Chapter 114 - 112.3: The Ruthless Emperor

Chapter 114: Chapter 112.3: The Ruthless EmperorYe Qiu finally managed to avoid Noble Princess Consort Xiao’s entanglement due to his preoccupation with official duties lately, but now she has begun to cause trouble again. This time, even the Empress Dowager, who rarely leaves Cining Palace, has offered her support, and Ye Qiu himself has no reason to refuse.

Ye Qiu has been on the throne for six years, but in these years, he only selected concubines during the first year of his reign. Now the harem has only three princes, and the Empress Dowager is concerned about the heirs. This time, she is determined to select a few suitable concubines for Ye Qiu.

At the same time, the Empress also thinks that the palace maids are getting older and it’s time to replace a batch of them. For this selection of concubines, apart from Ye Qiu, not a single person objects.

When the Empress Dowager’s enthusiasm for the selection of concubines spread to the former court, it also caused a sensation. Some courtiers have already started recalling eligible young girls from their clans, hoping to become an "Imperial Uncle" and bask in glory, just like the Xiao Family.

Xiao Rou did not expect that what was originally just a matter of following her family’s wishes to bring a couple of her cousins into the palace to help her vie for favor, would turn into such a sensation.

She is the legitimate daughter of the Xiao Family and has been the Favored Concubine since she entered the palace. Although these past few years have not been as smooth as before, in her heart, the Emperor has always been hers alone. She may have lost favor, but apart from the Empress, did anyone else receive favor? It’s one thing for her cousins to come and help her vie for favor, but what if one of those contemptible girls from the selection charms the Emperor away?

The Empress is getting old, and even if the Emperor often rests in her quarters, she can no longer bear sons. However, it’s different for the newcomers. Now she is in a dilemma whether to proceed or retreat as the proposal to select concubines was initiated by her. She couldn’t possibly slap her own face, could she?

Xiao Rou is now anxious and even starts to doubt whether the family’s suggestion to propose a selection of concubines was really for her benefit.

Xiao Bairen indeed has other plans. The Xiao Family currently holds high authority, but what about when the Crown Prince ascends the throne? The Xiao Family and the Li family have been mortal enemies for a long time. Would the Crown Prince let the Xiao Family off once he inherits the throne? Xiao Bairen dares not take the risk.

However, in these years, Ye Qiu has intentionally cut off the connection between Empress Dowager Xiao and the Xiao Family, and Empress Dowager Xiao herself is solely devoted to the Third Prince, ignorant of everything else. Thus, the Xiao Family naturally could not contact the Third Prince. With Noble Princess Consort Xiao having lost favor, and seeing the Crown Prince grow more favorable in the eyes of the court, Xiao Bairen finally became desperate. He urgently hoped for a prince to emerge who had close ties to the Xiao Family.

Therefore, he entertained the idea of a selection of concubines, determined to have another concubine from the Xiao Family and another prince with the blood of the Xiao Family. Thus, the naive Xiao Rou believed Xiao Bairen’s words.

Empress Li Yanlan was also worried that after the selection, the harem would definitely face more disturbances. But as the Queen Mother, even if not for herself, she had to consider the reputation of the Crown Prince. She couldn’t afford a reputation for jealousy, and at the same time, she was confident that her husband was not a man of lustful character.

Moreover, her elder brother is now guarding the border, controlling the trade between two countries. The status of the Li family is secure, and the Crown Prince is highly esteemed by Your Majesty. What is there to worry about? She has endured Noble Princess Consort Xiao’s glorious favor once before, so there will be nothing too difficult for her in the future.

Thus, Ye Qiu’s objections were ineffective, and with the support of Empress Dowager Xiao, the grand selection of concubines began.

The selection of concubines went through two rounds. The first round was a large-scale selection, mainly aimed at replenishing concubines for Ye Qiu’s harem, while the second round was a smaller selection, meant to fill the vacancies left by the dismissed palace maids.

Ye Qiu is only in his prime this year, and with daily exercise, he looks to be just in his early twenties. Furthermore, he is diligent in governance, demonstrating the aura of a wise monarch. Therefore, both old and new dignitaries are eager to have their daughters enter the palace for the selection.

Nowadays, with only three princes in the palace, if one’s daughter enters the palace and conceives a royal child, regardless of the child’s gender, it would be a great honor. Moreover, given the Holy Emperor’s youth and vigor, the prospects are even more unpredictable!

In short, five years after the last selection, this selection finds even greater enthusiasm due to various personal motives.

This time the Empress Dowager is set on filling the entire harem. Not only from the capital but all over the Hong Dynasty, the total number of Concubines sent in even exceeded five hundred. Even after a month of preliminary and secondary examinations, no fewer than a hundred remained.

With slender beauties and voluptuous stunners flaunting their charm, the imperial garden is nearly unable to accommodate them all. The most vexed is Noble Princess Consort Xiao herself, who proposed the selection. Every time she sees those youthful and lively young Concubines, she is bound to be sullen for an entire day.

"Lady, Miss Xiao has come to pay her respects to you."