Chapter 75 After the forced marriage 11
After seeing the little prince, the officials praised him endlessly. The noblewomen were amazed by his good looks. The one-month-old baby had particularly bright and lively eyes. Because there were so many people around, his eyes kept darting around.
"Look, there are too many people. Our little prince is exhausted and can't see everything."
The Empress Dowager was afraid that too many people would frighten the child, so she carried the child around the hall once and then had the child sent to the back hall.
Next, the Emperor ordered an imperial edict to be read aloud, bestowing upon Ning Yan the title of Empress.
She gave birth to the crown prince, who was also the emperor's only heir, and no one could say a word against it.
Furthermore, the emperor's ruthlessness was evident to all his court officials; he was the kind of person who would confiscate property and exile people if they displeased him.
"Aili, that's fine. It's the Emperor's family matter; these court officials shouldn't get involved."
Afterwards, the Emperor held a grand ceremony to crown Ning Yan as Empress, and Ning Yan officially took the throne.
"Your Majesty, it's time to get up. All the concubines in the harem have come to pay their respects."
Ning Yan really didn't want to get up. Chu Chengqian had been very active last night, and she was only able to sleep in the latter half of the night. Now, her back and legs ached and she was dozing off, but she had to force herself to get up and wait for the palace concubines to pay their respects.
Well, what can you do when she's the empress?
This is suffering you have to endure whether you want to or not!
With the help of palace maids, Ning Yan changed into palace attire, waited for palace servants to help her wash up, and ate breakfast before going to the front hall.
The concubines in the palace were all unique, each with their own distinct charm, and Ning Yan was almost overwhelmed by the sight.
"Greetings to Her Majesty the Empress. May Her Majesty enjoy boundless blessings and peace."
Ning Yan waved her hand, and the concubines returned to their seats. Ning Yan then looked at the concubines below, and they all exchanged knowing glances.
Ning Yan: Something's up.
Before long, someone couldn't help but mention what happened when the Emperor went to court that day: "Your Majesty, you don't know, but our Lady Lin is quite bold."
The imperial concubines all come to pay their respects to the Empress at Chenshi (7-9 AM), and it's not too late if they arrive by Maoshi (5-7 AM). But Consort Lin is something else; she arrives before Maoshi and happens to bump into the Emperor on his way to court. She just throws herself right at the Emperor…
Consort Wen glanced at someone, her disdain particularly evident in her eyes.
Lin Cai Nu had already lowered her head, not daring to meet anyone's gaze. Damn Consort Wen, just wait until she gains the Emperor's favor, and see how she deals with her.
Ning Yan raised an eyebrow. Someone was getting restless and trying to seduce Chu Chengqian!
She's quite curious, though she doesn't know if the hookup went through.
"Which one is Consort Lin? Step forward so I can see."
A young concubine who was standing at the very back cautiously stepped forward, then knelt on the ground, bowing her head and remaining silent.
Ning Yan: "Raise your head."
Lin Cai Nu raised her head with a face full of humiliation and saw the Empress sitting high above her.
It's all because of this woman. She uses her stunningly beautiful face to bewitch the emperor, making him unable to see the other women in the harem. This is not the dignified and generous empress she should be; she is clearly a vixen who bewitches people's minds!
Ning Yan could easily see the resentment and humiliation in Lin Cai Nu's eyes. She deliberately said, "Lin Cai Nu is as beautiful as a flower. No wonder she is so devoted to the Emperor. Perhaps the Emperor will summon you to his bedchamber tonight. Go back and prepare well."
"Alright, all of you may leave. I am tired."
The two consorts, Dexian and Erfei, exchanged a glance, then bowed and took their leave.
As soon as Ning Yan's party ended, Chu Chengqian received the news. Fearing that the Empress would be angry with him because of a woman who had appeared out of nowhere, he pushed aside the memorials and headed straight for Kunning Palace with Fusheng.
Upon entering the hall, only the palace maids and eunuchs from Kunning Palace came out to pay their respects, asking, "Where is your Ladyship?"
Chun Tao: "...Your Majesty, Your Majesty says she has a headache."
Fu Sheng: ...Empress doesn't even want to come up with a good excuse.
