Chapter 335 - Beautiful Lady Nuan Asked for Help

Emperor Xianjia’s death was very sudden, even for Empress Dowager, who had known the inside story.

Earlier, the emperor told her that if he could hold out for another three years, he would definitely appoint his legitimate son as the crown prince. Empress Dowager thought that her son would have at least a year or two to live.

But to her surprise, only half a year had passed and he was gone.

It was like a thunderbolt from the sky to Empress Dowager. After receiving the news, she froze for a long time before she fainted on the spot with a shout!

Same as her, Empress Su and Crown Prince were also unconscious after they received the news.

During the summer vacation, everyone was in a more relaxed mood than in the imperial capital, even the people in palace with strict rules.

Therefore, when the death knell rang, many people were unable to react properly. At such time, Empress Dowager, Empress and Crown Prince, who were the most capable of making decisions, had fainted. So the situation was predictable!

When the courtiers living near the palace arrived at the gates hurriedly, they only saw countless staff in palace in a hurry, wandering around like headless flies. They were all obviously in disarray.

At this critical moment, it was Gu Shao, a veteran minister, who was able to calm the scene and ordered a few servants in charge to come over and stop the chaos. Then he ordered people to guard the palace gates to prevent anyone from taking advantage of the chaos to cause trouble. Of course, reliable people were also sent to report to the imperial capital. The point was to make the palace guard responsible for protecting the imperial capital strengthen their patrols and inquiries from now on. Anyone who wished to take advantage of Emperor’s death and the ascension of the new monarch to the throne and to cause trouble, should be severely punished as an example to others!

After these arrangements were made in a hurry, the courtiers rushed to the main hall where Emperor was at that moment. Only then did they know that Empress Dowager, Empress and Crown Prince were all calling imperial physicians for medical attention. Gu Shao slightly frowned on the spot. It was fine that Empress Dowager and Empress fainted, since they were women after all. But Crown Prince was the future Emperor!

How could he just grieve at such a critical moment?

Fortunately, although Crown Prince couldn’t wake up for the time being, other princes, including Prince of Su and Prince of Xiang, who had been adopted by others, successively rushed over.

As Emperor Xianjia’s original second son, Prince of Wei, had become Prince of Xiang at present, the third son, Prince of Liang, whose mother was the same as Crown Prince’s, had stepped out to be in charge of the situation for the time being, at least to set up the funeral hall and so on.

When all the courtiers living at the foot of the mountain came over, Crown Prince woke up with the doctor’s efforts. He asked the servant to help him walk out and take care of the affairs.

Although Gu Shao felt that he was too fragile to be a worthy Emperor, he would not say so in front of everyone. He only praised him for his filial behavior.

All in all, on the day of Emperor’s death, the palace was in chaos and Crown Prince’s performance was just passable.

The confusion and chaos lasted for three days before Crown Prince came to his consciousness and began to behave in a manner befitting his status and the lessons he had been taught.

He explained to Gu Shao privately, “Perhaps it’s because Han Ji poisoned me that I have often felt less energetic over the past six months, so that when I heard the sad news, I couldn’t support myself at all in my grief!”

“His Majesty died. Now the whole country depends on Your Highness. I feel sorry for Your Highness’s loss!” Hearing this, Gu Shao was shocked secretly in his heart. He had thought that Crown Prince had a weak personality, but at this moment, he heard that there was something wrong with his body. This was even more fatal than a weak personality. After all, the personality could be changed, but the body might not always be able to be rehabilitated.

Emperor Xianjia, who just died, was an example.

But at this moment, it was not the time to advise Crown Prince to take care of his health. He had to take care of the state funeral first no matter what. So he could only left him to his mourning.

It was June, not long after the summer vacation had begun, and the weather was still very hot.

However, Emperor’s death was a major event. It was impossible to keep his body in the palace until the heat was over and then return him to the imperial capital at a leisurely pace.

After all, according to the system copied from the previous dynasties, the funerals of Emperor, Empress Dowager and Empress, had to be held in the imperial capital.

