Chapter 23: Establishing Authority

The afternoon sun poured down, now like shredded golden silk, gently covering every inch of the ground. In this dazzling light, Chen Yunyi saw her face.

The beauty parted her red lips, her smile radiant and charming, like a peach blossom in bloom in spring, bright yet not gaudy. Her lively eyes held a subtle glint, brimming with endless charm. At that moment, time seemed to freeze. Everything around them became blurry and distant, except for her face, clear and familiar. It was like an outline meticulously sketched in countless midnight dreams, finally appearing in his world on this day, in its most authentic form.

Chen Yunyi heard the beating of his chest like thunder, as if being drawn by some mysterious force, allowing his gaze to finally find the long-lost home in the cycle of past and present lives.

…

"Your Highness, please take me away!"

Under the eaves of the long steps, the tearful woman held his hand tightly, crying bitterly, with infinite sorrow and pleading in her eyes.

"I don't want to leave you, Your Highness, please take me away..."

Infinite pain and bitterness surged in his chest, and he almost subconsciously wanted to agree to her, but another cold voice sounded behind him.

"Yun Yi, you are my father's most cherished child. Don't let me down."

His thoughts were constantly torn between the threats and pressure from the person he admired most, and the desperate pleas from the one he loved most, almost tearing him in two. Finally, perhaps out of fear, or perhaps out of inner cowardice, he closed his eyes and cruelly tore her hand from his shirt. He couldn't bear to see the despair on her face at that moment of rejection. He walked forward without looking back, letting her sorrowful cries fade away behind him.

"Your Highness... Your Highness, Your Highness!"

He clenched his fists, his head aching so much that it felt like it was about to split open, but he never turned back to look at her again.

…

"Your Highness, news has come from the palace that the Imperial Concubine has passed away!"

He had been living a life of debauchery, constantly being offered fine wine. He laughed heartily, downing every drop, the table filled with laughter and joy. However, the moment he heard the announcement, the glass in his hand uncontrollably fell to the ground, and he froze in his place, dazed.

The laughter and joy at the table suddenly stopped, and fell into an eerie silence.

"Who died?"

The attendant knelt on the ground, sweat dripping from his forehead, and had to repeat himself: "Your Highness, news has come from the palace that the Imperial Concubine passed away an hour ago due to illness."

"I ask again, who is it that has passed away? If you dare to say anything nonsense again, I will pull out your tongue!"

He rushed down from the table, his head in a frenzy and he kicked the servant to the ground uncontrollably. His eyes were bloodshot and his expression was furious, like an Asura from hell.

The attendant's mouth was bleeding from the kick, but he still didn't dare to resist. He knelt down and repeated with a choked voice, "I would never dare to deceive Your Highness. The Imperial Concubine... has indeed passed away!"

In an instant, everything in the world lost its color. He took two steps back with trembling body, and his mind fell into endless darkness.

"Hahaha……"

Suddenly he burst into laughter, tears streaming down his eyes.

The servants and maids around were even more silent, holding their breath and not daring to make a sound.

He raised his hand to cover his red right eye, tears still flowing from between his fingers, and although he smiled, his eyes were full of hatred.

"Now that she's gone, why should I continue to suppress myself?"

That night, he rushed into the palace with the elite soldiers he had privately raised, aiming at the throne. He thought he would encounter resistance from the imperial guards, but he was able to enter an empty space and reached the Purple Palace unimpeded.

"You're here indeed."

The man seemed to have expected this. When he saw him, he just said something indifferent, then turned to look at the portrait hanging on the wall.

They had not seen each other for a long time. It was not until this moment that he was surprised to find that the man who had always been high and mighty in his heart had suddenly aged a lot. His hair was already stained with white, and his eyes had lost the spirit of the past. He was decadent and no different from an ordinary man.

They used to be the closest father and son, but now all that is left between them is hatred.

"Father, why didn't you protect her?"

