After killing four concubines, the queen was sentenced to death and reborn

"Your Majesty, how can you care about these things for her?" Zheng Xiyan's lips curled up with a hint of coldness.

Biluo stood to one side, her eyebrows furrowed, her face full of worry, "The Queen Mother has always disliked Zhang Xiuyuan, she will definitely not agree to this matter easily."

"Since Your Majesty has this intention, I will naturally obey and try to comfort the Queen Mother. After all, he is Your Majesty and I am just the Queen. How can I, as the Queen, not listen to him?" Zheng Xiyan sighed softly.

"Your Majesty, this is really excessive. How can I allow you to..."

"Who makes him the emperor?" Zheng Xiyan sneered, with a bit of bitterness and self-mockery in her smile, "What can I do as the queen? If I don't obey the king's orders, isn't that disrespectful?"

"But as for the Queen Mother..." Biluo was worried. Before she could finish her words, she saw Zheng Xiyan gently waving her hand, indicating that she didn't need to say anything more.

"I know my limits." Zheng Xiyan's eyes were firm, as if she was ready to deal with anything. "I am here to do my best and leave the rest to fate. I cannot influence the Queen Mother's opinion, and Your Majesty knows it well. No matter what the result is, I have done my best. How can Your Majesty blame me for no reason?"

"Your Majesty is absolutely right." Biluo felt relieved upon hearing that.

The next morning, the first ray of sunlight penetrated the clouds and fell on the glazed tiles of the Forbidden City, shining with golden light and beautiful beyond measure. Zheng Xiyan, wearing a gorgeous phoenix robe, stepped into the Shoukang Palace in the morning light.

The palace was quiet, the flowers were fragrant, and the scene was peaceful. Knowing that the Queen Mother was worshipping the Buddha devoutly in the temple, Zheng Xiyan waited in the main hall. The hall was filled with incense and candles, and the sound of Sanskrit was soft.

Soon, Princess Changle learned that her mother had arrived and hurried over to pay her respects. She was dressed in a light and elegant princess dress, and her steps were light, like a newly blossoming lotus. "Your son greets the queen mother, may you be well." Princess Changle bowed in a proper manner and knelt in front of Zheng Xiyan.

Seeing this, Zheng Xiyan hurried forward to help her up, with a loving smile on her face, "Hurry up and stop being so polite."

"Thank you, mother." Princess Changle stood up with a happy smile on her face.

"Changle seems to have grown a lot taller." Zheng Xiyan said with a smile.

She held Zheng Xiyan's hand and said affectionately, "Grandmother Royal ordered the kitchen to prepare all kinds of delicious food for me every day. I eat them very happily. Look, my new clothes seem too small after just a few days of wearing them."

Zheng Xiyan touched Princess Changle's face lovingly, her eyes full of love and pride. She smiled and said, "Our Changle is becoming more and more well-behaved and lovable."

Seeing this, the wet nurse beside her also smiled and agreed, "The Queen is right. The princess is getting more and more beautiful as she grows older."

At this time, the Queen Mother slowly returned from the Buddhist temple. Her plain clothes glowed faintly in the morning light, with a sense of transcendence and majesty. When she entered the main hall, Zheng Xiyan saw her and hurriedly stepped forward, lifted her skirt lightly, and bowed with a gentle and respectful voice: "Your son greets you, the Queen Mother. May you be blessed with good health and a long life."

Then, a clear voice like a silver bell sounded from outside the palace, and Princess Changle bowed and said, "Granddaughter greets the Royal Grandmother. May the Royal Grandmother be well and safe."

The Queen Mother raised her hand with a gentle smile and said, "Everyone, please stand up. No need to be polite."

"Thank you for your grace, mother." Zheng Xiyan stood up with a dignified posture, but there was a hint of imperceptible worry in her eyes.

"Thank you, Grandmother, for your kindness." Princess Changle also stood up.

Yu Ma Ma stepped forward at the right time and helped the Queen Mother to slowly sit down on the phoenix chair carved from golden nanmu wood. The Queen Mother turned her gaze to Changle, her eyes full of love: "Changle, the kitchen has made your favorite water chestnut cake, go and try it quickly, it will lose its flavor if it gets cold."

"Granddaughter obeys your command. Thank you, Grandmother, for your love. Granddaughter will take her leave." Princess Changle bowed and left with joy in her heart.