Chu Chengqian strode into the inner room, but the person who was supposed to have a headache was sitting at the table, reading a storybook and laughing heartily.
Upon seeing him enter, Ning Yan's smile vanished instantly, and she didn't even give him a glance.
Chu Chengqian stepped forward and took the storybook from Ning Yan's hand. Then he put his hands on Ning Yan's shoulders and made her look at him. "Yan'er, are you angry with me because of that damned concubine?"
Ning Yan remained silent.
Chu Chengqian said aggrievedly, "I was in a hurry to go to court early this morning, but I didn't expect someone to suddenly appear from behind the tree. That person almost pounced on me, but luckily I was quick-witted and dodged it. Really, I'm not lying to you."
He overslept this morning, and because he was in a hurry, that woman almost took advantage of him.
Ning Yan: "Hmph, the Emperor may say that, but he's probably quite disappointed inside. Lin Cainu is still waiting for the Emperor to summon her to his bedchamber."
Serve me in bed? Do you think I'm some kind of garbage collector? I'll sleep with anyone who comes near me. I'm not that worthless!
Chu Chengqian quickly took the person into his arms and soothed them softly. It took him a while to calm them down. Just then, the little prince woke up and started crying loudly. Ning Yan sent someone to look after the child, and Chu Chengqian happily went to change the child's diaper.
After all, there's someone in the palace who wants to take care of the child but can't. People, don't always wait until you lose something to regret it; you must cherish what you have now.
It has to be said that his empress was a bit vengeful. Back then, his mother had treated him badly. Even though the child was several months old, he had never allowed his mother to see the child alone. His mother had also asked him more than once to take the child to her to take care of for a couple of days, but he dared not!
If he angers the Empress, she really won't let him into her bed!
In the evening, while the Emperor and Empress were having their meal in the palace, a young eunuch came in to report: "Lady Lin of Qiuhong Palace slipped while taking a bath and hit her head on the tub. She is gone."
Chu Chengqian: Ugh, this unlucky thing! It can even kill itself while taking a bath. It's like the god of misfortune has descended upon the world, and it even dares to try to get close to me!
Unlike his Yan'er, who is very fortunate, she gave birth to a big, healthy son for me not long after entering the palace, saving me from the suffering of having no heir, and I don't have to adopt someone else's child to inherit the throne that I finally obtained. I don't have to listen to those ministers urging me to have children all day long. No wonder I favor her. Anyone would dote on her!
Moreover, what Chu Rui said in prison had already reached his ears. Combined with what Master Wuwei said, it is likely that the woman destined for the phoenix that Master Wuwei mentioned was his empress.
However, in her previous life, Yan Yan was with Chu Rui, and Chu Rui inherited his throne. In this life, thanks to Ning Zhaozhao's machinations, her fate changed, and she became his empress.
Only then can he have an heir to inherit the throne!
...
In the fifteenth year of Chengwu's reign, the Empress gave birth to another daughter for the royal family, thus Chu Chengqian could be considered to have both a son and a daughter.
In the seventeenth year of Chengwu, the Empress Dowager fell seriously ill, and Ning Yan, along with the Crown Prince and the Eldest Princess, saw the Empress Dowager off on her final journey.
But there was not a trace of reluctance on her face, and she looked at the Empress Dowager as if she were looking at a stranger.
The two children treated her with more respect than affection.
She deeply regretted it; if she had known this would happen, she would never have caused trouble for the Empress in the first place…
The Empress Dowager passed away with regrets.
In the twenty-seventh year of the Chengwu reign, Chu Chengqian abdicated, and Chu Jizhao ascended the throne as emperor. The retired emperor and empress retired lived a leisurely pastoral life in the inner palace.
As the biological father of the Empress Dowager, Minister Ning's wish to rise to prominence through his daughter was never fulfilled in his lifetime.
Ning Yan is very vengeful.
Ning Yan was already showing him leniency by keeping her father, who had sent his own daughter to be someone's concubine, in his position as a third-rank official.
Ning Yan would occasionally check her own sea of consciousness.
I don’t know if it’s just my imagination, but the phoenix phantom seems to have solidified a bit.
I'm not sure, I'll think about it some more.
(End of this chapter)
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