The emperor, riding high on the wave of success after winning the heart of his first love, felt uneasy when Xu Zifan brought up the matter of establishing an empress in court. Although he knew that for someone of Furong's status, simply entering the palace was a great stroke of luck, and becoming empress was impossible, she was the girl he had just fallen for, and his heart was burning with passion. How could he possibly agree to marry another woman he didn't even know?
No matter how he politely declined, Xu Zifan always had a reason to argue with him and insisted that he establish an empress. Finally, in front of all the officials, he smiled and said, "Establishing an empress is a matter of great importance to the country. After more than a month of deliberation, we believe that the eldest daughter of Lord Fu Lin is beautiful and intelligent, virtuous and kind, and has a great reputation in the capital. She is the only choice for empress."
The Emperor instantly recalled what Xu Zifan had said last time. It was the Empress Dowager who had suggested Xu Zifan support Fu Lin's flood control efforts. Now, Xu Zifan had disregarded his wishes and publicly humiliated him, insisting on making Fu Lin's daughter Empress. Could this be the Empress Dowager's doing again?! What was the Empress Dowager planning? Was the Fu family not satisfied with having one Empress Dowager? Did she want another Empress to become the next Empress Dowager? What would he be then? Once Fu Lin's daughter became Empress and gave birth to a legitimate son, would the Fu family be loyal to him or to his son? Would his throne still be secure?
He wouldn't underestimate the power of women. Didn't the Empress Dowager put him on the throne? Who knows if Fu Lin's daughter might put her son on the throne? The Fu family is really too ambitious! The Empress Dowager is too ambitious too!
The emperor's anger grew increasingly intense; he felt like a puppet in the Empress Dowager's hands, everything about him orchestrated by her. He glanced at Fu Lin, noticing the suppressed joy on Fu Lin's face, which only fueled his irritation. Just as he was about to find an excuse to refuse, he saw Xu Zifan ask the ministers for their opinions.
"What do you ministers think?"
As soon as Xu Zifan finished speaking, five ministers stepped forward to echo his sentiments, praising Fu Lin and his daughter. Eight more ministers followed suit, their words clearly indicating their support for the Regent's decision. Then, all the civil and military officials bowed and said in unison, "We second your opinion."
Those with daughters naturally wanted their daughters to become empress, but Xu Zifan had been frequently summoning people to his residence for the past month to discuss the matter. They had all mentioned potential candidates, but Xu Zifan rejected them all with various excuses. If they still couldn't see that Xu Zifan was determined to make the Fu family's daughter the empress, they would be incredibly foolish. Several ministers even went back and asked their wives about the Fu family's daughter. The wives generally said they hadn't seen her much, but her reputation was always very good. Some astute wives told their husbands that this was definitely a tactic by the Fu family to elevate their daughter; it was clear they had long planned to enter the palace and secure a high position.
These officials, recalling Xu Zifan's words revealing the Empress Dowager's concern for the matter, felt they understood the truth. This was indeed the Empress Dowager's intention; naturally, they wouldn't oppose the Regent and the Empress Dowager, and would instead offer their strong support. With close ministers exchanging information, the ministers largely abandoned their ambitions to compete for the Empress's position. Otherwise, offending the Regent and the Empress Dowager would mean a difficult future. Therefore, regardless of their own thoughts, they all seconded the motion; no one believed that the Regent's month-long preparations could be changed.
The emperor witnessed this scene: the regent wielded immense power, and with a single suggestion, not a single official dared to raise an objection. He felt a chill run down his spine, and forced a smile at Xu Zifan, saying, "This matter is of great importance; I will consider it further."
Xu Zifan didn't intend to make a decision immediately. Bringing up this matter at this time would only exacerbate the conflict between the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, so he didn't make things difficult for the Emperor at all, and didn't even try to persuade him after court. This left the Emperor, who had prepared a lot to say, feeling as if he had punched a cotton ball, and inexplicably annoyed.
Xu Zifan didn't go to see the Empress Dowager. Instead, he chatted and laughed with the ministers who had initially agreed to the plan, leaving the palace together. This reassured the other ministers that Xu Zifan was determined to succeed. Xu Zifan got into the carriage, lowered the curtain, and stopped smiling. He mentally reviewed his plans and, feeling that his move was flawless, relaxed and closed his eyes to rest.
