My elder sister forced me to become a concubine; I was reborn and remarried into the emperor's

Pei Ji rode his horse straight out of the palace gate. Instead of rushing back to the camp, he went to the Ministry of Justice prison.

Another purpose of his return to Beijing was to ensure Wei Rongde's safety, which was more important than anything else.

Upon hearing the news, the Minister of Justice, clutching his crooked official hat, ran so fast his boots nearly fell off, chasing after him all the way out of the palace.

He was a pragmatic man. Even though the emperor had arrested Wei Rongde on charges of corruption, who was he? He was the father-in-law of Prince Su!

He couldn't afford to offend either the emperor or Prince Su. The charges could be set, but the emperor didn't care how he was treated after being imprisoned.

Therefore, although Wei Rongde spent half a month in prison, apart from not seeing the sun for a long time and not moving around much, he even gained some weight in his face, and his skin, which had been tanned from running around, looked much whiter.

As for the case, the Minister of Justice waved his hand repeatedly, saying that there was a misunderstanding and that they had investigated it thoroughly, and that Lord Wei had been wronged.

Now that the misunderstanding has been cleared up, he can naturally return to his original position and go back to rest.

Seeing that his father-in-law was unharmed, Pei Ji didn't make things difficult for the Minister and returned to the Wei residence with his men.

Although he appeared to have no external injuries and seemed to be in good spirits, he still called a doctor to give Wei Rongde a thorough examination from head to toe.

In the courtyard, Ji Feng anxiously clenched his fist and pounded his palm while spinning around in circles.

It spins so fast it makes you dizzy.

"Boss, stop spinning it. It's making our eyes blurry."

"Why aren't you guys worried at all! Fourth brother, tell me, what is the master thinking?"

The others leaned against the pillars under the eaves, swords in hand. The one whose name was called spat out the leaf he was chewing on: "What? What were you thinking?"

"Such a good opportunity, even the most cunning Zhang Jinchu begged you to ascend the throne, how could you refuse? Isn't this what we came to the capital for? Seeing the duck that was about to be caught about to fly away, how could we not be anxious?"

Everyone else laughed, and one of them stepped forward, put his arm around his neck, and said with a laugh, "Boss, you've only gotten older but not smarter."

"You think becoming an emperor is the same as choosing a squad leader in our camp?"

"Go away, go away, speak plainly, stop beating around the bush, it's making me uncomfortable. I don't know about other things, but I do know that everyone wants this throne, and everyone is eyeing it covetously, but our lord turned it down. He missed such a good opportunity, where else can he find one?"

The man called Fourth Brother chuckled: "Alright, stop teasing him. Don't let him actually go to me and ask all sorts of questions, or we brothers will get scolded too."

"Don't worry, brother, no one can take our master's throne away."

Ji Feng looked up in surprise: "Weren't they all rejected?"

The person next to him tapped him on the head: "Use your pig brain to think. Besides our master, who else is qualified to sit in this position? Are you really going to let that baby who can't even speak become emperor?"

"Think about it again. When the third brother was promoted to deputy general, didn't he humbly say several times that he should give it to you? And you scolded him for being pretentious."

"What, you were perfectly clear-headed back then that you were just pretending, but now you're dumbfounded?"

"Besides, this isn't just about being a deputy general, it's about becoming the emperor. It's not enough to just be good at killing people; you also need the support of the people and a good reputation."

“This position should have belonged to our lord long before the emperor. Now we must make them kneel and kowtow three times and rightfully welcome our lord to the throne.”

Ji Feng looked at his brothers with surprise, but his expression also became more composed.

Yes, the emperor's sons have all killed each other, and even his own brothers have been murdered by him. Where in the world can we find a more suitable person than their prince?

In fact, we have to thank Pei Yuyan for intervening. Otherwise, their trip to the capital would have inevitably resulted in a bloody battle. Now, they won without bloodshed and avoided unnecessary trouble.

The treason escalated directly into the suppression of a rebellion.

-

Two days later, at the first light of dawn, the streets outside the Wei Mansion were filled with carriages, from which countless high-ranking officials and nobles disembarked.

Zhang Jinchu, dressed in official robes, walked at the front. He had shaken off his previous sickly appearance and brought not only officials but also many of Pei clan members who were still alive.

The group arrived at the Wei family's gate and lined up respectfully. They waited until dawn before knocking on the door.

It was Ji Feng who opened the door. He hadn't woken up yet and was yawning as he opened the gate.

I was so shocked by what I saw as soon as I opened the door that even my sleepiness vanished instantly.

"Lord Zhang, what is this...?"

"Please inform the Prince that we have come to wish him good health and welcome him back to the palace to ascend the throne."

Ji Feng was overjoyed; he had been anxiously waiting at the mansion for the past two days.

Sure enough, the fourth brother and the others were right; these people really did come to kneel and welcome the prince!

He glanced around and saw that most of the people in the dense crowd were familiar faces, including not only officials from the capital but also generals from various prefectures.

Presumably, the few days that were delayed were spent by Zhang Jinchu searching for people in various places.

