Chapter 1 The Spoiled Concubine

The Imperial Palace.

Inside Xuanhua Hall,

Emperor Shen and Prince Shen were playing chess, while several palace maids and eunuchs waited not far away with their heads bowed.

Emperor Shen intently studied the chessboard, then cautiously placed a black piece. Seeing this, Shen Su placed his white piece on the board and smiled slightly, "Father, you've yielded."

Prince Su won.

Emperor Shen:

He's really his own son! He doesn't give him any leeway at all.

"Father, you summoned me to the palace not just to play chess with me, but also because you want to play chess with me, right?"

Emperor Shen waved his hand, and someone took the chessboard away.

"Now, you only have Consort Luo in your harem, which is too few people. I think the Prime Minister's second daughter is quite beautiful, gentle, and from a good family. I want to bestow her upon you as the Princess Consort of Su."

Solemnity: !!!

Princess Consort of Su? His princess consort can only be Luo Xi.

Moreover, he neither wanted nor dared to have other women; he didn't want to die.

“Father, you know perfectly well that I and the Prime Minister have never gotten along.”

Emperor Shen: !!!

He even has the nerve to say he has no dealings with those ministers. Humph! He's his son; don't think he doesn't know what he's up to.

Emperor Shen: "Since you don't like the Prime Minister's second daughter, then... then I'll bestow upon you a few beautiful and sensible palace maids first."

Solemnity: !!!

He strongly suspected that his father wanted to harm him.

He pursed his lips and asked with some suspicion, "Father, have I done something wrong lately? Why are you so eager to put people into my residence?"

"Could it be that the national treasury is empty lately? They don't have enough money to support those palace maids?"

Upon hearing this, Emperor Shen glared at him angrily.

What is he saying?

"Nonsense."

Shen Su sighed, "Father, you know what I'm thinking."

This scene reminded Shen Su of the time when Prince Qi (his second brother) and Princess Qi (his second sister-in-law) were deeply in love, inseparable every day, and Princess Qi was the only one in the mansion.

At that time, the King of Qi refused to take concubines or maids for the sake of his queen. When the emperor saw this, he used the same means to threaten the King of Qi as he does today.

At that time, for the sake of his queen, the King of Qi accepted two high-ranking concubines bestowed by his father, the emperor, as well as several beautiful maids...

Unexpectedly, just two months later, King Qi began to favor his concubine over his wife.

Now, the Qi Prince's mansion is filled with concubines. However, the Qi Princess is gone; she was poisoned to death by the Qi Prince's most favored concubine. Although that concubine was executed by the Emperor, the Qi Princess can never return. The Qi Prince has long since lost all love for the Qi Princess, leaving only disgust. He feels that even in death, the Qi Princess must have taken his most favored concubine with her.

King Qi's heart changed. He forgot that he had accepted those women to protect the life of Queen Qi. But in the end, he forgot his original intention and even loathed Queen Qi.

If King Qi had persisted a little longer back then, would the outcome have been different?

Probably not.

In fact, he may have already changed his mind, and his father's threat was just an excuse for him.

Shen Su wouldn't let things come to this with Luo Xi. He wouldn't give anyone the chance to ruin their relationship.

He and Luo Xi had agreed to grow old together.

He said solemnly, "Father, you know that I am extremely picky about looks. I can't stand anyone who isn't an absolute beauty."

Emperor Shen, his face cold, said in a deep voice, "Aren't you afraid that I will issue an edict to order Consort Luo to be put to death?"

Solemnity: !!!

"Of course I'm afraid, how could I not be?"

As he spoke, his eyes suddenly reddened, and he lowered them to hide it.

Although it's said that men don't easily shed tears, there are circumstances. Sometimes, one must cry. Shen Su was genuinely heartbroken. He just wanted to be with Luo Xi, and yet someone was threatening him with Luo Xi's life—his own father, the Emperor! How could he not cry? Well, even if it was fake crying.

Emperor Shen saw it and was stunned for a moment.

He didn't expect that Shen Su would actually cry.

Emperor Shen was also at a loss; it was the first time he had ever seen him cry.

"I don't want to force you, but you've been married for three years and she still hasn't conceived. Do you know what that means?"

It's been three years. Who knows if she'll be able to have children in the future?

King Qi and his family already have five or six children.

If Shen Su only favors Consort Luo and refuses to allow other ministers' daughters into his residence, how many ministers will truly support him? He doesn't believe he doesn't understand this logic. If he continues like this, it means he has already withdrawn from the struggle for the throne...

Shen Su naturally knew, and he said indifferently, "Father, I know."

In fact, it would be impossible to say that he was not interested in the throne.

However, if he had to choose between Luo Xi and the throne, he would still choose her without hesitation.

Emperor Shen sighed, "Fine, do as you please."

Hopefully he won't regret it.

Finally, Shen Su left Xuanhua Hall with a smile...

Phoenix Palace.

The Empress asked in confusion, "Did Prince Su leave the palace alone? Wasn't anyone else with him?"

Granny Li: "Your Highness, no. Prince Su didn't want those palace maids."

Empress: !!!

"Prince Su is indeed devoted to one woman."

She knew why the Emperor had summoned Prince Su to the palace today; he wanted to bestow several palace maids upon him as concubines. Those maids were chosen by the Emperor himself; they were all young, beautiful, and sensible.

"I am extremely envious of Consort Luo, that she has someone who loves her so much."

Then, as if struck by a thought, she sighed, "I just wonder how many years he can hold on."

Men have always been fickle, let alone princes.

Prince Su's Mansion.

In the small garden in the backyard,

A beautiful woman sat on a swing, looking somewhat unhappy. A handsome man in a blue robe stood behind her, bending down to whisper something in her ear.

Upon hearing this, Luo Xi's eyes lit up, and she looked at him with a smile, asking incredulously, "Your Highness, are you trying to coax me?"

As she spoke, she grabbed his hand and asked urgently, "Shen Su, tell me quickly, is it true or not?"

Shen Su knew she would be happy to hear this. He raised an eyebrow and pointed to his own cheek, "A kiss on my cheek would be the real deal."

Luo Xi: !!!

That's true!

She turned slightly to hug his neck and happily kissed him several times on the cheek. "If you kissed me, then it's true."

Shen Su smiled and said, "Yes, it's true."

Just then, there was a slight rustling sound from the nearby flowerbed...