Fu Lin's daughter was someone he had chosen from the beginning, simply because this woman was also an accomplice in ruining Xu Shiyue. In the original owner's life, half a year after Xu Shiyue became empress, during the palace selection, Fu Lin's daughter, Fu Qiuwen, entered the palace as a concubine. The emperor still favored Xu Shiyue the most, and the original owner didn't think much of it. Later, he learned that Fu Qiuwen's good reputation was all a lie; she was arrogant, jealous, and ruthless, and had often used her status as the emperor's cousin to trip up Xu Shiyue in the palace. She was even personally responsible for Xu Shiyue's miscarriage. Of course, he wanted to pair them up so that their family could love each other.
In that previous life, the emperor and empress dowager were of one mind. Before eliminating the original owner, the emperor disliked Xu Shiyue and was naturally willing to secretly support Fu Qiuwen, allowing her to bully Xu Shiyue. At that time, the emperor was focused on dealing with the original owner, and his harem was full. He was not interested in anyone and was even somewhat disgusted by the act of coaxing women because of his hypocritical affection for Xu Shiyue.
This life is different. Even before he had any women, the emperor fell in love with Furong. Furong, however, was exceptionally beautiful and talented, and quite cunning, firmly holding his heart. A subtle rift had developed between the emperor and the empress dowager. If he were forced to make Fu Qiuwen empress, he would surely resent her and be wary of the empress dowager. Once Fu Qiuwen was empress, she would naturally be even more openly jealous and bullying, seeking the empress dowager's protection.
Xu Zifan smiled. There would be no more peace in the harem this time, and there would be no possibility of reconciliation between the mother and son.
After much deliberation, the emperor went to Anci Palace to tell the Empress Dowager what had happened in court. To his surprise, the Empress Dowager looked astonished, as if she knew nothing about it, and even asked him what he thought.
The emperor concealed his displeasure and said calmly, "I haven't had much contact with my cousin. What does Mother think of her?"
The Empress Dowager shook her head, "Your cousin herself..."
That's good, but it would be best if the Empress chose someone else. It would be fine to make your cousin a concubine. If she has children in the future, she can be promoted to Imperial Noble Consort; that would be your responsibility as her cousin to take care of her."
The emperor had assumed she was feigning innocence the moment she asked him what he thought, just like before—making the suggestion to Xu Zifan and then pretending ignorance in front of him. Was she now using this feigned retreat to advance, perhaps hoping he would consider the Fu family's favor and agree to the matter of making her empress?
The emperor simply followed the empress dowager's lead and asked, "Then which family's daughter does Mother think is suitable?"
The Empress Dowager had already made her choice. She waved for the palace servants to leave and whispered to the Emperor, "The Prime Minister's second daughter is the right age and family background. If the Prime Minister becomes the Emperor's father-in-law, he will naturally side with you and help you deal with Xu Zifan. Later, we can also make the youngest daughter of the General of the State a concubine, and give her more favor to win him over. Alas, it's a pity that Xu Zifan refuses to let his daughter enter the palace. Otherwise, we would have his weakness in our hands. He really dotes on his daughter."
Mo Yun, who practiced martial arts, had hearing far beyond that of ordinary people. Even when he was outside the door, he heard the Empress Dowager's words and then naturally withdrew with the other palace servants.
Seeing the Empress Dowager's earnest words, the Emperor began to doubt whether he had misunderstood her. He offered a few perfunctory words, then said he had to attend to state affairs and left. After he left, the Empress Dowager frowned in confusion, lost in thought.
Upon returning to the palace, Mo Yun stepped forward to pour her tea and asked with a smile, "Your Majesty, the weather is fine today, would you like to take a stroll in the garden?"
The Empress Dowager glanced at her and nodded. During this period, in order to subtly convey her "feelings," the Empress Dowager deliberately acted as if she valued Mo Yun highly, just as she would cherish the person Xu Zifan had sent. Mo Yun would also try to cheer her up when she was unhappy, after all, Xu Zifan had said that he sent Mo Yun to keep her company and relieve her boredom, right?
