The courtiers were still discussing the poem written by Jing Jiayue when they were pulled back by the Empress's words. They couldn't help but feel sorry for the Empress. This talented little princess was raised by the Empress, so how could it be attributed to the Consort now?

"The Empress is so pitiful. It's bad enough that she has to raise a daughter for the Consort, but she's not even recognized by anyone. If you ask me, the little princess's intelligence is all thanks to the Empress."

"Yes, without Her Majesty the Empress, how could the little princess be so intelligent?"

"His Majesty has married a magnanimous empress; it is a blessing for our country."

The murmurs from the audience grew louder, clearly intended for those above to hear.

The Emperor will not tolerate them. Since you all say it is the Empress's doing, then I will grant your wish.

"Then Jia Yue will be adopted by the Empress, so she won't have to envy the Imperial Concubine anymore."

"Your Majesty!" The Empress was completely taken aback by the Emperor's words and looked utterly incredulous. How was she supposed to respond?

"Yes, Your Majesty, Jia Yue has been raised by you since birth. Her intelligence is not due to me. Although I am reluctant to part with her, for Jia Yue's sake, I will entrust her to Your Majesty from now on."

The Imperial Concubine chimed in at the opportune moment. She wasn't stupid; she wished she had nothing to do with Jing Jiayue. Why would she need a fake when she had her own daughter by her side?

"Yes, Your Majesty, since the Emperor and the Imperial Concubine have both spoken, please accept the little princess. The little princess is so intelligent, it's all thanks to you."

The courtiers below the stage all wore expressions that seemed to confirm the accusations, as if they were determined to bind the Empress and Jing Jiayue to their deaths.

"No, I..." The Empress hadn't expected this outcome, and felt like she was swallowing a bitter pill, unable to express her suffering.

[Haha, the Empress's expression is hilarious! Didn't expect that, did you? Father doesn't play by the rules at all! You're envious, so here you are! Father is wise!]

Your Majesty: That's right, I have always been wise.

"Alright, that's settled then." The Emperor made the final decision, giving the Empress no chance to object. He then looked at Jing Le and said to everyone, "Jia Yue will be the Empress's child from now on. The Consort has lost a daughter, so I will give her another one."

Discussions arose again among the audience.

"What does Your Majesty mean by this? How should it be remedied?"

"Didn't you all notice that the Imperial Concubine always had a little girl with her? Could it be her?"

"I discovered it a long time ago, but I didn't know it and didn't dare to ask."

The Emperor spoke only after they had finished their discussion: "This is Master Liaowu's adopted disciple, who was entrusted to my care. It just so happens that I have a connection with her, so I have adopted her as my goddaughter, registered her under the name of the Imperial Concubine, and bestowed upon her the title of Princess Anle."

"Your Majesty, please be careful." The first to step forward and reply was Prime Minister Mu Hongbo, the Empress's father.

He had no objection to the Emperor's adoption of Jia Yue to the Empress before, but now he was the first to stand up: "Since this person is a disciple of Master Liaowu, how can she be made a princess? There has never been a nun who has been granted a title."

"I am merely informing you, not asking for your opinions." The Emperor's face was cold and stern, and he returned to his usual demeanor during court sessions. His gaze swept downwards, and the legs of the timid ones trembled.

"Is the Prime Minister getting too old to be meddling in my family affairs? If he's senile, he can resign and retire to his hometown."

After these words were spoken, no one dared to refute them, fearing that the emperor would simply dismiss them.

"It was this old minister who overstepped his bounds." Seeing that things had come to this point, the prime minister had no choice but to step down, but his lowered eyes were full of ruthlessness and calculation.

As he had expected, although the officials dared not openly defy him, they exchanged frequent glances in private, and their impression of the emperor as a tyrant was even more profound.

[This is the current prime minister, a cunning old man. No wonder his daughters are all the same; they're all no good. He subtly spread the reputation of their father as a tyrant. Everything he's doing now is paving the way...]

Paving roads? What kind of roads?

Why did you stop talking?

The eavesdroppers were itching to try it themselves.

Jing Le saw all of this clearly, then stepped forward and knelt down: "Jing Le wishes Father Emperor a long life. This is a peace talisman, wishing Father Emperor a peaceful and prosperous life."

"These are amulets I drew last night to ward off evil spirits. I'll get you new ones when I'm stronger."

She held a jade pendant in her hand. It was a very simple design, but Jing Le had drawn a protective charm on it, which could ward off ordinary evil spirits. If she wanted a more powerful peace charm, she would have to wait until her strength improved, or perhaps buy it from the Merit Mall.

It's her fault for being lazy; she doesn't have the habit of storing things in her spatial storage. The pill that saved the Third Prince last time was still sitting there for many years, and its effects hadn't worn off yet.

"Hahaha, very good, very good, I like this gift very much. Come to my side."

The Emperor readily accepted Jing Le's skill and pulled her into his arms, making the Consort and the Third Prince envious.

Consort: Lele didn't give me any gifts, so I went back and found the jade pendant in the storeroom...

Third Prince: Little sister, have you forgotten your third brother? I am your own brother, and I also want a protective jade pendant.

Next, apart from the eldest and second princes who were away, all the other princes and princesses presented their gifts, followed by the ministers.

At this time, delegations of envoys from other countries, including defeated nations and vassal states, entered the palace to offer birthday greetings.

"The envoy from Yunliang Kingdom has arrived."

"The envoy from the Southern Star Kingdom has arrived."

"The envoy from Tianyuan Kingdom has arrived."

"......"

"Announce."

[It seems Consort Hui is a princess of Tianyuan Kingdom. This is going to be interesting. If Father Emperor knew that besides the Empress, Consort Hui had also cuckolded him, wouldn't he be furious? It's better if he doesn't know.]

Jing Le was held in the Emperor's arms, munching on a pastry in her hand, looking completely unladylike, which disgusted the assembled officials. They felt that Jing Le didn't even deserve to be compared to Jing Jia Yue.

They were both three years old, one in heaven and one on earth; Jing Le was the one on earth.

The Emperor's previously cheerful mood instantly sombered, and he glanced at the Empress and Consort Hui.

He had heard Jing Le mention before that he was being cuckolded, but he hadn't thought much of it. This was the second time he'd heard it, and not just two people—the Empress and Consort Hui. It was quite something.

The Imperial Concubine was in a particularly good mood today. Seeing the Empress suffer a setback and being able to watch the drama unfold online made her very happy. She also glanced at the head of the table with sympathy, thinking that it was best not to let His Majesty know that the Empress and Consort Hui were having affairs with other men.

The Third Prince was stunned by the news. He hadn't expected the scandal to be so big—the Empress and Consort Hui had actually cheated on his father! He felt sorry for his father; he was truly pitiful...

The Empress was bewildered by the stares. She felt that nothing she did went smoothly since last night, and even Jing Jiayue was of no use. She felt quite frustrated.

When Consort Hui heard that the Tianyuan envoy had arrived, her heart soared, little did she know that the emperor at the head of the table had seen her expression.

[Ding, mission issued: Rescue the Ninth Prince. Reward: 30 Merit Points. Strength restored to Foundation Establishment level.]