The Queen Who Would Not Be Defeated

Transmigrated into a palace abuse novel as the cannon fodder empress, I was warned by the emperor on our wedding night.

Emperor: "Shen Miaoyi, I've given you the position of empress, but don't expect anything more!"

"The only one I love is Wanrou! Only she is the empress in my heart!"

I nearly died laughing: "The ruler of a great nation, can't even make his beloved woman empress, yet dares to bark like a dog here?"

"Your so-called true love is to let the woman you love be a concubine?"

The emperor froze: "You..."

"Besides, I'm already the empress, mistress of the six palaces, mother to the nation. What else could I possibly want?"

"You don't really think your love is precious, do you?"

The emperor was so angry he wanted to jump up and break my knees.

I: "Oh, oh, oh! Triggered bro~"

1

My name is Shen Miaoyi, born into the top wealthy family of Great Sheng.

My father is the Duke of Zhen Guo, my older brother is the Grand Marshal of the Western Expedition, and my older sister is the Princess of Yu—the emperor's own sister-in-law!

Because my family background was too damn prominent, the Empress Dowager forced Emperor Xie Qinglan to marry me as his empress.

But the emperor already had someone he loved—Feng Wanrou, granddaughter of the former Left Chancellor.

He always felt I had stolen the empress position that belonged to his beloved woman, so he gave me a display of power on our wedding night.

He didn't know that I was transmigrated and already knew the entire plot.

This was a historical romance novel about how the male and female leads overcame all difficulties and hardships, finally defeating all the villains to live happily ever after.

And I, this empress, was the biggest villain in it—my whole family were villains.

According to the original plot, I would cause trouble for ten years, then be deposed and thrown into the cold palace to live out my days in solitude.

What? With my extremely prominent family background, it could still last ten years?

Causing trouble for even one second less would be letting my family background down!

So when the emperor spouted his nonsense at me, I directly talked back.

Xie Qinglan hearing me dare to say this was so angry he jumped up and down.

"Shen Miaoyi! You! How dare you! How dare you talk back to me!

"Someone! Summon the Duke of Zhen Guo to the palace! I want to ask how the Duke's residence educates their daughter!"

Laughing my ass off—couldn't win the argument so he called his father-in-law to pressure me!

I wasn't to be outdone:

"Fine! Then also invite the Empress Dowager. I want to ask her how she educates her son!

"On our wedding day, His Majesty publicly insults me. I can't swallow this, and neither can the Shen family!

"You just wait! Tomorrow morning court, I'll personally expose this on the court!"

Xie Qinglan, who was just about to complain to my father, couldn't take it anymore.

He rushed over and grabbed me.

"Empress! You... what are you doing?

"I was just complaining a little..."

I forgot to mention, in the original novel, Xie Qinglan wasn't much of an emperor.

He hung on for ten years, only turning things around when my brother was seriously injured on the battlefield.

After deposing me, he made Feng Wanrou his empress.

But his and Feng Wanrou's son was useless—he died before becoming emperor, and in the end, it was my son who ascended the throne.

The thought that I actually had a son with him made me even angrier. I couldn't stand it at all.

"Do you think I wanted to marry you? You compare me to that bankrupt Feng Wanrou and say I'm not as good as her—aren't you slapping my face?

"If you were unwilling, why agree to it?"

Then I gave him a kick.

"This is fraud! I don't want this marriage. I want a divorce!"

2

Xie Qinglan never expected I would want a divorce and was so angry his face turned green.

"Shen Miaoyi! Show some restraint!

"In all of history, when has an empress and emperor divorced on their wedding day?"

After saying this, he felt something was wrong and immediately added.

"At any time, there has never been a divorce between an emperor and empress!"

I retorted: "In Great Sheng law, which rule says an empress and emperor cannot divorce?"

"Just because it hasn't happened before doesn't mean it can't happen now?"

Xie Qinglan said angrily: "I will absolutely not divorce you. Even if it happens, it will be me deposing you! Divorcing you! Throwing you into the cold palace!"

Still wanting to divorce me and throw me into the cold palace?

Why not just let him die from happiness?

"In our dynasty, divorce must follow the 'seven out' rules!

"Your Majesty and I have only been married for one day. When did I have a chance to commit any of the 'seven outs'?

"Even if we've had some verbal disputes, it was Your Majesty who spoke wildly first, disrespecting me, your wife, the Empress of Great Sheng!!!"

Xie Qinglan was stunned by my scolding, his tone carrying some guilt: "When... when did I disrespect you?"

I repeated his words in a falsetto voice.