He waved his hand and dismissed all his elite soldiers, forcing them to retreat outside the door. Finally, only the two of them remained in this space. Now, they were no longer father and son, but enemies turned against each other over the same woman.

"You took her away from me, why couldn't you protect her?" His heart was bleeding as he approached the man, questioning him. "Aren't you the Son of Heaven? Aren't you the most powerful person in the world? Why couldn't you even protect her and her child?"

With every question, the anger and hatred in his heart grew stronger and stronger, and finally reached its peak. He couldn't control himself and punched the man in the face, and the tears in his eyes could not be controlled and poured down at this moment.

The man did not resist at all. Even after being punched hard, he just raised his head and looked at him coldly, but did not fight back.

He grabbed the man by the collar and said through gritted teeth, "Seven years! She's only been away from me for seven years. During these seven years, I've desperately suppressed my longing for her and tried my best not to see her, just so I could one day win her back. But now you tell me, she's gone, I'll never see her again!"

"Heh..." Upon hearing this, the man sneered, pinched his hand that was grabbing his clothes, exerted a little force, and pushed him away, just like the day he forced him to let go, "It's you who is incompetent and gave up on her first."

This sentence reminded him of the day when he pushed her away with his own hands, ignoring the tears pouring down her face behind him. For a moment, remorse surged into his heart like a tide, oppressing him so much that he couldn't breathe.

"No..." He kept shaking his head, trying to get rid of that scene from the depths of his memory. He raised his head with red eyes and gritted his teeth, "You forced me to do it. You forced me to let go as the Son of Heaven!"

"If you are not incompetent, what can I do even if I force you again?" Unlike his hysteria, that person always remained high and mighty and never fell from the clouds.

He felt as if a poisonous scorpion had stabbed him in the heart with its stinger. When he was powerless to refute, a sense of malice rose in his heart.

"Yes, I admit my own incompetence, but what about Father? You tried every possible means to take her away from me, but in the end, you still couldn't truly obtain her. You and I are both losers, so what's the difference?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the man's expression finally changed. He was no longer sitting calmly and composedly high up in the clouds, but had a look of dejection on his face.

He looked at the portrait of the beauty on the wall, feeling a mixture of sadness and despair. "Neither you nor I have ever been able to obtain her in this life."

I thought I could finally see the man's desperate expression, but unexpectedly, a strange and pale smile suddenly appeared on his face.

"No, I still have a chance."

Yun Yi looked back at him in confusion, but found that there was a deep light shining in his eyes, and his face was staring at the empty distance with a strange look of anticipation.

"In the next life, I will get her first."

A trickle of blood suddenly flowed from his lips, but he was unaware of it.

"Of all the princes, you are the most like me. I am confident that the country will be in your hands." The man looked at him with a smile. "You have been secretly planning for many years. Isn't it just for this day?"

He suddenly realized that the man was giving him his last words, and for a moment he forgot what to say.

"I ascended the throne at a young age, conquering cities and territories with unparalleled ability. I never thought that in the end, I couldn't even win the heart of a woman. You are right, I am indeed incompetent."

Hearing that person admit his incompetence, he did not feel as proud as he had expected, but only sad and confused.

"Yun Yi, your father has let you down in this life, but even if it happens again, I will never give in." His decadence did not last long, and he soon recovered to the appearance of the high-spirited and domineering emperor.

Yun Yi was also aroused to fight.

"Father, if I could live my life again, I would never cowardly push her away again!"

…

"Your Highness?" Chan Zhenyuan had only paused, intending to greet the renowned Prince of Jin, when he suddenly froze in place, his eyes staring at her with a hollow expression, tears welling up in them. For some reason, seeing him so distraught, she couldn't help but feel a pang of pain in her heart.

Chen Yunyi raised his hand in confusion, but his fingertips only touched a cold surface. Countless chaotic silhouettes flashed through his mind, but eventually fell silent, waiting to be awakened from the depths of memory again.

