"Li Zhaoyi is about to give birth."
Concubine Xue asked with a smile, but her eyes swept towards Jiang Shuyi.
Jiang Shuyi lowered her head slightly and did not respond to Concubine Xue.
Concubine Xue's heart was filled with alarm, and her eyes did not dwell on Jiang Shuyi. She smiled softly and looked at Li Zhaoyi's belly.
Li Zhaoyi smiled softly, "The baby will be born in more than a month."
Concubine Xue smiled and said, "Congratulations! This baby will definitely be a prince. Your Majesty, am I right?"
The emperor laughed heartily, "Of course it's the prince."
The princes sitting below all looked upset when they heard this.
Concubine Xue looked around and exchanged glances with Concubine Xian and Concubine Xiao without saying a word.
She laughed and asked Jiang Yan, "I wonder when Jiang Shuyi will be able to conceive a dragon seed?"
Jiang Yan lowered her eyebrows and smiled, saying, "When it's time, it will happen. Your Majesty is vigorous and energetic, and sooner or later, there will be movement in my belly."
The emperor put his arm around Jiang Shuyi's shoulders and said, "My beloved concubine, you are right. I will definitely make you pregnant with a dragon seed."
Jiang Yan smiled softly, "I offer a toast to Your Majesty. I'll drink first as a token of my respect!"
Jiang Yan picked up the wine glass in front of her and drank it in one gulp.
When she revealed the bottom of the cup, her gaze passed through the emperor and looked at Li Zhaoyi on the other side.
Li Zhaoyi's eyes were full of spring, and she seemed to be smiling.
King Zhao couldn't help but want to stand up and speak.
Concubine Xue noticed his plan, glared at him, and stopped Prince Zhao from taking the next step.
Gu Jiu was sitting a little far away and couldn't hear what was being said in front of him, but he could clearly see Jiang Yan, who was looking very proud.
Different, completely different.
Compared to the little maid who was a little timid, a little inferior and proud back then, Jiang Yan now radiates.
She is Jiang Shuyi, Jiang Shuyi is her.
Shuyi's aura enveloped her entire body, and her aura was completely different.
Gu Jiu picked up the wine glass and took a sip.
Back then, she just wanted to see how high Jiang Yan could climb, but she didn't expect her to really make it. And it seemed that there was already a conflict between her and Concubine Xue.
With her foundation unstable, she turned against Concubine Xue. Where did she get the confidence from?
When Gu Jiu was wondering, he heard the emperor loudly announce, "From today on, Jiang Shuyi will move out of Ganlu Palace and move into Zhongcui Palace. She will live in the main hall and become the master of the palace."
Everyone's expression changed.
Only concubines who were granted the title of imperial concubine were qualified to live in the main hall and be the masters of a palace. Those below the rank of imperial concubine were only qualified to live in side halls, or even attics, wing rooms, or ear rooms.
Just like Concubine Xue, she was the mistress of Ganlu Palace and lived in the main hall.
Concubine Xiao Shufei was the mistress of Changchun Palace and also lived in the main hall.
The same is true for Concubine Xian.
There has never been anyone in the harem below the rank of concubine living in the main hall and serving as the master of a palace.
Concubine Xue's heart was pounding. She didn't expect that the emperor would then announce that Concubine Li would move out of the side hall and move into the main hall, becoming the master of the palace.
Concubine Xue felt dizzy and her head was congested, making her feel uncomfortable all over.
How could this be?
Is Your Majesty stupid?
"Your Majesty, this is against palace rules." Concubine Xian reminded softly.
When the emperor heard the voice, he looked at the virtuous concubine and his eyes instantly turned cold.
"The virtuous concubine plotted to poison and murder Li Zhaoyi and my prince. She was stripped of her title of concubine and demoted to the rank of imperial concubine."
What?
Everyone was shocked.
Is it true that Concubine Xian poisoned Li Zhaoyi?
"Your Majesty, I am wronged!"
The virtuous concubine's face turned pale.
At this time, a eunuch came forward and wanted to strip Concubine Xian of her court robes. Since she had lost her position as a concubine, she was naturally no longer qualified to wear the concubine's court robes.
"stop!"
Prince Yan jumped out and started punching and kicking the eunuch who was stripping him of his clothes.
The eunuchs dared not move and could only wait by the side, awaiting further instructions from the emperor.