"Shen Miaoyi, I've given you the position of empress, but don't expect anything more!

"The only one I love is Wanrou! Only she is the empress in my heart!

"Weren't these Your Majesty's own words?

"So in Your Majesty's heart, my being empress means I'm not worthy!

"In that case, what meaning is there in this marriage? Let's divorce!"

With that, I flung my sleeve and walked straight out.

Xie Qinglan stood there stunned for a moment, then suddenly lunged forward, trying to grab me.

But he stumbled on his feet and slid forward to kneel at my feet.

I froze: "Your Majesty, there's no need for such a grand gesture..."

Xie Qinglan didn't care about losing face or not and hugged my leg.

"Empress! It was I who was wrong!

"I wronged you, Empress. I said the wrong thing.

"Let's not divorce. We won't divorce!"

I dragged one leg, dragging my emperor husband toward the door.

"Divorce then! Why not divorce?

"Don't you think Feng Wanrou is more qualified than me to be empress?

"I'll make room for her. I'll make room for her right now!

"I'll bless you two lovebirds to finally be together!"

My maid Haitang followed along to persuade.

"Your Highness, this is no joke. Don't throw a tantrum!

"Look, Your Majesty is kneeling and apologizing to you!"

My wet nurse also begged me.

"Yes, Your Highness, if the Duke and Grand Marshal hear about this, they'll be worried!"

Xie Qinguan was so angry he was about to spit blood. Seeing he couldn't stop me, he shouted in a low voice: "Why aren't you stopping the Empress!"

In an instant, the guards from the Palace Front Service filed in, kneeling neatly on the ground, blocking me at the palace entrance.

"Your Highness, please think twice!!!"

3

That bastard Xie Qinglan, to avoid divorcing me and losing face, sent people to surround my bedroom, making it impossible to get out.

I couldn't get out and angrily kicked him.

The Palace Front Service commander's eyes went dark as he drew his sword and pointed at me.

"How... how dare you! Attempting to assassinate the emperor!"

I was arrogant as hell.

"A couple fighting is at most domestic violence!

"What business is it of yours, an outsider? Get out!"

Hearing this, Xie Qinglan was delighted: "Empress, you admit we're a couple?"

I: "You get out too!"

"You said I'm the empress, mistress of the six palaces. Since I'm mistress of the six palaces, this whole palace is my territory! Get out, get out, get out!"

And so, Emperor Xie Qinglan was kicked out of the bedroom by me, his empress, on our wedding night.

Not only did he fail to establish his authority, but he also received several kicks from me.

The next morning, the Empress Dowager summoned me, wanting to get revenge for her son.

"Empress, I heard that yesterday..."

Before she could finish, I held up the Phoenix Seal: "Empress Dowager, I can no longer manage this rear palace. Please take back the authority to manage the six palaces!"

The Empress Dowager just wanted to put me in my place; she never expected me to directly quit my job.

If this got out, that the Empress Dowager took back the empress's power to manage the six palaces on the second day of the wedding, what would people say about her as a mother-in-law?

The words were at her lips, but she immediately changed her tone: "My child, what's wrong?"

"Have you suffered some grievance? Speak out, and I will stand up for you!"

I sneered, glancing around.

"The private matters between me and His Majesty as husband and wife have already reached your ears so quickly.

"Between husband and wife, some bumps are unavoidable. If everything is carelessly gossiped about by palace servants.

"Where is the dignity of this empress? Where is the face of the imperial family?

"Today, if the Empress Dowager deals with those gossips, then so be it. If not, I will leave the palace today and return to my family home!"

I was the most villainous character in this book—who could out-villain me?

The Empress Dowager had never met someone as difficult as me. For the sake of political stability and palace harmony, she gritted her teeth and had a little eunuch beaten dozens of times with boards before the matter was settled.

When I left, she even gifted me several sets of ancestral jewelry, telling me to properly take back the Phoenix Seal and not mention returning to my family home.

A shallower person might have been bought off, but who am I?

Born into the Duke of Zhen Guo's residence, the top wealthy family of Great Sheng—my father and brother were capable of rebellion!

Would I care about that measly jewelry?

I accepted it with a blank expression and took my people back.

Unexpectedly, I met someone halfway—a woman dressed as a palace maid who, seeing me, directly rushed over and knelt at my feet.

"Sister! A thousand mistakes, ten thousand mistakes are all Wanrou's fault. I beg sister not to be angry and not to make things difficult for His Majesty."

I looked—wasn't this the tragic female lead Feng Wanrou?

Rushing to kowtow and call me sister, trying to make her presence known?

