Chapter 44

“Welcome the Empress Dowager?” Feng Yaoguang curled his lips, the smile at the corner of his mouth carrying a hint of mockery and coldness.

“Grand Princess has been up all night dealing with corrupt officials and confiscating their properties. She hadn’t slept for a day and two nights and just fell asleep from exhaustion. I’m afraid she has no time to welcome anyone.”

“Impudent!” The Empress Dowager stepped out of the sedan chair, her face full of icy anger. “You, a mere general, dare to act as the master of Donghuang here? Who gave you the authority to overstep your bounds?”
Feng Yaoguang slowly turned to look.

The Empress Dowager, dressed in a phoenix robe, walked slowly, surrounded by her close maid and the chief palace maid. Her luxurious phoenix robe, precious phoenix hairpin, and exquisite makeup made her look like a figure of immense wealth and grandeur.

However, even such valuable attire couldn’t hide the dark circles under her eyes, the anxiety in her expression, and the anger and panic in her eyes. Her shout of “Impudent” was clearly a show of bravado lacking real strength.

“The Empress Dowager has arrived, and I failed to welcome you from afar. I deserve to die,” Feng Yaoguang performed a mock bow, his demeanor calm and lazy, showing no sign of the respect he should have for the Empress Dowager. “I dare not act as the master of the Grand Princess, but as one of her generals, it is my duty to protect her. I hope the Empress Dowager can forgive me.”

“I have no time to listen to you,” the Empress Dowager said coldly. “Didn’t Donghuang want to see me? Now that I’m here, let her come out.”

Feng Yaoguang was surprised, “Grand Princess wants to see the Empress Dowager?”

The Empress Dowager angrily replied, “Yan Donghuang sent word that she wanted to see me. Isn’t that why I’m here?”

Feng Yaoguang responded, “Then did the Empress Dowager bring the antidote?”

“Antidote?” The Empress Dowager’s face changed, “What antidote?”

Feng Yaoguang sneered, the brilliance in his eyes turning cold, “The Empress Dowager must be joking. Thanks to your son, Grand Princess was poisoned by Sheng Jing’an on her wedding night. Don’t pretend you don’t know about this.”

“Impudent!” the Empress Dowager’s face turned livid. How dare you speak to me like that?”

“Indeed, someone who has never been an Empress, even as an Empress Dowager, lacks the dignity and grace of a mother of the nation,” Feng Yaoguang slowly shook his head, his tone tinged with regret. “The Empress Dowager still doesn’t realize her situation, putting on airs here. Do you want the servants to kneel and kowtow to you?”

The Empress Dowager, who had already fainted once from anger and had just woken up, was so enraged by these words that she almost fainted again. Her greatest pride in life was winning as Consort De, becoming the biggest winner in the harem, making the Empress her defeated rival. She thought she could live out her life in glory and wealth. Unexpectedly, in just two days, she experienced the greatest fear, despair, and helplessness of her life, and now she was being mocked by a general for lacking the demeanor of a mother of the nation. She felt that she had suddenly become the biggest joke as the Empress Dowager.

Feng Yaoguang deserved to die a thousand times. The attitude of Yan Donghuang’s subordinates toward the Empress Dowager and the Emperor reflected Yan Donghuang’s attitude toward them. She had no regard for the monarch and harbored rebellious intentions. Thus, the Emperor’s wariness was not unfounded but a preemptive measure.

“Empress Dowager, please calm down,” Yang Debao quickly patted her back, softly comforting and reminding her, “It’s most important to see the Grand Princess soon and save Minister Chu.”

The Empress Dowager’s heart tightened, and she suddenly remembered her main purpose for leaving the palace. She had to suppress her anger and stiffly said, “The poisoning of Donghuang was a misunderstanding. Since I’m here, I will explain it to her in person. Take me to see Donghuang.”

Feng Yaoguang slowly shook his head, “Grand Princess is too exhausted and not fit to see anyone right now. If the Empress Dowager doesn’t mind, please come inside and wait until the Grand Princess wakes up.”

The Empress Dowager’s suppressed anger flared up again, “I am the Empress Dowager, Donghuang’s mother! As her daughter, she doesn’t come to see me and makes me wait? Do you have no respect for the imperial hierarchy?”

Feng Yaoguang’s lips curved into a stunning smile, “If the Empress Dowager doesn’t want to wait, then please return. Grand Princess has official duties to attend to after she wakes up and has no time for idle talk with the Empress Dowager.”

The Empress Dowager’s face changed dramatically, “You are impudent!”

“The Empress Dowager has been here for less than the time it takes to burn a stick of incense and has already said ‘impudent’ three times,” Feng Yaoguang’s smile faded, his face expressionless as he looked at her. “I am indeed impudent. What does the Empress Dowager intend to do about it?”

The Empress Dowager, trembling with anger, pointed at him, “You… you are rebelling?”

“Empress Dowager, please calm down,” Yang Debao’s voice trembled as he hurriedly comforted her, “Saving Minister Chu is the priority.”

The Empress Dowager took a deep breath, suppressing her anger, and coldly said, “Where is Minister Chu’s family?”

“You are too late. Minister Chu and his son were sent to the military camp early this morning,” Feng Yaoguang stood with his hands behind his back, his tone cold and indifferent. “The soldiers are very hospitable and will surely take good care of them.”

The Empress Dowager’s face turned pale, “I order you to bring them back immediately—”

Feng Yaoguang raised an eyebrow, looking at her with interest.

The Empress Dowager met his icy gaze, and the words stuck in her throat. Her expression stiffened, and a chill ran up her spine. Her hand at her side slowly clenched. She finally realized her true situation. She was here to negotiate the release of the Chu family, not to argue with them. She needed to resolve this matter first, save the Chu family, secure the Emperor’s throne, and then deal with Yan Donghuang and her subordinates later.

“I know Donghuang has some misunderstandings about me. The poisoning on her wedding night by Sheng Jing’an, the Emperor and I know all the details,” the Empress Dowager closed her eyes lightly, her face showing anger. “Sheng Jing’an is audacious, and the Emperor will not spare him!”

Feng Yaoguang’s lips curled into a mocking smile, watching her performance.

The Empress Dowager looked at him sincerely, “I have been Donghuang’s mother for many years. How could I harm her? Once I see Donghuang, all misunderstandings will be cleared, and I will expose the true face of the troublemakers.”

Feng Yaoguang remained silent.

“I couldn’t believe it when I first heard she was poisoned. I thought someone was spreading rumors. After all, Sheng Jing’an and Donghuang grew up together and had deep feelings for each other. How could he poison her?”

“Unexpectedly, that heartless scoundrel did it for another woman… It’s a waste of the Emperor’s favor. He has betrayed the trust of the Emperor and Donghuang!”