On our wedding night, my wife acted strangely.

Consort Zhou looked up abruptly, her face filled with disbelief.

Zhao Shuyu cried out in his arms, blurting out, "Concubines are not allowed to leave the palace without permission! This is an ancestral rule!"

Lin Yi didn't even turn his head: "Ancestral rules are dead, but people are flexible. Besides, I'm not asking her to never return; it's just a family visit, what's wrong with that?"

"That won't do! When an imperial concubine visits her family, the local area needs to be well-prepared; she can't just leave whenever she wants!"

"If I say it's okay, then it's okay."

"No!"

"Shut up!" Lin Yi slapped her on the butt again. "If you dare disobey me again, I'll kill you!"

"You..." Zhao Shuyu was puzzled.

Why is Lin Yi so kind to Consort Zhou, but so cold to me?

Even though I'm getting on in years, you don't have to be so biased and dismissive.

"No, unless you also let me go visit my family."

Upon hearing this, not only Lin Yi, but even Zhou Guiren laughed.

"Hehehe, do you think that's possible?"

"Why is it impossible!"

Lin Yi laughed, "Letting Consort Zhou go on her family visit is a reward for her. Letting you go back would be like releasing a tiger back into the mountains, making myself look bad!"

"Hmph." Zhao Shuyu rolled her eyes.

Actually, her idea of ​​going home was just to see if Lin Yi was wary of the Zhao family or of her.

The result was obvious: Lin Yi was still somewhat wary, at least she didn't dare let him go back.

Consort Zhou stood still, not kneeling and kowtowing to express her gratitude like the other court ladies who were putting on an act. Instead, she stood straight, took a deep breath, and said, "Thank you, Your Highness."

Lin Yi noticed that her eyes were red.

It is said that this woman has not shed a tear in ten years, not even when she was tortured so badly by Zhao Shuyu.

But one reward from Lin Yi finally made her relax after ten years of tension.

This is about understanding and manipulating people's hearts.

Therefore, if you're going to give someone a benefit or a gift, you have to do it in a way that truly touches their heart.

Lin Yi didn't say anything more to comfort him, because some things don't need to be said too much.

Once you do it, it's more effective than saying a thousand nice things.

"Visiting relatives is fine, but there's a condition."

Consort Zhou immediately composed herself.

Lin Yi said, "After you leave, it's up to you whether you come back or not. But you must tell me. Whatever decision you make, you can't hide it from me, understand?"

Consort Zhou nodded: "I understand."

"There's one more thing."

"Please speak, Your Highness."

"Whether you come back or not, it won't affect my promise to you. I remember what you've done for me."

Consort Zhou nodded again.

Zhao Shuyu felt a pang of unease as she watched all this.

She had been a powerful figure in the palace for twenty years. When had she ever seen a man treat a noble lady so well?

That old bastard Nangong Xiong, let alone to noble ladies, he has never said a single kind word to her, the Empress.

They come twice a month, sit for a cup of tea, and leave without even a word of concern.

Although Lin Yi is domineering and doesn't follow the rules, at least he...

Zhao Shuyu dared not think any further.

She was afraid she was overthinking things.

At this moment, none of the three spoke, and the atmosphere in the warm room began to gradually warm up.

That makes sense. It's no wonder that hormones would be surging between a lone man and two women, especially since Consort Zhou and Zhao Shuyu haven't experienced happiness for many years.

Zhao Shuyu broke free from Lin Yi's hand and sat back on the phoenix couch. She stopped making a fuss, but her eyes remained fixed on Lin Yi and Consort Zhou, as if she were plotting something.

Lin Yi returned to his chair and said to Consort Zhou, "Please sit down first."

Consort Zhou nodded.

The warm pavilion was quiet for a while, and the sound of the Shenji Battalion changing shifts could be faintly heard outside, their footsteps rhythmic and synchronized.

Zhao Shuyu suddenly spoke.

"Lin Yi".

"Um?"

"Are you being so good to her because she helps you with something, or is it for some other reason?"

That's a very direct question.

It has a bit of a jealous, rivalry feel to it.

Lin Yi glanced at her and asked in return, "What answer does Your Majesty wish to hear?"

I want to hear the truth.

"To be honest, she did something for me, and I gave her a reward; it was a fair trade."

Zhao Shuyu's lips suddenly twitched, and she said something that surprised Lin Yi.

"And what about me?"

"What's wrong with you?"

"I am your woman too."

