The Unkind Human Chapter 6

There are no secrets in the palace. The next morning, the empress dowager heard about what happened last night. She was immediately furious and ordered someone to invite Charles Chu to Ci'an Palace.

Charles Chu accompanied the Queen Eleanor to eat breakfast together. The Queen Eleanor looked at Charles Chu's slightly blue eyes and felt so distressed that she hugged Charles Chu and cried: "You are such a simple-minded child, why are you writing that stuff at night? I will be fine when you are safe and healthy. How can you, a little kid, bear this..."

Charles Chu hurriedly took the handkerchief from Nanny Sun and wiped the Queen Eleanor's tears, smiling, "How could I be so delicate? It's just that last night... I was a little late. Fortunately, the Hundred Longevity Picture has been written. I asked Samuel Eunuch Muhan to send it to the Knitting Bureau and have them embroider a Hundred Longevity Brocade according to what I wrote. Come back and make a bed quilt for the Royal Grandmother."

The Queen Eleanor was even more sad when she heard this, and whispered: "My good child... The Imperial Grandmother knows that you felt wronged last night, don't worry, I will definitely let you get revenge today."

Charles Chu lowered his eyes and chuckled. The Queen Eleanor gave him a lot of rewards and comforted him.

After breakfast, Charles Chu went to the Hexin Courtyard. Half an hour later, all the Linda Lis came to the Ci'an Palace to pay their respects. Linda Li also came trembling with fear. The Queen Eleanor glanced at everyone and said indifferently: "I heard that it was very lively last night?"

Linda Li Shu also heard about the farce last night. She couldn't help but add insult to injury and chuckled, "Yes, I heard that the eldest prince bathed and burned incense every day to celebrate the empress dowager's birthday. I said the other day that the eldest prince is a role model for other princes. It's a pity..."

Linda Li Shu's bright eyes swept over Linda Li and sighed, "I'm afraid that the eldest prince was hurt by the commotion last night. I originally wanted to pray for the Queen Eleanor quietly, but I didn't expect to use this to seek credit and reward. Instead, people misunderstood it as witchcraft. Frost in June is nothing but this. It's really hard for the eldest prince..."

The Queen Eleanor nodded and sneered: "Yes, I have also heard of such a new thing, but I have not been there in person, so I am not very clear. Linda Li, please tell me about it."

Linda Li had already broken out in a cold sweat. Upon hearing this, she immediately got up from her seat and knelt down, saying in a trembling voice: "Your Highness... Your Highness... I heard some unbearable words, and I was afraid that the eldest prince had gone astray. I only mentioned it briefly to the emperor, but I didn't expect that the emperor would really..."

"What did you not expect?! You mean it's all the emperor's fault!" The empress dowager naturally knew that the emperor was reckless last night. Even if he heard something terrible, he should have sent someone to take a look. He insisted on going in person, which made him so embarrassed. However, as a mother, she is naturally partial. How could the emperor make mistakes? The empress dowager could not help but put all the faults on Linda Li. "If it weren't for your instigation, how could the emperor know about witchcraft?! And now you dare to quibble!"

Linda Li's face turned purple. She didn't expect the Queen Eleanor would reprimand her like this in front of all the Linda Lis. It would be wrong to say it now or not. She couldn't help crying: "Queen Eleanor...I really didn't mean it..."

The Queen Eleanor sneered: "Well, if you didn't mean it, you could instigate the Emperor to visit Bi Tao Garden at night and frame the prince. Fortunately, Ling'er knew the limits and could tolerate it. If she was a little more impatient, I'm afraid she would have been killed last night! I can't let a B!tch like you humiliate me! What will you use to compensate me then? Can you afford to pay for the life of the legitimate prince?!"

The Queen Eleanor became more and more angry as she thought about it. She said angrily, "How dare you say you didn't do it on purpose? How do you know you didn't do it to alienate the Emperor from Ling'er? I was always concerned that you were the one who had taken care of the Emperor and had given birth to Ruan'er, so I gave you some leniency in everything. Who knew you were so vicious!"

Linda Li kowtowed and cried, "I dare not, the Queen Eleanor really killed me unjustly..."

"I wronged you?" The Queen Eleanor sneered, "Yes, I didn't wrong you. I forgot that you must have known that Ling'er was praying for me. Of course you were angry and rushed to ruin my happiness!"

The Empress Dowager kept putting big accusations on her one after another. Linda Li was complaining in her heart, but she had no way to explain it. What happened last night was really too embarrassing. After coming out of Bitao Garden, the Emperor ignored her and went straight back to Chengqian Palace. Linda Li knew that the Emperor was also angry with her and there was no way she could save herself now.

The Queen Eleanor said coldly to everyone in the palace: "The Queen is gone, and the affairs of the harem cannot be left without someone to take care of them, so I temporarily asked Linda Li to take over the Phoenix Seal. It seems that... I have given some people the wrong thoughts. I will say this today. Not to mention that there is no Queen yet, even if there is one, it must be a talented, virtuous, and tolerant one! If you can't even be considered virtuous, eloquent, and tolerant, you'd better give up as soon as possible. I used to think that you all came from aristocratic families and knew the truth, so I didn't want to make it too clear. It seems that I was wrong."

The Queen Eleanor looked at Linda Li with disgust and said, "Linda Li Zhen has no virtue or talent, is jealous and suspicious, and is not capable of such a heavy responsibility. From today on, you will be stripped of your title of Linda Li and demoted to Linda Li. The Phoenix Seal will be taken back, and all matters in the harem will be managed by Linda Li Shu and Linda Li Xian."

