Phoenix Reigns Over The Nine Heavens - Chapter 59

The Empress Dowager walked to the pavilion in front and sat down, raising her hand to beckon Zishu. “Come and sit down.”

Yun Zishu walked over and sat down across from her.

“What do you want to ask?”

Yun Zishu went straight to the point. “I recently heard someone say that the Empress is the one with the royal bloodline. Is this true or false?”

The Empress Dowager’s expression changed slightly. She subconsciously turned her head to look around, and only after confirming that no one was eavesdropping did she lower her voice and ask, “Who told you this?”

Yun Zishu remained unruffled. “Is this something your granddaughter should not know?”

“It’s Si Cang, right?” The Empress Dowager quickly guessed who it was. She was silent for a while, then slowly shook her head. “It’s not that I can’t let you know, but I fear that knowing too much will bring you disaster.”

Yun Zishu said calmly, “I’m not afraid of disaster.”

The Empress Dowager was taken aback. She turned her head to look at the garden blooming with flowers, a trace of sorrow flashing in her eyes.

The senior palace maid beside the Empress Dowager brought in a tea tray, poured tea for both the Empress Dowager and Yun Zishu, and then respectfully retreated, staying far away so as not to disturb the conversation between the Empress Dowager and the princess.

“Yes.” The Empress Dowager said, withdrawing her gaze and looking at the teacup in front of her. “Your mother was the one with the legitimate imperial bloodline.”

“So, Father Emperor’s identity is fake?”

The Empress Dowager lowered her eyes and took a sip of tea, nodding slowly. “Mmm.”

“So Father has a legitimate reason to kill me.” Yun Zishu said coolly. “He couldn’t allow his identity to be exposed, nor can he tolerate the existence of a daughter like me, who has my mother’s blood flowing through her veins, reminding him at all times that he is a fake emperor.”

The Empress Dowager looked up sharply at Yun Zishu. There seemed to be shock and anger in her eyes. “Your father wants to kill you?”

“Yes.”

“When did this happen?”

“Has the Empress Dowager not realized it yet? My father kept trying to persuade me to return to the Xiao family because he wanted me to die in the Xiao family.” Yun Zishu’s voice turned icy. “Madam Xiao is ruthless, Xiao Yunheng favors his concubine over his wife, and General Xiao remains in the military camp all year round, paying no attention to family affairs. As long as I stay in the Xiao family, I will eventually be driven to death by Madam Xiao sooner or later.”

The Empress Dowager gripped her teacup, her expression shifting through a range of emotions—shock, anger, regret, and resentment.

After a long while, she let out a bitter and sorrowful laugh. “I made a wrong decision back then, which led to the tragic death of your mother. I have regretted it day and night all these years, but there is nothing that I can do.”

Yun Zishu didn’t say anything. It was useless to say she regretted it now, and she wasn’t qualified to decide whether to forgive the woman in front of her on behalf of her mother.

“Zishu.” The Empress Dowager’s voice was somber. “Do you resent me?”

Yun Zishu thought for a moment and said, “There is nothing to resent. I don’t know the inside story of that year, and I don’t know whether the Empress Dowager had a reason to do so, nor do I know the Empress Dowager’s situation at that time. But no matter whether I am resentful or not, it cannot bring my mother back, nor will it lessen the guilt and self-blame in Empress Dowager’s heart.”

The Empress Dowager fell silent, lost in thoughts of the past. Her eyes were full of sorrow and regret.

With her eyes fixed on the celadon white teacup, the Empress Dowager said with a tone of deep sorrow, “It’s a pity that your imperial brother didn’t survive. Otherwise I would have done everything in my power to make your imperial brother the crown prince, restoring the imperial bloodline to its rightful place.”

Yun Zishu replied calmly. “Isn’t the blood of the royal family also flowing in the granddaughter’s body?”

Yes, Zi Shu also has royal blood flowing through her veins, and this is her only comfort…

The Empress Dowager was suddenly startled when she realized the meaning behind Yun Zishu’s words. She looked up in disbelief. “You… what did you say?”

