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Yan Qing effortlessly seized her wrist, a mocking smile gracing her stunning face, “Mother, save your energy.”
The Empress Dowager’s chest heaved with anger.
It had been a long time since she had lost her composure.
Even when facing palace struggles, exiling her daughter, or even dealing with the late Emperor’s passing, she always maintained the elegant demeanor expected of the Empress, never displaying anger or frustration in public.
Yet, in less than the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Yan Qing had completely robbed her of her composure.
The Empress Dowager pulled back her hand, stiffly sat down, and gritted her teeth as she asked, “What do you want to do?”
“I only want to seek justice for the injustices I have endured,” Yan Qing replied.
The Empress Dowager took a deep breath, softening her tone as she said, “I know I was unfair to you in the past, but we cannot ignore the prophecy from the Qintian Observatory. After all, it concerns the survival of the royal family. Your elder brother has always been in poor health since childhood, so I couldn’t help but worry more. You should understand.”
“Understand?” Yan Qing raised an eyebrow.
The Empress Dowager, suppressing her disgust, showed a hint of regret and self-blame on her face, “I will make it up to you in the future.”
She thought Yan Qing was just being rebellious, trying to challenge the Emperor with the slight military power the late Emperor had granted her before his death, believing it was merely resentment driving her actions.
So, the Empress Dowager thought appealing to Yan Qing’s emotions and reasoning would work.
However, Yan Qing just smiled, “Make it up?”
“Yes.”
Taking a sip of tea, Yan Qing asked nonchalantly, “How does the Empress Dowager intend to make it up to me?”
The Empress Dowager asked, “What do you want?”
Yan Qing raised her gaze, “I want one hundred thousand taels of gold. Will the Empress Dowager provide it?”
The Empress Dowager’s expression stiffened.
Yan Qing continued, “I want the chair that Yan Chen sits on. Can the Empress Dowager make that happen?”
“Yan Qing!” The Empress Dowager exclaimed angrily, “You’re audacious!”
Such blatant disrespect was deserving of death!
“Just a few words, and the image of a loving mother is hard to maintain again,” Yan Qing lightly mocked, “I remember Mother used to be composed and graceful, handling everything with ease, rarely losing her composure.”
The Empress Dowager gritted her teeth. No one had dared to provoke her like this before, so she had never lost her composure.
“What do you want in order to provide the antidote?”
“To whom should I provide the antidote?” Yan Qing asked calmly, “If I give it to you, I can’t give it to Yan Chen. He will suffer excruciating pain for three days every month, to the point where he’d rather be dead. Without the antidote for a year, he will be so tormented that he may not even live to see his throne secure.”
Pausing, she continued, “If I give the antidote to Yan Chen, you will endure such torment. As you are older and a woman, your physical strength and endurance are not as strong as a young man’s. You must consider this carefully.”
The Empress Dowager’s face turned pale and ugly, wishing she could strike down this wicked creature.
“Think it over, Mother.” Yan Qing stood up, displaying a gesture of preparing to see the guest out, “I won’t see the Empress Dowager off. Safe travels.”
The Empress Dowager coldly stated, “Give the antidote to me, and I will take it to Yan Chen.”
“Are you certain, Your Majesty?”
The Empress Dowager coldly stated, “A country cannot be without a ruler for a single day. For the sake of the nation and its people, I am willing to endure hardship myself rather than let anything happen to Yan Chen.”
“The Empress Dowager truly cares deeply for Yan Chen,” Yan Qing’s red lips curved slightly, “Unfortunately, I am not in a good mood today, so there is no antidote, and furthermore…”
The Empress Dowager frowned, “Furthermore?”
“You may still have doubts about what I’ve said,” Yan Qing smiled lightly, “After experiencing the effects of the poison once you return to the palace, come back to discuss the antidote with me.”
With that, she turned and left without looking back.
“Yan Qing, do you have no humanity left?” The Empress Dowager fumed, “I am your mother. Your disobedience and lack of filial piety will lead to public condemnation, and divine retribution!”
Public condemnation and divine retribution?
If she were truly struck by divine retribution now, the first person to cheer might just be her own biological mother, wouldn’t it?
Yan Qing cynically raised her lips. Discussing affection with her? Blood ties? Humanity?
The Empress Dowager was not worthy.
Back in her chambers, Yan Qing had Hu Yunfei, the youngest son of Imperial Censor Hu, brought in.
He struggled and cursed, his face full of anger, “Why have you brought me here? Princess Chang is acting lawlessly. I will lodge a complaint. I will definitely lodge a complaint!”
Yan Qing looked coldly at his tantrum and calmly ordered, “Take him away and give him fifty lashes.”
“Yes!”
“Why are you punishing me?” The seventeen-year-old youth’s eyes blazed with fury, “What did I do wrong? Princess Chang is acting tyrannical with the Qilin Guards at her disposal. If the late Emperor knew, he would regret entrusting you with the Qilin Guards—”
“Add another fifty,” Yan Qing spoke lightly.
Hu Yunfei lost control in anger, “Yan Qing, you are a cursed star! You are heartless and cruel, your heart, liver, and lungs are all black—”
“Add another fifty.”
“The entire court knows you are a demon! You are an ominous presence!”
“Add one hundred.”
The lashes fell harshly, leaving Hu Yunfei in agonizing pallor, “Let go of me! Why are you beating me!”
“You may continue to curse,” Yan Qing leaned against the door frame, smiling gently, “Let’s see if your sharp tongue or your frail body can withstand the lashes better.”
Hu Yunfei wanted to say more, but the increasing count of lashes added by Yan Qing weakened his resolve, “How many… more lashes do you want to give?”
“Shen Mo.”
“As per Your Highness’s command, a total of two hundred and fifty lashes are to be administered.”
Two hundred and fifty lashes?
Hu Yunfei’s face turned pale, “I will die, I will definitely die. Just kill me directly! I don’t want to endure so many lashes.”
“Don’t worry, two hundred and fifty lashes won’t kill you,” Yan Qing turned back into the hall, “Control the force, leave him alive.”
“Yes.”
“Princess Chang, you can’t beat me! My father is an imperial censor, he will accuse you, he will definitely accuse you!” Hu Yunfei shouted outside, “Can’t you spare me if I stop cursing? Have mercy on me, it hurts! Ah, it hurts, go easy, go easy…”
Yan Qing sat by the window, eyes half-closed, listening to the pleas for mercy mixed with apologies outside, a faint smile on her face.
“Wen Jin, do you find this voice pleasant?”
“It’s pleasant.”
“Your ears must be faulty,” Yan Qing looked at him with a subtle gaze, “Shen Mo, it’s too noisy.”
“Yes.”
Shen Mo silenced Hu Yunfei to stop his cries and shouts, allowing the sounds of the lashes falling and his muffled protests to be distinctly heard.
Yan Qing called someone over, “Go inform Imperial Censor Hu that his son was disciplined in my mansion for speaking disrespectfully, and it wasn’t light. If he wishes to accuse me, he is welcome to continue.”
“Understood.”
Yan Qing turned slightly, gazing at the clean cobblestones outside the window, her face radiant yet cool as snow.
She looked down at her slender fingers painted with rouge, delicate and fair-skinned, like exquisite porcelain.
“Wen Jin, do you find my hands beautiful?”
“Beautiful.”
“They would look even better if stained with blood.”
The cursed star.
All those who detested her, resented her, and schemed for her demise should perish.
Once they were gone, tranquility would return, and the air would be fresh and pure.
Yan Qing smiled, her beauty captivating and enchanting.