I swept the harem by pretending to be weak

"General Lin is a confused person, but Concubine Xian is clear-headed. She knows very well that even if Concubine Lan really gave birth to a child, you would never bring Concubine Lan's child to her lap to raise." Concubine De used the coldest words to narrate the cruelest reality.

"Or, you don't intend to give her a child at all. You are afraid that General Lin will use this as an excuse to launch a campaign to purge the emperor's court, or even kill you like you did before, and support his grandson to take the throne."

The emperor had to admit that Concubine De’s words touched his heart.

General Lin was born in a humble family, a horse slave in the Ningyang Princess's family. He was born strong, smart and studious. Although he did not have the opportunity to soar to the sky in his early years, he did not give up. He lived until he was thirty years old, but just after he turned thirty, a major event happened - the barbarian invasion.

He was sent to the battlefield and survived a near-death experience, but he miraculously managed to come out on top. After returning to the capital, his eldest daughter, the current Consort Xian, married the then Third Prince.

The third prince also had great ambitions, and the two sides hit it off immediately. After the third prince became emperor, he returned the favor by appointing him as the general.

After all, when he seized the throne, General Lin had always been his right-hand man. After he successfully ascended the throne, he did not treat this former pillar of the country badly.

But as time went by, he gradually became suspicious of this person.

General Lin's prestige in the army was so high that even though the emperor had previously promoted him in public but demoted him in secret and recalled this man to the capital, the military generals staying at the border or stationed at various checkpoints still believed in him.

Hearing that Concubine Xian had no children and lived a miserable life in the palace, some generals did not hesitate to send their daughters to the palace to participate in the selection. You know, in the past few years, even when the emperor gave the order, they chose to drag their feet.

In order to conceal his feelings, the emperor quickly picked up the teacup and took a sip.

Defei did not expose him. Although her words were sometimes sharp, she also knew her limits.

In other words, among these women who make their living in the palace under the majesty of imperial power, how many of them really don't know their limits? If they didn't, they would have died eight hundred years ago. How could they have the chance to become concubines?

"It seems that the emperor has a plan." Defei said slowly.

"I thought that you had become a pure-hearted person through reciting Taoist scriptures and cultivating your character over the years, but I didn't expect that you were still attached to the world of fame and fortune?" the emperor asked calmly.

He was indeed very wary of General Lin behind Concubine Xian, but at the same time he did not dare to let down his guard against Concubine De. His four concubines were not appointed randomly without any meaning.

Behind Concubine De and Concubine Shu, one is from a prominent family and the other is an old noble. Behind Concubine Xian is the upstart General Lin. Although Concubine Chen seems to be nothing special, she is from the Empress Dowager's lineage.

No matter how favored other women were, they were nothing more than concubines.

"I do want to stay away from the secular world, but I don't want to seek death. Sometimes, in order to save their own lives, people always have to do things that are not in line with their wishes." Defei's tone softened a little.

"Do you think they will rebel?" The emperor asked sarcastically, as if he felt that what Concubine De said was extremely stupid, but his heart seemed to have sunk into a bottomless abyss.

Although he did not like Concubine De, and was even wary of this woman whom he could not understand most of the time, he had to admit that Concubine De was capable and a very smart person. If she was not very sure, she would never say what she was thinking.

Similarly, since she has already spoken out, it proves that the matter has really become serious to a point where it is difficult for her to resolve and is difficult for her to resolve.

The emperor did not fail to consider that there was a conflict between Concubine De and Concubine Xian before, and this was just a deliberate frame-up by Concubine De. However, he had to admit that this worry had been stored in his heart for a long time, and now Concubine De spoke up just to reveal this worry for him.

When it comes to such a major matter concerning the country and the people, the fetus in Lan Meiren's belly does not seem to be that important.

After all, we don’t know whether the child is healthy. If another child is born with congenital disabilities like the eldest princess, it would be even more distressing.

Also pregnant at the same time was Concubine Chen. Although Concubine Chun had suffered a miscarriage, she was still young after all. The imperial physician also said that she was in good health and might still have more children.

The emperor was lost in thoughts and his mood was almost depressed to the extreme.

Defei just watched without saying anything to comfort or ridicule. She seemed to have abandoned the emperor who was right in front of her and immersed herself in her own spiritual world.