I was reborn after cheating on the aloof and powerful man.

Chapter 91 Undercurrents

After his youngest daughter, Princess Yongle, left the main hall, Emperor Hua dropped his loving fatherly demeanor and became serious.

The emperor's gaze was sharp and his expression calm; it was difficult for others to discern his emotions from his serious demeanor.

After a moment of silence, Vatti spoke:

"Eunuch Hai, convey my decree: summon Cui Chou to an audience."

Soon, an official with effeminate features, dressed in a flying fish robe, entered the main hall and bowed, saying:

"My lord, see your majesty."

The majestic Emperor Hua, with his imposing presence, looked down at the kneeling figures below, and after a long silence, finally began to berate them:

"You, Cui Chou, dare to stop the princess's carriage! I'd like to see what else you wouldn't dare to do."

"Your Majesty, I did not intend to offend the princess. This was merely my duty. I have always been loyal and devoted to my duties. I hope Your Majesty will understand." Cui Chou's expression remained unchanged, and his hoarse voice showed no sign of panic.

To everyone's surprise, Emperor Hua flew into a rage upon hearing this. He glared at Cui Chou and shouted:

"Loyal to your duty? Utterly loyal? Hmph, I doubt it. You dare to disregard my own child, so I'm afraid I mean nothing to you. No wonder you're so audacious. Someone has accused you of corruption, bribery, and extravagance. Do you know your crimes?"

Sensing that Emperor Hua's words seemed to have a hidden meaning, Cui Chou's expression changed, but he still managed to maintain his composure and reply:

"Your Majesty, this is pure slander. I have always been law-abiding, honest and upright. I beg Your Majesty to investigate this matter thoroughly."

Vatti sneered:

"What a fine example of integrity and incorruptibility! In that case, I will give you a chance to prove your innocence. If there is no evidence, I will naturally give you justice; but if the evidence is conclusive... Hmph, you should know the consequences." After saying this, Emperor Hua waved his hand, signaling Eunuch Hai to hand a memorial to Cui Chou.

Cui Chou took the memorial and began to read it. Before long, cold sweat began to appear on his forehead.

But the look of panic vanished from his face in an instant. He didn't show it, and continued, feigning composure:

"Your Majesty, these are all baseless accusations. Someone must be maliciously framing me. Please believe in my loyalty and innocence."

Their eyes met, and a barely perceptible glint flashed in Hua Di's eyes before he calmly said:

"I will send people to thoroughly investigate this matter. If it is proven that you are indeed innocent, I will clear your name. However, in the meantime, you need to suspend all your duties, stay at home to reflect, and await the results of the investigation."

Cui Chou seemed unwilling, but he knew he couldn't further anger Emperor Hu Hua at this moment, so he could only bow his head and express his gratitude.

"Thank you for your mercy, Your Majesty. I will cooperate fully with the investigation and clear my name."

Afterwards, Cui Chou quickly left the main hall and walked out of the palace.

People greeted Cui Chou along the way, but he ignored them all with a sullen face, which made the people who came to greet him so angry that they cursed him for being arrogant in their hearts.

Upon reaching Donghua Gate, Cui Chou, looking displeased, leaped onto his horse and rode away from the palace.

Before the start of the Emperor's birthday celebration, news spread that Cui Chou had offended Princess Yongle and was reprimanded by Emperor Hua and dismissed from his post.

But it's obvious to anyone with eyes that the princess's matter is just a pretext; Emperor Hua probably just suddenly remembered the eldest prince for some reason.

Cui Chou, who showed no mercy to the eldest prince, became the outlet for Emperor Hua's pent-up paternal instincts.

Leaving aside the aftermath, let's turn to two separate stories.

After Princess Yongle complained about Cui Chou to her father, the Emperor, she arrived at Changle Palace and was having an intimate conversation with her birth mother, Consort Li.

Not long after, a eunuch came to report that Cui Chou had been reprimanded by Emperor Hua and ordered to be dismissed from his post and stay at home.

"Hmph, I knew Father Emperor loved me the most. Let's see who dares to go against me now!" His arrogant face was filled with smugness.

