Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw a pregnant woman who looked unfamiliar. When she saw everyone was looking at her, she subconsciously took a step back, feeling a little timid.

The Queen Mother has been immersed in the harem for many years, but she just stays indoors. She is not senile. She has fought for her position among many women. You can tell at a glance that she is the kind of person who cannot stand others doing well.

She said calmly, "You seem quite courageous. Which minister's family are you from?"

Wu Yishu was delighted: "I am the wife of General Zhenwei. Yun Yuan was married to my husband for seven years without having any children, and was then divorced. I am absolutely unworthy of the emperor."

The emperor exuded a cold aura, but he openly stated that he had just met Yun Yuan today, so he didn't want to come forward so boldly, in case others discovered their relationship and damaged Yun Yuan's reputation.

She is going to be the queen in the future, so she cannot have any stain.

The Queen Mother said meaningfully, "So you are the second wife who caused such a stir in the city."

Yun Yuan chuckled, the Queen Mother was really well-informed.

Wu Yishu defended herself with a grim expression, "General Zhenwei and I are truly in love. It is a fact that Yun Yuan is infertile. Entering the palace will not benefit Your Majesty. Queen Mother, please think twice before acting."

Yun Yuan could feel Wu Yishu's jealousy. The emperor still sat in the first seat and pretended not to know her, but Yun Yuan, who was familiar with him, knew that he could no longer bear it.

The emperor was indeed angry. His Yuan'er was a perfect person, so how could this shrewish woman slander her?

But it is normal for some people to oppose it. No matter how they struggle, the final result will not change. After all, he is the emperor, an emperor with great power. No one can force him to do anything he doesn't want to do.

"I also think it's inappropriate." Censor Zhou knelt on the ground. "If the Queen Mother wants to reward Yun, giving her gold, silver and treasures is enough. Entering the palace is a serious matter, so you should choose a young and innocent woman to carry off children for Your Majesty."

"I second the motion."

"I second the motion."

The person next to Zhong Jianmin bumped into him, wanting to ask him what he was thinking.

What could Zhong Jianmin possibly think? He had a special relationship with Yun Yuan. If he opposed it, the news that he couldn't stand seeing his ex-wife get along well would spread throughout the capital. If he agreed... sorry, he couldn't do it. He knew what he had done, and he was worried that Yun Yuan would retaliate if she gained power.

It would be better for him to be an invisible person. Even though the Emperor and the Empress Dowager are here, it is not his turn to speak. He hopes that his colleagues will be firmer and even die in their remonstration.

As for Wu, the Queen Mother is merciful, and she will at most be taught a lesson, and nothing will happen to her.

There were about a dozen ministers kneeling sparsely at the banquet. Yun Yuan sat down and watched the show with great interest. People who were secretly observing her thought to themselves that she was neither impatient nor anxious and was a person who could keep her composure.

The emperor looked sharply at the King of Chu in the crowd. The King of Chu smiled back at him innocently, but anyone could see the pride in his eyes.

The emperor knew that except for a few old stubborn people, the rest of the people kneeling down had been bribed by the King of Chu, who seized on his inhumane behavior and forced him to adopt the King of Chu's son as the crown prince under the pretext of a selection.

Once the emperor is found to be inhumane during the selection process, the fact that he is inhumane can no longer be concealed. Once the rumor is confirmed, the emperor's prestige will be greatly reduced, and the ministers will be more eager for him to adopt a son. In the end, the one who will benefit will be the King of Chu, who is the emperor's only surviving brother.

If it weren't for Yun Yuan, he would have only one way to go in the end, regardless of whether he participated in the selection or not. He could directly appoint the King of Chu's son as the crown prince to keep the last bit of fig leaf. There was no other way out.

The emperor was once again thankful that he had met Yun Yuan. The King of Chu wanted to make his son the crown prince, which was a pipe dream.

Not to mention the mortal feud between the Queen Mother and Concubine Li, the King of Chu bullied him a lot when he was a child, and they were rivals when they were fighting for the throne. He succeeded to the throne and did not kill the King of Chu just for the sake of his reputation of "benevolence and filial piety". He did not expect that even though he did not give him real power or fiefdom, the King of Chu was still so arrogant.

Wu Yishu was delighted. Yun Yuan, a divorced woman, still wanted to enter the palace and become a superior person. She was dreaming. Looking at the person kneeling on the ground, she thought she had a backer and shouted, "Yun Yuan is a broken flower and a willow, unwilling to stay at home. Please ask the Queen Mother to withdraw your order!"

The Queen Mother was furious: "How dare you! You are a concubine who was conceived without a matchmaker. You think you have ascended to heaven just by becoming my second wife because of your pregnancy. Who gave you the guts to slander my niece in public? Come, take him away and slap him thirty times in the face and throw him out of the palace!"

Soon someone came up to pull Wu Yishu away. Wu Yishu struggled in disbelief: "Don't touch me. If anything happens, the general will not let you go."

She looked at the ministers who she thought were on the same side as her, but they didn't even look at her, let alone speak for her. A chill ran from the soles of her feet to her heart, and she trembled all over and was about to collapse.

Under the sarcastic and disdainful gazes of the ladies, Zhong Jianmin embraced Wu Yishu, protected her in his arms, and knelt on the ground with his head lowered.

"Please, Queen Mother, let Wu go. She comes from the countryside and is outspoken. She doesn't know what to say and what not to say. I will teach her a lesson when I return."

The Queen Mother reluctantly changed her mind because of Wu Yishu's pregnancy, but she didn't want to let her go easily.

"I hereby declare that Wu is a woman of poor virtue, talkative and rude, unfit to be the wife of an official. I shall be demoted to a concubine as a warning to others!"

Wu Yishu's legs went weak, and she might as well have been slapped in the face thirty times.

Being judged by the Queen Mother as having a moral deficiency and being forced to be a concubine for the rest of her life was more painful than killing her. She could imagine how everyone would talk about and laugh at her after the banquet.

Her eyes rolled back and she fell on Zhong Jianmin, who quickly caught her.

He closed his eyes and said, "I obey your order." Then he took Wu Yishu away. Before leaving, he glanced at Yun Yuan who was sitting calmly, and felt a little regretful in his heart. If she had not divorced, he would be the one enjoying the glory today. How could he be so embarrassed?

What needed to be dealt with had been dealt with, but Yun Yuan's entry into the palace had not yet been decided.