Chapter 417: Depose the Regent
Dusk fell.
The lanterns were lit for the first time.
A grim, cold smile hung on Yun Chu's lips. "Indeed. Why add to the slaughter?"
"Yun Chu, my previous offer still stands," Chu Rui's voice softened. "Marry me under a new identity, and let your biological son become the emperor."
"But Jue Ge'er is not your biological son," Yun Chu said. "Are you willing to let someone not of your bloodline inherit the throne?"
Chu Rui's expression grew even more tender.
Every time this matter had been raised before, Yun Chu had worn a look of fury.
This time, however, she was asking a question in return.
This meant she was wavering.
She had always been an intelligent woman. She knew very well that if they continued this back-and-forth struggle, it would bring no good to the Great Jin.
Therefore, she would compromise.
Chu Rui nodded. "I only wish to restore my father's empire. As long as the empire continues through me, my father's last wish will be fulfilled."
Yun Chu's beautiful eyes shifted, her gaze landing on the young eunuch behind Chu Rui who had kept his head down the entire time, his presence almost negligible. "The Regent is willing to part with even the throne. I imagine you would also be willing to lend me a person for a while, wouldn't you?"
The tenderness on Chu Rui's face vanished in an instant.
Yun Chu smiled. "Because the throne does not yet belong to you, you can generously offer it to anyone. But this young eunuch truly is your man, so you can't bear to part with him. It seems the Regent's words cannot be trusted."
"Choose someone else," Chu Rui said. "Anyone else, I can give them to you."
"Since the Regent lacks sincerity, there is no need to mention this matter again."
After speaking, Yun Chu turned and walked away.
Upon returning to Kunning Palace, she instructed Qiutong, "Thoroughly investigate the background of that young eunuch by Chu Rui's side named Duo Bao."
Duo Bao was Chu Rui's most trusted person. If she could start with him... but it was hard to say. Chu Rui was so protective of Duo Bao; Duo Bao might not betray him.
Regardless, she would investigate his background first and then decide.
At the court session the next day, the selection of the new Minister of the Court of Judicial Review became the focus. Many people recommended various officials.
Yun Chu chose someone from a neutral faction to be the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review.
After the court session was dismissed, Yun Chu had someone invite Chief Li over.
"This subject greets the Empress Dowager."
"There is no need for formalities, Lord Li. Please, sit." Yun Chu had a palace maid serve tea, then dismissed everyone and got straight to the point. "The Nie family served as loyal officials for three generations, yet they met a tragic end. I imagine Lord Li does not wish to see such a scene again."
Chief Li's heart grew heavy.
Recently, some sixth or seventh-rank ministers at court had been dying suddenly for no reason, and the Regent would then promote his own men to fill the vacancies.
The Regent had promoted people from the family of the exiled former Empress Dowager, the Fengs, and the family of his own mother's fallen clan, the Lins, one by one into official positions at court.
The court was becoming increasingly corrupt and foul.
He spoke in a deep voice, "I wonder what the Empress Dowager means by this?"
Yun Chu said, word by word, "I wish to unite the civil and military officials to depose the Regent."
The Regent had been appointed by the late Emperor and was the head of the regency council. Unless he committed a great crime like treason, not even the current Emperor had the authority to depose him.
But if they could rally all the officials to apply pressure together, the Regent would have no choice but to be dismissed.
In the dynasty before the Great Jin, after an emperor ascended the throne, he became licentious and corrupt. The officials united to present a memorial and directly deposed the reigning emperor.
Now, they were merely uniting to depose a prince. It was not an earth-shattering act.
Chief Li couldn't help but lift his teacup and take a sip.
If they could gather the power of all the ministers at court, they could indeed overthrow the Regent.
But what then?
Wouldn't the Empress Dowager's faction monopolize power? Wouldn't the Yun family, as imperial relatives, interfere in politics? Would the court not remain just as corrupt?
Moreover, the current Emperor was not the Empress Dowager's biological son.
