I became the tyrant's only belief.

Chapter 524 She really is a witch
In Wanshou Palace, the Empress Dowager received news of the Emperor's return to the palace and specially ordered the small kitchen to prepare some of the Emperor's favorite dishes, waiting for him to come and have dinner.

But instead of the two people who arrived, Chu Liuzheng was forced to come to the Wanshou Palace with the emperor for a free meal.

The Empress Dowager used to be able to give Chu Liuzheng a kind look, but now she wished she could scrape a layer of skin off him with her eyes.

She actually instigated the emperor to dismiss the harem; she's a menace!
Xiao Jingfan said, "Mother, it's getting late, let's have our meal first."

The Empress Dowager snorted coldly and ordered someone to serve the meal.

The meal was eaten in complete silence. Even Chu Liuzheng, who was usually oblivious to everything else and only focused on eating, found it hard to swallow.

It wasn't that she didn't want to eat, but she felt that eating this meal might cause her stomach pain, and it wouldn't be worth it.

In less than a quarter of an hour, all three of them stopped eating, and the palace servants came forward to remove the food.

Chu Liuzheng held the tea, looking to the left and then to the right.

[Tsk tsk, the Empress Dowager's face is so gloomy you could wring water out of it; anyone who didn't know better would think the food was poisoned.]

[The tyrant's expressionless face... wasn't he supposed to have a proper talk with the Empress Dowager? With that expression, he looks more like he's here to collect a debt.]

Why aren't you saying anything? This isn't a game where whoever speaks first loses. Are you having a contest to see who can hold their breath the longest?

She took a sip of tea, glanced at the two silent people, and then took another sip.

[Speaking of which, the tea in the Empress Dowager's palace is as delicious as ever.]

【No, I've already drunk half of my tea, why aren't these two saying anything? Should I start?】

[Speak up quickly!!]

Holding the remaining half-cup of tea, Chu Liuzheng felt a little like leaving.

You shouldn't drink too much water when you're doing serious work, because everyone needs to use the restroom sometimes.

She gave the emperor a wink, and without caring whether he understood or not, she silently got up and walked out.

"Halt!" The Empress Dowager glared at her. "Where are you going?"

Chu Liuzheng: "Go to the toilet."

Queen Mother: "..."

Chu Liuzheng looked at her innocently, "Can I leave now?"

The Empress Dowager hummed through her nose, which sounded more like a cold snort.

Chu Liuzheng lifted his foot and walked away.

You two should talk it out; I won't interfere.

As she left, the Empress Dowager turned her gaze to the Emperor and said, "This is the person you chose."

His tone was very dissatisfied.

Xiao Jingfan said, "She's fine."

Empress Dowager: "The late Emperor once asked you, which is more important, the beauty or the empire? Do you still remember how you answered?"

Xiao Jingfan nodded: "I remember."

"And what are you doing now?" The Empress Dowager's voice was filled with anger. "Disbanding the harem for such a woman? I think you've lost your mind!"

She raised her hand and slammed it on the table, startling everyone in the hall into kneeling down, heads bowed, utterly silent.

Xiao Jingfan waved his hand, and Zhou Yuande immediately led the palace servants away.

The palace was now empty except for the royal mother and son. “Is Mother angry that I dismissed the harem for her, or that I sent Consort Xie away?” Xiao Jingfan took off the Bodhi bead string from his wrist, slipped it onto his four fingers, and slowly twirled the beads one by one.

The Empress Dowager knew she had misspoke, but she was indeed disappointed in Xiao Jingfan. Her tone was firm: "No matter who it is for, this is not right."

"I thought the Empress Dowager was just trying to spite me because of the Xie family." Xiao Jingfan raised his eyes and stared at the Empress Dowager. "So that's not the case after all."

The Empress Dowager's gaze made him feel a sudden unease, and he inexplicably felt a little flustered.

The emperor had never looked at her with such scrutinizing, cold eyes before. What was wrong with him?
She softened her tone: "You love Chu Shi and dote on her alone. Although there are complaints in the harem, things haven't gotten too ugly over the years. With you protecting her, Chu Shi has never suffered a loss. If you're happy to dote on her, then continue doing so. Why do you want to dismiss the harem?"

