f the second son's family, Song Lianyi.She wanted to sell her granddaughter to a wealthy family as a maidservant. This way, she could get money to appease the second son's family and also give her you...The ripples merged back into a body. Before even opening its eyes, it heard an escalating argument, the voices growing increasingly shrill and piercing.

She didn't open her eyes right away. She took a moment to feel around, and her brow furrowed slightly. Then, she suddenly opened her eyes wide, her sharp gaze sweeping over the crowd of people arguing below.

A court lady in official attire immediately stepped forward and loudly said:

"Silence! What manner of disorder is this on the imperial court!"

The noisy crowd immediately fell silent and turned to look at the empress in a crimson robe seated at the top. Just moments ago, she had closed her eyes and allowed them to argue, but now, her sharp gaze swept across their faces one by one, causing everyone to lower their heads and respectfully return to their original positions. The entire hall fell silent, as quiet as a pin drop.

"Why are you all so quiet Are you waiting for me to leave so you can line up and support your favorite princess"

A cold and imposing voice echoed throughout the hall, inexplicably giving rise to a feeling of oppression.

"I dare not!"

In the main hall, there was a flurry of people kneeling down, especially the three princesses at the front. Their faces were filled with fear and panic.

"Humph! It's not that I don't dare, it's that I don't want to!"

The Queen sat up straight and said, in a calm and collected tone.

All the people kneeling in the main hall didn't dare to raise their heads, and the atmosphere was a bit stiff.

The eldest princess quickly raised her head to glance at her own Empress mother, then straightened up and spoke:

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger! Your health is the most important thing to me, above all else. The courtiers are also worried about your well-being and mean no disrespect."

"Big sister said, Mother Empress, please don't be angry, take care of your health!"

The second princess also straightened up and bowed with both hands, saying:

"Mother Empress, don't listen to these people making a fuss. I am your youngest daughter. Even if you want to pass on the throne, it wouldn't come to me. The crown princess is either the eldest or the legitimate daughter. I don't qualify for either. I even hope that you can stay on the throne for another hundred and eighty years, watching me get married and have children. That would be a life as good as heaven."

The Third Princess was brazen, openly declaring her feelings in the main hall, earning withering glares from both the First and Second Princesses.

On the main hall, everyone else remained silent. Only three princesses dared to appear now so as not to be scolded.

"To sit on the throne for a hundred and eighty years, wouldn't I become an old monster That would only make me more hated."

Ripples gently stroked the wide, elegant sleeves of her robe and spoke in a soft voice.

Because of a single sentence, the rigid atmosphere in the hall eased somewhat.

"Well, you've been arguing for so long, you must have your own ideas by now. So let's hear them! I'll consider them carefully."

After finishing her speech, Lian Yi supported the hand of a noblewoman beside her and stood up.

Immediately, a middle-aged female guard brandishing a sword stepped forward and shouted:

"Retreat!"

"Long live the Empress! A thousand years, ten thousand years, a million years!"

"Hmph! You all chant slogans so well, yet you're all just waiting for me to abdicate."

Ripples moved at an unhurried pace, leaving the grand hall of the imperial court.

Her last words, faint as they were, reached the ears of the three princesses and the assembled courtiers. After rising to their feet, they exchanged glances with one another before filing out of the hall in groups of twos and threes.

The three princesses exchanged greetings with each other and, along with the courtiers, returned to their respective princess mansions.

After leaving the main hall, Lian Yi directly ordered her royal carriage to go to the sleeping palace, not the Hall of Diligent Government.

The female official of noble character immediately stepped forward and softly asked:

"Your Majesty, but your head hurts again Shall I summon the physician"

"No, I just simply want to rest. Those officials are going to write petitions, so give them three days' time to properly prepare their submissions and take a break from court for three days."

The ripples said very plainly,

"This"

The female official, Hui Qi, hesitated somewhat.

"As I said originally, they won't make a fuss."

Liàn Yī directly waved his hand.

"Yes, my lady. I shall go and deliver the Empress' decree at once."

Huiqi took a step back and ran to convey Lianri's meaning.

After returning to her bedroom from the Xuanzheng Hall, Lianyi instructed the maids to bathe and dress her. When she sat before the dressing mirror, Lanxin, the female official, came to report:

"Your Majesty, the Emperor is awaiting you outside your chamber."

"Tell him to go back and say that I am weary today and wish to be in solitude for a while."

Rill looked at the haggard original owner in the mirror, sighing in her heart. No wonder their obsession was so heavy, resentment even affected the operation of this small world.

The original owner in the mirror had wrinkles at the corners of her lips and eyes, severe dark circles, deep nasolabial folds, her skin was spotted and yellowed, requiring a thick layer of powder to cover it up, and half of her hair was already white.

At first glance, it was obvious that her premature aging was caused by overexertion. She was highly susceptible to death from exhaustion, and coupled with the nutritious concoctions prepared by her beloved daughters, it led to her collapsing during a council meeting in Xuanzheng Hall shortly before. Fortunately, the imperial physician possessed some skill and managed to revive her. Even so, this incident significantly depleted her vitality.

Also because the original owner fainted, the court began to clamor for establishing the crown princess. As contenders for this position, all three princesses came into the spotlight. This is a crucial moment for choosing sides.

To choose the right side means a lifetime of wealth and glory, while choosing the wrong side means eternal ruin. Ambitious courtiers will naturally take a gamble, as will those who are fence-sitters. There is also a group of staunch moderates who remain neutral, pledging allegiance only to the heir chosen by the Empress. These people naturally seek stability.

Now all three princesses are of marriageable age, and they have all left the palace to establish their own households, married husbands, and even have two or three children. Of these, the youngest princess is just sixteen years old. Although she is already married, she has not yet given birth to a daughter or son.

It is precisely because of this that the Third Princess dared to declare on the court that she would not participate in the competition for the position of crown princess. This was also a way to make her intentions clear to the officials, after all, she was neither the eldest daughter nor a legitimate daughter, and she had no children. She lacked the basic prerequisites for competing.

The ripples brushed her own long hair, she almost sighed. This body was really pathetic. If it wasn't for her arrival, she would have exhausted herself to death in at most three or five years.

At this time, a female attendant ignited incense in a bronze brazier shaped like a phoenix soaring through the nine heavens. The light and elegant fragrance emanating from the brazier caused Lian Ri to frown and coldly state:

"The incense is gone, and I smell a headache!"

Let me know if you have any other text you'd like translated!

"Yes!"

The female attendant, seemingly frightened, immediately called for two female officials and carried the incense burner out.

And at this time, Lanxin, the female officer, also walked in carrying a food box and respectfully said to Lianyi:

“Your Majesty, this soup is from the Emperor. He asked me to bring it to you and urged you to drink more of it for your health. He says that the children's affairs will take care of themselves.”

He certainly knows how to be a good person.

Ripple said lightly.

He immediately waved his hand, dismissing all the female attendants in the imperial chambers, leaving only Huìqì and Lánxīn, his two most trusted female officials.

The two female attendants had grown up beside Empress Wu Lianyi since they were young. They grew up together and were also trained to be the empress's trusted assistants. There are some things she would not shy away from telling them.

"I've been poisoned, which is why my body has grown weaker."

"What!"

How could this be

Two gasps of surprise rang out simultaneously. Yuan Chongming was the first to speak:I wonder what Captain Song thinks we're here for"Indeed, there's something I need your help with."As soon as he said that, Lian Yi raised her eyes to look at him...