Tao Rui relaxed his frown when he saw the Regent bow his head. He leaned back against the dragon throne and said, "That's right. I tell you, when the Empress Dowager was alive, she was the most noble woman in the world. She made great contributions to our dynasty. She was no ordinary woman. How could we treat her with disdain?"

All the civil and military officials knelt on the ground and said in unison: "We have absolutely no such intention."

Tao Rui snorted coldly, "Everyone, get up. Not only do I observe mourning, but everyone in the world must do so for the Imperial Grandmother! As the ruler of all people, I must set an example. I will observe mourning the same way the common people do... Um, you from the Ministry of Rites, tell me how my people observe mourning?"

The Minister of Rites lowered his head, sweating slightly. Observing mourning like the common people? How could the Emperor endure such hardship? Now that the Emperor had made such a boast, if he couldn't keep it later, wouldn't he cause trouble for the Ministry of Rites?

Seeing that he remained silent, Tao Rui narrowed his eyes and asked coldly, "Why? Can't I ask?"

"No, I'm being rude. I was simply thinking about the rules of mourning, fearing I might have made any mistakes." The Minister of Rites didn't dare to hide anything and quickly replied, "Your Majesty, mourning in the common people is quite austere. They eat vegetarian food, don't drink alcohol, don't have fun, don't marry, don't make loud noises, and copy Buddhist scriptures and pray every day..."

Tao Rui raised an eyebrow and said, "So many rules? Fine, write a memorial and send it to me immediately after leaving court. I want to see it today. From today on, I will observe mourning for the Imperial Grandmother according to these rules. By the way, the election just ended, and so many concubines have entered the palace. How should I arrange their placement? I will definitely not seek pleasure for the next three years. Three years is a long time, and I don't want to delay them. How about sending them home first? Allow them to marry freely, and I will choose again in three years."

"Your Majesty, this is absolutely not possible." The Regent was the first to object. He only had one daughter, so how could he let her return home?

He said solemnly, "Your Majesty, I know you are filial to the Grand Empress Dowager, but this election was made by the Grand Empress Dowager herself, and she personally selected the concubines. No matter how many times we hold elections in the future, their significance will be different from this one. Your Majesty, please think twice and don't let the Grand Empress Dowager down."

The head of the Chen family also stepped out and said, "Your Majesty, please reconsider. These beauties were chosen for you by the Grand Empress Dowager. With her kindness, you must not let them go home."

The Chen family, in a rare instance of unity with the Regent, now stood on the same side. With the Empress Dowager gone, the Chen family's heyday was drawing to a close. Their only hope lay in the newly arrived Concubine Rong. If they compromised now, they might not have a chance in future elections.

Tao Rui had only brought this up to give them a warning, and upon hearing this, he casually said, "Since that's the case, let's just leave it at that. These concubines will then be considered the younger generations of the Empress Dowager, and will observe mourning with me for three years. Minister of Rites, when you write this memorial, please remember to include the rules for women's mourning. Oh, and my younger brother as well."

He looked at Tao Yuan, "Royal brother, you must also observe the mourning period."

As soon as he finished speaking, the head of the Jin family, the former imperial concubine's family, stepped forward to plead, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. Mourning is the ability of children and grandchildren, and there should be no excessive comments. But the Second Prince is still young and may harm his health. This... I hope Your Majesty will forgive me."

Tao Rui rubbed his chin. He was eighteen now, and his adopted brother was only eleven. He was indeed still young. Besides, the Empress Dowager had the Imperial Concubine killed. Even though there was no evidence, the Jin family would surely bear a grudge. How could they let Tao Yuan observe mourning for the old lady? He couldn't swallow that humiliation.

But weren't the Jin family restless and coveting his throne? They were the opposite, so of course he had to find something for them to do and not let them be idle and look for trouble.

