Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne Chapter 1180 - 171: Collaborating with the Xie Family—A Calculated Move from the Start (Part 2)

The spectral apparitions, once confined to the night, began to manifest even under the daylight.

Witnessing these phantoms daily, Empress Xie descended further into madness, her utterances growing progressively more sinister. In her delirium, she explicitly confessed to the murder of Xie Wan, the former Empress. Not only that, but a litany of her past transgressions also tumbled out.

The revelation that the former Empress met her end through the combined machinations of the Old Duchess of Duke Zhen and Empress Xie ignited a firestorm throughout the court and the imperial harem.

The former Empress had been a paragon of virtue, earning the respect of the court officials, the ladies of the harem, and even the common populace. Her passing then had plunged the nation into a collective state of mourning, a profound grief felt across the land.

Now, the news that the former Empress was murdered by her own stepmother and biological sister proved too much for the officials, concubines, and citizens to bear.

The Emperor, enraged, promptly ordered a comprehensive inquiry. The findings swiftly corroborated Empress Xie’s confession. In a fit of fury, the Emperor decreed Empress Xie’s immediate deposition.

The officials raised no objections to the Emperor’s decree; indeed, prior to the Emperor’s action, they had already implored him to remove Empress Xie from her position.

Subsequently, certain ministers brought forth accusations against the Duke Zhen Country Mansion, petitioning the Emperor for a thorough investigation into their affairs.

His Majesty then commanded Prince Wei and the Imperial Court of Judicial Review to scrutinize the Duke Zhen Country Mansion.

Prince Wei and the Imperial Court of Judicial Review moved with remarkable speed, uncovering a multitude of transgressions committed by the Duke Zhen Country Mansion within a mere three days. At this juncture, another minister brought Prince Jing under scrutiny. The Emperor then directed Prince Wei and the Imperial Court of Judicial Review to investigate Prince Jing, and indeed, their investigation brought to light numerous irregularities.

The ducal title of the Duke Zhen Country Mansion was rescinded. Members of the Xie family implicated in criminal acts faced their due punishments—those destined for the executioner’s blade met their end, those sentenced to exile were banished, and those condemned to prison were incarcerated. While Prince Jing was found guilty of numerous offenses, they did not rise to the level of capital crimes, and thus, he was demoted to the rank of Commandery Prince and returned to his ancestral domain.

The Emperor forbore from reducing Prince Jing to the status of a commoner, a decision influenced by Empress Xie and the past services rendered by the Xie family.

Prince Jing successfully returned to his fief, his journey unmarred by any untoward incidents.

Empress Xie, stripped of her title and identity as Xie Yi, was relegated to the Cold Palace. The Emperor opted not to take her life. To offer her a poisoned chalice, a silken noose, or a dagger would have been an act of mercy. Condemning her to a life of madness served as the ultimate retribution.

In truth, Xie Yi’s madness was not a constant affliction; moments of lucidity would occasionally break through.

On this particular day, Noble Princess Consort Ying, attended by a palace maid, paid a visit to the disoriented Xie Yi within the confines of the Cold Palace.

At that moment, Xie Yi possessed a clear mind. Upon spotting Noble Princess Consort Ying, her demeanor was remarkably composed, a stark contrast to Noble Princess Consort Ying’s expectations. She had anticipated Xie Yi would react with fury, perhaps erupting into screams and tirades like a lunatic.

Noble Princess Consort Ying offered a bow to Xie Yi, proclaiming, “Greetings to the Empress.”

Xie Yi responded with a derisive laugh, “You are deliberately trying to provoke me.”

Her words caused Noble Princess Consort Ying a flicker of surprise, which quickly gave way to a warm smile. “I did not anticipate you would see through my intentions so readily.” She then proceeded to scrutinize Xie Yi from head to toe, remarking, “You appear quite lucid now, by no means mad.”

Despite her confinement in the Cold Palace and the dilapidated state of her quarters, Xie Yi’s hair was impeccably styled, her face clean, and her garments uncreased. She sat erect, her chin subtly elevated, gazing at Noble Princess Consort Ying with an air of haughty detachment, remaining silent.

Noble Princess Consort Ying had not foreseen that Xie Yi, despite her fallen circumstances, could still maintain such an imposing pride. Even now, she seemed intent on preserving the bearing of nobility.

“How are you faring in the Cold Palace? Do you still fear the former Empress will seek retribution?”

The mention of the “former Empress” elicited a flicker of animosity across Xie Yi’s countenance.

“I await her arrival to claim my life.”

Observing the absence of fear in Xie Yi’s expression rendered Noble Princess Consort Ying somewhat unimpressed.

“I find your current disposition somewhat shrewder than your former self,” she commented. She had presumed that confinement in the Cold Palace would exacerbate Xie Yi’s mental instability, yet instead, she appeared more self-possessed.

Xie Yi’s gaze locked onto Noble Princess Consort Ying, her eyes piercing as she inquired, “Who are you, truly?”