RWNEFE -Chapter 504 If I Become Empress, Your Sister Can Become the Principal Wife

When Consort Shu arrived, she was stopped outside the hall by Wang Bao.

“Wang Bao, I wish to see His Majesty.”

“Your Highness,” Wang Bao replied, “it’s not that this old servant refuses to report you, but at this hour the Imperial Preceptor is treating His Majesty. If I were to disturb them and cause the treatment to fail, even a hundred heads would not be enough to atone for my crime.”

Consort Shu glared coldly at the palace attendants and guards outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

“If you prevent me from seeing His Majesty, can you bear the consequences when he asks about it later?”

Wang Bao bowed. “This old servant naturally cannot bear such blame. But I know that a servant must obey his master’s orders. His Majesty is my master, and since he has given instructions, I dare not disobey.”

Though he appeared respectful, Wang Bao showed not the slightest hesitation in refusing.

“Do you no longer hold me in your eyes?”

“I have not overstepped my bounds,” Wang Bao replied.

A servant’s first lesson was to leave others no leverage against him.

Consort Shu was furious. “Do you think I don’t know your intentions? Wang Bao, you serve at His Majesty’s side—will you really allow imperial authority to fall into another’s hands?”

Wang Bao’s voice hardened in warning. “Your Highness, please mind your words.”

“I ask you one last time—will you let me pass or not?”

“Your Highness, please do not make things difficult for this old servant.”

Consort Shu sneered. “It seems this old dog no longer knows who his master is!”

Wang Bao only smiled, showing no anger. “Your Highness, please return to your palace. As for what you just said at the entrance of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, this old servant will refrain from reporting it to His Majesty.”

“You dare threaten me?” Consort Shu’s face twisted.

“I am merely doing my duty.”

“You…” Consort Shu was so angry that her vision darkened.

“Where is Shen Lanxi? I want to see Shen Lanxi!” Having spent all her energy shouting, she now felt weak all over and wanted nothing more than to lie down somewhere.

“The Regent is naturally attending to state affairs,” Wang Bao said. “If Your Highness wishes to see her, you may send word. This old servant must return to serve His Majesty.” With that, he ignored her fury and went back inside.

Consort Shu’s eyes blazed with rage, her chest aching in waves.

“You old eunuch… sooner or later I’ll deal with you. Just wait!” When her son ascended the throne and she became Empress Dowager, the first thing she would do would be to have Wang Bao executed.

Leaving the inner palace for the outer court, her attendants were stopped by the Imperial Guards before they could even approach.

“Your Highness, Consort Shu has sent someone saying she has urgent matters to discuss with you, concerning the principal wife of the Prince of Zhen’nan.”

Shen Lanxi thought for a moment. “Tell her I will come in one hour.”

“Yes.”

…

“The Regent certainly has great airs,” Consort Shu said angrily when Shen Lanxi arrived. “You actually made me wait a full hour!”

Shen Lanxi ignored her and said calmly, “May I ask why Your Highness summoned me?”

Consort Shu sneered. “Shen Lanxi, have you forgotten even to salute me now that you see me?”

Shen Lanxi met her gaze coldly. “I am the Regent—second only to the Emperor, above ten thousand others. You are merely a Consort Shu, not even a Noble Consort. If anyone is to bow, it should be you bowing to me.”

Consort Shu was enraged. “You… Shen Lanxi, this is outright treason. Aren’t you afraid that one day you will fall into utter ruin?”

Shen Lanxi laughed lightly, her tone sharp. “With His Majesty’s protection—and with Consort Shu in my hands—what have I to fear?”

Consort Shu’s expression changed drastically. From the beginning, Shen Lanxi had intended to keep her in the palace as a hostage.

She could not afford to fall out with Shen Lanxi—not now. Her son had yet to win merit in the Southwest, had yet to gain overwhelming power, had yet to command armies. Breaking with Shen Lanxi now would bring no benefit to either her or her son.

“I want to see His Majesty,” Consort Shu said stiffly.

“If Your Highness insists,” Shen Lanxi replied with a warning, “then whatever happens to His Majesty will be your responsibility.”

Consort Shu nearly exploded with anger. “Shen Lanxi, are you threatening me?”

“Likewise,” Shen Lanxi replied coolly.

Consort Shu began to feel dizzy again, gasping for breath.

“I advise Your Highness to return now and not do unnecessary things,” Shen Lanxi said.

Consort Shu’s eyes flickered as she thought of Shen Yuantang.

“Shen Yuantang’s reputation is already ruined. Don’t even think of making her my son’s principal wife.”

Shen Lanxi replied, “Shen Yuantang bore a child and lost that child in the prince’s residence. Yet the prince not only failed to investigate, he even forbade others to speak of it—clearly shielding someone. Your Highness, Shen Yuantang is my own sister. Even when beating a dog, one should consider its master.”

Consort Shu, unsettled, retorted almost instinctively, “Nonsense. How could my son let the murderer of his own child go free? He was about to depart for war and had no time. Do not slander him.”

“Bai Qingling committed so many crimes, yet he used military merit to save her life,” Shen Lanxi said coldly. “If he can protect a mere criminal like that, where does that leave my sister’s dignity?”

“Your sister is a secondary wife by imperial decree,” Consort Shu snapped. “If you dare alter Shen Yuantang’s rank, that is defying an edict!”

Shen Lanxi glared fiercely at her. “What the Prince of Zhen’nan owes my sister, I will never forget. One day, I will repay it in full.”

Consort Shu shivered at the look in her eyes, but quickly straightened her back.

“If you want your sister to become principal wife, it’s not impossible.”

“What way?” Shen Lanxi asked.

Consort Shu’s eyes gleamed with calculation. “If I become Empress, your sister can become principal wife.”

Shen Lanxi sneered. “Consort Shu truly calculates well. If you become Empress, the Prince of Zhen’nan gains another advantage. When the day comes to compete for the throne, he will have a rightful claim.”

Consort Shu only smiled, saying nothing.

“Unfortunately,” Shen Lanxi said, “His Majesty will not agree.”

Consort Shu’s face darkened as she stared coldly at her.

“Your Highness, His Majesty has already approved Shen Yuantang’s elevation to principal wife. By now, the edict has likely reached the Prince of Zhen’nan’s residence.”

Consort Shu’s expression changed drastically. She had already selected a candidate for her son’s principal wife—Shen Yuantang must not take that position.

“Shen Lanxi, you dare to forge an imperial edict!” she shouted, glaring fiercely.

“Your Highness, mind your words,” Shen Lanxi said lazily. “Everything you say and do, I can report to His Majesty.”

Consort Shu felt the world spin. Unable to endure the sudden rise and fall of her emotions, she fainted on the spot.

…

Shen Yuantang held the imperial edict in both hands, feeling as if she were dreaming while listening to the concubines in the residence congratulating her.

Their chatter only grated on her ears.

“Someone come—lock them all in their courtyards. Without my command, no one is to let them out!”

Thinking of the children in the residence who offended her eyes, Shen Yuantang’s gaze turned vicious.

Her son was dead—why should those brats be allowed to live?

And Bai Qingling’s child… she would never let that one go either.

…

“My lord, the Prince of Zhen’nan’s residence has submitted a memorial requesting that the prince’s illegitimate son be brought back to the residence.”