Yun Zishu looked at her steadily, her gaze displaying determination and coldness, which the Empress Dowager had never seen before. Not to mention the princes and princesses; even the supreme ruler on the dragon chair had never revealed such eyes in front of the Empress Dowager.

It was truly startling.

The Empress Dowager’s heart suddenly began to beat wildly at the terrifying thought in Yun Zishu’s mind—in a system that had upheld male superiority for thousands of years, no woman had ever dared to have such a bold and rebellious idea.

“The Empress Dowager didn’t hear incorrectly, nor did she misunderstand.” Yun Zishu’s voice was calm and resolute, carrying the firmness of solid rock. “If the Empress Dowager wants to protect the Feng family and preserve the imperial bloodline, then there is only one choice.”

To set things right.

“You… you let me think about it.” The Empress Dowager’s voice was unsteady, clearly still unable to accept Yun Zishu’s terrifying idea. “I need a moment to collect my thoughts.”

Yun Zishu stood up and made a slight curtsey. “The Empress Dowager may think it over slowly. But regardless of your final decision, it will not affect my decision, nor will anyone be able to change my mind.”

“Why do you…”

“The Empress Dowager can think that I am protecting myself, or you may think that I am ambitious.” Yun Zishu smiled faintly. “This world is unfair to women. I simply wish to defy its natural order.”

No one would believe her if she told them she had been reborn, so no one knew what she had been through, making her reason for revenge seem unfounded. But, in reality, Yun Zishu simply wanted revenge.

She not only wanted to make sure that the Xiao family would die without a burial place, but she also wanted to personally drag her father, the emperor down from the throne and let him experience the taste of falling from the clouds into hell.

To achieve all of this, she must hold sufficient power in her hands.

“Your granddaughter will take her leave now.” Yun Zishu bowed. “If the Empress Dowager wishes to be wise and protect herself, then she should ask the Feng family to stay away from me.”

After saying this, she turned around to leave.

“Zishu,” the Empress Dowager spoke from behind her, “Even if I want to protect myself, I can’t. The Feng family is now a thorn in the Emperor’s side. Simply enduring and keeping a low profile is not a long-term solution, unless you can guarantee that no one in the family will ever give the emperor a handle. Otherwise, even if your father doesn’t kill them, once Yun Chen ascends the throne, he will still not spare the Feng family.”

Yun Zishu did not respond and left without saying a word.

The Empress Dowager stared blankly at her slender back, as if in a daze.

She had been secretly paying attention to this granddaughter, but she had not been very close to Zishu before. The reason was that after her daughter left, her heart died along with her.

She was not unaware of the emperor’s thoughts. The Feng family was now a hidden danger that the emperor had to eliminate. However, the emperor did not dare to act rashly, because he was afraid that the Feng family would expose his identity as a fake emperor.

Both sides had their own concerns, so they maintained a proper relationship between the monarch and his subjects in a self-deceiving way. The emperor did not touch the Feng family for the time being, and the Feng family also wisely endured. Even if they held military power, they firmly refused to go to the battlefield or suppress internal rebellions, leaving all opportunities for merit to the Xiao family, whom the emperor trusted.

While the emperor did not touch the Feng family on the surface, he was plotting in private to kill Yun Zishu?

He wanted to eliminate the last trace of bloodline left by the queen.

The Empress Dowager could not tolerate this.

“If the Feng family is destined to be feared by the emperor, and he wants to get rid of them at all costs, then why not take a risk?” The Empress Dowager seemed to be talking to herself, yet also self-mocking. “Not taking risks only means living a few more years. If you take a gamble… it just might lead to success.”

Anyway, even if the gamble was lost, the worst outcome would ultimately be death… there’s no worse outcome than that, is there?

“As long as the Feng family is willing to stand behind the princess, this humble subordinate guarantees that the princess will be able to succeed in what she wants to achieve.” A deep and cold voice sounded, “This is also the greatest chance of survival for the Empress Dowager and the Feng family.”

The Empress Dowager was startled and looked up at Si Cang, who had appeared in front of her at some point. A complicated look flashed across her eyes. “Let her do whatever she wants to do. You should protect her well. I will find a way to deal with the rest.”

Si Cang nodded and turned to leave.