The prominent families of the Capital City all knew a monumental upheaval was at hand. The womenfolk stayed behind closed doors, anxiously waiting for the storm to pass. However, the Eldest Princess entered the palace early in a carriage, seeking an audience with the Empress Dowager.
Outside the Yangxin Palace, a group of ministers knelt and pleaded for mercy, their cries echoing in the air. The Eldest Princess knew Yuwen Jing was resolute in demanding lives to accompany the dead. Her heart burned with hatred, but she had no choice but to beseech the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager was reciting Buddhist sutras in her small meditation chamber, devoted to a vegetarian diet. She let the Eldest Princess wait an entire hour before seeing her. "I cannot restrain the Emperor," the Empress Dowager said coldly. "But if Xie Xun surrenders, spares the third prince's life, I can ensure he receives a complete corpse."
