Transmigrating into a book, seducing him to rise to power

Not long after Consort Xian left, it was almost lunchtime.

After dressing up, Su Jingyao went to Qianqing Palace to dine with Jun Zechen.

During the meal, Su Jingyao was elegant and frequently served food to Jun Zechen, her eyes full of tenderness, interacting with him as usual.

After lunch, the two spent some more time together in the Qianqing Palace before Su Jingyao returned to the Kunning Palace to handle some matters.

Before they had been in Kunning Palace for long, Aunt Jinhua arrived in a hurry.

Su Jingyao sat on the phoenix carriage, her posture dignified, her gaze fixed straight ahead, her eyes seemingly shimmering with light, as if she were deep in thought.

As expected of the Empress Dowager, she received the news as soon as Su Jingyao came out of Qianqing Palace. Since the Empress Dowager waited for her to leave Qianqing Palace before summoning her, she probably didn't want Jun Zechen to know.

I wonder what the Empress Dowager wanted to say to her.

When Su Jingyao arrived at Cining Palace, Aunt Jinhua respectfully led her to the warm pavilion of Cining Palace.

The Empress Dowager was standing to one side, holding scissors, intently pruning the bonsai.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects." Su Jingyao gave a slight curtsy, her voice clear and respectful.

"The Empress is here. Come here and see how I've pruned this bonsai."

The Empress Dowager didn't even raise her head, remaining focused on the work in her hands.

After Su Jingyao got up, she walked over and took a closer look.

"This pine and cypress bonsai in the style of the Empress Dowager's is very good. Under her pruning and cultivation, the trunk of the tree is winding and twisting, like a dragon. It is full of rhythm and cadence, and the combination of gentleness and strength is perfect."

Su Jingyao's eyes were full of admiration, and her face wore a perfectly timed smile.

"It seems the Empress also understands the art of bonsai?"

The Empress Dowager finally put down the scissors, turned her head to look at Su Jingyao, and her eyes held a hint of inquiry.

"I know a little about it. It is said that bonsai is a silent poem, a three-dimensional painting, and a living sculpture, so I also place some in the palace. However, the ones I place are already trimmed by the palace servants, and I do not have Your Majesty's appreciation of art."

Su Jingyao lowered her head slightly, her tone humble.

The Empress Dowager's eyes revealed a hint of appreciation. "The Empress's description of the bonsai is quite good."

Intelligent, well-mannered, and knowledgeable, it's no wonder the emperor liked her.

"I've heard that the Emperor has been drinking in the Qianqing Palace these past two days. Does the Empress know the reason?"

Although the Empress Dowager's expression did not change much, her voice still carried a hint of coldness, and her eyes became sharp.

Su Jingyao lowered her eyes, her eyelashes trembling slightly. What was bound to happen had finally happened.

"It is my fault. I failed to relieve Your Majesty's worries, which led to Your Majesty drinking some wine." Su Jingyao's voice carried a hint of self-reproach.

"Empress, the Emperor now favors only you. I have not stopped him because there are already quite a few princes in the harem. You are indeed clever and have the Emperor's heart firmly in your grasp. But no matter what, the Emperor's health is not something to be taken lightly."

The Empress Dowager's words were firm and resounding, carrying an unquestionable authority and a stern warning, her gaze fixed intently on Su Jingyao.

Su Jingyao squatted down, maintaining her dignified posture.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me, it was my fault."

The Empress Dowager looked down at the Empress, her thoughts drifting back to when the Empress first entered the Eastern Palace.

At that time, even she was misjudged, thinking that she was truly unassuming and gentle.

Unexpectedly, she turned out to be the most ambitious woman in the entire harem. She wanted not only the emperor's favor but also the position of empress. Surprisingly, she actually succeeded.

The Empress Dowager knew her son's temperament. When he fell in love with Lady Ling, she never stopped him, because she never thought that Lady Ling had the ability to attract her son for a lifetime.

The emperor would eventually tire of his relationship with Lady Ling, and indeed, just as she predicted, it happened even faster than she had anticipated. The emperor lost much of his feelings for Lady Ling.

But now she has placed her affections on the Empress, who is completely different from Ling Shi. This is the Empress Dowager's intuition; the Empress has a strong ability to control people's hearts.

When she handed over the power of the palace to the empress, it was not a complete relinquishment of power. She would also secretly observe the empress's methods. The empress would fully consider the greed, laziness, and ambition of human nature and formulate a series of palace rules.

She managed the harem perfectly, even better than she had done in the past.

A woman like that might really be able to control her son for a lifetime.

The Empress Dowager sighed softly, these thoughts flashing through her mind in an instant.

"Your Majesty, please rise." The Empress Dowager's voice softened slightly.

"I have summoned you today not to interrogate you. I have no say in your affairs with the Emperor. However, if the Emperor's health is compromised in any way, I will hold you responsible."

The Empress Dowager's eyes conveyed seriousness and authority.

"Yes, Your Majesty, I will follow your teachings."

Su Jingyao stood up.

The Empress Dowager put down the scissors, slowly walked to the couch beside her and sat down. "Empress, come and sit down. Try the tea here."

The Empress Dowager raised her hand in greeting.