His mind was dazed, but years of self-cultivation had allowed him to maintain composure for the time being. Wiping away his tears as if nothing had happened, he smiled and bowed, saying, "Yun Yi was unwell and lost her composure for a moment. I hope Your Majesty will not blame me."

Zenzhen felt her heart suddenly overwhelmed by an unknown sadness. She unconsciously covered her chest and slowly lowered the curtain, cutting off her line of sight with him.

"If your Highness is feeling unwell, please do not force yourself, otherwise the Concubine Shu and His Majesty will also worry about you."

Chen Yunyi blurted out almost subconsciously: "What about you, Madam?"

As soon as he finished speaking, he felt a little regretful. This was his first meeting with the Imperial Concubine, and it was really inappropriate to say such things. If it got to his father's ears, it would inevitably make people think too much. If his father misunderstood her because of this, it would not be good for her. She had no one to rely on except his favor.

Before she could reply, he smiled and said, "Thank you for your instructions, Your Majesty. Yun Yi will ask the imperial physician to treat him later. I will definitely not let my father and mother worry anymore."

Chan Zhen's mood had calmed down by now, and he said softly, "That's perfect. The sun is scorching outside, and if your Highness isn't feeling well, please don't stay any longer."

Hearing the concern in her tone, Chen Yunyi felt warm in his heart, "The Queen feels the same way."

"Hmm." Chan Zhen responded softly and ordered the palace servants to get up the sedan chair.

It was not until the imperial concubine's procession walked away and gradually disappeared from his sight that Chen Yunyi withdrew his gaze with a sense of loss, and a sense of bitterness inexplicably surged in his heart.

"So, this is what the Imperial Concubine looks like."

No wonder my father dotes on me so much.

Not long after Chan Zhenfang returned to Fengqi Palace, he heard someone from the Imperial Court report that His Majesty would have dinner with the Imperial Concubine tonight, and reminded Fengqi Palace to make preparations in advance.

Luzhu and Hongyu, now assigned to Fengqi Palace, naturally hoped that the Imperial Concubine's favor would last forever, and they were overjoyed upon hearing this. As usual, His Majesty would stay overnight in whatever palace he dined in. They had initially worried about what would happen if His Majesty chose to sleep with them in another palace instead of the other night, but they finally felt relieved after receiving this notification.

"Your Majesty, His Majesty is thinking of you. We must ask the kitchen to prepare well." Lu Zhu said with a smile.

Zen Zhen was secretly delighted but also a little worried: "But I don't know your Majesty's dietary preferences. What should I do?"

Normally, His Majesty prepared her meals, and she had never paid attention to His Majesty's favorite dishes. Now, it was suddenly her turn to prepare dinner, which really left her at a loss. She couldn't help but think of what Concubine Yang had said at noon. Sure enough, among the harem, she was the one who cared the least about His Majesty. If it were Concubine Yang, she would definitely not be as helpless as she was.

Lu Zhu comforted her, "Your Majesty, don't worry. I've seen His Majesty and Your Majesty always enjoy their meals together. Your Majesty might as well order the same dishes we used in the Purple Palace. You won't go wrong."

"But wouldn't that be too insincere?" Chan Zhen was still a little worried, as Concubine Yang had even made snowflake cake for His Majesty herself.

Hongyu smiled and said, "Your Majesty loves and values the Empress. I believe that His Majesty will like anything the Empress prepares."

No other empress had ever been so favored in the past. For example, Concubine Yang was blocked outside the Qinzheng Hall at noon, but the empress was personally welcomed in by Eunuch Guo. If His Majesty truly loved the empress, he would not mind such a small matter as the meal.

Chanzhen thought that what Luzhu said made sense. Instead of letting his imagination run wild, he should just follow the usual procedures to at least make sure there were no mistakes. However, this incident reminded him that he needed to pay more attention to His Majesty's preferences in the future. It was impossible for her, the Imperial Concubine, to be completely clueless about His Majesty.

