After swallowing my anger and taking the blame, I became the lucky little queen

Shengjing, Zhongcui Palace.

"The Emperor has arrived!" A sharp and slightly effeminate voice passed over the Zhongcui Palace.

Everyone in the Zhongcui Palace was in a panic. Ever since the beauty contest a while ago, when many new beauties entered the palace, the Emperor had not visited the Empress for a long time. Even the rules on the first and fifteenth days of the lunar month were broken.

Although the empress acted indifferent, the palace maids and eunuchs felt that she was sad, so they never took the initiative to mention which palace the emperor would stay in tonight, which new concubine was favored, or who received a reward from the emperor... unless the empress asked.

Of course, the queen really didn't care about these things. She didn't have the emperor in her heart. If he didn't come, she wouldn't have to pretend to be nice and act like a loving couple who respected each other. She felt disgusted with herself like that.

The Queen walked out to the door to greet him leisurely, and bowed with a group of palace maids: "Your Highness, may the Emperor be blessed with good health and happiness."

The emperor's face was indifferent. He raised his hand with the bracelet and said, "Get up." He entered the Zhongcui Palace.

The queen stood firm and glanced at Li Zhongquan.

Li Zhongquan was the emperor's chief eunuch. He understood the emperor's mind best and was the best at guessing his intentions. Many concubines had asked him about the emperor's affairs.

But Li Zhongquan still knows what to say and what not to say.

Receiving the emperor's eye hint, Li Zhongquan stepped forward silently and whispered, "Your Majesty, the emperor is in a good mood today."

The queen understood, and turned around and gave a wink to her personal maid, asking her to secretly give Li Zhongquan some silver as a bribe.

But just as the maid was about to move, Li Zhongquan stretched out his hand to block her, "Madam, I will withdraw first."

The implication is that it is not necessary.

He didn't reveal anything, so how could he accept the queen's things?

If he accepted the silver, it would be his life. Wouldn't it be an obvious admission that he had leaked the emperor's affairs to the empress? This was a taboo, a taboo for servants, and even more so for those on duty in the Yangxin Palace.

Li Zhongquan led the huge guard of honor to retreat to the palace road.

Zhongcui Palace suddenly became deserted.

"Just two skilled maids will serve tea, and the others can leave."

"Yes." Two palace maids followed the queen into the palace.

The emperor had already sat down, reading a book at random. The empress sat opposite him in silence. A palace maid served tea, and the smoke blurred his vision.

"Your Majesty, have you had your meal? Would you like some sweethearts to come?" asked the Queen.

"No need." The emperor finally put down the book and looked up at her. The queen lowered her head uncomfortably, hiding the emotions in her eyes.

"I came to you today because I have something to say to you."

"Yu'er and Miss Nian have been in Jiangnan for more than half a month. They will probably be back before the New Year. It's time to put their wedding on the agenda."

The queen's heart sank. She responded without changing her expression, but her thoughts were drifting elsewhere.

"Yu'er lost her mother when she was young, and she was not close to other concubines. At this time, she didn't even have anyone to help her manage things."

The emperor sighed, as if he was thinking of some sad past events, and even his eyes were a little more sad. "I was busy with state affairs and treated him badly. Now that he wants to get married, it must be done well and grandly."

At this point, the Queen already understood what the Emperor meant. He simply wanted her to help arrange Qin Junyu's marriage.

Privately, the Queen was unwilling to do so. Firstly, Qin Fengtian had not yet married, and she wanted to focus all her energy on Qin Fengtian. Secondly, she and Qin Junyu did not get along well, so how could she be willing to care about his affairs?

No one knew what the emperor meant by doing this. He knew that they had a bad relationship, but he still pushed the matter to her.

The Queen was dissatisfied but did not dare to show it. She could only smile and asked, "Does the Emperor want me to help arrange the Prince's marriage?" She asked even though she knew the answer.

The emperor took a sip of tea and said, "Hmm."

"You are the queen, and you are half of Yu'er's mother. It is most appropriate for you to handle this matter."

"Also, Tian'er has reached the right age to get married. The Queen should also take the time to choose a concubine for him so that he can start a family soon."

The Queen's mind moved, and she began to guess what this meant. Did the Emperor have some other purpose in bringing up Qin Fengtian's marriage for no reason? Was he trying to threaten him? Was he trying to warn him?

She glanced at the emperor calmly, and he looked indifferent, as if he had said it deliberately.

But she didn't think so the next second.

The emperor put down his teacup and said, "You know Tian'er's current situation. I'm afraid it won't work to formally select a concubine."

Who would be willing to let their daughter marry a fool, even if he was a prince?

But if he forced the marriage, it would chill the hearts of the ministers and cause unrest in the court. Prince Ren was eyeing him covetously, and the crown prince had not returned from the capital. If someone with ulterior motives spread a wave of public opinion, his position as emperor would be unstable.

The queen listened and had a bad feeling.

"I heard that the queen has several cousins ​​from her family who are about seventeen or eighteen years old." The emperor looked at her and smiled.

That smile was gentle and calm, but it frightened the queen into breaking out in a cold sweat.

She didn't understand how he could say such heartless words in such a calm tone.

"Your Majesty, Tian'er..." She moved her lips, not knowing what to say.

It’s true that she felt sorry for Tian’er, and she also hoped that he could marry a good princess, but how could her cousin from her mother’s side…how could she marry a fool!

The queen's heart was bleeding. She didn't want to look at her son with discrimination, but this was an indisputable fact.

"What's wrong? The Queen doesn't want to?" The emperor said with a cold face.

He threw the teacup in his hand heavily and smashed it onto the glass table.

The two palace maids serving nearby immediately knelt down.

The queen was also panicked. The news came too suddenly and she was not prepared at all.

"Does the Queen think that my son is not worthy of your family?"

The queen got off the chair and knelt down, "Your Majesty, I don't mean that. I... don't dare to have such thoughts."

Her eyes were red, and she forced out a tear. She looked at the emperor sincerely, "Tian'er is also my son! How could I think that my child is not worthy of others?"

The emperor's anger subsided a little.

"Get up. Why do you kneel down all the time? I didn't say I would punish you." He leaned over and stretched out his hand to the queen.

The queen looked at him cautiously before she dared to put her hand on him.

The emperor helped her up, but did not let her go immediately. Instead, he pressed harder and pinched her five fingers until her nails turned white, but he remained calm.

"Your Majesty... it hurts..." Tears welled up in the Queen's eyes. She wanted to pull her hand back in pain, but the Emperor held it tightly.

"How about this?" The emperor smiled sinisterly, "If you organize Yu'er's wedding well and satisfy me, I will consider letting you handle Tian'er's selection of a concubine. Otherwise..."

Otherwise, he would pick one of her cousins ​​from her mother's side and send her to serve Qin Fengtian.

The Queen's pupils trembled, and she could hardly believe what she heard.