Sitting beside Princess Yongle, the elegant and beautiful woman in palace attire looked worried. She said with a mixture of anxiety and resentment:

“Sister, Lord Cui was just following the rules. He didn’t make things difficult for you after the inspection. Why are you making things so difficult for him?”

Princess Yongle was furious when she heard her sister, Princess Huayang, say that she was siding with outsiders rather than her own relatives. However, remembering how good her sister had been to her in the past, she suppressed her anger and complained:

"Sister, why are you still hung up on that scoundrel? His household is overflowing with beautiful women, and he has dozens of concubines with official titles. What's so great about a man like that? It's a good thing you didn't marry him, otherwise I would never have considered such a person as my brother-in-law."

"Alright, why should you sisters quarrel over an outsider? Lan'er, this time Cui Chou made things difficult for you first, and I won't scold you for confronting him, but it's best not to offend this kind of person next time."

Seeing her eldest daughter's worried expression, Consort Li couldn't bear to see the two sisters hurt each other over such a matter, so she quickly tried to smooth things over. Speaking of her younger daughter's actions that day, she couldn't help but offer some worried advice.

But Princess Yongle, burning with anger, wouldn't listen to Consort Li's advice at all, and instead hurled insults without thinking:

"Mother, even the Empress Dowager helped me teach Cui Chou a lesson, why are you always pouring cold water on me? As a noble princess, would I be afraid of a mere dog by Father's side!"

"Little sister, you've gone too far!"

"Lan'er, shut up!"

"You all bully me!"

Seeing her mother and sister scolding her, Princess Yongle, who had never suffered any injustice, stood up in anger. She never wanted to see her loved ones again.

Consort Li gave her confidante a wink, and the head palace maid, Lü'e, quickly led the others away.

Holding back her daughter who was about to rush out, Consort Li carefully coaxed her for a long time before calming her down.

When she was young, she was just as spoiled as her daughter, offending people everywhere.

If it weren't for Empress Wang's fair and kind nature, her protection at a crucial moment, and her subsequent guidance, she would likely have been devoured whole, leaving not even a trace, in this deep palace.

Over the years, she had long seen through the fickle nature of men. Lu Lang was not the kind of person who would reprimand his capable subordinates for their incompetence because of romantic feelings.

He used his daughter's name to reprimand Cui Chou this time. She didn't know the deeper meaning behind it, but she only hoped that her daughter would not be dragged into the storm and become a victim of ruthless politics.

Before it was even late afternoon, Princess Yongle, who was unhappy, insisted on returning to her residence. Consort Li knew her daughter's temper and dared not stop her.

Princess Yongle, still sulking after leaving Changle Palace, arrived at Kunning Palace.

As soon as she entered, she saw the woman in green she had brought into the palace sitting at the mahjong table, with her mother and two eunuchs playing against her.

Princess Yongle quietly walked up behind the woman in blue, and as she watched her, she forgot her anger.

She couldn't quite understand the tiles in front of the woman in green. The tiles that she thought she should keep were discarded by the woman; the tiles that she thought she could discard were kept by the woman in green.

After seven rounds of mahjong, Princess Yongle was so engrossed in the game that she forgot to say goodbye.

As the cards slowly formed a sentence, Princess Yongle felt it was too amazing. Why could the woman in blue draw the card she wanted?

With a cry of "Unparalleled hero," the game of mahjong came to an end.

"Lan'er, have you come to say goodbye to your mother? I like this girl you brought very much. How about letting her keep me company in the palace for the next few days?" Empress Wang seemed to be in a very good mood.

"It is the young girl's good fortune that the Empress Dowager likes her, and I have no objection. However, this girl is not my servant, and I cannot decide whether she stays or leaves."

Empress Wang looked at Fei Xi gently and asked:

"Girl, would you be willing to stay and keep me company for a few days?"

"Thank you for your appreciation, Your Majesty. I have no objection, but I have a request."

"Please feel free to mention it," Empress Wang agreed, but a cold scrutiny lurked beneath her gentle gaze.