"Then Lao Luzhu, please give the order to the kitchen."

Luzhu agreed with a smile.

The Imperial Concubine is now the most important person in the harem, and when they heard that His Majesty would come to Fengqi Palace for dinner in the evening, the Imperial Kitchen naturally did not dare to slack off upon receiving the news, and immediately began to prepare in full swing.

As the night deepened, Chan Zhen looked out of the palace gate and his mood gradually became nervous.

Since entering the palace, she had always stayed with His Majesty in the Purple Palace, and this was the first time she had received the Emperor in her own palace. She had only recently come into contact with the palace maids, so she was cautious in giving them orders, fearing she might accidentally say something that might cause a misunderstanding. Fortunately, Lu Zhu had previously served in the Imperial Court and held considerable prestige among the palace maids, so she managed these people well and prevented any trouble.

Chan Zhen knew her abilities were limited. After all, her father had trained her to be a concubine since she was young, teaching her only how to please men but never how to control the household. Therefore, even though she now held the position of Imperial Concubine, she still lacked confidence.

Just as she was nervously pulling the handkerchief in her hand, Hongyu suddenly ran in from outside in a panic, leaned over to Luzhu's ear and whispered a few words, and Luzhu's face instantly turned ugly.

"What's wrong?" She let go of the handkerchief in her hand and asked curiously.

Lu Zhu forced a smile on her face and said, "Your Majesty, Hongyu just heard from someone that His Majesty happened to run into Concubine Yang on his way here."

Inwardly, she sneered. Everyone in the palace knew His Majesty was dining at Fengqi Palace tonight, so how could she have happened to run into Concubine Yang on the way? She was afraid someone was deliberately trying to intercept him. Concubine Yang was clever. She had been stopped several times before requesting an audience at the Qinzheng Palace, so she decided to have a chance encounter on His Majesty's way to Fengqi Palace.

Chan Zhen's expression darkened slightly upon hearing this, but she also knew that since entering the palace, this was inevitable. Even if His Majesty favored her, there were still three thousand beauties in the harem. How could she dare to imagine that His Majesty would only be with her?

Seeing that she was feeling a little down, Lu Zhu comforted her by saying, "His Majesty loves you and will certainly not let you down by letting someone else take it away."

She had served in the Imperial Court for many years and had some understanding of His Majesty's temperament. If His Majesty had feelings for Concubine Yang, why would he have refused to meet her several times? On the contrary, Concubine Yang's actions this time were likely to bring trouble upon herself.

Chanzhen couldn't bear to see her worry any longer, so she forced a smile, still feeling a little uneasy. She'd heard that Concubine Yang was once very favored by His Majesty, and men were always fickle, saying they loved one while secretly thinking of another. It was common for His Majesty, with his status, to have so many women around. But she had just been intimate with His Majesty during the day, and to suddenly receive such news at night, she couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

"Why are you so sad?"

At this moment, a familiar voice came in.

Zen Zhen looked up in surprise and saw His Majesty walking in in casual clothes with a smile on his face.

"His Majesty!"

It turned out that His Majesty did not abandon her, but chose to come and have dinner with her.

It was rare for Chen Dingyao to see her so surprised, and the smile in his eyes deepened. "But have you been waiting for a long time?"

Zen Zhen shook his head and was about to bow to him, but he grabbed her waist and hugged her tightly.

His Majesty tapped her forehead lightly with his finger: "How many times do I have to tell you that you don't have to be polite in front of me."

There were so many people watching in the palace that even Luzhu and Hongyu smiled at each other and secretly rejoiced. Chanzhen blushed shyly and looked at him with moist eyes: "I thought Your Majesty would not come."

"You don't trust me so much?" Chen Dingyao smiled faintly, knowing that word of his earlier encounter with Concubine Yang had reached her ears. She had always been sensitive and fragile, so it was normal for her to feel uneasy upon entering the palace. He didn't mind, but he felt a little sorry for her, wondering how long she had been imagining things before his arrival.

