Climbing to the Top: A Reborn Queen's Journey-Chapter 642: Negotiations (Part 1)

Tear!

An incense stick later, the Grand Empress Dowager Zheng’s face turned ashen with rage, her eyes ablaze, as she tore the letter in her hand into two halves.

Mr. Zhao was startled: "Lady!"

The Grand Empress Dowager Zheng continued tearing until the letter in her hand was shredded to pieces. The area around the bed was covered with paper fragments, and her chest heaved violently, showing she was extremely angry.

"Lady, please calm down!" Mr. Zhao knelt by the bed, pleading earnestly: "The Imperial Physician has advised against stirring your anger. Please take care of your health!"

The Grand Empress Dowager Zheng breathed heavily, the embers in her eyes still burning vigorously: "Go, let Jiang Shaohua come in!"

Mr. Zhao remained motionless and continued to plead: "Lady, you’re upset and might speak harshly. If you thoroughly offend the Commandery Princess, there might be no room for reconciliation later."

The Grand Empress Dowager Zheng glared at Mr. Zhao; "What nonsense are you talking about! Must I act according to her whims?"

"Lady, you are of high status and noble identity, of course, you need not heed anyone’s whims." Mr. Zhao continued to plead humbly: "I’m just a lowly servant, and I’ve kept the Commandery Princess outside the door these past few days, she might have already taken note of it. If the Commandery Princess becomes the Empress one day, she could end my life with a mere gesture."

"Though I have served the Lady for many years without merit, I have endured hardships. I plead the Lady to spare my lowly life."

The Grand Empress Dowager Zheng, raging, couldn’t listen, and coldly replied: "What are you afraid of? Jiang Shaohua wants to become a legitimate Empress, she’s acting more cautiously these days. Visiting Jingyang Palace daily, isn’t it just to show the courtiers?"

"She exhausts all means to meet me, I shall hear what she wants to say. Now get out and bring her into the bedroom!"

Mr. Zhao reluctantly agreed and complied, but before leaving, he quietly advised: "I dare to say what I shouldn’t. It has reached this point; the Commandery Princess’s ascension is inevitable. Within days, she handled accumulated affairs, and the courtiers have submitted, even the hearts are settled. Lady, why must you fume against the Commandery Princess? Not only do you let the courtiers enjoy the spectacle, but you also let the Li Family reap the greatest benefit, which is truly a loss."

These words hit the Grand Empress Dowager Zheng’s sore spot.

The Grand Empress Dowager Zheng’s face became even more unpleasant: "If you dare gossip, I will banish you from Jingyang Palace."

Mr. Zhao quickly shut up and left, welcoming the Commandery Princess into the bedroom.

Jiang Shaohua stepped into the bedroom with composure, her eyes casually swept over the shredded papers scattered everywhere: "Grand Aunt, please calm down. I have four more such letters here. Later, you may tear them for relief."

Was she trying to infuriate her to death?

The Grand Empress Dowager Zheng, pushed to the extreme, regained her composure instead. She squinted, her gaze particularly sinister: "Jiang Shaohua, where did you find these letters?"

Jiang Shaohua replied indifferently: "I visited the Heavenly Prison, and Prince Dongping told me the secret chamber where the letters were hidden. During these days, I sent trusted aides to search the secret chamber of Prince Dongping Mansion, and today I hurried back."

"Zheng Chen conspired with Jiang Yi and Prince Dongping to rebel. These letters are the evidence."

"I know this matter concerns Grand Aunt the most. As soon as I obtained the letters, I immediately sent them to Jingyang Palace for Grand Aunt’s review."

With that, she took out four more letters from her sleeve, and waved them before the Grand Empress Dowager Zheng: "If Grand Aunt doesn’t want these letters, I will send them to the Ministry of Justice. With the many witnesses in detention, combined with this physical evidence, it would be enough to convict the Zheng Family."

"Are you threatening me?" The Grand Empress Dowager Zheng stared at Jiang Shaohua, squeezing out words from her teeth. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Jiang Shaohua met her gaze: "I’m offering Grand Aunt a way out. If Grand Aunt steps down, and expresses support for me, I can ascend the throne and sit upon the Dragon Throne as the Da Liang Empress openly. Of course, Grand Aunt can persist to the end, severing ties with me, even using various means to block my ascent."

"However, the method used against Prince Huaiyang no longer works on me. The courtiers and Empress Dowager all support me, Prime Minister Wang also wishes to back me. What I do now corrects course, and treason charges cannot be pinned on me."

"The palace has been Grand Aunt’s domain for decades, with many people at Grand Aunt’s command. You can have them poison my meals or set traps to cause accidents. As long as I’m dead, this game would resolve automatically."

"Grand Aunt hesitated for a few days without this decision because you fear that after my death, the court might utterly collapse. Prince Ping understands nothing; in the end, someone must preside over the court. I can care for Prince Ping, treat the concubines well, and provide for Grand Aunt. If Prince Huaiyang or Prince Wu’an governs, or any other relatives, it might not be so. Grand Aunt is advanced in age, unsure of longevity, and if that time comes, would Prince Ping have a survival route? What peaceful days would Grand Aunt have?"

"Not to mention the future, let’s talk about now. If Grand Aunt insists on opposing me, then I needn’t be courteous to the Zheng Family. With treason as the heavy crime, the Zheng Family would be exiled and extinguished. When Grand Aunt reaches the underground, would you have the face to meet the Zheng ancestors?"

"Today I came, intending to lay everything clearly. The choice is yours, Grand Aunt."

...

Mr. Zhao didn’t dare look up at the Grand Empress Dowager’s face.

Silence enveloped the bedroom, with no sound for a long time.

Eventually, the Grand Empress Dowager Zheng spoke, still sharp yet clearly shaky beneath her sternness: "Swear a poisonous oath to heaven, to raise Prince Ping to adulthood, and preserve his life in peace and prosperity."

Jiang Shaohua’s voice rang out: "Fine, I Jiang Shaohua swear to heaven, I will take care of Prince Ping, Jiang Hao, ensuring his life is safe and worry-free."

"The treason case must not involve the Zheng Family." The Grand Empress Dowager Zheng continued her demands.

Jiang Shaohua replied indifferently: "The masterminds are the Heir of Prince Gaoliang and Prince Dongping’s father and son. Zheng Chen was deceived by Jiang Yi, momentarily harboring wrongful thoughts without yet committing rebellious acts. The Zheng Family will not be implicated."

The Grand Empress Dowager Zheng pressed further: "Currently, Duke An is recovering from injuries, and Vice Minister Ding temporarily fills the Chief of Staff role. Once Duke An recovers, the Minister of War position must revert to Duke An."

Jiang Shaohua raised her brow and replied coldly: "That’s impossible. I can spare Duke An from death and let the Zheng Family survive, but that is all. Zheng Chen attempted to murder the Emperor and later incited Jiang Yi to raise an army to force the palace, a heinous capital crime. The Zheng Family can peacefully remain in their home due to Grand Aunt’s protection. Asking for power and wealth is excessively greedy and laughable."