Tao Rui nodded and said, "Your Majesty is indeed too young. How about this? According to the rules, you can reduce your allowance by half and eat as much as you want. I'm busy with government affairs, and your Majesty can't help much. So please copy Buddhist scriptures for me. This will also allow your Majesty to practice calligraphy, killing two birds with one stone. This will also be a way for us two brothers to show our filial piety to our Majesty."

The Jin family had just opposed vegetarianism, and the emperor had relented. If they were to oppose copying the sutras again, it would be truly ungrateful. Furthermore, Tao Rui claimed it was a show of filial piety, so naturally, they had no choice but to accept it. The Jin family and Tao Yuan were more frustrated than anyone else. Tao Yuan had painstakingly copied the sutras, so why was it that their filial piety was ultimately considered? Tao Rui, completely ignorant of state affairs, shamelessly claimed he was busy with government affairs.

Oh, they're brothers, and Tao Yuan is even more distinguished. Just because Tao Rui was chosen as emperor due to his age, they can bully Tao Yuan like this. How can they be content unless they take back the throne?

Tao Rui ignored their dissatisfaction, made arrangements for his worried brother, and then made arrangements for the people. "Everyone in the world should pray for the Empress Dowager, and forget about everything else. The Empress Dowager is kind-hearted and certainly doesn't want to see the people's daily lives disrupted because of her. I will post the notice today. I believe that the Empress Dowager's spirit in heaven will be able to feel the people's prayers."

"Your Majesty is wise—" The officials had just stood up for a short while before kneeling down again.

The Chen family's patriarch, perhaps wanting to make his presence felt, knelt down and wept. Wiping away tears in grief, he said, "Your Majesty, if the Grand Empress Dowager knew how filial you were to her, she would surely be delighted in heaven. I am so happy for her."

Tao Rui's eyes flickered, and he asked in confusion, "If you're happy for the Empress Dowager, why are you crying?"

The head of the Chen family choked up and said, "This old minister, this old minister, misses my elder sister. Before she entered the palace, she treated me very well. Since I was young, this old minister vowed to ensure that my elder sister would live a peaceful and happy life. My elder sister has always been in good health. This old minister never expected that she would leave so suddenly. This old minister still cannot accept it and cannot believe the fact that my elder sister is gone. This old minister, this old minister, is truly grieved..."

The Chen family head cried and covered his chest, then fell to the side. His eldest son was right beside him and supported him in time, saying anxiously, "Father! How are you? Don't be too sad. Take good care of yourself."

The Chen family head patted his chest, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes in pain. His eldest son then said, "Your Majesty, my father and the Empress Dowager are siblings. He has been unable to sleep these past few days and is extremely grief-stricken. This is why he acted so unbecomingly when Your Majesty mentioned mourning. Please forgive me."

The other ministers couldn't say anything at this moment, but they were just secretly cursing the Chen family for being shameless. They were afraid that the Emperor would become alienated from them, so they were using the Empress Dowager to play the emotional card. Hadn't they heard that when the Empress Dowager was alive, she always took care of her younger brother? They were so old, yet so shameless!

They looked upwards secretly and saw that Tao Rui's eyes were red. He cursed the Chen family in his heart.

Tao Rui stood up and walked down the steps, personally helping the head of the Chen family to his feet. He said sadly, "I thought I was the one who was most grief-stricken, but I didn't expect you to be in such pain. I was really negligent. I was so focused on my own grief that I didn't pay attention to you." He put his hands behind his back and angrily pointed at the other officials, "I didn't notice, and didn't you notice either? How can you help me with my work?"

He waved his hand and shouted, "Come here, draft the decree!"

Everyone was shocked. The Chen family was delighted, while the others were furious. Could this be a reward? This emperor was too casual.

Unexpectedly, Tao Rui issued the following decree: "I will not allow anything to happen to the man whom the Grand Empress Dowager has been caring for. From today on, the government affairs he is responsible for will be assigned to others, and he will be allowed to recuperate at home and enjoy his remaining years. In addition, I order the academician of the Imperial Hospital to see him every three days. None of you are allowed to bother him with any matters. If anything happens to my grandmother's brother, I will not forgive you!"

