The prince is more stable

Chapter 809 Advantages and Disadvantages
It is a fact that Zhao Hao had long coveted Empress Dowager Xiang's beauty.

Back when Empress Dowager Xiang was just one of Emperor Shenzong's concubines, Zhao Hao had already fallen for her at first sight.

However, Emperor Shenzong was Zhao Hao's elder brother, and the rules of the palace were even more strict. No matter how much Zhao Hao coveted the throne, he could only keep his wicked thoughts hidden in his heart for many years and dared not show the slightest sign of them.

Years later, Emperor Shenzong had passed away, and Emperor Zhezong had also died. He and his son were plotting a great undertaking, and now they were only a hair's breadth away from success. Zhao Hao finally couldn't hold back any longer, and he unleashed the demon in his heart without any restraint.

Of course, Zhao Hao has been used to restraint over the years, so if he were to act impulsively today simply because of beauty, it would be inconsistent with his character.

In fact, Zhao Hao also had his own purpose. Before the coronation ceremony the next day, Zhao Hao wanted to use a drastic measure to cut off the support of the Empress Dowager, whom Zhao Ji relied on the most, so that they would be caught off guard.

His original plan for today was to reveal his true intentions to the Empress Dowager after entering the palace, using a combination of kindness and coercion to force her to submit and switch sides.

He was very confident that he could make the Empress Dowager recognize reality, weigh the pros and cons, and make the right choice.

However, Empress Dowager Xiang was far too polite today. She not only dismissed the palace servants but also lifted the beaded curtain, revealing her true face to chat with him. The more Zhao Hao talked, the more his heart fluttered, and he could not control himself.

The charm of a widow... is truly irresistible.

In particular, Zhao Hao happened to have a particular fondness for this kind of thing...

Before making an impulsive decision, Zhao Hao had calmly considered the situation.

To sleep or not to sleep?

Should we wait until things are done before going to sleep?

After careful consideration, Zhao Hao felt that if the Empress Dowager could recognize reality and be forced by it, even if he acted rudely towards her, she would most likely swallow her anger. This was also based on the pressure of reality.

The question of life and death is above interests, and naturally even more so above chastity.

Therefore, taking the risk of sleeping with the Empress Dowager shouldn't cause any trouble.

Even if the Empress Dowager was determined to protect Zhao Ji, she probably wouldn't dare to reveal the matter of sleeping with him afterwards. In those days, women valued chastity above all else, let alone the Empress Dowager.

If word gets out, it will do her no good; on the contrary, it will cause her to lose everything she has now. The Empress Dowager is a smart woman; she certainly knows how to make the right choice.

So, Zhao Hao, driven by lust, decided... to sleep with her first.

It turns out that widows are indeed very radiant.

At this moment, the Empress Dowager was lying beside him. Although she glared at him with resentful eyes from time to time, Zhao Hao clearly noticed that her resentful eyes... seemed to be less venomous.

Zhao Hao couldn't help but grin. It seemed like he had made the right bet?
However, Zhao Hao was lucky; he did indeed make the right bet.

After revealing her hand appropriately, the Empress Dowager was no longer concerned about her chastity; a more serious problem awaited her.

"You and your son have been plotting this for a long time, haven't you? Your so-called support for Prince Duan's ascension to the throne and the overthrow of Prince Jian are actually part of your plan. From the very beginning, you never intended for Prince Duan to ascend the throne smoothly. What you and your son wanted to do was to usurp the throne," the Empress Dowager asked coldly.

Zhao Hao sneered, "Don't use such harsh language. What do you mean by 'plotting to usurp the throne'? Both I and Xiaoqian are surnamed Zhao, and we are both descendants of Emperor Yingzong. How could we have usurped the throne? Prince Duan is merely an illegitimate son of Emperor Shenzong. Does he even qualify?"

The Empress Dowager was filled with shock and anger: "You really are...! Zhao Hao, I never imagined that you and your son were such treacherous and ambitious people. Emperor Zhezong's suspicion of Zhao Xiaoqian was indeed not without reason!"

