"Your majesty, we have been keeping a check on both routes," voiced a man whose face was not visible.
"Kill both of them, but primarily focus on the Crown Prince. Don't let him enter the Capital. Kill him brutally," Weng Wei ordered the assassin. "This time I do not want to listen to any excuse," Weng Wei pronounced.
"Yes, your majesty." The man bowed his head and left from there. An evil grin formed on Weng Wei's lips. "This time he cannot enter Luoyang and the Crown will come to my son," Weng Wei murmured and drank the tea.
A maidservant came there and stood near the second entrance to the chamber. "Your majesty, Consort Xue wants to meet you," informed the maidservant. Weng Wei told her to send Xue in. The maidservant bowed his head and walked out. In a minute, Xue Yu-Yan entered. She kowtowed before the Empress before taking the seat.
"What happened, Xue? You look angry," Weng Wei asked and put the porcelain cup on the table.
"Your majesty, I am afraid, but two days ago I was waiting for Prince Jian to come to my chamber. He did not come there. I tried to meet him yesterday, but I was not given an entry there as Jian Ge had ordered his personal assistant not to let me in. I think I made a mistake by marrying her majesty's son," Xue Yu-Yan complained.
Frowns appeared on Weng Wei's face. "Can't Consort Xue handle her husband well? Earlier you two were acting as a perfect couple then what happened now?" Weng Wei asked menacingly.
"Your majesty, forgive me, but Jian Ge despises me. He thinks I am the reason for his bad luck. He says that he does not even like my presence around him. He spends time with his first wife, Sister Zhilao Mi, but refuses to do so with me. Jian Ge was not like this earlier but after the demise of my father, he is acting strangely. Your majesty, you had assured me and my father that I would be the next Crown Princess but now I think it will not happen." Xue Yu-Yan expressed her concerns, as she was dejected.
"Xue, that's what you need to learn. Fine, since you brought this issue to me, I, with the other consorts, will decide the date on which Jian will come to you, to spend a night with you. Do not lose hope this soon. Look at me. Even if his majesty has three wives and a concubine, he trusts me and shares everything with me. Wei Family women are strong and know the solution to every problem," Weng Wei proclaimed.
Xue Yu-Yan was happy after the Empress told her that she would look into that. But there was something which was troubling her- the presence of Zhilao Mi near Jian Guozhi.
"Your majesty, it is tough to get the love of your husband when your man has more than one wife. It makes me jealous and angry. Two days ago, Sister Zhilao intentionally approached Jian Ge when she knew that day Jian Ge was supposed to be with me. It hurts, your majesty." Xue Yu-Yan's eyes filled with tears and her voice choked.
Weng Wei recalled the time when Han Wenji had married Sheng Li's mother. He did not even glance at her and used to avoid her. This was the main reason she killed Sheng Li's mother but failed to kill Sheng Li. Seeing Xue, she felt her old self who had then gone to the Queen Dowager to seek her help.
Coming out of her thoughts, Weng Wei looked at Xue Yu-Yan. "I will talk with my son," Weng Wei told Xue who was delighted to hear that. She thanked the Empress and took her to leave from there.
Jian Guozhi after completing his Court's work reached his chamber when the Eunuch informed him about the Empress's call to him. He wondered why his mother called him in the early morning.
He arrived at the chamber, greeted his mother, and took his seat. "Mother, you called me in the early morning. Is there something important you want to talk about?" Jian Guozhi queried.
"The matter is important, that's why I called you here. Would you like to drink some tea?" Weng Wei asked.
"Thank you mother but I do not want to drink tea," Jian Guozhi replied. Weng Wei nodded her head and tilted her head right. That gesture was enough for the maidservant to leave the chamber.
Turning her gaze back towards his son, Weng Wei said, "You have been married for three months. It is the time to give the next heir to the throne. Your way to the throne will clear soon and to strengthen your position, you need an heir as well."
Jian Guozhi curled up his fingers to clutch the overcoat. "Mother, but I…" Jian Guozhi paused as his mother motioned her hand in the air to gesture to him to let her speak.
