You take on two husbands, I'll turn around and marry the tyrant and rule the world.

"Let her in," Duanmu Qingyu said calmly.

The old eunuch had gray hair, a serious expression, and a slightly hunched back. He seemed to have been born with a blank expression, and his gaze toward Duanmu Qingyu was calm with a hint of affection.

However, Chu Nianci knew that he was Duanmu Qingyu's personal eunuch, Zhongchangdai Li De'an. He was mainly responsible for holding the jade seal box when Duanmu Qingyu went to court, so he was also called the seal-holding eunuch. In fact, he was more responsible for the affairs of the court.

Despite his unassuming demeanor, within this small corner of the palace, nothing can escape his notice if he sets his mind to it.

In reality, he was His Majesty's eyes and ears, but now that his attention has shifted to the previous dynasty, his control over the palace has decreased.

After he finished speaking, he respectfully stepped aside, as if he were an inconspicuous shadow.

Jingxi went out to deliver the imperial decree.

With a soft rustling of the curtain, Empress Lin entered the palace.

Apart from the emperor, everyone else in the hall bowed and paid their respects.

As everyone bowed, Duanmu Qingyu smiled and said, "Your Majesty must be tired today. Why did you arrive at this hour?"

Empress Lin bowed deeply and said, "Your Majesty, I have come to plead guilty on behalf of my younger brother."

After saying that, he knelt down respectfully, positioned just three or four steps away from Chu Nianci.

Duanmu Qingyu quickly raised his hand to help her up: "Your Majesty, please rise. I had originally planned to have dinner at your palace, but considering you've had a long day, I decided not to disturb you. What does your brother's mistake have to do with Your Majesty?"

"Your Majesty, Jingrui acted rashly in a moment of panic, worried about Mother's condition, and lost his composure. Please do not be angry." Empress Lin still refused to get up.

Duanmu Qingyu gestured for her to sit down and said gently, "The selection of concubines is a major event personally presided over by the Empress Dowager, which concerns the royal family's decorum. Empress Lin deliberately summoned the imperial physicians at this time. If this is not dealt with, everyone will follow suit in the future. Where is the rule? I know you are distressed, but I have no choice but to punish you."

"It is indeed Jingrui's fault, and Your Majesty's punishment is justified. How could I be angry about this?" Empress Lin then slowly sat down, her voice soft yet firm. "I only ask that Your Majesty consider his filial piety and forgive him this time."

"I know that Jingrui is doing this out of filial piety. That's why I didn't send back Physician Liu, who is serving Lady Cheng'en. Jingxi, let Lin Jingrui get up."

The two had already taken their seats while they were talking, and only then did the palace servants who were kneeling on the ground dare to quietly get up.

Seeing that her younger brother had been forgiven, Empress Lin's expression finally relaxed, and she smiled as she brought up another matter: "There is another matter I would like to discuss with His Majesty. The other day, during the imperial concubine selection, His Majesty appointed Lady Gu from the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion as Consort Jia, Lady Bai from the Grand Commandant's mansion as Consort Yu, and Lady Shen, the Prefect of Yangzhou, as Noble Lady Lan. There are also three younger sisters who have not yet been granted titles..."

"Has the Imperial Household Department already drafted a designation?" Duanmu Qingyu asked calmly.

"The Prime Minister's daughter, Huangfu Yuli, the Minister of Rites' daughter, Tang Wanqiu, and the Imperial Household Department's daughter, Han Xier, all come from prominent families. If Your Majesty only bestows titles upon those from the families of the Grand Commandant and the Duke of Zhenguo, I fear it will chill the hearts of the old ministers. The Empress Dowager's opinion is... that it would be better if Your Majesty personally determined their titles."

After a moment's thought, Duanmu Qingyu said, "In that case, Huangfu Yuli is the prime minister's granddaughter, of unparalleled nobility, and shall be named Consort Shu. Tang Wanqiu shall be named Consort Yue, and Han Xier shall be named Noble Lady Qiao."

The Empress smiled and bowed, saying, "On behalf of my three younger sisters, I thank Your Majesty for your grace."

In this way, he would have six concubines.

