Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress novel Chapter 1291

Capítulo 1291: Chapter 1286: National Policy

“Brother, between you and me, sister and brother… whatever you have to say, just speak freely!” Empress Dowager Yan said softly.

“Forgive this humble servant’s offense, but it might be just as His Majesty said, we need to depose His Majesty and establish a new emperor!” Zhong Xingxiao spoke very quickly, as if very afraid, and immediately bowed deeply to the ground to apologize.

Empress Dowager Yan paused in her steps, almost losing her balance, tightly clutching a handkerchief in her palm, her heart feeling as if it had been pierced by a sharp sword.

“Empress Dowager…” Zhong Xingxiao quickly advanced to support the Empress Dowager Yan, and said in a low voice, “I am the Empress Dowager’s elder brother, naturally I must consider things for you. Think about it… If Ah Li is deposed, the Crown Prince is not someone who can bear heavy responsibilities. Now, among the court officials, many support the Ninth Prince. If you hold on and refuse to relent, damaging our Emperor of Yan’s dignity, it’s one thing. But if those officials who support the Ninth Prince take this opportunity to force His Majesty to abdicate and support the Ninth Prince’s ascension, Empress Dowager… who the throne belongs to then, is uncertain!”

Upon hearing this, Empress Dowager Yan felt a tingling at her scalp, only able to say, “It won’t happen! A Yan… It won’t happen!”

“Empress Dowager! A heart of vigilance towards others is necessary, even if the Ninth Prince doesn’t really have such intentions!” Zhong Xingxiao looked around and stepped closer to the Empress Dowager Yan, saying, “Even if the Ninth Prince really doesn’t have such intentions, think about it, Empress Dowager. Now the court is divided into the Empress Dowager faction and the Regent Prince faction. Wouldn’t those of the Regent Prince faction want to seize this opportunity, claiming that Yan Kingdom can’t risk a bet with Zhou, and propose setting up a new emperor to put the Regent Prince on the throne?”

Empress Dowager Yan almost couldn’t resist telling her elder brother the truth that Murong Yan was Xiao Rongyan, but she hadn’t forgotten the repeated admonishments from her late husband and later from Ah Li that aside from a few who already knew, no one should be told that Murong Yan was Xiao Rongyan.

Especially later, when A Yan married the Emperor of Zhou under the identity of Xiao Rongyan, and then faked his death to sever ties with the identity of Xiao Rongyan, Ah Li repeatedly instructed to never remember that A Yan was Xiao Rongyan from then on.

Empress Dowager Yan pressed her lips tightly without making a sound, thinking of those court officials who followed Xiao Rongyan, always watching her… watching Ah Li, wishing they could pull her Ah Li down from the throne and push Xiao Rongyan up.

Even Eunuch Feng, who once followed her husband, after her husband passed, followed A Yan instead…

“Empress Dowager, in all conscience, the solution His Majesty has come up with now, this humble servant believes is already the best solution!” Zhong Xingxiao slowly began walking towards the Empress Dowager’s palace with Empress Dowager Yan, speaking as they walked, “Now, even the Regent Prince does not agree with His Majesty’s plan to gamble with Zhou. The fear is… the Regent Prince might be incited by those of the Regent Prince faction, developing ambitions to depose His Majesty… and ascend to the throne. With the Regent Prince’s current prestige in Yan Kingdom, if he wants to ascend, no one can stop him!”

“It won’t happen…” Empress Dowager Yan’s fingernails dug into her palms.

“Empress Dowager once told this humble servant that you trust the Ninth Prince’s loyalty to the late emperor and you… and His Majesty. If so… then please, Empress Dowager, for His Majesty’s sake, persuade the Regent Prince to agree with His Majesty’s idea!” Zhong Xingxiao’s tone was slow and deliberate, “Otherwise, if chaos arises with the establishment of a new emperor, it would be of no benefit to Yan Kingdom at this juncture!”

Fearful that by pressuring A Yan to agree to Ah Li’s plan, Yan Kingdom would lose; and centuries later, when she met her deeply loved husband again, she would have failed to protect the Murong family’s territory and face him empty-handed.

Tears shone in Empress Dowager Yan’s eyes, unwaveringly gazing at her brother, hoping Zhong Xingxiao would give her a reassuring answer.

Zhong Xingxiao thought for a moment before saying, “Our Yan Kingdom adopted the form of new governance initially introduced by Empress Ji, which indeed achieved the purpose of enriching the country and strengthening the people in a short period, proven effective by our experience.”

“As for Zhou…” Zhong Xingxiao thought a bit before continuing, “Reports sent continuously from our spies to Yandu show their new policies look vibrant and flourishing, but it’s uncertain if they can achieve results in the short term. Just look at one of their policies, allowing women to take civil exams and hold office, reminiscent of what Empress Ji tried to implement during her time. Did it succeed then? No, it did not…”

“So you mean, Zhou might not succeed?” Empress Dowager Yan quickly asked.

Zhong Xingxiao nodded, “This humble servant believes so! Moreover, I observe many aspects of Zhou’s new policies seem to be imitating the reforms Empress Ji wanted to implement back then, only slightly modified.”

Empress Dowager Yan nodded, having also skimmed over Zhou’s new policies and noticed many were initiatives Empress Ji had once wanted to implement in Yan Kingdom, all of which had ultimately failed.