Jian Yang was taken aback.

I thought to myself, what kind of crazy nonsense is this person spouting?

“But,” Jian Yang said hesitantly, enduring the pain, “Your Majesty, you are already the ruler of the world, how can you possibly take it away?”

"Not enough."

He wanted all people to submit, to eliminate dissidents, and for no one in the world to dare harm those he cared about.

Jian Yang couldn't see the increasingly fierce look in his eyes, and assumed he was having a fit of hysteria, so she ignored him.

Seeing that she did not respond, the emperor continued to promise, "As long as you are willing, I assure you that you will be the richest person in the world in the future."

Jian Yang was speechless.

Is this person addicted to making empty promises, or are they just trying to fool her?

She's touted as "the richest person in the world." If she didn't know the country's financial situation, that would be one thing, but now the country has basically emptied its treasury for disaster relief. Where would it get the money to make her the richest person?

He's a complete fraud.

But she couldn't just refuse outright.

If the emperor, in a fit of rage, were to kill her here, or simply abandon her and leave, she would have nowhere to turn for help.

So Jian Yang thought long and hard and came up with a compromise.

She didn't want to take a bite of the pie the emperor was offering, but she could actively try to get things that the emperor could afford to give.

"Your Majesty, I do not need wealth and honor. I only ask that you grant me one request in the future."

The emperor asked seriously, "What are the conditions?"

"I haven't decided yet, as long as His Majesty remembers this matter in the future, that's fine."

The emperor nodded solemnly: "I will never break my promise to you."

Jian Yang thought to herself, "You're talking nonsense!"

They had clearly agreed that once the King of Dingbian was overthrown, she would be allowed to leave, but now she's been forced to take this sword for nothing.

By the time the two returned to the palace, it was already late at night.

The emperor interrogated the captured surviving assassins overnight.

Jian Yang finished taking her medicine and prepared to go to sleep.

No sooner had she lain down than Lianxia came to report that Zhou Kun had arrived.

"It's already this late, why isn't he asleep yet?"

"I heard that His Highness is worried about your safety and has been unable to sleep, insisting on waiting for you to return so that he can see you with his own eyes."

Jian Yang felt a warmth in her heart; all her love for this child hadn't been in vain.

She quickly said, "Let the young prince in."

A moment later, Zhou Kun strode into the bedroom.

Upon seeing Jian Yang, he immediately burst into tears and rushed over, crying, "Mother!"

Jian Yang quickly reached out to catch him, but the movement aggravated her wound, causing her to wince in pain.

"Mother is alright," Jian Yang quickly regained her composure and rubbed his head. "Now that you've finished watching, go back and rest. Lack of sleep will hinder your growth."

"Mother," Zhou Kun said pitifully, "it's so cold outside."

Jian Yang instantly understood his little scheme.

"Then shall I sleep with Mother tonight?"

Zhou Kun nodded hurriedly, as if afraid that Jian Yang would change her mind if he was too slow to agree.

An hour later, the emperor returned from the interrogation and saw this heartwarming scene of a mother and child sleeping in each other's arms.

It was as if a crack suddenly appeared in the heart that had been encased in solid ice, and streams of warmth seeped in through the crack.

He took off his chilly outer clothes, and once his body warmed up, he lifted a corner of the blanket and lay down on the outer side of the bed.

The next day, no sooner had the emperor gone to court than the empress dowager came to visit Jian Yang with many tonics.

Jian Yang had no choice but to drag her tired body to her feet.

"No need for formalities, just lie down," the Empress Dowager pressed her back onto the bed. "I was just worried and that's why I came to check on you. Now that I see you are well, I can finally relax."

"Your Majesty, I thank you for your concern." She still remembered how her nominal mother-in-law had selflessly shielded her last night.

The Empress Dowager thanked her and praised her a few more times. Just as she was about to get up and leave, she suddenly noticed that the quilt on the inside of the bed had been pushed up.

She looked closely and realized that it was her beloved grandson rolling over.

Zhou Kun was fast asleep and had no idea what had happened.

While the Empress Dowager was pleased that Jian Yang and her grandson got along so well, she couldn't help but say, "Although Kun'er is young, you must not spoil him and you must pay more attention to the proper separation of men and women."

Jian Yang smiled and said, "Your subject understands, but Kun'er is not yet seven years old and has not had his mother's care and companionship all these years. I think that making up for it by doing more will be very good for his future growth."

People in this era don't understand psychology, but Jian Yang knows that many criminals have an unhappy childhood.

It is said that happy people are healed by their childhood, while unhappy people have to spend their whole lives healing from their childhood. She is being nicer to Zhou Kun now so that the child will not grow up to be antisocial.

Not long after the Empress Dowager left, Consort Xian came to visit again.

Within this deep palace, Jian Yang could only get closer to Consort Xian.

Since she has come to visit me, I can't refuse her.

"I was terrified when I heard this morning that you and the Empress Dowager had been attacked," Consort Xian said, patting her chest with a worried expression.

Jian Yang smiled and said, "Don't worry, both the Empress Dowager and I have returned safely."

"It must be the Bodhisattva's blessing," Consort Xian murmured, then asked, "Have the Emperor and my sister found out who attempted to assassinate you?"

Jian Yang shook her head: "There are no clues yet, but the Emperor has already sent people to investigate."

Consort Xian's expression suddenly turned somewhat serious: "Sister, I have a guess, but I don't know if I should say it."

"There's no need for us sisters to hide anything from each other. Just say it directly."

Consort Xian lowered her voice and said, "Your Majesty, you may not know this, but there are many people in this capital who hate you to the core. Do you know why?"

Jian Yang said without changing her expression, "Isn't it because I wiped them all out in one fell swoop?"

From the initial Shen family to so many subsequent families, and most recently the Chen family, there must be no one who doesn't hate her.

Consort Xian nodded: "That's right. Now that you know, sister, you must take extra precautions."

Jian Yang frowned and said, "But all these people have had their property confiscated and have been reduced to commoners. Where would they get the money to hire assassins?"

The virtuous concubine said meaningfully, "Even a starved camel is bigger than a horse."

"I understand."

After Consort Xian left, Jian Yang thought about it more and more and felt that her words made a lot of sense.

As the saying goes, cutting off someone's source of wealth is like killing their parents. She and the emperor confiscated their family's accumulated merits and directly ruined their future wealth.

If it were her, she would hate it to the core too.

Even if it means borrowing money at exorbitant interest rates, this grudge must be avenged.

Furthermore, Consort Xian must have heard something from her family, which is why she came to inform her.

That very night, Jian Yang revealed her plan to the emperor.

The emperor immediately objected, saying, "No, I would never risk your life."

Jian Yang patiently said, "Your Majesty, you can't catch a wolf without risking your cub. If we don't take this opportunity to root out these thieves and eliminate them completely, we will have to live in constant fear."