Everyone was shocked again, this time it was the Chen family who were horrified, while the others almost laughed out loud.

I told you to pretend to be sad and mournful, but now you're done for, right?!

Without waiting for Patriarch Chen to stop them, everyone said in unison, "Your Majesty is wise, we will obey His Majesty's orders!"

Tao Rui pointed at someone casually and said, "That guy, you. You will be in charge of the things he used to be in charge of."

The person he pointed out was the eldest son of the Duke of Huguo and the biological father of Concubine Chun. He was a third-rank official, which was already the pinnacle of his life. He never thought he could be promoted to the next level, but this time he was indeed promoted to the first rank.

The Regent hurriedly stopped him, "Your Majesty, the appointment of officials cannot be made hastily."

"Why? With so many people here, how can the court be in chaos if only one or two are moved? I have a headache and I'm too lazy to choose, so I'll take him." Tao Rui asked as he walked back, "What's your name? Are you confident that you can handle those tasks?"

"Your Majesty, I, Cheng Bin, will not let you down." Cheng Bin suppressed his inner excitement and promised hastily.

Only a fool would not want such a good opportunity.

Some people looked at him with a hint of jealousy. How did he happen to be standing there? He was seen by the emperor at a glance.

The head of the Chen family said anxiously, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, this cannot happen. How can this old minister abandon you? I promised my elder sister that I would protect you. This old minister and my family are loyal to you. This old minister..."

Tao Rui covered his forehead and frowned, "I have a headache. This matter is decided. There is no need to discuss it further."

"Your Majesty—" The head of the Chen family was so angry that his eyes went dark and he actually fainted.

Tao Rui immediately said with concern: "Lord Cheng'en's health has been severely damaged. Come, send him back quickly and order the imperial physician to treat him properly."

Deshun naturally summoned his men immediately, leaving the eldest son of the Chen family patriarch speechless. He had been dismissed from his position for no apparent reason. You have to remember that while the Chen family was powerful, that was only when the patriarch held a high position. Now that the emperor had stripped that first-rank official of his position, leaving him with only the empty title of Duke Cheng'en, what good was that?

The highest-ranking official in the Chen family now is the eldest son of the Chen family head, and he's only the Minister of Works. Originally, they were planning to wait until the funeral was over to try and get him promoted, but now he's the top official, who's going to help him? Those officials who were loyal to them are probably going to have second thoughts from this moment on. The Chen family's glory is over!

The regent and several important ministers observed Tao Rui subtly, suspecting that he did it on purpose.

Even though the Chen family was the Empress Dowager's family, she had already warned them several times before, expressing her dissatisfaction with them. After the Prime Minister fell, everyone knew that the Empress Dowager would next deal with the Regent and the Chen family, and neither of them would be able to continue to gain power.

By removing the head of the Chen family from his official position, could Tao Rui be trying to weaken the power of the Chen family?

But what they saw was Tao Rui's slightly red eyes and a look of concern. Thinking back to his past dandy demeanor, they immediately dismissed the conspiracy theory. It was clear that he truly cared about the Empress Dowager and the health of the old lady's brother.

Everyone was amused by this thought. The old man had resorted to such shady tactics, only to run into a naive and capricious emperor who couldn't bear to let him continue serving as an official and even thought it would be a good thing for him to rest. The head of the Chen family had lost both his wife and his army; he was afraid he would really fall ill this time.

However, this would cause a reshuffle of power in the imperial court. With the Regent being the sole ruler, could the situation remain stable?

Civil and military officials alike were preoccupied with their own concerns, but no one paid any attention to the newly promoted Cheng Bin. Tao Rui had criticized him for being too casual, and he'd previously been relatively unnoticed. A promotion from a third-rank official to a first-rank official was no easy feat. The Chen family would surely be unhappy with it, and the regent was also eyeing the position, hoping to gain influence. Cheng Bin wasn't sure it would be easy; he might even be demoted in a few days. It wasn't worth mentioning.