He patted her head lovingly and said, "Since I have promised you, I will never go anywhere else."

Facing His Majesty's gentle gaze, Chan Zhen felt a little embarrassed, thinking that she had been judging him by her own standards. To make amends to His Majesty, she took the initiative to take his hand and sat down next to him.

"Your Majesty, since you have arrived, I will order the meal to be served."

Chen Dingyao rarely enjoyed her enthusiasm and initiative, and said with a smile: "Well, I will let Chan Zhen make the decision today."

Hearing the teasing in his tone, Chan Zhen couldn't help but turn around and glance at him as soon as he finished his instructions. The charm in his eyes and eyebrows made people feel numb.

Chen Dingyao lowered his eyes and chuckled. Chan Zhen seemed to have gradually relaxed in front of him, which was perfect.

Steaming hot dishes, each one delicious and colorful, were served, and soon the table was filled. Chan Zhen carefully observed His Majesty's expression, and only when he saw that he showed no dissatisfaction did he finally breathe a sigh of relief.

During the meal, she noticed for the first time how often His Majesty picked up food. She thought she was careful enough and would not be noticed, but she was still caught by His Majesty on the spot.

"Why have you been secretly staring at me today?" Chen Dingyao put a meatball into her bowl. He didn't want to expose her, but her gaze was too frequent and too obvious for him to ignore it any longer.

After all, she always kept her eyes on him, but didn't pay much attention to the food in her bowl, and her appetite was much smaller than usual, which was not good for her health.

Suddenly caught, Zen Zhen panicked and looked away, burying his face in the bowl in embarrassment.

"What's on your mind? Would you mind telling me?" He simply put down his chopsticks.

Chan Zhen held the bowl and hesitated for a long time before speaking hesitantly, "I just want to get to know your majesty better and observe what kind of food your majesty likes."

Chen Dingyao's heart instantly exploded like fireworks, overflowing with endless joy. Ever since they met in their previous life, he had always been the one to pressure her, forcing his way closer. He had originally thought that as long as Chan Zhen didn't reject his approach in this life, everything would be fine. Unexpectedly, Chan Zhen was actually willing to take the initiative and take a step towards him.

"I am very happy."

"Your Majesty?" Chan Zhen looked at him in confusion. She had never paid attention to His Majesty's preferences before. Why was His Majesty not angry but so happy instead?

Chen Dingyao smiled faintly: "You don't know how long I have been waiting for this day."

Zen Zhen thought that he was complaining that he had not paid enough attention to him before, and said with a guilty conscience: "I will definitely serve Your Majesty well in the future."

Your Majesty has conferred upon her the title of Imperial Concubine against all odds, and she cannot sit in a position that is unworthy of her virtue.

Now that he knew what she was thinking, Chen Dingyao let her look at him, only occasionally reminding her to pay attention to the food in the bowl.

After dinner, Chan Zhen, with his face burning, was embraced by His Majesty and carried into the inner room under the smiling gaze of Luzhu, Hongyu and others.

When they met again, Chan Zhen was no longer as shy as the first time, but His Majesty seemed to be more enthusiastic today than the day before.

"His Majesty……"

The candlelight in the room flickered, swaying with a barely perceptible hint of pity and fragility, and it could go out at any time.

The curtains fluttered, blocking out the spring light in the room.

After the lovemaking, Zen Zhen turned away in shame and anger, his ears red as he refused to face him.

Your Majesty is too much. He didn't let her go even though she was crying so hard. It turns out that what my mother said was right. Once a man gets something, he will no longer cherish it.

But she didn't look back, and His Majesty still clung to her, reaching out and hugging her tightly from behind, his lips touching her earlobe, making her tremble slightly uncontrollably.

"I heard," he said in a low, hoarse voice, "that you met Yun Yi at Taiye Lake today?"

