Ming Dynasty: Is a mere unruly commoner rebelling against heaven?

Chapter 96: If His Majesty Refuses to See Me, I Will Kneel Here Forever!

Inside the Qianqing Palace, Zhu You樘 was reclining on a soft couch, reviewing memorials.

The matter of the Wang brothers' arrest had reached even Empress Dowager Wang's ears, so Zhu You樘 would naturally have known about it even earlier.

After reading the secret letter presented by Qin Lu, Zhu You樘 anticipated that Empress Dowager Wang would come to plead for mercy, so he issued an order in advance, refusing all visitors.

After Fu Dahai entered the East Warm Pavilion of the Qianqing Palace, he knelt before Zhu You樘 and cautiously began to speak.

"Your Majesty, Empress Dowager Wang... she... she..."

"Speak plainly."

"Empress Dowager Wang is kneeling outside the Qianqing Palace gate."

"Empress Dowager Wang also said that if Your Majesty refuses to see her, she will kneel there in front of the Qianqing Palace until the end."

Zhu You樘's eyes remained on the memorials, not even lifting his head: "Then let her kneel."

"Leave."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Fu Dahai bowed and retreated from the Qianqing Palace, arriving before Empress Dowager Wang with a bitter face.

He didn't dare stand directly in front of Empress Dowager Wang, but stood to her side and slightly behind, earnestly advising her.

"Empress Dowager, it's such a cold day, please return first. His Majesty truly won't see you today."

Empress Dowager Wang looked sorrowful: "Eunuch, there's no need to persuade me. If His Majesty continues to refuse to see me, I will continue to kneel here."

"Alas..."

Fu Dahai sighed deeply and quickly called over the surrounding eunuchs: "You few, go to the Xixin Department and bring more red willow charcoal to make some fires around the Empress Dowager."

"You few, go to the Sheshe Department and get some large umbrellas to shield the Empress Dowager from the wind and snow."

Afterward, Fu Dahai spoke to Run Qiu, who was kneeling behind the Empress Dowager: "Steward Run Qiu, you shouldn't kneel here either. Quickly take a few palace maids back to Cining Palace and bring some warm cloaks for the Empress Dowager."

Run Qiu first glanced at Empress Dowager Wang. Seeing that she didn't object, she nodded to Fu Dahai: "Yes, thank you for the reminder, Eunuch."

Having said that, she led people back to Cining Palace to fetch cloaks.

"Alas."

Fu Dahai shook his head again and returned to his post at the entrance of the Qianqing Palace.

Seeing a dignified Empress Dowager kneeling in the snow, Fu Dahai felt a pang of sympathy.

But as the chief eunuch of the Directorate of Palace Attendants, this was all he could do.

Now, the only person who could make Empress Dowager Wang rise from the snow was Zhu You樘.

Inside the Qianqing Palace, Zhu You樘 approved several memorials, and the Shangshan Department delivered his dinner.

After finishing his meal, Fu Dahai entered, carrying a silver tray.

"Your Majesty, it's time to choose a consort for the night."

Zhu You樘 had no interest in choosing, waving his hand: "Leave."

Fu Dahai's face was bitter, and he was almost crying: "Your Majesty, it's been almost half a month since you last chose a consort."

Since Wang Zhi reported last time that the West Depot had found a connection between the late Emperor's death and Cining Palace, Zhu You樘 had never again selected a consort from the harem.

"I'm not in the mood now. Withdraw."

"Yes."

Fu Dahai withdrew from the Qianqing Palace. Seeing Empress Dowager Wang kneeling outside the palace and thinking of Zhu You樘's unwillingness to choose a consort,

Fu Dahai once again sighed deeply.

Royal affairs were complex. As the chief eunuch of the Directorate of Palace Attendants, he was caught between the harem and the Emperor, truly suffering from both sides.

Zhu You樘 continued to approve memorials in the Qianqing Palace, handling the aftermath of the late Emperor's poisoning case.

The most important point was the appointment of officials of all ranks in various departments.

That day, Zhu You樘 had killed too ruthlessly.