4

I dodged behind Haitang in a flash, looking at Feng Wanrou with surprise.

"Who are you? Why are you blocking my path?"

The wet nurse beside me told me with a dark expression: "Reporting to Your Highness, this is Miss Feng Wanrou, granddaughter of former Left Chancellor, the late Minister Feng."

I frowned: "Miss Feng? Has Minister Feng entered the palace?"

"Summoned by His Majesty or by decree from the Empress Dowager?"

Wet nurse: "No..."

I exclaimed in surprise:

"Then how did she appear here?

"Minister Feng has already retired! This generation of the Feng family has no one serving in court.

"She's neither a concubine nor a palace maid. How could she appear here for no reason?

"Oh! I know!

"She's an assassin! She wants to assassinate me!"

With that, I let out a sharp cry and shouted: "Protect the emperor! Protect the emperor! There's an assassin trying to assassinate me!"

Feng Wanrou never expected me to go nuclear like this and was stunned.

"Your Highness, I'm not an assassin!

"It's... it's His Majesty..."

Me:

"What? You want to assassinate His Majesty too!

"Are you planning to let the Empress Dowager off either?

"You want to take out my whole family in one net!

"You, you, you! Who is your mastermind? Do you have accomplices? Who brought you into the palace!"

Because I shouted so loudly, Xie Qinglan, to prevent me from causing trouble, had already prepared guards to watch me openly and secretly.

So as soon as the commotion started, people from the Palace Front Service arrived.

Man, it was layers upon layers.

The Palace Front Service Commander Han Ye rushed over shouting: "Where's the assassin? Your Highness, your servant Han Ye has come late to rescue you! I hope Your Highness will forgive me!"

Me: "No matter! General Han, quickly arrest this assassin!"

"She not only wants to assassinate me but also wants to harm His Majesty and the Empress Dowager!"

Han Ye looked—such a big deal?

He immediately drew his sword to protect me: "Bold assassin! Surrender immediately..."

When he saw Feng Wanrou's face, Han Ye froze.

"Feng... Miss Feng?"

Feng Wanrou was pinned to the ground by a group of guards, crying pitifully.

"General Han, I'm wronged! I'm not an assassin...

"It's... it's..."

How could I not know she wasn't an assassin?

She was an unmarried young lady secretly sneaking into the palace—it must be that scumbag Xie Qinglan who brought her in for a secret meeting!

But Xie Qinglan was such a coward who didn't even dare divorce me—I didn't believe he would dare let Feng Wanrou say it out loud.

Sure enough, Feng Wanrou hemmed and hawed for a long time without saying anything conclusive.

Han Ye was Xie Qinglan's childhood friend, so naturally he knew about his unspeakable affairs.

He advised me: "Your Highness, calm down. Could there be some misunderstanding?"

Me: "You're speaking up for this assassin? Are you an accomplice? Someone! Take Han Ye for me! Execute him on the spot and implicate his three generations..."

Before I could finish, Han Ye couldn't take it anymore.

He rushed forward and put his sword to Feng Wanrou's neck.

"Bold assassin! How dare you attempt to assassinate the Empress! You deserve death!

"Your Highness, rest assured. I will take this assassin to the heavenly prison of the Palace Front Service for interrogation. I will definitely give you an explanation!"

5

Worthy of being Xie Qinglan's lackey—his skills at deceiving superiors and subordinates were truly on point.

I sneered: "Do you think I don't know? That heavenly prison of the Palace Front Service is under your jurisdiction."

"Once people are taken in, whether to interrogate or release them—isn't it just a matter of your lips touching for you, Commander Han?"

Hearing me say this, Han Ye started sweating.

"Your Highness means, the Ministry of Justice..."

I got angry:

"Han Ye! Are you trying to oppose me?

"The Minister of Justice is a disciple of the late Minister Feng. Do you think I don't know?

"Let the Grand Court of Judicial Review handle it! I want to know the result today!"

I caused a scene—a big one!

Feng Wanrou originally just wanted to make her presence known, but never expected I would directly treat her as an assassin and demand the Grand Court of Judicial Review to investigate.

Once the case reached the Grand Court of Judicial Review, it would be public.

Even if she was found innocent in the end, her face would be completely lost.

When Feng Wanrou thought of this, she immediately burst into tears.

"Lord Han! I've been wronged!

"You know the whole story of what happened!

"I can't go to the Grand Court of Judicial Review. If I go, my Feng family's reputation will be ruined!"

You knew and still came?

I couldn't help but roll my eyes.

"Han Ye, explain this clearly. What does she mean by this?

