Zi'an paused, turned around and looked at her coldly, "Is there anything else, Queen Dowager?"
The Empress Dowager said angrily, "Zi'an, we have been through so much along the way, and we have survived so many storms. Although I have let you down in the past, I have also done a lot for you. Don't you remember the time with Concubine Yi? If it weren't for me, Concubine Yi would have caused so much trouble in the end. Why have you become so narrow-minded now?"
"Yes, Concubine Yi's matter is all thanks to you, but are you helping me? Think about it carefully."
The Queen Mother said angrily: "I order you as the Queen Mother to treat me."
"You're using your status to pressure me? I've said this much, and the Empress Dowager still dares to ask me to treat the disease?"
"What do you mean?"
"My meaning is very clear. When you ask me to treat your illness, you are putting your life in my hands and letting me control it."
The Queen Mother's expression changed slightly, "You... you dare?"
"Tell me, why don't I dare?"
"Aren't you afraid that I will tell the emperor?"
Zi'an chuckled, "You weren't so stupid before, why are you so stupid now? Do people who are in high positions become so smart? Do you think that your high status can make everyone submit? To be honest, before I came, the emperor paid a visit to me with the etiquette of paying a visit to his mother. I don't care how sincere the emperor is. If he is fake, he knows how to behave better than you. He at least knows that he is still immature and needs to rely on his uncle to stabilize his foundation. If he is sincere, then he knows how to be grateful better than you. He knows who his achievements today come from and is grateful. Empress Dowager, it's lonely at the top. On the high platform, it seems to be boundless, but the bottom is empty. If it is not padded firmly, you don't know when you will fall down. You don't have the support of your mother's family, and you have offended me and the seventh brother. You know that the connections and reputations of the seventh brother and I are meaningful. It will only make you look more guilty, and it will not have any effect, because if I am not willing to rule you, who can force me?"
Zi'an's words made the Empress Dowager terrified.
She was actually very unwilling. She was already the empress dowager, and you, Xia Zian, were at best just a regent princess. Moreover, your regent had not been involved in state affairs for a long time. He was just a figurehead with no real power.
What qualifications do you have to act so arrogant in front of me
Do you think it's still the same as before
However, she only dared to complain about these things in her heart but did not dare to say them out loud.
"You know, I have no choice but to do many things. Besides, I am not ignorant of my mistakes, otherwise I would not have told the prince about the curse."
After struggling with her thoughts for several times, she finally sighed softly and raised her pitiful face.
Zi'an had seen enough of her pitiful look after doing something wrong. She didn't even say anything. She just sneered and turned away.
She told the Seventh Brother not because she knew she was wrong, but because she felt that after saying it, she would feel at ease. She was still the high and mighty Empress Dowager, so who would dare to blame her
The Empress Dowager was both angry and sad. She was angry about Zi'an's attitude, and sad because she thought she would get better, but unexpectedly Xia Zi'an was unwilling to treat her.
After thinking for a long time, he sent someone to invite the emperor, asking him to come after Murong Jie left the palace.
Half an hour later, the emperor came over, sweating profusely.
"Mother, what's the matter?"
The Empress Dowager looked at the sweat on the emperor's childish face and couldn't help but frown and said, "Where are you going to sweat in this cold weather?"
The emperor smiled and said, "They are playing with their younger brother and sister. The emperor's uncle brought his younger brother and sister into the palace. These two babies are so interesting."
"Brother or sister?" The Queen Mother was a little displeased. "You are the Emperor, why are you playing with a two or three-year-old child? You don't even know your status."
"What's the big deal? I just finished my work and played with them. Besides, this is the first time I met them and we got along so well. I asked the imperial aunt to bring them to the palace when she is free."
"I heard," the Empress Dowager's expression became increasingly unhappy, "you knelt down and kowtowed to your aunt?"
"Yes!" said the emperor.
"Do you still know who you are?" the Queen Mother said angrily.
"Of course I know. How could I not know? Mother, the Imperial Uncle and the Imperial Aunt have done me a favor, and they are also my elders. How about bowing to them?"
The Queen Mother waved her hands and said, "You are the emperor. Apart from me and my ancestors, you can only kneel down to heaven and earth. You cannot kneel down to anyone else. Remember this. As for Xia Zian, I want to tell you that she is not willing to treat me, so she is not a good person either."
The emperor was startled, "Why didn't the imperial aunt treat you?"
"You still remember what happened in the past." The Queen Mother said coldly: "I was also instructed by someone to cast that curse. It's not like I wanted to harm her."
The emperor had heard about the curse from Su Qing a long time ago. He knew the harm of the curse, but he didn't know who cast it. After hearing what the empress dowager said, he stared at her in disbelief, "Auntie was cursed. Was it you, mother, who cast it?"
The Queen Mother looked at him in astonishment. "Don't you know about the curse?"
"I know!" The emperor's face suddenly turned cold. "Of course I know. Su Qing told me very clearly that this curse can cause people to commit suicide. Just now, the emperor's uncle also told me about what the emperor's aunt had experienced. She tried to commit suicide several times, but fortunately nothing happened. However, I didn't know that it was the curse cast by the queen mother. Queen mother, you really disappoint me. You have hurt the queen aunt so badly."
"I said, it was not my intention, it was that bitch Concubine Yi!" The Empress Dowager couldn't help but get angry when she heard her son scolding her.
The emperor was even more angry. "She asked you to harm the imperial aunt, and you did it? She tried to harm us again and again, why did you help her? You probably forgot what I told you before, mother, people can't be confused about good and bad, who is really good to us?"
"Isn't that forced? I'm afraid she will hurt you again."
"You don't have to use your son as an excuse. Your son told you to trust the emperor's uncle and the emperor's aunt, but you would rather trust someone who deliberately wanted to harm us, and even helped her to harm those who have done us a favor. If I were the emperor's aunt, I would not punish you, mother, you are so ungrateful!"
The Queen Mother was stunned for a moment, "Isn't it treasonous for you to say that about my mother?"
"Since Emperor Huizu, our Great Zhou has governed the country with benevolence and filial piety. First of all, benevolence is needed before filial piety. This is not the first time I have said this. Mother, please think about it carefully. I have something else to do. I will take my leave!"
After the emperor finished speaking, he stood up and left.
Although he was young, he knew how to be patient and endure things. He was angry and disappointed, but tried not to show it. At least, he didn't want to let people outside the palace know that he had fallen out with the Empress Dowager.
The Queen Mother was angry and disappointed when she saw him leave so resolutely. How could this happen? Everything she did was for him.
In anger, he spat out a mouthful of blood.
(End of this chapter)