Even the crown prince is getting a marriage of convenience? Why are you in such a hurry to stop bein

Those members of the royal family immediately became restless.

They all confronted Jiang Yueyao, demanding, "Princess Yue, are we really going to stand by and watch the Jiang family's throne fall into the wrong hands?"

Because Jiang Yueyao and Shen Qinglan were both regent's wives, others called them "Princess Yue" and "Princess Lan".

Jiang Yueyao, sporting a huge fake pregnancy belly, reassured the anxious royal relatives, "You shouldn't have been swayed by those rumors outside."

"If the Regent had long harbored the intention to change the dynasty and become emperor, why did he retreat when the King of Zhen's army was at the city gates?"

"I ask you, at that time, did the capital have any soldiers capable of defeating them?"

"no."

Jiang Yueyao looked at them and said, "If you just behave yourselves and wait quietly for the child in my womb to be born, you will be able to see whether the Regent has any ambitions."

"Even tigers don't eat their cubs, so why would a father try to steal his son's throne?"

Jiang Yueyao's words did indeed persuade these members of the royal family.

On the same day, Gillian Chung was about to give birth.

Jiang Yueyao and Shen Qinglan also pretended to give birth at the same time.

Xiao Lie had already secretly ordered people to prepare the baby.

If Yuan Ajiao doesn't give birth to a son, then they'll use a son they brought back from outside to take his place.

Fortunately, Gillian Chung gave birth to a son without complications.

Jiang Yueyao and Shen Qinglan also "gave birth" to two sons.

Xiao Lie arranged for the midwife to announce to the outside world that Yuan Ajiao died from a difficult childbirth and postpartum hemorrhage, and even the late emperor's son could not be saved.

Jiang Yueyao and Shen Qinglan were also weakened by childbirth and were sent outside the palace to recuperate.

In reality, Xiao Lie had also been married to Jiang Yueyao and Shen Qinglan.

The two women's babies were very cooperative, only five months smaller than the one Yuan Ajiao gave birth to.

He had to send them outside until they had successfully given birth, and then bring them back to the Regent's Palace.

The son of Xiao Lie, born to Yuan Ajiao, was sent to Shen Qinglan to be raised.

The baby that Jiang Yueyao was temporarily raising was the one that had been prepared in advance.

After Yuan Ajiao faked her death, Xiao Lie quickly married a new regent's wife, who was given the title "Princess Qiao".

Some members of the royal family were extremely dissatisfied with this, saying, "Regent, you are too heartless and ungrateful. You just sent Princess Yue, who had injured her body while giving birth, to the estate to recuperate, and then you married someone else."

"In what dynasty or era have you ever had a husband with three wives?"

Some people whispered among themselves: "What do you mean by one husband with three wives? It's clearly one husband with four wives."

The day Xiao Lie proclaimed himself regent, Lin Wan'er returned on her own.

They stayed at the Regent's Palace and refused to leave.

Xiao Lie did not divorce her, but he also never gave her a formal title.

She was only his wife in name, but did not have the title of princess.

But Xiao Lie paid no heed to these dissenting voices, and in the end, nothing came of it.

Five months later, Zhuangzi brought good news.

Xiao Lie has become a father again; both Jiang Yueyao and Shen Qinglan have sons.

"Yueyao, you've really gone through a lot." After he brought the two of them back, he always held the three children and was unwilling to let go.

He announced to the world that Jiang Yueyao had given birth to twins for him, and that the son born to Shen Qinglan was also being raised by Jiang Yueyao.

Shen Qinglan was the one who raised Yuan Ajiao and gave birth to her.

"Yueyao, our son, will be made the new emperor." The child is still an infant, yet he has to lie on the dragon throne and listen to the government every day.

Time flies by.

The little emperor has grown to be ten years old in the blink of an eye.

At this time, the country was peaceful and prosperous, and everyone praised the new emperor and the regent.

Those royal relatives who had been well-behaved for a long time gradually became restless again.

They slandered and defamed Xiao Lie in front of the young emperor, trying to trick him into taking action against Xiao Lie.

But those people were no match for Xiao Lie.

Long ago, Xiao Lie had put the Shadow Guards into the open, and almost the entire palace was filled with his men.

The young emperor's every move was under his control.

"Zheng'er, you're being ridiculous." Xiao Lie didn't punish Jiang Zheng. "You've grown too big for your britches and want to manage state affairs yourself. You can talk to your father about it."

"If you had that ability, wouldn't your father have returned it to you?"

It's true that Jiang Zheng took Jiang Yueyao's surname, but Xiao Lie is still his father.

How can a son collude with his ministers to turn against his own father?

Others can do it, but Jiang Zheng just can't.

Jiang Zheng wore a bitter expression. "Father, I was wrong. You can punish me however you like, I will accept it."

Xiao Lie couldn't bear to punish him, so he said, "Then I'll punish you by allowing your mother, Consort Lan, to establish a girls' school and by allowing talented women from all over the country to serve as officials in the court."

After a moment's thought, Jiang Zheng said, "Granted."

Shen Qinglan opened the national treasury, allowing prospective female students to participate in the imperial examinations, and each female student who came to take the exams received a hundred taels of silver.

After three years of promoting girls' education, there are already quite a few female officials in the court.

With the national treasury's funds only increasing and not decreasing, and the number of capable ministers in the court doubling, the country is naturally prosperous and the people are at peace.

The southern barbarians and northern Di tribes dared not invade again.

All the soldiers guarding the border no longer had to worry about military supplies. They were all well-fed, well-clothed, and well-equipped, making them invincible.

All of this is thanks to the mutual support and achievements of Xiao Lie, Jiang Yueyao, and Shen Qinglan.

However, peaceful days are always prone to sudden splashes.

News came from the Imperial Clan Court that when the Third Prince regained consciousness, he discovered that the late emperor had been dead for many years, Xiao Lie was acting as regent, and the young emperor was just a puppet. Unable to accept this, he hanged himself.

The fifth prince went from being neglected by the late emperor to becoming the most powerful man in the world, but in the end, he was imprisoned in the Imperial Clan Court.

Unable to bear the inner torment and resentment, they fell seriously ill and died suddenly on the same day.

Those members of the royal family had long harbored strong resentment towards Xiao Lie for regency for many years and his refusal to return power to the young emperor.

Meanwhile, in the northern lands, on the vast grasslands, savage tribes were born.

They repeatedly harassed the border in order to seize abundant food and money.

For the first time, the young emperor stood on opposite sides of the court with Xiao Lie.

"Father, Grandfather is also old and can no longer fight. I have decided to issue an edict to let Jiang Yuan lead the army to attack these barbarian enemies on the grasslands."

Xiao Lie snorted coldly and stormed off in anger.

Jiang Yueyao and Shen Qinglan arrived upon hearing the news. "Your Highness, please don't hold a grudge against Zheng'er. He's been misled by those around him, which is why he's constantly opposing you."

"Jiang Yuan is young and impetuous. Although he has some skills, he is not capable of shouldering great responsibilities."

"The battlefield is no child's play; how can you gamble with the life of such a passionate man like me?"

One of them managed the inner palace, and the other oversaw the national treasury and businesses across the land; naturally, they felt sorry for the young men who were going to fight.

For them, everyone in the world has long been considered their subjects.

Xiao Lie wasn't being spiteful with the young emperor; rather, he wanted to give the young emperor some experience and challenges.

If the young emperor truly knows how to use people this time, then when Jiang Yuan returns victorious, he will return the reins of government to the emperor.

He also wanted to find his grandfather, Xiao Tianze, and live out his old age with him on the frontier.