in2ebook Chapter 305 The Emperor Abdicates
Chapter 305 The Emperor Abdicates
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to the Empress." Upon seeing the Empress, Su Nuannuan bowed respectfully, her movements elegant and her posture dignified.
Seeing this, the Empress smiled slightly and said softly, "Please get up, there's no need for such formality." She put down the embroidery frame in her hands, raised her head, and looked at Su Nuannuan with a hint of curiosity in her eyes, "What brings you here today?"
Su Nuannuan straightened up, a faint smile on her face, and replied softly, "Your Majesty, I have come here today because I have important matters to discuss with you."
The Empress nodded upon hearing this, gesturing for Su Nuannuan to sit on the other side of the small couch. Su Nuannuan thanked the Empress, then gracefully moved forward and slowly took her seat.
Once Su Nuannuan was seated, the Empress's gaze fell upon her again, and she asked, "You just said you had something important to discuss. What is it?"
Su Nuannuan straightened her skirt slightly, then raised her head to meet the Empress's gaze and said, "It is like this, Jianping is now sixteen years old, and I think it is time for her to inspect her fiefdom."
When the Empress heard Su Nuannuan say that she wanted Jianping to inspect the fiefdom, she felt a pang of anxiety. Her first thought was that Su Nuannuan did not intend to let Jianping treat the Emperor.
"Time flies so fast. Jianping is already sixteen years old," the Empress said with emotion.
Su Nuannuan smiled and replied, "Yes, not only are Jianping and Jingcheng sixteen years old, but His Highness the Crown Prince is also about to become a father." Her tone was relaxed, but the Empress understood the deeper meaning behind it.
The Empress suddenly lowered her voice and asked softly, "At this time, you sent Jianping to inspect the fiefdom. Do you have any special plans?" Her gaze was fixed on Su Nuannuan, trying to discern a clue from her face.
Su Nuannuan hesitated for a moment, then answered in a low voice, "I just think that letting her go out and gain experience will be beneficial for her in the future when she establishes her own government."
Therefore, I wish to keep her away from the capital, and at least until the Crown Prince ascends the throne, she will not be allowed to return.
After listening to Su Nuannuan's words, the Empress nodded thoughtfully.
At this moment, Yingqiu and Jinse, who were serving them, overheard their mistresses' conversation. They exchanged a glance, both showing helpless expressions. They knew very well that knowing too much was not a good thing; it might even cost them their lives. Therefore, they both decided to quietly slip away, not wanting to listen any further.
However, Su Nuannuan keenly noticed their movements. She smiled slightly and teased, "Isn't it a bit late to hide out now?"
"Your Majesty (Imperial Consort)~" Two soft voices were heard, their tone revealing a hint of helplessness.
Su Nuannuan smiled slightly, her beautiful eyes sparkling as she looked at the two people in front of her with a half-smile, and said slowly, "Alright, you don't need to be like this. You've already heard the beginning, so a little more won't make a difference. Since that's the case, you two should just stay here obediently."
"We might not trust others, but we have complete trust in the two of you. Isn't that right, Your Majesty?" She then turned to look at the Empress, a smile playing on her lips.
Seeing this, the Empress chuckled and nodded softly, saying, "Sister, please stop teasing them. Look at their faces; they're all pale with fright."
However, this so-called "pale face" was merely a joke by the Empress. After all, how could a head palace maid serving her mistress be so timid as to turn pale with fright over such a trivial matter?
Su Nuannuan naturally understood the Empress's meaning. Her smile deepened, and she continued, "Alright, alright, I won't tease you anymore. I know you'll feel uncomfortable if you keep listening, so go outside and stand guard!"
After Ying Qiu and Jinse hurriedly left as if they had been granted a pardon, Su Nuannuan put away her smile, sighed softly, and complained, "They're still a bit timid. I need to find some time to teach them properly."
"You're always joking," the Queen said with a slight smile.
For a moment, the atmosphere in the hall became somewhat heavy. The two remained silent, with only silence filling the air.
After a long while, Su Nuannuan finally broke the silence, her voice low and firm: "His Majesty is now too indulgent, and it's only a matter of time before his health deteriorates. I really don't want Jianping to treat him. Firstly, although Jianping's medical skills are excellent, His Majesty's illness is not simply a physical ailment. Secondly, I'm worried that Jianping might suffer as a result. Therefore, I can only send Jianping to inspect his fiefdom, away from this place of trouble."
Su Nuannuan paused, then continued, "The Emperor of today is not the same as before. In the past, he would listen to the Empress's advice and could be considered a diligent and good emperor. But now? The Empress is just advising the Emperor as usual, and he not only ignores her, but even wants to kill her. Such behavior is truly chilling."
She paused slightly, seemingly choosing her words carefully, before slowly saying, "I think that since the Crown Prince has already begun to oversee the country and is handling state affairs quite smoothly, why not find a suitable opportunity to have the Emperor abdicate and become the Retired Emperor? In this way, he can continue to enjoy himself without any problems. Why not do it?"
Why let Jingyun handle state affairs while bearing the title of Crown Prince?
"In my opinion, you just want to leave the palace and don't want to stay with me anymore," the Empress said unhappily to Su Nuannuan.
Upon hearing this, Su Nuannuan quickly replied, "How could Your Majesty say that! My loyalty to Your Majesty is as clear as day. It's just that although life in the palace is luxurious, I inevitably feel a bit bored living here for so long. Besides, once the little prince is born, you will be busy taking care of him all day long, and I'm afraid you won't have time to pay attention to me."
The Empress's expression softened slightly upon hearing Su Nuannuan's words. She smiled gently and said, "Your little mouth is getting sweeter and sweeter. But don't worry, I won't bother you, no matter who else I bother."
Su Nuannuan breathed a sigh of relief and quickly thanked the Empress. The Empress waved her hand and continued, "You don't need to worry about the Emperor. Just stay in your Cuiwei Palace. By the way, have the attendants been chosen for Jianping's inspection tour of his fiefdom?"
Su Nuannuan nodded quickly and replied, "It's decided. Her master, Miss Muge, and Yaoqin will accompany her. I'll have them secretly investigate along the way. If they find any problems, they should send a message to His Highness the Crown Prince so that he can understand which officials are suitable and which are not. After all, it's unacceptable for a low-ranking official to be a mere figurehead."