For two consecutive days, the ministers were trembling with fear at the morning court. Tao Rui dismissed officials without regard for their rank; he did so arbitrarily, without any basis for justification. Consequently, officials, high and low, were on edge, cautious in their words and actions, avoiding Tao Rui whenever possible. Suddenly, government affairs were significantly reduced.

Tao Rui was relaxed and happy. As usual, he called in Imperial Physician Li for acupuncture and massage after court each day, and as usual, he devoured pills by the handful. Imperial Physician Li and Xuan Ji were secretly delighted. This scoundrel emperor was becoming increasingly dependent on them, his temper increasingly volatile, and he frequently clashed with the Regent. If this continued, their plan to restore the country would surely be successful soon!

One day, Xuanji secretly contacted Doctor Li and asked for urgent help.

Doctor Li thought something serious had happened and rushed to the backyard of the small house where the two men had secretly met.

Xuan Ji strode forward upon seeing Imperial Physician Li and said sternly, "Something's awful! Something went wrong with my alchemy. Maybe it's from tinkering with it all day, but I've developed a bit of an addiction. After refining a whole batch of pills today, I can barely contain my craving for a handful."

"What?" Doctor Li frowned in surprise and immediately pulled him to sit down and take his pulse.

After a moment, Doctor Li shook his head. "The pulse is normal, nothing unusual."

“But I really want to eat that.”

Doctor Li looked at Xuan Ji with a scrutinizing look in his eyes. "That thing is so tempting. Did you try it yourself?"

"How is that possible? How many people have been killed by that thing at the border? I only touched it because I didn't want to live." Xuan Ji flicked his sleeves and said unhappily, "If Brother Li doesn't even have this little trust in me, how can we work together in the future?"

Doctor Li frowned and wondered why he was like that, but he felt a headache and couldn't help but press his forehead and frown.

Seeing this, Xuan Ji asked with concern, "Brother Li, you have a headache? Didn't you get enough rest?"

Doctor Li waved his hand, "I know how heavy the burden is, and I've always focused on taking care of my body."

"That's because I'm tired from giving acupuncture to the dog emperor recently. In front of that dog emperor, I always have to be on my guard and pretend, and I have to think over and over again about every word. It's really annoying. Brother Li, don't think too much. Looking at the current situation, it won't be long before we can enter the court openly for the first time." Xuan Ji said excitedly.

Doctor Li warned, "Don't talk too much in front of outsiders. Too much talk will lead to mistakes."

Xuan Ji said nonchalantly, "I know my own personality and I'm careful. Otherwise, why would I pretend to be a stern and quiet Taoist priest? Brother Li, you deserve a good rest."

Doctor Li nodded without thinking too much, and then told Xuanji not to touch that addictive and harmful thing, and then went back. When he went back, he felt his headache worsen, as if a hammer was hitting his head.

He was puzzled. Why did he suddenly have such a headache? Could it be that he had been thinking too much recently?

Doctor Li drank the medicine, endured the headache and wrote a letter to his master, put it in the secret letter box, and waited for someone to pick it up. Then he went to sleep to rest.

Tao Rui knew the original script and, naturally, how Doctor Li and Xuanji were connected to their accomplices. He ordered Hai Fuan to lead a secret investigation, and following Doctor Li's secret letter, they found the hiding place of his accomplices. However, it would take time to investigate how many people there were, and how many accomplices they might have implicated elsewhere, so for now, they had to be kept in custody.

However, Hai Fuan also had a number of secret guards under his command, and they had already kept a close eye on the few remnants of the previous dynasty who had emerged. Similarly, the Empress Dowager had left many people in the court, otherwise, how could she have overthrown Prime Minister Liu?

After Tao Rui researched which officials were truly useful, he assigned them to vacant positions in the court. Even if it was just a censor, he'd still take up his place. There were only a few people with influence in the court, so who would complain about having too many people?

Naturally, his appointment of officials this time was blocked by the Regent, but Tao Rui's reason was very crude. These people were all praised by the Empress Dowager. If he didn't use them, would he use the people who were reprimanded by the Empress Dowager? The Empress Dowager had previously ruled the country from behind the curtain, so the people she praised must be right.

