Snow Country Phoenix Nest Palace
A palace maid glanced outside, immediately closed the palace doors, and hurried over to the Empress, who had been sitting still for a long time. She whispered, "Your Highness, the ministers are all kneeling outside."
The Empress slowly raised her head, her expression full of grief, her eyes revealing immense sorrow.
The palace maid was startled. She heard the Empress's voice, very faint, "What does it have to do with me that they are all kneeling? My son will not return..."
News of the Snow Country Crown Prince's death in the Barren Marsh reached the palace, nearly causing the Empress to faint. If not for the Emperor's lingering illness, she might not have held on until now.
Now, rumors had leaked, and the ministers wanted a definitive answer.
However, the Empress had sealed the Phoenix Nest Palace doors, refusing to see anyone and revealing no information.
But the ministers were anxious. This matter concerned the state of the nation. If the Crown Prince had truly died in the Barren Marsh, it would not only be a cause for national mourning but also have immense implications with the Barren Marsh itself.
Therefore, the ministers knelt and pleaded with the Empress to emerge and provide an accurate account.
The Junwang of Snow Mountain County in Liuzhou and the Junwang of Xuejing in Wuzhou both returned to the palace.
The Junwang of Xuefu was under house arrest and was not permitted to return without an imperial decree.
However, the Junwang of Snow Mountain County in Liuzhou and the Junwang of Xuejing in Wuzhou were not under house arrest and were allowed to return.
If the Crown Prince were dead, the sky of the Snow Country would likely change.
The Junwang of Snow Mountain County looked at the sealed Phoenix Nest Palace, his gaze deepening. He called to a nearby palace maid and said, "Please ask Consort Liu to pay respects to Her Highness the Empress."
The palace maid nodded and left.
The Junwang of Xuejing, standing on the other side, saw the subtle action of the Junwang of Snow Mountain County. An official beside him asked, "Your Highness, the Junwang of Snow Mountain County has already begun to act. Should you...?"
The Junwang of Xuejing was dismissive, "What's the rush?"
With the Crown Prince dead, only he and the Junwang of Snow Mountain County could participate in the succession. His mother was the Imperial Noble Consort, while the Junwang of Snow Mountain County's mother was merely a consort.
His maternal family was his vast support.
His cousin, Mo Ran, was the prefect of the capital, and the commander of the Imperial Guard, Qin Zhaohui, was the younger brother of his second cousin's wife. It was no exaggeration to say that the capital was practically his family's domain.
Therefore, he was in no hurry. He would wait to see how the Junwang of Snow Mountain County would stir things up.
Waiting to reap the benefits was his specialty.
Soon, Consort Liu arrived at the Phoenix Nest Palace. She glanced at the Junwang of Snow Mountain County, and she too knew that the Crown Prince had died in the Barren Marsh, the Snow Emperor was gravely ill, and the court was in chaos. If her son were to be enfeoffed as Crown Prince, then she would become the Empress, or even the Empress Dowager.
Thinking of being able to step on Sun Xin'an's head, she was more than happy to see it.
Back then, she was the first to enter the prince's mansion. The prince was made Crown Prince, and Sun Xin'an became the Crown Princess. The secondary consort was the illegitimate daughter of the Mo family, while she, the legitimate daughter of the Liu family, had become a concubine. How could she be content?
Now was her time to hold her head high.
"Your Highness the Empress, this concubine has come to pay her respects," Consort Liu called out from outside.
There was no response from within. Consort Liu's gaze turned cold, and she said to the palace maid beside her, "Push it open."
The two palace maids trembled slightly. Consort Liu was so angered she almost kicked them, muttering, "Useless."
Consort Liu stepped forward and pushed open the palace doors with her hands, only to be met with a slap before she could react.
Consort Liu, caught off guard, received the slap squarely, making her stumble back several steps.
"Audacious..." The Junwang of Snow Mountain County rushed forward and kicked the palace maid who had struck.
