Is it hard to get rich quickly? My supermarket covers history and the present!

The Empress Dowager advised that they eat first, and Cui Chang'an was prepared to heed the advice and eat before discussing the matter further.

Xiao Wu suddenly spoke up: "Your Majesty, why don't we finish what we were saying before we eat?"

Cui Chang'an immediately realized something was wrong.

Xiao Wu was born a princess; she wouldn't act so rashly without a reason.

He glanced at Xiao Wu, then readily looked at the Empress Dowager: "Then shall we speak first?"

The Empress Dowager's displeasure was undisguised; she looked at Cui Chang'an with a half-smile.

"What? Is the Regent so obedient to the Princess?"

When someone openly mocks a man for lacking patriarchal authority, an ordinary man would naturally refute it.

But Cui Chang'an nodded seriously: "The princess is my savior, and her knowledge is superior to mine, so naturally I will listen to her."

The Empress Dowager was instantly speechless: !!

Granny Hua tried to smooth things over, suggesting, "Why don't we talk while we eat?"

Cui Chang'an didn't dare to nod first, but looked at Xiao Wu instead.

Xiao Wu smiled and said, "I was worried that your food was too nourishing and that I might not be able to handle it..."

The Empress Dowager and Granny Hua were both choked.

The Empress Dowager felt guilty for being exposed and became angry and embarrassed: "His Majesty ate at the same table with us. What kind of tonic could a little child eat?"

Xiao Wu nodded, smiling, "Then I'm relieved..."

The Empress Dowager looked at Cui Chang'an with some grievance: Your princess is bullying me, a dignified Empress Dowager, and you just stand by and watch?

Cui Chang'an avoided the Empress Dowager's gaze, feeling goosebumps all over his body.

Why is she looking at me like that for no reason?
It was as if I owed her something.

He was clearly her benefactor.
He couldn't understand, so he looked at Xiao Wu blankly: What's going on?

Xiao Wu patted his thigh under the table, signaling him to calm down and talk when they got home.

When the food was served, each person also received a bowl of soup.

Xiao Wu looked at the soup in front of her and calmly ordered, "I don't like soup, take it away."

Granny Hua glanced at the Empress Dowager, but dared not speak, and removed the soup.

Cui Chang'an followed suit: "Take mine away too."

Granny Hua glanced at the Empress Dowager again, then left.

The Empress Dowager also realized that the Regent's wife must have come prepared and was wary of her.

It seems I will not be able to accomplish anything today.

Fine, then let's take a step back.

After they had almost finished eating, the Empress Dowager began to play the victim.

First, he held Xiao Wu's hand and said with great envy that she and her husband were of one mind, which was truly admirable.

Unlike her, who is so young and has no one to rely on...

As she spoke, she wiped away her tears while looking at Cui Chang'an.

Cui Chang'an frowned slightly, looking like he was seriously thinking, which gave the Empress Dowager hope, and she spoke even more pitifully.

“When I wake up in the middle of the night and look at the empty palace, I always think of the time when the late emperor was alive…”

Cui Chang'an nodded knowingly: "It's lonely in the palace, it's really not easy..."

The Empress Dowager was overjoyed, thinking that crying would be effective, but then she heard Cui Chang'an say, "If Your Majesty also wishes to leave the palace incognito like those concubines, that is also possible."

The Empress Dowager's lamentation abruptly ceased, and she looked at Cui Chang'an in disbelief.

How could the eldest son of the Cui family, known as a wise man and now the regent, be so clueless when it comes to matters of love?
Did he really not realize that she was flirting with him?
Or is he deliberately playing dumb?
Cui Chang'an really didn't have much experience in this area; he was sincerely giving the Empress Dowager advice.

Seeing the Empress Dowager's stunned expression, he realized: this was not the outcome the Empress Dowager desired.

He frowned again and tried a different approach to solve the problem.

"If Her Majesty the Empress Dowager does not wish to leave the palace incognito, she may go to Qifeng Nunnery for spiritual cultivation. All necessities will be provided, and Her Majesty will have more freedom..."

