Quick Transmigration: Survive to the End

Soon, many of Empress Liu's family members were imprisoned for their crimes, and several were even sentenced to be executed in the autumn for committing too many and too serious offenses.

Their in-laws were close relatives, and they were secretly busy visiting people everywhere, trying to connect with court officials to plead for their lives. With their family background and the care of their in-laws, they wouldn't live too badly.

But none of the officials in the capital were fools. Seeing that neither the imperial family nor Chancellor Zhan Zheng would see them, no one dared to respond to them.

After watching their fruitless efforts, the new emperor fell silent, chuckled, and then used the journals of Yin Yin and others to report in detail the deeds of these convicted officials.

The storyteller who received the journal was initially hesitant to speak, but someone spoke first at the master's behest, and the others naturally followed suit and told the story one by one.

As the news spread, people whose families had been ruined by these officials began to speak out. These were real people around ordinary citizens who had suffered persecution, so the public had no choice but to believe them. Therefore, the people generally applauded the court's handling of the matter.

Just when public sentiment was at its peak, the emperor directly announced: "The Liu family is so audacious because of the protection of Empress Liu. Whether it is murder, arson, or theft, when they are accused in court, Empress Liu always pleads for them and covers it up before the late emperor."

"Empress Liu was originally a precious concubine. After the death of Empress Yuan, she was favored by the late emperor and was made empress. However, she was unable to raise children, so that only I and the twelfth princess remain as the late emperor's children. She was also unable to control her clansmen. Instead, she aided and abetted the tyrant, harmed the people, and plundered their wealth for her own use."

"I believe that Empress Liu's actions are not worthy of being a national empress dowager, to be supported and respected by the people, and to be a role model for the world. Therefore, I respectfully informed our ancestors and decided not to establish an empress dowager, but to make Empress Liu a Noble Consort and to care for her in the palace until the end of her life."

The emperor's words instantly caused a huge uproar among the people.

"Empress Liu condones the Liu family's actions. In my opinion, even calling her a Noble Consort is too high a title. She should be reduced to a commoner to atone for the persecution suffered by the Liu family!"

"But Empress Liu is His Majesty's stepmother after all. Filial piety is the most important virtue. No matter what Empress Liu is like, His Majesty, as a filial son, should still be given the respect he deserves. Otherwise, wouldn't it damage His Majesty's reputation in the future?"

"If we make Empress Liu the Empress Dowager, are we just going to stand by and watch her use this to challenge His Majesty, continue to protect the Liu family, and allow the Liu clan to harm people? It's not like His Majesty won't take care of her in her old age!"

"That's right. Even if she's just a Noble Consort Dowager, she's still in the palace, enjoying good food and clothing. She just can't interfere in court affairs anymore. Doesn't His Majesty show filial piety?"

"Alright," Yinyin said, sitting in the private room on the second floor, and instructed Dongxin, "Go and close the door properly."

Having heard enough of what she wanted to hear, Yin Yin naturally turned her attention back to the account books in front of her, but couldn't help asking, "Is what the scholars and common people who have been coming and going these past few days talking about pretty much the same thing as this?"

The shopkeeper bowed his head and replied, "It's pretty much the same. The evil deeds that Liu did have spread so widely that even children can say a few words about them. So now, there isn't much opposition from the people regarding this matter."

"Keep an eye on things," Yin Yin instructed. "If anything seems amiss, send a message to the manor as soon as possible."

Yinyin sat in the shop for a while longer before getting up and quietly leaving through the back door.

The emperor waged a brilliant propaganda war, and in the earlier events concerning the Liu family, Yin Yin, or rather the entire imperial clan, had contributed significantly.

The imperial clan was still terrified by the emperor's sword strike at Empress Liu before his ascension to the throne. They were afraid that the emperor might do something reckless. Now that the emperor was willing to protect his reputation and only do things in private, many members of the imperial clan breathed a sigh of relief.

As for the Emperor's lack of forgiveness towards the Liu family, the imperial clan members didn't think the Emperor was at fault; they mostly believed the Liu family had brought it upon themselves. After all, the Emperor was too busy to even think of them, yet they carelessly behaved themselves and still dared to flaunt their actions before the Emperor. If they weren't punished, who should be punished?

After the Liu family's affair, news of Empress Liu in the palace gradually died down. By this time, the emperor didn't care much for her, but he also didn't intend to let her have a good life.

There were no servants to attend to them, and the fine clothes, precious jewels, and hairpins they were used to wearing were all gone, except for what they already had. The only new things sent were coarse linen clothes that poor people might have saved up for a long time to afford. Delicacies were a pipe dream, but they could at least get a decent meal.

If Empress Liu—no, Consort Liu—could have settled down and lived a good life as she appeared, she might have been able to live a carefree life for many years.

But Consort Liu had once enjoyed the most luxurious life, and it was difficult for her to go from extravagance to frugality. How could she possibly get used to such a life?

She felt that the coarse linen clothes would only chafe her delicate skin, but her old clothes, when dirty and worn, would tear after a few washes. Her hands, too, had become rough and ugly from the hard work, no longer slender. There was plenty of food, but she couldn't eat, and some things even hurt her throat. She stayed alone in the courtyard, with no one to talk to, and guards outside, so she couldn't go out.

After several years of this, news spread that Consort Liu had driven herself mad.

When the emperor heard about this, he ordered people to continue sending things, and occasionally sent the imperial physician to check on Consort Liu, hoping to prolong her life by a few more years.

On one occasion, while at Yinyin Manor, a lady who was acquainted with Consort Liu couldn't help but whisper a few words to Yinyin, intending for her to persuade the emperor.

Yinyin scoffed, not bothering to lower her voice, and asked the lady in front of everyone, "What aspect of food, clothing, and shelter does His Majesty lack that Consort Liu?"

The lady was caught off guard; not only did Yin Yin disagree, but she also directly retorted, saying, "Nothing is missing, but..."

Yin Yin interrupted her directly: "If we consider the things that Consort Liu was involved in, it wouldn't be unjust for her to be demoted to a commoner. His Majesty thought that she used to be gentle and kind, as pure as a chrysanthemum, and suspected that she might have been deceived by her family. So, he spared her these crimes and let her live a life of comfort, even if it was a little hard. Why can't he atone for the harm done to the people by the Liu family?"

"The common people work from sunrise to sunset, toiling all year round, yet they may not even have enough to eat, enough clothes to keep them warm, and enough imperial physicians to take care of them. What more could Consort Liu possibly want?"

After saying that, Yin Yin raised her voice again and said, "Every time I go to the palace, I can't go to pay my respects, but Madam only goes to the palace once or twice and knows so much about Consort Liu. It is clear that Consort Liu's so-called madness may not be true."

Seeing that the lady's expression changed and she stammered, unable to speak, Yin Yin's smile widened: "After all, she was once the most favored empress in the harem. When she treated us so kindly, who could have known that she was protecting so many murderers in her family behind the scenes? With a mind as deep as hers, it's not surprising that she could do such a thing."

The other ladies present echoed, "Yes, who could have seen that back then?"

Even the old Princess Xunyang, who hadn't been involved in these matters for many years, said, "Fortunately, His Majesty didn't make her Empress Dowager, otherwise, how could there ever be peace in this palace?"