"You say you know the whole story—aren't you admitting you're an accomplice?

"Someone, take them both!"

Han Ye's face was ashen, feeling like he was about to break.

"Your Highness, I've been wronged!

"I have absolutely no connection with Miss Feng. I'm definitely not her accomplice!!!"

Me: "She clearly just said you knew. So many people heard it!"

"If you don't give me an explanation today, I'll treat you as an assassin and rebel and execute your nine generations!!!"

Who was better at being unreasonable, making mountains out of molehills, and causing trouble?

Han Ye knelt on the ground, about to cry.

"Your Highness! My loyalty to you and His Majesty is witnessed by heaven and earth, by the sun and moon!"

Me: "Why are you swearing for me? Swear for him!"

"Then let me ask you, if I and His Majesty fell into the water, who would you save first?"

Han Ye couldn't catch his breath and almost fainted.

"This servant... this servant is terrified!!!"

Me: "You just said your loyalty to me was witnessed by heaven and earth, by the sun and moon."

"So it was all to deceive me! I'll charge you with deceiving the emperor..."

Just as I was shouting, a eunuch's loud shout suddenly came from behind: "His Majesty has arrived!"

Feng Wanrou, who had been crying on the ground, immediately showed joy on her face.

But I didn't give her a chance. Before she could throw herself at Xie Qinglan, I blocked in front of him.

"Your Majesty, be careful! There's an assassin!"

The guards behind Xie Qinglan, not knowing the situation, really thought there was an assassin and went over and pinned Feng Wanrou down again.

Feng Wanrou: "..."

Xie Qinglan: "..."

Me: "Hehehe..."

6

Xie Qinglan looked at Feng Wanrou, who had been pinned to the ground twice, was crying, stubborn, beautiful, and dirty, and was stunned for a moment.

The next second, he shouted: "Wanrou!"

Then he rushed over, pushed the guards aside, and protected Feng Wanrou in his arms.

"Rou'er, are you alright?"

Feng Wanrou pouted, looking at him resentfully, tears pattering down.

"Your Majesty... Rou'er is fine.

"Rouer didn't say anything!"

Xie Qinglan's eyes were full of heartache and helplessness.

"You're so silly..."

Me:

"You're both big idiots! Didn't you just say everything?

"Good! Xie Qinglan, it's only the second day of our marriage, and you're bringing people into the palace for secret meetings!

"You really don't have me, this empress, in your eyes!

"Divorce! Divorce!"

Xie Qinglan saw I wanted to divorce again and panicked, angrily coming to grab me.

"If you want to cause trouble with me privately in your bedroom, that's fine, but in front of so many people, you still want to divorce?

"Don't I have any face?"

I raised my hand and flung him away.

"You don't even care about face, what face do you need?"

Seeing my father and several court ministers passing by after morning court, I threw myself to the ground.

I raised my voice and put on a pitiful tone.

"Your Majesty! Your heart is so cruel!

"For this shameless woman, you would push your lawful wife!

"You, you, you... You actually want to depose me for this woman and throw me into the cold palace???"

My father, the Duke of Zhen Guo, was highly skilled in martial arts, with distinguished military achievements in his youth and the courage of ten thousand men.

Hearing this, he instantly appeared behind me and shouted with a voice like a bell: "Who dares to depose my daughter from her position as empress?"

Xie Qinglan was so angry his face turned liver-colored.

Pointing with one finger, he said: "You! You!"

"Shen Miaoyi, I only said one thing! One thing!"

One thing wasn't enough? Did he want to say a few more?

I gave him a sidelong glance: "Just tell me if we can divorce or not."

Xie Qinglan knew I was deliberately framing him and glared at me.

He respectfully said to my father: "Father-in-law, it's a misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding."

"My empress and I are newly married, how could we divorce? Let alone mention deposing her."

Only then did my father's face soften a bit as he pointed at me and said: "Then what's this about?"

Xie Qinglan immediately tried to pull me up from the ground.

"This... we were just playing!

"Empress, get up quickly. The empress of a great nation sitting on the ground—what's proper!"

How could I possibly get up?

I immediately frowned and cried out in pain.

"Hiss! Ah, it hurts so much!"

Haitang immediately came over and pressed my ankle, asking: "Your Highness! What's wrong?"

"Did you hurt your foot?"

It must have!

Me: "My foot is injured, I can't walk, wuwuwu..."

"His Majesty pushed me for this woman!!!"

Xie Qinglan didn't know if he was angry or scared, his voice trembling a bit.

"Did I push you???"