The Regent and some ministers had begun to suspect Tao Rui of deliberately placing his own people in the position. But they had no concrete evidence. Those individuals had indeed been praised by the Grand Empress Dowager, so there was nothing wrong with them. Tao Rui's actions only made them more wary. If Tao Rui was an idiot, they could still play it safe. But if Tao Rui was feigning stupidity, then... anyone with an unclear attitude could be purged, and few could rest easy.

Tao Rui stirred up trouble in the court, making it difficult for people to tell what was going on, so that they could learn everything about being an emperor as quickly as possible, buying themselves a lot of time. The situation inexplicably stabilized, revealing a calm before the storm.

The ministers of the previous dynasty had all experienced great storms and waves, and were more stable in times like this. They all waited patiently, taking no action if possible. The regent also restrained himself and did not confront Tao Rui in the court anymore.

But he obviously hadn't taught his daughter this skill. Concubine Chen, feeling humiliated by Tao Rui's cancellation of the imperial concubines' visit, had been plotting with the nanny to drug Tao Rui. After days of this, they finally found their chance.

Rong Fei went to see the Empress Dowager, saying that the sisters hadn't had a proper reunion since entering the palace, and they still couldn't recognize each other. Although mourning should be kept low-key, it was still necessary to recognize those who should be recognized. The Empress Dowager took advantage of the situation and held a family banquet, inviting all the concubines and Tao Rui to attend.

Rong Fei had no choice. She was from the Chen family and had originally been the most likely candidate to become empress. But then the Grand Empress Dowager suddenly passed away, and her grandfather, the head of the Chen family, returned home to retire. Now the family's hopes rested on her, hoping she would give birth to a prince and become empress. Of course, she had to find a way to get ahead.

Now, when she proposed some activities, it basically meant that she wanted to have the final say. As long as she could gradually suppress the other concubines, she could become the leader of the concubines.

The Queen Mother had always wanted to take charge of the harem, but she lost the chance after being rebuked by Tao Rui. Now Rong Fei came to her door. She used this as an excuse to organize banquets and interfered with many positions such as the imperial kitchen. If Tao Rui did not care, she could interfere in other matters in the future.

The two of them hit it off and organized this banquet.

The Concubine Chen rarely argued with them and was actually very excited. Before leaving, she even pulled the nanny aside and asked, "Have you arranged everything? Are you sure you won't be discovered?"

The nanny said with a smile, "This banquet was organized by the Empress Dowager, and the matter was proposed by Concubine Rong. What does it have to do with us? Master, remember, you just need to eat and drink your fill today and then come back. As for what happened over there, no matter how you are judged, you will not be held responsible."

Concubine Chen laughed, "Even if it comes to me, what can I do? He dares to touch me?"

The master and servant were fearless and set off for the banquet with a sense of humour. They were in the harem and didn't know how "vigorous" Tao Rui was in the court. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been so relaxed.

After all the concubines arrived, the Queen Mother sent someone to invite Tao Rui. Tao Rui was troubled by the thought of a banquet. In theory, those women were all his women, so how could this be a good banquet? It was clearly a Hongmen Feast.

Tao Rui dropped the memorial and stood up, saying, "Let's go see what they're fussing about. I think they have too much free time. They should all be copying scriptures for the Empress Dowager."

Deshun looked at his master with his eyes and nose, not daring to say a word. None of these masters' affairs were within his power to interfere.

Tao Rui was about to leave when Hai Fuan suddenly arrived, his face somewhat serious. He reported, "Your Majesty, please be careful today. I have discovered that Concubine Chen has set up a complete scheme to plot against Your Majesty."

Tao Rui became curious, "How is she going to plot against me?"

Hai Fuan said, "The Concubine Chen arranged for someone to give you a drug that would enhance your sexual pleasure, and also sent a young palace maid. Regardless of whether the Emperor can see that young palace maid or not, as long as the drug is used and he favors her tonight, then all the previous talk of observing mourning will become a laughing stock."

Tao Rui thought the Concubine Chen was so angry she was going to poison him, and that all this was just a way to liven things up. He was speechless, "Even if I really did favor someone, wouldn't it be so secretive if I killed everyone who knew about it afterwards? Does she think such a small thing can cause me to lose face in front of the whole world?"

Hai Fuan bowed his head and reported, "The person ordered by Concubine Chen to do this was ostensibly Concubine Rong's man. I have discovered that before Concubine Chen entered the palace, she secretly arrested some of the servants' families to force them to obey her orders. This person is one of them. If the emperor hadn't ordered a thorough investigation of the harem, I wouldn't have discovered this."

