Chapter 231: Conferring the title

Concubine De had just discovered that the clothes Xie Chenghui was wearing were very similar to Jiang Xinyue's, but she didn't dare to say something ambiguous in front of the emperor.

Concubine Yu was also stupid, she didn't even notice it.

At this moment, Concubine Yu saw the long gown on the emperor, and then she remembered why the clothes Xie Chenghui was wearing were so similar to Jiang Xinyue's... like they were a couple.

What does the emperor mean by this?

Concubine Yu touched her hair: "I didn't pay attention just now, but Concubine Xian saw that the clothes worn by painter Xie were beautiful, so she went back and changed into a similar one?"

This was not the dress Jiang Xinyue wore when she worshipped the empress in the Hall of Supreme Harmony in the morning.

"Thank the painter?"

Jiang Xinyue looked confused: "This is the first time I saw him. How can I go back to change clothes because his clothes look nice?"

"Your Majesty Xianfei, this is a bit dishonest." Concubine Yu sneered and said, "Painter Xie was painting in the Hall of Supreme Harmony in the morning. You were there. How can you say it's the first time you saw him? Could it be that Your Majesty thanked the painter..."

"Are you done?"

Jiang Xinyue gave her a stern look, and the rest of Concubine Yu's words were stuck in her throat.

But she continued in a sad tone: "The Empress treated you well when she was alive and protected you time and time again. Is this how you mourn her? At her funeral, you still have the mood to care about which painter wore what clothes? Think about it carefully, why would the Empress prefer to entrust the Fifth Prince to me instead of you?"

It's because you are stupid and have no brains, and you are used as a gun by Concubine De every time.

Concubine Yu patted her ears. Why did she seem to be hallucinating? Did Concubine Xian scold her?

"You..."

"Get out if you don't want to listen to me!"

Emperor Xuanwu couldn't have said this to his beloved Concubine Xian, so he could only be yelling at Concubine Yu.

She pouted, her eyes were red, and she was very dissatisfied with the emperor's obvious partiality.

Jiang Xinyue really didn't understand Concubine Yu's train of thought. He

always finds faults, always hits a wall, and the more he hits a wall

, the more he gets frustrated, the more courageous he becomes. How could this person not turn back even after hitting a wall with a bloody head?

He must be a donkey!

So stubborn.

Emperor Xuanwu ignored Concubine Yu's aggrieved expression and asked coldly: "I asked you to bring the golden book, did you bring it?"

How could Concubine Yu dare to say that she didn't bring it?

She waved her hand, and immediately a palace maid came forward and handed the golden book to Wang Dequan, who then presented it to the emperor.

After receiving it, Emperor Xuanwu put it aside and said in a soft tone: "Yuer, can I take the phoenix seal with me?"

Jiang Xinyue also glanced at Xi Que, who came forward and placed the box containing the phoenix seal next to the golden book.

Emperor Xuanwu opened it and took a look, and the phoenix seal was lying "quietly" inside.

Defei didn't say anything. She looked calm on the outside, but her heart was already filled with turmoil.

The emperor brought the Phoenix Seal and the Golden Book to Chengqian Palace, and summoned the three of them. Could it be that... he was going to announce a new candidate for the empress?

Impossible!

To determine such a big matter as the empress, the emperor still had to go through the approval of all the officials in the court. She and the remaining concubines were better than Jiang Xinyue in every way. Could it be that the emperor was going to risk being criticized by all the civil and military officials in the court and make his favorite concubine Zhenxian the empress?

Her fingers were clenched on the armrest, turning white.

Emperor Xuanwu didn't keep them in suspense, and said directly to Wang Dequan: "Announce the decree."

Defei and the remaining concubines both knelt down with their heads lowered, ready to listen to Wang Dequan read out the imperial decree.

Jiang Xinyue also took two steps back and prepared to kneel down, but Emperor Xuanwu grabbed her arm and said, "Your knee is still injured. You have already knelt for so long this morning. You don't have to kneel again."