Zen Zhen was puzzled as to why His Majesty suddenly brought up this matter in bed, and then turned around and asked doubtfully, "I did meet His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin. Is there anything wrong with this?"

She and His Majesty had barely exchanged a few words. Could it be that His Majesty was concerned about the Prince of Jin's health? But even if he did, what was the point? She wasn't the Concubine Shu, and she didn't know any better than he did.

Seeing that she looked normal and didn't seem to care about Yun Yi, Chen Dingyao breathed a sigh of relief and just held her tighter.

"I just heard that Yun Yi had invited the imperial physician to come to my house after leaving the palace, and I am a little worried."

Chan Zhen felt a subtle displeasure in her heart: "If you are worried, why not ask the Concubine Shu? After all, the Concubine Shu is the mother of His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin, and she knows His Royal Highness's physical condition better than I do."

Chen Dingyao lifted her hair and lowered his head to kiss her forehead. "Yun Yi is not a child anymore. There is no need for me to worry about everything. I just happened to remember to ask."

Since Chan Zhen hadn't reacted to Yun Yi, he didn't want to bring it up again, which only deepened her impression of Yun Yi. He hadn't expected that despite all his precautions, he still couldn't prevent her from meeting Yun Yi.

"Be good and don't mention others."

Zen Zhen felt a little aggrieved, "It was obviously Your Majesty who brought it up first."

She knew that His Majesty had many concubines and children, and she had tried her best to avoid thinking about those people when she was with His Majesty. But His Majesty had to bring them up in bed and hurt her heart. No matter how generous she was, she didn't want to talk to him about the children he had with other women in such a place.

Chen Dingyao saw her frown, and a trace of regret welled up in his heart. Unlike him, Chan Zhen still retained memories of her past life. Given her personality, she had rejected his advances after becoming Yun Yi's woman in her past life, so it was natural that she would have the same attitude towards Yun Yi in this life. He shouldn't be wary of her, but Yun Yi.

Yun Yi's methods were still immature at this time, and even if he had any ideas about her, he would have no chance. He just needed to suppress Yun Yi steadily.

"It's my fault. I shouldn't have mentioned other people. Don't be angry, Zen." He touched her head and coaxed her softly.

Being coaxed like a child by His Majesty, Chan Zhen felt a little embarrassed. She buried her head in his chest and said sullenly, "I am not angry."

"Okay, don't be angry." He coaxed her gently, "It's getting late, go to bed early."

This place is full of warmth and love, while in another palace someone is unable to sleep all night.

Concubine Yang knelt on the ground in despair, looking at the person who delivered the imperial edict in disbelief. The other people in the palace also knelt on the ground trembling, not daring to make a sound.

Guo Kai looked at the woman, who no longer had the same air of pride, with some pity, and reminded her again, "Talented Lady Yang, accept the order."

How could she accept being demoted two levels from a third-rank concubine to a small talent simply because she tried to steal the imperial concubine's favor?

Yang Cairen shook her head desperately: "Impossible! Your Majesty can't treat me like this!"

It is obvious that His Majesty once loved her, and His Majesty did not blame her for taking the favor from other concubines. Why is it that the same cannot be done to the Imperial Concubine? His Majesty is being too unfair.

Tears welled up in her eyes. "I want to see His Majesty. It must be you, a bunch of villains, who are misrepresenting His Majesty's will!"

Guo Kai had originally felt a bit of sympathy, but after she made such a fuss, he snorted coldly, "I'm not that bold. Believe it or not, I must take back the seal of Concubine Jieyu."

Since he came with the emperor's oral order, how could others dare to stop him? They could only let him take away the seal that symbolized his status as a concubine.

After Guo Kai left, silence fell over Yilan Palace. The maids beside Concubine Yang were also terrified as they watched their distraught master. It was clear that His Majesty had abandoned their master. What should they do from now on? In the past, when their master was in favor, they had followed suit and flaunted their power, earning many enemies in the palace. Moreover, their master had already made enemies with the Imperial Concubine by attempting to steal her favor today. If the Imperial Concubine blamed them tomorrow, what would be their fate?

