I died tragically in my previous life, and I want to be an empress in my next life

imperial study room

"Your son pays his respects to the Emperor." Under the dragon throne, Xuanyuan Che bowed lightly with a hint of laziness in his tone.

"Get up." The emperor sat upright and said in a serious tone. This son was the one who gave him the most headaches and the one he was most concerned about.

Although this son was gifted, he had no interest in political intrigues and spent his days idling around and doing nothing.

"Father, why did Your Majesty summon me today?" Xuanyuan Che asked straight to the point.

The emperor smiled slightly and said, "Che'er, you have reached the age of twenty, it's time to consider taking a concubine."

Xuanyuan Che frowned slightly. Haha, this topic again. He said calmly, "I already have a lover."

"Oh? Sweetheart?" The emperor couldn't help but feel curious. "Then, who is she?"

Xuanyuan Che smiled slightly, "The time is not right yet. Please forgive me for not revealing it."

The emperor shook his head helplessly, "Nonsense, you are just trying to fool me."

"I really have someone I love. One day, I will bring her to my father." Xuanyuan Che said with determination.

The emperor hesitated for a moment, then asked tentatively, "Che'er, what do you think of Princess Galan?"

Xuanyuan Che pondered for a moment, "Princess Galan is elegant and graceful."

As he spoke, he suddenly looked at the emperor suspiciously, only to see the emperor looking at him with a look of relief.

"Father, you don't want to..."

"I also think that Princess Nagara is elegant and graceful, beautiful and generous, and a perfect match for Che'er..."

The emperor was interrupted by Xuanyuan Che before he finished speaking, "If you like Princess Nagara, just take her into your harem. You have three thousand beauties in your harem, so this one is not too much."

"You! What nonsense are you talking about?!" The emperor was so angry that his face turned red.

The Xiliang envoy handed over the letter, wanting Princess Galan to marry the Sixth Prince. Because he was thinking about this son, he kindly summoned him to test the waters first, but this rebellious son actually said such words.

Eunuch Liu hurriedly brought a cup of tea to the emperor and gently stroked his back.

Xuanyuan Che, on the other hand, looked nonchalant. He thought that whoever liked Princess Galan could marry her.

"Che'er, do you know what you are saying?" The emperor lowered his voice with a hint of displeasure in his tone.

Xuanyuan Che straightened his back, showing no fear, "I know what I am talking about, and I also know what I want."

"What kind of attitude is that!" The emperor took a breath and shouted angrily, "You are a prince. The well-being of the people is important to you."

"The well-being of the people?" Xuanyuan Che snorted coldly and said, "Father, has our Great Zhou reached the point where we have to sell our princes to ensure safety?!"

The emperor stared at his son with eyes wide open, his heart burning with anger. He knew that his son was stubborn and proud, but he never expected that he would resist this marriage so much.

To be honest, he didn't want Xuanyuan Che to marry Princess Galan. Although the princess was beautiful and generous, she was a foreigner after all.

However, being a member of the royal family has one's own mission and responsibilities.

The emperor was so angry at Xuanyuan Che's words that his chest heaved, "You, you are simply lawless!"

"I just don't want to be a puppet at the mercy of others." Xuanyuan Che's voice was firm and powerful, "I will be responsible for my own life!"

"If my father insists that I marry Princess Galan, I would rather accompany my mother to the grave!"

Eunuch Liu watched the father and son deadlocked, feeling anxious. He knew the emperor's temper very well. If things continued like this, the father and son would probably be stuck in a stalemate, and if the emperor got angry, the consequences would be disastrous.

He coughed lightly and said carefully, "Your Highness, please say less."

Xuanyuan Che glanced at Eunuch Liu calmly, then said to the emperor, "If your Majesty has nothing else to do, I will take my leave!"

After he finished speaking, he just walked away, leaving the emperor alone facing the empty hall.

The emperor looked at Xuanyuan Che's departing back with mixed feelings. He thought of Xuanyuan Che's mother, Concubine Xian. If she were still alive, his son might not be like this.

When Concubine Xian was alive, she was considerate, dignified and virtuous, and was the emperor's favorite. If it weren't for that incident, she wouldn't have died so early, and it was after that incident that a rift arose between him and his son.

Over the years, the rift has grown wider and wider until it is now irreparable.

Eunuch Liu looked at the emperor's dejected expression and felt very sorry for him. He knew very well the emperor's complicated feelings towards Xuanyuan Che, and said softly, "Your Majesty, the Sixth Prince just spoke without restraint, he did not mean to offend, he..."

"You don't have to say good things about that rebellious son!" The emperor took a deep breath and tried to calm himself.

He was an emperor admired by everyone, but he just couldn't do anything about his son!

But what worries him most at the moment is how to dissuade Princess Galan from marrying Xuanyuan Che.

In the Princess's mansion, the air was filled with the scent of incense. The incense was specially found by the Princess from Jiangnan for Xuanyuan Si. It contained agarwood, which had an excellent effect of calming the mind and refreshing the brain.

Xuanyuan Si and the eldest princess sat opposite each other, and the atmosphere was quite solemn.

"I heard that Princess Galan is not willing to marry Che'er?" The eldest princess spoke slowly, with a hint of inquiry in her tone.

Xuanyuan Si nodded slightly, frowning, "Yes, I heard that my father was furious about this."

"This child is as stubborn as a calf. But this marriage is not something we can give up just because he says he doesn't want to." The eldest princess sighed.

As a child of the royal family, you enjoy the glory of the royal family, but you also have to fulfill your responsibilities and obligations to the royal family, and marriage is one of them. How many children of the royal family in this world can choose their own marriage and love as they please?

Surely, didn't I sacrifice my love for the greater cause?

"It seems that the emperor is already looking for another candidate." Xuanyuan Si said.

He actually envied his younger brother very much. He was always unruly and unrestrained. He was probably the only one in the world who dared to contradict his father. However, despite his repeated conflicts with his father, his father always tolerated him.

The relationship between the two of them really seemed like an ordinary father and son among the common people, unlike other princes who were first a monarch and a subject before the emperor, and then a father and a son. This kind of pure and deep family affection made Xuanyuan Si both envious and helpless.

The eldest princess naturally knew the emperor's feelings for Xuanyuan Che, and was not surprised to hear the news.

"Although Princess Galan is a foreign woman, she looks dignified and generous. Even if you don't like her, you can just marry her and give her a status." The eldest princess spoke slowly, "Why is Che'er so opposed?"

Xuanyuan Si was silent for a moment, then whispered, "I heard that he has someone in his heart."