"If I don't find out, I'll find out about Concubine Rong and blame her. And my mother, who organized the banquet, will definitely be the one I'm angry about." Tao Rui smiled. "She has a good idea."

"Your Majesty, rest assured. I will apprehend the perpetrators. However, to prevent them from resorting to other tactics, could Your Majesty take two of them with you? I have personally trained them. They know some martial arts and are quite agile."

Tao Rui nodded in agreement. "It would be best if I had someone useful by my side. You don't need to worry about the Concubine Chen drugging me. Just find out who was involved. I have my own plans."

Hai Fuan was stunned, and suddenly thought that Tao Rui had been pretending to be a pig and eating the tiger, so he must have his own power, and it was reasonable for him to want to solve the problem himself.

But he really didn't expect that Tao Rui was hiding so deeply that even he couldn't find him.

Tao Rui's move was a bit mysterious, but if he wanted Hai Fuan to truly surrender, he had to use some tricks.

He brought two skilled men sent by Deshun and Hai Fuan to the banquet. One was a eunuch, the other a palace maid. They looked very ordinary, the kind that would be invisible in a crowd, and inconspicuous. Tao Rui led them past the concubines and sat next to the empress dowager, but no one noticed them. They were perfect for hiding.

The Dowager, acting like an elder, said a few polite words before turning the conversation over to Concubine Rong. Concubine Rong smiled and said, "I wonder if the Emperor still recognizes me and my sisters. I suggested we have a small gathering today because I want everyone to get to know each other better. After all, we'll be together for a long time. How about I introduce them to the Emperor?"

Tao Rui really couldn't remember all the concubines. They were all chosen by the Empress Dowager. The original owner only had Liu Si in his heart. At most, he knew Concubine Chen and Concubine Rong. But why did he cooperate with Concubine Rong's performance?

Without even glancing at Concubine Rong, he raised his chin to the other concubines and said, "Start from this side, each of you stand up and tell me who you are and which family you belong to."

The first one over there was Concubine Chen. Concubine Rong's expression changed and she sat down silently. Concubine Chen glanced at her with a hint of pride, then stood up and said with a smile: "Your Majesty, there is no need to introduce me, right?"

"Why? What's the difference between you and them?" Tao Rui leaned back in his chair and looked up at her. His expression was indifferent, as if he was simply expressing doubt.

The Concubine Chen felt deeply humiliated. She was the daughter of the Prince Regent, so who wouldn't know her? Tao Rui actually said she was different from those women? Didn't that mean she couldn't be the Empress?

The Concubine Chen was not willing to indulge him and said angrily, "Your Majesty, we have known each other since childhood, and it has been more than ten years now. Have you forgotten me? Have you forgotten my father? You are truly a forgetful person. But are you too busy with government affairs? Just tell me, and my father can still help."

Tao Rui turned to look at the Empress Dowager, "Mother, this is my first time taking a concubine, and I'm very confused. In my father's harem, were the concubines always yelling at the emperor like this?"

The Queen Mother frowned, "Of course not! Concubine Chen, where are your rules? This isn't the Regent's residence. Now that you've entered the palace, you must abide by its rules. Otherwise, I'd like to ask the Regent how he raised his daughter. Or is it just that the Regent's family has no rules?"

No matter how arrogant the Concubine Chen was, she knew she couldn't argue back. Otherwise, it would affect the reputation of her brothers and sisters in the clan, and she wouldn't get any good results. She and Tao Rui could argue, but in front of the Empress Dowager, an elder, she had to bow down.

Concubine Chen bowed reluctantly and said with a stiff face, "I have behaved rudely. Please forgive me, Your Majesty and Your Majesty the Empress Dowager. I, Jiang, am the only daughter of the Prince Regent. I was chosen by the Empress Dowager to enter the palace as Concubine Chen."

Tao Rui took a sip of wine and said coldly, "So you know the rules. Why didn't you tell me that earlier? Sit down, next one."

Tao Rui ordered the next one. Concubine Chen had no chance to speak, so she could only sit down, feeling frustrated. She glanced back at the nanny. She couldn't wait any longer; she was about to see Tao Rui embarrass himself. What do you mean by favoring a palace maid? It would be better if Tao Rui were to be publicly embarrassed at this banquet. Then he'd have the nerve to criticize others for being unruly!

