Leaving the Changmen Palace - LTCP 02: Succession

Chen Jiao awoke suddenly.

This time, all the servants were alerted. Two of them with delicate features opened the canopy, brought her a cup of snow tea quietly, lowered the curtain, and left.

As she got older, her servants became younger, and their speech was not as informal as the previous ones.

She quickly drank the tea, wiped the sweat off her forehead, and did not ask for them to fan her on the hot summer night in Chang’an. Instead, she let the cold sweat evaporate slowly.

The voice sighed and stirred once more, “From now on, the roles will be reversed. Why are you still lacking? Why are you so anxious?”

Chen Jiao remained silent; there was no need to respond.

Tomorrow, her second cousin will be bestowed with his title, becoming the crown prince with her becoming the crown princess.

Despite the noble background of Chen Jiao’s mother, her status never matched that of the future empress. There had been a noticeable absence of criticism within her family for the past few years, with even her grandmother and uncle in the imperial palace never showing any warmth towards her.

Despite the apparent contentment of others, she felt unsettled.

The grand princess often observed her with a sense of melancholy in her gaze, and not even lavish gifts could brighten her demeanor. While her uncle admired her composed nature, the grand princess remained unsatisfied.

“Why are you so downcast about Liu Rong’s downfall?” it inquired. “You have been preoccupied with him for quite some time. Is there a hidden affection for him?”

The age gap between the first prince, who was in his early twenties, and seven-year-old Chen Jiao was considerable.

Ever since Lady Li and the grand princess had a falling out, she had rarely seen him again. She had only encountered him a few times at the empress dowager’s palace. He always had a smile on his face and engaged in conversation, but she could no longer implore him to join her in playing.

She could almost envision the grand princess praising her second cousin’s positive attributes to the empress dowager, claiming that Liu Che was “born under auspicious signs, naturally intelligent, a dragon-sun sign, and remarkably noble.”

Although these compliments were made publicly, the grand princess had her own private interpretation, “A mother’s nobility comes from her son, and a son’s nobility stems from his mother. It is unjust for Lady Li not to be the empress when the prince is in power. A decision should have been made sooner.”

She overheard the grand princess trying to persuade the empress dowager.

The empress dowager appeared as a frail elderly lady with closed eyes, giving off an impression of being even older and more unstable throughout the year. However, at that particular moment, a brilliant light seemed to shine from her back.

The grand princess was abruptly cut off in her speech.

“Can Lady Li truly become a competent empress?” inquired the empress dowager wearily. “The removal of the crown prince from power is no small matter. You are the head of the Chen family. How could you make such comments?”

The grand princess fell silent immediately.

After a pause, the empress dowager went on, “A person of true intelligence doesn’t need to speak for themselves. Madam Wang is exceptionally astute. I have faith that her son will excel as well.”

Chen Jiao seldom grasped the underlying meanings in her grandmother and mother’s conversations. Their words always had deeper implications, which required her to seek clarification in order to understand their intentions.

“You are more than a decade younger than the crown prince. The concept of marriage is laughable.” It always showed great enthusiasm when imparting knowledge about power, “The grand princess only has you as her daughter, so they use you as a pretext to communicate with her. With a few conversations, a bond is established. If Lady Li fails to see through this, how will she unveil the hidden agenda behind it?”

“What hidden agenda?” She inquired, still groggy from sleep.

It promptly replied, not leaving her in suspense, “Out of the two, the grand princess is inherently superior, whether she is the emperor’s sister or his aunt. However, if the emperor’s aunt can also fulfill the roles of his wife and mother, the distinction becomes less significant. The grand princess has multiple brothers, including the emperor.”

Chen Jiao has always been aware of the empress dowager’s affection for her younger uncle. Nevertheless, in the past couple of years, she hadn’t heard any mention of her little uncle being considered for the position of crown prince.

“With three kids, there’s no reason to show preference to the oldest son; everything is fair. The youngest child is distant, beyond reach. Only the daughter holds a special place in her heart. Being older, she tends to be more compliant by nature. Making Prince of Liang the heir to the throne cannot be justified by anyone. Despite numerous efforts, the daughter sensed she had pushed too hard and eventually stopped mentioning it.”

It spoke slowly, “The emperor must recognize whose merit it is. When Madam Wang declared you as Liu Che’s wife, it was already determined that you would become the empress. A son’s status is influenced by his mother. It is just a matter of time before the East Palace gets a new ruler.”

Chen Jiao could no longer make eye contact with Liu Rong. Knowing he would eventually depart, she chose not to wait until that day to feel sorrowful. Yet, this sense of tranquility was merely a form of self-deception.