Me: "I didn't?"

7

Men hitting their wives—definitely not acceptable.

Even if Xie Qinglan was the emperor.

My father and several old ministers surrounded Xie Qinglan in the middle, lecturing him, with some persuasion on the surface but criticism underneath.

Xie Qinglan's psychological endurance was extremely fragile—he couldn't take it at all.

"Gentlemen, I understand.

"This matter is truly a misunderstanding. I will definitely give the Empress an explanation!"

With that, he gritted his teeth, stomped his foot, and came over to carry me.

"Empress, I'll take you back to your palace first!"

Oh my god, this skinny guy actually wanted to princess carry me!

Me: "Are we so poor in our palace that we don't have sedan chairs?"

Hearing this, Haitang immediately went to prepare a soft sedan to carry me back.

Xie Qinglan failed to curry favor with me, his expression sour, and went to carry Feng Wanrou instead.

Feng Wanrou looked flattered and flattered, gently leaning against Xie Qinglan's chest like a well-behaved kitten.

I was different—I sat in a soft sedan carried by four people, heaving and hoing back to the Fengzao Palace.

Household affairs needed to be handled, so Xie Qinglan could only carry the person toward my place.

Without my father watching, Xie Qinglan felt capable again.

"Empress, there are no outsiders here. Stop pretending.

"Besides, Rou'er is already mine. I can't abandon her.

"Today, I must give her a status!"

I was reclining on a Luohan bed, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Your Majesty wants to take a concubine?"

Xie Qinglan stiffened his neck: "I've made up my mind about this. Empress, whether you agree or not..."

Before he could finish, I agreed.

"Fine!"

Xie Qinglan froze: "What...?"

Me: "She can enter the palace, but her rank can only be the lowest—Cainü."

Hearing this, Feng Wanrou's heart tightened as she hurriedly looked at Xie Qinglan.

Unexpectedly, Xie Qinglan actually agreed.

"Fine! As long as Rou'er can stay by my side, I'll leave the rest to you!"

Hearing him say this, I said joyfully: "Then since Your Majesty is taking a concubine, I'll take one too!"

"Haitang, give the order—let all ministers with suitable daughters in their families submit them. I want to enrich Your Majesty's harem!"

Xie Qinglan froze: "Not... Empress, what are you doing?"

"I have Rou'er, and that's enough for me!"

I glanced at him: "You're enough, but I'm not!"

According to protocol, Emperor Xie Qinglan could have four wives, nine consorts, plus unlimited numbers of Jieyu, Meiren, Cairen, Baolin, Yunü, and Cainü.

As empress, I needed to think big.

Don't see myself as the emperor's wife—see myself as a female CEO.

Don't see the concubines as your husband's little wives—see them as employees!

A radish for each hole—these were all job positions!

If I filled all the positions, Feng Wanrou couldn't get promoted, could she?

Great! Worthy of me!

8

Xie Qinglan really thought I was expanding his harem, but he didn't expect I was expanding my own power.

When I was in my boudoir, I was the outstanding young lady among the capital's noble women.

I knew many people and had extensive connections.

Most of the noble daughters selected by the ministers this time were my close friends from my boudoir days.

Those unmarried, unwilling to marry, or wanting to make a career—there were plenty.

I recruited them all to the palace.

"Although once you enter the palace, it's as deep as the sea, the benefits here are good, the treatment is good. Not only do you get monthly stipends, but during festivals, I, the Empress Dowager, and His Majesty all give rewards.

"The Empress Dowager worships Buddha, and I like quiet, so we don't need you to come pay respects or serve.

"At most, it's that His Majesty favors that Feng woman, but she's only a Cainü—she can't override any of you.

"Such a good position... ah no, marriage where can you find it?

"I'm thinking of you because of our past closeness. The ranks are limited, and if you're late, there won't be any. Who among you bids the highest..."

I held a rank auction in the rear palace—highest bidder wins.

The higher the rank, the higher the price.

Those noble daughters weren't fools either—whoever they married was still marriage.

Being able to marry the emperor and become a concubine was naturally extremely good.

They rushed forward eagerly.

"I'll bid 100,000 taels. Nobody compete with me for the Noble Consort position!"

Me: "Fine, fine, fine. Noble Consort is yours!"

"Then I'll take Virtuous Consort. Is 80,000 taels enough?"

Me: "88,000. You profit, I profit. Can't be too cheap or others will complain."

"Boohoo, I only have 10,000 taels. Can I be a Zhaoyi?"

Me: "It definitely wouldn't work for others, but who made you close to me in the past? It's yours! Others wouldn't get this treatment!"

