Marrying a concubine and swallowing her dowry? The mistress turns around and marries a high-ranking

Chapter 550

She knelt outside the Hall of Diligent Governance for several hours, begging to see Huo Tingsheng. When she finally got to see him, Huo Tingsheng only said that Huo Sizhen intended to assassinate the emperor and rebel, and then he didn't bother to say anything more to her.

Jiang Yunwan refused to accept this and kept crying out for her innocence: "Your Majesty! There must be some misunderstanding here! Zhen'er has been raised under Your Majesty's care all these years, how could he possibly do such a thing? I beg Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly!"

Huo Tingsheng grew impatient: "I have deposed him from his position as crown prince. This is a major matter, and it must have been a decision made after careful consideration and deliberation. Do you think this is a joke? ... There's no need to say any more. Instead of wasting your time making a scene here, you should reflect on how you raised such a son!"

Jiang Yunwan cried her heart out, but in the end, she was pulled away by the Fourth Prince who arrived at the scene.

The fourth prince lowered his voice and advised Jiang Yunwan: "Mother, there's definitely no way to salvage the situation with my eldest brother, but Father has already shown extraordinary mercy by not implicating you. You should stop being so relentless. If you anger Father as well, our family will be completely ruined!"

The Fourth Prince was truly relieved that Huo Tingsheng dealt with Huo Sizhen without also punishing Jiang Yunwan.

It was probably because there was no solid evidence of Huo Sizhen's crimes, and it only gave Huo Tingsheng a reason to depose the crown prince. Huo Tingsheng's anger was limited, so Jiang Yunwan was able to avoid being implicated.

Jiang Yunwan certainly understood this principle, but the blow she suffered was too great, and she couldn't recover for a while.

She cried, "Your older brother is crippled, what will become of us, mother and daughter...?"

The fourth prince was displeased. It turned out that his mother had never considered his feelings at all.

But it wasn't appropriate to say it outright now, so he could only comfort her, saying, "Your Majesty is still the Empress, and you still have me as your son. Although I am not as successful as my elder brother, I will definitely not let you suffer any injustice in the future. Please stop crying, Your Majesty, or you will get wrinkles around your eyes."

One sentence was enough to stop Jiang Yunwan from crying immediately.

Jiang Yunwan gently touched the corner of her eye, afraid that wrinkles would really appear, and said resentfully:

"What's the use of taking care of myself? I'm still getting old every day. When I was young, your father was infatuated with me, doting on me alone. He even went to great lengths to give me the position of Empress. Now, he only comes to my Changchun Palace on the first and fifteenth of the month, and even then, he's indifferent to me. All his affection is given to those newly arrived young vixens..."

The Fourth Prince had heard his mother's complaints so many times over the years that he was practically sick of them.

However, he had to admit that Jiang Yunwan did not have a deep foundation. Her maternal family, the Duke of Lu's Mansion, was actually a fabricated family background created for her by Huo Tingsheng. She had no blood relation with them, and the Duke of Lu's Mansion was just a well-known, century-old family with a good reputation, but in reality, its power was only average.

Jiang Yunwan's rise to her current position, second only to the emperor, ultimately stems from Huo Tingsheng's favor. In her youth, Huo Tingsheng treated her exceptionally well.

Now, nearly twenty years have passed. Although Jiang Yunwan is not yet old and faded, she is a middle-aged woman in her forties. She could not possibly compete with the endless stream of sixteen- or seventeen-year-old beauties entering the palace.

Therefore, the Fourth Prince really has to consider Jiang Yunwan as a bargaining chip. If Jiang Yunwan can regain favor, it could be the greatest help to his struggle for the throne.

The fourth prince advised, "Mother, you and Father have been husband and wife for over twenty years, and your relationship is extraordinary. Father's affection for you is certainly not solely based on your beauty. Don't dwell on your appearance all the time. No matter how well you preserve your youth, you can't turn back twenty years. Instead, think more about how to rekindle Father's old feelings for you. There are plenty of young beauties, but a devoted partner for life is rare. That is your greatest asset right now."

Jiang Yunwan could listen to what she was saying, but her obsession with her appearance was simply too strong.

She got everything she has now entirely because of her stunning beauty back then. Now, even if she wanted to rekindle Huo Tingsheng's old feelings, with her aged and faded face in her forties, she's repulsive to even look at. How could she possibly succeed?

So she simply nodded dismissively: "Of course I know."

The fourth prince was in a hurry to discuss the next steps with his advisors and strategists. After comforting Jiang Yunwan for a few more minutes, he left the palace in a rush.