He was going to retaliate against the Empress.

Xie Tingzhou knelt down and said, "Father, I have already spread the word that you intend to take Physician Han into the harem."

The people of the capital already know that it was the Empress Dowager who chose these women for you. I imagine the officials are already restless; please, Father, select a few women to fill the harem.

"You're crazy."

Upon hearing this, the Empress was truly driven mad.

"You actually arranged for your father to take a concubine. Aren't you afraid that people will laugh at you if word gets out?"

If other women enter the harem, can His Majesty not dislike them for a day, and can he not be tempted every day?

At her age, how could she compete for the emperor's favor with younger women? At this moment, the empress deeply regretted giving birth to Xie Tingzhou.

She even developed hatred towards him.

Xie Tingzhou said calmly, "This is the Empress Dowager's idea. What does it have to do with me if it gets out?"

Or does Mother want the world to know that even though I was betrothed to a princess of the Great Wei royal family, she was already planning to arrange for me to take a concubine before I even had a principal wife?"

The Empress choked!

No respectable family would do such a thing openly, let alone the mother of the nation. If word got out, how would she save face?

When the Great Wei learns of this, they will surely be furious and might even cancel the engagement, a consequence she cannot bear.

On the contrary, if she took the initiative to find concubines for the emperor, she could gain a reputation for virtue. The crown prince had calculated that this was the only path she could take.

She only wanted to win over the Crown Prince's heart with the female physician Han, so that he would side with her, his mother, instead of separating her from Ye Zhen.

But the Crown Prince went to such extremes.

She retorted angrily, "I am your mother! If I had known you would be so heartless, why would I have given birth to you..."

"shut up!"

The emperor, fearing she would say something even more hurtful, interrupted her.

"Your Highness, what do you mean by this?"

The emperor had a bad feeling and couldn't care less about being angry at his son for plotting against him.

Xie Tingzhou cupped his hands again, saying, "I hope my parents will choose a few daughters to fill the harem and continue the family line."

really!

The emperor was greatly alarmed.

“There’s no such thing as a grudge between a mother and son that lasts overnight. How could you say such things just to spite your mother? It hurts your parents’ feelings too much.”

The Crown Prince wants him to have more children, which means he has developed the idea of ​​leaving Dayuan.

The emperor began to reflect on whether he had failed to empathize with the crown prince, causing the prince to be heartbroken and leading him to have such thoughts.

No wonder he, who is usually so sensible, is so stubborn and reckless today.

Xie Tingzhou closed his eyes. "Father, don't you understand? Mother can no longer tolerate your son."

The Empress was already furious at his words about continuing the family line. "How could you be so cruel? Can't you bear to see your mother doing well?"

In the royal family, a mother's status always depends on her son. The emperor is still young, and if he has other children, his affections will inevitably be severed.

The crown prince has already lost his affection for her. At that time, what status will she, an empress without a son to rely on, have in the palace?

He's trying to kill himself.

Xie Tingzhou remained silent.

He was simply giving her a taste of her own medicine. The Empress had been living too comfortably these past few years, and with other women in the palace, she no longer had the energy to target Ye Zhen.

His silence was seen as a provocation by the Empress, who became so angry that she lost all reason.

"For the sake of a widow, you would scheme against your own mother like this. How can you face the suffering I endured for you all these years?"

Someone like me shouldn't have been born, but I still did, and this is how you repay me?

Or are you saying that just because you've climbed the social ladder in Wei, you can do whatever you want? The Crown Prince isn't indispensable to you...

"Shut up!"

The emperor, hearing her increasingly outrageous remarks, angrily said, "This empire belongs to me, and I have no right to dictate who should be the crown prince."

It seems he has indeed spoiled the Empress; now she can even spout nonsense about the throne.

Xie Tingzhou clenched his fists. "If there were no other considerations, would you really give birth to me?"

He had never thought about this question before, but since learning the Empress's true colors, he has thought about it a lot.

“Before it’s certain that Father Emperor will be able to ascend the throne, the child in your womb can also be the late Emperor’s, right?”

Having become pregnant gives you something to rely on. If Father succeeds, you will be a hero for carrying me through your hardship, and Father will be grateful to you for the rest of his life.

Out of guilt, she will make me the crown prince, and in that case, you will be the crown prince's mother.

Xie Tingzhou expressed his conjecture, "In those years, you didn't tell me your true background. Besides being afraid that people would scold me for being an illegitimate child and not being allowed to be the heir, did you have other thoughts?"

My existence is a constant reminder of your unpleasant past. Can you truly treat me kindly with resentment in your heart?

The Empress's deepest thoughts were exposed. She masked her anger and grabbed the Emperor, saying, "Your Majesty, listen to what he's saying!"

"No one else knows how difficult my past was, but you know it best. My family forced me to have an abortion, and I went to great lengths, disregarding my dignity, to keep him, only to receive such heartless words in return."

Clutching her chest, tears streaming down her face, she questioned the Crown Prince, "Do you have any conscience at all?"

Just pretend I didn't do it.

Xie Tingzhou lowered his gaze, "You said you regret giving birth to me, but did you ever ask me if I was willing to be born from your womb? Was I willing to bear the title of the late emperor's posthumous child?"

Have you ever asked me if I want to be like other children, with parents to call upon?

The Prince of Yun was jealous that I was the Crown Prince, so he plotted against me in many ways, but who ever asked me if I wanted to be the Crown Prince...?

"If you're so capable, then don't do it. Don't try to be innocent after getting the benefits."

The queen practically roared.

She was convinced that Xie Tingzhou was deliberately putting on airs to threaten her, but Xie Tingzhou kowtowed three times to the emperor.

"Father, I have experienced what it's like to have a father, and I am very content. I will always remember your kindness to me. I hope you take care of yourself."