TSWPF -Chapter 255 Fool

The Crown Prince listened to the Empress’s words and nodded repeatedly, assuring her that he would take heed.

At present, the Crown Princess’s courtyard was guarded as tightly as an iron barrel—so secure that not even a mosquito could slip in. All they hoped for was that she would safely give birth to a legitimate son for him.

Seeing this, the Empress did not say anything more on the matter and instead changed the topic, asking about the Second Prince.

The Second Prince had been born in the same year as the Crown Prince. If not for the fact that when the Empress was pregnant with the Crown Prince she had inadvertently fallen into a scheme that caused a premature birth, the Second Prince would not be the Second Prince at all, but the First.

Although the throne was traditionally passed first to the legitimate son, having an elder prince looming above still made people feel uneasy.

Precisely because of this, the Second Prince had always competed with the Crown Prince in everything, hoping to press him down and outshine him.

Hearing this, the Crown Prince curled his lips and said, “It’s no different from before. He still wants to take the lead in everything. Does he really think that once he stands out, Father Emperor will depose me as Crown Prince and install him instead? As long as I don’t commit any grave mistake, Father Emperor won’t easily depose a Crown Prince. No matter how much he jumps around, it won’t amount to anything.”

Yet when he thought of the mess at the Ducal Manor, his mood darkened.

“Mother, you really must take charge of the Ducal Manor’s affairs. We can’t let it drag us down.”

The Empress nodded tiredly. “My son, you must also guard carefully against the Second Prince. You cannot let him succeed, understand?” The Second Prince was far too deep-minded and ambitious—he was not someone to take lightly.

Moreover, Consort Gui was no fool either. If they relaxed even a little, they would surely stumble.

“I know, Mother. Don’t worry.”

No sooner had the Crown Prince finished speaking than the senior maid returned, reporting that the Duchess and the Fifth Madam had arrived.

The Empress waved her hand, telling the Crown Prince to go back. She had some matters to handle first.

The Crown Prince answered with a soft “Mm,” rose to his feet, and left.

After he departed, the Empress moved to the flower hall. When the Duchess and the Fifth Madam saw her, they hurriedly bowed, offering their respects: “Long live the Empress, long live, long live.”

The Empress took her seat at the head and looked at the Duchess, telling her to rise and granting her a seat.

The Fifth Madam, however, did not hear any words permitting her to rise. She lay trembling on the floor, not daring to move.

In her heart, she cried out in despair—this was it, this was it, this was it. The Empress was settling accounts with her after the fact.

The Empress fixed her with a stern gaze, staring until the Fifth Madam shook uncontrollably, before speaking coolly, asking whether she knew her fault.

“In reply to Your Majesty, I know my fault.”

She was not completely foolish; she knew the Empress was furious because of what had happened today.

She had never imagined the matter would alarm the Empress herself.

She regretted it deeply now. She should never have offended Li Qingling. Who would have thought Li Qingling’s backing was so powerful—even the Emperor favored her?

“Then tell me—where exactly were you wrong?” The Empress truly could not stand this Fifth Madam. Utterly stupid.

Cold sweat broke out on the Fifth Madam’s forehead as she stammered, “In reply to the Empress, I didn’t know Li Qingling’s backing was so strong. If I had known, I definitely wouldn’t have offended her so casually. I would have stayed far, far away from her.”

At these words, the Empress’s expression darkened. This Fifth Madam didn’t understand her mistake at all.

“So what you mean is—if you knew someone had no backing, you could bully them as you pleased?” The Empress’s voice turned icy. “The Ducal Manor’s reputation has become so foul because of fools like you. Do you think that just because you’re from the Ducal Manor, you can do whatever you want? Hm?”

Did everyone in the Ducal Manor think the same way? That because she was the Empress—because she was their backing—they could act recklessly and commit misdeeds without restraint?

Did they ever consider her difficulties as Empress? On the surface, she seemed glorious, but who saw the blades and shadows behind her? One misstep, and she would die without even a place to be buried.

How could she have such foolish family members?

Feeling the oppressive aura radiating from the Empress, the Fifth Madam’s cold sweat poured even faster, her whole body trembling violently.

“Empress, I was wrong! I truly know my mistake! I won’t dare again—please show mercy this once!”

She was terrified that in a fit of rage, the Empress would have her head chopped off.

After this incident, she would surely keep her eyes wide open and never offend people casually again. And if she ever did offend someone, she would first investigate their background thoroughly.

Yet in truth, she still did not understand where she was wrong. If the Empress knew her thoughts, she would be furious enough to see smoke rising from the top of her head.

“Only this once,” the Empress said coldly. “If I hear of a next time, don’t blame me for being ruthless.”

“Yes, yes—there won’t be a next time.”

The Empress gave her another cold look and ordered her to rise.

