The queen is crazy and spoiled, and the tyrant bows to her

Concubine Yu paused and continued, "There are also rumors that the late emperor died at her hands."

"Although she was childless, she was favored by the late emperor after entering the palace and was made a noble concubine. Later, the eldest son, Ji Huaijin, was raised under her lap."

"After the previous emperor passed away, she, a woman, pushed Ji Huaijin onto the throne amidst the wolves in the court."

"After Ji Huaijin ascended the throne, she naturally became the Empress Dowager and ruled the country from behind the scenes."

"The emperor respects her, the whole palace looks up to her as the most respected, and she has the entire Nangong clan behind her. She can be said to be the most noble woman in the world."

When Jiang Wantang heard this, his pupils froze.

Concubine Yu continued to talk to herself, "When I first met her, I was so scared that I was shaking all over. People in the palace always flatter the powerful and look down on the weak. Knowing that I was an orphan, they never took me seriously."

"In their view, even if I was raised in the palace, I would have no one to rely on, and the best I could hope for in the future would be to enter the harem and become a powerless concubine."

"As I knelt in the hall, at a loss as to what to do, a hand as white as jade appeared above my head."

"She touched my head and said in a very gentle voice, 'Good child, don't be afraid. From now on, you will be raised in my arms, just like Huaijin.'"

"I looked up in surprise and met her smiling peach blossom eyes, her eyebrows curved, and a charming red teardrop mole at the corner of her eye. She was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting."

"Everyone says she's vicious, cruel, and a disaster for the country...but no one has ever said she's so young and so beautiful."

"I had never seen such a stunning woman before. I was stunned and stared at her for a long time. But she didn't get angry. She kept rubbing my head, smiling at me gently, and asking me what I liked and what I didn't like."

"Under the sunlight, her body was enveloped in a layer of holy golden light. I felt as if I saw a fairy from the ninth heaven descending to earth."

"Later, she brought me back to the Cining Palace to live with her."

"She said women were no less capable than men, so she never asked me to learn needlework, calligraphy, or painting. Instead, she urged me to read and practice calligraphy every day, and taught me etiquette and manners."

"That's how it is. Ji Huaijin and I were both raised by her side."

"At that time, I was ten years old, Ji Huaijin was twelve years old, and she was only twenty-nine years old."

At this moment, Jiang Wantang's eyes widened in disbelief. The Empress Dowager Wende was only eighteen years old back then?!

Concubine Yu continued, "It's funny, she's not that old herself, but she treats Ji Huaijin and me like her own children."

"Back then, Ji Huaijin and I would play around every day. Ji Huaijin would often look jealous because she favored me, like a child whose candy was taken away from him."

"I studied with him, sneaked out to play with him, and fought over the snacks and sweet soup made by the Empress Dowager after playing together..."

“Days like these are the happiest time of my life.”

"Later, when everyone thought she was greedy for power and wanted to be the sole ruler of the country as a concubine, she handed all government affairs back to Ji Huaijin after he turned fifteen, leaving him with no regrets. She then retired to the palace to recuperate."

"I was raised by the Empress Dowager until I turned fifteen and came of age. Under her guidance, I grew into a well-educated and well-mannered young woman."

"She not only taught me to read and learn etiquette, but also taught me how to manage the harem and how to be cunning and resourceful..."

"She taught me almost everything she knew."

"She treats me so well, and I regard her as my only relative."

"It's a pity that in all the years I've been by her side, no matter how hard I try or how clumsily I imitate her, I've only managed to learn a little bit of what she does."

"After I came of age, she asked me with a smile what kind of man I liked."

"At that time, I said innocently that I liked good-looking things. Just as I finished speaking, the young emperor Ji Huaijin, dressed in a noble dragon robe and with a handsome face and high spirits, walked in with a smile and asked us what we were talking about."

"And I subconsciously blushed and lowered my head."

"If the Queen Mother is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, then Ji Huaijin is the most handsome man I have ever seen."

"So, after years of living together day and night, the girl's heart was stirred and it was inevitable."

"The Empress Dowager saw my blushing face and saw through my thoughts. She smiled and told Ji Huaijin that the Ministry of Rites was already preparing for the selection and asked him what kind of woman he liked."

"Ji Huaijin, who has always been shameless, blushed in front of the Empress Dowager. His handsome face was red all the way to his ears. He scratched his head and was silent for a while. Then he raised his hand and pointed at me who was sitting next to the Empress Dowager."

"At that time, I was so overjoyed, so happy that I couldn't describe it. The person I secretly liked also happened to like me."

"Love between two people is a beautiful thing."

"So, during that grand selection, Ji Huaijin immediately made me a noble concubine, while the others were just beauties."

"The first time we slept together, he didn't touch me. Instead, he looked at me and praised me lovingly, saying that after spending so much time with the Empress Dowager, I was becoming more and more like her."

"He also said that sometimes when he saw me, it was as if he could see the Empress Dowager again when she first entered the palace at the age of fifteen."

"For someone like me who already admires the Empress Dowager, this was the highest and best compliment. I was so happy that I couldn't sleep the whole night."

When Jiang Wantang heard this, he clearly sensed something was wrong.

But she still listened attentively and did not disturb Concubine Yu.

"Afterwards, I became as the rumors said, the most favored concubine in the harem, unrivaled by anyone."

As she spoke, Concubine Yu looked at the stunned Jiang Wantang beside her, smiled bitterly, and said, "Everyone in the palace says that my fall from favor started because of that bitch Qi Yilan, who drugged me and climbed onto the imperial throne. But that's not true..."

"At that time, Ji Huaijin and I never took her seriously."

"It's because of the Queen Mother..."

Jiang Wantang's pupils suddenly widened, and for a moment, he didn't know what to say.

Concubine Yu didn't care and continued, "The Empress Dowager was recuperating in the temporary palace at that time. After I entered the harem, she kept several concubines in the palace to entertain her. I know this too."

"After all, the Empress Dowager is not like an ordinary woman. She has never used those pedantic and outdated rules and dogmas to restrain herself."

"In her words, she has been bound for most of her life. She wants freedom, not just to live as she pleases..."

"But we didn't expect Ji Huaijin to react so strongly when he discovered all this."