Leaving the Changmen Palace - LTCP 16: Trouble

Despite being connected by a covered walkway, the Weiyang Palace and Changle Palace were still quite far apart.

It was challenging to anticipate the grand empress dowager and the empress dowager inquiring about the various matters in the Weiyang Palace in great detail.

To Chen Jiao’s surprise, even after leaving the Weiyang Palace, the empress dowager questioned her about summoning Shaofu Cheng on the third day, “Are you considering adding any structures to the Weiyang Palace?”

It was unimportant whether she was aware of the Shaofu of the Imperial Household Ministry’s summons, but if she knew about Chen Jiao’s plan to relocate the palace servants favored by the emperor to live together, she would be upset.

Looking over at Liu Che, Chen Jiao smiled faintly, choosing to remain silent.

He took the lead in providing an explanation, “With many men entering and exiting the imperial palace currently, there is growing resentment among the women residing in the palace. To prevent any potential scandals, it would be advisable to make new arrangements. It’s best to avoid using the area around the Yongxiang Palace where Jia Ji and the others reside for government office purposes.”

Qingliang Palace and Yongxiang Palace are situated close to each other. In the past, Emperor Wen used to call his favorite concubines from Qingliang Palace to Yongxiang Palace for convenience.

As a result, Yongxiang Palace gradually became the residence for the concubines.

Currently, Liu Che spends his summer days reading and working in Qingliang Palace, causing inconvenience for the ministers who need to enter and leave frequently.

The empress dowager didn’t say much, simply stating, “It hasn’t been a year since the late emperor’s passing, so refrain from extensive construction and keep noise levels low. For everything else, Jiaojiao will know what to do.”

While there were tensions between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, they had no resentments from the past.

Since joining the family, Chen Jiao had served her in-laws wholeheartedly and diligently, leaving no room for criticism.

The empress dowager would occasionally advise her and show concern for Liu Che’s heirs, while focusing most of her efforts on securing official positions for the Wang family’s children.

She found it unnecessary to make a big deal out of the small issue and simply warned Chen Jiao in a casual manner.

…

The grand empress dowager was more knowledgeable than the empress dowager. She lowered her almost white eyebrows and listened to her granddaughter explained everything in a gentle voice.

She had already laughed so much that she could not close her mouth and was truly delighted. After regaining her composure, she couldn’t help but feel a bit sentimental.

“Jiaojiao has truly matured,” she remarked. “She takes after her mother in this aspect, becoming more and more mischievous.”

Chen Jiao then playfully interacted, “I don’t quite understand what you mean—”

The grand princess took a moment to comprehend before becoming somewhat disdainful.

“If she truly is like me, would she still resort to such deceitful tactics? Your perception of your granddaughter as perfect demonstrates your biased viewpoint.”

In her old age, the grand empress dowager avoided conflict with her daughter. Having lost two of her three children before her, she knew this was her only remaining child.

She could only speak her mind freely, “Fine, fine. You are the worst of all.”

Laughter filled the room after her comment.

Once the laughter subsided, she warned, “If any of this conversation is revealed, you will all face severe consequences.”

The servants fell silent like winter cicadas, exchanging glances.

The grand princess furrowed her brow and gestured for the servants to leave the palace one by one, causing them to bow their heads and exit silently.

When only the three of them remained in the hall, the grand princess remarked, “In reality, this simple trick is nothing extraordinary. It is certain that the crown prince will be born from A’ Jiao’s womb. If Wang Zhi is wise, she will contribute to the effort herself.”

Out of all the empresses during the Han Dynasty, only Empress Bo was designated as the wife of the crown prince, yet she never received favoritism, so the notion of her bearing children was out of the question.

Being the sole empress initially married to the crown prince, Chen Jiao faced immense pressure to conceive, to the point where it was overwhelming. She believed that even if she could conceive, she would be too frightened to do so now.

“You play the roles of a wife and mother, while she is an aunt; it would be remarkable if you both could see things from the same perspective,” stated the grand empress dowager with some wisdom this time. “Nevertheless, Wang Zhi has been somewhat distracted lately. It is not a concern if she has not visited Changshou Palace for a while, but I have heard that she is deeply invested in backing Tian Fen for the position of prime minister.”