Ji Feng suppressed his laughter, pretending to be calm, and cleared his throat, saying, "Wait here."

Then he slammed the door shut and jumped three feet high into the room.

"Your Majesty! Zhang Jinchu has arrived, and he has brought many people with him. They have all come to kneel and welcome you back to the palace."

Pei Ji had already woken up. Even though Pei Yuyan and others were dead and the situation in the capital was settled and no one could stir up any more trouble, he still habitually got up early to check the battle situation at the front and the official reports from various places.

He had known about the alien invasion that day. Although Man Xinghe had arrived with his troops and there was no major problem, he still wanted to rush back. It was Wei Rongde who stopped him.

To convince him of Wei Nanxun, the immediate priority is to consider the bigger picture.

This was also the second time he had a private conversation with his father-in-law.

"When I first saw you, I didn't know your identity, so I told Ah Xun that you were no ordinary person and would surely become a dragon. But I was wrong. You were a dragon hidden in the abyss."

"I didn't want Ah Xun to marry you back then because I was afraid that we were too good for you and that my family couldn't be a good match for you. But now I realize that I was too old-fashioned and narrow-minded."

“I don’t know what your plans are, but the Great Yan cannot be without a ruler for a day. Your abilities and vision surpass those of the world. This throne is rightfully yours.”

"Don't worry about the consequences, just do what you want."

Pei Ji treated him with utmost respect, and upon hearing this, he slightly bowed, as if to acknowledge his words.

He was reading a book in the courtyard when Ji Feng rushed in, as if he already knew these people would come.

"Shut up, it's too noisy."

Ji Feng then stopped in his tracks, covered his mouth and dared not make a sound, only using his eyes to indicate that many people had come outside.

Pei Ji slowly finished flipping through the book in his hand, and said without raising his head, "Isn't there still a Seventh Prince? What does he want with me? Tell them to leave."

Ji Feng was stunned for a moment. Although he wanted to say something, he was already used to obeying the prince's words. Even though he was full of doubts, he still took his words back.

"Gentlemen, please return. Our prince has instructed you to go find the Seventh Prince."

Then he slammed the door shut.

The officials and relatives outside looked at each other, all at a loss for what to do.

"Lord Zhang, what... what should we do?"

Zhang Jinchu had already anticipated that things wouldn't go so smoothly today. He straightened his official hat and stood up, saying, "Even Xuande had to ask Zhuge Liang to come out of seclusion three times, let alone us, who are trying to invite the ruler of a country."

"Go back now, come again tomorrow."

Without paying attention to the others, he dusted off the hem of his clothes and strode away.

The remaining people, having lost their leader, saw no reason to stay and followed closely behind him, calling out, "Lord Zhang, wait for us!"

Another day passed, and it was Zhang Jinchu again leading the officials, but this time, he also helped someone down from the golden sedan chair.

It turned out to be a weary-looking Empress Dowager Jiang.

The incident happened suddenly. She was recuperating in a separate residence when she learned that the emperor had died and the deposed crown prince had personally killed his own brother. She was as if struck by lightning and almost fainted.

Fortunately, the imperial physicians provided timely treatment; otherwise, there might have been an additional person to be added to the national mourning period.

Upon receiving the news, she rushed back to the capital without regard for her health.

Knowing that the throne is now vacant and that Pei Ji has resigned twice, she could not sit still. Even as his mother, she had no choice but to come in person.

Ji Feng skillfully opened the courtyard gate, intending to follow yesterday's instructions and ask the person to leave, but upon seeing the Empress Dowager before him, he immediately bowed respectfully.

"No need for formalities, take me to see him."

Along with Empress Dowager Jiang, Zhang Jinchu and another member of the royal family also entered the Wei family.

Pei Ji was still reading the letter, which had just been delivered from the border town this morning. It was a letter from Wei Nanxun to reassure him of her safety.

Hearing footsteps, he slowly raised his head. He didn't seem surprised to see who it was, and simply stood up slowly and deliberately: "Greetings, Mother."

When the emperor passed away, Empress Dowager Jiang was grieving the loss of her son, and almost all of her grandsons had died. The fact that she could see her youngest son was her only consolation.

Tears seemed to glisten in her eyes. After a long while, she looked away and solemnly said, "I won't say much else. I've come here to say two things. First, Prince An's son died in battle, and his grandson died young, leaving him without an heir. I will decide that Xiao Qi will be adopted by him, and from now on, there will be no bloodline of your brother in the world. Second, a country cannot be without a ruler for a day. I have already asked the Imperial Observatory to choose an auspicious day for all officials to welcome you into the palace to ascend the throne."

Pei Ji remained noncommittal about this, showed little reaction to the Seventh Prince being adopted, and showed little interest in ascending the throne.

Only after hearing the last part did he slowly fold up the letter in his hand.

"Then we will do as Mother says, but there is no rush."

"Why? What are you waiting for?"

"Once my queen agrees, and she doesn't, then whoever wants to be emperor can have it."

Empress Dowager Jiang: ...

