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

Ling Xianru turned over and reached out to hug her—but unexpectedly, Ling Xianning was standing between them.

His eyes, wide open with a strong sense of morning grumpiness, nearly pushed the tiny, snow-white figure off the bed, but Wei Rong stopped him in time.

"If he wakes up again, he'll cause a scene." Wei Rong, who is very familiar with Ling Xianning's daily life these past few days, doesn't dare to provoke the Ling family's morning grumpiness.

If Lingxian didn't care, he simply hugged her across the distance.

His arms are long enough to hold two people tightly even from a distance, and he can also press Wei Rong's head against his neck.

Seemingly relieved, his breathing quickly became long and even again.

The main hall was quiet, and the palace servants on duty outside had already retired. The only sounds in the entire palace were the occasional rustling of the wind and the rustling of leaves, creating a peaceful and beautiful atmosphere.

Wei Rong: "..."

This is not the guest room where she stayed.

But the night was too deep, or perhaps Ling Xianru's embrace was too reassuring, and the intangible chaos in her mind was dispelled by the familiar scent before her, and she quickly fell into a deep, empty sleep.

·

It was still dark.

The eunuch cautiously approached and invited Ling Xian to court.

Mo Yu stood outside the hall, glancing at Qiao Yu as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.

Qiaoyu steeled her heart: "You all go and serve them."

The palace gates opened, and palace servants filed in, some serving tea and water, others preparing to help with dressing.

But no one expected that there were three people on the big bed.

The Ninth Prince, who was in the very center, had somehow moved to the innermost part and was sleeping soundly with his belly exposed.

Their new king, meanwhile, willingly served as a pillow, one hand resting on the pillow while the other loosely embraced Wei Rong, showing no sign of waking up.

This is really strange.

The eunuchs were old servants of the Eastern Palace. When the new king was still the crown prince, although they rarely stayed in the palace, whenever they were, His Highness would wake up almost as soon as they opened the door on court days.

Today, I'm standing by his bedside, but he still shows no sign of waking up.

Should we call out or not?

Moreover, how come this young lady from the Wei family of Dajing, who was just announced to the world yesterday, is also staying here?

When I woke up a little while later, did they call me Miss Wei, or... Queen?

The eunuch hesitated awkwardly. Even after spending half his life in the palace, he still hadn't learned how to handle this situation.

After thinking for a moment, he secretly waved to the palace servants below, pointed to the light-blocking curtain on the window, and gestured for it to be opened.

The palace maid lifted the curtain, and the sunlight quickly streamed in, causing Ling Xianru's brows to twitch.

The eunuchs hurriedly led everyone to kneel on the ground.

Waiting for him to wake up.

After a while, Ling Xian finally calmed down and opened her eyes.

"Your Majesty, it's time for court." The eunuch quickly stepped forward to help him up.

But Ling Xianru stopped him with a look. He saw the bluish-gray under Wei Rong's eyes. In the past few days, he had not rested well because he had to take care of Ling Xianning and worry about his health.

He didn't want anyone to disturb Wei Rong, so he quietly got out of bed, had someone help him change his clothes, and went out to court.

He had just stepped out of the main hall when he suddenly stopped.

The eunuch, thinking he was late and about to punish them, stood up straight in surprise: "!"

What did you just see?

"Huh?" The eunuch was completely baffled. His gaze swept over Mo Yu, but the other party ignored him. Unable to fathom the emperor's intentions, he could only nervously reply, "I saw the Ninth Prince and... Miss Wei."

"Hmm." Ling Xianru glared at him. "Ninth Prince, you can pretend you didn't see that."

"!"

The eunuch, as if struck by a sudden inspiration, exclaimed, "This servant understands!"

Wei Rong woke up at midnight and found that Ling Xianning was gone.

Qiaoyu came in to help her with her washing and dressing, followed by a group of palace maids.

"Master," Qiaoyu hesitated, "why did you stay here last night?"