Consort Zhou's eyes flickered slightly, but she quickly lowered them again and did not reply.

Zhao Shuyu got up and walked to Lin Yi.

The deep purple long jacket she wore today made her face look even whiter, and the phoenix hairpin in her hair swayed slightly under the lamplight.

"Last time here, you..." Zhao Shuyu's voice suddenly stopped halfway through her sentence.

Those things were humiliating for Zhao Shuyu, but they were also real events.

From that day on, her relationship with Lin Yi was no longer a simple power struggle.

She became his woman.

Although she herself didn't want to admit it.

"You can be so caring and attentive to her, letting her go out to visit relatives," Zhao Shuyu said, trying to maintain her composure, but her voice trembled slightly. "But all you do in front of me is threaten and intimidate! What right do you have?!"

After saying those last three words, Zhao Shuyu herself was stunned for a moment.

She didn't want to say those things, because it would be too degrading.

It's laughable that an empress would compete for the emperor's favor with a mere concubine.

But Lin Yi didn't laugh. Instead, he was thinking about whether Zhao Shuyu's words were sincere or not.

If it's true, then it means that the last incident had a much greater impact on Zhao Shuyu than he imagined.

Although this woman was stubborn, she had already begun to develop a physical and psychological dependence on him.

If it's a lie, then she's playing a game with him in another way.

If you treat Consort Zhou well, I'll use the phrase "I'm also your woman" to manipulate you and see how you handle it.

In fact, Lin Yi didn't want to imagine himself as a male god, to be liked by everyone and have them actively pursuing him.

But upon closer reflection, he realized that he already controlled the palace, so what difference would it make if he believed Zhao Shuyu was telling the truth?

It's not that I'm being a jerk, but I want to hear both the truth and the lies. Secondly, since Zhao Shuyu said those words, it proves that she has already placed herself in a position lower than Lin Yi.

That's enough.

"Zhao Shuyu".

"Um?"

"Do you know why I treat Consort Zhou well, but not you?"

Zhao Shuyu remained silent, waiting for him to continue.

"Because Consort Zhou is honest. She promised to keep an eye on you for me, and she really did. She took my bribes and was willing to do things. She never tried anything funny with me, but what about you?"

Zhao Shuyu lowered her head.

"You were subservient to me while sending Liu Jing to deliver a message to the Zhao family. You pretended to be honest while secretly plundering other people's belongings in the harem. Did you think I didn't know? It's not that I didn't want to be good to you; you just made your own way out of it."

Zhao Shuyu's hands trembled slightly. She wanted to say something in rebuttal, but she couldn't make a sound.

What Lin Yi said is true.

She was indeed hedging her bets, and while pretending to comply, she was secretly contacting the Zhao family, without truly putting her heart into Lin Yi's case.

It's not that she doesn't want to, it's that she doesn't dare.

Because the Zhao family is her root.

She grew up in the Zhao family and was supported by them after marrying into the palace.

Without the Zhao family, she would be nothing.

Therefore, she dared not completely sever ties with the Zhao family. Even though Zhao Boduan said in his letter that he would replace her, she still harbored a sliver of hope.

She felt that it was just a temporary measure by her younger brother, and that he didn't really want to abandon her.

But now Lin Yi has made his point clear.

You're dishonest, so I'm not nice to you.

It's that simple.

"What if..." Zhao Shuyu bit her lower lip, her voice barely audible, "What if I behave myself from now on?"

Lin Yi raised an eyebrow.

Zhao Shuyu mustered her courage and stared at him, "If I stop contacting the Zhao family and stop doing those things in the palace, could you... could you..."

She couldn't continue.

Because she didn't know what she was asking for.

Was she asking Lin Yi to treat her well? Or was she asking Lin Yi to be her protector?

These things mixed together made her feel choked up.

Lin Yi looked at her, remained silent for a moment, and then said, "Zhao Shuyu, if you really want to live an honest life, I can be your backer."

Zhao Shuyu's eyes lit up immediately.

To remain empress, one must have a powerful backer; otherwise, it's all just empty talk.

Her maternal family used to be her support, but now that they have abandoned her, she is naturally willing to find a powerful backer like Lin Yi to continue being her empress.

Unfortunately, the light in her eyes lasted only a moment before it dimmed.

Because she knew Lin Yi too well; this man never only said the first half of a sentence.

Sure enough, Lin Yi continued, "But if you're not honest..."

"how?"

"I'll summon all the palace maids you usually bully and let them teach you a lesson."

"What!??"