It's great, another day of lying down and idling in the palace

The Queen then looked at the Queen Mother and said solemnly, "Mother, I heard that Concubine Yuan came to see you, so I wanted to come and see you too."

The Queen Mother nodded: "The Queen is thoughtful."

Hearing the Queen talking about Concubine Yuan, the Queen Mother secretly wondered how to start.

One is the Empress of the Central Palace, and the other is the favored Imperial Concubine. The two should have a tit-for-tat relationship. All it takes is a little provocation.

She said, "Empress Yuan..."

The Queen hurriedly tried to excuse herself in advance: "Mother, Concubine Yuan has always been straightforward, and she is young and not steady enough.

If I have offended the Queen Mother unintentionally, please forgive me."

The Queen Mother's first reaction: It's not enough to forgive only one or two, there are still three, four, and five.

Ji Yunqing was slightly dissatisfied after hearing what the Queen said. Her bright and clear eyes had never moved away from the Queen since she entered the room, and had always been fixed on her, as if she was the center of the world.

At this time, she retorted: "My Queen, I believe that I have done my best for the Queen Mother, please don't slander me."

The queen heard her words and nodded to her soothingly.

The Queen Mother belatedly sensed the subtle glances between the two, and then she realized that things seemed not to be quite as she thought.

Just as she was about to speak, another palace servant came to report: "Empress Dowager, Concubine Jing is here."

Relying on her closer and more familiar relationship with the Empress Dowager, Concubine Jing quickly stepped in, holding up the hem of her clothes.

"Aunt, please don't blame Concubine Yuan. She is young and ignorant. If she did anything wrong, please hand her over to me."

Queen Mother:…

Who is young and ignorant?

Ji Yunqing also shouted in a low voice: "I'm not that ignorant, at least the Queen Mother has never commented on me like that!"

When Concubine Jing heard her words and saw Ji Yunqing standing there just fine, she realized that she had been impulsive.

She was a little surprised and said, "Aunt, I was too anxious. I didn't know that you loved Concubine Yuan so much. I was worrying too much."

The Queen Mother: ...I never said that I loved Concubine Yuan.

At this moment, a sharp voice came from outside.

"The Emperor has arrived——"

The Queen Mother looked towards the door: "Why is the Emperor here?"

An incredible thought popped into her mind: Could it be that the Emperor came here just for his beloved Concubine Yuan?

Sure enough, the first thing the emperor did when he came here was to look for Ji Yunqing.

Seeing that everyone was fine, the emperor looked at the empress dowager.

"Mother, I heard that you are a little bored. How about I invite some storytellers, opera singers and performers to the palace to relieve your boredom?"

Hearing him say this, the Queen Mother was slightly satisfied: "No need, but the Emperor is very busy on weekdays, so he could find some people around to relieve his boredom."

"As long as the Queen Mother is here, I don't feel tired."

He changed the subject and said, "However, Concubine Yuan is too lively. I'm afraid she will ruin your peace. It would be better for you to take her away."

The emperor looked at the nobles standing in an inconspicuous place and said: "Ask some obedient ones to accompany you."

Concubine Jing also said at this time: "Aunt, your niece will come to accompany you often."

The emperor showed admiration in his eyes: "This is the best."

Concubine Jing gave a difficult smile.

Her palace was large and comfortable, and every aspect of it was good, except for one thing: it was very close to Ci'an Palace.

Who can't guess what this means?

And... it is very far away from Ji Yunqing's Yuehua Palace. Not only is her palace far away from Yuehua Palace, but the Queen's Kunning Palace is also not close to Yuehua Palace.

My cousin is really going too far!

She couldn't help but secretly look at Ji Yunqing.

The woman who had been looking at her from time to time since she entered the door now lowered her head.

She frowned slightly. If her cousin the emperor hadn't come suddenly, Ji Yunqing wouldn't have looked so afraid to look at her.

After the emperor and the empress dowager finished their conversation and took Ji Yunqing away, the queen also found an excuse to leave.

Concubine Jing did not leave. She waited until everyone else left, then stepped forward and took the empress dowager's arm: "Aunt, didn't you say you had something to do today?" and why you didn't let her come over?

Is this what she said?

The Queen Mother has her own reasons.

He sighed softly: "If it weren't for the Wen family, why would I do this?"

"Although you have a child, he is not of the Wen family's bloodline after all. It is still unknown what the child will be like in the future."

Concubine Jing: "What does this have to do with what you did today?"

"I think, instead of going on like this, it would be better to invite more women into the palace. Then one or two women from the Wen family can sneak in and give birth to your children, and you can rest assured."

When talking about the child, the smile on Concubine Jing's face faded.

"Aunt, there is no need to be so anxious. The emperor favors the imperial concubine now, but when the new person enters the palace, the imperial concubine will become an old one. It is hard to say how much favor he will retain by then."

After the new emperor ascends the throne, the first general election will be held soon, and countless young and beautiful women will come in at that time.

So even if the emperor deliberately separated her and Ji Yunqing, she would not be in a hurry, because these were all temporary.

When the new person entered the palace, Yun Qing's original favor was divided. Seeing so many women being favored by the emperor, she must have felt very sad.

By that time, Yun Qing would be heartbroken and wronged, and it would not be too late for her to go over and comfort her.

Maybe it can also enhance their relationship.

After all, Yun Qing is not the type of person who would stick to someone even if she is heartbroken. Once her cousin the emperor lets go of her, her attitude will become cold.

She dared to bet that Yun Qing would never look at him again from then on.

Therefore, the entry of new people into the palace is the best opportunity to divide the two.

She is waiting patiently.

However, the Queen Mother misunderstood Concubine Jing's meaning and thought that her niece was waiting for an opportunity to have a baby in the future.

After a brief thought, he nodded and said, "Well, as long as you have an idea in mind."

She also didn't want to go against the emperor's son.

However, the development of things was beyond everyone's expectations.

One month later

A court official mentioned in the court that it was time for the emperor to hold a beauty contest.

For a time, all the ministers expressed their opinions that this was the first beauty pageant since the emperor ascended the throne and they wondered how it should be treated.

This matter must not be treated perfunctorily.

Some court officials even speculated on the emperor's intention and proposed expanding the scope to allow women from the common people to participate in the election in order to demonstrate the emperor's benevolence towards the people.

The official who raised this point of view was immediately stared at by the people around him. Everyone has daughters at home, so won’t you increase the difficulty by increasing the number of people?

Fortunately, an official immediately said: The emperor had just ascended the throne, and it would be inefficient to waste money and manpower, so the selection could be made within the capital.

After the emperor and others expressed their opinions, they voted against the draft.

"I have just ascended the throne and I care about the people. There is no rush for the selection of the best candidates."

Immediately, an official stood up and explained righteously that the emperor's selection of concubines was also a way to express his concern for the people.

The selection of concubines is a matter of great importance. It concerns the royal heir and the country. The emperor must not refuse.