"I... I don't know either, Your Majesty. But this servant dares to say that ever since the day Queen Su, oh no, General Su left, His Majesty has been coughing continuously for days," Fang Xi said boldly, looking up at the Empress Dowager.
"Don't mention her to me. Can't the harem function without her?"
The daughter of a military general, it was originally Lin'er's idea to make her the queen to check and balance the Su family. How could it be that Lin'er can't do without her now? The Empress Dowager knew exactly why Su Wan'er was chosen as the queen in the first place. But now, she had to reconsider this matter. It seemed that Si Junlin had really doted on this queen for quite some time. When Su Wan'er left that day, she was also extremely reluctant.
"Keep an eye on the Emperor these days. Don't let him spend so much time on memorials. Let him take good care of his health," the Empress Dowager frowned and instructed.
"Yes, this servant understands."
"Also, it was that slut, Concubine Mei, who caused this mess. It's time to punish her. Pass on my imperial edict and put her under house arrest in her own palace. Don't let her wander around."
"No need, Mother," the Empress Dowager was giving instructions outside when Si Junlin woke up inside.
"Lin'er, you're awake. How do you feel? What would you like to eat? Do you want to sleep a little more?" The Empress Dowager immediately put everything aside and asked with great concern.
"Your son is fine, but Mother, there's something I've been holding in my heart for a long time."
"Tell me, tell me quickly."
"The women in the harem are more of a hindrance than a help. With the current political situation, I don't need them anymore. I want to... disperse the harem!" Si Junlin's eyes were very firm, as if he had made this decision a long time ago. No matter whether the Empress Dowager tried to stop him or not today, he was going to issue this edict.
The Empress Dowager seemed to see his determination. And because she was really worried about his health, she was also very hesitant about whether she should stop him or not.
"I've long said that there are really not many useful concubines among yours. But since ancient times, emperors have always had a large harem. If you think these are not good and want to send them all away, that's okay. I'll choose better ones for you," the Empress Dowager said.
"No need, Mother. It was because of these women, because of their scheming and infighting in the palace that made Wan'er uncomfortable, which made her leave," Si Junlin frowned. "Mother, my heart aches so much. I want her to come back. But if there are so many women in the palace, I know Wan'er will definitely not come back. Mother, what should I do?"
The Empress Dowager looked at him doubtfully, wondering if this was still her ruthless and decisive son.
"Lin'er, she was never meant to be confined. Maybe it's just because she just left and you're not used to it for the time being. You'll get over her after a while. Why do you keep thinking about her all day long? You're hurting yourself like this, and it breaks my heart," the Empress Dowager said.
"Mother, your son is begging you on this one thing. From childhood to adulthood, your son has always been excellent, won the throne, and respected you as the Empress Dowager. But just on this one thing, your son is begging you," Si Junlin said as he got out of the bed and knelt in front of the Empress Dowager.
"Why do you have to do this? Fine, if you really want to disperse the harem, I won't stop you today. But Su Wan'er is already a general now. If you want her to come back, have you thought it through... It will be much more difficult than when you married the daughter of the Su family," the Empress Dowager said.
"Yes, your son understands. As long as Wan'er is willing to come back, nothing else matters. As long as she's willing to come back," Si Junlin said.
Maybe it was because the Empress Dowager saw Si Junlin's pain in the past few days and couldn't bear it, or maybe it was because there was no longer a big bargaining chip like Concubine Xi and the imperial heir. So the Empress Dowager didn't stop him from dispersing the harem.
The entire harem was filled with crying. But there were still a large number of concubines who were never favored. They were originally doomed to die in the palace. Now that they heard they could be released, they naturally left the palace obediently. However, the remaining concubines with higher ranks were making a scene and refused to leave. Si Junlin issued another edict. Those who didn't leave the palace within three days would all be demoted to palace maids and would die in the palace. Only then did these high - ranking concubines reluctantly leave the palace one by one.
But in the afternoon, news came that Concubine Mei had hanged herself in her own palace. According to the palace maids, Concubine Mei died very miserably, crying and shouting that she was the one who loved the Emperor the most. The Emperor was blinded by that bitch.
The servants asked Si Junlin how to handle it, but Si Junlin only replied that it should be handled according to the rules.
Fang Xi couldn't make a decision, so he went to ask the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager remembered that although Concubine Mei had often clashed with Concubine Xi over the years, she had always been respectful to her. Now that she had died for love, she was a passionate woman. So the Empress Dowager bestowed the burial ceremony of a noble concubine.
"Your Majesty, this loquat syrup is prescribed by the imperial physician and you must finish it. You've only taken a few sips. That won't do," Fang Xi was holding the medicine bowl beside the dragon bed, looking at Si Junlin nervously as he lay frowning on the bed.
"Fang Xi, do you have something to say? Do you think I shouldn't treat those women like this?" Si Junlin had long noticed that Fang Xi had been hesitating to speak all afternoon.
"This servant wouldn't dare. This servant just thinks they're all pitiful, especially Concubine Mei. Although this servant didn't like her for always going against the Queen before, but today she died for Your Majesty. Doesn't Your Majesty feel anything?"
"Concubine Mei didn't die for me. She died because she was unwilling that she didn't become the Empress. She was filled with resentment," Si Junlin said.
"Your Majesty, I'm getting more and more confused. Aren't you the Emperor?" Fang Xi was completely lost. Concubine Mei had died for the Emperor. How could she not be devoted to him?
"No, it's different. If I weren't the Emperor, she probably wouldn't even look at me. What she loves is not me at all. She doesn't even love anyone. She only loves herself and only thinks about how to become the Empress," Si Junlin, although still lying weakly on the bed, was still the resourceful emperor.
At this moment, Fang Xi even felt sorry for Si Junlin. Thinking like this, he finally understood why the Emperor missed the Queen so much. Maybe in this whole palace, only the Queen regarded the Emperor as Si Junlin, not the Emperor.
But even the only person who treated him sincerely had left. This...
"Fang Xi, bring me the writing brush and ink. I'm going to issue an edict to summon Wan'er back," Si Junlin said.
"Ah? Your Majesty, don't be joking. The Queen is a marshal now. You personally bestowed that title on her a few days ago. Have you forgotten?"
"Precisely because she's a marshal. I've been looking at the battle reports these days. The war has come to a temporary end and our army has won a great victory. The marshal should come back to report on her duties. In the past, the marshal of the Su family army would either come to the capital to report on their own every half a month or a month, or send a deputy marshal. This time, we can use the excuse of rewarding her for the victory and let her come back to receive the reward," Si Junlin said.