Others' words reached Lord Bao's ears, forcing him to tread cautiously and refrain from attracting attention. Even so, Wu Caiwei remained vigilant, assigning people to keep watch on him, fearing any trouble he might stir.
One day, as Wu Caiwei accompanied the Third Prince, admiring flowers newly presented as tribute from the Western Regions, they saw the Emperor's chief eunuch rushing towards them in a panic. They exchanged a glance, understanding that something was amiss with the Emperor. Indeed, the eunuch scrambled to the Third Prince's side, exclaiming in terror, "Your Majesty, the Emperor… he may not last."
The Third Prince was shocked and immediately followed the eunuch's hurried steps towards the Emperor's chambers, inquiring about the situation as they went. It turned out that the Empress and Consort Ru had visited that morning and had a public brawl in front of the Emperor.
This was unexpected for the Third Prince. The palace appeared peaceful, but beneath the surface, currents churned. As long as he was not involved, the Third Prince turned a blind eye. Knowing that these two women, who had feuded for a lifetime, would bring trouble, and neither willing to yield to the other, he understood their sons' impending downfall meant they now had nothing to lose. Thus, they resorted to every means possible to drag each other and their respective families down, never to rise again.
For the Third Prince, this was ideal and within his expectations. To achieve his ambitions, he had pulled many strings. Initially, the two women planned to support new princes to rival him. To resolve his predicament, the Third Prince asked Wu Caiwei to frame the Xu family and direct all blame towards Consort Ru. Although the Empress was unsure if the events unfolded exactly as she perceived, it did not prevent her from retaliating, as they had been enemies all along.
The other princes, who had seen a glimmer of hope, were now profoundly disappointed. Their attempts at mediation were in vain, as some matters were beyond even the lure of profit.
If the Emperor were well, for the sake of their families or the Emperor himself, they might have restrained themselves. But now, with the Emperor in such a state and the power in the Third Prince's hands, their sons having no claim to the throne, they had grown reckless and acted with abandon. The Third Prince, aware of their increasingly aggressive momentum, not only failed to intervene but fanned the flames, as this was how he stood to benefit.
As the Third Prince walked, he mused over his own interests. The Emperor's failing health was the best news for him. Though the current Emperor was as good as gone, his position on the throne had given the other princes false hope. They believed that with enough effort, they could still ascend to the imperial seat.
If not for Wu Caiwei's constant presence recently, he wouldn't know how many times he had narrowly escaped death. Assassination attempts when he ventured out, or poisoned food and soup – his enemies employed every insidious method, clearly at great expense, to target him.
However, for them now, money was useless. Only by his downfall could they rise. If the Emperor were to truly pass away, given the current circumstances, his ascent to the throne was inevitable. Thus, as he walked, he beckoned to the guards following behind him, instructing them to step forward. He knew that once the news spread, the other princes would undoubtedly make their moves, and he wished to avoid being placed in a passive position.
Concurrently, he ordered that the events of that morning be disseminated, letting everyone know the true reason behind the Emperor's grave illness. Only by diminishing the prestige of the two women would the resistance he faced in dealing with them be significantly reduced. The Third Prince had no intention of sparing either of them. In his view, both harbored malicious intent. Although the Empress primarily targeted the Second Prince and his mother, he believed that if the Second Prince were gone, she would undoubtedly turn her attention to him. He could not tolerate any element of danger, nor could he allow someone who was not his own mother to hold sway over him.
As for Consort Ru, there was even less to say. She knew he harbored resentment towards the Second Prince and harbored intentions to scheme against him. He was constantly on guard against her, and she might even collude with other princes to oppose him. Having finally reached this point, he refused to tolerate any uncertainty.
Upon arriving at the Emperor's chambers, he coincidentally encountered the Empress and Consort Ru, who were rushing in. They cast him a meaningful glance before vying to enter. The Third Prince instinctively stepped back, patting his chest with relief. Fortunately, he had moved quickly, narrowly avoiding being knocked down by the two women, along with the palace attendants near where he had stood.
He even noticed the disappointment in the Empress's eyes. He knew without a doubt that she had intended to run into him. He thought her petty, considering he had always been the victim, yet she refused to let go. Fortunately, he had no intention of letting her off the hook either, otherwise, he would have been left heartbroken and distressed.
The two women chased each other, arriving almost simultaneously at the Emperor's bedside. Looking at the Emperor's ashen face, they knew the palace attendants' report was accurate. That morning, they had fought in front of the Emperor, who had turned a fierce expression. They had been frightened at the time.
Having been with the Emperor for so long, it was the first time they had seen him so enraged. They made an excuse and hastily departed. Little did they expect that before the day was out, news of the Emperor's critical condition would arrive. They knew they bore significant responsibility for the Emperor's state but could say nothing at that moment, nor could they allow anyone to connect it to themselves. If the entire court learned of their actions, their own downfall would be secondary; the real concern was the repercussions for their families.
Unfortunately, the more they tried to conceal it, the more the palace sought to spread the news. Almost simultaneously, everyone learned of the events. When the ministers stood outside the Emperor's palace, they cast reproachful glances at the families of the Xu family and Consort Ru. The members of their families were also bewildered, never expecting their daughters to make such grave errors. Hadn't they always been so astute?
It seemed women were indeed women, their vision limited. Did they truly believe they would become empress dowagers upon the Emperor's death? Dream on. Given their relationship with the Third Prince, their twilight years would likely be difficult.
However, at this moment, the Emperor could no longer open his eyes and was unconscious. It was then that they finally realized their reliance was crumbling. To be honest, they found the current Emperor somewhat distasteful, but ultimately, they were saddened. After all, they owed their glory to him, earning the envy of women worldwide.
Although they had felt more at ease recently without the Emperor's constant presence and the need to appease him, their lives were still filled with anxiety. Now, with the Third Prince in such a position, who knew if he would respect them once he ascended the throne, or if he would move against their families?