The husband who forced her to marry her couldn't keep her warm, and she didn't want him to

The sound of ministers' discussion could still be heard in his ears. Zhao Yu stared at Huang Tong's back, watching him walk step by step towards Lu Shan outside the side hall door.

He knew from a young age that he was an orphan. He grew up accompanied by the daily ringing of the bell at the Huguo Temple and the gentle and continuous voice of the master preaching in the lecture hall day after day.

It was not until shortly before he was brought back to the palace that he found out who his father and mother were.

He was brought back to the palace that was once out of his reach. Even after he ascended the throne, the subsequent establishment of a queen and the selection of concubines were not his original intention.

Even the servants serving in the harem have to ignore him, the emperor, in order to please the nobles!

Empress Yang was young, and he used the opportunity that had not yet reached the age of favor to appease the officials of the previous dynasty and the Empress Dowager who was constantly lecturing him.

He didn't like Concubine Zhen at all.

He also didn't like any of the women in the harem.

To him, the Chen family is the same as the Zhao family, the Jiang family, the Liu family... any other surname in the world.

They are all former pilgrims of Huguo Temple.

If she hadn't woken up from Concubine Zhen's bed in a daze, how could Concubine Zhen have become the most favored concubine in the harem?

Not far away, a group of ministers were arguing for the position of Prime Minister of the Cabinet. Looking at their expressions made him feel annoyed.

This position was not what he wanted at all.

From beginning to end, no one asked him whether he was willing or not, or whether he was happy or not.

Huang Tong quickly turned around and walked back. He bent over and walked quickly to Zhao Yu's side.

"Your Majesty, Lu Shan said that Concubine Zhen was feeling unwell early this morning. The imperial physician took her pulse and said that she is pregnant... and has been pregnant for almost two months."

A faint smile appeared on Zhao Yu's face, which seemed to show joy and relief.

Seeing the emperor on the dragon throne talking to the chief eunuch with his head down, Chen Zhengde glanced at Fu Chi.

Fu Chi bowed to Zhao Yu, who was sitting at the top of the table, and said, "Your Majesty is beaming with joy... Lord Jiang just mentioned that the flood disaster has been resolved. This is a blessing from God that the people of our dynasty are blessed."

Zhao Yu smiled. Huang Tong, who was standing beside him, saw this and spoke for the emperor: "Just now there was good news from the harem. Concubine Zhen is pregnant."

Huang Tong was the personal eunuch of Emperor Jianming. Standing on a high place, his eyes fell on the ministers in the palace.

Concubine Zhen is pregnant, and she is carrying the emperor's first child.

All the ministers in the hall knelt on the ground and shouted congratulations to the emperor.

Zhao Yu's face turned red and he showed his first sincere smile since he ascended the throne.

While the ministers in the palace were arguing, Master Jiang Wu, who had been silent, stood up and bowed to Zhao Yu, who was at the top, and said:

"Princess Zhen is from the Chen family and is pregnant with your Majesty's first child... At present, there is no master in the Zhongcui Palace. Your Majesty, why don't you show your love for the prince and let Concubine Zhen rest assured and give birth to a son in the future, and promote her to a higher position."

Although His Majesty had established a queen and selected concubines, the position of concubine in the harem remained vacant.

When Jiang Nansheng said this, Chen Zhengde and his group were very surprised.

Lord Yang nodded and said, "Lord Jiang is right. It is a double blessing for His Majesty to have a son."

"Master Jiang is right!"

...

Zhao Yu sat on the dragon throne, and it was obvious that he did not reject the advice from Jiang Nansheng and Lord Yang.

After some consideration, he ordered Huang Tong to draft the imperial edict.

"It is said in ancient times that a mother's status is determined by her son. Now I have decided to appoint Chen Lingzhen as my concubine and give her the title of Concubine Zhen. I hope that she will continue to be virtuous and give birth to my sons and continue the royal bloodline. I also hope that the people in the harem will follow her example, jointly uphold the palace rules, respect the queen, live in harmony, and maintain the peace of the harem."

Jiang Nansheng lifted the hem of his official robe and said loudly, "Your Majesty is wise."

Zhao Yu looked at him and nodded, then stood up and put his hands behind his back, "I'm going to tell Concubine Zhen the good news. If there's nothing else, please leave the court."

The ministers in the palace knelt on the ground and could not help but secretly look at the emperor's back.

This was the first time since Zhao Yu ascended the throne that he had mentioned the concubines in the harem.

I can't help but guess that if Concubine Zhen gave birth to a prince, then Concubine Zhen and the Chen family behind her would probably become the second Concubine Jing and the Zhou family in the future.

The Chen family is different from the Zhou family. The Chen family has real military merits and holds military power.

At this time, the aristocratic families in Shengjing City are likely to be reshuffled again.

After Chen Zhengde stood up from the ground, he turned to look at Jiang Nansheng. Although there was a smile on his face, his eyes were a little cold.

Amidst the congratulations, Chen Zhengde looked at Jiang Nansheng and said, "Thank you, Lord Jiang, for your kind words for Concubine Zhen."

Jiang Nansheng lowered his eyes and looked at him, and said slowly: "When the late emperor was alive, he doted on the daughter of the Chen family. All this is what Lord Chen and Concubine Zhen in the harem deserve. I am just sharing the worries of the emperor."

The chief eunuch Huang Tong came over and said respectfully, "Sir Jiang, the emperor said that he will discuss something with you after he sees Concubine Zhen, so he asked you to wait for him in the South Study."

Jiang Nansheng nodded, bowed to the ministers and Chen Zhengde and said goodbye: "I haven't congratulated Lord Chen yet, Lord Chen can't miss this glass of wine."

Chen Zhengde returned the greeting and said, "Then I will be waiting for Mr. Jiang to come."

After saying this, he withdrew his gaze from Jiang Nansheng and nodded to the person next to him who was congratulating him.

If it weren't for Jiang Nansheng's words, his position as Prime Minister would have been settled by now.

He had deliberately asked Zhenfei to stay during the morning court session to learn about her pregnancy, so that the emperor could know about it in due time when he was wavering on the choice of the prime minister.

Then his taking over the position of Prime Minister was just a matter of course.

No emperor in any dynasty would like or tolerate the monopoly of power by external relatives.

Now that Concubine Zhen has been promoted to the position of imperial concubine, the emperor’s favor towards the Chen family may come to an end.

Chen Zhengde thought he had the position of Prime Minister in his pocket, but he was afraid that he would have to give it up to someone else.

How could he not hate it!

Accompanied by the chief eunuch Huang Tong, Jiang Nansheng came out of the Hall of Supreme Harmony and walked towards the South Study.

"It rained last night, Mr. Jiang, please watch your step."

Huang Tong raised his hand to signal, and walked onto the stone bridge over the lotus pond with Jiang Nansheng.

The fact that Lu Shan was able to enter the Hall of Supreme Harmony during the morning court session and walk easily to the side hall showed that the Chen family had already extended their influence to the Imperial Household Department and the Imperial Guard.

Since the emperor has no interest in state affairs and Chen Zhengde keeps handing him evidence, he can only go with the flow and purge the former dynasty and the harem.

The Chen family has been in Ningyuan City for so many years, and the military pay and supplies sent by the court have made the Chen family's appetite grow.

If it involves the government and royal bloodline, what does it matter even if he serves three generations of emperors?

In the historical records, he would also be nailed to the pillar of shame.