Chapter 387: Regent Chu Rui
The night was pitch black.
Dark clouds shrouded the silver moon, leaving not a trace of light.
The desolate Cold Palace echoed intermittently with women's weeping, creating an eerie atmosphere.
"Chu'er, I'm fine," Consort Yun said with a smile. "The women in the Cold Palace become sad, distressed, or mad because they still have expectations. But my expectations were exhausted long ago. This is just moving to a different place to live, nothing more."
Yun Chu nodded: "Auntie, stay here for now. I'll have some things sent over."
After Consort Yun entered the Cold Palace, Yun Chu let out a long sigh.
She looked up at the dark night sky, her eyes momentarily filled with dejection.
Just two more days - only two days away from success, yet...
She wallowed in despondence for only a moment before quickly regaining her composure.
Now that Chu Rui had taken up residence in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, he would undoubtedly replace all the eunuchs and palace maids. With no allies left around the Emperor, administering the antidote would become impossible.
The fastest solution now was to capture Chu Rui alive, forcibly eliminate the parasitic gu, and then kill Chu Rui.
Contemplating this, Yun Chu returned to the Eastern Palace.
As she entered, a figure sitting by the doorway suddenly awoke and stood up: "Mother, are you alright?"
"Yu Ge'er, why aren't you asleep yet?" A smile appeared on Yun Chu's face. "Dawn is only an hour away, and you still have to attend the Imperial College. Go rest now."
"Mother, is there anything I can help with?" Chu Hongyu's face was full of concern. "Don't think I'm too young - I can do many things. I truly want to help you."
Yun Chu gently touched his cheek: "Your caring heart makes me very happy. But there's nothing you can help with right now. When I need your help, I'll tell you, alright?"
"Tell me too," Chu Changsheng said as she emerged from inside, speaking softly. "Brother, Mother, I've grown up too."
Yun Chu led both children inside and slept with them.
But she only slept for a short while before waking.
She rose quietly, dressed properly, and went to the Everlasting Autumn Palace.
"Chu'er, Chu'er..." Yin Fei's eyes were already red-rimmed, but upon seeing Yun Chu, she seemed to find her anchor and couldn't help bursting into tears. "Qinghua - what should we do about her? Her face is completely ruined, what should we do..."
Yun Chu silently looked at Qinghua lying on the couch, unsure what to say.
When she learned that Chu Rui had kidnapped Qinghua, her greatest fear was that Qinghua might be bribed by Chu Rui... after all, in her view, Qinghua wasn't particularly clever.
But to her surprise, Qinghua had chosen to endure inhuman torture rather than betray the Emperor.
Though not particularly intelligent, Qinghua still possessed the pride befitting a royal princess.
"Shen'er... Shen Ge'er!"
Qinghua cried out in alarm and woke up.
Seeing the two women before her, she sighed in relief: "I've been rescued, haven't I? And Shen Ge'er is fine too, right?"
Yin Fei nodded: "Shen Ge'er is perfectly fine and safe. He doesn't know what happened to you yet. Focus on recovering first, be good."
Only then did Qinghua realize something. She reached to touch her face, her ears, her hair, and then tears began streaming down her face as she trembled with sobs.
"Qinghua, my Qinghua!"
Yin Fei also began crying, holding Qinghua as they wept together.After crying her fill, Qinghua forced an ugly smile. "It's just my face that's ruined, nothing serious... As long as Father Emperor is alright..."
At these words, Yin Fei cried even harder.
Qinghua's heart sank, and she looked up. "Yun Chu, Father Emperor, he..."
"Father Emperor has been bewitched by Chu Rui," Yun Chu's voice was heavy. "I will dispatch more shadow guards to guard the Everlasting Autumn Palace. During this time, Mother Consort and Second Sister should not leave the palace."
She had the shadow guards Chu Yi left her, as well as the Yun family's shadow guards, but there were still too few people she could use.
The sky gradually brightened.
The sun rose from the eastern sky, illuminating the palace. Palace maids and eunuchs busied themselves in an orderly manner.
No matter what major events occurred last night, with the new day, duties still had to be performed.
"Crown Princess, where are we going?" Qiutong asked softly from behind.
Yun Chu looked ahead. "To the Office of the Crown Prince's Household."
The palace housed the Office of the Crown Prince's Household, an institution under the Eastern Palace, primarily responsible for educating and assisting the Crown Prince.
Above the Office were the Junior Tutor and Junior Guardian, second-rank officials equivalent to counselors of the Eastern Palace.
After Chu Yi became Crown Prince, he replaced many in the Office with those he trusted. Given the current situation, she could only seek counsel from these advisors to plan major affairs.
"We pay our respects to the Crown Princess!"
The staff of the Office hurriedly greeted her. Those working inside at the moment were all fifth or sixth-rank officials and deputies.
Though their ranks were low, they had heard some of what happened in the palace last night.
It was said that Yun Fei, accompanied by the Imperial Guards, searched the rear palace, injured Prince Zhuang, and in the end, Yun Fei was confined to the cold palace, and the commander of the Imperial Guards was replaced.
The palace was unstable, and they wondered why the Crown Princess had come at such a time.
Yun Chu spoke, "Please, Chief Liu, summon the Junior Tutor and Junior Guardian."
After moving into the palace, this was one inconvenience—leaving the palace required permission from the Empress. Without an Empress, permission had to be sought from the consort managing the rear palace. She wondered who would take charge now that her aunt had been confined to the cold palace.
While waiting in the Office,
startling news arrived from the morning court session that shocked Yun Chu.
After many days, the Emperor, despite his illness, attended court and announced that he would focus on recuperating. Since the Crown Prince was absent, Prince Zhuang would oversee state affairs.
This declaration caused an uproar in the court, with numerous senior ministers voicing objections.
Because Chu Rui's status was special, allowing him to oversee the state would only fuel his ambitions and plunge the Great Jin into chaos.
Yet the Emperor paid no heed to their counsel. Instead, he personally drafted an edict, appointing Chu Rui as Regent.
This move was even more perplexing.
One elderly minister, in protest, dashed his head against a pillar and died on the spot.
The minor officials in the Office couldn't help but whisper among themselves.
"He was supposed to be a sickly man, yet he's lived this long. He must have feigned illness to gain the Emperor's trust..."
"In my view, he and the Empress Dowager both covet that position... After all, in their eyes, it rightfully belongs to him."
"Shh, how dare you say such things? Do you value your life so little?"
"I just don't understand what the Emperor is thinking. How can he let the former Crown Prince's legitimate son oversee the state? There's no precedent for such a rule."
"And appointing him as Regent? Historically, regents are only appointed when a young emperor ascends the throne..."
"Enough, let's not discuss this further. We mustn't bring trouble upon the Crown Prince."
"..."
Amid the murmurs, the Junior Tutor and Junior Guardian entered.The expressions of the three men were grim, clearly due to the morning court affairs.
"We pay our respects to the Crown Princess."
Setting aside their thoughts, the three men bowed to Yun Chu with clasped hands.
Yun Chu rose to her feet: "There's no need for formalities, gentlemen. Let us take our seats inside. Attendants, serve tea."
Palace maids brought in steaming hot tea.
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