Su Jingyao followed behind the Empress Dowager, then gently sat down on the other side of the couch, picked up her teacup, took a small sip, and exuded nobility in her demeanor.

Afterwards, the Empress Dowager and the Empress had a long chat.

After she became Empress Dowager, she had a lot more time. She dabbled in tea ceremony, Buddhist scriptures and other things. The Empress was able to answer her questions fluently, and they even discussed the governance of the six palaces at the end of the conversation.

Su Jingyao could only sigh inwardly that it was much harder to coax the Empress Dowager than the Emperor. Fortunately, she usually liked to read a wide variety of books, otherwise she might not have been able to get along with the Empress Dowager.

She maintained a smile throughout, responding attentively to every word the Empress Dowager spoke, her eyes revealing focus and respect.

Just as the Empress Dowager and Su Jingyao were having a pleasant conversation, a sharp eunuch's voice suddenly rang out.

"His Majesty has arrived!"

Upon hearing this voice, Su Jingyao's brows furrowed slightly, almost imperceptibly, and she wondered to herself: What is he doing here?

A look of doubt and helplessness flashed in his eyes.

The Empress Dowager had a faint smile on her lips, and her eyes were deep and unfathomable, making it difficult to guess what she was thinking at that moment.

Jun Zechen strode in, his posture upright, and his bow was smooth and respectful. "Your subject greets Your Majesty."

Su Jingyao was about to get off the couch to pay her respects, but Jun Zechen was quick-witted and sat down next to her, his arm quickly wrapping around her waist, preventing her from moving at all.

Su Jingyao's face instantly darkened. Did he even realize they were in front of the Empress Dowager?

She tried to break free quietly, but Jun Zechen was too strong.

The Empress Dowager's lips twitched involuntarily. Seeing her son acting so intimately with the Empress as if no one else was around, she naturally knew why he had come.

Isn't it all to support the Empress? To prevent her mother from making things difficult for the Empress.

"Why has the Emperor come?" The Empress Dowager narrowed her eyes slightly, her tone carrying a hint of inquiry.

"Of course I miss Mother Empress."

Jun Zechen wore a fawning smile, but his gaze remained fixed on Su Jingyao.

He was reviewing memorials in the imperial study when Anshun informed him that Yaoyao had been summoned by the Empress Dowager.

Jun Zechen knew in his heart that there were people from the Empress Dowager's side in Qianqing Palace. He had a very good relationship with his mother, and he always turned a blind eye to the people she had placed in Qianqing Palace, simply because his mother cared about him.

However, he had confined the Empress to the Qianqing Palace for the past two days. Although the people in the inner palace were unaware of this, the people in the Qianqing Palace naturally knew. In addition, he was drinking in a side hall and was afraid that his mother would make things difficult for her if she found out. That's why Jun Zechen rushed over in a hurry, not even bothering to write his memorial.

The Empress Dowager hadn't expected that after leaving the palace to cultivate for a while, she would return to find that her son not only doted on the Empress, but his personality had also changed a lot. He could even say things like "I would never have said them easily before" so fluently.

"Is the Emperor here to see me or the Empress?" The Empress Dowager asked, her expression slightly displeased.

However, Jun Zechen naturally knew that his mother was not really angry, so he simply smiled and let it go.

"Didn't the Empress just come out of your Qianqing Palace? Others may not know you've confined her, but surely I do? The Empress is the head of the six palaces; what mistake did she make to warrant your confinement?"

The Empress Dowager put on a stern face, her expression serious, and her gaze sharp as she reprimanded the Emperor.

Su Jingyao couldn't help but chuckle to herself, because the Empress Dowager hadn't said that to her just now.

She lowered her head slightly, trying to hide the smile that was about to spill from the corners of her mouth.

Jun Zechen was stunned for a moment, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. His mother had summoned Yao Yao not to scold her, but to show concern for her?

Why was it that he was the one who got scolded?

"Yes, Your Majesty, I am wrong, but Your Majesty is not wrong. I am not confining Your Majesty to the palace, but simply allowing her to stay with me in the Qianqing Palace."

Jun Zechen's expression was somewhat embarrassed.

The Empress Dowager took a sip of tea, her eyebrows twitching.

Her son has not learned any of his father's ruthlessness and passion. The late emperor only ever doted on women, never loved them. The more passionate an emperor is, the more ruthless he is.

Therefore, the Empress Dowager never expected the late Emperor's love; all she wanted was power and the late Emperor's respect.

Now even the Empress Dowager is unsure whether her son is simply a devoted lover or whether the Empress's scheming methods are more effective.

When Su Jingyao heard Jun Zecheng defend her, she glared at him with her beautiful eyes, her gaze full of reproach.

Although Su Jingyao has never been a mother-in-law, isn't this display of affection in front of the Empress Dowager just inviting hatred from her?

She casually removed Jun Zechen's hand from her waist, her fingers gently fiddling with it, but Jun Zechen's grip was too strong, showing no sign of loosening.

The Empress Dowager frowned even more as she watched the two of them being so intimate, oblivious to everyone else. She then waved her hand impatiently.

"I am tired today. Your Majesty and Empress, you may leave."