Just as the late Emperor had not been the previous Empress Dowager's biological son, which was why the previous Empress Dowager had secretly plotted treason.
"What is Lord Li worried about?" Yun Chu's voice was steady. "Are you worried that I will monopolize power, that the Yun family will grow too powerful, or that I will support my younger son to become emperor?"
Chief Li was astonished by Yun Chu's astuteness. He stood up and said, "This subject knows that such suspicions are greatly disrespectful, but I do indeed have these concerns."
"Then I will tell you the truth, Lord Li," Yun Chu said softly. "The current Emperor is my biological son. The details are not convenient to elaborate on."
Chief Li's face was filled with disbelief.
His first reaction was that it was impossible, but then he thought of Princess Chu Changsheng's face, which was practically identical to the current Empress Dowager's.
His wife had once even said that the Princess Royal and the Empress Dowager looked so much like mother and daughter that there was no difference from a real biological pair.
So, it turned out to be true.
"As for whether I will monopolize power, Lord Li has even less to worry about," Yun Chu said with a smile. "Once the Regent is deposed, I will, at the same time, cease ruling from behind the curtain and return political power to the young emperor."
Her purpose for attending court was solely to oppose Chu Rui.
Once Chu Rui fell, there would be no need for her to attend court anymore.
She had little interest in this power to begin with; she was doing it all just to protect Yu Ge'er.
"Since Your Majesty the Empress Dowager has said so, then this subject is willing to serve you." Chief Li cupped his hands. "The factions among the court officials are complex. I ask the Empress Dowager to give this subject some time to persuade them. When the time is right, our great undertaking can be accomplished."
Yun Chu stood up. "I will have to trouble you, Lord Li."
In the blink of an eye, it was New Year's Eve.
Early in the morning, Nie Zhou's funeral procession departed. Yun Chu quietly left the palace to personally see him to his burial.
Snowflakes drifted down, blanketing the entire imperial city in silver. Palace servants swept snow from morning till night.
Because the birthday banquet had been held just a few days prior, Yun Chu had the New Year's Eve palace banquet kept simple. No court ministers were invited; it was just the imperial family gathering for a reunion dinner.
"It seems especially cold this winter," Consort Yin, wrapped in a fox-fur cloak, sighed from her seat. "I wonder how Yi'er is..."
Yun Chu interrupted her. "Today is New Year's Eve. Let's talk about happy things."
Consort Yun smiled, her lips pursed. "Look at Yu Ge'er. He's looking more and more like an emperor."
"Being emperor is so annoying," Chu Hongyu pouted. "I have to get up so early every day, attend court, then go to class, and at night I have to study how to approve memorials. Ugh, why are there so many things to do? I don't even have time to practice martial arts anymore."
Hearing his complaint, everyone present burst into laughter.
The Tenth Prince said in a childish voice, "When I grow up, I'll help you approve memorials."
His birth mother immediately covered his mouth and chided, "Are memorials something you can approve? Don't speak nonsense if you don't understand."
She then looked at Yun Chu and said, "Empress Dowager, the Tenth Prince is still young and doesn't know any better. He didn't mean anything by that."
"We are all family, Consort Xuan. There's no need to be so cautious," Yun Chu said. "Neither the former Crown Prince, Chu Yi, nor the current Emperor, Yu Ge'er, are ruthless people. The Seventh, Ninth, and Tenth Princes, you can choose to become officials at court, or you can choose to go to your fiefdoms. It is all up to you."
Consort Xuan hesitated for a moment before speaking. "If he goes to his fiefdom, can I... can I go with him?"
The situation in the imperial city was too complex. She was afraid that if they stayed, her son would be drawn into the vortex and meet a tragic end.
She only had this one son, her support for the latter half of her life. She had no interest in the throne and only wanted to get far away and protect themselves.
"Since ancient times, there has been no rule for a consort to accompany a prince to his fiefdom," Consort Yun sighed. If it were possible, she too would want to go to Xiaochang to be with the Eighth Prince.
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