Throughout the previous dynasties, even for puppet emperors, there was no reason to hold the funeral in the temporary palace.

Not to mention the fact that Emperor Xianjia was a recognized wise ruler.

Therefore, it was impossible to continue with the summer vacation this year. It was necessary to return to the imperial capital immediately.

However, Empress Dowager and Empress could not get, and Crown Princess was about to give birth. These three couldn’t be absent on the funeral of Emperor Xianjia. It was a problem how they could be brought back safely!

Crown Prince suppressed his grief, held his body that hadn’t fully recovered and ran around to look after every stuff. The clan could have helped a lot in this situation, but the problem was that Crown Prince’s uncles had been killed by his own father long ago, except for Prince of Yi. But Prince of Yi died last year. Prince of Hengshan was mourning his mother. In addition, his Princess Consort had just suffered danger. The burden he could share was limited.

The previous struggle for the throne had resulted in the adoption of Crown Prince’s two younger brothers.

Although Prince of Su and Prince of Xiang were part of the clan at this time and could help, they both chose to stand aside so that Crown Prince would not think that their desire for the throne hadn’t died.

In this situation, Crown Prince actually only had Prince of Liang to assist him. So, he had to bring in his cousins to help.

Jain Xubai was the first to be sent on a mission, “My grandmother is already old. This time she has suffered such a blow. I am really worried about her health! However, Xubai, you know that I am trapped with so many things that I don’t have time to serve my grandmother in front of her bed. I can only ask you to do me a favor. After all, we will be bringing Father to return to the imperial capital in three days. Grandmother will most likely refuse to stay until the weather cools down.”

After all, no matter how grand the state mourning was, it would be over by the time the weather cooled down.

If Empress Dowager did not follow them back at this time, she couldn’t even be able to attend her son’s funeral.

“Your Highness, don’t worry. I will do everything I can to comfort Grandmother.” Even if Crown Prince didn’t mention, Jian Xubai would go to visit Empress Dowager himself. After all, Empress Dowager brought him up and still favored him extraordinarily even now. Now that his uncle had died, and his grandmother was in fatal grief. How could Jian Xubai not worried?

But unexpectedly, when he rushed into the palace and came to the outside of Empress Dowager, he was only told by Yuguo, who was guarding there, “Empress Dowager just drank soothing soup and fell asleep. Duke, please come again later!”

“How is Grandmother going?” Hearing this, Jian Xubai hurriedly asked in a low voice.

Yuguo smiled sadly and sighed, “How can it be? I’ve persuaded Empress Dowager a lot. I mentioned Grand Princess Daiguo and you…Finally, I persuaded Empress Dowager to drink that soothing soup. Otherwise, Empress Dowager…”

She was upset and didn’t want to talk.

Jian Xubai understood it and also sighed, “Crown Prince asked me to accompany Grandmother more these days. After all, you know that Uncle…two days later, we will be bringing Uncle back to the imperial capital. Grandmother must come together. The weather was so hot. Crown Prince was worried if Grandmother could withstand the bumpy journey.”

“Crown Prince is really considerate.” Yuguo nodded, “Indeed, you are the only person who could comfort Empress Dowager now.”

Although when Empress Dowager was sad, Yuguo also mentioned Grand Princess Daiguo, it was not a good idea to invite Grand Princess Daiguo to come over to comfort Empress Dowager.

Because Emperor Xianjia’s death meant Crown Prince’s accession to the throne, and it also meant the beginning of a life of trepidation for Grand Princess Daiguo’s family.

Under such circumstances, even if Grand Princess Daiguo didn’t intend to take this opportunity to give a sign of weakness, when she saw Empress Dowager, how could she not feel sad?

The mother and the daughter would then be upset together. How could it be possible that Empress Dowager would be comforted? It would be good if they didn’t cry together.

Only Jian Xubai, as the only grandchild raised by Empress Dowager herself, was well loved and valued by Empress Dowager. He was also Crown Prince’s right-hand man and had a promising future.

If he came to console Empress Dowager, at least there wouldn’t be a scene of them crying together from beginning to end.

