Chapter 436 The Emperor Reads My Heart 6

The Emperor held his beloved son, beaming with joy. "My dear consort, look! He's licking his lips. He's so handsome, just as handsome as you are."

Ning Yan: "Even your son's farts smell good."

The Emperor: It's not that bad. It still smells, but he doesn't mind.

"Your Majesty, the prince is hungry. Quickly, let the wet nurse take him away."

"Oh, oh, oh, I thought he was playing around."

Hongtao carried the eldest prince over and handed him to the wet nurse who was waiting outside.

"My beloved concubine, you have rendered meritorious service in bearing me children. What reward do you desire?"

Ning Yan: "I want to be the Empress."

Emperor: Very good, my beloved concubine is as direct as ever.

...

At the morning court the following day, "Yesterday, the Imperial Concubine gave birth to my eldest son. I intend to elevate her to the rank of Empress. Do any of you ministers have any objections?"

The ministers looked at each other, unsure whether they dared to voice any objections.

Anyway, the emperor doesn't touch other concubines, so what's the difference between a Noble Consort and an Empress?

"Since no one has any objections, then this matter is settled."

The Emperor was very pleased with his ministers' understanding and continued, "Then I will appoint the eldest prince as the crown prince. Do you all have any objections?"

Ministers: ...

The prime minister simply knelt down and shouted three times, "Your Majesty is wise!"

The other ministers also knelt down, acting as if the emperor was truly wise.

...

Three years later.

Once the mourning period for the Empress Dowager was over, officials in the court brought up the matter of selecting concubines again.

Initially, the emperor made it clear that he did not want to hold another selection of concubines because it would be a waste of resources and manpower.

It's mainly useless.

But some ministers just wouldn't believe it, thinking that the empress had been in the palace for more than four years, and no matter how beautiful she was, they were tired of her.

Moreover, the Ning family's power is growing, and an ambitious emperor like the current emperor would never allow the Ning family's power to increase further; he would definitely try to suppress them.

The Emperor kept saying he didn't want to hold a selection of concubines, but that was just to shut the Empress up. If the Emperor agreed as soon as the officials submitted their memorials, wouldn't the Empress cause a scene with him?

As the emperor's most trusted ministers, they naturally had to share his worries and anxieties!

Every day at court, they would start by submitting memorials for the selection of imperial concubines, relentlessly pleading for them.

The emperor sat high on his dragon throne without saying a word, letting them argue.

Seeing that it was almost time, he glanced at Jiude, who immediately shouted, "If you have something to report, then speak up; otherwise, the court is adjourned."

The ministers all fell silent.

It's time to leave work. What else is there to say? Time to go home.

If there's anything, we can talk about it at work tomorrow.

Seeing that no one had submitted a memorial, the emperor got up and left, heading straight for the empress's palace.

The three-year-old prince was already studying with the Grand Tutor.

When the Emperor entered the Empress's palace, the Empress had just dismissed all the concubines.

Why is Your Majesty so late today?

"It's because those ministers brought up the old issues again, arguing every day until my ears hurt."

Ning Yan paused in her tea-drinking motion. "A selection of concubines? Then let's have one. The palace hasn't seen any new women for three years. Doesn't the Emperor want to find some beautiful concubines to enter the palace?"

After saying that, she glared fiercely at the Emperor: "Men are all fickle and promiscuous men. If Your Majesty dares to be unfaithful, I dare to depose him."

The emperor immediately clenched his legs together: "I dare not."

He knew that staying away from other women and not participating in talent shows would ensure his safety.

"I don't want to! I have the Empress, that's enough! Those women are not even half as good as the Empress, I don't want them entering the palace and getting in my way."

As for whose eyes it offends, everyone knows perfectly well!

Ning Yan then withdrew her fierce aura with satisfaction and beckoned the Emperor with her little finger.

The Emperor quickly moved to the soft couch and embraced the Empress.

Ning Yan kissed him on the cheek, and then started to play the emperor's mindset again, "Your Majesty~ how can you not want to? You have to!"

"I don't want to be seen as a jealous woman."

The Emperor was displeased. "You want to push me out just because you don't want to be called a jealous woman? What do you take me for?"

At this moment, the emperor was truly heartbroken. Hadn't he been good enough to the empress? For years, as the ruler of the country, he had only ever had her as his woman.

She's heartless! She actually dumped him for the sake of her own reputation!

Ning Yan: Oh dear, this poor little thing, she looks like she's about to cry but can't, it breaks my heart.

She quickly kissed the Emperor twice, saying, "How could I possibly push you away? The Emperor belongs to me alone, how could I bear to part with you!"

"Then let me hold a talent show!"

"That's because life in the palace is boring. Those ministers want to make things difficult for us, so shouldn't we retaliate?"

The emperor's eyes lit up. His empress was a bit unrestrained and loved freedom. It was really unfair to keep her confined in the palace every day. If the selection of concubines could make her happy, then he would choose her!

Moreover, the Empress herself said that I belong to her alone, so she truly has me in her heart.

As long as the Empress has him in her heart, that's enough.

"Then let's choose."

Ning Yan: "However, Your Majesty must grant me one request."

"you say."

“After those ministers’ daughters enter the palace, the Emperor must not visit them or have any contact with them under any circumstances. I’m a jealous person, and I won’t be able to stand it.”

The Emperor said, "Very well, I agree."

The fact that the Empress didn't harbor any resentment in her heart meant that what she said was exactly what she thought, so naturally he had no reason not to agree.

Who can blame her when the Empress only has eyes for him!

You only care about things you like; if you don't like something, nobody cares!

Ning Yan was satisfied. She kissed the Emperor twice and then sent him back to the Imperial Study to review memorials.

The draft was finalized in less than two days.

Fearing it would be a waste of resources and manpower, the emperor decreed that all officials of the fifth rank and above must send a daughter to the palace, and that they be allowed to bring a dowry.

A woman brings a dowry so that she can feel more secure in her husband's family and live a better life.

However, the concubines in the harem did not have this privilege; apart from the empress, no one was allowed to bring a dowry into the palace.

The ministers were all thrilled. Their idea was absolutely correct. After all, the emperor was already rewarding them.

As a result, within just half a month, all kinds of shops outside Beijing were doing incredibly well.

Especially those shops selling hairpins, jewelry, cosmetics, and silk fabrics—the more expensive the items, the better they sold, and Ning Yan made a fortune as a result.

That evening, the Emperor and Empress began dividing the spoils: "Your Majesty, here, these silver notes are for you, and these are for me. You have no objections, do you?"

The emperor looked at the thick stack of silver notes on his side. The largest denomination was one hundred taels, and there were only three of them. The smallest denomination was ten taels, and there was also some loose silver.

Then look at the Empress's side, the largest denomination is 1,000 taels, the smallest denomination is 100 taels, and there is a pile of gold leaves and gold peanuts next to it!

It is said that those silks and satins were originally top-quality fabrics that should have been distributed to the imperial concubines, but were "borrowed" by the empress. The jewelry was also made by the palace's top craftsmen but was not distributed to the concubines. Even the land deeds of those shops belonged to him!

Is this way of dividing the spoils really appropriate?

Seeing that the Emperor remained silent for a long time, Ning Yan immediately looked at her warily, "I still need this money to buy fabric to return to the Emperor. The Emperor is not going to rob me, is he?"

[Hehe, I finally managed to amass so much silver. If the Emperor dares to steal it, I'll make him sleep on my bed for a month!]

Thank you so much, Big Eyes, for the 1500 Qidian Coins!

Thank you Lily for the 500 Qidian Coins!

Thank you so much for the 588 reading coins!