So she stood with the emperor, and Wang Dequan stood beside her to read the decree. It looked like Concubine De and Concubine Yu were kneeling down to pay homage to the emperor and Jiang Xinyue together.

"The Emperor, in compliance with the Will of Heaven, declares: The virtuous Concubine Jiang, has a gentle and kind nature, and is virtuous and prudent in her conduct. She has done her best in the palace, and has been prudent and respectful. She is respectful to her superiors, and generous and peaceful to her subordinates. She is virtuous in her etiquette and morality, and can be a model for the six palaces. She can truly support internal affairs and soothe my heart. Now she is named a first-rank imperial concubine, with the same rank as the vice-empress. I hope that you will do your best in the palace, have a noble character, manage the six palaces, and be of one mind with me. I hereby grant you the golden book and golden seal. I sincerely wish this."

After saying so many empty words, the most important ones are actually the two sentences "soothe my heart" and "be of one mind with me"!

The emperor called Consort De and Consort Yu over today to read the imperial edict conferring Jiang Xinyue as the Imperial Consort, and to warn them to assist Jiang Xinyue and not to do anything behind her back.

Because the backer behind Jiang Xinyue is the emperor himself.

Although the emperor did not allow Jiang Xinyue to kneel, she still bent her knees and took the imperial edict from Wang Dequan: "Your servant obeys the order and thanks for your grace."

Defei stood up leisurely with a gentle smile on her face: "Congratulations to the Imperial Concubine and congratulations to the emperor for having such a beautiful Imperial Concubine. Now, you, the other concubine, don't have to feel alienated from me because of the Empress's Golden Book. Since the Imperial Concubine has the same rank as the Vice Empress, the Phoenix Seal and the Empress's Golden Book should be kept by the Imperial Concubine. Don't you agree, the other concubine?" Anyway,

the Phoenix Seal and the Golden Book were not in her hands. Instead of letting the Imperial Concubine, who was lower in rank than her, use those trivial things as a token of authority to humiliate her, it would be better to let Jiang Xinyue, the Imperial Concubine, be the only one in power.

In this way, at least the two of them still have a common enemy, and the fool Concubine Yu can still be her vanguard.

Concubine Yu's resentment was almost turned into reality. She stared at Jiang Xinyue with eyes that seemed to kill her alive: "Your Majesty, Concubine Xian has only been in the palace for two years. Originally, you named her the head of the four concubines, and the concubines in the harem have already complained about it. Now she has neither given birth to children for the royal family nor made any contributions. You have made an exception and promoted her to Imperial Noble Concubine. Your Majesty's move may cause a shock to the former dynasty and the harem. Please think twice before acting."

Jiang Xinyue was only eighteen years old, and she was already an Imperial Noble Concubine at the age of eighteen. If she was promoted again, she would have reached the point where there was no more title to be given to her. Wouldn't she only be able to become the Empress?

The concubine seemed to have thought of this, and said with a face full of sorrow: "The Empress's body is still warm, how can the Emperor...how can he make Concubine Xian the Imperial Noble Concubine so quickly?"

Emperor Xuanwu stared at Concubine Yu without saying a word, until she lowered her head, then he said to Wang Dequan: "Show it to her, so that she won't always bring up the Empress and make the deceased restless."

Wang Dequan took out another secret decree from the tray held by Tang Shiliang behind him and handed it directly to Concubine Yu: "Your Majesty, please!"

The secret decree was actually written by the Empress before her death. She pleaded with the Emperor to confer Jiang Xinyue the title of Imperial Consort, to perform the duties of the Empress, and to return the palace power to her when there is a new successor in the future.

Everyone knows that once Jiang Xinyue controls the harem, even if there is a successor in the future, she may not be her opponent.

The Empress has considered Jiang Xinyue in all aspects, and only hopes that she can protect the fifth prince.