Chapter 73 The Little Emperor's Weakness

Chapter 73 The Little Emperor's Weakness

In the Imperial Garden, the scene spiraled out of control as the Empress Dowager fainted from anger.

The cries of the palace maids and the calls for help from the imperial physicians were mixed together, creating complete chaos.

In the heart of this chaos, Pei Yunjing stood tall and straight, his expression indifferent, as if all the noise around him had nothing to do with him.

He stared at the unconscious Empress Dowager with the eyes of someone looking at a dead man, seemingly considering whether to go up and deliver the final blow.

"Uncle! Uncle, please calm down!"

Just then, the young emperor Zhao Yuan, who had been sitting on the dragon throne trembling and trying to make his presence as inconspicuous as possible, finally couldn't sit still any longer.

Although he feared his powerful uncle, the Empress Dowager was, after all, his mother in name only.

If the Empress Dowager were to die of anger here today, or if this scandal were to be confirmed, the royal family would be utterly disgraced.

Zhao Yuan stood up shakily, his large dragon robe hanging loosely on his thin body, making him look particularly comical and powerless.

"Misunderstanding...this must be a misunderstanding!"

The young emperor forced a smile that was more like a grimace, his voice weak, yet he desperately tried to project the majesty of an emperor:

"Uncle, Mother... Mother must have taken the wrong wine! Yes, it must be the servants in the Imperial Kitchen who have done a bad job and mixed up the medicinal wine we need with the blessed wine that was given to my aunt!"

"The Empress Dowager is the mother of the nation, how could she... how could she do such a despicable thing? Uncle, don't you agree?"

The reason given was so clumsy it was outrageous.

But none of the ministers present dared to expose the truth, and could only bury their heads even lower.

Upon hearing this, Pei Yunjing slowly turned around.

She slightly raised her chin and glanced at the young emperor with an indifferent look, as if he were an ant.

"You took the wrong wine?"

Pei Yunjing scoffed lightly, his tone playful:

"The servants in the imperial kitchen are incredibly audacious. Not only do they dare to hoard aphrodisiacs, but they also dare to deliver them to the emperor?"

The young emperor choked, his face turning red and cold sweat pouring down his forehead.

He knew the excuse was untenable, but he had to suppress the matter now!

"I...I will definitely conduct a thorough investigation of the Imperial Kitchen! I will give my Imperial Uncle an explanation!"

The young emperor spoke urgently, then changed the subject, attempting to end the farce with a compromise:

"Uncle, look, the Empress Dowager has been scratched by the cat and has fainted. She has been severely punished. This can be considered... a form of retribution."

He glanced at Tang Li, who was hiding behind Pei Yunjing, a hint of dissatisfaction and calculation flashing in his eyes.

In his view, this woman was a femme fatale who not only brought shame to the royal family but also disfigured his mother.

"Let's just drop this matter."

The young emperor straightened his back, adopted the airs of an emperor, and attempted to use his imperial power to intimidate others:

"After all, today is the Mid-Autumn Festival, and it's not auspicious to shed blood. Besides..."

He pointed at the pear tree, his tone carrying a hint of reproach:

"Although it was an unintentional mistake by the Empress Dowager, it is an indisputable fact that the cat, which belonged to the Empress Dowager, disturbed the imperial carriage and caused the Empress Dowager to be injured."

"How about... we let the Imperial Aunt kowtow to the Empress Dowager and apologize? I will grant her pardon, and let this matter be over."

This is a typical case of "each side being equally at fault".

The matter of the Empress Dowager's poisoning was glossed over, but the victim, Tang Li, was forced to kowtow and apologize in order to maintain the crumbling dignity of the royal family.

Everyone held their breath and looked at Pei Yunjing.

The emperor is, after all, the sovereign. Although the regent wields immense power, he should at least give the emperor some face on such a grand occasion.

However.

Pei Yunjing smiled.

That smile was extremely cold, like an icicle in the dead of winter, instantly piercing the little emperor's pitiful dignity.

"Give up?"

Pei Yunjing took a step forward.

The young emperor was so frightened that his legs went weak and he collapsed back onto the dragon throne, his face ashen.

"Is Your Majesty joking with me?"

Pei Yunjing stared coldly at the puppet emperor, his eyes devoid of any reverence, only displaying naked contempt.

"The Empress Dowager poisoned my princess in an attempt to ruin her reputation. Is this what you call a misunderstanding?"

"That beast went mad and attacked people; that's divine retribution. What does it have to do with my queen?"

He pointed to the pool of poisoned wine on the ground, his voice suddenly rising, filled with thunderous rage:

"The victim hasn't even said anything yet, but Your Majesty is already demanding that the victim kowtow and apologize to the perpetrator?"

"Is this the classic texts Your Majesty has been reading? Is this the way of the emperor Your Majesty has learned?"

This barrage of questions, like a machine gun, left the young emperor dizzy and speechless, unable to utter a single word in rebuttal.

"You...I...I am the emperor..." The young emperor tried to emphasize his status, his words filled with bluster but his heart was filled with fear.

"Jun?"

Pei Yunjing snorted coldly, his eyes sweeping across the room with a sinister gaze. He reached out and gently patted Tang Li's back, his gesture gentle, but his words sent chills down everyone's spines:

"All I know is that my queen is timid. She has been so frightened today that she is almost scared out of her wits."

Tangli trembled slightly in response and let out a very faint sob.

Pei Yunjing raised his head, looking directly at the emperor high above him, his tone icy and unyielding:

"The Empress Dowager's injury is her own fault."

"But my queen was frightened, and this debt..."

A bloodthirsty smile curled at the corner of his lips:

"Does Your Majesty think that a simple 'let's call it quits' is enough?"