SFL Chapter 49

In the vast imperial palace, what is she in the heart of that emperor? What is this concubine of his?

No wonder as soon as she entered the palace, those around her disappeared. No wonder so many people were placed around her.

She used to think that it was the emperor’s control over the harem, but she never thought that it was all aimed at her as the empress.

But what benefit is there for the emperor to deceive his concubine and empress?

If we talk about guarding against the relatives, her maternal family hasn’t done anything out of line.

Why would the emperor do this? What is his aim?

Wang Huijun subconsciously touched her belly, thinking that she had once wanted to have a child with the original Yun Jingli, and now she found it funny.

Without seeds, it would be strange if she could grow food in a field.

“Your Majesty, the Empress seeks an audience.” The chief eunuch entered the hall and reported.

“Let the Empress in,” Yun Jingli said. It’s only been a day, and Wang Huijun has already fully recovered?

Wang Huijun did not come empty-handed but brought some pastries and tonics for Yun Jingli. Her whole demeanor looked very good.

“Your Majesty.”

Yun Jingli looked up at her. “Zitong, does this mean you acknowledge my identity?”

“Your Majesty has always been Your Majesty,” Wang Huijun said with a smile. Regardless of anything else, the deception was undoubtedly orchestrated by the original emperor.

“But there are still some doubts in my heart, and I hope Your Majesty can clarify them for me.”

“Ask away,” Yun Jingli said in a good mood.

What did Wang Huijun want to know? She wanted to know why the original emperor treated her that way. Did she do something wrong, or did he have some other plan?

After eating a piece of mung bean cake, Yun Jingli smiled and said, “It’s not that complicated. He just wanted to keep his beloved woman pure and chaste.”

“Keep her pure and chaste?” Wang Huijun’s eyes widened in disbelief. In just a moment, she grasped the key point and asked, “Who is that woman?”

“You’ll have to find out for yourself,” Yun Jingli said with a smile.

Wang Huijun raised an eyebrow, not surprised by Yun Jingli’s evasion. After all, once their superficial identities were stripped away, they were nothing.

But Wang Huijun truly hadn’t expected this. “I didn’t expect him to be such a sentimental person.”

“Since he had someone in his heart, why did he agree to my marriage back then? After all, no matter how reluctant I was, could I force an emperor?”

“It’s nothing more than his lover’s identity being inconvenient, and he wanted to use my identity for something,” Wang Huijun said calmly.

Without that layer of affection, she was terrifyingly calm now.

“With Your Majesty’s status, it’s unlikely for women outside the palace. There’s also nothing inconvenient about the identities of those women.”

“As for inside the palace, I forgot about those young and beautiful consorts,” Wang Huijun said with a soft sneer.

She used to just not think in that direction, but that didn’t mean she was stupid.

You should know that there were quite a few young consorts in the late emperor’s harem, like Consort Sun Gui. Some of them were not much older than her. The consorts who had children were fine, as they had a reliance in this life no matter what. But those young consorts who had no children would inevitably seek their own way out, and the new emperor was a likely target.

As for reputation, there were emperors in history who took in their own stepmothers into their harem.

Wang Huijun didn’t immediately go to the harem to find that woman. After all, the original emperor was no longer there, and she was like a locust in autumn, hopping around for only a few days left. There was no need to rush.

“I wonder, Your Majesty, how do you plan to deal with those consorts?” Wang Huijun asked.

Although she was the only empress in the emperor’s harem now, the late emperor’s consorts were still there.

Let’s not talk about the older ones for now. For the younger ones, getting rid of one inevitably meant another would come. Wang Huijun wanted to find a permanent solution for them.

“Those consorts who have children can have their offspring brought out of the palace, be it princes or princesses. For those without children, let them all go to the temples for a period of spiritual reflection. When people have mostly forgotten about them, let their families take them back,” Yun Jingli said. He had no intention of maintaining the large harem left by the late emperor.

For those older consorts who have had children, it’s easier to decide. But for those who have never given birth, or even never been intimate, to continue keeping them locked away in the deep palace would only lead to their withering.

Yun Jingli wasn’t twisted in mind. Keeping such a group of women captive did not make him feel comfortable.

Wang Huijun was slightly surprised because this was even better than what she had originally anticipated.

“As a man, this person is actually willing to let go of those women and doesn’t mind if they bear… um.”

“Your Majesty, this matter requires the Empress Dowager’s consent,” Wang Huijun said.

Although the Empress Dowager no longer holds power in the palace, it was still inappropriate to not consult her on such a major matter.

So, the emperor and empress went together to see the Empress Dowager.

When they arrived, Consort Sun Gui was already accompanying the Empress Dowager. Upon hearing the news of the emperor’s arrival, Consort Sun Gui reluctantly suppressed the beating of her heart, forcing herself to show no flaws on her face.

Little did she know, upon seeing her, Wang Huijun’s pupils suddenly contracted. She suddenly recalled some insignificant actions of Consort Sun Gui when she was temporarily in charge of the Phoenix Seal.

At that time, she didn’t think much about it. But now, it seems she had clearly thought too little.

“Mother, Consort Sun Gui is here too. Let her give some advice to the emperor and me on the matter of letting the consorts out of the palace,” Wang Huijun said with a smile.