The nanny understood and took two steps back unnoticed. Seeing that no one was paying attention, she left quietly.

Tao Rui didn't look in their direction, but the system could scan the surroundings. The system was always monitoring the situation around Tao Rui. Naturally, he saw that the nanny had left, and soon the palace servant who served wine behind him was replaced by someone else.

During the banquet, it was Cheng Qianqian's turn to be introduced. She stood up and bowed confidently, saying, "I am Cheng. My grandfather was the Duke of the Protectorate, once a general. He injured his leg while guarding the frontier, and no longer had the opportunity to fight on the battlefield, so he could only stay at home. I was fortunate enough to be chosen by the Empress Dowager to enter the palace as Concubine Chun. When I first entered the palace, I accidentally fell into the water, but was blessed by the Emperor's dragon energy and recovered."

Tao Rui wanted to laugh. Dragon Qi? She actually came up with that.

She wanted to remind him to investigate the incident of falling into the water, and also emphasized that her father injured his leg while guarding the border, and her family had made contributions to the country.

Only she, having traveled through time, dared to mention the Protector of the Country. She truly thought he was a great hero. But in reality, no matter how heroic he was, it couldn't change the fact that the late emperor died in battle beside him. No one in the royal family would forgive him. Giving him an empty title was a sign of the Protector of the Country's cleverness, earned through his immense military achievements and power.

The original owner didn't like Cheng Qianqian from the beginning, probably because Cheng Qianqian mentioned the Duke of Protectorate. However, Tao Rui also felt that the Duke of Protectorate was a great hero, a good person, and very smart.

So he followed Cheng Qianqian's wishes, sat up straight, and asked with interest, "Is your grandfather the General Cheng who repelled the Hu Kingdom? I have long wanted to meet him. That battle was extremely difficult and dangerous. Even my father died in it. In the end, General Cheng fought with all his might and really repelled the Hu Kingdom. Incredible!"

The Queen Mother's expression changed drastically, "Your Majesty..."

Tao Rui turned to look at her. "Why, doesn't your Majesty Mother think that the Duke of Protecting the Country is a hero to all the people of our dynasty? Without him, the border would have been lost long ago, and how many people would have suffered? The Empress Dowager conferred the title of Duke of Protecting the Country on General Cheng. The very words 'Protecting the Country' acknowledge his achievements."

The Empress Dowager didn't know what to say. While it was true that General Cheng had meritorious service, he'd injured his leg, unable to walk, and had voluntarily surrendered his military command. If the Empress Dowager didn't appease him, didn't reward him, the soldiers wouldn't obey. But their anger was directed at the Duke of Protectorate. How could the Emperor be so foolish? Couldn't he even see that?

Not only the Empress Dowager thought so, but also the Concubine Chen and the Concubine Rong. But Tao Rui didn't care what they thought. He continued to say to Cheng Qianqian: "Your grandfather was able to repel such a powerful army. He must have extraordinary abilities. It's a waste of his talent to stay idle at home."

The Queen Mother frowned and said, "Your Majesty, the Duke of Protectorate was seriously injured and unable to walk. Although it is regrettable, he cannot return to the court."

Tao Rui said, "Who said he should return to the court? How tiring it must be to go to court every day? I want him to come to the palace to teach me how to deploy troops and give me some advice on the imperial guards."

"Enter the palace?"

"Of course, this way, our dynasty won't lose a capable person, and the Protector of the Country can continue to serve the court. It's like killing two birds with one stone. Why not?" Tao Rui smiled as if it was natural. "Let's do it, Deshun, go and announce the decree tomorrow."

Cheng Qianqian's expression changed slightly. She wasn't actually looking for a job for Grandpa. In her mind, people of Grandpa's generation should have retired, especially since the Protector of the Country couldn't even walk. She was so rude, actually finding a job for Grandpa, who was so relaxed.

Cheng Qianqian tried to find an excuse to decline, but Tao Rui didn't give her a chance. He continued, "You just mentioned that thing, the drowning incident. By the way, Deshun, didn't I ask you to investigate? Have you found anything?"

Concubine Chen and Concubine Rong felt a pang of fear in their hearts at the same time and looked at each other.

