Favored concubine deposed empress? I'll seize your throne and marry you to a powerful minister.

Wei Rong leaned against the wall of the carriage, her thoughts adrift.

She was not without disappointment. In the past three months, there had been many cases like Shen Minglan. Everyone in the palace was assessing the situation and the food, clothing and daily necessities in Fengluan Palace were being rapidly reduced.

Two months ago, she was physically and mentally exhausted because of her father's affairs. When she suddenly heard that Xiao Heng had appointed a Consort, she went to Chengqian Palace to inquire about it.

At that time, Xiao Heng was reviewing memorials, and Shen Mingxiu stood by his side serving him with pen and ink.

They were a perfect match, a true picture of a harmonious couple.

Upon seeing her, Xiao Heng's expression was indifferent: "Why has the Empress come?"

"Your Majesty, I have come to offer my congratulations. I have heard that Your Majesty intends to take a concubine, and the date has already been chosen."

Ironically, even as the Empress, she learned about the promotions of the concubines in the harem only from whispers among the palace servants.

Shen Mingxiu put down the inkstone and bowed to her: "Your Majesty has been troubled lately because of General Wei's matter. I took the liberty of asking Your Majesty not to bother you with such a trivial matter. I hope you won't blame me?"

Shen Mingxiu had only been in the palace for three months when she rose to the rank of Imperial Concubine, which was an immense honor for a family like the Shen family, whose members were originally collators of the imperial library.

Wei Rong bypassed Shen Mingxiu and looked directly at Xiao Heng. She neither questioned nor belittled him, but simply asked in a normal tone, "The position of Imperial Concubine is reserved for those whose maternal families have rendered outstanding service, or those who have ensured His Majesty's succession. What makes Imperial Concubine Shen?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Shen Mingxiu knelt down with a thud, tears streaming down her face: "Your Majesty, please forgive me! It's all my fault, please don't be angry with His Majesty."

He seemed afraid of hurting their relationship.

"Wei Rong!" Xiao Heng shoved her aside and carefully helped Shen Mingxiu up. "You're questioning my decision?"

"I am deeply grateful for your loss of your father, and I have been accommodating you in every way this past month. The appointment of Xiuxiu was also to share your burdens. Have I not been considerate enough?"

Considerate?

Wei Rong stumbled, her waist hitting the edge of the table, the pain less intense than the tightness in her chest.

She almost sneered out loud. She, Wei Rong, had been pampered since childhood. On the day she chose Xiao Heng, her father warned her that her personality was not suited to growing up in the palace.

Because of her straightforward nature, and because she married the emperor, she was destined to be treated with indifference throughout her life.

She understood clearly that no matter how sincere Xiao Heng was when he proposed, once he became emperor, he would inevitably have three palaces and six courtyards with three thousand concubines. Even ordinary princes and nobles could not escape having three wives and four concubines.

It shouldn't be at this time, nor should it be done in such a grand and dignified manner.

Wei Rong countered, "Is it out of consideration? Or is it Your Majesty's selfish motive?"

Even though she was blind, she could tell that Xiao Heng and Shen Mingxiu had already secretly pledged their lives to each other. However, since the overall situation was settled and there was no longer any threat, he brought them into the palace and placed them in Jinxiu.

Sharing her burdens is a pretense; wherever power and glory are, there is her favor.

"Your Majesty, please don't blame His Majesty!" Shen Mingxiu, tears streaming down her face, tugged at Xiao Heng's dragon robe. "Your Majesty, please don't bestow any titles upon her. The Empress has just lost her father; please don't hold a grudge against her, okay?"

"Don't cry," Xiao Heng pulled her into his arms and comforted her gently, as if Shen Mingxiu were the one who had suffered a great injustice: "She is the Empress, but she is not even half as sensible and magnanimous as you. I will not let you suffer."

At this point, Wei Rong fully understood that she was indeed a ladder to success, a bridge that Xiao Heng had discarded after crossing the river, and a pawn placed high in the harem.

"What is Your Majesty's next move? Under the pretext of the Consort sharing the burden, will you ask me to return the seal of office to the Empress?"

Unexpectedly, she was so blunt. Xiao Heng was annoyed that her thoughts had been exposed: "What are you trying to confuse me about? I'm merely appointing a Consort!"

Even if he wanted to take back the palm print, he wouldn't do it now.