"Your Highness, what a noble concubine you are..." The originally distraught master suddenly laughed softly.

The palace maids were afraid that their master would harbor a grudge against the Imperial Concubine and do something foolish again, so they hurried forward to persuade her, "Master, the Imperial Concubine is at the peak of her power now. We must not confront her again."

Yang Cairen wiped the tears from her face fiercely and said, "Of course I know."

His Majesty currently favors the Imperial Concubine, and she has no choice but to avoid his attention. However, she wants to see how long this Imperial Concubine can remain complacent. His Majesty is cold and unfeeling, and when the Imperial Concubine's beauty fades and his favor fades, there will be many people in the palace who want to tear her apart.

…

Before going to bed yesterday, Chanzhen specifically asked Luzhu to wake her up early. After all, all the concubines in the harem would come to pay their respects the next morning, and she couldn't get up late again.

However, she had been tortured quite badly by His Majesty the night before, and although she managed to get up early, she still had no energy. She could only ask Lu Zhu to put on heavier makeup to cover up the fatigue on her face.

For the first audience with the newly promoted imperial concubine, all the concubines in the harem got up early and arrived early.

The three concubines had initially been too embarrassed to admit their shame, wanting to arrive late to give the newcomer a warning, but upon hearing the news of Concubine Yang's demotion the previous night, they were forced to retract their plan. His Majesty was using Concubine Yang's punishment to establish authority over the Imperial Concubine, a warning to the harem that if they continued to disregard the Imperial Concubine, they would suffer the same fate as Concubine Yang.

The virtuous concubine felt sour in her heart, and was annoyed with herself and resented Concubine Yang, no... should it be Concubine Yang, what a useless thing. It would have been fine if you had succeeded in intercepting the favor, but you failed and instead the emperor used it to establish his authority, forcing her to temporarily bow to the noble concubine.

Concubine Shu sat in her seat with a cold expression, not challenging Concubine Xian as usual. Concubine De was always tactful and unwilling to be the first to speak out. Seeing the three concubines at the top lower their heads, the concubines below dared not say much, but quietly surveyed the decorations of Fengqi Palace, their eyes revealing envy.

Finally, the imperial concubine arrived after a long and silent wait. Except for the three concubines, everyone else knelt on the ground and bowed their heads in greeting.

Zen Zhen was dazzled by the sight and couldn't remember many people except the three concubines until the end. He couldn't help but sigh in his heart, your majesty has so many concubines.

It was not until Concubine Yang appeared in front of her that Chan Zhen realized that she looked much more haggard than the day before.

"My name is Yang Cairen, and I'm here to meet the Imperial Concubine." Yang Cairen no longer had the crazy breakdown she had in the palace last night. Facing the Imperial Concubine who caused her to be demoted, she still had a gentle smile on her face, and ignored the strange looks from others.

Yang Cairen? Chan Zhen looked at her blankly. Isn't she Yang Jieyu?

Seeing the confusion on her face, Luzhu remembered that the Empress didn't know that Concubine Yang had been demoted, so she leaned over to her ear and whispered a reminder.

Chan Zhen finally reacted and felt a little embarrassed facing Concubine Yang again. Why didn't His Majesty tell her? She was completely unprepared at this moment. She could only force a smile to make herself appear more friendly.

"Please stand up, talented person."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Yang Cairen returned to her seat with a calm expression.

After meeting with the emperor one by one, Chan Zhen was already exhausted. She wasn't good at socializing, and the concubines present were all older than her in terms of age and experience. She felt that as a newcomer, she couldn't act like a noble concubine in front of them. She just wanted to get along well with them and not disturb each other.

But the three concubines saw that the imperial concubine had a rather gentle personality, and they were not willing to be suppressed.