Deshun stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I have investigated carefully. On the day Concubine Chun fell into the water, Concubine Chen and Concubine Rong were also at the lakeside, along with ten palace maids and four young eunuchs. First, the palace maid next to Concubine Chen slipped and nearly hit Concubine Rong. Concubine Rong happened to walk away and accidentally tripped Concubine Chun.

The maid who slipped happened to bump into Concubine Chun. She didn't fall into the water herself, but Concubine Chun was knocked into the lake. Concubine Chun couldn't swim, and neither could the people present. This delayed them for some time, and by the time Concubine Chun was rescued, she had already died.

Deshun's few words spelled out the conflict and calculations involved. It wasn't like she was ice skating; how could she easily bump into someone? Could Concubine Chen's maids even get so close to Concubine Rong? It was clear that Concubine Chen was plotting against Concubine Rong, aiming to embarrass her upon entering the palace, and also demonstrating that the Prince Regent's Palace wasn't afraid of the Grand Empress Dowager.

As a result, Rong Fei saw through her calculations and deliberately dragged Chunpin into it, letting Chunpin suffer for her. This way, if there was an investigation, it would be traced back to Chen Fei, and if there was no investigation, Chunpin would just endure it herself, anyway, it had nothing to do with her.

However, the Empress Dowager had just passed away, so no one investigated the matter. Concubine Chun became Cheng Qianqian, and she didn't hold back. She took the opportunity to bring the matter to the Emperor. It just so happened that Tao Rui had Hai Fuan and his men under his command, so the investigation into the palace's affairs was much clearer than before. Among the palace servants by the lake, one was Hai Fuan's subordinate.

Concubine Chen stood up first and apologized, "It was someone in my palace who didn't stand firmly and bumped into Sister Chunpin. I have already punished that maid. I will send some supplements to Sister Chunpin later to help her recover. I hope Sister Chunpin will not blame me."

This kind of evidence, which is not considered evidence, is not feared by Concubine Chen at all. She took the initiative. How could Concubine Chun dare to care? How could the Duke of Huguo dare to offend the Regent?

But before Cheng Qianqian could respond, Tao Rui spoke up, "It's been so long since Concubine Chun fell into the water, and you're just now remembering to send her some tonics? You really don't have good manners. Mother, please find two good maids and send them to Concubine Chen to help her learn the rules."

Concubine Chen's face darkened. "Your Majesty, what do you mean by this? The Grand Empress Dowager passed away, and I wanted to avoid causing trouble, so I held off on sending the supplements. But when you mentioned it today, I immediately thought of sending it. I always keep this in mind. How could I not understand the rules?"

"If you can't discipline the palace maids well, then you have bad rules. Let Mammy help you teach your palace maids." Tao Rui took a sip of wine and said to the concubines, "You are all the same. I don't care who your daughters are in the past, or how high your fathers, grandfathers, or brothers are. Once you enter my harem, you must abide by the rules. Anyone who doesn't follow the rules must learn them well before leaving."

Not only does the Concubine Chen have to learn the rules now, she is also under house arrest!

The Concubine's face turned pale and blue with rage. She could only sit down indignantly, her eyes cast down, a cold expression on her face. She saw Tao Rui drink two more glasses of wine, having already swallowed a good portion of the medicine, and she sneered inwardly. This damned emperor, wait for his disgrace!

After Tao Rui finished punishing Concubine Chen, he looked at Concubine Rong. Concubine Rong hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, I didn't trip Sister Chunpin. It was a very chaotic day, and I was surrounded by palace maids. How could I have bumped into her?"

Tao Rui drank another glass of wine and said, "Are you saying that my people are so stupid that they can't even figure out such a small matter?"

"No, that's not what I meant..."

"I only believe what I have found out. Since you can't even stand steadily, mother, please find a nanny with good manners to teach her. At least she should learn how to walk and maintain balance, so that she won't accidentally trip anyone in the future. If she trips me or mother, you will lose ten heads! Don't walk around before you learn well, or you might sprain your ankle." Tao Rui said bluntly and drank another glass of wine.

He was so unreasonable that Rong Fei couldn't refute him. The mood of watching Chen Fei laugh at her was long gone. She had organized a good banquet, but she didn't get any benefits and was even confined to her house. If she had known earlier, she would have thought of another way.