The strange thing all boils down to Ling Xianru asking, "What's wrong?"

When she pressed for details, Qiaoyu spilled the beans: "I don't know who spread it, but in such a short time, it's all over the place."

Although her daughter had already "probably" pledged her life to Ling Xianru at the coronation ceremony yesterday.

But they didn't actually perform the full ceremony!

This matter is improper and not in a proper manner. If word gets out that they are sleeping together, it will be very bad for her daughter's reputation.

I don't know who was the one who was being so gossipy.

Wei Rong paused in her yawning, glancing at Qiaoyu: "Is that what's going on outside?"

Why spread these things?

By the time she finished dressing, it was almost time for the court session to end.

As soon as Lingxian finished court, he came this way. The eunuchs ran alongside him until their legs were about to give out, but the new king's pace was too fast, and he barely managed to keep up when he was almost out of breath.

"Your Majesty—" The eunuch held the imperial edict in his hand, wanting to say something but daring not to, only noticing that the new king seemed to be in a very good mood today.

When they reached the entrance of Chengqian Palace, he slowed his pace and raised his head, saying, "You go first."

Upon receiving the order, the eunuch darted inside very quickly.

"Imperial edict arrives—"

Imperial edict?

Qiaoyu's expression changed: "What does it mean that the imperial edict has been sent to Chengqian Palace?"

However, after all this, Wei Rong probably guessed what Ling Xianru meant.

She hadn't yet put on the hairpin in her hair, and she got up to go out: "Let's go take a look."

Since it was an imperial edict and it was sent to Chengqian Palace, it could only be addressed to Wei Rong.

Just as Wei Rong was about to kneel, the eunuch quickly helped her up: "His Majesty has ordered that you may receive the decree while standing."

She wasn't allowed to kneel, but Wei Rong didn't have much of an opinion, so she stood up and gestured for her to kneel.

"Actually, this can't really be called an imperial edict; it's more like a betrothal letter," the eunuch hesitated for a long time, unsure if it was appropriate to read it aloud. "However, His Majesty said that the young lady can follow her own heart, and this imperial edict is not mandatory."

Wei Rong had a rough idea of ​​what was inside, and for some reason, her cheeks flushed: "Read it."

She wanted to know how good the new king of Donglin's writing was.

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor of the Eastern Capital issues this decree: There is a woman of the Wei family, of courage, wisdom, and virtue, who has shared my hardships and remained steadfast in her loyalty. She is of upright character and worthy to be the Empress. I hereby proclaim to the world that I will marry only one wife in my life, and will not take any concubines. My offspring will be solely from the Wei family. I hereby present this golden and jade imperial edict as a betrothal gift, and hereby establish Wei Rong as Empress, to jointly govern the nation and share its joys and sorrows. This oath is sworn in the ancestral temple, and will never be regretted. This is the imperial decree."

After the eunuch finished reading the imperial edict, he took the imperial seal from the palace servants and handed it to Wei Rong along with the edict.

Ling Xianru really went to great lengths.

He spread the rumors himself, but fearing that Wei Rong would be angry, he used an imperial edict to seek peace.

In the end, it all comes down to wanting a formal status.

Wei Rong stood in the courtyard, and with a slight turn of her gaze, she saw the shadows cast on the ground by the sunlight outside the palace gate.

It was only a small part, but its shape was all too familiar.

This person even has a habit of eavesdropping.

Wei Rong was both annoyed and amused.

The eunuch held the torch for a long time, and seeing that Wei Rong had not come to fetch him, he became even more uneasy.

So, after thinking for a moment, he had no choice but to act as an intermediary: "Miss Wei, I have served in the Eastern Palace since I was a child, and I have never seen the Crown Prince, or the new King, show any interest in any woman. His words at yesterday's enthronement ceremony, coupled with this Phoenix Seal today, should make you aware of your importance in His Majesty's heart. Can you bear to disappoint His Majesty?"