Because the emperor indirectly reprimanded the empress and stripped the prime minister of his power, a tense atmosphere arose in both the court and the palace, and people became restless again.

"Your Highness, the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Revenue has sent a letter requesting an audience at your residence."

"I won't see you." Jiang Rui's expression was mocking. "Father has only been in power for a few days, and these people are already getting restless, wanting to gamble on me? Do they even respect Mother? Mother is wholeheartedly devoted to the entire Xuan Kingdom, while they are only thinking about fighting for power and profit."

"Your Highness, please don't be angry. If you get sick from anger, who will stand up for Her Majesty the Empress?"

"I'm laughing at their ignorance! The Empress Dowager was too kind to them back then. These opportunists are all bad."

"Your Highness, the worst is yet to come. Things may be different when the First Prince and the Second Prince return."

Jiang Rui, however, did not share such a positive attitude. His greatest fear was that his father would once again sow discord among the brothers. Although they had maintained a peaceful facade over the years, who knew if his second, third, and fourth brothers still harbored ambitions? He could be assured that he and his sixth brother were safe, but his second and fourth brothers were also exceptionally intelligent and capable. It was hard to guarantee that they wouldn't be tempted to seize the throne again under his father's instigation.

Just then, the Sixth Prince Jiang Gu walked in. They left the palace last year to build their own residence. Because of their good relationship, they deliberately chose to be neighbors when building their residences. Since they were not yet married, they did not need to greet each other when visiting each other and could just walk in directly. The servants were already used to it.

What brings you here?

"Feeling upset, come over for a walk." Jiang Gu casually lay down, and a servant saw this and went out to close the door behind him.

"What do you think Father Emperor means by this?"

"What do you mean? He feels that after leaving the pass, the affairs of the court and the officials are no longer under his control, and he wants everyone to compete for power as before, so that he can weigh the pros and cons."

Jiang Rui sighed: "He is the emperor. Wouldn't it be enough if the country's military and economy were strong and the people lived in peace and prosperity? Why would he do such a thing? I really can't understand it."

"What's there to not understand? He's just a high-and-mighty guy who wants to manipulate everyone. He doesn't care what happens to the world because he thinks he can turn the tide. He just wants to control everything."

Although Jiang Gu was the youngest, he was very insightful. He was raised by his mother, who gave him a peaceful and interesting childhood. It was his mother who brought smiles back to his mother's face. Therefore, he would never allow anyone to touch his mother's position. He would stand firmly behind his elder brother and mother.

He acknowledged that his second, third, and fourth brothers were all exceptionally capable and had the ability to sit in that position, but only when his eldest brother sat in that position could the brothers be like before. It was rare for the royal family to have such a peaceful family relationship, and he didn't want anyone to disrupt it, not even his father.

Sometimes he even thought that it would be better if his father didn't exist. It wouldn't be bad if his mother became empress. His mother was much more capable than his father and had a broader mind.

Jiang Rui sighed: "Xiao Liu, these words are fine to say to me, but don't bring your emotions outside, especially to the court."

Jiang Gu's voice was muffled: "Fifth Brother, I don't like him. The only two good things he did were giving birth to us brothers and letting Mother enter the palace. He treats the entire Xuan Kingdom as his plaything. He is not worthy of sitting in that position at all. Fifth Brother, I'm not afraid to tell you the truth. If he wants to kill Mother and Eldest Brother, I will stand against him without hesitation."

"Let's wait and see. Things haven't gotten to the worst yet. We can't panic. Besides, Mother hasn't even taken any action. We should trust her and follow her instructions."

Jiang Gu leaned back dejectedly, feeling agitated.

At the same time, the female officials, maids, and eunuchs of Fengyi Palace also looked anxiously and uneasily at Song Xia.

"After spending so much time with me, haven't you learned to be calm?"

"Your Majesty, aren't you worried at all? His Majesty has already become suspicious of you and the Prime Minister."

Song Xia's face remained expressionless as he continued practicing calligraphy: "His Majesty has only recently left the pass, so it is only natural that he is concerned about court affairs."

"But no major events have occurred in the court in recent years, and it is only because of your and the Prime Minister's effective management that we have achieved the current prosperity. His Majesty really should not doubt you."

"After all, His Majesty is the ruler of this land, and it is understandable that he is wary of the slight bias in the distribution of power."

The female official said helplessly, "Your Majesty..."

Song Xia smiled and said, "Alright, I know you're worried. It's alright. I've been in power for so many years, the court officials won't turn against me so quickly. Even if things don't go well, you should still trust the children."

The lady-in-waiting knew that the princes respected the empress greatly, but when it came to the throne, at this critical juncture, if His Majesty were to randomly select troops, who could truly remain unmoved?

Even if the prince who eventually ascends to the throne treats the Empress well, what about before that? Can they protect the Empress? Will the relationship between the princes remain as harmonious as it is now? Will the concubines still be able to sit together and drink tea?

Not to mention the female officials, even Consort Zhuang and Consort Xian were getting restless. They had become accustomed to their peaceful lives, and even if their sons ascended the throne in the future, they feared that there would be no one left to chat and laugh with.

Being an emperor is great, as you have the power of life and death. But look at the emperors of today, do they even have anyone they can trust by their side?

"Your Majesty, Consort Zhuang and Consort Xian request an audience."

Song Xia smiled in surprise: "I didn't expect them to arrive first. Please invite them in."

Consort Zhuang and Consort Xian did not expect to run into each other, but they had the same purpose in coming here: to show everyone that they always stood behind the Empress and that no one should have any ulterior motives.

Consort Zhuang spoke frankly: "Your Majesty, please tell me your orders, and I will certainly do my best to fulfill them."

Consort Xian also expressed her feelings: "Your Majesty, I have already spoken with my family and asked them not to associate with those court officials. Your Majesty and the Fourth Prince will always support you."

It has to be said that Song Xia was truly moved. At first, although she didn't have any ill intentions towards them, she certainly didn't intentionally try to befriend them. But without realizing it, it seemed that everyone had changed their mindset.

In the end, they were all just a group of pitiful women trapped in the harem. If they hadn't been born in this dynasty, and if they hadn't been confined to the harem, they would have lived much more freely. So she didn't take their initial targeting to heart.

This dynasty was special, and she never thought of giving back, but everyone there was a person of flesh and blood. Seeing their eager and sincere eyes, she felt that everything she had done was worthwhile.