After a brief commotion in the court, Tao Rui excused himself, claiming a headache, and ordered the court to adjourn. Everyone had nothing else to say, as it felt like anything else would be wrong. Furthermore, Tao Rui's temper was often bad when he had a headache, and if he became cannon fodder, like the head of the Chen family, he'd be dismissed from office for a few words. That would be troublesome.

Tao Rui returned to his bedroom after court. He pretended to have a headache in the court and did not waste this opportunity. He took a pill when he returned and ordered someone to urge Xuan Ji to refine the pill quickly and send more pills to the palace.

Xuan Ji was refining the elixir when he received the order. He didn't know why, but he couldn't sleep the whole night and was full of energy, so he simply went to the alchemy room to refine the elixir.

He had already spoken to Doctor Li about this. He had originally worried that Tao Rui might have problems if he ate so much, but Doctor Li said that the analgesic ingredient was addictive, so even if he took a little too much at first, it wouldn't be noticeable. Only after he became addicted would the pain become exacerbated.

Xuan Ji was relieved, but wasn't he just thinking about refining more pills for Tao Rui? How could he have imagined that there was such a miracle as rebound? Tao Rui's pills had no medicinal properties at all, but the food he ate contained the medicinal properties of those pills, so that he was full of energy and didn't feel tired even after a sleepless night.

But because he was not a doctor and had never thought about it this way, he did not notice anything abnormal about himself.

Tao Rui sent someone to urge him, but he frowned and handed over the newly refined pill, showing an expression of disapproval of the emperor's excessive use. After that, he felt secretly happy and couldn't wait to see the day when Tao Rui would become addicted and ask for medicine.

When Tao Rui received the pill, it happened that Doctor Li came to see him. In front of Doctor Li, he ordered someone to put the pill on his bedside, showing that he trusted Xuan Ji very much. He ignored Xuan Ji's advice and ate it whenever he wanted. Who made him so willful?

Imperial Physician Li lowered his head, his eyes darkening as he advised, "Your Majesty, since ancient times, the art of elixirs has been..."

Tao Rui interrupted him impatiently, "I know, but you imperial hospital has been treating me for so long, and I still have a headache. Are you going to let me suffer forever? Taoist Xuanji's elixir is effective, and you haven't found any toxicity, so why can't I take it? Don't mention this matter again."

Imperial Physician Li bowed and replied, "I have been studying acupuncture and moxibustion and bone loosening techniques, and have made significant progress recently. Your Majesty, would you like to try it? To relax your mind?"

Tao Rui nodded in agreement, lying on the couch and closing his eyes. Doctor Li then approached and began to perform acupuncture on him.

As he approached, Tao Rui noticed a faint scent. If he hadn't cultivated so many different kinds of plants and animals in his previous life, he probably wouldn't have been able to detect such a faint scent. This was what Imperial Doctor Li had used to poison him. The combination of scent and acupuncture worked, a secret technique from the previous dynasty. Those who didn't understand would never have guessed there was such a way to harm someone.

Tao Rui remained fearless, enjoying Doctor Li's acupuncture and massage. Whatever poison the man had administered would eventually take its toll on him. Tao Rui's lips curled slightly in amusement.

Doctor Li saw this and was delighted. The dog emperor trusted him and Xuanji so much that everything was under their control. He had heard that Tao Rui had foolishly brought down the head of the Chen family, a key supporter. Without the regent, how could the dog emperor hold onto the throne?

By then, these heroes of the previous dynasty will be able to recover the beautiful territory of the previous dynasty!

Doctor Li knew about the Chen family head's affairs, so naturally everyone else knew as well.

The Empress Dowager was ecstatic. With the Grand Empress Dowager's Chen family gone, was her family's era coming to an end? How could a grandmother be a biological mother? Her family was the one that deserved the most attention!