The true motive behind her initial harsh words towards the palace servants and her subsequent desire to have a private conversation with her daughter was revealed in this statement.

Despite Chen Jiao’s young age, as she ascended to the empress position, she naturally grew into a suitable participant for discreet discussions.

Yet, her stance was somewhat unclear. She claimed that she did not comprehend either the way of Huang Lao or the Confucian sage.

The grand empress dowager made inquiries about the emperor on multiple occasions, but she consistently evaded giving a direct response.

Seeing her granddaughter’s predicament, the old lady felt compassion and decided not to press her further.

However, with today’s issue being about the power transition in court, Chen Jiao must have a basic understanding of the situation. She knows that Dou Ying, a Confucian scholar from the Dou family, is widely respected as the prime minister candidate by both the court and the people.

The Wang family is getting involved in this matter, not only opposing Dou Ying but also upsetting the grand empress dowager, who isn’t particularly close to him.

Chen Jiao’s brothers were average, and even the grand princess didn’t seek official positions from Liu Che.

After the grand empress dowager’s death, the Dou family will rely on the grand princess for protection. The elders appointed Chen Jiao as the third-generation leader of the Dou family and offered unwavering support.

Without a chance to discuss or think, she couldn’t help but internally lament: Even the most astute individuals can experience moments of confusion.

The grand princess was already emotional even though she hadn’t spoken yet, remarking on the late emperor’s compassionate nature, reminiscing about the past.

The Han dynasty emphasized filial piety, with the Bo family members being arrogant and overbearing during Empress Dowager Bo’s reign. Even Emperor Jing hesitated to interfere in their licentious behavior until Empress Dowager Bo passed away.

Chen Jiao silently listened to her mother and grandmother’s complaints without joining in.

The imperial relatives have become a concern for the emperors since the Rebellion of the Seven Lords, yet the rise of “noble ministers of imperial kinship” continues unabated.

This is a natural progression, as no one can safeguard the emperor’s authority better than family members, particularly in light of the inability to utilize the Liu family.

The majority of ministers come from local gentry backgrounds and have extensive connections with the landlords and affluent merchants in their hometowns. Imperial relatives are the only ones who can wholeheartedly support the emperor, sharing in both triumphs and setbacks.

When the late emperor neared death, he only mentioned his maternal relatives, stating they were the ones who could be trusted—“your mother and your wife’s family.”

The Dou family, being the grandmother’s maternal relatives, appeared to have already lost the young emperor’s confidence, acting as an obstacle for him and the new maternal family faction supporting him.

It is not surprising that the relationship between the grandmother and grandson grew increasingly intricate. With these two major factions inciting conflict and furthering their own agendas, even the simplest matters took on added complexities—especially considering Liu Che’s maturation and burgeoning ambition with each passing day.

In the first year of the new emperor’s reign, he aimed to implement a significant reform and bring life to the dull court. To achieve this goal, he recently held discussions with Zhao Wan and Wang Zang in the Qingliang Palace under the guise of giving a lecture.

The grand empress dowager was likely aware of this and expressed dissatisfaction with her grandson. While many things were not immediately apparent, she decided to address the issue using Tian Fen’s situation as a catalyst.

There were undoubtedly numerous unspoken sentiments between a grandmother and her granddaughter. Despite being adored at other times, Chen Jiao understood that during moments like this, she needed to take a stance.

She was momentarily silent until the grand empress dowager inquired, “What has prompted the emperor to have such a strong resolve in recognizing the Confucian scholars? For generations, emperors have followed the Taoist principle of tranquility and non-action. Why is he deviating from this tradition? Could it be that he has been influenced by those two Confucian scholars?”

This represented yet another subtle inquiry into Liu Che’s personal intentions.

Chen Jiao quivered slightly, the voice echoing and releasing a long sigh.

In her past life, she made many wrong decisions, but she realized that there are not only two ways to do things, right or wrong. While she steered the wrong way in the past, she now knew the right path. However, she was lost on where to steer next, lacking direction.

Despite contemplating further, she was only a sixteen-year-old girl this year. It was truly challenging to navigate between the grand empress dowager and the emperor.

