Having many children brings many blessings; the struggle for power begins with marriage.

The reason Mu Zixuan didn't care who Lu Chen chose to serve him in bed, nor did she care about the choice of the empress, was not because she didn't love Lu Chen, nor because she was particularly magnanimous. It was mainly because she had experienced too much and didn't want to be involved in the power struggles of the past again.

If it weren't for Lu Chen back then, the Mu family would probably be gone. Moreover, she knew what kind of person Lu Chen was. If she were to get involved in the struggle for the Empress's position, a huge chasm would inevitably appear between her and Lu Chen.

Now she doesn't need to do anything; she just needs to wait quietly for Lu Chen to appoint someone as empress.

Soon, Lu Chen arrived at Chu Yuqin's palace. As soon as Chu Yuqin entered the palace, Lu Chen came up from behind and hugged Chu Yuqin's graceful and soft body from behind.

Chu Yuqin sighed softly and said, "Your Majesty, you should have Zixuan serve you tonight."

Although Chu Yuqin knew that she held a significant place in Lu Chen's heart, she was also a reasonable person. Mu Zixuan was Lu Chen's legal wife, and by rights, she should have become his future empress.

Lu Chen had just returned from the capital, so naturally he had to share a room with the future empress, partly to put Mu Zixuan at ease.

Now that Lu Chen has gone to another woman, Mu Zixuan might overthink things and wonder if her position as empress is insecure.

Upon hearing Chu Yuqin's words, Lu Chen hugged Chu Yuqin's waist, pressed against her buttocks, and pushed her towards the bed while saying, "Aunt Chu, I've noticed that your attitude towards me has become much colder. Didn't I tell you before that when we're alone, you should call me Chen'er?"

Although Lu Chen said that, Chu Yuqin still said, "Your Majesty, you are now the Emperor, and you can no longer act as you did before."

Lu Chen breathed into Chu Yuqin's ear and then whispered, "If you continue to call me Your Majesty, I'm going to get angry."

Chu Yuqin sighed inwardly. Of course, she knew Lu Chen's preferences. Then she could only say, "Chen'er, you asked me to serve you in bed as soon as you came back. There must be something wrong, right?"

Lu Chen smiled and said, "Can't I contact you just because I miss my wife?"

As soon as Lu Chen finished speaking, the two of them arrived at the bedside. Lu Chen's hand appeared on Chu Yuqin's waistband, and soon Chu Yuqin's waistband was easily untied, revealing her white inner garment.

Chu Yuqin said, "If you only called me because you missed me, then you wouldn't have called only me tonight."

The night before Lu Chen left Yancheng, he asked her and Mu Zixuan to accompany him, but when he returned, he only asked her to stay with him.

Lu Chen is so romantic, how could he possibly only think about one woman? In Chu Yuqin's opinion, Lu Chen must want every woman.

Therefore, upon his return, he naturally wanted to spend the night with as many of his wives and concubines as possible.

Upon hearing Chu Yuqin's words, Lu Chen smiled slightly. He hadn't expected that Chu Yuqin would actually realize that he had ulterior motives for seeking her out.

Lu Chen fell silent at this moment. He gently took off Chu Yuqin's outer garment and then untied his own belt.

Then, he wrapped his arms around Chu Yuqin's slender waist and said, "I do have a question I'd like to ask Aunt Chu."

Chu Yuqin then asked, "What's the problem?"

Lu Chen said directly, "After court today, several officials came to me and said that now that I have returned to Yancheng, for the sake of the stability of Great Xia, we should appoint an empress as soon as possible and establish a crown prince."

Hearing this, Chu Yuqin was stunned. She hadn't expected that Lu Chen had come to talk to her about this.

Lu Chen then asked, "Aunt Chu, do you think Zixuan is suitable to be Empress?"

Faced with this question, Chu Yuqin did not answer directly. She quickly said, "Your Majesty, I am now your wife or concubine, and it is inappropriate for me to discuss such matters. If I were not yet your wife or concubine, you could ask me. If I answer this question now, I would be interfering in politics."

On the issue of establishing an empress, Chu Yuqin dared not speak carelessly.

Moreover, she is now Lu Chen's woman, and if she speaks out of turn, she might very well get herself involved.

