Chapter 1588 - 1435: The Fake Commandery Princess 45
Ye Shuangshuang hurriedly rose and knelt down, "Your Majesty, you mustn’t, Your Majesty has shown kindness to your servant’s daughter, like a perceiver of talent, and your servant’s daughter should wholeheartedly serve Your Majesty. How could I accept such great reward? It’s too much, your servant’s daughter feels uneasy receiving it."
Before the Emperor could speak, the Empress stood up first with a gentle smile and reached out to lift Ye Shuangshuang up from the ground, "You child, you understand grace and righteousness, and know how to repay kindness. You deserve the title of Princess.
Moreover, it’s not just the Emperor who wants to acknowledge you as a daughter, I also like you very much, and wish to acknowledge you as my daughter. Would Princess Renxin be willing to accept this Empress as your mother?"
"This..." Ye Shuangshuang hesitated for a moment but seeing the Emperor and Empress’s eyes speaking with an undeniable intention, Ye Shuangshuang could only kneel again, "Your servant’s daughter is ashamed to receive the Emperor and Empress’s love."
The Emperor laughed heartily, his face showing satisfaction and with an affectionate tone said, "Since that’s the case, you should change how you address us to Father Emperor and Mother Empress!"
Ye Shuangshuang felt helpless in her heart, she hadn’t expected that in one trip to the Capital City, she’d gain an Imperial father and mother. She really has many parents in this life, biological, adopted, and honorary combined, making three pairs of parents.
Thinking this way in her heart, Ye Shuangshuang’s actions were very swift as she paid respects again, saying, "Father Emperor, Mother Empress."
The Emperor and Empress both responded in unison with a smile of satisfaction and joy on their faces, but unfortunately, the matter concerning the Empress Dowager wasn’t resolved yet, so the conferment of Ye Shuangshuang as a princess would be delayed for a while.
Acknowledging her parents, thereafter Ye Shuangshuang became even more dedicated to the Emperor’s health, personally instructing the Imperial Chef on how to prepare medicinal meals, how to make bland food delicious and palatable.
She also locked herself in the pharmacy for three days, developing the most suitable nourishing decoction for the Emperor’s health, being this busy, Ye Shuangshuang’s days were very full.
Meanwhile, the Emperor and Empress were actively contacting their confidants from the court and harem of the previous dynasty, preparing to launch a comprehensive counterattack against the Empress Dowager’s faction.
Within just a month, the struggle between the Emperor and the Empress Dowager had already reached its conclusion, surpassing Ye Shuangshuang’s expectations, as she thought the Emperor would secretly deal with the Empress Dowager.
The Imperial family’s issue is always to keep problems within the sleeves, never letting the Royal Family’s scandal be publicized, preserving face at all costs.
But Ye Shuangshuang did not expect that the Emperor would vigorously publicize the matter of the Empress Dowager and her younger brother poisoning him to assassinate him and seize the throne.
This matter naturally caused an uproar immediately, as soon as rumors spread, the court ministers began fervently discussing the topic, with many speculations.
The Emperor had decided to tear open the facade completely, choosing substance over appearance, after the rumors spread, he personally took center stage, wearing a pale face painted by the Empress herself, appearing weak and sickly to attend court.
Then, during the morning assembly, he played out a drama of a deeply saddened son, heartbroken, distressed, unable to believe he would be treated this way by his mother, stirring many ministers to sympathize with the Emperor.
Among these were those genuinely sympathetic towards the Emperor and those taking the opportunity to curry favor, flatter, and express their loyalty. Ultimately, the Empress Dowager was sent to the ancestral temple to pray for the ancestors and never to leave.
The Empress Dowager’s cherished son was sent by the Emperor to guard the spirits of past emperors in the Imperial Mausoleum, never to leave it, essentially imprisoning him within a grave, a very harsh fate.
As for those who followed the Empress Dowager hoping to gain from the Emperor’s downfall and secure dragon-following merits, they faced the worst outcomes. More than ten families were obliterated, showing how much the Emperor despised these people.
Ye Shuangshuang watched with admiration, although the Emperor revealed his family affairs, few would dare criticize the Emperor; those who spoke would only comment on the Empress Dowager’s lack of maternal kindness and the Emperor’s brother’s treacherous nature.
The Emperor, however, seized the opportunity to thoroughly eliminate the thorny elements surrounding the Empress Dowager, all of whom were of noble and high status.
Without the leverage of the assassination attempt against the Emperor, even the Emperor would find it difficult to deal with them, which was why these individuals dared to oppose the Empress Dowager and the Emperor.
The Emperor discarded his image, breaking free from the constraints of being suppressed as a son by the Empress Dowager, cleansing the court; previously influenced by the Empress Dowager, many forces had opposed the Emperor, with their removal, the Emperor truly achieved supreme authority.
Ye Shuangshuang was somewhat appreciative of his approach, this Emperor indeed has the disposition of a wise ruler, not condoning parasites for appearances, not covering up the truth.
Even while gravely ill, dealing with his mother’s assassination, brother’s betrayal, he could remain clear-headed and suitably leverage the situation to cleanse the court, regaining power, making Ye Shuangshuang itch to assist him.
After cleaning up the court, the Emperor’s triumphant return heralded the first act of vigorously praising Ye Shuangshuang’s contributions, directly decreeing her as Princess Renxin.
Additionally, the Emperor personally selected a residence, ultimately choosing a grand Prince Mansion near the Imperial City, directly assigning it to Ye Shuangshuang as her Princess Mansion.
Because of the Emperor’s decisive actions, exterminating families of high officials, ministers were somewhat frightened, and coupled with Ye Shuangshuang’s life-saving contributions to the Emperor, being a woman.
The conferment was merely a princess title, not an official position, hence no one dared oppose the Emperor at this time, and the conferment proceeded very smoothly.
Following the princess conferment, the Emperor issued another decree, lifting the punishment that had prevented the Ye Family from returning from Nanzhao to the Capital City, due to Ye Shuangshuang becoming a princess and needing to nurse the Emperor’s health.
Additionally, the Emperor bestowed the Princess Mansion, clearly intending to keep Ye Shuangshuang in the Capital City long-term. To avoid her longing for her parents, the Emperor issued this special decree.
Certainly, the Emperor also had other intentions, such as not wanting to waste Ye Fangchen’s dedication as a Great General; this decree represented another layer of meaning, indicating the Emperor’s intention to utilize Ye Fangchen.
Initially, the Emperor affirmed Ye Fangchen’s loyalty, only that an untrustworthy outsider had implicated him. Now, with Ye Shuangshuang’s intervention saving his life, the Emperor no longer doubted Ye Fangchen’s allegiance.
Ye Shuangshuang, however, felt that her family was quite comfortable living in Nanzhao, a place that nurtured people, better than the Capital City. Returning to the Capital City may not be as comfortable as being in Nanzhao.
Therefore, Ye Shuangshuang sent a letter to express the Emperor’s intentions, especially asking Ye Fangchen and Ye Feiying if they wished to return to the Capital City. If not, she had ways to help them decline.
Sure enough, as Ye Shuangshuang expected, Ye Feiying and the Shen Family, having just finished celebrating the summer festival by holding their silver wedding ceremony and were enjoying themselves, showed great reluctance toward returning to the Capital City.
Ye Fangchen and Bai Menghan similarly were not inclined to resume the cautious lifestyle of the Capital City.
Nanzhao is so wonderful, with beautiful mountains, waters, scenery, and people around them treating their family with respect and enthusiasm. The place is like spring all year round, how could the Capital City compare?