"Your Majesty, I am so sorry."
The Oscar-winning actress is back online once again.
Zhou Jingzhi said softly, "I don't blame you. You were also harmed by treacherous people. Besides, I have no obsession with having or not having children."
"Nonsense!"
These words struck a nerve with the Empress Dowager. She slammed her hand on the table and angrily said, "The royal family has always valued the continuation of the imperial line. How can you just say you don't want it?"
Seeing her chance, Jian Yang immediately covered her face and wept:
"Your Majesty, it is all my fault. I know that I am unable to produce offspring for the royal family and have no descendants. I am ashamed before our ancestors. Today, I request to be deposed as Empress. I hope Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager will grant my request!"
With the combined pressure of childbirth and filial piety, she refused to believe the emperor could withstand it!
To everyone's surprise, the next moment, Jian Yang was pulled into his arms.
"Your Majesty, please do not say such things again. My position as Empress belongs to you alone for the rest of my life."
Jian Yang: "???"
No, brother, why would you think that?
This is not the result she wanted at all!
"I assure you, I will not mistreat you because of this, so you need not worry."
Jian Yang coughed up blood.
"Your Majesty," the Empress Dowager spoke softly, "there has never been a precedent in our dynasty for an empress not to bear children. Aren't you afraid that your ministers will criticize you?"
The emperor smiled faintly and said, "If there is no precedent, I will create one."
Seeing that the Empress Dowager was about to reprimand him again, the Emperor said, "If Mother insists, I have a way to satisfy both sides."
"What method is it?"
"From a relative to the empress."
After pondering for a moment, the Empress Dowager sighed and said, "Fine, I can't bring myself to break up this loving couple. You can arrange the adoption, Your Majesty. But there's one thing: this matter must not be known to anyone else."
"Your subject understands."
Jian Yang: "???"
Have these two forgotten that she exists?
After seeing off the Empress Dowager, Jian Yang finally couldn't hold back any longer.
"Your Majesty," she said with a stern face, "I don't understand, what exactly do you like about me?"
Can't she just change?
The emperor spoke almost without hesitation, "I admire the empress for her quick wit, unparalleled wisdom and courage, strategic planning, and diligence."
Listen to this! Is this even human language?!
A normal man is attracted to a woman either by her appearance or by her soul.
Someone as eloquent and articulate as the emperor is not someone you like.
Not only do I dislike them, but these comments also fit perfectly when applied to the emperor's ministers.
So in the emperor's eyes, she was just an excellent employee.
Very well, since the emperor values her work ability and that's why he won't let her go free, then don't blame her for starting to slack off!
From that day on, Jian Yang completely gave up.
She even started finding excuses not to go to Fuxi Palace to pay her respects every day.
Not only that, she no longer cared about any of the affairs, big or small, within the harem.
She avoids dealing with things that don't need to be dealt with, and if something absolutely has to be done, she just fudges it.
Soon, Jian Yang made more and more mistakes at work.
Even Eunuch Zhang could tell that she was doing this on purpose.
"Your Majesty, today another concubine accused the Empress of trying to smooth things over. Do you think we should ask her to tone it down a bit?"
The emperor was reading a book and didn't even look up as he said, "Send them away. The empress is unhappy, so let her vent."
"This servant understands."
It's fun to give up temporarily, and it's even more fun to keep giving up.
Jian Yang has recently tasted the sweetness of success.
At first, she would handle some unavoidable matters, but recently she discovered that Consort Xian was very talented in management.
So she generously relinquished her power to rule the harem and told Consort Xian not to be restrained and to do as she pleased.
This made Consort Xian feel flattered and overwhelmed.
From then on, Jian Yang completely settled into a carefree and leisurely life.
But the imperial harem is a place where gossip is never lacking.
She hadn't even had a few days of peace when she heard rumors spreading that she had deliberately exploited Consort Xian.
She was absolutely furious.
That's the power to rule the harem—a power that countless women dream of!
How can you call it exploitation?
This is clearly a case of one party willing to give and the other willing to receive!
However, Jian Yang didn't watch so many palace dramas for nothing.
From the moment she first heard the rumor, she knew someone was trying to cause trouble.
As for who is trying to cause trouble, she doesn't know for the time being.
But one thing is certain: someone is deliberately trying to sow discord between her and Consort Xian.
When the Empress is completely fooled, she will naturally turn against the Empress, and someone will surely benefit from it.
Jian Yang would never allow such a thing to happen.
So, during dinner with the emperor, Jian Yang, unlike her usual expressionless and listless self, stammered:
“Your Majesty, Consort Xian has been helping me with the affairs of the inner palace recently, and I am naturally very grateful. However, Consort Xian has nothing to lack, and after thinking it over, I believe that Consort Xian would most like Your Majesty to visit her.”
The emperor gave her a deep look.
Just when she thought the matter was about to fall through, the emperor nodded and said, "I will go see her later. Let's have our meal first."
Jian Yang was overjoyed!
He thought to himself that the emperor was truly loyal.
After dinner, the emperor indeed went to Cuiwei Palace, which he had not set foot in for thousands of years, as promised.
The news quickly spread like wildfire throughout the entire harem.
The rumors that the Empress oppressed Consort Xian were also disproven.
After all, if they really wanted to exploit her, why would they send the emperor to visit Consort Xian?
Waaah, she really is a good queen who seeks benefits for her sisters.
Although the emperor did not stay overnight at Cuiwei Palace that night, his willingness to step out of Weiyang Palace to visit other concubines was enough to excite others.
Now the concubines in the harem understood that as long as they could please the Empress, they would have a chance to see the Emperor!
Once I see the Emperor, I won't have to grow old and die alone in this palace anymore.
Even if she couldn't win the emperor's favor, giving birth to an imperial heir would be a great blessing.
Immediately, everyone had their own plans.
The next day, the threshold of Weiyang Palace was almost broken down by people.
Jian Yang had long anticipated that these women would come to fawn over him today, so he simply pretended to be sick and refused to see them.
However, this cannot continue indefinitely.
The concubines are now putting all their efforts into using her as a starting point to achieve their goal of meeting the emperor.
Why would they give up so easily?
then……
Unable to bear the harassment any longer, Jian Yang once again set her sights on the emperor.
"Your Majesty," Jian Yang said, her eyes crinkling like crescent moons, her voice so gentle it could melt water, "Only when the emperor's favor is bestowed equally can the six palaces be at peace. You must not show favoritism, or the censors will be restless."
The emperor, however, did not look up and continued eating his meal intently.
How annoying! I was completely ignored!
Jian Yang gritted her teeth, pondering how to send the emperor to one of the other concubines' palaces—
Suddenly, her eyes lit up.
I've got an idea!
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