Jian Yang blinked, unsure how to respond.

She couldn't very well say, "The emperor is amazing."

After the Empress Dowager finished speaking, she looked at her with a regretful expression, "Ah, if only you could give birth."

Jian Yang: "..."

Why is this old lady still so obsessed with her pregnancy?

On the day they learned that Consort Yu had been confined to her quarters, the concubines in the palace were in an uproar.

People rushed into Fuxi Palace to tell the Empress Dowager about the injustices and persecution they had suffered in recent days.

The world has suffered under Consort Yu for far too long!

The Empress Dowager was furious upon hearing this and vowed to give everyone justice.

That night, Jian Yang was half asleep when she suddenly felt someone pull back a corner of the blanket.

She was terrified and was about to cry out when she was pulled into a familiar embrace.

It was late autumn, and the person who was embracing her came from a distant palace, inevitably feeling the chill.

Jian Yang shivered from the cold and complained, "Your Majesty, you're too cold!"

The emperor smiled and said, "It will warm up soon."

He wasn't lying after all. Soon the temperature in the bed slowly rose, and Jian Yang felt warm and cozy all over, and sleepiness came over her again.

She thought the emperor was just there to freeload off her, but to her surprise, he suddenly spoke up, "I intend to take away the power to manage the six palaces from Consort Yu. Does the Empress have a suitable candidate?"

Jian Yang was completely unaware that he still called her Empress.

After thinking for a moment, she said, "Consort Xian, she is well-behaved and quiet, and has strong work ability. She is a good candidate."

The emperor hummed in agreement and pulled her closer to him. "Go to sleep."

Jian Yang didn't reply; she had already fallen into a deep sleep.

The next day, after the morning court session, the emperor went straight to Consort Xian's Mingde Palace.

Consort Xian was surprised and delighted that the Emperor would come to see her, and regretted that she hadn't dressed up properly for the day.

She personally served the emperor tea and said tenderly, "I wonder what brings Your Majesty to my palace today?"

If others were present, they would surely have seen the burning love in her eyes.

The emperor, seemingly oblivious to the situation, calmly said, "The empress and I have discussed it, and it's decided that you will be in charge of the harem from now on. Are you willing?"

"Empress?" Consort Xian looked on in astonishment.

She didn't believe that Consort Yu would willingly hand over the power she had worked so hard for to someone else.

Suddenly, a thought flashed through her mind, and she realized that the empress the emperor was referring to must be someone else.

Consort Xian lowered her eyelashes, looking very obedient, "It is my honor to be able to share Your Majesty's burdens."

"Then I'll have to trouble you from now on."

The emperor said no more to her and got up to leave Mingde Palace.

As soon as the Emperor left, Consort Xian's maid, Yi Cui, hurriedly stepped forward to congratulate her: "Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations, Your Majesty! You have finally seen the light at the end of the tunnel. Since His Majesty is willing to entrust you with the power to manage the six palaces, I suppose the position of Empress will be yours..."

"Don't talk nonsense!" Consort Xian interrupted Yi Cui.

Yi Cui felt a little wronged, "I didn't say anything wrong, it's just the way it is."

Consort Xian sighed, "You are still too naive. Even if this new empress really falls, do you think the position of empress will fall to me?"

“Of course!” Yi Cui said matter-of-factly. “If the Emperor didn’t value you, why would he entrust you with such great power?”

Consort Xian shook her head. "In His Majesty's heart, there is only one suitable candidate for Empress."

Yi Cui looked completely bewildered.

When Jian Yang woke up, the sun was already high in the sky.

The faint scent of ambergris around her reminded her that last night was not a dream.

She stretched before slowly getting out of bed.

Now, there's no need to pay respects to the Empress Dowager or manage the harem; life could be as pleasant as it gets.

When Lianxia saw that she had woken up, she helped her dress and wash up while smiling, "Your Majesty, I have heard that His Majesty has put Consort Xian in charge of the harem starting today."

Jian Yang nodded: "That's good."

Lianxia laughed again, "The Virtuous Consort is close to you. With her in charge, I'm sure those lackeys of Consort Yu won't dare to bully you."

“That makes sense.” Jian Yang nodded in agreement.

This is also one of the reasons why she recommended Consort Xian to manage the harem.

Although she had her own selfish motives, she had great faith in Consort Xian's abilities and character.

As the mistress and servant were talking, the little eunuch guarding the gate ran over to announce, "Your Highness, Consort Xian has come to see you."

"Quickly, invite them in."

She has now been released from confinement, but because she has been "exiled" to a remote palace and is a deposed empress, naturally none of the other concubines come to visit her.

Of course, she was too lazy to go out.

As soon as Consort Xian entered the palace, she saw breakfast laid out on the table and jokingly said, "Sister, you're only having breakfast now. You must be sleeping well every day."

Seeing that she was about to bow to him, Jian Yang quickly stopped her.

"Please don't. Your status is now higher than mine. It would be too much of an honor for you to bow to me."

Consort Xian still bowed respectfully, saying, "I know in my heart that if it weren't for your recommendation to the Emperor, the power to manage the six palaces would never have fallen to me."

Jian Yang laughed and said, "Sister, you are too modest. Everyone has seen your abilities, and the Emperor is not blind."

After saying that, she realized she had misspoke and coughed awkwardly twice.

Consort Xian smiled nonchalantly and said, "Sister, I came here today not only to visit your elder sister, but also to thank her."

After she finished speaking, she waved to Yi Cui.

Yi Cui quickly stepped forward with the brocade box in her hands.

Consort Xian took the box, opened the lid, and inside lay a gold and gemstone headdress, which looked extremely luxurious.

“My younger sister is too young to carry off this set of jewelry, so it would be perfect to give it to my older sister.”

"This is too valuable, you should take it back, I can't accept it."

Consort Xian naturally disagreed, and after much refusal between the two, Jian Yang finally accepted the gift.

After Consort Xian left, she instructed Lianxia to carefully put away the jewelry.

She noticed.

Consort Xian is a person I can get along with!

Seeing that she was happy, Lianxia asked, "Your Highness, you've been in the palace for quite some time now. Would you like to go out for a stroll today?"

Jian Yang was in a good mood, so she agreed.

Anyway, there's not much of a person outside Jiaolan Palace, so I might as well go out for some fresh air.

Not long after she went out, an annoying figure appeared in her line of sight.

Jian Yang's face immediately darkened. "Lianxia, ​​return to the palace!"

"Consort Jian, please wait." Zhou Jing'an blocked Jian Yang's path.

Jian Yang looked at him coldly, "I wonder what the Second Prince's intentions are in coming here specifically to wait for me?"

The Second Prince laughed and said, "Consort Jian, you misunderstand. I just finished visiting my mother and happened to be passing by."

Jian Yang: I don't believe you for a second!

"Consort Liu's palace is in the southwest corner, while my Jiaolan Palace is in the northeast corner. The Second Prince is truly lying through his teeth."

The second prince was not annoyed when he was exposed. He smiled and said, "His Majesty is too cruel to you, making you live in such a remote place. If it were me, I would not bear to let you suffer the slightest grievance."

"Hehe, I suppose the Second Prince must be very skilled in tea ceremony?"