Chapter 427 Zhu Zhenzhen is getting anxious

Jiang Fenghua knew what had happened at Taihua Palace and Plum Garden, but her mood didn't fluctuate much. The Zhu family had finally made their move. Even if Xie Shang liked Zhu Yiyi, could he really disregard the ancestral rules set by the Xie family for the sake of a concubine's daughter and take her as a concubine in the harem?

A cold smile curled at the corner of her lips. With Zhu Zhenzhen already in the position, was she, Zhu Yiyi, going to abandon her title and stay by Xie Shang's side? Would Imperial Censor Zhu agree to that?

So, which daughter is the Zhu family going to abandon?

This show has only just begun, and I don't want it to end too soon.

At this moment, she felt that Xie Shang had finally become the cold and ruthless person she remembered. Did he like Zhu Yiyi? Probably not really! It was just the inherent flaws of men. How long could his tenderness towards Zhu Yiyi last?

The late emperor forbade Xie Shang from having any romantic relationships. Given his relationship with Zhu Yiyi, did he heed the late emperor's dying words or not?

Jiang Fenghua seemed to instantly understand why the late emperor had made her empress. First, the late emperor may have realized that she had no real feelings for Xie Shang and felt that she would not be blinded by love and that she was worthy of the position of empress. Second, the late emperor was afraid that Xie Shang would not make her empress after he restrained his feelings. Before his death, the late emperor gave the position of empress to the Jiang family, which was also because the late emperor truly cared for her and loved her like a daughter.

Seeing her calm expression, Granny Wang knew that this was the emperor, but she still felt sad for Jiang Fenghua. Although the emperor had not done anything to that woman, the plum garden was His Majesty's treasured possession, and even the Empress Dowager could not easily pick a few plum blossoms to put in a vase.

However, when the woman picked the blooming red plum blossoms herself, the emperor was only angry and did not punish her, which was extremely unusual.

In the past, when Su Tingwan was in the palace, the emperor would get angry if she wanted to pick a few branches of red plum blossoms. Now, he actually allows other women to pick plum blossoms in the plum garden.

Has the Emperor really fallen for that woman? She must investigate why the Emperor is so fond of that wild woman.

Jiang Fenghua was unaware of what Granny Wang was thinking. She lived her own little life, the Empress position she had been striving for was already in her hands, and the children were by her side. She would slowly nurture them and eventually raise them to be successful, which would be a way of making up for the time she gave birth to them.

Zhu Zhenzhen couldn't sit still after learning that Zhu Yiyi had entered the palace to seduce the emperor. She finally put aside her so-called arrogance and went to Chenxi Palace.

Jiang Fenghua was pregnant with a single child. Because of her pregnancy, the Emperor allowed her to be exempted from the daily kneeling ceremony at the mourning hall.

She spent her days in the Morning Light Palace reading and learning to read with her two children, living a carefree life.

Zhu Zhenzhen rushed over; she was reading to the child.

"This concubine greets Your Majesty the Empress." Zhu Zhenzhen knelt respectfully on the ground.

She glanced at Zhu Zhenzhen, realizing she was getting anxious?

Jiang Fenghua said calmly, "No need for formalities!"

Zhu Zhenzhen stood up and, seeing her so composed, could no longer contain herself. "Your Majesty, Zhu Yiyi has entered the palace and even met His Majesty."

"So what?" Jiang Fenghua said gently, "The ancestral rules of the Great Zhou Dynasty are there. The emperor has just ascended the throne. He cannot violate the ancestral rules to marry two daughters of the same official into the palace for any woman, unless the one who enters the palace first suddenly dies."

Zhu Zhenzhen turned pale with fright. "Your Majesty, please save me! I don't want to die!"

Father actually brought Zhu Yiyi to the palace himself. He must want Zhu Yiyi to gain the Emperor's favor, get pregnant with a prince, and then find a way to get rid of her. Even tigers don't eat their cubs. How could Father be so cruel?

She knew that it was because she hadn't tried hard enough to get pregnant that her father felt she had little value and wanted her to give way to Zhu Yiyi.

Her eyes were red and filled with tears. "As long as Your Majesty is willing to help me, I will definitely obey Your Majesty's words."

