When the Emperor saw his mother growing more frail by the day, he didn't have the heart to push her further. He gently comforted her, "I understand, Mother. Please, focus on your health."
Hearing his promise, the Empress Dowager finally relaxed—only to faint again.
Standing to the side, Meng Wenyao was visibly shaken. She stepped forward, her voice choked with emotion as she pleaded, "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager's love for her grandson runs deep. She's been clinging to life just to protect Prince An. I know the law is the law, but for her sake… might Your Majesty show mercy just this once?"
The Emperor's patience was already worn thin. On one hand, he doubted Prince An was truly guilty of murder; on the other, he was furious that the Empress Dowager, teetering between life and death, was still obsessing over that troublemaker.
He couldn't believe it—how had he never realized how much of a liability Prince An was?
Meng Wenyao hesitated, then carefully suggested, "Your Majesty… perhaps if the Empress Dowager could see Prince An with her own eyes, it might give her the strength to recover."
The Emperor abruptly stood, his voice thunderous. "If not for him, she wouldn't be this ill in the first place! Summon the officials—Prince An is to be confined to his residence until the Empress Dowager has fully recovered."
Startled by his sudden fury, Meng Wenyao nearly collapsed into the chair behind her. Thankfully, Hua Momo was quick enough to catch her.
The Emperor's anger immediately turned to concern. "Are you alright? Did I frighten you?"
Meng Wenyao shook her head, eyes full of unspoken fear and grievance. The sight of her so vulnerable made the Emperor's heart ache.
They had just confirmed she was with child—this should have been a time of happiness. But instead, they were stuck dealing with court drama over Prince An. It was infuriating.
He scooped her up without another word and strode out of Changle Palace.
"The Empress Dowager is still unconscious, Your Majesty!" a servant called after him.
"There are physicians with her."
Back at Funing Hall, the Emperor didn't let go of her once. Even when she went to change clothes, he insisted on staying close by, much to her embarrassment.
"Your Majesty, why are you watching me like that?"
"Because you're beautiful," he replied without hesitation.
Clearly, he wasn't in the mood for deeper talk. So, she let it go and lounged lazily in his arms, pretending to doze off.
"The message to the frontier was sent by fast courier," he murmured. "By now, General Meng should've received it."
"Really?" She shot upright, her mood lifting instantly. Looping her arms around his neck, she kissed him hard.
He tensed for a moment, then softened, their embrace lingering. After a while, he gently pushed her away. "Not now—we have to be careful with your body."
All she did was kiss him! Honestly, the Emperor had such a dirty mind sometimes.
Still, after that little exchange, his mood was clearly better.
The next day, when the Empress Dowager heard Prince An had been placed under house arrest, she insisted she was completely recovered and demanded to get out of bed.
Gui Momo, ever loyal, tried to dissuade her. "His Majesty is being filial. If you push yourself like this, it'll break his heart. Besides, having Prince An reflect quietly might not be such a bad thing."
That finally calmed the Empress Dowager down. She began to think it over—who had spread such vile rumors about her sweet grandson in the first place?
Still, Gui Momo had a point. With tensions running high, now wasn't the time for Prince An to appear in court. A few quiet days in his manor might help curb his temper.
Meanwhile, Meng Wenyao had been hoping the Empress Dowager would raise hell over Prince An's confinement. The worse things got between her and the Emperor, the more likely it was he'd snap—and when he did, he might finally deal a fatal blow.
Now, with the Empress Dowager quietly chanting scriptures in her palace and Prince An locked away, the whole court felt eerily calm. Too calm.
Even the lawsuit from Lady Liu to the Court of Judicial Review had stalled—until the sudden death of the late Noble Consort. Then, like a switch had been flipped, the investigation sped forward.
Meng Wenyao flipped through the case files. Every detail was clearly laid out—how the Wei family had sent Meng Wenxian into the palace, how the late consort orchestrated the murder. It read like a transcript from the crime scene.
Who knew the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Review could act so efficiently… when it suited them?
With the Emperor's favor gone, the mighty Wei clan crumbled overnight. Those who had once suffered under them rushed to file complaints.
The court handled it all with unprecedented speed—undoubtedly to add a flourish to the upcoming coronation. One charge after another was nailed down, until the final verdict came: total extermination. The Wei family would be executed to the last man.
Meng Wenyao spent those idle days pouring over these scandals, gossip brought to her by Hua Momo. It made for decent entertainment.
Watch them rise. Watch them feast. Watch it all come crashing down.
That phrase crossed her mind as she tried on the empress's ceremonial robes. The Wei family's glory of the past ten years—it had all been a fleeting dream.
"This dress looks stunning on you, My Lady," Hua Momo said.
"Of course it does," she replied with a smirk. "If the Empress's robes weren't beautiful, what in the world could be?"
Just then, the Emperor entered and wrapped an arm around her waist. "The empress's crown is supposed to have twelve Eastern pearls," he said. "But I thought it would be too heavy for you, so I had them use only three. Are you upset?"
Meng Wenyao laughed. "Your Majesty, I didn't even want a coronation. Why would I care how many pearls are on the crown?"
"You may not care, but I want to give you the best."
She blinked rapidly, trying to squeeze out a few tears for effect. But before she could say anything, he took her hand and led her out.
In the main hall stood three tall, broad-shouldered men. At the sight of the Emperor, they saluted in unison. "Your Majesty. Greetings to the Imperial Consort."
Meng Wenyao froze. She had only expected her father—yet her brothers were here too.
Tears welled up before she could stop them. It hadn't been that long since they last met, but to her, it felt like two lifetimes.
The Emperor lowered his voice and soothed her, "I brought them back to make you happy. Don't cry."
Hearing that, the Meng men finally relaxed. It seemed their daughter and sister really was doing well.
Leaving them to catch up, the Emperor took his leave.
After she cried her fill, they all sat down to talk. Soon enough, the conversation turned to Meng Wenxian.
"Wenyao, how did your sister end up as a concubine in the Wei family?" General Meng looked deeply troubled.
"What did Mother say?"
Meng Wenyao was eager to hear how far her mother's lies had gone.
Sure enough, General Meng slammed the table in anger. "She said Wenxian had been accidentally compromised while visiting the Wei estate, and that she entered the family to protect your reputation."
"What?!"
Wenyao had been ready to give her mother a chance at redemption, considering Wenxian's death… but it seemed the woman was rotten to the core.
Letting out a bitter laugh, she explained, "Mother was determined to cozy up to the late Noble Consort. She wanted Wenxian to marry Prince An, so she tried to use me to gain favor. Her plan? Sell me to Wei Quan like some token gift."