Jiang Ting glanced at him, and the head eunuch trembled, not daring to utter a word. He silently retreated and informed the Imperial Household Department that the Emperor was staying in his own palace that day.
Upon hearing this news, the concubines in the harem reacted differently, but all were extremely unhappy.
Some people smashed their cups, some twisted their handkerchiefs in self-pity, and some were so distressed that they shed tears.
Jiang Ting has been on the throne for a year, which is not a short time. His style of conduct and imperial majesty have made people willing to submit to him.
However, he had a fatal flaw—he did not enter the harem.
When the late emperor was seriously ill and knew that he would not live much longer, he specially instructed the empress to issue an edict to select young ladies from various families to enter the harem after Jiang Ting ascended the throne.
This was truly a joyous occasion at the time.
The imperial court and the harem were always intricately connected.
Many ministers were unwilling to accept their current positions and specially trained their daughters to enter the palace to compete for the emperor's favor, all for the sake of bringing glory to their families and making them prominent.
For these young ladies from wealthy families, entering the palace was a better option than marrying a man they didn't like.
Everyone has ambitions. Some people are willing to be a virtuous wife who cooks and cleans the house, some prefer to be a favored concubine, and some want to become empress.
Otherwise, how could there be the saying that everyone has their own ambitions?
When Jiang Ting was chosen as a concubine, the ministers were all very happy, thinking that their daughters were about to rise to a high social status.
The problem is, Jiang Ting himself is unwilling.
Whether as a prince, a crown prince, or an emperor, Jiang Ting has always been an excellent candidate.
His abilities are undeniable, and he is tall, handsome, and incredibly intelligent.
With such a wise ruler, many ministers secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
The late emperor's aggressive military campaigns left behind a legacy of problems, which Jiang Ting is responsible for preventing any major disturbances.
But the emperor was a good emperor; he simply didn't like women.
When he was the crown prince, the late emperor urged him many times to quickly select a concubine and find some people to serve him in the Eastern Palace.
Jiang Ting outwardly agreed, but never took any action.
It is said that the late emperor, fearing that the crown prince might be unwell, even sought out renowned doctors to diagnose him.
The result was naturally that Jiang Ting was perfectly healthy and had no unspeakable problems.
If he doesn't like women, it's probably just that the time isn't right yet.
The late emperor waited and waited, until he was about to pass away, but still did not see his beloved crown prince give birth to a grandson for him, and he was naturally anxious.
He was nearing the end of his life and always hoped that the new emperor he left behind would be perfect and protect the Jiang family's empire.
So, despite his serious illness, he had the Empress Dowager, who was then the Empress, select a group of young ladies and send them to Jiang Ting's backyard.
It would be inappropriate to hold another talent show after he passes away.
It must be said that the late emperor went to great lengths to ensure that his son would carry on the family line.
The problem is that Jiang Ting accepted the concubines sent to him by the late emperor—he couldn't refuse, as that would be a crime of disobeying an imperial decree.
But he didn't favor any of them.
After the late emperor passed away, Jiang Ting ascended the throne. After announcing many important decrees, Jiang Ting calmly stated that in order to observe mourning for the late emperor, he would not enter the harem for a year.
This reason is correct.
Filial piety was upheld throughout the land, and as emperor, he set an example by his own conduct, leaving others with no grounds for criticism.
The families of those concubines could understand.
During this period of the new emperor's ascension to the throne, Jiang Ting should adopt some strategies in order to put on a show.
Anyway, their daughter has already been made a concubine and has a formal rank, so waiting a year won't be too long.
The problem is that now that the year has passed, Jiang Ting still hasn't stepped into the inner palace.
When the year was up, the chief eunuch, following the Empress Dowager's orders, asked Jiang Ting every day with trepidation whether he wanted to set foot in the inner palace.
But the answer was always the same.
The emperor was indeed not interested in women.
He was already the ruler of a country, and no one could force him to do so.
The beauties in the imperial harem vied for attention, each possessing unparalleled beauty.
His only flaw is that he doesn't go.
Without an emperor, it would be a pipe dream for those concubines to have a child.
At first, they thought that the emperor was really observing mourning for his parents, which was why he didn't set foot in the inner palace and even forbade them from sending them nourishing soups and snacks.
This view is now crumbling.
The late emperor has been gone for a year. The emperor should be continuing the lineage, instead of treating them as if they don't exist.
But they dared not say anything more.
Logically speaking, they weren't chosen by Jiang Ting himself.
At that time, the late emperor was already terminally ill, and who could disobey the decisions he made?
After all, he was the emperor of a country, and his original intention was for the good of his son. Jiang Ting could not possibly disobey the imperial decree.
But who would have thought that he could actually hold his breath and not enter the harem even once!
A twenty-year-old should be full of vigor and vitality, but he remained unmoved, his thoughts deep and unfathomable.
No matter how dissatisfied the concubines were, it had no effect on Jiang Ting.
He was a man of strong character, and after becoming emperor, no one could force him to do things he didn't like.
So what if those women were chosen for him by the late emperor? She followed the late emperor's decree and bestowed titles upon them; they should be content with that.
The selection rules in this dynasty are very lenient, and there is absolutely no such thing as forcing noble ladies to enter the palace.
As long as they don't want to participate in the palace selection, they can simply tell the officials in charge of the selection, and no one will force them.
Since you have voluntarily entered the palace, you should calmly face all the possible consequences.
As for the Empress Dowager, she was not Jiang Ting's biological mother and had done things that were detrimental to Jiang Ting. However, out of consideration for her maternal clan, the late emperor quietly let it go and gave her some dignity.
The current Empress Dowager is nothing more than a figurehead with no real power. She has concubines in the harem to keep her company and keep her entertained, and she is never short of various allowances. She should be content with that.
When the chief eunuch returned, Jiang Ting only glanced at him before replacing him with a clever eunuch.
The Empress Dowager is old and confused, and she tries to issue orders, but Jiang Ting ignores her.
However, those palace servants who are not clever enough to disturb his mood should bear the consequences.
When the eunuch was dragged out, his whole body went limp, and he dared not utter a single word.
Actually, he had only asked for three days.
The emperor no longer wanted to see him.
He knew his life was over.
The emperor used him as a warning to the empress dowager. As a servant, where could he seek justice?
If he doesn't remind the Emperor, the Empress Dowager won't let him off the hook.
Even after reminding the emperor, they still couldn't escape their fate.
When an emperor unleashes his fury, millions will fall dead.
How could this chief eunuch dare to defend himself?
The person was taken away, and the palace became much quieter.
After reviewing the memorials, Jiang Ting received a notification that Yuwen Zhuo was to have an audience.
He ordered someone to bring him in, and after Yan Jing'an performed the kneeling ceremony, Yuwen Zhuo said excitedly, "Your Majesty, Yan Jing'an has accepted your decree and is willing to serve as an official in the court!"
Judging from his expression, Jiang Ting guessed that it was about Yan Jing'an.
Having gotten the answer he wanted, Jiang Ting smiled slightly.
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