Zhao Hao said coldly, "All you see is 'eldest son, eldest son, and concubine'. You stubbornly follow the ancestral system to select a new emperor, and you don't care at all whether he can hold onto this country or whether he will bring shame to our ancestors after he takes the throne."

"If someone like Zhao Ji becomes emperor, he will squander the ancestral legacy sooner or later! Think about it yourself, sister-in-law, what abilities does Zhao Ji have? What prestige does he have? Besides indulging in sensual pleasures, calligraphy, painting, and stone collecting, what else can he do? If such a person becomes emperor, can he shoulder the responsibility for the ancestral legacy and the people of the world?"

"Think about my son Xiaoqian again. Compared to Zhao Ji, who is stronger? Anyone who isn't blind can tell at a glance, right? The current state of the Song Dynasty was all built by my son. Why can't he rule the country?"

"Emperor Gaozu of Tang, Li Yuan, was foolish. He ignored the meritorious Li Shimin and insisted on passing the throne to the incompetent Li Jiancheng..."

"The same applies to the Song Dynasty now. Since you disregard my son Xiaoqian's merits and insist on establishing that useless Zhao Ji, then my son and I will not hesitate to launch a coup at Xuanwu Gate. If you won't give it to us, we will take it ourselves!"

The Empress Dowager grew increasingly desperate as she listened. From Zhao Hao's domineering tone, she was certain that a major upheaval would occur tomorrow, and that Zhao Hao and his son were very confident in this event. Zhao Ji and she had practically become caged birds with nowhere to escape.

"Zhao Hao, don't forget, Bianjing still has the Palace Guard, the Three Armies, and hundreds of thousands of Imperial Guards and Garrison Troops protecting the capital. The 100,000 troops from Yan and Yun are probably not enough to seize the imperial city of Bianjing." The Empress Dowager made her last desperate attempt.

Zhao Hao sneered: "You're comparing the battle-hardened border troops to the Imperial Guards in Bianjing who are used to eating the grain of peace? Haha, how naive!"

"Besides, how can you be sure that the Palace Guard and the three armies of Bianjing are still loyal to the imperial family?" Zhao Hao narrowed his eyes and said in a gloomy tone, "If I weren't so confident, would I dare to be disrespectful to you today? Sister-in-law, haven't you figured out the implications of this?"

The Empress Dowager exclaimed in shock and anger, "Could it be that the commanders of the Palace Guard and the three armies have also been... taken down by you and your son...?"

Zhao Hao suddenly put his arm around the Empress Dowager's shoulder in a domineering manner and said in a low voice, "Now that things have come to this, does my sister-in-law still intend to stay on Zhao Ji's sinking ship?"

"What kind of spell did Zhao Ji cast on you to make you so devoted to him? You're so determined to support Zhao Ji, even though he's not your biological son. How can you trust him so much? If it's for your future status and wealth, what Zhao Ji can give you, can't I and Xiao Qian give you too?"

"If things go well tomorrow, the Empress Dowager will still be the Empress Dowager, and you will still be respected in the harem. Moreover, from now on, you will have me by your side, a man who cares for you. Even if we were to have a one-night stand, it would still be much better than that ignorant Zhao Ji. Sister-in-law, you should think this through."

Zhao Hao offered gentle words of comfort, a mixture of enticement and threat. The Empress Dowager was completely disoriented; everything that had happened that day had been too much for her to process.

What terrified her even more was that she discovered the situation in Bianjing had been unknowingly taken over by Zhao Hao and his son. She was the esteemed Empress Dowager, but in the face of this storm of conflict, she was as fragile as a piece of duckweed in a raging sea, with nothing to rely on.

Moreover, she has now lost her virginity and ruined her body, defiled by this seemingly honest but actually treacherous fat man in front of her.

As a woman who fought her way out of the palace many years ago, she naturally understands the basics of weighing pros and cons to get to her current position.

Empress Dowager Xiang now has no other choice.

When faced with harsh reality and having no other choice, a smart woman knows to bow to reality.

Besides, Zhao Hao had already guaranteed that her interests would not be harmed; no matter who became emperor, she would remain a secure empress dowager in the harem.

