Marrying into a rich family by mistake, it is difficult to be a mistress

The Queen Mother thought carefully about the current situation and found it to be extremely unfavorable to her.

In the past, Chang Yi had an army of 100,000 under his command. Now that Prince Huaiyang is personally investigating a corruption case, the outcome is still unknown, and all the powerful ministers in the court support the emperor!

Those noble families had already been devastated by the suppression of the previous emperor. The downfall of the Luo family and the decline of the Qin family caused irreparable damage and losses to these noble families.

They couldn't say anything in the court, let alone in private.

Only by saving Chang Ru's baby and giving birth to a prince can there be a chance to turn things around.

"Grand Empress Dowager, Concubine Chang is here." A palace maid came to report.

"Let her in." The Empress Dowager temporarily suppressed her emotions and walked to a chair nearby and sat down.

Chang Ru walked in and bowed to the Grand Empress Dowager, "Greetings to the Grand Empress Dowager."

"You are pregnant, so there is no need to be polite. Please sit down." The Empress Dowager's attitude towards Chang Ru was gentler than ever before.

"Thank you, Grand Empress Dowager." After Chang Ru sat down, she looked at the Grand Empress Dowager worriedly, "Grand Empress Dowager, you still look very bad, you must take good care of yourself."

"Do you know why I called you here today?"

"I'm sorry I don't know, please tell me clearly, Empress Dowager."

"Someone come." The Empress Dowager called out, and someone came in immediately, holding a mahogany box in his hand. Just looking at its appearance, it looked very valuable.

"Open it and take a look." The Empress Dowager handed the box to Chang Ru.

Chang Ru opened it and was immediately shocked, "This..."

"This is the Queen's Phoenix Seal. From today on, all affairs of the harem will be handed over to you. The late emperor has not yet been buried, and you have not yet been officially canonized. However, the position of Queen can only be yours. You take this Phoenix Seal first."

"Thank you for your trust, Empress Dowager. I will serve you wholeheartedly and devotedly." Chang Ru immediately stood up and saluted.

"Chang Ru, you are a smart woman. You should know who can make you the queen of Daxia. If you betray me, I will make sure you die without a burial place!" The Empress Dowager warned.

"Don't worry, Grand Empress Dowager. I understand everything. The Emperor has turned against me just because of a lowly maid. It shows that he has never truly loved me. If I still devote myself to him, wouldn't I be a fool?"

"It's best if you think so." The Grand Empress Dowager picked up the teacup and took a sip of tea. "I called you here today for another reason besides the Phoenix Seal. Have you heard about Concubine Cao's Cao Yun'er?"

"The Concubine Cao who was framed by the former queen and killed twice?"

"That's her. I've been extra careful since she became pregnant, but unfortunately, I still couldn't keep her. Not every child in this palace is expected. Some children are not welcome, and some people will do everything they can to prevent these children from being born. I believe that you know to protect your children without me saying anything more."

"I understand." Chang Ru stroked her belly gently, her eyes becoming more determined.

……

Xiao Wenxuan and Xiao Yan'an rode horses and shot arrows on the training ground for more than two hours. Xiao Wenxuan's gloomy mood was relieved, and his relationship with Xiao Yan'an also eased a lot.

"Your Majesty, it is already late. I dare not disturb Your Majesty any longer. I will take my leave now."

"Xiao Yan'an, you can come to the palace more often to shoot arrows with me in the future."

"Okay!" Xiao Yan'an agreed very readily.

Xiao Wenxuan returned to his bedroom and immediately asked someone to prepare hot water for a bath.

While soaking alone in the bathtub, he couldn't help but think of Susu again.

Now, there is no one around him who can help him feel relieved.

Suddenly, he sat up with a sense of alertness.

More than two hundred years ago, Emperor Xian of Daxia ascended the throne at a young age. There was a powerful official in the court who held sway over the government. This official also had an ambiguous relationship with the empress dowager that was difficult to explain.

The six kings were eyeing the throne covetously.

At that time, Emperor Xian's situation was not much worse than it is now.

However, the situation began to turn around after Emperor Xian grew up.

When Emperor Xian got married, the empress was designated by the empress dowager and she married the daughter of a powerful official. However, Emperor Xian pretended to be dissolute and kept taking beauties into the palace, holding a beauty contest once a year.

These beauties were all daughters of noble families and ministers.

After entering the palace, he began to mingle among these women.

As a result, he successfully beheaded powerful ministers, imprisoned the queen mother, and put down the rebellion of the kings. Later, after gaining power, he worked hard to govern the country, and eventually, he reigned for more than 30 years.

The first half and the second half of Emperor Xian's deeds are simply two extremes.

However, whenever people mention him, those licentious things have become a glorification of his endurance of humiliation.

He can also emulate Emperor Xian.

……

At night, strong winds swept dark clouds over the imperial capital, and a heavy rain fell. It was already the end of summer, and such heavy rains were rare.

This rain also extinguished the summer heat that had lingered, and the temperature dropped immediately.

A fast horse galloped towards the city gate in the heavy rain.

After revealing its identity, the horse headed straight towards the palace.

Xiao Wenxuan was playing with the crickets Xiao Yan'an had brought him when he suddenly heard an urgent report.

"Your Majesty, Prince Huaiyang sent an urgent report from Yancheng, eight hundred miles away!"

Xiao Wenxuan immediately stood up and took the urgent report.

Xiao Yan'an silently put the cricket into the grass basket and looked towards Xiao Wenxuan.

This booklet is very thick and is filled with names of people. Behind the names are detailed records of the items of corruption.

Starting from Chang Yi and his more than fifty subordinates, big and small, none of them are innocent.

Moreover, this matter is not over yet.

I'm afraid that anyone who holds a little bit of a position is not clean.

"How dare they be so bold! Over the years, how much military funds issued by the court have been embezzled? There are even cases of favoritism and fraud in conscription!" Xiao Wenxuan slapped the booklet on the table.

"Your Majesty, I know something about favoritism and fraud in conscription. This happened before Huaiyang implemented military service reform. Moreover, it continued despite severe punishment." Xiao Yan'an suddenly spoke.

"Tell me in detail." Xiao Wenxuan had no knowledge in this area.

He couldn't even figure out what the trick was for a moment.

"Your Majesty, our Great Xia has been paying more attention to expanding the army in the past twenty years. We have to conduct conscription every year. Who needs to support these troops? It can't be the nobles in the imperial capital, nor can it be the civil and military officials. It can only be supported by the people of Great Xia."

"Over the years, the people have not lived well. They even have no food to eat. They can't even support themselves, and they have to support the army of Daxia. Daxia will provide some food subsidies to the families of those who are conscripted. The people whose families don't have soldiers enlisted can only rely on themselves all year round. Families with a soldier enlisted can still rely on these subsidies to make a living. Therefore, these people want to send their children to the army even if it costs their lives."