Prince Yan knelt on the ground and said, "Father, Mother has always been kind and charitable. She would never poison Consort Li, let alone murder the unborn prince. There must be a misunderstanding here. Someone must have framed Mother. Please investigate."
The emperor's face was stern, his dignity evident without anger. "This matter has been investigated. My decision is made. Do not continue to make trouble, or I will punish you as well."
The King of Yan was shocked and couldn't believe it.
Others were equally incredulous.
Pei clenched her fists. This woman, Li Zhaoyi, was truly formidable. She had brought down Consort Xian without even making a sound. Could Consort Shu be next?
She was extremely panicked.
Gu Jiu bit his lip, feeling a little uncomfortable in his throat.
She looked at Liu Zhao who was sitting opposite her.
Liu Zhao shook his head slightly at her, telling her not to act rashly.
This situation is obviously out of control.
The emperor was old and confused, and made many stupid moves. Of course, it could also be said that it was a stroke of genius, using two new people to break the balance of the harem.
Once the balance in the harem is broken, it will naturally affect the court and the entire struggle for the throne.
The situation is becoming increasingly complicated.
"Your Majesty, if I poison Li Zhaoyi, I will be struck by lightning, die a miserable death, and be a prostitute for eternity."
The virtuous concubine swore a solemn oath, her eyes cold and her expression firm. She looked at the emperor, but also seemed to be looking at Li Zhaoyi.
Li Zhaoyi did not confront the virtuous concubine. She shrank back and moved closer to the emperor, looking terrified.
Tianzi put his arm around her shoulders and comforted her not to be afraid.
Li Zhaoyi smiled sweetly, "I can only rely on Your Majesty."
The emperor said to the virtuous concubine, "I used to think you were kind, but I never thought you were as vicious as a snake. The poisoning has been investigated, so don't try to make excuses. Come, strip the virtuous concubine of her court robes and take her away."
"I refuse to accept this. I absolutely do not admit to anything I did not do."
The emperor looked at the virtuous concubine coldly and said cruelly, "Take her away and keep her under strict guard."
"His Majesty!"
Concubine Xue suddenly appeared and asked, "Your Majesty, when and where did Concubine Li get poisoned? Did you call the imperial physician? Is the child safe?"
At first, the emperor was very angry and was ready to punish Concubine Xue. Later, when he heard that Concubine Xue cared about Li Zhaoyi, the emperor relaxed his expression.
"The Xianfei's poisoning plot failed and was discovered in time. The perpetrators were all apprehended, and they confessed that they were all instructed by the Xianfei."
When Concubine Xue heard this, she knew that Li Zhaoyi had directed and acted in this drama herself.
She never expected that after only two years in the palace, someone would be willing to work for her and plot to frame Concubine Xian.
This woman is too cruel and must be eliminated.
Concubine Xue looked relieved. "Sister Zhaoyi didn't drink the poisoned food. That's great. Thank God."
Li Zhaoyi said softly, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your concern. Fortunately, the maidservant beside me was smart and noticed something was wrong, so I escaped. Otherwise, I would not have been able to see Your Majesty. Concubine Xian, you have harmed me, but why did you also harm the child in my belly? You are so vicious."
The virtuous concubine obviously understood that this was all a play. It was such an obvious thing, but the emperor believed it.
She sneered and suddenly stood up.
Several eunuchs felt as if they were facing a great enemy.
Li Zhaoyi also moved closer to the emperor.
The virtuous concubine pointed at Li Zhaoyi and said, "I have no grudge against you. Why are you framing me? Tell me."
Li Zhaoyi burst into tears and said innocently, "I don't understand what you are saying. It's you who is clearly trying to harm me, how could I frame you? Your Majesty, please make the decision for me."
The emperor angrily rebuked the virtuous concubine, "Back off! I will not delve into this matter further, considering our past friendship. If you don't understand, don't blame me for being ruthless."
"Ha ha!"
The virtuous concubine laughed heartily. "I understand. I really underestimated the Concubine Zhaoyi. I will take my leave."
The virtuous concubine strode out of Chenghui Palace.
"Mother!"
King Yan shouted loudly.
Xianfei, no, now she should be called Shu Jieyu. She turned around and looked at Prince Yan, her lips trembling up and down for a few times before she said what was in her heart.
"If you're fine, I'll be fine too."
King Yan was filled with resentment, his eyes were red, and he nodded heavily.
