Seize the Throne: Beloved Consort System [18]

Over several months, from the warm spring to the chilly autumn, thanks to his daily indulgences, Yin Minglu had grown an inch taller. His originally graceful features had gradually shed their youthful innocence. Anyone who saw her would marvel at how exceptionally handsome the Prince of Yun truly was.

Qin Manman, on the other hand, was nursing her mildly sore wrist, having completed her task of copying the books. Naturally, Xie Yan accepted them without a word. His heart was as cold and unyielding as iron, comparable to a snake or scorpion. Knowing that this enchanting woman possessed valuable knowledge from another era, he naturally wanted to extract as much as possible from her. During their interactions, he meticulously probed for any gaps in her knowledge, learning about concepts like land contract responsibility systems, state monopoly on salt and iron, and the separation of powers.

In reality, her knowledge was quite superficial, and she only knew the basics of many things. However, Xie Yan’s mind was sharp, and he often managed to draw broader insights from her limited knowledge. In this way, he extracted everything she knew.

Once he had gleaned all he could, she became useless to him. He had thoroughly demonstrated what it meant to “burn a bridge after crossing it.” After handing over her medical knowledge to the group of scholars in the Imperial Hospital, who were as hungry for knowledge as ever, he washed his hands of the matter. Expertise had its specialists, and these pearls of wisdom should be handed over to doctors for further study and shared with the people, rather than being hoarded selfishly.

Qin Manman, under the rule of another cruel and ruthless monarch, with her unconventional thinking and unpredictable behavior, could have easily been eliminated as a potential threat. However, Xie Yan’s nature was not cruel. Given her significant contributions, he decided to spare her life. He found a pretext, compensated her with some money, and added her to the list of court exiles for the next month, allowing her to return to the Qin residence, presumably to remarry.

Of course, he continued to have her monitored.

“Why haven’t you left yet?” The man, engrossed in reviewing memorials, raised his stern face. His sharp phoenix eyes were deep and intimidating. Although it was a question, it carried an unquestionable sense of authority. He had no patience for this woman who had caused so much trouble, and he couldn’t be bothered to indulge her.

When Qin Manman, who was being escorted by palace maids, saw the new and bewildered beauty, Wang Qiang, carrying a tray of food outside the palace, she momentarily felt confused. Why was she being expelled? She hadn’t expected that this man would use her and then discard her so easily, or that he would burn bridges behind him. Her eyes, swollen like walnuts, became even more bloodshot when she saw Wang Qiang’s expression. In an instant, she understood!

It wasn’t that the Emperor had fallen in love with someone else; it was that he was putting on a show for Lady Wang! Even if he had fallen in love with someone else, there was no need to expel her. The truth was evident, and the only explanation left was the latter: the Emperor was protecting her, not wanting her to become a pawn in the jealousy and rivalry of the harem. That’s why he had been so cold and indifferent towards her in front of Lady Wang.

Upon realizing the Emperor’s good intentions, Qin Manman instantly regained her composure. She lightly bit her rosy lips and stopped her previous tantrum, realizing that such behavior would only make her appear foolish in front of Lady Wang.

She obediently allowed herself to be expelled from the palace, but as she looked at Xie Yan’s expression before leaving, her eyes were filled with grievance, as if she had sacrificed so much to cooperate with his performance. Even the words she muttered, “Your Majesty, can’t you smile at this servant?” which were just a very normal request, had been turned into some kind of twisted courtly love drama in her imagination.

“…” Xie Yan coldly glanced at the palace attendants, as if reproaching them for their efficiency.

Feeling the Emperor’s chilling intimidation, the palace attendants hurried their steps, and in the blink of an eye, Xie Yan couldn’t see the woman’s figure anymore.

Inside the Chu Xiu Palace,

After returning to her own domain, Qin Manman was furious when she learned that Lady Wang had returned with some beautiful and valuable gifts. She even raised an antique vase in her bedroom to smash it in anger. However, the system quickly interjected, “Host, this vase is an antique from the Qian Zheng period, extremely rare in the market. In good condition, it’s worth at least seven figures in today’s valuation. If you break it, you’ll be smashing money, not the vase!”

Seven figures, meaning millions. Qin Manman, who deep down still had the mindset of an ordinary person, hesitated upon hearing this. She reluctantly put the vase down, planning to find something else to vent her frustration.

As it turned out, everything in the palace was so valuable that Qin Manman couldn’t bear to smash any of them. She was caught in a dilemma, and eventually couldn’t hold back her tears. She threw herself on the embroidered bedspread, tears streaming down her face, soaking her clothes. She couldn’t bear the Emperor’s coldness, and her heart felt heavy with frustration. She couldn’t help but wonder, “Why is this happening? He expelled me and immediately summoned Lady Wang, giving her so many jewels and jewelry. Is His Majesty just acting, or does he no longer love me?”

System B originally wanted to use the usual vague and evasive approach, but System A suddenly popped up and brutally revealed a fact, “That’s because he doesn’t love you enough.” Although he had experienced personality differentiation, his data panel could still be referenced. The Emperor’s favorability towards the host had always been stagnant, never breaking through.

Qin Manman became unhappy. She stopped her emotional outburst, pursed her thin lips, and said coldly, “What are you talking about? His Majesty definitely loves me.” She was just venting, like a woman in love complaining about her boyfriend, wanting to be comforted. But whenever a friend or relative said that her boyfriend didn’t really love her, women would instantly become prickly and defend their boyfriends fiercely.