“Thank you, Empress.”

The Empress did not spare her even a glance and directly instructed a palace attendant to take her away.

After the Fifth Madam was led out, the Duchess sighed and said that the matter had caused the Empress trouble.

The Empress waved for everyone else to withdraw and had the doors closed. Only then did the tension leave her face. She stepped down from the main seat and sat beside the Duchess.

“Mother, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen you. I’ve missed you.”

The Duchess reached out to hold the Empress’s hand, looking at her with gentle affection. “Mother has missed you too. This matter has implicated you again—just thinking about it makes my heart ache.”

As a mother, she knew her daughter appeared magnificent as Empress of the realm. Yet who could truly understand the hardship behind it?

The waters of the palace ran deep. Without utmost vigilance, one could be drowned without even knowing how.

“Mother, I summoned you this time because I want you to speak with Father. He must properly rein in the Ducal Manor. This cannot continue. If it does, His Majesty truly won’t show mercy anymore.”

She hoped her son would have a maternal family that could support him, not one that would drag him down.

If the Ducal Manor continued like this, she would not hesitate to take matters into her own hands.

Anyone who threatened her son’s position—she would show no mercy to.

Even if it was her own natal family.

Hearing this, the Duchess sighed deeply again. “Don’t worry. This time, I will speak properly with your father.” After the Duke had been reprimanded by the Emperor, she had never been at ease, fearing that the Emperor might take action against the Ducal Manor.

In recent years, the Duke had grown increasingly arrogant. No matter how she advised him, he would not listen. She hoped this lesson would make him restrain himself, so as not to implicate the Ducal Manor—or the Empress and the Crown Prince.

Her daughter and grandson walked on thin ice in the palace. The Ducal Manor could not become a burden that made their path even harder.

“And that fool,” the Empress added, her face filled with disgust at the mention of the Fifth Madam. “Mother, you must keep her firmly in check. Don’t let her go out and cause trouble again. And the others in the household as well—you must manage them properly.”

The Duchess ground her teeth. “That fool—I will keep her under strict control. I won’t let her leave the house easily again.” Having dragged the Ducal Manor into trouble, how could she go unpunished? “As for the inner household, I’ll manage it. The front courtyard, however, will have to be handled by your father.”

The Empress nodded, then asked whether the Duke had ever mentioned when he planned to pass on the title to her eldest brother.

At this, the Duchess sighed again, worry etched deep. “That matter troubles me as well. Your father doesn’t want to pass the title to your eldest brother. Instead, he wants to give it to your third brother.”

Though both were her sons, she did not wish to see them turn against each other over this.

Comparing the two, the eldest truly was not well-suited to inherit the Ducal Manor. His temperament was too soft, his ears too easily swayed—he could not shoulder such a heavy burden.

Yet no matter what, he was the eldest son. By rule, the Ducal Manor should pass to him.

Only if the eldest encountered some misfortune would it be passed to another.

The thought startled her, and she was frightened by it herself.

She did not want any of her sons to truly harm their elder brother.

“Did Father ever hint at this to you?” the Empress asked.

“I once asked him. From his words, that was indeed his meaning—he just never said it outright.”

The Empress knew well the situation of her brothers. In her heart, she too favored the third brother.

If the Ducal Manor were handed to the eldest, she feared he might one day ruin it.

Seeing the Empress deep in thought, the Duchess cautiously tested the waters. “My child… why don’t you find an opportunity to persuade your father? He would listen to you.”

She herself could no longer persuade him; the Duke simply would not heed her words.

If their daughter spoke, perhaps he would listen.

She had worried over this matter for a long time, not knowing what to do.

Both sons were flesh of her flesh—how could she favor one over the other?

If only the eldest had the same mind as the third, she would not have to worry so much.

The Empress lifted her gaze and looked at the Duchess. “Mother, are you truly at ease handing the Ducal Manor to Eldest Brother?”

She certainly was not.

Hearing this, the Duchess fell silent for a long while before forcing a bitter smile. “If I’m not at ease, what can I do?”

The rules were clear—the Ducal Manor must be passed to the legitimate eldest son. What choice did she have?

“I’ll think it over carefully and see if there’s any solution.” She could not allow her father to bypass the eldest and pass the title to the third. If that happened, the Ducal Manor would descend into chaos.

Unless… the eldest was gone…

The Empress and the Duchess had thought of the same thing.

She shook her head, banishing the dark thought from her mind.

Though her eldest brother was not clever, he treated her, his sister, genuinely well—always yielding to her. For that alone, she could not harbor such thoughts toward him.

The Duchess did not wish to dwell further on the topic either and changed the subject, chatting with the Empress about other matters.

They talked until it was nearly time for the palace gates to be closed, and only then did the Duchess return home.