The Empress Dowager impatiently sent for Tao Rui, who, in the original script, was constantly joking, driven by a desire to benefit her natal family and ensure its prosperity. This angered the original owner several times, and it's unclear what her motivation was. She was the Empress Dowager, wouldn't it be ideal to enjoy her retirement in comfort? Instead, she resorted to stirring up trouble, alienating her own son. In the end, she failed to help her natal family and ended up being reviled.

But she is Tao Rui's biological mother after all, so Tao Rui naturally went to see her.

The Queen Mother's face was filled with distress when she saw Tao Rui. "Your Majesty, I know you are sad, but our mother is gone. As the Emperor, you must take care of yourself and not grieve too much."

Tao Rui nodded, "I know. My mother came to see me, is there something wrong?"

The Queen Mother sighed, "How could anything possibly be wrong with me? I'm just worried about you. After asking a few more questions, I heard that you've been upset by someone in the court again. I'm so worried. I can't help you, so I can only worry here."

Tao Rui took a sip of tea and said, "Don't worry, Queen Mother. All these officials are not just for show. I won't be tired."

"How could she not be tired? How healthy was your royal grandmother before? She passed away suddenly, wasn't it because she was exhausted from worrying about the affairs of the court? I really can't be at ease. I heard that the head of the Chen family also fell ill today? This kind of thing is really terrifying."

The Queen Mother said, "The Emperor has fewer people around him these days, and I'm very worried. Why not ask your two uncles and your cousin to help? They're all family members, and they'll definitely do their best to help you. That way, the Emperor can rest more, and I'll be at ease."

So, he's just randomly picking someone to replace Patriarch Chen and is asking for benefits. Patriarch Chen was once a prime minister, rivaling Prime Minister Liu and the Regent, holding immense power. Who wouldn't want to snatch this piece of good meat?

Tao Rui pointed at Cheng Bin, the son of the Duke of the Protectorate. The late emperor died on the same expedition with the Duke of the Protectorate. The Empress Dowager only bestowed upon him superficial honors, while his children and grandchildren held high official positions, seemingly for show. Who would consider such a person a threat? In their view, this piece of meat was still worth snatching.

However, Tao Rui had Cheng Bin fill this role, naturally trusting him to do a good job. In the original script, the original author used the Protector of the Country, but the Protector of the Country and his family fought tooth and nail to the death along with the Regent, demonstrating their hidden strength and the ability of their family members. Otherwise, he wouldn't have promoted Cheng Bin so directly.

He must ensure that Cheng Bin secures this position.

Facing the Queen Mother's "concern," Tao Rui simply shook his head and said, "I do not wish to burden Her Majesty's family. I believe Her Majesty would not wish to see them collapse from exhaustion in the court like the head of the Chen family, with no idea how he is doing. Since they are family, I naturally have to take care of them."

He suddenly had an idea and said, "Mother, how about I let them go home and live out their days in glory? Since they are my uncles and cousins, I can't let them work hard. I should reward them with gold, silver, and jewelry, and let them eat, drink, and have fun in my house. Wouldn't that be great?"

The Queen Mother was on the verge of spitting blood as she said anxiously, "No, no! How old are they? How can they just sit there idle? They'll be useless. We should let them work. It won't be too late to take care of them when they're old and frail."

"Oh? I'm useless if I'm idle?" Tao Rui looked puzzled. "But didn't Queen Mother just say that I should let them do my work so that I can rest more? Does that mean Queen Mother wants me to be useless?"

The Queen Mother's heart skipped a beat, and she smiled. "Child, how can you truly have a leisurely time as an emperor? I just want you to rest more. You still have to attend to the government affairs that need to be taken care of."

Tao Rui nodded. After talking for so long, he showed an impatient look. He stood up and said, "Since the Queen Mother is fine, I will return. I still have many memorials to read, which is very tiring."

"Then Your Majesty, please don't overwork yourself. I'll have someone prepare some tonic and send it to you later to replenish your body."