The palace maid was kicked to her knees. The Junwang of Snow Mountain County seemed unsatisfied and kicked her again in the chest. His strength was immense, and the palace maid spat out a mouthful of blood.
The Junwang of Snow Mountain County angrily rebuked, "What are you, to dare strike Consort Liu?"
Consort Liu had also recovered by now. Looking at the palace maid on the ground, she said, "It's alright, she is just a palace maid. Your Highness does not need to be angry."
The Junwang of Snow Mountain County withdrew his foot and coldly said, "Scram..."
An elderly wet nurse helped the palace maid up. She then bowed respectfully, saying, "Consort Liu, Her Highness the Empress is unwell. Please come back tomorrow."
Consort Liu knew that this wet nurse was a confidante of Empress Sun Xin'an.
Back then, she had suffered a lot at the hands of this wet nurse Liu.
"When did I ever know that a mere wet nurse could dictate the Empress's thoughts?" Consort Liu was not afraid now, because the Crown Prince whom Sun Xin'an relied on was gone.
Compared to her son, the Junwang of Xuefu was an imbecile. Sun Xin'an was no longer a threat.
Wet nurse Liu's gaze deepened, saying, "Consort Liu, are you intending to force your way into the Phoenix Nest Palace?"
Consort Liu smiled upon hearing this, "Wet nurse Liu, that is not a pleasant way to put it. Do you not see the ministers kneeling outside? They only want an answer – has the Crown Prince truly died in the Barren Marsh?"
Wet nurse Liu's eyes chilled as she said, "Consort Liu, how dare you curse the Crown Prince..."
"Wet nurse Liu, this news was not spread by me. It is known throughout the court and the inner palace. If Her Highness the Empress does not appear, does that not prove this news to be true?"
Consort Liu said with a smile, her brows filled with triumph.
"Why is it so lively here? So it's Consort Liu who has come. No wonder the usually quiet Phoenix Nest Palace has become so bustling."
A voice echoed. Consort Liu looked up to see the newcomer, dressed in a luxurious palace gown, wearing a noble consort crown, second only to the Empress's.
Noble Consort Mo.
Consort Liu's gaze turned cold. Noble Consort Mo, who usually preferred quiet, had actually come.
This indicated that the Junwang of Xuejing also harbored intentions of vying for the position of Crown Prince.
"Your Highness Noble Consort, why have you come?" The Junwang of Xuejing whispered as he approached Noble Consort Mo.
Noble Consort Mo turned to look at him, her expression indifferent, "What did you promise me before?"
The Junwang of Xuejing trembled all over.
Noble Consort Mo continued, "Have you forgotten? Do you need me to repeat it?"
The Junwang of Xuejing gritted his teeth, "Never to participate in the struggle for succession."
"Do you abide by your word?" Noble Consort Mo asked coldly.
"Noble Consort, now that the Crown Prince is dead, is it not permissible for me to contend?"
Noble Consort Mo's eyes remained unperturbed, and she said coldly, "No."
The Junwang of Xuejing couldn't help but take a step back, "Your Highness Noble Consort, you..."
"Now, immediately return to your fiefdom. You are not permitted to return to the palace without an imperial decree," Noble Consort Mo said with a cold expression, without a hint of hesitation.
"Mother Consort..." The Junwang of Xuejing finally uttered these two words, unwillingly.
Noble Consort Mo turned and left with a light sentence, "If you do not return, I will not allow the Mo family to indulge in your folly. Go back to your fiefdom."
The Junwang of Xuejing gritted his teeth. The officials beside him also stepped forward to ask, "Your Highness, Noble Consort..."
"Do not say anything more to this Junwang," the Junwang of Xuejing kicked away the official and left without looking back.
Without the support of the Mo family, he, the Junwang of Xuejing, was nothing.
Watching the Junwang of Xuejing leave, the Junwang of Snow Mountain County felt that he was one step closer to that position.