Shu Jieyu strode away.
Prince Yan clenched his fists. He couldn't deal with Li Zhaoyi, so he started with Li Zhaoyi's family.
Given the character of the vampires in the Li family, he didn't believe that he couldn't find any evidence.
He must tear Li Zhaoyi's family into pieces, only then can he relieve the hatred in his heart.
Without the eunuch's reminder, Prince Yan stood up from the ground by himself and walked back to his seat step by step.
The atmosphere in the hall was solemn. Everyone was preoccupied and didn't even dare to laugh.
I was afraid that the emperor would suddenly lose his temper and unleash his wrath.
Concubine Xue and Concubine Xiao were both heartbroken and felt sympathetic.
Since the emperor ascended the throne, the virtuous concubine has been by his side.
Thirty years of love couldn't compare to the love of a pregnant woman. Who could say for sure whether the woman in her belly was a prince or not?
The emperor was already impatient to take action against Concubine Xian before the child was even born. When Concubine Li gave birth to a child, if it was indeed a prince, would there still be a place for these old people in the harem?
So heartbreaking!
Concubine Xue held up the wine glass, covered her face with her sleeves, and looked at Concubine Xiao on the other side.
Concubine Xiao Shu lowered her head slightly, her expression unclear. However, seeing her hand tightly gripping the wine glass, it was clear that her heart was not as calm as she appeared.
She must be feeling very upset and restless.
Concubine Xue sighed. Concubine Xiao Shu was just like her, unable to protect herself. They were all miserable people.
The misfortune that befell Concubine Xian was also related to the lack of support from her family.
In the past ten years, the Shu family has gradually declined.
The emperor didn't like the Shu family very much either.
Li Zhaoyi, always looking for opportunities to take advantage of, knew that the Shu family was in trouble, so she framed Concubine Xian (Shu Jieyu). The emperor took advantage of the situation and demoted Concubine Xian to Jieyu, leaving the Shu family with even less hope of revival.
The Prince of Yan was also affected. If nothing unexpected happened, the Prince of Yan would be eliminated from the battle for the throne.
Unless, the King of Yan can come up with a surprise move to turn the tables.
No one enjoyed the family dinner.
King Zhao took the opportunity to get drunk and make a big fuss in Chenghui Palace.
The emperor scolded King Zhao, but King Zhao actually imitated King Ning's behavior and fell to the ground and rolled over.
A prince doesn't even care about his dignity.
Prince Ning took the opportunity to cause trouble and act unreasonably.
For a moment, the hall was in turmoil, and some members of the royal family, under the influence of alcohol, came to the emperor to complain and vent their grievances.
The royal family has a hard time, getting poorer every year.
The emperor is a holy ruler. Shouldn't he change the ancestral family rules and allow members of the royal family to take the imperial examinations and serve as local officials?
Otherwise, in two generations, there will be a few beggars begging on the streets among the royal family.
By then, it will be the Liu clan who will be embarrassed.
The emperor remained silent.
In fact, this dynasty did not completely restrict members of the royal family from holding official positions.
For example, the Shaofu Household Director is a member of the royal family.
The emperor's grandsons, such as Liu Zhao, also held official positions.
After the King of Chu was crowned king, he was also able to participate in state affairs.
However, this is limited to the royal family.
There are many people in the imperial clan who are five generations removed from the royal family. Strictly speaking, they can only be considered to be from the same clan.
Because of their ancestral family rules, these people could not take the imperial examinations, and they had no contact with the royal family, so they could not establish a relationship with the royal family. As a result, their lives became increasingly difficult, and they had to go to the Ministry of Finance every year to beg for money and borrow money to make ends meet.
The Great Zhou had been established for over a hundred years, and the population of the royal family had grown larger and larger. Not allowing them to take the imperial examinations was tantamount to cutting off their future in this era when all else was inferior except for studying.
It's really too harsh.
The advice given by the elders of the clan was also to provide a way out for future generations.
As long as the emperor abolishes the ancestral family rules and relaxes the restrictions, the descendants of the royal family can go to the battlefield to kill the enemy or serve as an official.
After all, royal family members are more reliable than outsiders.
As for worrying about rebellion by the royal family, it is purely groundless worry.
Over the past one hundred years, eighty percent of the royal family members have become useless and have no ability to rebel.
It would be better to give them a way out, reduce the burden on the Shaofu, and allow the descendants of the Liu family to produce some outstanding people.