“What, what matter of letting consorts out of the palace?” Consort Sun Gui exclaimed involuntarily.

“Jingli, what is this about?” The Empress Dowager looked at her son, Yun Jingli.

“Mother, I plan to let some consorts out of the palace to pray for the late emperor in the temples. For those consorts with children, whether princes or princesses, they can be taken out of the palace to be raised after they establish their own households,” Yun Jingli said to the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager frowned, “Your Majesty, this is not in accordance with the rules.”

“But Mother, the Emperor and I believe that it is even more inappropriate to keep those young and beautiful consorts in the palace,” Wang Huijun spoke up, her hands folded on her abdomen, her words hinting at something obvious.

Consort Sun Gui’s heart skipped a beat upon hearing this. “Empress, what do you mean? Are you trying to force us to death?”

Wang Huijun, having guessed something, had been keeping a close eye on Consort Sun Gui. Even though Consort Sun Gui was trying hard to restrain herself, she still occasionally glanced at Yun Jingli. Even if she wasn’t his lover, she was still one of the scheming women in the palace.

“Alright, sister, the empress didn’t mean that,” the Empress Dowager spoke up to smooth things over, but she felt uneasy. She didn’t think Wang Huijun was just talking nonsense. Unless she had already found some clues. After all, everyone in the palace knew how jealous the empress could be. But before this, the empress had never acted against the consorts, because of their different statuses.

But no matter how different their statuses were, it probably couldn’t withstand someone’s malicious intent. As an experienced person, the Empress Dowager knew how desolate the harem could be. The older consorts didn’t need to worry, but what about the younger ones?

The Empress Dowager’s gaze gently swept over Consort Sun Gui’s young and beautiful face, which she found quite charming. For the first time, she took a close look and realized that, apart from their different statuses, Consort Sun Gui and the empress were only a few years apart in age.

What was terrifying was that there were quite a few young and beautiful consorts like Consort Sun Gui in the late emperor’s harem.

If they were to have ideas, wouldn’t her son be their only target?

If they were to succeed, her son’s reputation in the history books…

At the thought of this, the Empress Dowager’s brow jumped, and she couldn’t care less about propriety. She easily agreed to let those consorts go to the temples to cultivate themselves and pray for the late emperor.

Even Consort Sun Gui, despite her noble status, was on the list to go for cultivation.

Upon hearing this, Consort Sun Gui couldn’t hold on any longer and fainted on the spot.

Her attendants immediately sent for the imperial physician and Yun Jingli.

What’s the use of inviting the emperor when the consort has fainted?

So, it was the Empress Dowager and Wang Huijun, who was supporting her, who came over.

“The emperor was busy with state affairs. It’s better for Consort Sun Gui not to trouble Your Majesty too much,” Wang Huijun spoke up, a hint of mockery in her expression.

Consort Sun Gui’s attendants knelt before Wang Huijun and the Empress Dowager, begging for mercy. However, neither Wang Huijun nor the Empress Dowager would spare them.

If there hadn’t been some signs between them, how could Consort Sun Gui’s attendants have dared to bypass the empress and the Empress Dowager, the two mistresses of the harem, to inform the emperor after Consort Sun Gui fainted?

Did they want the emperor to publicly show concern for Consort Sun Gui, a concubine mother?

The Empress Dowager would never allow such a stain on her son’s reputation.

Therefore, when Consort Sun Gui was awakened by the imperial physician’s needle, she saw the Empress Dowager’s chilly gaze, which made her heart jump with fear. On the other hand, the empress, who was usually rather plain, seemed more composed than usual.

“Perfect timing, Consort Sun Gui is awake. Let her leave the palace immediately; there’s no need to delay,” the Empress Dowager ordered, moving up the consorts’ departure times.

Still in a daze, Consort Sun Gui was surrounded by a group of palace maids and left the palace along with the other consorts.

As the palace gates closed behind Consort Sun Gui, she felt her heart empty. She longed to go back, back to the deep palace that symbolized prosperity and wealth. Unfortunately, she couldn’t make any move, or else the Empress Dowager and the empress, who were suspicious of her, would never let her go.

As long as they were still alive, there was hope. If they died, there would be nothing left.

The departure of many consorts left the entire palace empty. The consorts who remained in the palace had all borne children for the late emperor. Yun Jingli promised them that they would be able to leave the palace with their children in the future. The eldest son of the late emperor, who was around the same age as Yun Jingli, had already established his own residence outside the palace. Upon hearing the news, he went to Yun Jingli first to express his gratitude and then had his late mother, who was still alive, taken out of the palace. Although the princesses who had grown up were a step behind, after some consideration, they also had their birth mothers taken out of the palace.

The remaining consorts had young children who were not yet old enough to leave the palace. However, each of them seemed to have found a direction, bustling around the palace as if they had a goal in mind.

The consorts who went to the designated royal temples lived a comfortable life as well. After all, they were there to pray for the late emperor on behalf of the royal family, so they naturally had to maintain the dignity of the royal family.

Moreover, after going to the temples, the royal family did not restrict their activities. Sometimes, they could even go out for walks accompanied by others, much more freely than when they were in the palace.