The inner palace and the outer court are inextricably linked; isn't this just asking for trouble?

Hearing that the Empress Dowager was thinking of him, Xiao Jingfan's eyes softened a bit, and he was willing to say a few more words.

"There are too many people and too much trouble. She dislikes the infighting in the palace, and I don't want to be bothered by her. Mother, please don't blame her. It wasn't her who urged me to dismiss the harem, but rather it was my own choice."

He looked at the smooth, round Bodhi bead string in his hand and said in a low voice, "If I hadn't insisted, she would have already flown out of the palace to seek her freedom. Because of my selfishness, I imprisoned her in this four-sided world, and I feel guilty and always want to make it up to her."

The Empress Dowager frowned upon hearing this. "My son, have you gone mad?"

"Chu was just a peasant girl. If it weren't for your favoritism, how could a peasant girl like her have become so wealthy, dressed in fine clothes, surrounded by servants, and not even needing to carry a needle?"

"You have given her a lifetime of wealth and honor, something that others would pray to countless gods and Buddhas for and beg for, yet she is not grateful and even blames you. What kind of logic is this?"

As the Empress Dowager spoke, her temper flared up again.

How could her perfectly healthy, bright and clever child become so stupid after meeting that woman?

To have bewitched her son to this extent, that Lady Chu is indeed a vixen.

The Empress Dowager lowered her eyes and sipped her tea, a fleeting glint of murderous intent flashing across her gaze.

Xiao Jingfan could only shake his head after hearing his mother's words.

What might be considered wealth and status by others is something they could only dream of, but for Chu Liuzheng, his actions were tantamount to disaster.

He had never understood why Chu Liuzheng would so foolishly resist everything that others envied.
After spending more than four years together, he gradually understood from Chu Liuzheng's inner thoughts that it was because of Chu Liuzheng's past life.

In the world Chu Liuzheng lived in in his previous life, women, like men, had many choices. But in the Great Sheng Dynasty, marriage, childbirth, and dependence on men were the fates of the vast majority of women.

Although Chu Liuzheng was reborn in the Great Sheng Dynasty in this life, she was deeply influenced by her previous life and never considered marriage and having children as a necessary option. She still believed that everything should be done by herself.

For example, she always secretly dreamed of becoming a rich woman, but she always thought about earning it herself, such as working diligently in her duties to earn more rewards, or opening a restaurant after leaving the palace and making money through her skills. She didn't rely on her looks and talent to marry a rich and powerful man.

If he hadn't stopped her at the palace gate, she might have already opened a restaurant in some corner of the capital with her savings, or perhaps she had taken a caravan to Jiangnan to see the white walls and green tiles, and the picturesque scenery of mist and rain.

Given that woman's temperament, she won't stop causing trouble.

If Chu Liuzheng were given the chance to choose again, she would probably still choose to leave the palace.

Xiao Jingfan couldn't tell the Empress Dowager these things. He could only say, "There are many complexities involved, and it's inconvenient for Mother to know. Mother, just remember this—"

He gripped the Bodhi beads tightly and looked at the Empress Dowager, "The story of the Phoenix Maiden is not unfounded."

The Empress Dowager was taken aback. What did she mean by "not just a rumor"? Was the Chu family member truly a reincarnation of a deity?

Where do gods and immortals come from in this world?
She curled her lips in displeasure and said, "My son, don't try to fool me. If Lady Chu is truly a goddess, then let her conjure one up for me to see. If she can really conjure one up, then I'll not only dismiss the harem, but I'll even build a lotus platform to enshrine her."

“There’s no need for the lotus platform.” Xiao Jingfan smiled slightly. “If Mother wishes to see it, she will be able to in a few days.”

The Empress Dowager's eyelids twitched, a bad feeling creeping over her. She quickly asked, "What do you mean by that?"

Xiao Jingfan: "I want to make Lady Chu my empress."

(End of this chapter)