The news that Zhao Ji Dong was hacked to death, and the Gong Prince was slashed was quickly sent back to the capital. In order to make up for his inability, the Southwest Governor sent troops to chase down and annihilate the bandits, holding fast to the principle of 'better to mistakenly kill 1000 innocents than let one criminal get away', he also intended to wipe out all the villagers who lived near the bandit den.
But just as the task began, a group of black-dressed men showed up and defeated the soldiers, making them flee in disgrace. The Southwest people suffered years of famine, but still had to pay high taxes, fattening the dog Southwest officials, but all they got in exchange was a ruthless massacre. Even a clay doll was still made from earth, not to mention, the Southwest citizens were very sturdy.
It's unknown who incited it, but the people picked up their hoes and machetes, planning to overthrow Da Qi. From a few hundred people at first, it slowly grew into tens of thousands of people, they attacked cities every night, killing the local officials and local crime bosses, taking over the farmlands. The Southwest Governor wanted to extinguish the fire, but he unexpectedly poured gasoline over it, nonetheless, whatever the circumstances, he'd still be made to take responsibility.
After dispatching an envoy to send word to the capital, he sliced his own throat that very night. After he died, the chaotic Southwest officialdom was even more disorganized, some officials followed the governor and suicided, some officials packed up their valuables and fled throughout the night, and other officials locked their doors and wrote resignation letters, not one person dared to stand up and contain the mass uprising.
By the time Zhou Yun Sheng received the reports, the Southwest people had already started a mutiny throughout the state, in a short time, they assembled hundreds of thousands of troops, and were stationing themselves on the Southwest's border. Zhou Yun Sheng exploded into anger, almost smashing the imperial table, then he organized troops to go suppress the chaos, and announced that he would go to the Southwest to deal with the matter.
The noblemen didn't stand a chance over there, let alone the Emperor of the country. If the Emperor met with any mishap, Da Qi would plunge into complete chaos. The courtiers knelt and beseeched, but they couldn't stop the Emperor's rage. Zhou Yun Sheng picked out Zhao Xuan, Luo Zhen and several other ministers to accompany him, ordered a few senior courtiers to stay behind and supervise the capital, then dismissed the imperial court.
The Empress Dowager quickly invited him to Ci Ning Palace, and entreated him with swollen red eyes, "Your Majesty, although I'm not your natural mother, search your heart, from since you were small, have I ever treated you unfairly? When the former Emperor died, I used all my strength to help you ascend the throne, if you have to remember anything, shouldn't this kindness always be remembered? My Jin Yu is now suffering in the Southwest, you have to bring him back at all costs. I'm begging you!"
In just over a year, the Emperor completely wiped out all the power she'd accumulated over decades, even if she suspected that her son's difficulties were the Emperor's doing, she didn't dare accuse him. If he took offense, she might never even get to see her son's corpse.
"Be at ease Mother Empress, I will certainly bring him back safely." Zhou Yun Sheng promised, inwardly sighing for Qi Jin Yu's stubborn hold on life, even Zhao Xuan's shadow guards couldn't easily kill him, he truly proved himself to be the fate of the world's son.
Zhao Bi Xuan received news of her brother's death and the Gong Prince's serious injury and immediately fainted. Her head maid risked her life to slip out of Ci Ning Palace's temple and stopped the Emperor outside of Yang Xin palace, begging him to visit the Imperial Consort.
"It's already done, but for the sake of Zhao Ji Dong's self-sacrifice for the country, the Imperial Consort's house arrest will be dissolved. Go, take your Imperial Consort back to Feng Yi Palace." Zhou Yun Sheng nonchalantly flicked his sleeves. He didn't express even the slightest pity, let alone show any intention to go comfort the Imperial Consort in Feng Yi Palace.
The head maid watched his reaction, her hope of saving her master instantly disappearing. If it was the past, forget about the Imperial Consort fainting from grief, even if her eyes were just slightly red, the Emperor would fly into a worried panic.
But now, he lightly talked about Zhao Ji Dong's death like he was just another small courtier, rather than her master's younger brother. While the head maid was still dazed, the Emperor returned to the inner hall, and a few sword toting, burly imperial guards halted at the doorway, watching her with chilling eyes.
This made her even more aware of the great difference of the present and from the past. In the past, when the Yang Xin Palace servants saw people from Feng Yi Palace, everyone was eager to welcome and fawn over them, because they all knew that sucking up to the Imperial Consort was even more effective than sucking up to the Emperor.
Recalling this, the head maid felt a chill, aware that her master was standing on the edge of a bottomless abyss. Her power and glory in the palace had actually surpassed imperial power, as a palace imperial concubine, what did she rely on?
Naturally, she relied on the Emperor's favor. However, once that love disappeared, her previous words and deeds would become a death sentence for her and everyone around her.
The head maid paled and ran back to Ci Ning Palace to bring Zhao Bi Xuan out. Because her son's safety was in the Emperor's hands, after she heard that letting out the Imperial Consort was the Emperor's will, the Empress Dowager didn't dare obstruct.
"Lady, drink some hot soup to warm your body." Carrying over a bowl of hot soup, the head maid was just about to mollify her crying master when someone outside announced that Marquess Wen Yuan's second wife was seeking an audience. Fang-shi's purpose for coming was naturally her son. She thought that if her son went to the Southwest, he would come back with a higher rank, how could she predict that he'd go directly to the Yellow Springs? After all that struggling, he didn't even get a chance to enjoy life as Marquess Wen Yuan. Fang-shi's heart broke, after weeping at home, she urgently came to the palace to ask her daughter for help.
