Transmigration: Reverse Exploitation, the System Works for Me

So, as soon as the emperor stepped into Zhongcui Palace that evening, he saw Yu Ying'er with her eyes red and swollen like walnuts. Thinking of Xia Zi's words that he saw Consort Zhuang with tear stains in her eyes when he delivered the imperial decree, the emperor couldn't help but sigh.

After entering the hall and taking their seats, Yu Ying'er very attentively served the emperor a cup of refreshing and nourishing eight-treasure tea.

The emperor accepted it with pleasure, saying, "Don't bother, come sit down and talk to me."

Yu Ying'er sat down next to the emperor with a heavy heart, her mind filled with thoughts of how to persuade him to grant her the marriage.

Her sister didn't give her a rehearsal; she only told her that if she could please the emperor, she might have a chance at becoming the primary consort, but if the emperor was unhappy, she might only be able to become a concubine.

The difference between a principal wife and a concubine of low rank is enormous.

If my elder sister could become the primary consort, aside from anything else, it would be fine to adopt a few children from the imperial clan to raise and amuse her.

Although Xiao Liu can't abandon his older sister, having more children means more security. Anyway, his older sister doesn't have to go through the hardship of giving birth alone. Having a few more children around will make the house more lively.

Just as the emperor was about to drink some water, he caught a glimpse of Yu Ying'er's absent-minded face out of the corner of his eye. Her brows were furrowed with sorrow, her eyes were dull and vacant, and an unyielding sadness surrounded her.

Judging from her appearance, even someone as astute as the emperor could tell that she had encountered something serious!

Seeing this, the emperor's heart softened again. Consort Zhuang had always been pure and straightforward, and had always been well protected by him. Her joys and sorrows were always written on her face. Her daily life consisted of eating, drinking, playing, and teasing Xiao Liu. She had never been so worried and haggard.

The Empress Dowager's threat to force Chunrong to enter the Fourteenth Prince's residence with the threat of Xiao Liu must have broken the girl's heart.

On one side is her older sister who dotes on her, and on the other is the young and innocent Xiao Liu. If she has to take care of one, she will lose the other. She can't have both.

The Emperor lowered his head and took a sip of tea. Although the Empress Dowager had indeed put Consort Zhuang in a difficult position, he was also curious to know how Consort Zhuang, who had a similar experience to him, would choose between blood relatives and siblings.

Before the emperor could even put down his teacup, Xi Qiao carried the Sixth Prince into the room.

"The Sixth Prince greets Your Majesty. May Your Majesty be blessed."

Upon seeing his infant son, the emperor smiled and said, "I haven't seen the Sixth Prince for several days. Quickly bring him to me so I can have a good look at him."

The Manchus believed in holding grandchildren rather than sons, and although the emperor loved the sixth prince, he never made an exception.

Xi Qiao responded and stepped forward with the Sixth Prince in his arms, standing close to the Emperor so that the Emperor could hold the Sixth Prince's little hand.

"I heard that the Sixth Prince caused trouble at night a few days ago. Is he feeling better now?"

Xi Qiao glanced at Yu Ying'er and saw that she seemed to be lost in her own thoughts and hadn't heard the emperor's words. He then took over the emperor's words with a sense of helplessness.

"Your Majesty, he is much better now. The Sixth Prince used to stay up all night when he was making a ruckus, but these past few days he has only been sleeping late and has been able to sleep until dawn."

The emperor released the sixth prince's hand and instead teased him with the eighteen beads he wore on his wrist.

While teasing his son, the emperor casually asked, "But what happened? Your master's eyes are all swollen from crying."

He noticed Consort Zhuang's absent-mindedness, and he also saw Chunrong's glance just now.

Xi Qiao, holding the Sixth Prince, took a step back and knelt down: "Your Majesty, please forgive me. My lady did not mean to slight Your Majesty."

Yu Ying'er only came to her senses at this moment, just in time to hear this sentence, and she also knelt down, "Your Majesty, please forgive me, I was distracted by something just now."

"It's alright, get up, everyone. Tell me what happened?"