After Princess Changle disappeared outside the palace gate, the Queen Mother gently waved her hand, signaling Zheng Xiyan to sit down as well. Zheng Xiyan sat down as she was told, but seemed a little reserved.

"The Queen has come to Shoukang Palace at this moment. She must have something important to discuss, right?" The Queen Mother's tone was gentle, but her majesty could not be concealed.

Zheng Xiyan nodded slightly, her face solemn: "My Queen Mother, please understand. I do have something important to report. Your Majesty wants to appoint Zhang Xiuyuan as your consort. This matter..."

When the Queen Mother heard this, a layer of frost instantly covered her peaceful face, and her eyes were as sharp as a sword: "Make her a concubine? What does the Emperor mean by this?"

"Your Majesty's wishes, and I, your son, shall not disobey." Zheng Xiyan answered cautiously, fearing that she might anger the empress dowager.

The Queen Mother sneered, her tone full of dissatisfaction and disappointment: "What is the Emperor going to do? Does he really think that this world belongs to him alone and he can do whatever he wants, regardless of ancestral rules and etiquette?"

Seeing this, Zheng Xiyan quickly stood up and knelt on the ground, pleading in her voice: "Mother, please calm down. I know you are unhappy, but as the queen, I can only obey your majesty's wishes. However, I feel bitter in my heart. Your majesty favors others, and although I am the queen, I cannot interfere with your majesty's wishes."

The Queen Mother stared at Zheng Xiyan, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes: "Queen, you know that you kneeled not only for the Emperor, but also for yourself, and for the peace of the harem. But I ask you, do you really have no complaints in your heart?"

Zheng Xiyan raised her head, her eyes firm and deep: "As the queen, I should put the overall situation first and put personal feelings aside. However, I also hope that mother can understand my difficulties. I will be grateful."

The palace fell into silence for a while, and only the occasional bird song outside the window broke the oppression. The Queen Mother looked at Zheng Xiyan and couldn't help but feel a little pity in her heart. She sighed softly and reached out to help Zheng Xiyan up.

The Queen Mother sighed softly, with a hint of helplessness in her voice: "I know your difficulties, but how can the rules of the royal family be easily shaken by the selfish desires of one person? If the Emperor really follows his wishes and appoints Zhang Xiuyuan as his concubine, the order of the harem will be in chaos."

Zheng Xi's face was full of embarrassment. She gently advised: "Mother, I understand your majesty's heart. I just want a little more tenderness. Mother, why don't you go with the flow and fulfill your majesty's wish? Why should you hurt the relationship between you and your majesty because of this matter?"

The Queen Mother's eyes twitched slightly when she heard this, but she immediately regained her unquestionable firmness: "Rules are more important than Mount Tai. If a precedent of skipping rank for promotion is set today, what will happen tomorrow? In the harem, what rules are there to speak of? Although I am a mother, I know my duty as the Queen Mother. How can I break the rules of our ancestors for my own selfish reasons? The Emperor is young and impulsive, and I can tolerate him once, but I will never allow him to trample on the rules set by our ancestors again."

"Mother!" Zheng Xiyan called again, with a hint of urgency and reluctance in her voice. She knew the Queen Mother's temper very well, but she couldn't help but want to fight for it again.

"That's enough!" The Queen Mother waved her hand suddenly, interrupting Zheng Xiyan's words, and her tone left no room for doubt, "I have made up my mind on this matter, and there is no need for the Queen to say more. You can leave now, and I will handle this matter myself."

Zheng Xiyan looked at the empress dowager's expression that brooked no rebuttal, feeling mixed emotions in her heart, and could only bow slowly and say, "Your son obeys your order and will take his leave."

After Zheng Xiyan's figure disappeared outside the palace gate, the Queen Mother slowly stood up and instructed Yu Ma Ma beside her: "Order someone to prepare the sedan chair immediately. I want to go to the Purple Palace."

Upon hearing this, Yu Ma hurried forward to support the Queen Mother, her eyes full of worry: "Queen Mother, what the Queen said does make sense. If you insist on going, what if you have a dispute with His Majesty, wouldn't it be..."

The Queen Mother shook her head slightly and interrupted Yu Mama's words: "Rules are more important than anything else. How can I sit back and watch? Even if I have a grudge against the Emperor, it is better than watching him act recklessly. Go and prepare the sedan chair."

Seeing this, Yu Ma Ma didn't dare to say anything more and could only respond and retreat, "Yes!"