"Zhang Yong was the one who helped your mother to get this seat. Even if he was my half-brother, he did everything for me. As a sister, I promised him that his daughter would become the next Empress of Han, but that's possible only if you will consummate marriage with her. I will call a royal astrologer who will decide an auspicious date for the consummation." Weng Wei completed her words and picked the porcelain cup that was filled with tea.
"I am afraid, mother, but I will never consummate with her," Jian Guozhi announced his decision. "Mother, please don't decide upon my life. I am not a child anymore. I understand what is good or bad for me," Jian Guozhi proclaimed, shocking Weng Wei.
This was the first time Jian Guozhi acted this way in front of his mother. Never once has he questioned his mother's decision until today. "Mother, Xue is not the right woman to get that throne. Moreover, you also know my heart," Jian Guozhi pronounced.
Weng Wei did not want to tense the situation between them so, with a calm mind, she answered, "Jian, I am afraid but this is the rule of the inner court. Princes have to agree on this."
"What about the Crown Prince then? He defied the rules of the inner court. He even refused to have a second wife and no one dared to question his decision. Even father agreed with him. For you, I did not go against your decision but now I will. If you need an heir that badly, I would love to consummate with Zhilao Mi but not Xue Yu- Yan," Jian Guozhi firmly stated his decision.
"Xue is like me. A capable woman…"
"Mother," shouted Jian Guozhi, which bewildered Weng Wei. He took a deep breath and gulped the anger that had built inside him. "Mother, please do not intervene in my married life. I respect you the most in this world and because of Xue I do not want myself to stop meeting you. I will handle my marriage life in my own way. So, I beg you not to intervene in it," Jian Guozhi requested from his mother and stood up from the floor mattress.
He bowed his head. "Forgive me for raising my voice at you. Take care, mother. I will see you later," Jian Guozhi stated and turned to go when Weng Wei stopped him.
Jian Guozhi turned towards his mother who was glaring at him. "Is it because I did not let you marry Ying Lili, so you are acting this way?" Weng Wei asked.
Jian Guozhi chuckled. "No, mother. It is not because of that. Xue started this with me. For the throne, she betrayed Sheng Li who admired her, and I think she will betray us too in the future," Jian Guozhi proclaimed.
Weng Wei had calmed down. "Jian, for you I did everything. I killed Sheng Li's mother and soon both Sheng Li and Ying Lili will die. I am clearing your path towards the throne so, for that sake please agree to your mother. Only Xue will bear the heir through you. Zhilao Mi can't bear the heir for the Han Empire," Weng Wei stated.
Jian Guozhi was skeptical of his mother as he heard from her that soon Sheng Li and Ying Lili would die. He wondered what his mother could plan?
"Mother, I know. I need time to understand Xue. Let me understand her first by spending time with her," Jian Guozhi told his mother.
"I heard that you are not allowing her to your chamber. Is the Prince lying to me?" Weng Wei asked.
"I did not let her enter because she disrespected me. She called me an incapable and foolish-minded person who was given the position of Governor of Luoyang because of you. I do not know what she told you but after saying such harsh things to me, I decided not to meet her. That's why I got angry at you earlier because you did not understand your son and believed her lies," Jian Guozhi stated.
Weng Wei was enraged upon hearing that. "How dare she call my son incapable?!" Weng Wei muttered.
"Mother, I will handle my personal matters with her in my own way. Just let it go. I indeed acted foolishly once but not anymore," Jian Guozhi said and hugged his mother. Weng Wei patted his son's back.
"My son is the smartest person. No one has the right to use such words against him." Jian Guozhi heard his mother's words.
"Mother, Xue is indeed like you. She can kill Zhilao Mi just to get close to me as you did years ago with Sheng Li's mother. You did not do anything for me, but it's all for your personal greed. Since you are adamant about killing Sheng Li and Ying Lili, that's why this time I will go against you. The one who saved my life, I will save her life till my last breath," Jian thought in his mind.