Xie Qinglan heard I had taken in over twenty concubines for him and was stunned.

Then when he heard I was also taking money to auction off ranks, he was so angry he came to punish me.

"Empress! You're abusing your position as empress, using expanding my harem as a pretense to openly accept bribes, amass wealth, and enrich your private treasury!"

"I will punish you for your crimes!"

I took out the account book and slapped it in front of him.

"When did I enrich my private treasury?

"The money from the concubines buying their ranks, I've kept account of it all, and it went into the palace's silver treasury!"

Xie Qinglan froze: "You..."

I wiped my tears and said:

"Your Majesty, you really don't know the cost of firewood and rice when you're not in charge!

"Do you think being empress is easy?

"Those tax revenues you collected are long gone!

"Don't disaster relief need money? Don't minister salaries need money? Don't military provisions need money? Don't the Empress Dowager's birthday celebrations need money?

"When did I sell ranks? I was planning for Your Majesty, for the myriad people!

"Those concubines weren't buying ranks! They were generously donating to solve Your Majesty's urgent needs!

"Look at them! Then look at your Cainü Feng.

"Tsk tsk tsk..."

Hearing my words, Xie Qinglan was stunned.

"Can... can it really be like this?"

9

After all, they were beneficiaries, and no one would argue with money.

Xie Qinglan caused a scene once and then stopped.

In the following days, he lived his little life with his Feng Wanrou, while I lived my big life with my six palace concubines.

Specifically, playing mahjong.

The Noble Consort was the daughter of the Governor of Liangjiang. Her family had managed salt taxes for three generations—incredibly wealthy.

She slapped her mahjong tiles loudly.

"Oh yo! Your Highness, don't even mention it! Being this Noble Consort is really so awesome!

"Wherever I go, people have to kneel to me!

"Peng!"

The Virtuous Consort, despite the "virtuous" in her title, wasn't ladylike at all. She was the daughter of a third-rank Cloud Warrior General.

"Yi! What are you doing?

"You ate that tile... Peng!

"This Virtuous Consort position is pretty comfortable too. I won't mention other things, but the food in the Imperial Kitchen is really good!"

The Virtuous Consort was the daughter of the Minister of Justice—a great talent, smart, and good at calculating tiles.

When playing cards, she didn't speak much but secretly fed me tiles.

"Red dragon!"

Me: "I win!"

Virtuous Consort: "Worthy of Your Highness. This servant admires you!"

Her mouth was like it was smeared with honey. I really loved playing with her!

Because they had all paid for their ranks, these concubines weren't interested in seducing Xie Qinglan.

In more than half a year, except for Feng Wanrou, none had any record of sleeping with the emperor.

Mainly, Xie Qinglan had established his character.

The long-suffering devoted lover, the doomed couple who would never part.

How could others possibly interfere?

But I didn't provoke others—others provoked me!

That old hag Empress Dowager actually said I organized mahjong games every day, didn't let the emperor spread his branches and bear fruit, and for more than half a year, there wasn't a single pregnant concubine in the palace! She said I was jealous!

Heavens, how was this my jealousy? It was that they themselves weren't proactive!

During the morning meeting, I asked each one, so worrying.

"Noble Consort, do you want to carry a cub?

"If you do, tonight I'll stuff His Majesty into your palace.

"Don't worry! If you give birth to a son, I'll definitely crown him Crown Prince!"

Unexpectedly, the Noble Consort refused: "Ah, Your Highness, my mother died giving birth to a son for my father!

"I have psychological trauma. No, no."

Me: "Just carry one for a bit!"

Noble Consort: "No carrying, no carrying!"

I looked at Virtuous Consort: "Then you carry?"

Virtuous Consort: "I'm not afraid of bearing cubs, but I don't like Your Majesty's type!"

"He's too skinny. I'm afraid I'd slap him to death with one palm. Forget it, forget it."

I had no choice but to look at the Virtuous Consort: "Then you..."

The Virtuous Consort gave me a resentful look: "Your Highness, don't you understand my feelings yet?"

Oh, right, right.

We were secretly in a lesbian relationship!

My woman, how could she possibly have children for Xie Qinglan?

After asking around, no one was willing to bear children.

I was a very democratic leader and wouldn't force employees to do things they didn't want to do.

This heavy responsibility still had to fall on Feng Wanrou's shoulders.

"Haitang, summon Cainü Feng for an audience!"

10

Feng Wanrou had been in the palace for more than half a year, living in Xie Qinglan's side palace, enjoying exclusive favor.