Although Lu Chen still calls her Aunt Chu from time to time, Chu Yuqin is very clear in her heart that it is only to add some fun to their private life. She can no longer say whatever she wants like before.

Seeing Chu Yuqin being so cautious, Lu Chen smiled and said, "Aunt Chu, when did you become so cautious?"

Chu Yuqin sighed softly and then said, "Your Majesty, although I have watched you grow up since I was a child and you trust me very much, I have become your woman after all, and I am also involved in certain interests. If I continue to speak recklessly, I will be impeached by the ministers sooner or later."

Lu Chen could also hear Chu Yuqin's worry, and he felt a pang of emotion. The emperor's identity did indeed make it easy for him to become a lonely figure.

In Lu Chen's eyes, Chu Yuqin was the most trustworthy person in the world, but now she is distant from him because of her status.

Since a distance has been created, the best way is to shorten it, and Lu Chen quickly found a solution.

Lu Chen's large hands then began to roam over Chu Yuqin's voluptuous body, saying as he did so, "Wife, you've changed. Now you're deliberately keeping your distance from me."

"It seems I need to find a way to get closer to you."

Upon hearing this, Chu Yuqin's cheeks flushed red; she naturally understood the implication in Lu Chen's words.

After a while, Chu Yuqin felt hot all over. After all, she hadn't seen this little rascal for so long, and the longing she had been accumulating in her heart for almost a year had been building up.

Lu Chen's mere presence was enough to arouse her.

At this moment, Lu Chen whispered in Chu Yuqin's ear, "Wife, you're being naughty."

Hearing Lu Chen's deep and magnetic voice, Chu Yuqin's face flushed even more. Just then, a soft moan escaped her throat.

It's been almost a year since I've done anything bad with this bastard, and this guy just came right up to me...

However, Lu Chen did not continue at this moment, but simply maintained this state. He then said, "I actually don't really want to establish an empress. After all, you are all my wives, and you are all equally important in my eyes. If an empress is established, there will be a difference in status."

"Moreover, once there is an empress, there is a high chance that palace intrigue will break out, since everyone wants the position of empress."

Hearing Lu Chen's words, Chu Yuqin tried her best to remain calm. She took a deep breath and said, "If you don't establish an empress, more people will covet her, and everyone will think they have a chance."

"Furthermore, without an empress, how will the position of crown prince be determined? Do you intend to select a crown prince using the methods of the Great Xia Dynasty in the past?"

The old method that Chu Yuqin mentioned was naturally that the winner is king and the loser is a bandit.

Chu Yuqin believed that Lu Chen, as a father, would not want to see his children kill each other.

Hearing Chu Yuqin's words, Lu Chen pondered for a moment, then moved his body slightly. Chu Yuqin immediately gritted her teeth. Lu Chen continued, "In fact, whether or not a crown prince is established will lead to a struggle for imperial power. Take my father, for example. He established two crown princes, but in the end, neither of them had a good ending. In the end, it was I, the last prince, who became emperor."

"The allure of power is immense. The only solution I can think of is to support a child to become emperor during my lifetime, and then, under my supervision, give him absolute control over the court and the country. In this way, even if other children have such thoughts, they will have to consider whether they have the ability to fight for the throne."

After hearing Lu Chen's words, Chu Yuqin thought about it and realized that what Lu Chen said made sense.

However, she found it difficult to think rationally right now; all she wanted was for Lu Chen to get things done quickly.

At this moment, Lu Chen's large hand embraced Chu Yuqin's lower abdomen, and he lowered her body, saying, "I've thought about it, and I've decided not to establish an empress. Instead, I'll directly make Feng'er the crown prince, and then you and Zixuan will be made imperial concubines? What do you think?"

Chu Yuqin was stunned for a moment. At this moment, Lu Chen's action made Chu Yuqin let out another soft moan and hurriedly said, "No, how can I become an Imperial Noble Consort? Wouldn't that mean I'd be on equal footing with Zixuan? I'm just a maid. What will the ministers think of you then?"

Lu Chen smiled and said, "I am now the emperor, and an emperor with absolute control over the court. Do I need to consider someone else's opinion when I appoint an imperial concubine?" (End of this chapter)