Prince Ning shouted, "Our ancestors were right. We must give the royal family a chance to survive. Father, please show some mercy."
The emperor picked up the wine glass and smashed it on Prince Ning's head.
Prince Ning rolled to the ground and dodged.
"Father, you are so irritable, be careful of your health. I am also concerned about the royal family."
"Get lost! The royal family needs you to take care of them, where do you put me?"
The emperor angrily rebuked Prince Ning. It wasn't because what Prince Ning said was wrong, but because Prince Ning dared to take credit for the affairs of the royal family.
What do you want to do? To win people's hearts?
The emperor would never allow such a thing.
If the prince wants to ascend the throne and become emperor, he naturally needs the support of the royal family.
Although this support may seem useless at times, it can play an unexpected role at critical moments.
The emperor's smooth ascension to the throne was inseparable from the support of the royal family.
The royal family members lent a helping hand to the emperor at the critical moment, so that the emperor could defeat the strong with the weak, kill his brother and ascend the throne.
Therefore, the emperor knew very well that it was he, the emperor, who had to show favor to the royal family.
Anyone who wants to get involved in this matter should be dragged out and beheaded.
Prince Ning was a prince, and the emperor was reluctant to execute him, but he didn't look at him kindly either.
Prince Ning didn't care. He burped and simply lay on the ground without getting up.
Asking him to get out is impossible. It is impossible for him to get out, and he will never get out in this lifetime.
The emperor was amused by Prince Ning's laziness and left him lying on the ground, refusing to let anyone help him up.
Gu Jiu felt dizzy.
The heating in Chenghui Hall was too warm, and coupled with the alcohol, it made me feel a little uncomfortable.
She said something to Pei, then got up and went outside to get some fresh air.
The palace was decorated with lights and red lanterns everywhere, making it particularly festive.
She sat in the corridor, feeling the cold wind of the thirty-fifth year of Kaiyao. In two hours, it would be the thirty-sixth year of Kaiyao.
It has been thirty-six years since the Son of Heaven ascended the throne. Time flies.
Someone was coming over, and Bai Zhong and Rong Xin were alert.
The person who came was a palace maid.
"This servant greets Madam Zhao. My master invites Madam Zhao to a side hall for a chat."
Gu Jiu looked at the person who came and asked, "Who is your master?"
"My master is Madam Shuyi."
Jiang Yan wants to see her?
What do you want to see her for?
Gu Jiu was suspicious, "What else does Empress Shuyi want to say?"
"Your Majesty misses you very much and wants to talk to you. Time is limited, so please come as soon as possible."
Gu Jiu thought for a moment and said, "Lead the way."
"Madam, please come this way."
Gu Jiu followed the palace maid to a side hall not far from Chenghui Palace.
Jiang Yan was indeed waiting for her inside.
Gu Jiu stepped forward and greeted, "Greetings, Madam Shuyi."
"Madam, please don't be polite. Please take a seat!"
After saying that, Jiang Yan waved her hand and told all the servants to leave.
The palace servants retreated one after another, except for those around Gu Jiu who did not move.
Jiang Yan was stunned for a moment, then she smiled. She looked at Gu Jiu and said, "I have something to discuss with Madam Zhao, but it's not convenient for others to hear."
Gu Jiu smiled knowingly and waved his hand.
Nanny Fang led everyone out one after another.
As a result, only Gu Jiu and Jiang Yan were left in the side hall.
Gu Jiu's face was gentle, with a smile in his eyes, "Your Majesty has impressed me."
Jiang Yan relaxed her whole body and sat lazily.
"I want to thank my lady. If you hadn't given me the opportunity back then, I wouldn't be where I am today."
Gu Jiu smiled softly, "Opportunities come to those who are prepared. You are destined to be the best."
Jiang Yan smiled, "Madam, when you taught me to read and write, and taught me reason, did you foresee this day coming?"
Gu Jiu shook his head. "I don't have the ability to predict things. I just think that if a person has good looks, coupled with talent and inner qualities, they can attract others' attention and help you gain long-term favor."
"Madam, you have sharp insights. I owe my current position to you. If you hadn't taught me how to read and write, and taught me the principles, I wouldn't have been so lucky along the way."
Gu Jiu smiled and said, "Congratulations on getting what you wished for. I sincerely hope you can seize this good fortune."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
