Originally, Consort Xiao had always ignored Helian Jue.
I neither care nor dislike him; I treat him like a stranger with whom I share a blood relation.
On that day, Consort Xiao pretended not to know about Helian Jue's marriage, departure from the capital, and other important events.
However, Helian Jue was petty and vengeful.
He actually specifically requested that Xiao Zixiu, the younger brother of Consort Xiao and a confidant of the Third Prince, be made an official in the Prince of Yue's residence.
The title of "Military Commander of the Prince's Palace" sounds nice, but it still means being exiled to Lingnan with Helian Jue to suffer in the desolate land.
When Consort Xiao heard the news, she was furious and cursed repeatedly, "As expected, if you didn't raise it yourself, it won't be close to you."
"That bastard Helian Jue did it on purpose; he deliberately tried to harm his own uncle."
“I know he has always blamed me and the Xiao family, thinking that we were biased and unwilling to get close to him or take care of him.”
"Hmph, he doesn't even imagine what I had back then, besides the title of a favored concubine. How could I dare to be nice to him?"
How powerful was Empress Ashina in the palace at that time?
Leaving aside the fact that she was a concubine who came from a "female slave" background, even a saint, as a dignified emperor, would have to coax and indulge her.
There was no other way; if the Northern Dynasty wanted to conquer the Southern Dynasty, it had to appease the Turkic royal court first.
Otherwise, if things go wrong, they could be attacked from both sides, suffering a pincer attack from the Southern Dynasty and the Turks.
The sage's strategy was to first attack the Southern Dynasty, complete the unification, and then turn around to deal with the Turks.
Therefore, the saint bestowed special favor upon Empress Ashina, almost in a fawning manner!
As the most trusted woman of the emperor, Consort Xiao naturally held Empress Ashina in even higher esteem.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that they were extremely respectful.
After enduring nearly twenty years, the sage finally unified the north and south and decisively defeated the Turks.
They no longer have to tolerate it!
Although the emperor did not depose the empress, he did depose the crown prince, Helian Jue.
The imperial edict deposing the crown prince was written by the emperor in front of Consort Xiao.
Consort Xiao personally helped grind the ink.
In her heart, Helian Jue was no longer her son, but her humiliation!
However, Consort Xiao was not one to take her anger out on others. What she hated was her past helplessness, not Helian Jue himself.
Therefore, she neither liked nor disliked Helian Jue.
But when Helian Jue started targeting the Xiao family, Consort Xiao truly hated the son she had carried for ten months!
Subsequently, Helian Jue went even further.
Not only did they send Xiao Zixiu to the remote Lingnan region, they also dragged the Third Prince into their mess.
Originally, the Third Prince only needed to hide behind the Sage, quietly develop his power, and wait for the Sage to arrange everything for him.
Helian Jue deliberately set a trap, letting everyone see the truth that the Third Prince was the Emperor's beloved son, directly pushing the Third Prince into the eye of the storm.
Consort Xiao gritted her teeth in hatred, "That Helian Jue! Empress Ashina has truly raised him into a heartless wolf cub!"
"It's one thing to harm one's uncle, but to not even spare one's own brother who shares the same mother!"
"What exactly is he trying to do? What good would it do him to trick Sanlang?"
Harming others without benefiting oneself is simply inviting hatred.
Consort Xiao wished she could have strangled Helian Jue the moment he was born!
So when the Cui family tried every means to get to Consort Xiao's side, her first thought was: Huh, why didn't I think of that?
The capital city is three or four thousand miles away from Lingnan, so even if Consort Xiao wanted to punish Helian Jue, this unfilial son, she couldn't reach him.
However, she can't scold him to his face, but she can annoy him from a distance.
After returning to the capital, Xiao Zixiu was busy opening a candy shop to make money for the Third Prince and building connections. He also took the time to go to the palace and tell him about the movements of Helian Jue and Xie Yuan.
From Xiao Zixiu's account, the astute Consort Xiao discerned some clues—
Xie Yuan is a very capable woman.
He helped Helian Jue get soldiers and money, and he also used his recipes to exchange for weapons and horses for Helian Jue.
She would also build a royal palace, recruit soldiers, and train them.
Even the once-popular candy shop business seems to have been started by Xie Yuan.
When news of Helian Jue's occupation of Yuezhou reached the capital, people were astonished to discover that they had been deceived by Helian Jue's disguise.
Instead of becoming despondent, he ambitiously built a vast empire.
Behind all of this, Xie Yuan's wife deserves credit.
Like Empress Ashina, Consort Xiao was a rational and clear-headed person.
They all understand how important harmony between husband and wife is in a family.
To break this harmony, all you need is a concubine!
Empress Ashina thought of this; she felt sorry for her adopted son, so she did not offer Helian Jue any women.
Consort Xiao also thought of this; she hated the son she had given birth to, so she—
“Very well! Since Xie Arou is so deeply in love with the King of Yue, I, as her mother, should grant her wish.”
"Here's what I'll do. I'll write to Helian Jue and tell him that this is my order."
Besides agreeing to Cui's request to give Xie Rou to Helian Jue as a concubine, Consort Xiao also had her own ideas.
It is clear that Helian Jue has established a firm foothold in Lingnan and built a vast empire.
Consort Xiao was not someone who harmed others without benefiting herself.
She did want to punish Helian Jue, this unfilial son, but she wanted to gain more from it.
Cui's "request" reminded Consort Xiao.
She had to place people around Helian Jue.
If handled properly, it might even be able to help my own son.
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