Tao Rui raised his chin towards Cheng Qianqian, "Princess Chun is the descendant of a hero, yet she encountered such a crisis after entering the palace. I really feel ashamed of General Cheng! In my opinion, it wasn't my dragon energy that protected Concubine Chun, but rather the Cheng family's great fortune. Just as General Cheng was able to repel the enemy back then, Concubine Chun also relied on the Cheng family's blessing to save her life.

Promote Concubine Chun to Concubine Duan Chun."

The character "Duan" means justice, and the character "Chun" means simplicity, which is quite suitable for Cheng Qianqian. The concubine with the two-character title immediately surpassed everyone and became the head of the palace concubines.

Everyone looked at Tao Rui. Concubine Chen frowned and couldn't help but question, "The Grand Empress Dowager said that promotion would depend on the situation and the offspring. What merits and qualifications does Concubine Chun have that the Emperor wants to give her such a title?"

"It depends on the situation and the offspring. That's right, I'm attracted by the fact that she's the descendant of a great hero and the great blessing she brings to the Cheng family. I'm promoting her to be a concubine to add more blessings to the harem." Tao Rui took another sip of wine, and he drank up the pot of wine that the palace maid had drugged.

The maid poured the wine and found it was gone. Her face changed and she quickly replaced it with another pot of wine before quietly retreating. She was afraid that Tao Rui would only take a sip and give a large dose. In the end, Tao Rui drank it all. I'm afraid... he's going to lose his mind, right?

Cheng Qianqian was a little confused during the banquet, but she didn't miss this good opportunity. She quickly bowed and thanked the emperor, "Your Majesty, I thank you on behalf of my grandfather. Long live the emperor. The Cheng family will serve the emperor for generations and do our utmost to assist him in governing this peaceful and prosperous era."

Tao Rui gave her a funny look and asked her to sit down and eat. She was quite good at flattering him. Tao Rui pointed to two dishes in front of him that were only available to the emperor and the empress dowager, and asked Deshun to bring them to Cheng Qianqian.

Deshun, also an expert at flattery, went over and said with a smile, "Congratulations, Empress Duan Chun. The Emperor said these two dishes are delicious. Please try them, Empress Duan Chun."

Cheng Qianqian nodded modestly and began to taste it. It tasted really good, the best thing she had ever eaten in her life. It was indeed worthy of being the imperial kitchen, worthy of being a dish made for the emperor.

Seeing this, Concubine Chen was so angry that she could not bear it any longer. The character "Chen" in her name was obtained with great difficulty by her father and the Empress Dowager. Why did Tao Rui let the daughter of the Duke of Protector of the Country surpass her so casually?

She stood up suddenly, wanting to question Tao Rui, but her legs and feet felt weak, and she fell back down. She shook her head vigorously, but felt even more dizzy. Her eyes were unfocused, and she began to tear at her clothes, "...It's so hot...so hot..."

Tao Rui put down his chopsticks and frowned as he looked over. Naturally, the others didn't dare to eat anymore and followed suit. The Queen Mother angrily scolded, "Concubine Chen! What are you doing? How can this be considered proper?"

However, Concubine Chen seemed to be unable to hear, and she really could not hear. She was completely immersed in her own world, not knowing what she wanted. She just followed her instincts, tore off her outer palace dress, and then tore off her underwear.

The Queen Mother immediately stood up, pointed at her and sternly said, "Tie her up and take her to Ci'an Palace! Where are the people around her?"

At this moment, a young eunuch came over and whispered something in Deshun's ear. Deshun's face changed, and he hurried to Tao Rui's ear and whispered, "Your Majesty, it seems that the maid that Concubine Chen used was drugged. She was caught in the small garden outside by Eunuch Hai. And the maid she arranged to do it to you is the same maid she wanted to favor you with."

Deshun stuttered, it was unbelievable. Weren't they trying to harm the emperor? Why did he have to suffer the consequences?

Tao Rui raised his eyebrows and said, "Tie those people up and bring them here. I'll see where they are from."

The Queen Mother frowned and asked, "Your Majesty, who is it? What happened?"

Tao Rui glanced at the imperial concubines and leaned back in his chair. "We caught a few people outside who look similar to the Concubine Chen. This banquet is truly interesting. Mother, if every small gathering has to be noisy, then I don't think there will be any need for small gatherings in the future. I'm busy with government affairs, and I just want to eat quietly when I eat. I don't want to be so tired and exhausted."