Yu Ying'er slowly stood up, forced a stiff smile at the emperor, and was about to speak when she turned to Xi Qiao: "I have some private words to say to the emperor. Aunt, please take Xiao Liu back first."

Xi Qiao hesitated for a moment; she hadn't taught Yu Ying'er what to do beforehand.

In this round, the emperor's initiative already showed his extreme dissatisfaction with the empress dowager's arrangement; otherwise, he would not have chosen Yu Ying'er to serve him in bed ahead of time.

In other words, the Empress Dowager's scheme was destined to fail.

What they need to do now is to persuade the emperor to grant them a marriage.

However, given Yu Ying'er's acting skills, if she made arrangements in advance, she would definitely leave traces under the emperor's scrutiny. Therefore, it would be better to let Yu Ying'er act on her own.

Hopefully, the emperor will be in a good mood and show more favor to Yu Ying'er and Xiao Liu.

"Yes, the slaves retire."

As soon as she left, Yu Ying'er immediately went to the emperor's side, hugged his arm, sat down close to him, and began to act coquettishly: "Your Majesty, I really didn't mean it just now. Please don't be angry."

Her beautiful eyebrows furrowed, and she said with a wronged expression, "Today I heard some gossip, and those words were not kind. I won't repeat them to offend your ears. But this matter is related to me and my aunt."

Yu Ying'er sobbed and timidly looked up at the emperor: "Your Majesty knows that my aunt and I are sisters, and this is not exactly a secret in the palace."

"Now that I have received Your Majesty's favor, I have not only become a concubine of the imperial family, but also have my sixth child to dote on. My elder sister is much older than me and is now twenty-five years old, yet she is still all alone. Therefore, I have been thinking about whether I should ask Your Majesty for a favor."

The emperor, his eyes deep and unfathomable, looked down at her. "What favor?"

Yu Ying'er bit her lip and answered irrelevantly: "Your Majesty, I heard that in addition to the Fourteenth Prince, you should have had another younger brother, but unfortunately he died young."

Yinzhuo.

The emperor was stunned; he hadn't thought of that name in a long time.

What surprised him even more was that Consort Zhuang and Chunrong would rather choose a dead person who had long since turned to dust than go to the Fourteenth Prince's backyard as the Empress Dowager wished.

However, amidst his surprise, the emperor felt an indescribable excitement.

Empress Mother, oh Empress Mother...

The emperor's lips curled up. "Does my beloved concubine wish for me to bestow a marriage upon Chunrong and Yinzhuo?"

Grant marriage!

The emperor actually used the term "bestowed marriage"!

Yu Ying'er's eyes are as bright as pearls—that's a wonderful phrase!

She nodded eagerly, her face beaming with joy.

"Yes, Your Majesty is indeed wise! What do you think?"

Yu Ying'er looked at the emperor with anticipation, her little mouth babbling: "Your Majesty and I are sisters, and you and Sixth Prince are brothers. If your sister marries Sixth Prince, then we will be even closer relatives. Wouldn't that be a wonderful thing?"

The more she talked, the more excited she became.

She truly hadn't expected the emperor to be so understanding, and it seemed he didn't object at all.

There is a play!

Yu Ying'er racked her brains and looked at the emperor with pleading eyes: "Although the Sixth Prince died young, he was still the Empress Dowager's own son and your brother. You are now the Emperor and possess the world, but the Sixth Prince is still all alone with no one to pay respects to him. Why don't you choose a primary consort for the Sixth Prince and adopt one or two children from the imperial clan to continue the family line?"

"Moreover, since the Empress Dowager is seriously ill, bestowing a marriage upon her is a joyous occasion and can be considered a way to bring her good fortune..."

Yu Ying'er suddenly stopped. It seemed that the palace was quite averse to these kinds of expressions, so she had to find a different word.

"Oh no, what I mean is that bestowing a marriage is a joyous occasion... a joyous occasion indeed. It is a great joy that the Empress Dowager has gained another proper daughter-in-law. People are in high spirits when they have joyous occasions, so perhaps the Empress Dowager can recover faster. What do you think, Your Majesty?"

You old geezer, listen up! She's a proper daughter-in-law, the legitimate wife!