But her stomach showed no movement, making me a target for criticism from that old hag Empress Dowager.

So I didn't have a good attitude toward Feng Wanrou.

"Cainü Feng, you've been serving His Majesty for some time now. Why is your stomach still not showing movement?

"Are you not trying hard enough?"

Feng Wanrou originally thought I was here to cause trouble for her and was stunned by my words.

"Your Highness, you..."

I slammed the emperor's daily records on the table.

"Look for yourself. His Majesty spends more than half the month in your room every month.

"Why can't you get pregnant?

"His Majesty is already twenty, and he doesn't even have an heir, making the palace feel so empty."

Hearing this, Feng Wanrou twitched her mouth and glanced at the concubines playing mahjong in my palace.

Only then did she reply: "Your Highness, forgive me. It's not that I can't get pregnant... it's..."

I pursued: "It's what?"

Feng Wanrou looked at me with some resentment: "It's that His Majesty had me take anti-conception medicine, saying he was afraid you weren't over your anger yet..."

Slander! This was naked slander.

Did Xie Qinglan think I would harm his and Feng Wanrou's child?

Was I that kind of person?

I immediately said to Feng Wanrou:

"His Majesty is foolish! How can something like anti-conception medicine be taken long-term? It will affect future childbearing!

"Haitang, quickly invite the imperial physician to examine Cainü Feng!

"I want to properly regulate her body to let her, ah, add children to our palace as soon as possible!"

Feng Wanrou was suspicious and uneasy—after all, she had seen me go crazy before.

But as a mere Cainü, how could she dare provoke me, the powerhouse of the rear palace?

She could only obediently comply.

When the imperial physician came and examined her, sure enough, she had some uterine cold!

This required medicinal supplements, moxibustion, medicinal baths, and the like!

"Stop the anti-conception medicine immediately!"

That night, Xie Qinglan unusually came to my palace.

"Empress! What mischief are you planning now?

"I heard you summoned Rou'er to your palace today and tortured her until she was unrecognizable.

"You vicious woman, today I will..."

I cried out my innocence.

"Your Majesty, see clearly! Cainü Feng is the apple of your eye. How would I dare bully her?

"I just had the imperial physician check her pulse and prescribed some medicine to regulate her body and make it easier to conceive.

"I had no choice. The Empress Dowager's side is pressing hard, saying she wants to hold a grandchild.

"Your Majesty coming at just the right time. Haitang, quickly invite Imperial Physician Sun.

"Having children isn't just a woman's business. Men need to be checked too—for healthy offspring, you know!"

Hearing this, Xie Qinglan immediately panicked.

"Shen Miaoyi! What are you doing? Are you trying to harm me?"

I reached out to pull him: "Your Majesty, what are you saying? How could I possibly harm my own husband?"

Seeing him struggle and resist, my face darkened: "You be still! If we don't check clearly, how will we know if it's you who's inadequate?"

"It's been half a year with no child, and you're still acting so proud every day!"

11

Xie Qinglan was utterly humiliated but couldn't break free from me and could only accept the imperial physician's examination.

This examination revealed he really was somewhat deficient.

Me: "See, it's your problem!"

But how could you say a man was inadequate?

Xie Qinglan roared in surrender: "Who says I'm inadequate? I'm not inadequate at all!"

Me: "Fine, fine, you're not inadequate. First drink this medicinal supplement."

From then on, I daily gave Feng Wanrou and Xie Qinglan medicinal supplements.

To ensure they drank them, I personally delivered them and watched them both drink.

After only two or three months of conditioning, Feng Wanrou was pregnant!

I was so happy I held a grand banquet in the palace.

After drinking Chinese medicine for several months, both Feng Wanrou and Xie Qinglan looked bitter.

"Empress, Rou'er is pregnant. Do I not need to drink medicine anymore?"

Me: "It's none of your business now. Stop."

Feng Wanrou: "Your Highness, then I..."

Me: "You can't stop your medicine. You need to take pregnancy-preserving medicine!"

Feng Wanrou burst out crying.

The palace's concubines all comforted her: "You're about to be a mother and still crying. Don't cry, don't cry. You'll have plenty of days to cry ahead!"

Worthy of being Xie Qinglan's true love, the female lead of this book.

Feng Wanrou had a son on her first try, giving Xie Qinglan a boy.

But as soon as this child was born, I took him away.

Feng Wanrou cried and wailed, and Xie Qinglan immediately found me.

"Empress! What are your intentions, taking away my and Wanrou's child!"

I explained with an innocent face:

"Cainü Feng's rank is too low. According to rules, she cannot raise the child herself.