But at this moment, Empress Dowager had just fallen asleep. It was not appropriate for Jian Xubai to disturb her. So after talking with Yuguo for a while, he decided to go and visit Empress Su.

Although when he was in the palace, he rarely visited his aunt, Empress Su had always treated him well.

At this moment, Emperor was gone, as her legitimate nephew, he should go and express his empathy.

But this time he also didn’t meet her successfully. Jiayue, the First Maid in palace, came out apologetically to tell him, “Empress said that Duke’s kindness was appreciated, but Empress was really not in a mood to meet you at this time. Please forgive me!”

“Aunt and Uncle are very much in love, and it is indeed a blessing for the state. Why should I blame it?” Jian Xubai shook his head and said, “I’ll leave Aunt to her mourning!”

Jiayue respectfully said she would convey his words to Empress and thanked him again and again. After leaving Empress’s residence, Jian Xubai intended to go to report to Crown Prince. However, as he walked down a quiet palace road, a figure suddenly appeared behind a flowering tree by the roadside and called in a low voice, “Xubai!”

“Beautiful Lady Nuan!” Jian Xubai saw her and stunned for a while. Then he instantly looked around and said in a low voice, “Why are you still calling me Xubai?”

Beautiful Lady Nuan ignored his questioning and only looked at Ji Su, who was glancing around, “I have a favor to ask. Can I speak to you alone?”

She was clearly in a hurry. Her tone revealed an obvious anxiety, and her demeanor was devoid of her usual hesitation and timidity.

Jian Xubai hesitated, but nodded gently for the sake of knowing each other in the past. Seeing this, Ji Su immediately retreated to a distance.

“What’s the matter?” When Jian Xubai asked the question, he had a pretty good idea of what she was up to. It was most likely because of Emperor Xianjia’s death. Beautiful Lady Nuan didn’t have a child, and according to the rules, she had to be sent to the temporary palace and stay there until she died. It would be fine if she was old. But she was younger than 20 years old this year. How could she be willing?

But Jian Xubai couldn’t help her with this. In the past, the fact that Monarch of Wuhuan wanted to recruit him as son-in-law was not known to all throughout the imperial capital, but the captives and their subordinates all knew about it. The reason why word did not spread was that Jian Xubai had refused very firmly and Princess Feinuan became Emperor Xianjia’s concubine later.

So if Jian Xubai had asked Empress Dowager or Empress for help after the death of Emperor Xianjia, so that Beautiful Lady Nuan would not go to the temporary palace, but stay in the imperial capital and follow Empress Dowager or Empress to continue her luxury life, no matter what Empress Dowager or Empress would do to teach him a lesson, they would definitely get Beautiful Lady Nuan killed immediately!

The reason was simple. They were afraid that people would say that he was treacherous and thought about his concubine aunt as soon as his uncle died!

After all, the rumors wouldn’t care how adamantly Jian Xubai had refused to marry Princess Feinuan back then. People would only say that the Monarch of Wuhuan had once wanted to marry his daughter to Jian Xubai, but later on, the beautiful princess had entered the palace instead. Perhaps the rumors would later turn out to be that the uncle had stolen his nephew’s sweetheart, and that the nephew couldn’t forget his old love and wanted to be fulfilled after his uncle’s death.

Once this kind of nonsense spread, it was basically impossible to explain, and would even be passed on from generation to generation, eventually replacing the truth and becoming ‘the fact’!

And none of Empress Dowager, Empress, Crown Prince, Grand Princess Jinguo and so on, would let this happen!

Jian Xubai himself also didn’t want to bear such a bad reputation. He had a wife and a daughter. He was very much in love with his wife, and his daughter was adorable. How could he disappoint his own wife and daughter for the sake of an acquaintance at a young age?

Therefore, although he asked the question, he was prepared to refuse and explain.

Unexpectedly, Beautiful Lady Nuan did mention that she couldn’t accept what would happen to her after Emperor Xianjia’s death, but the way she wanted Jian Xubai to help her made his jaw drop!