Chapter 509: Chapter 274: He Underestimated Big Brother
Empress Xie coldly said, "If you support Xiao Qi, our relationship will not be manipulated, and the Xie family will not be in discord."
Hearing this, Duke Zhen was not surprised at all.
"Little sister, in your heart, who is more important, Prince Jing or the Xie family?"
Empress Xie replied without thinking, "Of course, Xiao Qi is more important." After saying this, she added, "As long as Xiao Qi becomes the Crown Prince, the Xie family will be more powerful than ever."
As expected, Prince Jing is the most important in little sister’s heart!
"Little sister, you have always resented elder sister for replacing you in marrying the emperor back then and becoming the empress. But do you know that before our elder sister married the emperor, father and mother had already arranged a marriage for her, and she and her fiancé were deeply in love."
Empress Xie did not know about this; it was the first time she had heard of it. She opened her mouth in shock, "What did you say?"
"You were too young back then to understand anything." Duke Zhen originally did not want to mention this matter, but seeing Empress Xie’s obstinacy, he had to tell her some unknown things about the former empress in hopes that Empress Xie would understand. "Elder sister was betrothed from a young age, and it was planned that once she came of age, she would marry her fiancé. But to form a link with the late emperor, father canceled her long-established engagement and arranged a marriage with the current emperor."
"Elder sister and her fiancé grew up together, and their relationship was very deep, just like the Noble Princess Consort Rong and the emperor." Duke Zhen continued, "Elder sister was unwilling to marry the emperor, but for the sake of the Xie family, she had no choice but to marry him."
Empress Xie responded with a sarcastic look on her face, "Her fortune to marry the emperor comes from accumulated merits of eight lifetimes."
"And father, back then, to form a marriage alliance with the late emperor, he humbled himself greatly..." Duke Zhen spoke about the sacrifices the Xie Family made for the sake of the family, including his own.
After hearing Duke Zhen’s words, Empress Xie not only did not understand but instead asked displeasedly, "Elder brother, do you mean I should abandon my own son for the Xie family?"
Duke Zhen nodded slightly, "Little sister, you need to consider the Xie family and not let the emperor’s scheme succeed!"
Empress Xie abruptly stood up and then burst into loud laughter, "Hahahahaha..." Her laughter was sharp, filled with anger and mockery. "Hahahahaha, it’s so hilarious..."
Duke Zhen said nothing, expressionless as he watched the hysterically laughing Empress Xie.
After a while, Empress Xie stopped laughing, her face brimming with intense mockery. "Elder brother, don’t you find your words utterly ridiculous? If it were you, would you abandon your son for the Xie family?"
Without hesitation, Duke Zhen replied with a solemn and firm tone, "Yes! For the Xie family, I can even give up myself!"
Empress Xie’s mocking smile froze. She looked at Duke Zhen in stunned silence. Duke Zhen’s expression was very earnest, not as if he was deceiving her.
"For the Xie family, any of us can sacrifice!" Duke Zhen said sternly, "The Xie family achieved its current status through the sacrifices of its people!"
Empress Xie was stupefied, momentarily lost for words.
"Had it not been for elder sister sacrificing her happiness to marry the emperor back then, the current empress would be a member of the Wang Family." Duke Zhen continued, "Then the Wang Family would be the leader of the noble families, while our Xie family would be subordinate."
Empress Xie bit her lip and said nothing.
"Without elder sister’s sacrifice, would you still be the empress today?" Duke Zhen asked, "Would your son still be a prince?"
He continued, "Without father’s humility and submission at that time, the Wang Family would now be above our Xie family. You might have had to marry someone from our clan, or even been forced to marry into the Wang Family, or the Xun Family, or even the Yuan Family..."
Duke Zhen’s words left Empress Xie unable to refute.
"Little sister, without the Xie family, you are nothing." Duke Zhen said, his face turning cold, his tone becoming icy, "Do you believe that once the Xie family is in trouble, your reign as empress will also end, and your precious son will likely be demoted to a commoner?"
"You..."
Duke Zhen interrupted Empress Xie’s words, speaking with ruthless indifference, "Do you really think you married the emperor and became empress based on your own merits? If you weren’t a daughter of the Xie family, do you believe the emperor would still take you as his successor?"
"You selfishly consider only yourself and your son, disregarding the Xie family. Fine." Duke Zhen, seeing kindness and rationality didn’t work with Empress Xie, resorted to threats. "From now on, you and Prince Jing have nothing to do with our Xie family. I wonder without the Xie family, what achievements you and Prince Jing can accomplish?"