Xiao Jingcheng fell into deep thought.
There was no poison in this world that could allow a person to fully recover to normal after being poisoned. This meant that perhaps the Regent Uncle's health was not as good as it seemed?
"Why do you ask these questions, Brother Gou Dan?" Mo Zhizhang's voice interrupted Xiao Jingcheng's train of thought. "Are you trying to feign illness to gain our junior nephew's sympathy?"
Xiao Jingcheng let out a cold snort, turned around, and walked away, leaving Mo Zhizhang alone.
He shook the water off his hand and slowly wiped the water stains on his hand with a handkerchief, a meaningful smile on his face.
...
In the Imperial Study in the capital city.
Xiao Tianchi was reclining on the dragon throne, wearing a bright yellow imperial robe. He propped his chin with one hand and watched as his trusted subordinates were arguing with flushed faces.
"The deposed emperor is currently missing. We should find him first and completely eliminate this threat before we can feel at ease!"
"I think we should immediately hold a sacrifice to heaven to proclaim to the world our lord's wisdom and might, so that the common people will know that he is just reclaiming the throne that truly belongs to him!"
"What if the deposed emperor causes trouble during the sacrifice to heaven? Won't that be a laughingstock to the world?!"
"What are you guys from the Hexi Army for? Can't you deploy defenses in advance, guard the altar, and protect the safety of the emperor?!"
To ascend the throne as emperor, one had to hold a sacrifice to heaven and proclaim it to the world before truly taking control of the imperial power.
Since Xiao Tianchi became the master of the imperial palace, his subordinates had been trying their best to promote this matter, hoping to make his throne stable and legitimate.
Because of this, these people had been arguing for several days.
Unable to reach an agreement, they finally turned to look at him.
"Your Majesty, the matter of the sacrifice to heaven cannot be delayed any longer," Qi Sizhao, the Jiedushi of Lingyang, said to Xiao Tianchi. "If we delay any further, there may be changes!"
"Yes, yes!" The others echoed.
Wen Qian, the Minister of Rites, stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, what the lords have said is very true. However, according to the etiquette system, the emperor and the empress should participate in the sacrifice to heaven together. Since Your Majesty is not yet married, I think we should first select a suitable candidate from the official families in the capital, hold a grand wedding and crown her as the empress, and then..."
Before he could finish, Xiao Tianchi interrupted him.
"There is already an empress in the palace. There is no need to crown another one."
Wen Qian frowned and said, "Shen..."
Someone tugged at his sleeve forcefully, and his colleague beside him gave him a look, signaling him not to continue. A few days ago, someone had proposed to take Shen Lingyun as a hostage to lure Xiao Tianye out and then eliminate him in one fell swoop. That person had been beheaded by Xiao Tianchi, and his head had been hung on the city gate as a warning to everyone.
He was determined to make Shen Lingyun his empress. Whoever dared to oppose would end up the same way.
Didn't Wen Qian know that what he said would bring him disaster?
But this was against the etiquette!
Shen Lingyun was the wife that Xiao Tianye had married through proper channels and was recorded in the imperial genealogy!
As if seeing through Wen Qian's thoughts, Xiao Tianchi said calmly, "Xiao Tianye has already deposed his empress and sent the Shen family member to the Cold Palace. This is equivalent to divorcing the Shen family member. Since then, the Shen family member has no longer been Xiao Tianye's wife. I remember that the document of deposing the empress was stamped with the seal of the Ministry of Rites. Don't you remember so soon, Lord Wen?"
Wen Qian's face stiffened.
He really didn't forget, and that seal was stamped by his own hand.
"Since there is a document of deposing the empress, I don't know what you are objecting to, Lord Wen. As the Minister of Rites, why are you so pedantic and stubborn that you are even more stinky than a stone in a latrine?" Xiao Tianchi said bluntly.
"Moreover, I have already had a marriage contract with the Shen family member. The marriage contract document is stamped with the seals of the Shen and Xiao families. Do you want to take a look, Lord Wen?"
How dare he look!
Cold sweat broke out on Wen Qian's forehead.
The Jiedushi of Luozhou was very familiar with Xiao Tianchi's personality and said straightforwardly:
"Women often remarry in the folk, and remarried women are always very popular. Lord Wen is really too pedantic."
"Besides, it was the deposed emperor who took advantage of Your Majesty's absence and intervened to seize the marriage that originally belonged to Your Majesty. Now Your Majesty is just taking back what belongs to you. If you keep chattering, I'll cut out your tongue on behalf of Your Majesty!"
Xiao Tianchi threw the memorial on the table and said, "The etiquette system was revised by people. Who says that the emperor and the empress must participate in the sacrifice to heaven together? Should I also put the body of the 'Crown Prince' on the altar, Lord Wen? What do you think?"
Wen Qian had no choice but to bend down and said, "Your Majesty is right. It is really my pedantry. Although the etiquette system cannot be abolished, it can be changed. Everything will be done according to Your Majesty's wishes."
He had always been able to yield and stretch. Otherwise, he wouldn't have stayed to continue being the Minister of Rites. He would have committed suicide when the situation changed.
"The sacrifice to heaven will be held the day after tomorrow. Hurry up and make preparations," Xiao Tianchi said. "If there is nothing else, all of you can leave and let me have some peace."
The people in the Imperial Study immediately dispersed. Seeing that Xiao Tianchi looked tired, Eunuch Wang quickly stepped forward to massage his temples.
When it was quiet all around, Xiao Tianchi closed his eyes. Suddenly, his chest rose and fell. He took out a handkerchief to cover his mouth, and the next moment, he spat out a mouthful of blood.
Eunuch Wang immediately panicked and quickly said, "Your Majesty, are you okay? Do you want this servant to invite Doctor Wang?"
Xiao Tianchi calmly wiped his lips and said, "No need. It's nothing serious. I can afford this price."
Eunuch Wang sighed. Everyone outside was spreading that Xiao Tianchi was ambitious, but who knew the pain in his heart?
Back then, both the Shen and Xiao families had been preparing for his wedding with Shen Lingyun. The King of Chu asked him to lead the troops out to suppress bandits. On the way, he heard that there had been changes in the marriage. The Shen and Xiao families had hastily married Shen Lingyun to Xiao Tianye. Xiao Tianchi immediately spat out blood in anger and was seriously ill for a while.
By the time he finally rushed back, things had already been settled. Shen Lingyun was already Xiao Tianye's wife and was already one month pregnant.
Over the years, no one else knew how Xiao Tianchi had survived, but Eunuch Wang knew very well.
There was a sound of footsteps outside. The door was knocked, and a eunuch walked in, bowed, and said:
"Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager has been waiting outside for a long time."
Xiao Tianchi was stunned and said, "When did she come?"
The eunuch said, "She has been here for a while. But at that time, Your Majesty was discussing matters with other lords, so this servant didn't come to disturb you."
She had been here for a while...
I wonder how much of what they had discussed just now she had heard?
Xiao Tianchi stood up and waved his hand at the eunuch. Eunuch Wang followed closely behind him and walked out of the door with him to personally welcome Shen Lingyun.
This was not the first time Shen Lingyun had come to the Imperial Study in the palace. She was already used to waiting outside for the emperor's summons to enter.
Seeing Xiao Tianchi come out to greet her in person, she was stunned at first, and then curtsied:
"Shen Lingyun, a woman from the Shen family of Hexi, pays respects to Your Majesty."