The bet was simple: the emperor would refuse to appoint an empress and would feign illness.
When an emperor falls ill, it affects the fate of the nation.
The last time the news was leaked, it led to the creation of the concubine selection banquet. Chang Yan was very curious about what this time it would attract.
The personal guard asked, "Your Highness, shouldn't we do something?"
Chang Yan thought for a moment, then shook his head, then nodded.
"What does this mean?" The guard scratched his head, puzzled.
First, she refused to be made empress, and then she was unwell. These two things were enough to make Consort Ju wary. Anything else they did would be superfluous.
If this displeases the imperial family, it would be bad to break the original bet.
The reason for nodding is that, at the crucial moment, a little more fuel needs to be added to make the firewood burn even brighter.
"But anyone with eyes can see that the Imperial Concubine wants the Empress's position so that she can prepare for the Crown Prince to seize the throne," the guard muttered under his breath. "How come the imperial family just can't see through it?"
He smiled without saying a word at the long banquet.
The world is such that those involved are often confused, while bystanders see things clearly.
Moreover, if he really couldn't see through it at all, then why did he agree to this absurd bet?
The human mind is always complex. It may sense something is wrong, or it may deny it, but it may also force itself to admit it.
Some cruel and brutal truths can only be seen after they have been torn apart.
It was satisfying and thorough.
"What do we do next, Your Highness?" the guard asked again.
Chang Yan pursed his lips and uttered only one word, "Wait."
The imperial family had privately refused Consort Ju's request, but the people in Fengjing City were unaware of the truth, and rumors about her becoming empress grew louder and louder.
At this point, the Ju family was actually in a difficult position.
Try to justify yourself; you'll lose all face and substance.
Without offering explanations, it's like trying to cook oil over a hot fire—it will all lead nowhere.
Often at this point, behavior reveals one's true thoughts.
When Changyan received the news, he knew that the Ju family was about to put on a good show, as they only suppressed their voices in secret and did not stand up to stop or explain.
Rumors swirled in Fengjing, while affections in the imperial harem flowed endlessly.
After receiving a clear rejection, Consort Ju was indeed sullen for several days. However, when the emperor fell ill, she lovingly prepared food and soup for him, stayed by his side, and even fed him herself.
"Your Majesty, please try the lotus seed and white jade soup that I have stewed. It is most suitable for recuperation." The woman, who was nearly forty years old, looked beautiful because she was well-maintained. She was more plump and charming than a young girl, and her beautiful eyebrows and eyes made people turn their heads.
As a man, I actually have a certain amount of pride.
Because he gave his beloved girl a sense of security and allowed her to live a life of exclusive pampering and abundance.
The person you promised to grow old with when you were young can stay by your side in your old age—a commitment that most people cannot maintain.
The emperor sighed softly and sipped the soup from his mouth with a spoon.
"Is it delicious?" Consort Ju asked softly, her eyes shining with anticipation.
It felt like I was back in the past, back to that innocent yet mischievous little girl.
"It's delicious." Tianjia couldn't suppress his doting. "Aruo's cooking is always delicious."
Consort Ju didn't believe it, and put the spoon back into her mouth, but quickly spat it out with a bitter face, "Pah, pah, pah, it tastes so bad, how did you put it in your mouth?"
She waved her hand, signaling the servants to bring her freshly cooked porridge.
Her nails, painted with henna, picked up the white peony and handed it over again. "It's all my fault. Even with the Emperor's favor, I haven't learned how to cook porridge in twenty years. Next time, I will definitely learn how to cook delicious white jade porridge."
The emperor continued to open his mouth and obediently swallow, saying, "Leave the cooking of porridge to the servants. You just need to be happy every day."
"How can that be?" Consort Ju said reproachfully. "The porridge I cook is different from others. I am someone who walks alongside the Emperor. None of them love you as much as I do."
"Your Majesty, you are the only one in my heart."
"Your Majesty... I want to be with you forever and ever."
Before death, and after death.
Love is indeed possessive; it's unwilling to share even a tiny bit.
Even within the royal family, there are many things beyond one's control.
The Emperor's expression suddenly deepened. He watched as Consort Ju's affectionate and clingy behavior transformed into one of grievance and sadness, followed by tears and a renewed sense of hope. In the end, he hardened his heart and shook his head.
“Aruo.” His voice was low and sickly. “You know, I promised Father that I cannot break my promise.”
Consort Ju froze, withdrawing her hand from feeding the porridge, and didn't even notice the Emperor's disappointment.
"Are promises really that important? What promise can't be shaken even after twenty years?" She choked up softly. "But back then, we were the ones who fell in love first."
That night, the emperor and empress parted on bad terms once again.
If even past feelings can't shake her promise, then what in the world could possibly allow her to ascend to the throne?
By force? By coercion? Or by pleading?
Consort Ju stood there, tears streaming down her face, as if she were dead.
It was at this moment that Changyan truly made his move. He had the Imperial Medical Academy fabricate the illusion that the emperor was seriously ill, and then revealed it to the Ju family in absolute secrecy.
Absolutely secret, meaning even the emperor didn't know.
The trump card that the Yan family had been planning for half their lives was revealed once again at this moment.
At the end of the Lunar New Year, the head of the Ju family used the pretext of paying New Year's visits to convey new information to Consort Ju.
The details of the banquet are unknown, but it is said that the two siblings had a fight and even smashed two sets of teacups.
Of course, it was Consort Ju who took action. The head of the Ju family knelt on the ground and tried to persuade her earnestly, which finally made her waver a little.
What could they possibly discuss?
It's nothing more than the Empress's position, paving the way for the eldest prince, and establishing a crown prince.
When the master of this nation falls seriously ill, it means that a new heir must stand up and take over the responsibility.
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