As night fell and the lanterns were lit, Rong Yang and Rong Ning walked out of Chaoyang Palace. The sky was already pitch black. Palace maids carried lanterns and walked ahead to light the way, creating dappled shadows.

It was early February, and the night was still a bit chilly. A gust of wind blew by, making Rong Yang shiver.

Seeing this, Rong Ning quickly said, "Go and get a cloak for my sister!"

His voice was full of concern.

However, Rong Yang gently waved her hand, indicating that it was not necessary, "No need to go to such trouble... It's not actually that cold."

"Sister, please don't push yourself too hard. If you catch a cold and get sick, you'll feel terrible," Rong Ning said, frowning and looking at her sister with concern.

Rong Yang simply smiled and shook her head, indicating that she was fine. "It's alright. I heard that in Da Jing, the snow hasn't melted in some places in February, and it's very cold. Thinking about it that way, let's just consider this bit of cold we're experiencing now as a way to get used to it in advance."

The Southern Dynasties were located in the south, so winters were generally pleasant.

“Sister…don’t say that…” Rong Ning hesitated, wanting to say something but stopping herself.

"A-Ning, the marriage alliance is settled, so don't dwell on it anymore," Rong Yang gently interrupted his sister, a hint of helplessness flashing in his eyes.

Rong Ning wouldn't let the matter of the marriage alliance rest on, but she couldn't say anything more to her elder sister, otherwise it would only make her angrier, so she could only remain silent.

Seeing her like this, Rong Yang sighed inwardly, took her hand, and changed the subject, "A Ning... what do you think about the matter of establishing an empress?"

"I don't really want to."

Rong Ning replied coldly, "I don't think this harem needs an empress at all. Whether it's promoting a concubine or choosing a new empress, I don't really want to see it. I especially don't want to let another girl from the Marquis of Cheng'en's family enter the palace."

As she said this, Rong Ning's eyes were filled with disdain and incomprehension. "Sister... what do you think the Marquis of Chengen's mansion is thinking?"

My mother and the Imperial Concubine both came from the Marquis's residence. If another girl from this generation were to be sent in, it would mean skipping a generation!

Their father is their uncle!

The Marquis of Chengen's residence is simply... incomprehensible!

“That makes sense,” Rong Yang nodded in agreement.

This is also what Rong Yang finds very offensive.

Consort Gui came from a humble background, and both her father, the emperor, and the marquis's family probably felt that she was not worthy of the empress's position.

However, the Imperial Concubine has been diligent and conscientious in recent years, and has made no mistakes in anything she has done. It would be quite embarrassing to humiliate her simply because of her birth.

The two palaces were close to each other, and they arrived at Zhaoqing Palace in no time. Rong Ning dismissed her attendants, pulled Rong Yang to sit down, and said earnestly, "Sister... I don't think Father Emperor necessarily wants to establish an empress."

Rong Yang found this very strange and couldn't help but ask, "Why would you say that?"

Rong Ning gently shook her head, indicating that she didn't know why she had this feeling, but she had a strange intuition that her father didn't seem to have any intention of establishing an empress.

At least when my father seized power, he certainly didn't consider the issue of establishing an empress. If he had had this idea at the time, it should have been decided long ago, instead of being delayed until now.

Moreover, it's not that the Emperor wants to establish an Empress now, but rather that the officials are still incorrigible and have come up with the so-called "joint memorial" trick, claiming that the harem cannot be without a mistress for a day, forcing the Emperor to re-establish an Empress.

However, their father was not the kind of person who liked to be coerced.

Rong Ning sat there, her right index finger tapping lightly on the table, a habitual gesture she made when she was thinking.