Quick Transmigration: Knowing I'm a Bad Woman, Yet Still Liking Me?

After Xiao Chengyu finished speaking, he closed his eyes, then looked around at everyone, his gaze landing on Bai Yuan. "As for the power to manage the harem..."

Seeing this, Bai Yuan quickly rose and curtsied, "Your Majesty, as you know, before I entered the palace, I spent all my time running around with my father, and I didn't even learn how to manage a household. If Your Majesty were to manage such a large harem, it would be in complete chaos within three days. Besides, my health has only just begun to improve, Your Majesty is surely worried about me, isn't that right?"

Hearing her say this, Xiao Chengyu's expression softened considerably. "Just because I dote on you, you've become so arrogant, even daring to shirk your duties in the inner palace?"

Bai Yuan didn't speak, but just smiled and winked at him.

Xiao Chengyu waved his hand helplessly, "Fine, fine, since you are unwilling, I will not force you."

He then looked at the others for a moment, and finally looked at Consort De. "Consort De, you will temporarily take charge of all matters in the harem."

Upon hearing this, Consort De looked up abruptly. She only had two princesses and no princes to rely on. Taking on this task now was tantamount to standing in the eye of the storm and becoming a target. Why bother?

"Your Majesty, please forgive me. I am usually busy taking care of the princess and have never been involved in the affairs of the inner palace. I am afraid I am not up to the task..."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Chengyu frowned, and anger flashed in his eyes.

He was genuinely angry. The women in the harem were so eager to climb over each other's heads to get ahead, while those who weren't fighting for power were so calm they were practically ready to become monks.

"Now that you hold the rank of Consort, you should shoulder this responsibility at this time. The Noble Consort is young and in poor health; is Consort De also unwell?"

Consort De sighed inwardly, knowing that today she would either temporarily manage the six palaces, or she might be demoted to the rank of concubine like Consort Shu.

However, since the Empress has given birth to the Crown Prince, she probably won't be able to control things for long.

"Your Majesty, I dare not disobey you. I am willing to temporarily take charge of the affairs of the inner palace."

Xiao Chengyu then stood up and strode out, saying, "Once the Fourth Prince is feeling better, send him back."

Bai Yuan watched the whole scene unfold, her gaze lingering between the Fourth Prince and Shen Xun'er inside the room before she followed them out, saying, "My sisters, please keep busy."

But before she could take more than a few steps, Shen Xun'er caught up with her.

Bai Yuan stopped and turned back to look at her coldly. "Don't follow me. Go find whoever is your master. Oh, by the way, His Majesty said he was going to investigate you thoroughly. How could you forget? Even if he did investigate you thoroughly, His Majesty didn't say who should be in charge, whether it's the Embroidered Uniform Guard or the Eastern Depot. I don't know if your skin can withstand those tortures."

Shen Xun'er quickly knelt down, "Your Highness, it was just a coincidence..."

"Come on."

Bai Yuan rolled her eyes at her disdainfully, "Even the fools on West Street in the capital wouldn't believe your words, yet you dare to try and fool me. You'd better have a clean identity, or I will definitely have His Majesty severely punish you, you traitor."

After saying that, Bai Yuan raised her head and left the courtyard with Wan Yue.

The people left in the courtyard looked at each other in bewilderment, with Consort Shu and the Empress both looking at Consort De with probing eyes.

The fourth prince left the Empress's Yuxiu Palace in the afternoon. He did not return to his residence, but went directly to Wenyuan Pavilion.

Xiao Chengyu was somewhat surprised to see his fourth prince's pale face. This prince had never taken the initiative to come and see him before. "You're still not well, why are you running around everywhere?"

The fourth prince knelt down immediately. "Father, I have a request."

Xiao Chengyu put down his pen. "What is it? Get up and talk."

The fourth prince, still standing, stammered, "Father...Father, could you please find me a mother?"

Xiao Chengyu narrowed his eyes slightly, scrutinizing him. "When you were little, I said I'd find you a mother concubine, but you refused. Why are you thinking of having one now?"

The fourth prince looked up at the desk, then lowered his head again.

Xiao Chengyu tapped the table. "You're a prince, why are you stammering? Just say what you have to say."

"Yes, Father. When I was young, I didn't want a mother because I saw my elder brothers, the Crown Prince and the Second Prince, getting into trouble often, and I was afraid that I would be harmed as well. But now I realize that I was wrong. I was also bullied when I didn't have a mother, so I thought I should find a mother."

Xiao Chengyu felt that what he said was quite sincere. "I heard that you went to see the Imperial Concubine before?"

"Your subject did indeed go to see the Imperial Concubine before, but she ignored him."

"Why go to see the Imperial Concubine?"

Xiao Chengyu's tone remained calm, but the Fourth Prince still felt a chill on his neck.

However, he had already considered this issue before coming. "Reporting to Father Emperor, it is because the Imperial Concubine is Father Emperor's favorite concubine. I was bullied before and was afraid, so I rashly went to find her."

"So who do you want to be your mother now?"

"I will leave everything to my father to decide for me."

Thinking back on what happened today, Xiao Chengyu realized that in his harem, only the Empress and Consort Shu had the most obvious intentions. There was nothing he could do about it, since the only princes he could use right now were the Crown Prince and the Second Prince.

The fact that these two are hindering each other is indeed not a safe approach.

He considered everyone carefully before speaking calmly, "How about I make Consort De your mother?"

Consort De has been with him since the Prince's residence. Her father is now a Grand Secretary of the Inner Cabinet. Giving her the Fourth Prince will allow her to keep the Empress and Consort Shu in check in the future.

The fourth prince was overjoyed and quickly knelt down to kowtow, saying, "Your subject thanks Your Majesty."

When the news reached Consort De's palace, she was stunned for a long time.

She and the Empress entered the Prince's residence one after the other. Now that she is older, it would be fair to say that she is as serene and unassuming as a chrysanthemum.

I might even die before His Majesty, and I have no son, so what's the point of fighting for it?

But who would have thought that on this one day, on this very day, she would have a son, and she would also be in charge of the harem.

Consort De was both clever and resourceful to conceive twice under the noses of the Empress and other concubines and successfully give birth both times.

She would never believe it was a coincidence.

But with her son right in front of her, she was somewhat tempted.

Even if she wasn't tempted, she had to support him since His Majesty had spoken.

Before long, Wang Shunan sent the fourth prince to Consort De's palace.

Consort De looked at the Fourth Prince, who was eight years old but looked rather thin. As a mother, she felt a touch of affection in her eyes.

"Your Highness, His Majesty specifically instructed that this prince is a blessing bestowed upon you by Heaven. You have raised the princesses very well, and with your personal guidance, this fourth prince will surely grow into a towering pine tree."

Upon hearing this, Consort De shifted her gaze from the Fourth Prince to Wang Shun'an, "Then Eunuch Wang, please convey my gratitude to His Majesty."

Hearing Consort De's tone, Wang Shunan slowly straightened up. "This servant is being presumptuous. I only hope Your Majesty understands that His Majesty's affection for you has lasted for twenty years, which is incomparable to that of ordinary people. Look at that woman in Yufu Palace, no matter how favored she is, she has no children, so she is ultimately lacking."