A middle-aged emperor, childless, was blessed with a beautiful and pregnant concubine who entered th

"However, your marriage is of great importance to both the Emperor and the Empress Dowager, and there is no rush."

Princess Chaoyang was taken aback. "Oh dear! No!"

"Why are you suddenly bringing up your granddaughter's marriage?"

The Empress Dowager feigned ignorance, "Didn't you say you had your eye on someone? Don't you want to marry him?"

Princess Chaoyang immediately retorted arrogantly, "He's just a lowly third-place scholar; does he even deserve to be my consort?"

"It's just that he looks good, and my granddaughter wants to take him to her side to serve her."

The Empress Dowager scolded, "Nonsense!"

Princess Chaoyang immediately began to act coquettishly.

"Grandmother! Since childhood, Father and Grandmother have told Chaoyang that she is the most noble princess in the world, and that whatever Chaoyang wants, you and Father will do your best to help her."

"But why is it that Chaoyang only wants to be a minor scholar, yet you and Father Emperor are stopping him?"

"Chaoyang won't stand for it!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Aunt Zhulan's expression changed slightly.

The Empress Dowager, however, remained unmoved.

She smoothed her granddaughter's hair.

"You are the most noble princess in the world, and you deserve the best of everything."

"He's just a man, is he really worth you coming all the way to ask me for?"

Princess Chaoyang was overjoyed upon hearing this, "So, you agree?"

"Then Chaoyang will go and tell Father Emperor that you have agreed."

The Empress Dowager, exasperated, said, "Wait!"

"Why are you still so impatient, child? Let your grandmother finish speaking."

"You're a princess, what don't you have? Why bother getting angry with a mere third-place scholar?"

Chaoyang pouted, "My granddaughter isn't angry at all!"

"My granddaughter has really taken a liking to him and wants him to come into the household to serve her."

Empress Dowager: "Although his status is somewhat lower, he is, after all, the third-ranked scholar in this imperial examination, a talent personally selected by the emperor."

"If you take a liking to someone before the palace examination, then I will have no objections."

"But now that the list of successful candidates has been posted, do you want to make yourself, me, and the Emperor be condemned by the historians, thus emboldening you to forcibly seize an official position?"

Chaoyang pursed his lips and toyed with the fiery red double whips woven from gold thread in his hand.

This was a gift specially bestowed upon his beloved daughter by Emperor Qianwu.

"How could it be so serious?"

Princess Chaoyang pouted as she observed the Empress Dowager's expression.

Upon seeing this, her heart sank.

Just as the Empress Dowager knew her granddaughter, Princess Chaoyang took a liking to Zhou Mingchong, who was dressed in a red robe and full of vigor, at first glance.

But she was a princess, pampered since childhood, and she always got what she wanted.

Human desires are too easily satisfied, and once obtained, they are no longer appreciated.

Chaoyang is inherently a fickle person.

If Zhou Mingchong were also an opportunist, she would have grown tired of him after only a few days in the princess's residence.

But Zhou Mingchong not only refused, he also verbally rejected her, and his words even seemed to be lecturing her.

Chaoyang was naturally furious.

He didn't want to, but she insisted!

As a result, both the Emperor and the Empress Dowager sided with him, which fueled Chaoyang's possessiveness towards Zhou Mingchong.

But seeing that the Empress Dowager's expression was not right, Chaoyang was very obedient.

She shook the Empress Dowager's arm, "Alright, alright! Chaoyang knows!"

"Chaoyang will never allow his father and grandmother to be scorned by others."

"Those pedantic historians, daring to spout nonsense, I, your granddaughter, will personally punish them with a whip!"

As she spoke, she cracked the whip in her hand.

Although the Empress Dowager said it was "nonsense," she was very pleased with her granddaughter's protection of her and her son.

She helped her beloved granddaughter straighten her clothes. "Alright, have you seen your father, the Emperor, since you've entered the palace?"

"He must be missing you. Remember to pay your respects to your father, the Emperor."

Chaoyang replied, "You don't need to say that. Your subject will certainly remember, Father!"

"Father and Grandmother are the best to Chaoyang in this world!"

She has a sweet smile and a sweet voice.

"And my mother!"

"Oh, right!" Chaoyang seized the opportunity to say, "I went to my mother's place today and saw her drinking that very bitter medicine. She was crying from the effort but still refused to give up."

"But Father is too wicked. He even made Consort Rong help Mother manage the harem."

"Grandmother! What do you think Father means by this?"

The Empress Dowager and Emperor Qianwu were very indulgent towards Princess Chaoyang, so Princess Chaoyang rarely hid her emotions in front of them.

She was genuinely speaking out for her mother, the imperial concubine.

Although his mother was of humble origin and was not the empress.

However, his mother gave birth to his father's only child and also managed the vast harem.

In Princess Chaoyang's eyes, they were a family of three.

This harem belongs to the mother concubine. What is Consort Rong?

The Empress Dowager and Aunt Zhulan exchanged a glance.

Aunt Zhulan smiled and said, "Our little prince has grown up and knows how to care for His Majesty, His Highness, and the Imperial Concubine."

Chaoyang gave a soft snort, "Grandmother, Mother is heartbroken."

"My mother often said that she didn't care about palace power, only whether my father cared about her."

Thinking of Consort Chen, who had given birth to the emperor's only son, and then looking at her granddaughter speaking up for her mother, the Empress Dowager frowned.

She didn't think her granddaughter had done anything wrong.

They would only think that Consort Chen had ulterior motives and was using the princess.

"Your father will make his own decisions about matters of the harem; you are just a child, so don't ask too many questions."

"Consort Rong's father served the country loyally on the frontier, and she devoted herself to serving your father, the Emperor, in the harem. Isn't that what she should do?"

……

Princess Chaoyang stayed in the Empress Dowager's palace for most of the day but didn't get any information out of her.

As soon as he came out, his face darkened.

She stormed off to Consort Chen's palace.

Consort Chen immediately came out to greet her personally.

"My son! You've returned?"

Princess Chaoyang huffed and puffed, "My father and grandmother must be bewitched by something, they won't help me!"

This time, Consort Chen was truly surprised.

What exactly did Zhou Mingchong do to warrant such protection from His Majesty and the Empress Dowager?

Just then, a palace servant hurried in.

That was Consort Chen's confidante.

Princess Chaoyang was not surprised.

The confidant whispered a few words in Consort Chen's ear, and Consort Chen's expression suddenly changed drastically.

"What?"

"Did the Empress Dowager and His Majesty bring a woman into the palace from Hanshan Temple?"

Upon hearing this, Princess Chaoyang couldn't help but look up.

"What woman?"

Consort Chen's expression changed.

"It must be those vixens who seduced your father!"

Princess Chaoyang was not surprised.

"Mother, what are you afraid of?"

"Your father has no heir, so no matter who enters the palace, it will not affect your status."

Consort Chen: ...

"But...but..."

Consort Chen was extremely jealous.

Outsiders all thought she had only secured her position as a Noble Consort by giving birth to Princess Chaoyang by sheer luck, but who knew that she deeply loved His Majesty?

How overjoyed she was when she learned she was pregnant with His Majesty's child!

His Majesty was poisoned by that strange poison, and no woman could conceive his child.

But only she can do it!

Could we consider her to be His Majesty's chosen one?

She and His Majesty are a match made in heaven.