He had killed thousands of officials in the capital in one breath, leaving a large number of official vacancies.

There was no shortage of people waiting to become officials; the Imperial College and the Hanlin Academy were full of them.

But there were too few suitable people.

For some unimportant or redundant positions, Zhu You樘 simply abolished them.

Low-ranking official positions were fine, left to the Grand Secretariat and the Ministry of Personnel to handle. Zhu You樘 only needed to take a final look at the list and give his final approval.

But several high-ranking officials of the second and third ranks had been killed, and the appointment of these positions was a headache for Zhu You樘.

The first to bear the brunt was the appointment of the chief and deputy officials of the Three Judicial Offices.

Right Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, the chief official of the Censorate, of the second rank.

Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, the deputy official of the Ministry of Justice, of the third rank.

Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, the chief official of the Court of Judicial Review, of the third rank.

Zhu You樘 had delayed these three positions until now, and he had not yet appointed anyone.

It was really because Zhu You樘 had been on the throne for too short a time, and he didn't have suitable people under him.

But he didn't dare to use the officials recommended by the Grand Secretariat casually, so he was stuck here.

While Zhu You樘 was approving the memorials, he had the little eunuchs of the Directorate of Ceremonial send the approved memorials to the Grand Secretariat.

The newly drafted memorials from the Grand Secretariat also had to be sent to the Qianqing Palace in a timely manner.

When the eunuchs of the Directorate of Ceremonial, who were traveling back and forth between the Qianqing Palace and the Grand Secretariat, saw the scene of Empress Dowager Wang kneeling outside the Qianqing Palace, their souls were almost frightened out of their bodies.

They all buried their heads deeply in their chests, their eyes fixed on the ground, and they didn't dare to look around at all.

Snowflakes began to fall again. Fu Dahai looked at Empress Dowager Wang in the snow and then turned to look at the warm Qianqing Palace behind him.

He wanted to persuade her again, but after hesitating several times, he couldn't open his mouth.

In this way, Empress Dowager Wang knelt in front of Zhu You樘's Qianqing Palace for an entire night.

The next day, at Chen hour (7-9 AM), Zhu You樘 dressed neatly and left the Qianqing Palace, preparing to go to Fengtian Gate to attend court.

Seeing Zhu You樘, Empress Dowager Wang's eyes lit up: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty..."

Empress Dowager Wang wanted to get up and walk towards Zhu You樘, but she had been kneeling in the snow for too long, and her feet were already numb.

She struggled for a moment and then fell to the ground in the snow.

A burst of exclamations rang out, and a large group of eunuchs and palace maids rushed forward, wanting to help Empress Dowager Wang.

But Empress Dowager Wang's eyes were always fixed on Zhu You樘.

But Zhu You樘 didn't even look at Empress Dowager Wang, walking straight past her, getting into the dragon palanquin, and heading towards Fengtian Gate.

Seeing this, Empress Dowager Wang's face instantly turned as pale as paper.

Her body swayed, and she finally fainted.

Immediately, a flurry of panicked shouts rang out around her.

"Empress Dowager! Empress Dowager!"

"How is the Empress Dowager?! Quickly send the Empress Dowager back to the palace!"

"Summon the imperial physician, quickly summon the imperial physician!"

...

Inside Cining Palace, Empress Dowager Wang, who had been unconscious for a long time, slowly opened her eyes under the acupuncture of the new president of the Imperial Hospital.

The imperial physicians of the Imperial Hospital, as long as they were not treating the emperors of the Great Ming, all had the most exquisite medical skills in the world.

After Empress Dowager Wang woke up, the Imperial Hospital only instructed Empress Dowager Wang to apply hot water to her legs for the next few days and not to go out to be exposed to the wind. After leaving a prescription, they took their leave.

After Run Qiu saw off the imperial physician, she walked to Empress Dowager Wang's bed and asked with concern: "Empress Dowager, how do you feel?"

"Is your body feeling better?"

Empress Dowager Wang's mind was now filled with her two younger brothers. How could she care about her own body?

"What to do?"