Linda Li Shu and Linda Li Xian quickly knelt down to receive the imperial edict. The Queen Eleanor said calmly, "I let you take charge of the six palaces because I believe you are fair and impartial. I don't want to see what happened today again."

Linda Li Shu and Linda Li Xian were taught.

The Queen Eleanor felt much better after she vented her anger. She looked at Linda Li who was kneeling on the ground and trembling and said calmly: "For Ruan'er's sake, I will punish you slightly and give you a severe warning. You should take care of yourself."

The position of imperial Linda Li that she had climbed up with great difficulty was stripped away in one day, and the Phoenix Seal was also taken back. Linda Li had already softened her body and murmured, "I will definitely reflect on my mistakes behind closed doors and will never dare to act foolishly again."

The Queen Eleanor nodded and said coldly, "Yes, Linda Li should reflect on her mistakes in Linzhi Palace these days. There is no need to go out and cause trouble. Let's all go."

The Linda Lis quickly stood up and took their leave.

The empress dowager was very happy. It was true that she was angry, but she did intend to take advantage of the situation today. She had originally disagreed with the idea of   making Linda Li the imperial Linda Li, but the emperor liked her and wanted to promote her. The Zhen family was of use in the previous dynasty, so the empress dowager could not say anything. Now that Linda Li was behaving in a disgraceful manner and had angered the emperor, the empress dowager naturally wanted to take this opportunity to give this woman a good warning.

Linda Li cannot be the only one in power. If she is, it will give Daniel Chu and the people around him some inappropriate thoughts, and the Zhen family of the previous dynasty will become more powerful. By then, the empress dowager's maternal family, the Duke of Jingguo Mansion, and Charles Chu's maternal family, the Marquis of Zijun Mansion, will inevitably hinder them. The maternal family of the empress dowager and the former queen will be outshined by the maternal family of a small Linda Li. Others will not say that the Zhen family is domineering, but will only say that the Empress Dowager Wei is incompetent.

The Queen Eleanor is devoted to Buddhism on weekdays, but her heart is as clear as a mirror. Since the establishment of the Chu State, the Queen Eleanor has passed down for more than ten generations, and all the Queens are from the Wei family of Jingguo Duke, the Ling family of Zijunhou Mansion, and the Jing family of Suguo Duke. These surnames have inextricable ties with the Chu family, and they complement each other. No matter for the sake of her mother's family, Charles Chu, or for the glory of the aristocratic family, the Queen Eleanor would not allow a woman with the surname Zhen to become the Queen.

Once power is transferred outside, it will be difficult to take it back. If Linda Li becomes the queen, I am afraid that the queen in the next few generations will have to be named Zhen.

The Empress Dowager asked Nanny Sun to invite the Emperor to have lunch in Ci'an Hall at noon. She had severely reprimanded Linda Li in the morning, so the Emperor must have something to say to her.

At lunch time the Emperor arrived as promised and greeted the Empress Dowager as usual. The Empress Dowager also showed her motherly affection and there was no conversation during the lunch.

The palace maids cleared away the bowls, plates, and cups and brought up tea. The empress dowager ordered the maids to leave, and the mother and son began to talk in private.

"This morning I stripped Linda Li of her title of Imperial Linda Li. I think the Emperor knows about this." The Queen Eleanor took a sip of tea. "Does he blame the Queen Eleanor for being too self-centered?"

"I dare not." Under normal circumstances, the emperor would be unhappy, but thinking of the bad things that happened last night... the emperor nodded, "Li Fei acted in a panic, and she really deserves to be punished."

The Queen Eleanor placed the teacup on the table and softened her voice: "I don't blame you. From the beginning, I didn't agree with you promoting Linda Li, but you didn't listen. Now look... Linda Li is too selfish and narrow-minded. Is she suitable to be the Empress? She is biased in her actions and impetuous in her temperament. Can she be the mother of the country?"

"I know you have always liked her, so you have repeatedly promoted her. I did not say anything about promoting her mother's family, but everything has its limits. Linda Li is not worthy of such a heavy responsibility. If the emperor insists on his own way, it will only harm her more."

The emperor listened silently, and after a while he said, "Son, I understand. Linda Li... let her reflect on her mistakes."

The Queen Eleanor nodded and said slowly, "I have been in poor spirits these past few years and have not been able to take care of many things. Fortunately, the Queen is here and has taken care of everything properly. There is no such a joke. Unfortunately... the Emperor can decide on the Queen's position himself."

Even though the emperor favored Linda Li, he knew in his heart that since the Phoenix Seal was given to Linda Li, the management of the harem was not as good as before. The emperor did not like the late queen, but when it came to managing the harem, Queen Ling did make him less worried.

"There is one more thing." The Queen Eleanor smiled, "Ling'er is a very filial child, but he doesn't like to talk about it, so he doesn't like you. What happened yesterday really made him feel wronged. You should comfort him. It's the nature of father and son, and there is nothing that can't be solved."

The emperor nodded and said, "My son sent a lot of treasures to Bi Tao Garden this morning to reward the eldest prince for his filial piety."

The Queen Eleanor smiled: "That's how it should be."

The emperor talked with the empress dowager for another half a day. When he returned to the council hall to discuss state affairs, he mentioned the idle position of the commander of the Cavalry Battalion. Marquis Zi stepped forward and recommended Wei Zhan of the Cavalry Battalion. Linda Li's father, the Minister of Personnel Zhen Jiaxin, recommended Feng De of the Yulin Army. The emperor hesitated for a moment and decided on Wei Zhan.