"Your Majesty, may I have the privilege of competing with a master mahjong player in the palace?"

Seemingly surprised by Fei Xi's request, Empress Wang paused for a moment, while Shu Huai smiled and said:

"I agree, but with the Emperor's birthday approaching, the palace will likely be very busy these next few days. You can stay here in peace, and once this busy period is over, I guarantee I will find you a master who can fight you."

After Fei Xi thanked her, Princess Yongle, who was also engrossed in watching the game, pulled her aside and arranged to continue the game the next day.

Fei Xi asked her to deliver a message to the Tie family elder brother outside the palace, and Princess Yongle readily agreed.

As the sun set, Fei Xi was taken to a side room in the west wing of the house by Aunt Qiu Yue and settled in.

Fei Xi was brought into the palace by Princess Yongle, and no one dared to search her.

After everyone left, she took out a small medicine bottle from her bosom and swallowed a pill. Then, without making a sound, she took another pill from her brocade pouch and crushed it in her palm.

Then, out of curiosity, she walked around the entire room, leaving no corner untouched.

When Aunt Qiuyue returned to Empress Wang's side, Empress Wang was having her meal. After serving Empress Wang her dinner, she carefully helped her to the East Buddhist Hall.

The palace maids all stood guard outside the door, as Empress Wang never liked having anyone serving her when she prayed to Buddha.

Under the watchful gaze of the benevolent Bodhisattva, Empress Wang devoutly lit incense.

What do you think of her?

"She is a good child. I think she is a sincere person who knows when to advance and when to retreat."

"You rarely praise someone like that these days. Could she be her daughter?"

"This servant does not know, but when I saw her standing obediently outside the door with her eyes lowered, quietly playing chess with Your Majesty, and speaking to me in a gentle accent, it felt like an old friend was right in front of me."

"Alas, I will never forget that time. If it weren't for that little girl who was willing to take us in, I'm afraid Kunning Palace would have changed hands long ago."

Aunt Qiuyue was speechless for a moment. Back then, the Empress only had one daughter, Princess Mingyue, and it was determined that she would never be able to have children again.

At that time, Emperor Hua was not yet Emperor Hua, but merely the leader of a rebel army, the King of Han, who declared himself king.

As the King of Han waged wars on all fronts, the number of women in his harem increased.

There were those who harbored doubts, believing that Empress Wang was only granted the title of Princess because of her status as the first wife.

If a Heavenly Han King were to rule the world, why couldn't those of them with sons fight for the rightful place of the throne? Why should a woman who cannot bear children occupy the most prestigious position in the world?!

In the Battle of Danjiang, the King of Han defeated the King of Zhao. The remaining subordinates of the King of Zhao, seeking revenge for their lord, somehow learned the whereabouts of Empress Wang and her female relatives.

The bloodthirsty Zhao army troops stormed into the Han King's palace as if it were empty.

After a series of rapes, murders, and abductions, when Emperor Hua's men arrived, they found the palace filled with corpses, and Empress Wang was nowhere to be found.

Aunt Qiuyue, who escaped through the secret passage, carried the injured Empress Wang on her back and begged her way through the streets. Finally, she collapsed in front of a young girl who ran a restaurant.

The young girl summoned a doctor who saved the Queen's life. After the two women recovered, they stayed at the young girl's restaurant to help with whatever chores they could manage.

"Being happy for a day is just living, but being unhappy for a day doesn't make you want to die. Auntie, life is like playing mahjong. No matter what you encounter, in the end, it's all about getting a hand without regrets. Oh, why create so much trouble for yourself? You might as well save your good mood and play a few more rounds happily."

Amidst the chaos of war, the small restaurant barely managed to survive, but the kind-hearted girl always loved to help those in need.

After Prince Rui entered the city, Empress Wang took the initiative to step forward and acknowledge him.

At this time, the King of Han had become Emperor Hua. With the help of the Prince of Rui, Empress Wang returned to the capital safely. After a series of battles of wits and courage, she became Empress.

By the time she had time to think of the little girl, the small restaurant had already closed down, and the owner had disappeared.