It appeared as though it had sensed her inner turmoil, stirring within her heart with enthusiasm, “You truly are clever! I can tell!”

She shut her eyes and let out a sigh of relief. This parting was not just a separation in life, but in death as well.

Liu Che, being too young as the crown prince, the King of Linjiang too old, and her uncle’s failing health all prompted her to consider the future. Regardless of the individual, no one would be pleased to witness a young man destined to perish. Furthermore, this young man had always shown particular kindness towards her.

She was beyond tired, nearly pleading with it, “Please let me rest. Stop speaking. Just let me be.”

It suddenly hushed, allowing her to slip back into a state of confused, drowsy slumber.

Yet her mind was thrown back into disarray when it murmured once more, “It’s quiet now, and it will be even quieter in the future. Have you ever considered that you might be the next Liu Rong?”

Any trace of sleepiness was instantly banished. Chen Jiao rolled over in annoyance and sat up once more.

She reflected on its desperate pleas and appeals.

“Do not step into the lavish palace. Do not wed Liu Che. Refrain from marrying him!”

Next, she pondered her younger cousin. The seven-year-old crown prince possessed elegance, ambition, and obedience to the empress dowager, though youth still lingered in his demeanor.

It was not unexpected, as the imperial relatives of the court were known to be capricious. Even though the Lu family had disappeared, the enthusiasm of the Dou family was still apparent.

Chen Jiao suddenly realized that being the empress was not as comfortable as being the empress dowager.

The remaining haze was reluctantly dispelled, and she found herself thinking of Empress Bo at that moment.

The grand princess always believed she was too serious and gloomy for her age. When her fiancé was named the crown prince and her status elevated, she did not feel happy. She even jokingly wondered if she had made the wrong choice for her daughter.

Chen Jiao pondered that if the grand princess had agreed to cousin Liu Rong back then, perhaps the Chen family would not be so animated now. Ultimately, the grand princess had a touch of pride.

Once again, it echoed in her head, “Smile happily. Your husband is about to become the crown prince. Why are you not happy?”

Chen Jiao lifted the edges of her lips and beamed at the young man in embroidered attire approaching her.

He presented a flower to her, “I knew you preferred simple flowers; you like this one.”

Winter Jasmine was uncommon at this time of the year, so it was a mystery how Liu Che managed to find them to please her.

Chen Jiao’s smile held a touch of genuineness.

As she was about to speak to him, it reminded, “Remember Empress Bo, the first empress to be deposed since the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors.”

Empress Bo was the granddaughter of the empress dowager. The emperor married her to satisfy the empress dowager.

Liu Che inquired, “Why are you smiling so absentmindedly? Do you not enjoy it?”

Surprised, Chen Jiao responded with a sweet smile, “No, I actually quite like it.”

Upon returning home, she relayed to the grand princess, “Please refrain from sending any more beautiful women to my uncle.”

The grand princess was momentarily shocked, but then casually smiled and softly commented, “You are still young and do not comprehend adult affairs.”

That day was Empress Wang’s enthronement ceremony, Chen Jiao’s mother, as the grand princess, naturally attended. Chen Jiao was able to attend because of the love of the empress dowager.

Being the empress made her the emperor’s legitimate wife and also the family’s legitimate sister-in-law. No wife would want a sister-in-law who constantly presented beauties.

Chen Jiao confided in her, “The crown prince has sisters, and one day, he will become the emperor.”

When the day arrived and Princess Pingyang and the others introduced beautiful women to her spouse, Chen Jiao could do nothing but feel happy. Ultimately, it was her mother who established the tradition.

This time, the grand princess chose to stay quiet.

Two years later, Liu Rong passed away in a prison in Chang’an.

Upon hearing the news, Chen Jiao was comforting the empress dowager and reassured her by whispering, “The individuals responsible acted independently. Why should my uncle be implicated?”

Deep down, she reiterated to herself that familial relations, such as fathers, sons, husbands, or wives, hold no significance within the imperial family; this is the destiny of the defeated.

Displaying any sorrow over Liu Rong’s death would lead her towards a similar fate.

“It is not your uncle—”

Given her grandmother’s advanced age and inability to control her words, she swiftly intervened, “Uncle is also upset. He is even more furious than you, but he cannot express it openly.”

Upon successfully calming the elderly woman, she exited the palace only to encounter the emperor waiting at the entrance. Upon noticing her, he gently patted her head, and entered the palace without a word.

With a smile emerging in her heart, Chen Jiao lowered her gaze and felt the joy manifesting within her, the laughter resounding clear and melodious for the very first time, akin to a chiming silver bell.