Old Deer was right.
At the beginning of the twelfth lunar month.
New inmates arrived at the Cold Palace, the former mistress of Kunning Palace.
Empress Xia.
There were rumors in the palace that Empress Xia pined for the Deposed Crown Prince, and her condition worsened over time, often losing touch with reality—in short, she went mad.
If you're mad, you should have stayed quietly in the palace. Instead, she refused to heed the eunuchs' attempt to stop her and barged into Yangxin Hall, throwing tantrums and rolling on the ground, completely lacking the dignity of royalty.
Out of consideration for their past marital bond, Emperor Hongwu did not punish her severely for disrespect but simply demoted her to live out her old age in the Cold Palace.
Eunuch Yuan personally escorted Empress Xia to the Cold Palace and ordered, "Make sure to watch her closely. She must not step half a foot out of the palace. Alarming His Majesty is something you cannot afford!"