The two had made their decision, and Jingxi glanced at Chu Nianci. Chu Nianci understood and immediately stepped forward to serve tea.

She poured a cup of tea that had just been ordered and carefully presented it to the Empress.

Empress Lin took the tea, drank a sip, and her gaze fell on Chu Nianci. She saw that the girl serving the tea was beautiful and elegant, with a touch of red between her eyebrows, making her a rare beauty.

She raised an eyebrow with slight surprise, praising him subtly and tactfully: "Your Majesty truly knows how to treat people well. This tea not only moistens the lungs and quenches thirst, but also calms the mind and improves eyesight. Is there really someone with such skill in the Hall of Mental Cultivation?"

Duanmu Qingyu smiled slightly: "Speaking of which, I must thank the Empress. This is the Consort Hui whom you recommended earlier. I thought she was good at making tea, and since it was recommended by the Empress, I took care of her and kept her by my side to serve tea. It can be considered that I have not failed your good intentions."

"...Oh..." Empress Lin looked embarrassed.

She remembered the beautiful woman before her, who had been introduced by Physician Chu and was once her younger brother's betrothed. She bit her lip, but quickly regained her composure and looked at Chu Nianci, saying, "Raise your head."

Chu Nianci was unwilling to face the Empress directly at this moment, but since he had been called out, he had no choice but to slowly raise his head.

Her gaze swept lightly across the Queen's face, finally settling on the Queen's left shoulder.

Two lifetimes later, she met Empress Lin again.

The empress was about twenty years old, three years older than the emperor. She had delicate eyebrows and almond-shaped eyes, a face as white as powder, and rosy lips. She was beautiful, but among the many beauties, she was only considered to be above average.

If one had to point out something remarkable, it would be the subtle and appropriate smile that always graced her face, and the tenderness and restrained infatuation that lingered in her eyes when she looked at Duanmu Qingyu…

This is a woman who, though she harbors feelings for the emperor, always manages to control her emotions with reason.

In fact, according to common sense, Empress Lin's father was only a fourth-rank military officer, and she was three years older than the emperor, so she should not have been able to sit on the throne as empress.

However, Duanmu Qingyu was only fourteen when he ascended the throne, and due to the national mourning, he did not get married until he was seventeen years old and began to rule in his own right.

At that time, the Empress Dowager saw that the three families of the Duke of Zhenguo, the Grand Commandant, and the Prime Minister had all put forward their beauties, and the "three forces" were deadlocked. In the end, she chose the daughter of the Lin family, who had no prominent background and had never been involved in political struggles, and made her the Empress.

"She is beautiful, dignified and intelligent. Congratulations to Your Majesty on finding another beauty." Empress Lin forced a gentle smile and offered a light compliment.

Chu Nianci quickly kowtowed to express his gratitude. The aroma of tea filled the hall, creating a peaceful and harmonious atmosphere.

Just then, Lin Jingrui was brought in and knelt in the snow for an hour, his shoulders covered with a thick layer of snowflakes.

His hair was wet, his hat was askew, his handsome face was blue and white from the cold, and he looked utterly disheveled.

Ignoring everything else, he knelt down with a thud and kowtowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I know I am wrong and am willing to be punished. I only ask that Your Majesty return my fiancée to me."

Upon hearing this, the entire hall fell silent, as if even the aroma of tea had frozen.

Although Duanmu Qingyu still had a smile on her face, a hint of coldness flashed in her eyes as she glanced at Lin Jingrui and Chu Nianci, but she did not speak immediately.

half an hour.

Empress Lin was stunned. After a long pause, she rebuked him, "Jingrui, how dare you be so rude! I have already seen your marriage certificate, and the name on it does not match. How can you arbitrarily claim someone as your fiancée?"

Lin Jingrui lowered his head, still trying to defend himself: "That was just a slip of the pen. Everyone in the capital knows that she is my betrothed wife."

Duanmu Qingyu's expression remained unchanged, but his bright, moon-like eyes flashed with a cold light.

He turned only to Chu Nianci and asked in a calm tone, "Where is Consort Hui? Would she be willing to return to the Lin residence with him?"

Chu Nianci respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, I would rather stay in the palace as a maid than go to the Lin residence."