“Perhaps he loves you, but certainly not as much as you think.” System A’s expression remained unchanged, and he spoke calmly. “Host, to be brutally honest, His Majesty is destined to be a historical figure, rich and powerful, with the world at his feet. What kind of woman does he not have access to? Throughout his imperial life, he will have countless beautiful women. Those who give birth to his children, those who contribute to his reign, may be remembered vaguely. As for the rest of the beauties, they will fade into obscurity. Your beauty neither outshines the harem nor is it the most special in His Majesty’s eyes. Naturally, he doesn’t love you that much.”

Qin Manman stared at the swollen, teary eyes in the mirror. She had always disliked this sharp-tongued system that spoke without mercy and preferred the one who said kind words. In this situation, she didn’t want to admit that she had been somewhat convinced by this harsh system. With a stubborn neck, she asked, “Then tell me, what makes a woman the most special?”

The system spoke with unwavering conviction, “Naturally, it’s the woman who is willing to die for the Emperor. She will definitely hold a special place in the Emperor’s heart.”

Hearing this, Qin Manman was horrified, and her tears stopped flowing. She shouted sharply, “You actually want me to die? What kind of system are you? I am your host, and you’re telling me to die? Are you harboring evil intentions?”

The system replied, “Host, honestly ask yourself, if a man is willing to die for you, would you not be deeply moved? Would you not remember him forever? Even if there is no love, this feeling is special. Over the years, it can transform into a beautiful white moonlight or a vermilion mole. Since we are going to do this, let’s become the most special woman in the Emperor’s heart. Otherwise, Host, you will eventually be surpassed by Lady Wang and others, and you will fade into obscurity in the harem.”

“That’s true, but if I die, I’ll really be dead!” After considering the situation from another perspective, Qin Manman’s heart had been persuaded halfway. She suppressed her anger and said.

The system remained calm and calculating, “Do you know what ‘self-directed and self-acted’ means? If it succeeds, Host, you will become the most wonderful existence in his heart; if it fails, it will only be an outside palace assassin, unrelated to you. In fact, I don’t know why, but I prefer to have you target Prince Yun. I always feel that if Prince Yun were to die, your chances of ascending would be even greater.”

Qin Manman slightly widened her eyes and had a moment of contemplation. It was clear that she had been completely convinced.

Unexpectedly, this woman, Qin Manman, had such a wild idea. The moment he heard her inner thoughts, a chilling light burst from the phoenix eyes of Emperor Xie, as sharp as a blade, dazzlingly bright. What was even more incredible was that perhaps Qin Manman, who had been playing her act so well these past few days, using her future title as a favored concubine as leverage, along with money as bait, had actually managed to buy off a small group of people. Those palace maids were unaware that Qin Manman was going to be expelled next month, so she had easily managed to bribe them.

At the moment when Emperor Xie’s intimidation was fully displayed, the palace maids on both sides trembled, like frightened birds. The atmosphere in the hall became tense, and no one knew why the Emperor suddenly became so angry. Had they failed to serve him properly? Some even prayed that Prince Yun would appear quickly to soothe the Emperor’s anger and calm his fiery temper.

However, to the surprise of the palace maids, after the storm of anger, the Emperor quickly calmed down. It seemed that he had fallen into deep thought and then suddenly, and somewhat abruptly, burst into laughter. His laughter echoed through the hall like an eerie owl, creating a chilling effect. Many palace attendants turned pale, their expressions filled with fear. They trembled and knelt down on the ground.

The Emperor was acting strangely today!

As someone who had acted as a firefighter multiple times, Yin Minglu had gotten used to this. Some palace maids believed in the deep brotherly relationship between him and Emperor Xie and thought that what he said held weight. So, whenever Emperor Xie was furious, he often had to bear the responsibility of conveying the message.

Mumbling to himself, Yin Minglu couldn’t help but feel a bit cowardly as well. However, due to the pleading of Wang Gonggong, he reluctantly went forward.

With little obstruction, Yin Minglu entered the hall and found Xie Yan, who was wearing a friendly and welcoming expression, as if he had been waiting for him to have a meal. There was no trace of anger on the handsome face of Xie Yan. Yin Minglu was perplexed and tilted his head, “???”

He found his usual chair and sat down without waiting for any orders. The palace maids spontaneously came forward to assist him in washing his hands. Yin Minglu cast a small glance at Wang Gonggong, but the latter lowered his head and avoided eye contact.

Observing the interaction between these two people, Xie Yan casually lifted an eyelid. Although his expression remained unchanged, the corner of his eye discreetly glanced at the old man beside him. He suddenly felt that this man was too talkative. If the young man had seen him in a fit of rage earlier and been frightened, he couldn’t guarantee that he would be able to calm the person down within a month. This was an aspect of himself that he didn’t want the young man to know about. He had a complex and cunning nature, and he hoped to always be seen as a noble and benevolent older brother and ruler in the eyes of the young man.

At times when his image was disrupted, it was best to keep it to a minimum.

Unfortunately, Yin Minglu did not have the ability to read minds, or else he would have said, “Do you really think you’re like that?”

Sensing an intimidating gaze on him, Wang Gonggong’s heart skipped a beat, and he immediately lowered his head even further.

During the meal, Yin Minglu ate hastily and almost choked. His face turned red, and he coughed continuously, tears welling up in his misty eyes, making him look somewhat pitiable.

Before the palace maids could approach, Xie Yan smiled gently and patted him on the back to help him clear the obstruction. His actions were exceptionally tender, which made Yin Minglu feel that there was no reason for him to be angry today. He couldn’t understand where the false rumors came from, saying that Emperor Jing was furious and then laughed, fearing that his mind had gone awry. Now, everything seemed perfectly normal. Moreover, Emperor Jing had even invited him, an official with no rank or title, to attend a banquet with the officials in half a month. It was great because he could witness the exotic treasures and rare beasts sent from different regions and enjoy the delicious food and drinks.

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Author’s Note: Thank you to the little angels who have voted for my story or provided nutrients!

 

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