Moreover, it seems she... also has a man who cares about her?

She couldn't help but glance at the fat man lying next to her. Seeing his huge, bloated belly, Empress Dowager Xiang couldn't help but curl her lips in disgust.

Then the Empress Dowager sighed softly.

Nothing in this world is ever perfect. I've protected my interests and found a man, but unfortunately, he's too ugly...

Then she had to console herself, at least this ugly man was much better than Mr. Horn; at least this one was alive and kicking.

"I...I understand. Tomorrow I will do as you say, but you must remember what you said, or I will haunt you even in death," the Empress Dowager said, her voice stern but her words weak.

Zhao Hao laughed and tightened his grip on her shoulders: "From now on, you will be my woman. Also, you can refer to yourself as 'this palace' in front of me. I like this cold and aloof tone."

At this moment, the Empress Dowager had decided to succumb to reality. So she gave him a charming glare and said, "Let me make this clear from the start: if you and your son fail tomorrow, don't blame me for turning my back on you. You understand the principle of 'the victor is king, the loser is villain' better than I do. I'm just a weak woman, and I only want to survive in this storm."

"Alright, if things fail, I won't be so cowardly as to drag a woman down with me. It's settled then."

After saying that, Zhao Hao slapped the Empress Dowager's smooth, fair back and said, "Since you are now my woman, let me teach you how to serve your man."

"Bend over!"

…………

As dusk fell, Zhao Hao, completely satisfied, swaggered back to the Chu King's residence.

Zhao Xiaoqian sat in the Yin'an Hall waiting for him, and waited for a long time.

There was something extremely important to arrange today, but Zhao Hao had promised to return in the afternoon. However, he waited until dusk. Zhao Xiaoqian felt that this father was indeed unreliable.

The palace's front and back courtyards, as well as the Yin'an Hall, were almost covered with palace lanterns by the servants when Zhao Hao returned with a beaming smile.

Seeing Zhao Hao's smug and lewd smile, Zhao Xiaoqian immediately realized one thing: this old guy had done something bad!
Then, considering that he had just returned from Yanfu Palace, Zhao Xiaoqian immediately thought of something terrifying and audacious. His eyes became complicated, and he didn't know whether to give his father a thumbs up to show his admiration or to spit on him and condemn his moral depravity.

Zhao Hao hummed an unknown, slightly risqué tune as he entered the Yin'an Hall and sat down opposite Zhao Xiaoqian.

Zhao Xiaoqian suddenly said, "Father, you are no longer clean!"

Zhao Hao was taken aback, then jumped in fright. He subconsciously touched his cheek and blurted out, "Did this woman leave a mark on my face? I hope the eunuchs didn't notice when I left the palace?"

Zhao Xiaoqian calmly replied, "No, when I say 'unclean,' I don't mean your body, but your soul."

Zhao Hao breathed a sigh of relief and said lazily, "If you mean the soul, I've never been pure since I first fell in love with Shao Ai. I was seventeen that year, and she was seventeen too..."

Zhao Xiaoqian was too lazy to listen to his reminiscences of bygone years, and simply said, "With a major event approaching, I won't ask you for specific details, but I'll just ask you one question: are you sure there are no future problems?"

Zhao Hao shook his head, a hint of smugness on his face: "Not only are there no future troubles, but I've also managed to seduce the Empress Dowager."

Zhao Xiaoqian couldn't help but straighten up and move closer, asking in confusion, "Did you 'convince' or 'seduce'?"

"Don't worry about it or ask any questions. She's convinced anyway," Zhao Hao said proudly.

Zhao Xiaoqian took a deep breath and said, "I'm convinced too, really, you are..."

As he spoke, Zhao Xiaoqian gave him a thumbs up, saying that his father's strength was worth having.

Tomorrow is Zhao Ji's coronation ceremony. Tonight, the father and son have an important matter to attend to. However, the father unexpectedly ran into the palace and inexplicably slept with the Empress Dowager, and actually succeeded.

Judging from the smug look on his father's face, the Empress Dowager has probably already switched sides.

What else could Zhao Xiaoqian say besides "I submit"?
(End of this chapter)