"His Majesty is determined not to see me. What will happen to my two poor brothers?"

Thinking of this, Empress Dowager Wang shed tears.

Suddenly, Empress Dowager Wang thought of someone.

Perhaps she could make Zhu You樘 change his mind.

"Run Qiu, bring pen and ink. I want to write a letter."

"Yes, Empress Dowager."

Run Qiu brought pen and ink, and Empress Dowager Wang wrote a few words on the letter paper.

Afterward, Empress Dowager Wang sealed the letter and handed it to Run Qiu.

"Run Qiu, send this letter to Renshou Palace."

"Also, go to Xianfu Palace and ask Consort Kang to come over."

"Yes, Empress Dowager."

Run Qiu's efficiency was very high. In less than a quarter of an hour, Empress Dowager Wang's letter was safely sent to Renshou Palace.

Zhang Wan'er also followed Run Qiu to Cining Palace.

Zhang Wan'er walked into the main hall of Cining Palace and saw Empress Dowager Wang lying ill in bed, and the smile on her face suddenly stiffened.

She didn't even perform the proper courtesy, but ran anxiously to Empress Dowager Wang's bed.

"Empress Dowager, what's wrong?"

"Why are you sick? Have you summoned the imperial physician to see you?"

Empress Dowager Wang looked at Zhang Wan'er with satisfaction, forcing a smile on her face.

"I'm fine. I've already summoned the imperial physician to see me."

"The imperial physician said I just caught a cold. I'll be fine after resting for two days."

Empress Dowager Wang reached out and took Zhang Wan'er's left hand.

On Zhang Wan'er's wrist, she was wearing the jasper bracelet that Empress Dowager Wang had given her.

"I asked you to come here this time because there's something I hope you can help me with."

Zhang Wan'er quickly assured her: "Empress Dowager, please speak. If this concubine can help, I will not refuse."

"That's good. I knew I hadn't misjudged you."

"From the moment you entered the palace, I've always liked you very much."

Seeing that the atmosphere was almost right, Empress Dowager Wang finally cut to the chase.

"I have two younger brothers, named Wang Yuan and Wang Qing, who were granted the titles of Earl of Ruian and Earl of Chongshan by the late Emperor."

"These two brothers of mine have always been law-abiding and have never dared to do anything illegal or undisciplined."

"But yesterday, I don't know why, they were framed and entered the West Depot prison."

"I would like to ask you to say a few words in front of the Emperor, so as not to wrong good people."

After hearing this, Zhang Wan'er opened her mouth in surprise, and after a long while, she stammered, "But... but His Majesty doesn't like the harem discussing state affairs."

"This doesn't count as state affairs. They are my brothers and also the Emperor's uncles. This can only be considered a family matter."

"Moreover, I'm not asking you to plead for them, but only to ask His Majesty not to be fooled by villains and to allow the Three Judicial Offices to jointly try this case, so as not to harm loyal and good people."

Empress Dowager Wang understood clearly that it was completely impossible to directly rescue Wang Yuan and Wang Qing.

The most important thing now was to get them out of the West Depot prison first.

As long as they were out of the control of the Depot Guard, it would not be too late to slowly find a solution when they were in the hands of the Three Judicial Offices.

Zhang Wan'er thought of the many favors Empress Dowager Wang had shown her since she entered the palace, and she was also moved.

"But... Empress Dowager."

Zhang Wan'er said with some difficulty, "His Majesty hasn't summoned this concubine to serve him for half a month."

"Even if this concubine wants to help you, I can't talk to His Majesty."

Seeing Zhang Wan'er's looseness, Empress Dowager Wang felt a little relieved.

"You don't have to worry about this. Just wait for the summons in Xianfu Palace. I have my own way."

Seeing this, Zhang Wan'er had no choice but to agree: "Yes, this concubine will follow your instructions."

In fact, Empress Dowager Wang was not completely confident that she could get Zhu You樘 to summon Zhang Wan'er to serve him.

But now that things had come to this, she could only take a gamble.

In any case, it was better than sitting here and waiting for death.