"Thank you, mother." Tao Rui said casually like the original owner, turned around and left.

The Queen Mother patted her chest and let out a long sigh. She cursed the old woman for raising her son like a dandy. He was so foolish that he actually thought it was good for him to be pampered. What about rewarding him with gold, silver, and jewelry? Who among these families lacked treasure? What they lacked was a position above everyone else.

It was a pity that Tao Rui couldn't convince her, and she almost caused her family to lose their jobs. If Tao Rui had allowed her father and brother to support her, wouldn't the family have eaten her?

Tao Rui visited the Empress Dowager, who was so angry that she felt a blockage in her chest for a long time.

Tao Rui didn't ride the dragon chariot. This was his first time as emperor, and he hadn't even had a chance to wander around the Imperial Gardens. He couldn't wander around freely while in mourning, but it wasn't a big deal if he stopped by on his way back.

The Emperor's garden was truly a royal garden, brimming with beauty. Walking through it was truly relaxing. Tao Rui slowed down his pace, taking in the scenery as he walked, a rare moment of comfort. Suddenly, the system told him that Concubine Chun was doing something by the lake behind the woods, seemingly about to jump in.

Tao Rui raised his eyebrows slightly and walked in that direction.

It was just a few rows of trees, and he saw Concubine Chun before he even walked through the woods.

This lake was where the native Concubine Chun fell into the water. This time-traveling woman, Cheng Qianqian, had suddenly arrived in this world and, of course, wanted to try and see if she could go back. So, she sneaked over here without telling anyone and tried it once, nearly choking herself. However, she had tried it in the dead of night, and now, in broad daylight, she was just here to scout the area.

Tao Rui stopped at a distance, not too far away. They could see Cheng Qianqian, but Cheng Qianqian couldn't see him. He asked, "Who is that?"

Deshun took a closer look and said hurriedly, "Your Majesty, that is Concubine Chun. Her grandfather was the Duke of Huguo, and her father... coincidentally, he is the Master Cheng you, Your Majesty, pointed out in court."

"Oh? What a coincidence?" Tao Rui seemed interested. "Then his father got promoted. Shouldn't she get promoted as well?"

Without waiting for Deshun to answer, he continued, "Forget it. During my period of mourning, no one's position will be promoted."

After saying that, Tao Rui walked towards Cheng Qianqian. Cheng Qianqian was stunned for a moment, then she reacted and hurriedly took the palace maid to greet him.

Tao Rui nodded and said, "Get up, Chunpin, what are you doing here?"

Cheng Qianqian's heart skipped a beat. Not wanting to draw attention to herself, she opened her mouth to brush it off. But then she thought, it was a rare opportunity to see the Emperor, and since those two women had killed the original owner, she should at least say something. She lowered her head and said, "Your Majesty, I fell into the water here a few days ago and nearly died. I recuperated for several days before I recovered. Today, I felt better, so I came here to take a look. I really can't understand how I ended up in the water."

"Huh? Don't know how you fell into the water? Didn't you slip and fall?" Tao Rui walked a few steps towards the lake and took a special look.

Cheng Qianqian immediately said, "I've always been careful, and I was nervous as a newcomer to the palace. How could I have fallen into the water? I just don't know if the ground was particularly slippery that day, or if someone didn't stand firmly and bumped into me."

Her maids were sweating for her, and Deshun was also watching closely. If this matter was brought before the emperor, it really all depended on his will. This Concubine Chun was really bold and would not tolerate any grievances.

Tao Rui called out to Deshun, "Investigate for me. Besides Concubine Chun, who else was by the lake that day? How did Concubine Chun fall into the water? In my palace, Concubine Chun almost drowned for some reason. Will it be my turn next time? Tell someone to find out the reason. If the ground is not in good condition, repair it immediately."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Deshun responded immediately and went to the back to order someone to check.