The Queen Mother's face was not looking good. She took a deep breath, sat down and said, "Your Majesty is absolutely right. There is something fishy about this matter. I will definitely investigate it thoroughly to find out who is behind this."

Tao Rui waved his hand. "How dare I burden my mother with this? Just let Deshun handle this trivial matter. It's more important for my mother to help Concubine Chen and Concubine Rong select some nurses and teach them well."

Rong Fei pursed her lips. This sounded like she was uneducated. They were cousins, after all. Tao Rui always claimed to be filial to the Grand Empress Dowager, but how could he not care for her, a member of the Chen family? She and her sisters had fought tooth and nail for the chance to enter the palace. Who could have imagined it would be so difficult?

She was still thinking about keeping a low profile and not stealing the spotlight from Concubine Chen. She looked up and saw one of her maids being tied up and brought over, and her expression changed immediately.

Tao Rui glanced at the three people who were tied up. Their faces were flushed and they looked very uncomfortable. However, because they were tied tightly and their mouths were tightly gagged, nothing unpleasant happened.

Tao Rui said to Deshun, "Check the roster immediately. I want to know where they came from, who they served, and what they did tonight. If this kind of Chinese medicine was targeting me, what would happen now?"

The Queen Mother silently pinched her palms, a cold sweat breaking out. If the Emperor had been the victim, she would be finished. Such a huge loophole had occurred in her banquet. Four people had been poisoned. It was obvious that the person who administered the drugs had done it with ease. How were the people below her supposedly doing their jobs? How could she even bring up the matter of managing the harem with Tao Rui?

The three men were tied up there, and Deshun immediately took people to investigate. Tao Rui caught a glimpse of Cheng Qianqian's expression from the corner of his eye. She was staring at the three men with wide eyes. Although she tried her best to hide it, it was still obvious that she was very... excited.

Cheng Qianqian was so excited. How long had it been since she came here? And she was already seeing the palace fighting scene!

Concubine Chen had fallen into such a terrible state, it must have been Concubine Rong's fault. Now that the Emperor had clearly decided to investigate thoroughly, how could Concubine Rong escape unscathed? These two people really deserved it, they should both be banished to the cold palace.

But wasn't it all a little too smooth for her? She felt as if her great vengeance had been avenged. She had even been promoted, her grandfather had also been promoted to an official position, and I heard that her father had recently been promoted to a high-ranking official. Could it be that their family had truly experienced some great blessing, and was about to rise to prominence?

Cheng Qianqian's heart trembled, she felt that the world of palace fighting could not be so peaceful, so she quickly collected her thoughts and lowered her eyes, glancing at Tao Rui, the Queen Mother, and other concubines out of the corner of her eyes, silently reducing her presence.

She has watched so many TV dramas and read so many novels, but she has no practical experience. Apart from being fearless and having a golden finger, she has nothing else.

Although it's been going pretty smoothly so far, she still needs to be cautious. Unfortunately, she'd already tried it in the lake, so she couldn't wear it back or anywhere else. In an ancient time where women had no human rights, being a high-ranking concubine would be more comfortable. She had to keep her position.

Tao Rui saw how quickly she had gotten into the mood, and raised his eyebrows, not looking at her again. Meanwhile, the people Deshun had sent out quickly returned with their reports. Hai Fuan had already investigated everything, and was just pretending to do so.

The medicine was found in the room of Concubine Chen's nanny. The little maid had just entered the palace a few days ago. She was an inconspicuous little maid in the Empress Dowager's palace, but it was the nanny who used her connections to arrange for the medicine to be dispensed. She was the nanny's niece.

The palace maid who poured wine for Tao Rui was the senior palace maid in the Empress Dowager's palace, but she had a younger sister who worked in Rong Fei's palace. No one knew the relationship between the two sisters.

Why would the aunt and niece hide their relationship? Why would the sisters hide their relationship?

The Empress Dowager's face instantly turned livid with rage. She slammed the table and shouted, "You are so good, Rong Fei! You have even reached into my palace! What do you want to do? What kind of wine do you want to give to the Emperor?"

Rong Fei knelt down, sweating profusely, and pleaded guilty, crying, "Empress Dowager, please calm down. I am innocent, I am innocent! I don't even know who this person is, let alone that she has a sister in my palace. This...this is the first time I've seen her."

