The Crown Prince finished looking at Emperor Changwu and immediately went to Changning Palace.
There was no need for pretense between mother and son. After dismissing the attendants, the Crown Prince got straight to the point: "Mother, give me your people in the Imperial Hospital?"
"What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
"Mother, what I mean is, people you can command at will."
The Crown Prince lowered his voice, deliberately emphasizing the word "command." The Empress paused, then met his gaze, finding a pair of sinister and ruthless eyes looking back: "Imperial Son, you intend to...?"
"Hush. Mother, speak softly. With Fourth and Seventh Prince away, the situation in the capital is most advantageous for me. If Father Emperor falls gravely ill at this time..."
The Empress was startled and looked at the Crown Prince in horror: "Are you mad? That's your Father Emperor."
"If Father Emperor truly considered me his son, he would have passed the throne to me long ago, instead of desperately pushing that foundling who returned later."
"But regicide is punishable by the extermination of the entire clan."
"Mother, if we don't take this chance now, when that foundling pacifies the northern frontier and returns to the capital, do you think your son will have any standing here? You've battled Consort Jian for so many years, only for your son to be completely suppressed by a foundling. Are you truly content with that?"
The Crown Prince's words successfully ignited the Empress's resentment. She bit her lip forcefully, "Imperial Son is right. Mother supports you."
The Crown Prince breathed a sigh of relief and quickly pressed his advantage: "Then quickly tell me, who are your people in the Imperial Hospital and by Father Emperor's side?"
The Empress's spirit immediately sagged. She said hatefully, "Two years ago, the Emperor reprimanded me for interfering in palace affairs and cleared out everyone I had placed in his chambers. Mother has been cultivating for another two years, and finally managed to place a few people in the Imperial Hospital and outside the Golden Luan Hall."
"What about the Hall of Mental Cultivation and the Imperial Study?"
"Damn Li Furui, he guards your Father Emperor's quarters like an iron barrel. Even now, I only have two sweepers placed outside the Imperial Study."
In the past, Mother always told him that the inner palace was under her control. Yet after two years, only two sweepers were placed?
The Crown Prince felt a wave of dizziness, his grip tightening on the armrests of his chair. "Which imperial physician is it in the Imperial Hospital?"
"Yuan Li."
"Never heard of him. Can he get close to Father Emperor and change his medicine?"
"Uh, this, Imperial Physician Yuan only joined the Imperial Hospital last year and is still studying under other imperial physicians."
The last sliver of hope shattered. The Crown Prince almost spat blood: "Mother, you always told me that the entire palace was full of your people. Turns out they are all useless small fries?"
The Empress was dejected. "Wasn't I suppressed by your Father Emperor the year before last?"
The Crown Prince, enraged, flung his sleeves and left.
The regicide plan, barely conceived, met a disastrous setback at its very first step, stillborn. The Crown Prince even began to doubt life itself. If his mother was this unreliable, what about his maternal grandfather, who was rumored to command military power and would surely help him ascend the throne?
The sixth day of the sixth month, Prince Ning's wedding.
Lu Nianfu did not bring the children, intending only to deliver the gifts with Qingya and return to her residence after enduring the banquet.
She truly did not want to spend another moment in that accursed place that had ruined her past life. Unexpectedly, Madam Ban arrived, clutching a small bundle, a trace of awkwardness on her expression.
"Mother, if you have something to say, please just say it."
"Today is Prince Ning's wedding. Wei Yang's day will likely not be pleasant. Can you, please, deliver this to her for Mother?"
"Why don't you deliver it yourself?"
"Prince Ning is marrying a second wife. If I, the mother of a concubine, were to go, wouldn't I be adding to the second wife's troubles?"
Normally, when marrying a wife, one would avoid the family of a concubine. This was even more so for royalty. Therefore, the Marquis Pingning's mansion had not received an invitation.
Lu Nianfu did not wish to interact with Zeng Weiyang, but seeing Madam Ban's hesitant demeanor, she still took the bundle. No matter how many faults Zeng Weiyang had, she was still raised by her own hands, so it was only natural for her to worry.
Although Prince Ning was marrying a second wife, this marriage was related to diplomatic relations between two countries, and was naturally grand and solemn.
When Lu Nianfu arrived, the place was already teeming with guests. After showing her face and registering her gift, Lu Nianfu pulled a small maidservant to inquire about Zeng Weiyang's residence.
"This way, Royal Consort."
The little maid, happy with the two taels of silver, happily led her into the back courtyard. She also offered some pleasantries: "Concubine Zeng resides in Lixiang Courtyard, quite close to the main residence. The Prince has been staying there frequently recently, you can see how favored she is."
Lu Nianfu smiled and nodded, but did not reply.
The little maid, observing her expression, felt that she might not like to hear it and tactfully fell silent.
Zeng Weiyang was greatly surprised to hear that Lu Nianfu had arrived. She adjusted her hair in the mirror, added a golden hairpin adorned with intricate filigree, and then went out. Leaning against the doorframe, she raised an eyebrow: "What? Did you make a special trip to the back courtyard to see my joke?"
Lu Nianfu said, "Do you think I'm as idle as you? Here, Mother asked me to bring this to you."
"That's your mother, not my mother."
"So, you don't want it?"
Zeng Weiyang snorted and snatched the bundle: "Why wouldn't I want it? I'm also a young lady from the Marquis Pingning's mansion. The benefits can't all go to you."