Even though Wei Beimu had just died, he still considered their past relationship when he discarded her, gradually eroding the Wei family's power to prevent Empress Wei Rong from wielding too much authority.

In short, he will not become like his father, who relied too heavily on a single family and ultimately became a hindrance.

Wei Rong deliberately brought up the palm seal first to shut him up. She knew that the Wei family would face obstacles everywhere in the future, and the Empress's palm seal was her last resort. If she handed it over, she would truly be no different from a puppet.

Nodding, Wei Rong suddenly smiled: "Then congratulations to Your Majesty and the Imperial Concubine on your harmonious union."

The smile didn't reach her eyes, and she looked haggard, but Xiao Heng paused because of it.

When he proposed to Wei Rong, he was solely after the power and influence of the Wei family. Therefore, when he first met Wei Rong, he had no idea that she was such a beauty.

Wei Rong, who lived in her boudoir, loved to laugh. When she laughed, it was a genuine laugh that he, who had grown up in the palace and had been involved in the power struggles between princes and concubines, had never seen before.

The smile before me, though beautiful, lacked the joy of the past; instead, it resembled a puppet on a string in a traditional opera.

Wei Rong curtsied and took her leave, tugging at her aching back as she frowned and said patiently, "This concubine takes her leave."

She had just lost her father and had lost a lot of weight. Perhaps he had raised his voice a bit too loudly. He hesitated for a moment before reaching out to help her up.

"Your Majesty," came Shen Mingxiu's pitiful voice from behind, "I suddenly have a stomachache."

He withdrew his hand and anxiously embraced Shen Mingxiu: "Your health is weak. Did you catch a cold today because of the strong wind? I will summon the imperial physician to examine you. Empress, you may leave."

Wei Rong straightened up, seeing his tender care and affection, but also experiencing his heartlessness and ingratitude.

-

It was still snowing outside, and the sound of the night watchman's drum was already fainting; it was already the fifth watch of the night.

The past seemed like a dream, and Wei Rong heard footsteps approaching.

There is still one hour before the court session.

"Cough cough cough cough—"

Then came Qiaoyu's cautious voice: "Your Majesty!"

Wei Rong lifted the carriage curtain and saw a wrinkled face, stern and fierce.

"Grand Tutor." Wei Rong coughed all night, her voice slightly hoarse.

The other party neither bowed nor responded, but simply stared at her with exasperation. After a long while, he walked around the imperial carriage with his hands behind his back and headed towards the palace, uttering only one word: "Serves you right!"

A quarter of an hour later, the palace gates swung open, and Shen Minglan rushed in, her face slightly displeased: "Your Majesty is calling for reinforcements?!"

He did not report Xiao Heng and Wei Rong's return to the palace last night, thinking that he would find an excuse to make up an excuse when His Majesty got up at dawn, saying that he was afraid of neglecting the Consort's health and dared not disturb her.

As long as Wei Rong returns to the palace before court, His Majesty will not take her seriously and will certainly not blame her.

This will also teach Wei Rong a lesson.

Unexpectedly, Grand Tutor Nian went directly to the palace.

This veteran of three reigns was the teacher of two previous emperors, and no one dared to disrespect him, not even Xiao Heng.

Grand Tutor Nian requested an audience overnight, and the palace servants dared not neglect him.

Even though Xiao Heng was the emperor, this veteran of three reigns sternly questioned him three times: "Does Your Majesty know that the Empress waited anxiously outside the palace gates all night?"

"Or is His Majesty deliberately trying to alienate his old confidants? General Wei has just died, and His Majesty already has a new empress in mind?"

"Or perhaps His Majesty's three visits to the Wei family to propose marriage weren't out of genuine affection, but merely because he was attracted to the Wei family's status as a general?"

These words, of course, could not be spread outside.

Shen Minglan was terrified and went to Chengqian Hall to confess his sins, but Shen Mingxiu stopped him and gave him a scolding.

They said he was audacious and reckless, and that he did things without leaving a trace, giving others a handle to use against him.

Grand Tutor Nian was on good terms with the Wei family. Wei Rong's grandfather was a family friend of his. Although he was the emperor's tutor, he could also be considered Wei Rong's teacher.

If there's anyone in the court who dares to openly speak up for the Wei family, Grand Tutor Nian is the only one.

Despite having no real power, he was highly respected and respected, and most of the senior officials in the court regarded him as their leader.

Xiao Heng still needs his support, and even if she has some complaints, she won't embarrass him.

Moreover—