"Do you need to see someone in person when you ask them to do something? She's in this state, and she just poured wine for the emperor. Who knows what she's up to? And the Concubine Chen actually sent the nails to my palace. These people are all rebellious!" The Queen Mother said angrily, "Your Majesty, hand these people over to me. I will investigate thoroughly!"

Tao Rui didn't object this time and nodded, saying, "Then I'll trouble you, mother. I'm troubled by their annoyance, so I'll be leaving now. These two are so cunning. First, they caused Concubine Duan Chun to fall into the water and nearly die. Now they did this at your banquet. They are unfit to be concubines. They will be temporarily demoted to concubines and stripped of their titles. If we find out they have other schemes, they will be banished to the cold palace."

Rong Fei was stunned and immediately burst into tears, "Your Majesty! Your Majesty, please don't do this. I am innocent. I didn't hurt anyone—"

Tao Rui stood up and said, "Then prove your innocence. If you have no ill intentions at all, why did you let the sisters hide their identities? If you don't even know they are sisters, then you are not worthy of being a concubine if you don't control your subordinates."

It was impossible to explain that Rong Fei's subordinates were sisters with the head maid in the Empress Dowager's palace. Who would be a fool to believe that she didn't know? If she was caught planting a spies in the Empress Dowager's palace, it would be a wonder that the Empress Dowager would forgive her. However, Tao Rui's order calmed the Empress Dowager. She hadn't considered demoting the two concubines to concubines yet. Who knew Tao Rui would be so straightforward, not afraid of offending the Regent and the Chen family?

The Empress Dowager waved her hand and ordered people to take the three tied-up palace maids and Rong Fei into Ci'an Palace. Tao Rui also left, and the other palace concubines naturally followed suit.

Now that the two leading concubines had fallen, the remaining two concubines and ten beauties surrounded Cheng Qianqian and walked away, congratulating her implicitly. She was more than just the head of the imperial concubines now, wasn't she? She was the only concubine left in the palace, and the others were of lower rank than her, requiring them to bow when they saw her.

Furthermore, the emperor himself said that Cheng Qianqian was very lucky, and that since he had chosen her as a hero, she would most likely be unstoppable in the future. If they wanted to rely on a high-ranking concubine, of course she would be the first choice.

Cheng Qianqian maintained a decent smile and spoke to them neither enthusiastically nor coldly. She returned to her palace, closed the door, and drank a sip of spiritual spring water to calm herself down.

This palace life was so exciting. She was promoted in the blink of an eye, and those two domineering people were demoted in the blink of an eye. It turns out that the imperial power is really so powerful, all based on the ability to calm anger and have the final say. She was so envious, she wished she could be the emperor.

Unfortunately, such a beautiful thing can only be dreamed of. Fortunately, the emperor gave her such a good start.

Silently, she reflected on everything she'd experienced during her time travel and everything she'd learned about this world. She pondered and pondered, finally realizing she had finally figured it out. Tao Rui was an emperor threatened by the Regent and the Chen family, wasn't that what they showed on TV? This kind of emperor was either a loser or a formidable opponent. Either way, he definitely disliked the Regent and the Chen family.

I'm afraid she'll tell the emperor about the drowning incident, and the emperor will take this opportunity to punish the concubines of the two families because they can't give birth to a prince!

When she figured this out, she suddenly remembered that she was now the only concubine, and the emperor even said that she was blessed...

Did the emperor treat her as a lucky charm and wanted her to give birth?

Or did the emperor choose her to bear the child because he felt that the Protector of the Country was not a threat and was loyal?

She is only sixteen years old now!!

It's no wonder Cheng Qianqian was thinking about having a child. In ancient times, marrying at this age would have forced her to have children. Frowning, she paced the room several times, only to see the scriptures on the table and remember that Tao Rui had ordered a three-year mourning period. She breathed a sigh of relief. It was all right. Although she would only be nineteen in three years, she could still decide when the time came. Who knows, by then, there might already be a noble concubine or empress, and it wouldn't be her turn.

Now that she'd gotten her revenge and held a high position, she'd settle down and settle down in the palace. If she had the chance, she'd try to climb the ladder; if not, she'd just sit there and wait for death. After that, she planned to stay indoors, copying scriptures for the Grand Empress Dowager and practicing her calligraphy from this world.

Tao Rui returned to the palace and told Hai Fuan to bring the Empress Dowager some useful