Jiang Fenghua was waiting for her sincerity. "I can't control who His Majesty likes. You've seen it yourself. Everyone says His Majesty likes me and dotes on me. But actually, when new concubines come in, His Majesty will still favor other new concubines. I am already the Empress, and I have princes and princesses."

Zhu Zhenzhen knew she was saying this on purpose, "Hasn't Your Majesty heard the rumors outside? Some even say that Your Majesty is bewitching the Emperor and plotting against the Su family. All the evidence against the Su family is fabricated. Three generations of meritorious officials of the Su family were murdered, and the Jiang family's daughter became the biggest winner..."

Her mother told her all this, and they wanted to use public opinion to prevent Jiang Fenghua from becoming empress. However, the late emperor's imperial edict made Jiang Fenghua empress directly.

"Your Majesty thinks you've secured your position as Empress. Times change, and the Emperor might take a liking to another woman. Aren't you afraid that His Majesty might consider deposing you?" Zhu Zhenzhen said in a deep voice.

Jiang Fenghua was unaware that the late emperor's will contained the extra words "never depose the empress," which Xie Shang had not read aloud at the time. She stared at Zhu Zhenzhen, thinking that Xie Shang might still have other women in his heart, and that such a possibility was not impossible.

Seeing that she didn't speak, Zhu Zhenzhen said directly, "To tell Your Majesty the truth, if Zhu Yiyi succeeds in having an affair with His Majesty and gets pregnant with a prince, the Zhu family will be after the position of Crown Prince. I will not get any benefit, and Your Majesty will not get any benefit either. Why should we let such a thing happen?"

Jiang Fenghua had of course thought of these things. Looking at the two young children, she said in a deep voice, "The late emperor's funeral will last for a month, and then he will be buried in Hengyang. It will take at least another month. During this time, I guarantee that His Majesty will not favor Zhu Yiyi."

Xie Shang wasn't in such a hurry. During this time, he couldn't arrange for the concubines to serve him in bed. He wouldn't do anything that violated the filial piety of the Great Zhou Kingdom. As the emperor, he had to set an example.

Zhu Zhenzhen said, "Your Majesty is unaware of Zhu Yiyi's methods. She has been good at pretending since she was a child. She says she will not enter the palace to compete with me, but in private she seduces His Majesty. If she were the eldest daughter of the Zhu family, she would have been chosen by the Empress Dowager to enter the palace. Men cannot resist her seduction. All my cousins ​​like her."

Jiang Fenghua thought to herself: In that case, can Xie Shang be seduced by her?

At this point, she had lost all faith in Xie Shang. She remembered how she had managed to seduce him into obsession with her, and now another woman was using the same tactics on him.

In any case, she would not arrange for a concubine to serve the emperor during the period of national mourning, as it would damage the new emperor's reputation if word got out.

So she sent someone to warn Imperial Censor Zhu, to make the Zhu family behave themselves so as not to cause trouble.

She could have easily used Zhu Yiyi's entry into the palace to stir up trouble and spread rumors, but the method of killing eight hundred enemies while losing a thousand of her own was not effective.

Xie Shang needs to establish himself, so his reputation cannot be tarnished.

“If you want my help, you have to show me your sincerity first,” Jiang Fenghua said.

Zhu Zhenzhen was stunned. "What does Your Highness want?"

"Who was spreading rumors about me back then? Since Consort Zhu heard these rumors even in the inner palace, I think she should know better than I do who the rumor-monger was!"

Zhu Zhenzhen clenched her fists. "Please give me some time, Your Majesty. I will definitely find the person who spread the rumors." Actually, she also wanted to ask her mother, since it was her mother who told her these things.

She also knew that these rumors were actually the work of the Zhu family.

"If Her Majesty finds out who is behind your harm, how will Her Majesty deal with the Zhu family?" She thought that she might be dealing with a tiger for its skin. If the Zhu family were exposed, would they suffer the same fate as the Su family?

"After the national mourning period, there will be the new emperor's enthronement ceremony, followed by the appointment of concubines in the harem. Given Consort Zhu's family background, I believe I can decide her future rank."

Zhu Zhenzhen thought: Once she has a higher rank, she will be a royal wife. If she gains the emperor's favor, it shouldn't be so easy for the Zhu family to take her life!