The virtuous concubine smiled and spoke first: "Your Majesty, you have just entered the palace and are not familiar with the affairs of the palace. If you have any questions in the future, you can send someone to ask me in the palace."

When Luzhu heard that she refused to mention the issue of returning the palace power and instead implied that the imperial concubine was young and ignorant and could not take responsibility for palace affairs, she felt a little angry.

Before she could say anything in response, she was suppressed by the imperial concubine.

Zen Zhen nodded and said, "From now on, I will ask Sister Xianfei for your guidance."

She knew that the three concubines had been with His Majesty since the Qiandi Palace, and had rarely made mistakes in their management of palace affairs over the years. Even if they had no merit, they had worked hard. She was a newly appointed imperial concubine, and she knew nothing about palace affairs. Why would she be so greedy and want to take away their years of hard work right away?

She is already content to be favored by His Majesty. She just wants to get along with the concubines in the harem as harmoniously as possible. There is no need to argue with them.

"What are you talking about?"

Chen Dingyao was worried about Chan Zhen facing all the concubines in the harem alone, so he hurried over after finishing the morning court.

Many of the concubines had never seen His Majesty in person, and their eyes lit up when they heard the words, and they all stood up from their seats to pay their respects.

He ordered everyone to stand up, then walked over to Chan Zhen and sat down. He picked up the unfinished tea on the table and drank it. He turned to the concubines below with a slightly colder expression: "Just now, I heard from outside that it's quite lively here. Can you tell me more about it?"

In front of His Majesty, Concubine Xian did not dare to act as presumptuously as before, and her words were much more restrained: "I am concerned about your young age, and I am afraid that you may not be used to the palace for the first time."

"Oh?" Chen Dingyao raised his eyebrows and smiled faintly, "All matters in the harem should be managed by the Imperial Concubine. If there is anything that the Imperial Concubine does not like, you can change it at will."

After these words were spoken, the three concubines all changed their expressions.

Finally, Concubine Shu couldn't help but speak out: "Your Highness, you are not familiar with the affairs of the palace yet. Why don't you assist me first? It won't be too late to take charge later when you are more familiar with it."

"Yes, Your Majesty. The palace affairs are very busy. If the imperial concubine suffers from this, Your Majesty will feel distressed." Defei also responded.

Chen Dingyao remained indifferent: "Your Highness, if you don't understand, I will have someone teach you slowly. I will send the previous account books to you today."

Seeing that His Majesty was clearly determined to seize their power in the palace, the three concubines had no choice but to grit their teeth and accept it no matter how reluctant they were.

Chen Dingyao had no intention of getting entangled with the others. After helping Chan Zhen regain the palace power, he waved his hand and asked them to leave. Seeing this, Lu Zhu also tactfully withdrew, leaving the two of them some space alone.

After everyone had dispersed, Chan Zhen looked at His Majesty nervously, wondering why he did this. Wouldn't this cause her to have grudges with the three concubines?

"His Majesty……"

Before she could finish, Chen Dingyao understood what she was thinking and patiently explained, "I know you have no desire to fight, but as long as I favor you, there will always be people in this palace who will bear a grudge against you. Even if I take every precaution, there will inevitably be some mistakes, and palace affairs are the easiest to plan and the most prone to error. I cannot afford this cost, so I must return the power of the palace to you."

In his previous life, Zen Zhen was always framed after entering the palace. He didn't have the patience to get entangled with other people in the harem, so he decided to be more straightforward and cut off the source directly.

"But I don't understand anything." Chan Zhen lowered her head in distress. Her father had never asked anyone to teach her these things.

Chen Dingyao smiled and stroked her hair: "I will teach you. You are so smart, you will definitely be able to learn it."

Zenzhen will become his queen one day, and he needs to lay the groundwork in advance.

Since Your Majesty said so, Chanzhen felt relieved and decided to learn from Your Majesty and never let Your Majesty down.