"Besides, she's still young and would inevitably become exhausted and harm her health by personally feeding the child.

"I have already found two wet nurses for the young prince. He won't suffer any hardship!"

Seeing Xie Qinglan looking at me suspiciously, I continued: "Your Majesty, rest assured. I will select a suitable candidate among the concubines to raise the young prince. I won't keep him by my side."

With the addition of a big fat boy to the palace, I gathered all the rear palace concubines.

They weren't interested in giving birth, but they were interested in raising children!

They all competed for the right to raise the young prince, to be his adoptive mother.

In this palace life, you need to think big.

The difference between having a child and not having a child is huge.

First, your rank can be promoted, and your monthly stipend changes.

Second, the prince's allowance is higher than the concubines'. Whoever raises a prince is like getting an extra stipend!

Finally, it was still the Noble Consort who won with the highest bid.

Feng Wanrou worked hard to give birth to the child, only to have him taken away immediately after birth, and she was quite upset.

But because she didn't personally feed the child, she recovered well during her confinement period and soon regained her radiance.

Moreover, the Noble Consort wasn't a petty person. Feng Wanrou could see the child whenever she wanted and could even hold him, so gradually she stopped causing trouble.

I took the opportunity to help her recover her health and arranged for her to sleep with the emperor.

Within half a year, she was pregnant again.

Worthy of being Xie Qinglan's most beloved woman!

12

In the original novel, I caused trouble for ten years before being deposed.

So these ten years, my position as empress was secure.

In the original story, Feng Wanrou and Xie Qinglan's son died, and only then did my son become emperor.

But in this life, I didn't have children with Xie Qinglan. To prevent the Crown Prince from dying young and delaying my becoming Empress Dowager, I had to make Feng Wanrou and Xie Qinglan have more children.

They didn't disappoint my expectations—in ten years, they had twelve children.

Two of the pregnancies were twins.

Because Feng Wanrou's rank was low, she couldn't raise them herself.

Basically, each of the main positions in the rear palace had one of Feng Wanrou's children.

Even I and the Virtuous Consort raised one of her little princesses.

Feng Wanrou gave birth to twelve children, all plump and fair-skinned, but none were raised by her.

She cried every day.

Xie Qinglan suggested promoting her rank so she could raise the children herself, but I refused.

"Your Majesty, have you forgotten what you promised me?

"She can enter the palace, but only as the lowest-ranking Cainü!"

Xie Qinglan: "But Rou'er has spread branches and leaves for the royal family. Her contributions are great. Why can't her rank be promoted!"

Me:

"The children she gave birth to are all recorded under other concubines' names.

"Childbirth was hard for her, but aren't those raising the children also working hard?

"They spend time and energy, raising them with real silver and gold. How has it become only her credit?"

Xie Qinglan couldn't argue with me and was so angry he wanted to depose me.

At the ten-year mark, just as I thought my time as empress was up.

My brother rebelled.

My brother, who was supposed to be seriously injured on the battlefield in the original story, wasn't injured at all—not only that, but he had a great victory.

He returned to the capital with his troops, learned that Xie Qinglan wanted to depose me, and was so angry he directly surrounded the palace, forced the palace, and rebelled.

My brother's strength was not to be underestimated—otherwise, I couldn't have been so arrogant for so many years.

Xie Qinglan was no match for my brother and was beaten howling as he voluntarily abdicated the throne position. He was enfeoffed as the Marquis of Anle.

My brother became emperor, enfeoffing my father as Grand Emperor, while I, the former dynasty's empress, became the current dynasty's Grand Princess.

Feng Wanrou kept demanding her children, and I returned them all to her.

Suddenly having twelve children, Feng Wanrou had grandchildren all around!

As for the rear palace concubines, I ordered them all to be released.

"The emperor has changed. If you want to return, go to the treasury to collect silver and leave.

"If you don't want to leave, stay and continue to be my brother's concubines!"

Believe it or not, some actually stayed.

During this rebellion, the Virtuous Consort's father made great contributions.

The Virtuous Consort asked me: "Princess, can I be empress? I've been Virtuous Consort for ten years!"

"I've saved 200,000 taels. I'll give it all to you!"

Hesitating for even a second would be disrespectful to 200,000 taels!

My brother was a widower—my former sister-in-law had been dead for three years, yet he could still command such a high price.

Me: "Why talk like two families? You are my sister-in-law!"

As for me and the Virtuous Consort.

We took the money from the Virtuous Consort and what we earned from the palace and built a luxurious princess residence.

We went off to love each other.

(End)