Chapter 158 Virtuous Empress Dowager

When Shu Yuwan entered, the atmosphere inside was tense.

The Wei family father and daughter, upon seeing Shu Yuwan, became even more indignant. Wei Wushuang pointed at Shu Yuwan, “Emperor Brother, I have been prepared to marry you since I was young. I am the legitimate daughter of the Wei family, the niece of Aunt, who always cherished me. If Aunt were still here, she would never allow this! And you being married to a divorce woman!”

“You truly doesn’t understand do you?. What does I see in you? What is so good about you?”

“Even if the Master Liang Kong decreed it, what does a consort position mean? It’s just her good fortune!”

Seeing Shu Yuwan enter, Wei Wushuang became even more agitated and spoke without restraint.

Not to mention Shu Yuwan, even Wei Guogong frowned at his daughter. Although what she said made sense, it was inappropriate to say it, especially in the current situation…

Shu Yuwan’s lips curved slightly as she looked at the Emperor.

The Emperor had lost his initial anger and now looked at Wei Wushuang with a very calm expression.

Wei Guogong hurriedly pleaded, “Please, Your Majesty, in consideration of your mother, do not blame Wushuang for her nonsense.”

The Emperor smiled gently, “Uncle, are you also bringing up the Empress Mother in this matter? Mother was very beneficial to the Wei family, wasn’t she? She brought glory to the Wei family when she was alive as the Empress, and even after her death.”

The Emperor’s gaze turned sharp as he looked at Wei Guogong, “But Uncle, do you truly care about my Mother?”

Wei Guogong’s face paled.

He insisted, “Your mother is my own sister. How could I not care?”

The Emperor nodded, “Uncle naturally cares.”

Upon hearing this, the usually confident Wei Wushuang began to feel nervous.

Although the Wei family held the title of Duke, they had always been a moderate faction, waiting for the situation to unfold before expressing their stance. This was the family tradition to ensure the survival of the lineage.

Moreover, in recent years, the family had not produced outstanding offspring.

The Wei family truly gained prominence in the capital after Aunt became the Empress, as the late Emperor favored Aunt and valued the Wei family greatly.

Back then, when Aunt had a conflict with the late Emperor and returned to the Wei family, saying she didn’t want to be Empress, Grandfather reprimanded her sternly in private and sent her back to the palace without a word.

Many of the people Aunt brought into the palace were loyal to the Wei family, not to Aunt. From a young age, Grandfather and Grandmother taught her to be a support for the family like Aunt but warned her not to be as naive as Aunt.

When her father took over the Wei family, he continued to use the people around Aunt to gather palace information for decisions benefiting the Wei family.

She knew all of this…

But,

Wasn’t this what a family’s legitimate daughter should do? As the legitimate daughter of a prestigious family, she naturally had to bear the responsibility for the family’s prosperity for generations!

Wei Wushuang said, “Emperor Brother, regardless, the Wei family wishes the best for Aunt Xiaoxian?”

The Emperor’s voice was as cold as ice, “Including the cause of my mother death?”

Wei Wushuang trembled, “What are you saying? How is that possible!”

Even Shu Yuwan couldn’t help but glance over, looking surprised at the Emperor. Seeing the Emperor’s serious expression, he then turned to Wei Guogong, and after Wei Wushuang’s stunned reaction, she also looked at her father.

Wei Guogong’s face changed slightly for a moment, but he quickly composed himself, as if greatly wronged, he exclaimed, “Your Majesty, what are you saying! How could we possibly harm the Empress? What benefit would that bring to my family?”

Wei Wushuang anxiously added, “Yes, Emperor Brother, are you mistaken? How could this be possible?”

The Emperor remained calm as he addressed the father and daughter, “The report states that five years after the Empress Mother entered the palace, she had a falling out with the late Emperor due to Concubine Yao, and returned to your mansion. However, a day later, with the persuasion of all of you, she returned to the palace. Shortly after her return, the Empress Mother began feeling unwell, and within a year, she passed away due to illness.”

“In the maids’ testimonies, it is written that after Mother returned to the palace, she was often in a bad mood. The Duke’s wife at the time frequently visited the palace, showing great concern for the Empress Mother. She would personally feed her medicine, and the Empress Mother, obediently taking it, would bring tears to the Duke’s wife’s eyes.”

The Emperor’s voice lowered, “Uncle, can you tell me what happened that day?”

As a young Emperor at the time, he had forgotten many things, but he remembered his Mother often saying, ‘Only by going back I can be free!’

During her lingering illness, she often looked at him, seemingly reluctant.

Now, he finally knew where the Empress Mother wanted to return to…

Wei Guogong tried to remain calm, “It was just ordinary comfort and persuasion, advising her to consider the Emperor more and understand the difficulties of the late Emperor at the time. How could the you suspect us that we forced your mother to her death!”

Seeing Wei Guogong showing no remorse or guilt, the Emperor felt sorry for his Empress Mother.

The Emperor said, “Then explain, Uncle, what was the intention behind using the Empress Mother to plant spies in the palace and gather information over the years through these individuals?” 

Unable to refute this, Wei Guogong simply confessed, “Your Majesty, forgive me. I was just overly worried about your mother situation in the palace, which led me to this misguided action.”

The Emperor was not interested in further discussion with Wei Guogong and said coldly, “For investigating royal secrets and offending my mother, I believe the entire family should be executed!”

“What do you think, Uncle?”

Wei Wushuang seemed frozen in her place.

Wei Guogong’s face turned pale.

The Emperor continued calmly, “Or perhaps, Uncle, think again about what happened that day?”

At that moment, Wei Guogong finally realized that the Emperor’s attitude towards them had changed.

In a dejected tone, he said, “That day…”