Gradually, she got used to it. Mo Yun was very eloquent and never touched on sensitive topics. She always felt comfortable chatting with Mo Yun, so she was happy to chat casually with him. They walked into the garden and talked about flowers and plants, but she kept thinking about the emperor's unusual behavior and couldn't help but say, "The emperor seemed a little troubled just now. I wonder if I was mistaken."
Granny Wen smiled and said, "If Your Majesty is worried, you can have someone send some snacks to the Emperor later, ask the head eunuch for details, and also ask the two palace maids. That should be enough."
While picking flowers, Mo Yun smiled and said, "Your Majesty, please rest assured. This servant noticed that His Majesty seemed much more relaxed when he left than when he arrived. He should be fine."
The Empress Dowager frowned. "Oh? You saw it clearly? But why is that?"
Mo Yun paused for a moment, then replied, "This servant only noticed that His Majesty seemed much more relaxed, but I don't know why." She then lowered her head to pick flowers.
The Empress Dowager noticed that she was different from usual and asked, "Moyun, is something on your mind? Please speak freely."
Mo Yun put down the flower basket and knelt on the ground, saying timidly, "Your Majesty, this servant has never served the Emperor and truly does not know. This servant was merely thinking of something that happened to our neighbor in the past, and there is nothing unusual about it."
The Empress Dowager became even more curious, "Tell me, when did that family's incident occur?"
"Yes. My neighbors are a mother and son. The mother wanted her brother's daughter to be her daughter-in-law, but her son refused, saying that only then would they be a family, and the family name might have to be changed. They argued fiercely for a while, and only after he married another girl did things calm down and the conflicts stopped..."
"How dare you! What nonsense are you spouting!" Granny Wen glared at her, pointing at her and shouting sternly.
Mo Yun immediately kowtowed and said fearfully, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. This servant is inexperienced and knows even less about marriage matters, so I just thought of the neighbor's matter. This servant had no intention of offending you. Please forgive me, Your Majesty!"
The Empress Dowager paused for a moment, recalling the Emperor's words and expressions, and in a flash, she understood the key point. The Emperor was unhappy because he feared the growing power of the maternal relatives, and he didn't want the Fu family to advance further; he was keeping an eye on her! A pang of sadness followed by boundless anger washed over her. She had planned so much for the Emperor, enduring hardship to please Xu Zifan for six whole years, carefully protecting his throne and the empire, and what was the result? He was only fifteen years old when he began to be wary of her. Truly, there was no kinship in the imperial family; even she, his mother, had become an outsider.
Furthermore, the Fu family has served the emperor wholeheartedly for so many years, why can't they advance further? The emperor already possesses the entire empire, so what's wrong with making the Fu family second only to him? Are they planning to discard them before even eliminating the regent? This made her feel somewhat disheartened.
The Empress Dowager's mood plummeted. When she came to her senses, she realized that Mo Yun had been kneeling for a long time. She waved her hand and said, "Get up. You didn't say anything wrong."
Mo Yun thanked her and tried to stand up, but almost fell because she had been kneeling for too long. No one dared to help her. Her pale face and thin body made her look somewhat pitiful. The Empress Dowager saw her bitter face, which seemed to exude regret and self-reproach, and couldn't help but laugh. "Alright, I didn't say anything to you. Do you think I don't know you? You're simple-minded and can't lie. Once you've thought of something, you can't hide it from me. Alright, you don't need to serve me today. Go back to your room and rest."
"Thank you, Empress Dowager." Mo Yun breathed a sigh of relief and smiled as she realized that the Empress Dowager was not angry with her. She quickly and respectfully bowed.
The Empress Dowager smiled and left with her entourage. As she left, Granny Wen glanced at Mo Yun, sensing a growing threat. For so many years, she had been the Empress Dowager's most trusted confidante, the only person the Empress Dowager would confide in. Now, Mo Yun had only been here a month, and the Empress Dowager was already treating her differently. This was not a good thing. She hoped to find some fault with Mo Yun and teach her a lesson.
After Mo Yun and the others left, she limped back to her room, locked the doors and windows, and straightened up to walk normally. Her frail aura vanished completely. She quickly wrote down the names of the Prime Minister's second daughter and the General of the Nation's youngest daughter on a small piece of paper, along with the names of the chosen ones.
She then sent messages to the Empress Dowager and the Emperor. She rolled up the small note, tucked it into a hollow silver hairpin, and wore it in her hair.