Climbing to the Top: A Reborn Queen's Journey-Chapter 598: Rescued (Part 1)

The Jingyang Palace was already in chaos.

The concubines in the harem were panic-stricken, and the noble ladies who had entered the palace to pay their respects were pale. Just moments before, Empress Dowager Li, Imperial Concubine Fan, and Princess Bao Hua had been dragged out by the rebels, with the cries and shouts of murder outside the hall never ceasing.

Would it soon be their turn?

The sound of dense footsteps erupted, rushing in through the half-open palace doors.

Some closed their eyes in despair, awaiting death, some cried aloud, while others tried to find a place to hide. Like a flock of lambs ready for slaughter.

But there were women who mustered the courage to look, immediately exclaiming with joy, "The Commandery Princess!"

"It’s the Nanyang County Princess coming to save us!"

The leading sixteen-year-old girl, covered in blood with a fierce gaze, was indeed the Nanyang County Princess, Jiang Shaohua.

Their attitude towards the Nanyang County Princess was indeed complex. Some were full of admiration, some secretly envied, and others were full of jealousy.

These women mostly came from noble families, raised under traditional virtues, married into suitable households, becoming high-ranking ladies of the Da Liang Dynasty. Within the inner chambers, they lived a life of silk and satin, managing household affairs, educating children. Matters of the court were concerns of their fathers, husbands, or sons, and were not for them to meddle in.

In this world, women all lived this way. On what grounds could Jiang Shaohua enter the court as a woman? On what grounds could Jiang Shaohua stir the winds and suppress a group of men with such pride?

In the capital for several months, Jiang Shaohua lived in the harem, hardly interacted with any concubines, nor did she visit any noble ladies. She attended court meetings every day, and inspected the Six Ministries. Not a single matter was typically one a woman should handle. Yet Jiang Shaohua managed them all.

They often heard their fathers, husbands, and sons criticize the Nanyang County Princess in private, and they would agree along. In social gatherings of the women, when speaking of the Nanyang County Princess Jiang Shaohua, everyone’s tones and expressions became even more vivid.

However, all of this seemed so ridiculous in the face of life and death.

At this moment, Jiang Shaohua appeared before them like a deity, rescuing them from peril.

At this moment, the disdain, scorn, jealousy, and resentment in their hearts were like water vapor meeting the scorching sun, evaporating completely, leaving only a longing and admiration for the sun.

Even the Duchess An, at this time, cried out the name of the Nanyang County Princess with everyone else.

Jiang Shaohua swept her gaze around and said in a deep voice, "Stop crying, everyone calm down, listen to me."

The crying immediately subsided significantly. The concubines and noblewomen hurried to wipe their tears and looked up.

"The rebellion outside Zhaohai Palace has been quelled, the rebel Gao Shan was killed by me. The rebel leader outside Jingyang Palace, Wei Xiong, was also killed by me."

The crowd wept with joy, instinctively hugging the person next to them, crying, and feeling fortunate.

Jiang Shaohua’s voice sounded again, "Several officials in Zhaohai Palace were killed by rebels, just now outside Jingyang Palace, Princess Bao Hua refused to be taken by the rebels and died heroically. The Empress Dowager is seriously injured." 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Before the crowd could recover from the shock, Jiang Shaohua continued coldly, "The palace is still not truly safe. There might still be rebels elsewhere or hiding in the shadows. None of you can go anywhere, stay here. Wait until all the rebels are exterminated, and upon hearing my order, you may leave Jingyang Palace."

No one objected at this moment, they all responded in unison.

Jiang Shaohua’s gaze fell on the Duchess An’s face, "Where is the Grand Empress Dowager?"

The Duchess An steadied herself and replied in a low voice, "Replying to the Commandery Princess, when the rebels attacked the palace gates, Mr. Zhao and several eunuchs protected the Grand Empress Dowager and took her away. I am not sure where exactly she is hiding."

The older people get, the more afraid they are of death. When chaos erupted, the Grand Empress Dowager Zheng did not think of calming people’s hearts but fled and hid at the first opportunity.

This is Jingyang Palace, there must be secret chambers here. The Grand Empress Dowager Zheng should have escaped into one. It’s not easy to find quickly.

Of course, Jiang Shaohua had her ways to deal with this. She called her trusted aides and instructed them to search each palace room, repeatedly shouting, "The Nanyang County Princess is here, the rebels have been killed by the Commandery Princess."

When the trusted aides found the sixth palace room, the Grand Empress Dowager Zheng, with tears streaming down her old face, emerged from the secret chamber.

Mr. Zhao and several eunuchs and palace attendants supported the Grand Empress Dowager Zheng, all looking fortunate and joyous to have survived.

With her hands and feet weak, unable to walk, the Grand Empress Dowager Zheng sat in a chair in the palace room. A trusted aide quickly went to report to the Commandery Princess.

Moments later, Jiang Shaohua arrived.

"Shao Hua!"

At the sight of Jiang Shaohua, the Grand Empress Dowager Zheng’s tears flowed like a fountain, vigorously waving her arms and shouting, "Shao Hua!"

A timely glint of tears appeared in Jiang Shaohua’s eyes, as she quickly stepped forward to embrace the extremely frightened and fragile Grand Empress Dowager Zheng, "Grandmother, I am here."

"Shao Hua, you have finally come." The Grand Empress Dowager Zheng cried bitterly, "These rebels have nerves of steel! The Emperor’s body is still in the coffin, not yet buried, and they couldn’t wait to raise troops and rebel."

"Was it Jiang Yi?"

Truly worthy of the Grand Empress Dowager Zheng, she immediately pinpointed the true culprit.

Jiang Shaohua replied in a low voice, "It was him. However, he has already been killed by me with a spear."

"Well done!" The Grand Empress Dowager Zheng, tears not yet dried, gritted her teeth with a fierce expression, "This rebel, this scoundrel, raised in the palace since childhood. I treated him like my own grandson. The Emperor treated him like a brother. Yet he harbored ill intentions and raised troops to rebel. He deserved death! You did well killing him!"

"The Emperor died young and untimely, Doctor Ji confessed in prison, saying Prince Dongping and his son were the masterminds. I was always puzzled, Prince Dongping and his son were so far from the capital, how could they reach into the palace? Now it seems, they must have colluded with Jiang Yi."

"I want to hack Jiang Yi’s corpse to pieces and feed it to the dogs! The Gao Liang and Dongping Prince Mansions, all must be eradicated, not a single survivor left!"

Rebellion and raising troops are crimes punishable by death to nine generations!

Jiang Yi’s family and Prince Dongping’s family are of the Jiang bloodline, the nine generations cannot be eradicated, but the entire mansion would be implicated.

Jiang Shaohua did not plead for them, instead saying, "It is not too late to act once the rebellion in the palace is completely pacified."

Jiang Yi is already dead, and Prince Dongping and his son are on their way to the capital. None of them will escape!

The Grand Empress Dowager Zheng wiped her tears and was about to ask something when Jiang Shaohua suddenly said softly, "There is one more thing I want to tell Grandmother. I hope Grandmother stays strong and doesn’t let this knock her down."

The Grand Empress Dowager Zheng was startled in her heart, looking at Jiang Shaohua, "What is it?"

Jiang Shaohua gazed at the Grand Empress Dowager Zheng and slowly said, "Involved in the rebellion was also the Young Master Zheng Chen from Duke An’s Mansion."