“I cannot agree with this,” she informed the voice. “If I solely support grandmother, it will be like pushing A’ Che’s heart away from my reach.”

It responded with a tinge of disdain, sounding slightly bitter, “He might not even care about you now.”

At this point, they had been married for two years. Due to lack of news from her, Liu Che, either for the purpose of having heirs or because he felt unable to communicate with his wife, had already taken in over twenty concubines with titles in the imperial harem.

Despite facing opposition from the grand princess, he couldn’t even have a consort, and losing favor had become a problem that Chen Jiao had to confront.

She chose not to be offended and avoided arguments. She understood that the person she was speaking with truly knew nothing about court matters.

Her main focus was on fulfilling the needs of her family, aiming to bear a son soon, and keen on upholding her own nobility and prestige. Similar to Liu Che, she was also quite self-centered. The clashes between their personalities were not unexpected.

Even after careful consideration, she didn’t wish to disappoint the elderly person and certainly didn’t want to have any disagreements with her.

Chen Jiao loosely mentioned, “Confucian scholars share a common desire to eliminate diversely thinking schools and promote Confucianism as the main belief… Uncle carefully selected these two scholars to educate A’ Che, possibly with a larger plan in mind. While they were limited by current circumstances, they had to keep a low profile, but you are aware that uncle holds Confucianism in high regard…” This is an attempt to fault the deceased emperor and clear Liu Che of blame.

The elderly woman let out a quiet grunt, showing skepticism towards her performance, “When I shut my eyes, he can create as much commotion as he pleases. While I am present, he will not be able to rely on those demonic followers who should be eliminated!”

After inquiring further with incisive questions, Chen Jiao responded to some but had to admit, “A’ Che also tends to be quite vague, making it difficult for me to comprehend.”

The grand empress dowager was careful not to exert too much pressure on others, so she delegated tasks to her, “Regarding Tian Fen, inform the emperor that these are my words. I am not envious of those who are talented, and Wei Wan is indeed too old and ill to be of much help.

However, Tian Fen has not made any significant contributions to the nation, so how can he suddenly become a prime minister and expect everyone to be convinced? The prime minister holds the highest position among officials, and the repercussions of appointing the wrong person can be serious.

If the emperor wishes to please his mother by bestowing another marquisate and increasing Tian Fen’s fiefdom, I, an old woman, will not object; I will simply allow him to be happy. If he is unsatisfied with Dou Ying and selects another capable individual, I will have no objections as long as they are genuinely competent.”

Chen Jiao felt a chill run down her spine upon hearing this, unable to hide the fear in her eyes as she glanced at her mother.

The grand princess, often slow to grasp situations, quickly understood the underlying threat in her mother’s words, “Mother, every word seems to carry a hidden warning, I am concerned…”

“The previous emperor has passed away,” the grand empress dowager stated indifferently. “His mother was a misguided soul. If I do not guide him, should we allow him to appoint scholars who may disrupt peace and nurture a future tyrant?”

Even though her demeanor remained gentle and there were no witnesses, Chen Jiao was still overcome with anxiety, prostrating herself on the floor as she respectfully listened to her words.

When the grand empress dowager is truly angered, it is a sight to behold.

Chen Jiao refrained from escalating the situation and once again tried to reject her grandmother’s request. However, she found it challenging.

As she made her way back to Jiaofang Hall, she reflected on the situation.

Upon returning, she noticed Chu Fu engaged in a serious conversation with someone, her expression grave. Sensing a growing sense of unease, Chen Jiao stood her ground and waited for her to finish before approaching.

“One of the names mentioned by the emperor this morning was a palace servant named Yin Ji from Chu. When we brought her in earlier, she was so startled that she vomited. An imperial physician examined her pulse and confirmed her pregnancy.”

She frowned immediately, feeling a headache coming on.

The voice in her mind spoke tinged with glee, “Everything seems to be happening at once. Let’s see how you explain this to Liu Che.”

A slight worry was concealed beneath the harsh sarcasm, showing just a hint.

She knew that it would never do any harm to herself, otherwise she might have actually been anticipating her own downfall.

Chen Jiao pondered, understanding why she was not well-liked; with her overbearing attitude, even she found it difficult to embrace herself.