"Lady, you have to tell the Emperor, make him kill the bandits that dismembered poor Ji Dong, so Ji Dong's spirit can have peace. Ji Dong's death is an injustice ah! If the Gong Prince hadn't dragged him to the Southwest, how could he meet such a disaster? I told him before, stay in the safe and peaceful Imperial Academy, don't get involved with the Gong Prince. Everyone can see that the Emperor dislikes the Gong Prince and is intentionally suppressing him, if he stuck with the prince, his career would definitely suffer. But I never imagined he'll be killed before his career even begun. He was foolish, but I'm even more foolish, if only I'd persuaded him a little more… oh, my poor child, this is my fault … …" Fang-shi sobbed, her facial features blurred under a wet and sticky mess, she resembled a mad woman.
Zhao Bi Xuan also felt uncomfortable. Her mother's words were like a knife stabbing into her heart. Why did her younger brother stick with Qi Jin Yu? No one was more aware of the reason than her, but even so, the blame shouldn't be put on Qi Jin Yu's head, it was only the Will of Heaven toying with people. Zhao Bi Xuan pushed down her sorrow and comforted her mother, seeing it ineffective, she habitually ordered, "Someone, go to Yang Xin Palace and call the Emperor over."
Not only did the chamberlains not move, even the loyal palace maid didn't respond. Her expression was not conspicuous, but her heart was trembling in fear at the Imperial Consort's phrasing. 'Call the Emperor', just three words, but they revealed such disrespect and contempt, as if the Emperor was her dog, once she called, he'd immediately wag his tail and run over. But he was not a dog, he was the Blue Dragon roaming the Ninth Heaven, he could wipe out an entire clan with a puff of his breathe, not to mention one small imperial consort.
"Master, the Emperor is now busy dealing with governmental affairs, please wait for dinner time to invite him over."
"No, go now! I want to see the Emperor now!" Zhao Bi Xuan felt heartache for her brother, but she was even more worried about Qi Jin Yu's safety. The dead had already departed, but the living still had to go on, she was more concerned about getting Qi Jin Yu back safely. The Emperor must certainly have a plan for that place, she must find out.
The head maid was helpless, and had no choice but to follow the order, a moment later, she returned, her expression hesitant.
"Lady, the Emperor has ordered you to send the Second Prince to him."
"Why does he want me to send Cheng-er? He can just come see Cheng-er in Feng Yi Palace." Zhao Bi Xuan reflexively looked at the Second Prince's side chamber. She never liked having the Emperor get too close to the Second Prince, in her heart, the Second Prince's father was Qi Jin Yu. If he was too close to the Emperor, after Qi Jin Yu's future ascent to the throne, her son might turn against him. She didn't want her son to side with the enemy.
"His Majesty didn't say, he only said for you to quickly send the Second Prince."
"Perhaps the Emperor is very fond of the Second Prince, and would like to educate him at his side for a while. Lady, why don't you send him?" Fang-shi wiped her tears and said in a hoarse voice. If she didn't have her Imperial Consort daughter to rely on, she would've already fallen apart.
What 'Lady, why don't you send him?' Even the people of Wen Yuan March have lost their minds! The Emperor himself ordered it, how could her Master have room to reject? It was as if her Master could dismiss any order she didn't want to deal with, truly, all the previous pampering has made them lose their minds, such groundless frivolousness. The head maid's heart was anxious and livid, but she dared not make things clear in front of Fang-shi, since Fang-shi was helping persuade her Master.
Zhao Bi Xuan wanted to personally send her son, and take the opportunity to discreetly inquire about her sweetheart's condition from the Emperor, but before she could even walk out of the palace door, the chamberlain sent by the Emperor stopped her.
"Lady, it's enough for the Second Prince to go over, there's no need to inconvenience you to personally deliver him." Although the words were polite, the hidden meaning was obvious: the Emperor simply doesn't want to see you right now.
Zhao Bi Xuan reluctantly handed her son to the head maid and stood at the door, watching the two gradually disappear. Fang Shi could successfully suppress Li-shi and occupy all of Marquess Wen Yuan's love, she was naturally very keen on the way men's minds work. Because she was grieving a moment ago, her mind was somewhat muddled, but now that she'd calmed down, she could naturally notice the inconsistencies.
"Lady, our family suffered such a major loss, but the Emperor never came to see you?" Seeing her daughter stiffly shaking her head, she pushed down her frantic heartbeat and asked, "There were no words of comfort? He didn't send you anything? He didn't offer to handle Ji Dong's funeral?"
Because Zhao Ji Dong died outside the capital's border, in the whole of Zhao Jia, only Zhao Xuan had the ability to run into the bandit ravaged and waring Southwest to receive Zhao Ji Dong's body. However, when Fang-shi and family stole the title away, the main-family cut all ties with them, how could they dare go to them for help now? Fang-shi had all her hopes set on her Emperor son-in-law, so she rushed to the palace for an audience.
According to the Emperor's previous doting, without her daughter asking him to, the Emperor should've immediately sent a reassuring imperial edict to the Wen Yuan March, but there was no such thing, and even worse, he was not even willing to see her daughter's face. Has she fallen out of favor? Her daughter's status directly affected Wen Yuan March's future, and it also affected her own status.
The more Fang-shi thought about it, the more dread she felt, she forcefully grabbed Zhao Bi Xuan's wrist and asked in a low voice, "Lady, tell me the truth, have you done something to make the Emperor reject you? If not, he wouldn't know how heartbroken you are right now and still refuse to see you. At present, it seems as if His Majesty doesn't even care about you."