freenovelworld Chapter 755 The Selection of a Concubine!
Chapter 755 The Selection of a Concubine!
Sure enough, after entering the palace, the Empress's complexion improved, and the dark circles under her eyes were almost gone.
"Mother looks well; has she been resting well these past few days?"
"Yes, thanks to you, Nuan, you are a good child. Your mother truly likes you."
"Thank you, Queen Mother."
The Empress had Zonghua carried out, leaving only the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law inside the main hall.
"Anuan, come and sit down."
Mu Xin Nuan knew that the Empress must have something important to tell her, otherwise, she wouldn't have acted this way.
"Anuan, I know that the fourth prince only has you in his heart, but some things are not as he wishes."
Mu Xin Nuan had already vaguely guessed what was going on, but her expression remained unchanged. "Please enlighten me, Mother."
"Anuan, you are a smart woman. I know that the Fourth Prince is fond of you, and you and your husband have lived a very harmonious life these past few years. As for the beauty I sent over earlier, I don't care what her fate was. Do you know why?"
Mu Xin Nuan bit her lip lightly, "Please give me your guidance, Mother."
"Your mother knows you are young, and that the fourth prince is a man who knows how to cherish his wife. But have you thought about it? You will grow old and lose your beauty someday. What will you do then? Will you still be able to hold onto the fourth prince's heart?"
If Mu Xin Nuan still doesn't understand after all this, then she'll truly be pretending to be stupid.
"Mother, please speak frankly. If it is within my power, I will do my best."
"Good child! I knew you were a sensible child." The Empress was quite pleased; this child's temperament was indeed a bit softer than that of the fourth prince.
"As you can see, there has been a great upheaval in the court. Prince Kang has been imprisoned, and Duanmu Chen has been deposed. Your father only has the fourth prince in his sights. I won't hide it from you. The Emperor has mentioned many times before that he can only truly feel at ease if the Great Yong is handed over to the fourth prince. Now that the Crown Prince is gone, the Great Yong empire must have someone to inherit it."
"Empress Dowager?" Even though Mu Xin Nuan had a strong mental fortitude, she couldn't help but feel a little shocked after hearing the Empress say these things.
"Don't be afraid. I'm telling you this because it's the Emperor's will. He has already ordered the decree to be drafted. Now, we're just waiting for his triumphant return to avenge the Crown Prince. He will immediately issue the decree to appoint him as the Crown Prince."
"Mother Empress? Such a serious matter is beyond my ability to discuss."
"Well, you should understand what I'm telling you. As the Crown Prince, you are destined to inherit the throne. If you only have one principal wife, do you think that's acceptable?"
"Your Majesty, I understand. However, the Prince's temperament is so stubborn that there's nothing I can do about it."
This is true.
How could the Empress not understand her own son?
But if he's going to become the emperor of the Great Yong Dynasty, he can't just live his life with only one empress, can he? What would be the point of the harem then?
Besides, it's not a big deal if the Empress is the only one who receives the Emperor's favor.
For example, over the years, the emperor has always doted on her.
The problem is that the emperor also needs other women to balance the power of the previous dynasty.
If Duanmu Chuze has only one empress and no concubines in the future, it will be extremely detrimental to his rule over the country.
Of course, what the Emperor and Empress were most worried about was that Mu Xin Nuan was too clever. Although she had not been involved in politics until now, the temptation of power would be too great once she sat in that position.
Moreover, the Mu family also has a Grand Secretary of the Central Secretariat, and Mu Xin Nuan's younger brothers are all outstanding.
We can't allow a situation where the maternal relatives seize power, can we?
"Anuan, I know it's a bit difficult for you to say this. Now that he's away on a campaign, it's perfectly normal for you, as his principal wife, to recommend a few concubines or secondary wives for him. It's much more respectable for you to suggest it yourself than for me to issue an order, don't you think?"
Mu Xin Nuan's hand trembled slightly.
She understood, she understood perfectly.
The Empress's meaning was simply that if she brought it up herself, she could at least earn a reputation for being virtuous. But if she didn't agree, and the Empress issued a decree directly, it would be tantamount to slapping Mu Xin Nuan in the face.
Mu Xin Nuan bit her lip, her face turning slightly pale, and for a moment, she was at a loss.
The Empress was not surprised to see her looking somewhat conflicted.
After all, the young couple had always lived a harmonious life, and suddenly someone was inserted into their relationship, and not just one person. Anyone would find it hard to accept that.
"Your Majesty, I have a method, but I don't know if it is appropriate?"
"You said."
"Your Majesty, the Prince is rather stubborn, and when he gets angry, he can be truly ruthless and frightening. Before he left, he told me not to make any decisions on my own, otherwise, when he returns, he will lock me up and never let me out again. Your Majesty, you know his temperament; he wasn't just saying this to make a fuss or to scare me."
The Empress was slightly taken aback, thinking about how she and the Emperor had tried so hard to persuade him, but he still wouldn't budge.
I was thinking of starting with Mu Xinnuan, but I didn't expect this kid to threaten Mu Xinnuan first!
"That brat, he really dares to say that!"
"Mother, I understand your and Father's good intentions. What I mean is, perhaps I should try to persuade him later. I really don't have the guts to do anything behind his back now."
As Mu Xin Nuan spoke, she shook her head, lowering it even further.
"Did he really say that?"
"When I returned to Mother, I mentioned it again during breakfast on the morning of the day I was to go to war. Aunt Fang and many other people were there at the time. Your subject dared not lie."
The Empress was in a bit of a dilemma.
Clearly, their attempt to persuade Mu Xin Nuan was not going to work.
"In that case, you can take advantage of his absence from the capital to find a suitable candidate. Don't worry, now that you have given birth to Xiao Zonghua, your position is naturally unassailable."
"Yes, Your Majesty, I am not worried about that. I will listen to Your Majesty and slowly select suitable ones. When the Prince returns, I will present their portraits first. Perhaps the Prince will agree after seeing them."
The Queen's eyes lit up. "You're quite clever, child!"
"I wouldn't dare. I can't guarantee that Your Highness will listen to me. So, when it comes to choosing someone, besides good looks, they always need to have some outstanding qualities. Otherwise, as you know, Your Highness has very high standards."
"Yes, that's right! That's exactly it. Alright, don't worry, your mother will help you choose later."