Chapter 9 — After being slapped by the Crown Prince, I hugged the Queen's thighs for help, finally causing Giang Son to change hands

The Queen has passed away. The whole country mourned. I took the position of Crown Princess to preside over her funeral. That was the first time I felt the loneliness penetrating my bones. The person who always stood to block the wind and rain for us has left. From now on, in this deep palace, I can only rely on myself. The Queen's death was a huge blow to the Tham family. But for Tieu Canh Diem, it was like a liberation. The huge mountain pressing on his head finally collapsed. His eyes began to change. The water surface was no longer dead and silent as before, but once again bursting with ambition and... hatred. He began to frequently go in and out of court, contact the old ministry, and cultivate new forces. As the Emperor grew older, he respected him more and more. The power of the Eastern Palace once again returned to his hands. As for me, he used the excuse of "taking care of the young Emperor" to keep the harem, step by step moving away from the center of power. I watched him step by step on the path that I had laid out for him, becoming more and more steadfast. Watching him get closer and closer to that supreme position. I don't prevent it. Because we know the time has not yet come. When Thua Khai was five years old, the border sent a report. In the past, Tieu Sach was sent to the border, but secretly recruited soldiers, raised a self-respecting army on the border, and colluded with foreign tribes to raise troops to rebel. The slogan he came up with was:

"Get rid of the traitors next to the king, kill the demon concubine."

The tip is pointed directly at me. The news spread and the waves were shocked. The emperor was so angry that he spat out a mouthful of blood on the spot, and from then on became seriously ill. Tieu Canh Diem was assigned important responsibilities in times of emergency, the country's consul and full authority in charge of pacifying the rebellion. He became the true holder of the power of this empire. The night before the battle, he came to my palace. He wore cold armor and had a tall, straight figure. We looked at each other without speaking.

“I have to go.”

In the end, he was the one to speak first.

“Take care on your journey.”

“Tham Vu Vi, are you afraid?”

He suddenly asked.

“What do we have to fear?”

"I'm afraid my big brother will attack the capital and take your life to avenge the Tieu family."

I looked at him and laughed.

“Your Highness, do you really think he has a chance to attack?”

His eyes wavered slightly.

“Wait for my return.”

He threw back a sentence then turned and strode away. I watched his back gradually disappear into the night. I know this is not just a battle to pacify the rebellion. It's also the final decisive battle between me and him. If he wins, he will become Emperor. If we lose, we will all fall into a situation of eternal invincibility. But I've never done anything I'm not sure about. The third day after Tieu Canh Diem left the capital, I did something. I took Thua Khai to the heavenly prison. Go see someone who everyone thought was dead a long time ago. The deepest place in the dungeon is dark and damp, and the air still has a faint smell of decay that makes people suffocate. Tieu Lien was detained separately in an independent prison cell. She is not dead yet. That year, after the Emperor ordered her death, the Queen at the last moment used a death row prisoner to exchange her. At that time, the Queen once said:

“The dead no longer have value, but the living do.”

So from then on, Tieu Lien became the trump card that I secretly kept in my hand for many years. She was wearing a prison robe that had turned white from being washed too many times, her dry yellow hair was messy, her whole body was thin and emaciated, not even half of her charming appearance from the Eastern Palace of the past. As soon as she saw me, her cloudy eyes immediately flared up with bitter hatred.

"Tham Vu Vi! You bastard! You still dare to come to see me!"

As if she had gone crazy, she rushed towards the prison door, her thin hands clutching the iron bars tightly. I signaled the prisoner to retreat, then calmly looked at her.

“Tieu Lien, do you want to go out?”

She was stunned for a moment, then burst into hysterical laughter.

"What do you want to use me for? To deal with my brother? Or to deal with His Highness?"

"Tham Vu Vi, stop dreaming! Even if I die, I will absolutely not let you take advantage of me again!"

I slowly squatted down and looked straight into her eyes.

"Don't you want to know what Tieu Canh Diem said that year after you had a 'miscarriage'?"

Her laughter immediately stopped.

“After you were pulled down, he knelt down and begged his father for mercy.”

"He said that Lien Nhi was just confused for a while, and begged his father to respect her for bearing the royal title and spare her life."

I looked at her and slowly said each word:

"He absolutely doesn't believe you faked your pregnancy."