Zhang Jinchu reacted the fastest, kneeling down with delight and saying, "Your Majesty is right. The Empress is pregnant with the Emperor's child, and it is not appropriate for her to stay in the border city. I heard that a few days ago, a foreign tribe invaded, and it was thanks to the Empress's calm and decisive actions that the people of the city were able to be protected."

"Your Majesty, I will immediately instruct the Ministry of Rites to prepare the necessary arrangements to welcome Her Majesty the Empress back to the capital."

-

Zhang Jinchu went out happily, and soon a joyful commotion came from outside the mansion gate, and Ji Feng and the others in the courtyard followed him out.

Only Pei Ji and his mother remained, their eyes meeting, speechless.

In the end, Empress Dowager Jiang couldn't hold back and spoke first: "Shouzhuo, I know you have always harbored resentment towards me, resenting that I neglected you and failed to fulfill my duties as a mother. You also dislike your brother and resent that he took away all your favor and attention."

"But now that things have come to this, your elder brother..." Empress Dowager Jiang's eyes welled up with tears again as she thought of her deceased eldest son and her group of grandchildren who died unjustly.

She claimed to be the Empress Dowager, the most honored woman in the Great Yan, but in reality, she was just an old woman who had lost her son and grandson.

Let bygones be bygones, okay?

Her tone unconsciously carried a hint of pleading, bowing her head for her past mistakes, not only because he was about to become emperor, but also because he was the closest person to her in the world.

Pei Ji twitched the corners of his mouth, revealing a slightly mocking smile.

He looked down at the old woman with a frail face.

Perhaps he did have obsessions, and he may have hated and resented it, saying that Heaven was unjust and that he had to be born into this cold-blooded imperial family.

But now, he doesn't care anymore.

"You're overthinking it. Don't take yourself too seriously."

He lowered his eyes slightly, a barely perceptible tenderness flashing in them. Someone had already warmed his wounded heart, and now he no longer cared.

Empress Dowager Jiang was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, and for a moment she did not know whether to be happy or frustrated.

The good thing was that her son didn't hate her, but the bad thing was that she didn't even deserve to be hated. In his heart, she was probably not as important as his father-in-law, Wei Rongde.

However, this is all her own fault, and she has no one else to blame but herself.

"After your coronation ceremony, I will return to Mount Wutai to chant sutras for your brothers and nephews, wishing them a speedy rebirth. Perhaps I will not return to the capital."

"I heard that Ah Xun is carrying a boy. I wonder if the child will look more like you or Ah Xun."

Pei Ji remained indifferent; he didn't care whether the baby in his womb was a boy or a girl, but Empress Dowager Jiang's tone made him somewhat uncomfortable.

It was as if he was forcing her to leave the capital and never come back, so she remained silent.

Seeing that her son had no intention of acknowledging her, Empress Dowager Jiang decided not to linger and cause any more trouble. She forced a smile and said, "If there's nothing else, then I'll return to the palace now."

As she spoke, she slowly walked out of the courtyard. She did not let the palace maids follow her, and her movements were somewhat sluggish.

Just as she was about to step out of the courtyard gate, that cold voice came from behind her: "Isn't it annoying to keep guessing? Can't you just see for yourself before you leave?"

Empress Dowager Jiang paused, understood his meaning, and suddenly her eyes lit up. Did Pei Ji mean to let her see the child?

Even if he didn't intend to keep her, the fact that he was willing to let her see his grandson was something she never dared to dream of, which at least showed that he truly didn't hate her anymore.

Where there is death, there will be new life, and the Great Yan will also be reborn.

-

Wei Nanxun is due to give birth in two months. Although it won't take long to get to the capital, the best carriage will be used, with four or five layers of blankets laid out so that she won't feel any bumps.

Pei Ji was still worried that something might go wrong, so he went to pick him up in person. What should have been a seven or eight-day journey took more than half a month to reach the capital.

We would walk for half a day and then rest for half a day, saying we were rushing on our way, but actually we were sightseeing.

Pei Ji's coronation ceremony and Wei Nanxun's coronation ceremony were scheduled for the same time, on a clear, cloudless day.

Bright sunlight streamed through the gaps in the glazed tiles of the Golden Palace. Pei Ji, dressed in a dragon robe, took his wife's hand and stepped onto the white jade steps. He then turned and led her to sit on the golden dragon throne.

The civil and military officials standing below were all taken aback.

Even though the empress was the mother of the nation and the most honored woman in the world, there was no precedent for her to sit on the dragon throne.

The Minister of Rites was already wiping the sweat from his brow; His Majesty hadn't mentioned this part before the ceremony!

Despite their stunned silence, no one dared to utter a single word against the emperor. In fact, Zhang Jinchu had already taken the lead in kneeling down and shouting "Long live the emperor!"

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Empress! Long live the Empress!"

Wei Nanxun grasped the hand of the person beside her, looked down at the dense crowd below, and then looked up at her husband beside her.

Having just been reborn, she never imagined that she would not only break free from the shackles of fate and save herself and her entire family, but also marry the man she loved and stand above all others.

Holding your hand, I will never regret this life.