to see her grieve."
Li Man'er frowned. Even a blind person could see there was something amiss between these brothers, but she could not decipher their cryptic conversation, as if they had reached some agreement.
Li Man'er wisely remained silent, thinking she would ask Qi Yihan what was truly going on later.
Why was the Eldest Princess, who still had a sliver of hope, ordered to commit suicide?
"Anning!"
"This subject is here."
Emperor Chenghua rose and wiped his hands with a handkerchief. "Your mother's unjust case has been redressed. Are you satisfied now?"
Li Man'er could only kneel, assuming Emperor Chenghua's words were for her own sake.
"This subject humbly thanks Your Majesty for your heavenly grace."
"If you are willing, visit the palace often and help this old body recuperate."
Li Man'er was filled with suspicion but still agreed, "This subject obeys."
"Rise! The Empress Dowager also misses you greatly. Go see her in her palace and, by the way, inform her of the decree just issued."
"Yes!"
Emperor Chenghua waved his hand, "Go!" He then chuckled twice before saying, "She must be getting impatient."
Li Man'er did not know what he was referring to; he seemed almost delirious.
Li Man'er and Qi Yihan quietly withdrew, neither speaking. They followed the eunuch who led them to the Empress Dowager.
Upon reaching the inner palace, Qi Yihan had to avoid suspicion. Unless specifically summoned, he, as a man, could not enter.
At this moment, the Empress Dowager clearly did not wish to see him and had him barred from the inner court.
Li Man'er reassured him and gave him a look that meant "do not act rashly" before going to see the Empress Dowager.
It was still the same palace, the same layout, the same people, yet the entire atmosphere had changed significantly. The palace, which had once felt warm and resplendent, now seemed somewhat sinister. The Empress Dowager, who had always appeared benevolent, now looked like a withered old woman, completely devoid of spirit.
"This subject's daughter greets the Empress Dowager. May the Empress Dowager be in good health."
The Empress Dowager was not as warm as before, nor did she make things difficult for her. She simply said, "You may rise."
"Thank you, Empress Dowager."
"Xinzhu, fetch a chair for Princess Anning." The Empress Dowager's voice was languid, like that of an ordinary old woman, lacking any trace of authority.
A senior palace maid brought an embroidered stool and placed it beside Li Man'er.
"Sit."
Li Man'er bowed slightly before sitting down.
Xinzhu curtsied and led everyone out of the warm chamber, leaving only two maids to serve tea and water.
The warm chamber was quiet, with not a trace of hostility.
The Empress Dowager appeared to be in decent spirits, but her eyes lacked their former luster.
"You have just come from His Majesty's presence?"
"Yes."
The Empress Dowager nodded. "Have you seen the memorial submitted by the Dali Temple?"
"Replying to the Empress Dowager, I have."
"Indeed, I have also seen it. It is well-reasoned, with witnesses and evidence complete." The Empress Dowager sighed softly. "Has His Majesty made a decision?"
"Yes." Li Man'er's expression was impassive, her state of mind significantly changed from before.
The Empress Dowager narrowed her eyes. "Let me guess His Majesty's thoughts."
Li Man'er looked up, her brow furrowing slightly. "Empress Dowager..."
The Empress Dowager waved her hand. "For the deeds of Qi Luo, she could be killed or spared. But I suspect my son will certainly issue an order for her death. Is that correct?"
"Correct." The Empress Dowager's reaction was far less than Li Man'er had anticipated. "Your Majesty has guessed correctly. Before this subject arrived, His Majesty just issued the decree to revoke her clan registration, remove her name from the lineage, and grant her the order of suicide."
"As expected of the former Emperor's son, his methods are swift and decisive, without any indecisiveness. He is very much like the former Emperor."
Why did she feel a hint of relief?
"Then, why do you think His Majesty insisted on ordering Qi Luo to commit suicide?" The Empress Dowager's tone remained even, but her gaze held a penetrating quality, as if she wanted to see into Li Man'er's heart.
"This subject believes that His Majesty's outrage and the order for the Eldest Princess's death were not due to the matter concerning this subject's mother."
"Oh?" The Empress Dowager seemed intrigued, a slight smile playing on her lips. "Now that you mention it, I am curious. Tell me about it."
"As the Empress Dowager said, the Eldest Princess, as the former Emperor's eldest legitimate daughter, the things she did, whether it was bearing a child out of wedlock or murder, were not particularly serious offenses. If His Majesty had intended to cover it up, the Eldest Princess would not have lost her life. Perhaps in the end, she would have received nothing more than a few stern reprimands."
The Empress Dowager coldly appraised her, as if only now discovering Li Man'er's unique qualities.
"Previously, this subject also did not understand clearly. It was only when I came to the Empress Dowager's presence that I finally saw some things clearly."
The Empress Dowager appeared somewhat surprised. "Tell me."
"This matter dates back more than ten years." Li Man'er spoke calmly. "After my mother's death, the Empress Dowager, out of pity, decreed a marriage and betrothed this subject to the young Duke of the Rongguo Mansion. This seemed like an act of pity for this subject, orphaned at birth, and a reward for the Ning family's loyalty. In reality, the Empress Dowager already knew the truth, knowing that my mother was killed by the Eldest Princess, which is why she tightly linked my fate with the Eldest Princess."
The Empress Dowager nodded. "Correct."
This was a clever move. If this matter had remained buried forever, it would have been seen as imperial favor and compensation for her. Perhaps no one had expected Li Man'er to become so outstanding? With the original body's intelligence, she had indeed played herself to death and would have been able to uncover the truth of her mother's murder more than a decade ago?
"This subject speculates that this matter was insignificant to the royal family, to His Majesty. Therefore, what truly made His Majesty decisive was something else."
"For example?"
Li Man'er blinked, her long eyelashes like two feather fans. "Shouldn't you be the one to ask? If not for you, why would the Eldest Princess have lost her life?"
"Presumptuous!"
"How dare you!"
The two palace maids left in the warm chamber immediately reprimanded her.
To everyone's surprise, the Empress Dowager actually laughed.