The Empress Dowager suppressed the urge to roll her eyes and coughed twice: "Cough cough cough... I feel a little uncomfortable in my chest, so I'll go and rest first..." Cui Chang'an: This isn't what she wanted either?
He was puzzled, but his actions betrayed him: "Then this humble servant and his wife will take their leave..."

After leaving the palace, Cui Chang'an asked Xiao Wu with a puzzled look, "What exactly is the Empress Dowager planning to do today?"

"She herself said that the palace was lonely and that she envied the concubines who had left before..."

Why is she unwilling to leave?
He suddenly realized that he hadn't read enough books and that there were still many problems he hadn't figured out how to solve.

Xiao Wu suppressed a laugh: "You just don't understand women."

"She said that because she has her eye on you."

Cui Chang'an was taken aback: "Huh? That's impossible!"

Because his tone was so decisive, Xiao Wu became curious: "Why are you so sure?"

Cui Chang'an sighed and began to recount the past.

When His Highness the Crown Prince was choosing a consort, the late Emperor had quite a few candidates in mind.

After screening and considering these candidates layer by layer, the Crown Prince was asked to meet with the remaining four at an opportune time.

Back then, the Crown Prince and Cui Chang'an were always together. He would confide in Cui Chang'an about his worries and take him to see them one by one.

Young men and women, knowing full well that they are there with the intention of a marriage alliance, naturally look around with scrutiny and curiosity.

Cui Chang'an was also a handsome young man, and the Cui family was at the height of its power back then.

Whether becoming the Crown Princess or a wife of the Cui family, these are excellent options for ordinary noble ladies.

Among these people are Miss Tang and the current Empress Dowager.

Miss Tang took a liking to Cui Chang'an from the beginning, saying that Cui Chang'an was "intelligent, handsome and reserved, and would be a good husband".

In addition, according to the Cui family's ancestral precept, a Cui family man may take a concubine only if a woman is over thirty years old and has no children.

The Crown Prince is different; he is destined to have three palaces and six courtyards in the future.

In comparison, Cui Chang'an's marriage was considered the best possible match.

The current Empress Dowager looks down on him, saying that no matter how good the young master of the Cui family is, he can't be better than the Crown Prince.

It's normal for men to have multiple wives and concubines...

Those present at the time included not only the young masters and ladies of various families, but also, inevitably, the maids and nannies of each family.

These words were used by people with ulterior motives to inquire and gather information, and in the end, they all got what they wanted.

Miss Tang married Cui Chang'an, and the Empress Dowager in the palace also smoothly entered the Crown Prince's residence, and then smoothly became the Empress and Empress Dowager.

The process was too fast; the Empress Dowager has now reached the end of her promotion and is prematurely living the life of a lonely young widow.

After recounting the past, Cui Chang'an asked Xiao Wu with absolute certainty, "Look, she didn't even fancy me back then, so how could she possibly fancy me now?"

Xiao Wu almost laughed out of anger: "Putting aside romantic love, is it possible that she's after your power?"

"After all, you have absolute power now."

Cui Chang'an still felt something was wrong: "She is the Empress Dowager now. I have a clean relationship with her, so I can openly and honestly protect her."

"If I were to have any improper relationship with her, I should deliberately keep my distance from her to avoid suspicion."

"Besides, His Majesty is still young. Whether for His Majesty's sake, for the court's sake, or for my own sake, I cannot have any dealings with her."

"She's already the Empress Dowager, even if we have something going on, what more could I possibly give her?"

"Grand Empress Dowager?"

"How is she brainy?"

How could someone be so stupid?

Cui Chang'an looked disgusted, which finally made Xiao Wu laugh out loud.

Well, the Regent had no romantic thoughts in his mind, only politics.

He completely misunderstands women's subtle and intricate thoughts.

He truly didn't treat the Empress Dowager like a woman. (End of Chapter)