Cheng Qianqian was actually quite nervous, but when Tao Rui said he was going to investigate, she saw a glimmer of hope. She immediately bowed and thanked him. She had been given a life for free, a second chance to live. Even if something happened, she could just be reincarnated. She would avenge the original owner no matter what.

Tao Rui then continued to praise, "You look so elegant today. I'm sure you're showing your filial piety to the Empress Dowager. That's great. Don't wander around when you have nothing to do. I'm going to observe three years of mourning for the Empress Dowager, and you should join me."

Cheng Qianqian heaved a sigh of relief upon hearing this. If it was true, the three-year mourning period would give her three years to adapt. If she couldn't go back, she could still live well here.

However... she said awkwardly, "The Concubine Chen is the head of the palace concubines. I and others have to pay our respects to her every day... I wonder if this counts as free movement?"

Knowing Cheng Qianqian was bold and didn't care much about her own life, Tao Rui had come to give her a chance to mention the drowning incident. Unexpectedly, Cheng Qianqian was quite good at seizing the opportunity and brought up the matter of paying respects. Logically, the Empress was the one to pay respects to, so what about being the head of the imperial concubines? That was all Concubine Chen's own claim, relying on the Regent.

Tao Rui agreed, "Why would a concubine pay respects? Deshun, tell all palaces to pray for the Empress Dowager. I don't have a queen, so no one needs to pay respects. The Empress Dowager likes peace and quiet, so don't disturb her. Everyone in this palace, observe mourning for me."

"...Yes." De Shun agreed, feeling a little hesitant, but ultimately not trying to persuade him. This failure to pay respects wasn't a big deal, and the Regent wouldn't make a fuss. But the Queen Mother would be displeased. She finally finally got rid of the big Buddha above her, but unfortunately, everything was still the same as before. She couldn't imagine how upset she must be.

Tao Rui gave his order and left. Cheng Qianqian happily saw him off, feeling that the emperor had been a godsend, indirectly helping her get a small measure of revenge. If she discovered that the emperor disliked Concubine Chen or Concubine Rong in the future, perhaps she could seek his support and suppress their arrogance.

She was happy, but the Concubine Chen was naturally furious when she heard the order.

The title "Chen" of Concubine Chen already indicated that she was the future queen. Otherwise, which concubine would dare to use this word?

The emperor is not allowing the concubines to pay their respects now. Isn't this a slap in her face? Rong Fei and her people don't know how to laugh at her.

The Concubine Chen, the Regent's beloved daughter, had always been unruly, unreasonable, and unwilling to tolerate any injustice. She immediately threatened to go to Tao Rui, but only the persuasion of her attendant nanny finally stopped her. The nanny, loyal to the Regent and aware that her purpose in entering the palace was to give birth to a prince, seized the opportunity to persuade the Concubine Chen to strike back.

Hadn't Tao Rui declared a three-year mourning period? He even gave the regent a favor. So they decided to go all out and give Tao Rui some aphrodisiac so he could have sex with a young palace maid. Then Tao Rui would be slapping himself in the face and becoming a laughing stock.

Upon hearing this, Concubine Chen thought this was a brilliant plan. She wanted to teach Tao Rui a lesson for not taking her seriously. Her father's family was the only one in power at court, so if he didn't want Tao Rui to be emperor, he couldn't be. How could Tao Rui embarrass her?

The Concubine immediately ordered the maid to make the arrangements, and she happily obeyed. The young maid she had arranged was her own niece. Since she had no children, this niece was as good as her own, and no one knew about this relationship. If her niece were favored a few times and became pregnant, then whether she was a prince or a princess, she would enjoy endless wealth and glory. With good luck, perhaps the prince she gave birth to could even ascend to the throne.

Mammy was ambitious and seized the opportunity to benefit herself. Unfortunately, she didn't know that such malicious harm would inevitably backfire.

If the nanny wanted to take action, she would definitely have to wait until it was almost dark, and also find a suitable opportunity to bring Tao Rui and his niece together, so she hadn't made a scene in front of Tao Rui yet.