"Oh? Why is that?" Duanmu Qingyu raised an eyebrow. "What's so good about the palace?"

"Being by His Majesty's side, I eat in peace, work diligently, and sleep soundly at night," Chu Nianci replied calmly.

Duanmu Qingyu's lips curved into a smile.

"How could you give the wrong name?" Duanmu Qingyu turned to Lin Jingrui, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Lin Jingrui, still stubborn and unyielding, said, "That was truly a clerical error. I am willing to atone for this mistake with the merits I gained from the past in Nanzhao."

Duanmu Qingyu's handsome brows suddenly furrowed, his eyes turning cold: "How can documents submitted to the court be treated so lightly? If every official makes a mistake in their writing, everyone will follow your example. If you ask for forgiveness for a single slip of the pen, where is the law of the court?"

"This..." Lin Jingrui stammered.

"For your service to Nanzhao, I have already bestowed upon you the position of Imperial Attendant. However, for the sake of the Empress, I will give you another chance to choose: either return her or atone for your dereliction of duty today."

His voice was not loud, but clear and sharp, like a bolt of lightning descending from the heavens, making people's eardrums buzz.

"Your Majesty…" Lin Jingrui stammered, sweating profusely, kowtowing repeatedly, "I beg Your Majesty to return her. If she enters the palace, I, as the heir apparent, will be ridiculed, and my life will be utterly meaningless…"

"So you were willing to gamble your position as heir apparent? Answering questions before the emperor is no child's play. Think carefully before you answer. I regret that I did not make it clear."

The hall fell silent again, the air so heavy it was almost stagnant.

There wasn't even a sound of breathing inside the vast hall.

Empress Lin's expression changed drastically. Her lips turned white, and she trembled as she pulled her younger brother down to kneel down with her.

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger. He was confused for a moment and had no intention of disobeying us. We beg Your Majesty to forgive his dereliction of duty."

Lin Jingrui looked at his sister, and his straight back finally slumped down.

In that instant, he had already made his decision.

He would never give up his position as crown prince.

Just moments ago, he was inwardly mocking Chu Nianci for his greed for wealth and glory, but now he realized that he himself was also clinging tightly to the position of heir and unwilling to let go, and was also greedy for wealth and glory.

If that's the case, what right do I have to laugh at her?

After a long silence, he prostrated himself on the ground, instinctively feeling ashamed of his actions, and said in a trembling voice, "Please forgive my reckless words, Your Majesty."

Duanmu Qingyu coldly said, "Don't say such things again. She is now my chosen concubine, my woman. If you dare to covet her again, don't blame me for executing you without mercy!"

As he uttered the words "to be executed without pardon," his long eyeliner had already formed an ice-blade-like arc.

An aura of unassailable imperial power swept over us.

Lin Jingrui immediately broke out in a cold sweat.

His whole body trembled slightly, and he knelt on the ground unwillingly.

Even though he was unwilling, he dared not say anything more.

She didn't even dare to look at Chu Nianci again, feeling so ashamed she wanted to disappear.

Seeing that His Majesty still looked angry, he gritted his teeth and raised his hand to slap himself several times.

"I was momentarily confused and spoke words that offended Your Majesty. I deserve to die. Your Majesty, please forgive my reckless words and refrain from your wrath."

He kowtowed and begged for mercy.

A red, swollen handprint immediately appeared on his fair face.

The empress was filled with shame and quickly apologized.

"You should be glad you didn't say it in the main hall, otherwise even if I wanted to spare you, I wouldn't be able to. Get out of here. Don't come to the Hall of Mental Cultivation unless summoned in the future. Just do your job diligently." Duanmu Qingyu said coldly.

Lin Jingrui and the Empress withdrew.

As the Empress left the hall, she gave Chu Nianci a cold look.

Although Lin Jingrui had been slapped a few times, he was not convinced. The emperor had used his power to oppress him and take away his wife. It didn't matter. He would wait a few days until the emperor got tired of her and then go and ask for her back.

The words spoken in the recitation were only meant for His Majesty's ears.

That's definitely not what she really meant. She did that just to spite herself, to get her attention, and to make herself regret it.