Reborn as the Crippled King's Beloved
Chapter 458 She Can’t Stand Seeing Our Marital Bliss

Chapter 458: Chapter 458 She Can’t Stand Seeing Our Marital Bliss

"As the Empress, you must deeply understand the greater good, think of the entire nation, of the Imperial Family, not just full of love and affection! You are clinging to Yanyan all day, and can’t have more children with him. If one day the Crown Prince meets with an accident, if he were to... pass away..."

"Stop talking!"

The voice of Consort Dowager Qi was coldly interrupted by Jun Yuyan at the entrance, he strode in, his towering figure looking down at Consort Dowager Qi.

"So, you are actually looking forward to an accident befalling my child?"

"No, I was just supposing... Yanyan, don’t misunderstand..." Consort Dowager Qi hurried to explain, her complexion turning white in waves.

Murong Jiu’s face had already darkened.

Even if Jun Yuyan hadn’t come, she would have interrupted Consort Dowager Qi. She had lost her two children in her previous life, and the heart-wrenching pain was something she didn’t want to experience again.

Even if Consort Dowager Qi was just supposing, such supposition had already crossed the bottom line in her heart.

"Consort Dowager Qi, Zhijin and Zhiyu are your own grandchildren."

"Of course I know! I’m thinking of your good, and of the whole Great Yan, so I misspoke for a moment. Do you need to interrogate me like this?"

Consort Dowager Qi was beyond irritated, believing they were making a mountain out of a molehill.

Moreover, she felt there was nothing wrong with what she said.

Was there ever an Emperor with only one son?

If the Crown Prince became sick or had an accident, wouldn’t Great Yan have no successor?

Of course, she didn’t wish for anything to happen to the Crown Prince; he was her beloved grandson. But she also wanted her descendants to be plentiful so there wouldn’t be a lack of choices in the future.

She had her own selfish reasons too; she simply didn’t want to see Murong Jiu so complacent. Since ancient times, no dynasty’s emperor had only one wife. Who didn’t have a myriad of wives and concubines, a harem of three thousand? Why should Murong Jiu be any different?

She hoped more women would enter the palace, diverting Murong Jiu’s affection, ideally someone of equal status to Murong Jiu who could compete with her, stand against her in the harem, so Murong Jiu wouldn’t be so arrogant anymore.

"If that’s your thought, then you shouldn’t bother visiting Zhijin and Zhiyu again."

Jun Yuyan left these cold words behind, took Murong Jiu by the hand, and led her away.

He didn’t want to argue with Consort Dowager Qi, nor was there any need to.

Once outside the hall, he said to someone, "Consort Dowager Qi is feeling unwell, let her recuperate well in the hall. Without my permission, she is not allowed to step out of this palace."

"You dare!"

Consort Dowager Qi chased out, her eyes nearly bursting with rage as she pointed at Murong Jiu:

"For the sake of this woman, you dare to confine me! I carried you for ten months and gave birth to you with great difficulty. We, mother and son, are the closest. Everything I’ve done is for your sake. Yet now that you’re Emperor, you treat me this way!"

"You don’t need to feel wronged. What’s in your heart, you know best yourself."

Jun Yuyan’s gaze was cold and piercing, as if he could see through everything, making Consort Dowager Qi’s ulterior motives utterly exposed.

Consort Dowager Qi felt both guilty and furious. Even if she had her petty thoughts, overall, she was thinking of the future of the Great Yan Imperial Family. What was wrong with that?

She pointed at Murong Jiu, furiously saying, "Murong Jiu! If you want Yanyan to become an Emperor who is neither loyal nor filial, you are nothing but a calamitous empress!"

"What kind of person I am, the world sees clearer than you."

Murong Jiu looked at her expressionlessly.

Jun Yuyan took Murong Jiu’s hand and turned around to leave directly.

Consort Qi was left behind, fuming and exasperated, blocked at the door by the palace maids and eunuchs, not allowed to pass through that gate.

"Ah Jiu, I’m sorry."

Murong Jiu looked up at him, "You needn’t apologize to me, I am neither gold nor silver, how can I expect everyone to like me?"

"But the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law matters a lot to the husband, it’s something I should have faced myself. In the end, it’s my problem that led her to misunderstand you so greatly."

"I am glad that you think this way, but the bad blood between your mother and me is not entirely your fault. As a woman, I understand from where her discontent stems. She was favored in her early years, enjoying every splendor and wealth, but to suddenly discover that she was nothing more than a human shield for Consort Jing to protect the late emperor, her mentality was bound to change significantly. Now seeing the love between you and me, it’s natural for her to feel bitter."

Jun Yuyan frowned and said in a cold voice, "Still, it is a consequence of her own doing, and I have no pity for her."

Indeed, though Consort Dowager Qi may evoke a degree of pity, she could not distinguish between genuine affection and superficiality, and not only hurt her own son in her attempts to secure favor but also heartlessly terminated her twins in the womb, becoming what she is now due to her own actions.

If she had had a change of heart, it would have been another matter, but relying on her status as the mother of the new Emperor, she even tried to meddle in Jun Yuyan’s harem, all under the pretext of his welfare. This is truly nauseating, like a fishbone stuck in the throat.

"If she asks you to come over again, just have someone inform me, and I will personally see her. After a few more encounters, she won’t trouble you any longer."

Jun Yuyan said to her tenderly.

Murong Jiu gave a light smile, knowing with his support behind her, she no longer needed to worry about improving the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationship.

In fact, prior to today, she had considered easing the tension, as the world views conflicts between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law as a shared fault, and it wouldn’t be comfortable for Jun Yuyan being caught in the middle.

But the words spoken by Consort Dowager Qi about the premature death touched upon Murong Jiu’s sore spot.

She didn’t wish to bother with it any longer and would wait until Consort Dowager Qi saw reason and repented before considering the future.

Moreover, she and Jun Yuyan had too many matters to tend to, not sparing much thought for Consort Dowager Qi.

Jun Yuyan was not only a competent husband but also a qualified Emperor.

Without outdated beliefs, he didn’t think women should be excluded from state affairs. On the contrary, he would share all matters of court with Murong Jiu, and for some tough decisions, he would even ask for her advice.

As Empress, Murong Jiu’s realm was not confined to the inner palace but extended to the imperial court as well.

The medical halls, Medical College, and the honorarium-exempt schools were all managed by Murong Jiu.

After leaving Consort Dowager Qi’s place, the couple went out of the palace together.

"I’m planning to let Hong Yi manage the school affairs in the future, she has learned almost everything by my side."

"That is very good, then you can also free some energy to do other things you wish to do."

The Emperor and Empress then set out incognito in an inconspicuous carriage that stopped in front of the school.

No sooner had they alighted from the carriage than they heard a brash voice, "No matter how well you study, you will still have to slave for us nobles in the future, never dreaming of achieving scholarly honor."

The voice belonged to a teenager going through a voice change, sounding as harsh as a duck’s quack.

He was speaking to two students outside the school, dressed in coarse clothes.

Jun Yuyan’s expression darkened.

Murong Jiu said, "That’s Young Master Liu from the Hanlin Academy’s Controller Liu’s household."

She almost recognized every court official’s wife and child, some from banquets and others she had treated medically.

Speaking of Young Master Liu, he once sought a diet recipe from her because he was too portly. Her recipe was very effective, and in just over half a year, Young Master Liu had slimmed down considerably.

But this imperious attitude clearly revealed he wasn’t up to much good.