On his way from the Imperial Garden to the Palace, Tao Rui heard another story.

Seeing that Tao Rui didn't want to visit the garden anymore, Deshun sent the others away and whispered to Tao Rui, "Your Majesty, I have already found out what you ordered me to investigate before the court session."

Tao Rui thought about it and remembered that it was about Liu Si, the original owner's white moonlight. So many things happened this morning that he had forgotten about it.

He pretended to smile unconsciously and looked at Deshun expectantly. "Tell me quickly, how has Miss Liu been doing these years? Have you found out what she likes on a daily basis?"

Deshun hesitated for a moment, his face showing no joy. Tao Rui then stopped smiling and asked, "What's wrong? Is there something wrong?"

De Shunli knelt down and apologized, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I found out that Miss Liu has found a good man and is about to get married."

Deshun knew the emperor had taken a fancy to Liu Si, but since the emperor had ordered an investigation, he had to tell everyone what he found. He might as well say the most important thing first. After saying that, he sank his head to the ground and knelt there motionless.

Tao Rui was shocked and angry, "Tell me clearly, what do you mean by marrying? Who do you want to marry?"

Deshun said, "Miss Liu is of marriageable age. Coincidentally, the Empress Dowager has passed away, so the marriage must be completed within a month, otherwise it will be postponed. The Liu family was worried that Miss Liu would waste time at home, and Miss Liu and Young Master Yang... happened to be acquainted. With both families interested, they decided to arrange the marriage."

Tao Rui remained silent. Deshun bravely raised his head and asked, "Your Majesty?"

"She's actually engaged." Tao Rui frowned and sighed. "If that's the case, wouldn't it be like forcibly seizing a commoner's daughter if I brought her into the palace? If the Empress Dowager knew, she would definitely scold me. But how would I know she was engaged? Don't you think so?"

"Yes, yes, it's all my fault. I should have found this out first." Deshun felt relieved when he saw that Tao Rui was not angry. He got up and said, "Then, Your Majesty, this Miss Liu, are you planning to..."

"Where's Miss Liu? Let's go meet her. After all, we're old friends." Tao Rui started walking, muttering, "It's been ages since we last met. It seems she's forgotten what we agreed on."

Deshun bravely asked in a low voice, "Your Majesty, what did you and Miss Liu agree on?"

Tao Rui spoke frankly, "She promised me that she would be my princess when she grew up. I was young at the time, so I didn't know I would become the emperor. I thought she would definitely be a prince when she grew up, and we made this promise when we were having fun together."

Deshun said hurriedly, "You can't be sure what you said during fun. Your Majesty, don't take it to heart. After all, it happened many years ago."

Tao Rui nodded. "I also feel that I am the ruler of all people and cannot go back on my word. Well, I mentioned it to the Empress Dowager before, and she didn't like her entering the palace. Now that she is engaged, let it go."

Deshun quickly followed up with a few more words. Deshun didn't find it strange at all. After all, they had been separated for several years. What kind of women didn't the emperor have around him? This time, the Empress Dowager was afraid that the Regent's daughter would win over the emperor, so she chose a harem of all kinds for him. The emperor was probably thinking about Liu Si, but he was probably just thinking about his childhood playmate.

Even a man wouldn't like his woman to be involved with someone else. Since Liu Si was already familiar with Young Master Yang and had already agreed to a marriage, bringing her into the palace would be awkward. It would be better to just let it go. The memories of the past still felt good.

Tao Rui was thankful for the timing of his time travel; Liu Si's entry into the palace was completely unknown. The Regent and his men were busy expanding their power and suppressing the Empress Dowager's subordinates. How could they have the time to pay attention to such trivial matters? Or rather, they simply didn't care about such matters; they didn't even care about the Emperor.

Since that white moonlight was so unwilling to kill the original owner, just let her go home. This time, no one will break up the couple. Let's see if she can live a wonderful life.