The Queen sealed her heart and locked up her love, and the Emperor was trapped in the crematorium

What Xie Yaoqing said did make some sense. After Xiao Chengxu pondered for a moment, he nodded slightly in agreement.

Seeing this, Xie Yaoqing couldn't help but feel surprised.

Xie Yaoqing had seen Xiao Chengxu's hesitation before. Although she did not show any abnormality on the surface, she could not help sneering in her heart, secretly wondering what kind of excuse Xiao Chengxu would make up to keep Doctor Zhu by her side and wait for an opportunity to harm her.

Xie Yaoqing had been prepared to spend more time talking, but she never expected that Xiao Chengxu would change his attitude so easily, which really caught her off guard.

But no matter what, being able to transfer Doctor Zhu away is ultimately a beneficial thing. As long as he can achieve his goal, Xie Yaoqing will no longer worry too much.

Although Doctor Zhu has been transferred, will Doctor Qi have problems? As the saying goes, "One should be loyal to the emperor if he is paid by the emperor." Since Doctor Zhu can follow Xiao Chengxu's instructions and be used by him, why can't Doctor Qi become Xiao Chengxu's confidant?

Xie Yaoqing thought about it and decided that it didn't matter. She had Rendong anyway. Whether it was Doctor Qi, Doctor Wang, or Doctor Zhang, there was no difference in her eyes. They were all the same. It would be impossible for her to use them. She would just be on high alert and be cautious.

It was mid-September. On this day, Xie Yaoqing led the concubines in the harem to the Cining Palace to pay respects to the Empress Dowager as usual.

The Queen Mother brought up the matter of the beauty pageant in public.

Six years had passed since the death of the previous emperor. According to the ancestral system, the first three years were a period of mourning, so no selection was held in the second year of Xihe.

Now, three years have passed, and it is time for the selection of concubines every three years. Even if we don't consider the factor of enriching the harem, we still need to use this opportunity to arrange marriages for royal relatives and men and women of appropriate age. Therefore, the selection of concubines is indispensable.

Except for a very small number of elderly kings who no longer took concubines because they were no longer able to handle matters between men and women, there was almost no emperor who would not take new concubines during the selection of concubines. Even if it was just for the sake of showing his kindness, he would at least add a few people into the palace.

Memories came flooding back. Xie Yaoqing remembered that at this time in her previous life, whenever she heard the word "selection", she could not stand it and had a bad temper. She quarreled with Xiao Chengxu all day long. There was no need for anyone to do it deliberately. People in the previous dynasty and the harem knew that she was a jealous queen. She openly accused the emperor and even threatened that if anyone dared to send a selected girl into the palace, she would beat the girl to death and throw her out of the palace as a warning to others. She wanted to see how many people who were not afraid of death were eager to come and die.

It was from this talent show that her reputation suddenly plummeted. In the eyes of the world, she was a jealous woman, and no one remembered her charity work of providing porridge to the hungry and naked people in the past few years.

Xiao Chengxu would not agree to such an absurd thing. In a rage, he ordered the closure of Kunning Palace, prohibiting anyone from entering or leaving, which was equivalent to being confined. When the ban was lifted, everything had already been settled. There were already several concubines in the harem, and one of them became the culprit who killed Zhiyu in the future.

In this life, Xie Yaoqing cares more about her reputation than she ever did about Xiao Chengxu.

Since the talent show was a done deal, why should she waste extra energy on it? In the end, she didn't have the final say. She might as well make the talent show a grand event and take this opportunity to build a good reputation for herself as a gentle and virtuous woman.

So after the Queen Mother first mentioned the selection of concubines, Concubine Yi was the first to actively agree, and Xie Yaoqing said with a smile: "What the Queen Mother said is right. The palace should indeed be lively. Adding a few young and beautiful newcomers will be pleasing to the eyes. The sisters will gather together and have a lively time. Not only can they serve the Emperor, but they can also be filial to the Queen Mother. It's a win-win situation."

Hearing this, Concubine Qi curled her lips, showing a look of disdain, and sneered: "Your Highness, it's easy for you to say this, but you speak more beautifully than singing. I'm afraid that the girls you select will be a bunch of weird and ugly girls. Do you still want them to serve the emperor? In my opinion, it's good enough if they don't disgust the emperor."

She didn't believe that the queen would be so generous, willingly, and happily waiting for the newcomer to enter the palace. The queen knew best how the selection would be made and what rules and regulations would be set. How could the person selected by then be a young and beautiful girl? It was simply impossible. How could the queen not be jealous? So don't think that the queen looks very dignified and seems to have no resistance to the selection. In fact, it is not the case. She must be secretly plotting something bad.

In response to Concubine Qi's doubts and ridicule, Xie Yaoqing raised the corners of her mouth slightly, revealing a leisurely smile, and said slowly: "I'm afraid Concubine is confused, the selection must go through layers of screening, and finally the emperor will personally review and select. During the palace selection, the emperor will choose the favorite concubine according to his own preferences. Who to choose depends entirely on the emperor's mind. Moreover, the women who have participated in the selection have always been strictly selected, and it is absolutely impossible for those with ugly and vulgar appearance to be selected. No matter who the emperor chooses in the end, even if her appearance is not as beautiful as Concubine, she is at least a beautiful person with clear eyebrows and beautiful appearance."

After hearing this, Concubine Qi snorted coldly and said in a tone full of sarcasm: "That's not necessarily true. With the Queen here, how can the Emperor choose a concubine completely according to his own wishes?"

Xie Yaoqing just smiled slightly when she heard this. She was not angry. Instead, she responded softly, "Your Highness, what you said is wrong. How can I be so virtuous and capable that I can influence the will of the emperor? If I really had that ability, then the sisters present here would probably not be in this palace today."

When Concubine Qi heard this, her expression changed slightly, but she quickly regained her composure. She knew that what she had just said was a bit too much, and she felt a burning pain on her face.

The other concubines all looked somewhat embarrassed and unnatural.

When the atmosphere became a little tense, the Queen Mother came out at the right time to smooth things over.

"The imperial concubine is still young, so it's understandable that she occasionally says something wrong. She has always been outspoken, so the queen should not bother with her."

The Queen Mother's tone was persuasive and conciliatory.

Then, the Queen Mother turned the topic to the selection of concubines, and said earnestly: "This selection is the first since the Emperor ascended the throne. The whole country is paying attention. Queen, you have a heavy burden on your shoulders, and you must go all out. If you encounter any difficulties, just come to me at any time, and I will lend you a helping hand."

The Queen Mother's face was filled with a kind and gentle smile, and she expressed her willingness to give support and help to Xie Yaoqing.

Xie Yaoqing responded with a fake smile: "Then I am afraid I will have to bother you a lot in the future. I hope you will not find me troublesome."

After a few more polite words, the Queen Mother ended her greetings, citing fatigue as an excuse. Everyone knew what was going on, so they tactfully excused themselves and left, one after another, leaving the Cining Palace.