Great, it's just a lackey, we're saved!

Chapter 153 No time to pay respects?

Kunning Palace.

The Empress sat upright in the main seat, her face ashen, her whole body trembling.

"What did you say? Mei Xingyue dares not to answer me? Did she say it herself?"

The palace maid lowered her head, somewhat embarrassed, and said, "Your Majesty, it was... His Highness the Crown Prince who said it."

"His Highness also said that the goddess has descended to earth to relieve the snow disaster in the capital and has no time to see the Empress."

"If Your Majesty insists on sending the goddess, then the Crown Prince will personally come to pay his respects to Your Majesty in a little while."

Jian Xiyan's heart clenched suddenly, and her breathing became rapid.

"Yue Shan! He actually defied me again for Mei Xingyue?"

Changpei felt extremely distressed and quickly patted the Empress's back.

She also began to comfort her, saying, "Your Majesty, please don't be angry. His Highness the Crown Prince is also acting against his will. His Highness's situation is currently uncertain. Although Mei Xingyue has disobeyed the Empress, she is still helping the Crown Prince!"

The turbulent events at court these past two days have thrown Jian Xiyan into a state of utter confusion.

She never imagined that when she woke up, her son's position as crown prince would almost be in jeopardy.

As the head of the harem, Jian Xiyan was even immersed in establishing her authority as empress.

She got up early yesterday morning and was helped by Changpei to put on her auspicious clothes, waiting for Bai Xiaoxiao to come and pay her respects.

According to custom, newly appointed concubines must come to Kunning Palace to pay their respects to the Empress the following day.

Therefore, she even hinted to Changpei that if Bai Xiaoxiao came, she should say that the Empress was tired and had not yet gotten up.

Let Bai Xiaoxiao stand and wait in the snow!

So what if she's an Imperial Noble Consort? So what if she's alluring to the Emperor?

Facing the Empress, they had no choice but to grovel and submit!

Changpei was overjoyed to receive Jian Xiyan's hint, as she had just been punished by the Princess and made to kneel in the snow for an hour.

Now that the Imperial Noble Consort could taste this flavor, it was truly delightful, instantly relieving the pent-up emotions in her heart.

The thought that noble people had to suffer the same torment as these servants instantly made him feel better.

Before the appointed time arrived, Changpei eagerly awaited the arrival of the hour outside Kunning Palace.

Jian Xiyan sat inside the hall, the room temperature perfectly warmed by the charcoal fire, the faint incense bringing peace to her mind.

She held the book in her hand, flipping through it with a relaxed and contented air.

However, this tranquility and elegance did not last long. As time passed, the empress became increasingly agitated.

The book in my hand hasn't been turned in a long time.

Just as her patience was about to run out, Changpei stumbled in, looking shocked.

"Your Majesty, the Imperial Noble Consort... the Imperial Noble Consort is unable to come and pay her respects!"

Jian Xiyan frowned upon hearing this, but she maintained a calm and composed demeanor.

He spoke slowly and deliberately: "Oh? Why? She's only just been conferred the title of Imperial Noble Consort, and she's already acting arrogantly because of the Emperor's favor?"

"If that's the case, then go and inform her. I can let it go, but if the rest of the harem finds out, and it gets back to His Majesty, how will she face him?"

Jian Xiyan took a sip of tea, feeling that she had handled it perfectly.

So what if she's an Imperial Noble Consort?

If one is just one rank lower, then one is a concubine!

If Bai Xiaoxiao doesn't come today, as the Empress, I can certainly be magnanimous.

But Jian Xiyan assured that by tomorrow, the rumors of the Imperial Noble Consort disrespecting the Empress would spread throughout the court and beyond.

If she doesn't fight for it, someone else will fight for her.

This has always been the case; she's long been used to it.

Before he could even take a sip of tea, he heard Changpei's voice.

"No, Your Majesty... The Imperial Noble Consort is not being arrogant because of the Emperor's favor; it is just that today's court assembly was presided over by the Imperial Noble Consort!"

"The Imperial Noble Consort is now sitting on His Majesty's dragon throne. His Majesty has granted her the power to oversee the country and has also given her the Imperial Seal of the State."

boom--

The Empress's teacup fell to the ground, her pupils dilated violently, and her gaze toward Changpei was sharper than ever before.

"What did you say?!"

"Are you crazy, or did I mishear you?"

The power to oversee the state, the imperial seal!

Shouldn't all these things belong to the Crown Prince?

Who is Bai Xiaoxiao? Does a woman have the right to oversee the country?

A thousand vicious thoughts surged in the Queen's mind, and the mask she wore all year round was about to shatter into pieces.

After two questions, Changpei knelt down on the ground.

"Your Majesty, news has come from the Fengtian Palace that the court assembly has begun!"

The queen swayed precariously, nearly fainting. She clenched her fists so tightly that her nails almost dug into her flesh, forcing herself to stay conscious.

"It's alright, it's alright, it's just a temporary regency."

“As long as my son is still the Crown Prince, the power to oversee the country will eventually return to him.”

"His Majesty was only temporarily misled by Bai Xiaoxiao, which is why he acted so foolishly. Once he comes to his senses, he will realize that this matter is inappropriate."

"Given His Majesty's affection for me, he will not only allow the Crown Prince to oversee the country, but will also compensate me, as he always has."

Jian Xiyan kept repeating herself, trying to give herself confidence by recalling the warmth of the Great Zhou Emperor in the past.

But for some reason, she always felt uneasy.

The sense of crisis that the Great Zhou Emperor has brought her this time is greater than ever before!

This fear persisted until the end of the court session.

When news of Bai Xiaoxiao's actions at the court meeting reached the Empress's ears, her anxiety finally died.

Inside Kunning Palace, all the palace servants fell silent, not daring to even breathe.

Changpei also looked at the Empress cautiously, unsure how to comfort her.

After a long while, Jian Xiyan finally spoke, but her voice was hoarse.

"A concubine not only oversees the country and holds the Imperial Seal, but also wants to depose the Crown Prince directly in court?"

"Are all these civil and military officials dead or mute?"

"The Crown Prince is the heir apparent, the sovereign! How can these people not step forward to protect him?"

"They eat the emperor's food and then share his burdens; these people are utterly heartless!"

Hearing the Empress's hoarse voice, Changpei felt a pang of heartache, knowing that it was caused by Jian Xiyan's anger.

But now that Bai Xiaoxiao has gained power, she is no longer an ordinary concubine.

Instead, she was a concubine supported by the Great Zhou Emperor and held the power of regent!

As the regent, the imperial concubine naturally had the right to raise the issue of deposing and establishing the crown prince in court.

No matter how angry the empress was, she could not interfere in the court affairs.

She was just so unwilling to accept it; the issues she had been deliberately avoiding were now hurting her even more.

Bai Xiaoxiao, a commoner, was granted the title of Imperial Noble Consort upon entering the palace, surpassing the concubines who had served the Great Zhou Emperor for many years.

This level of favor was something Jian Xiyan had never seen in the harem before!

She still remembered that back then, the Emperor of the Great Zhou wanted to make her his empress, but he still insisted on adhering to the palace rules.

It is said that the position of Empress cannot be achieved overnight; first, she should be promoted to Consort, and then officially made Empress.

But the Great Zhou Emperor, who was so law-abiding back then, now disregards everything and bestows all his honors upon Bai Xiaoxiao.

On the surface, the Empress appeared calm and indifferent, but in the dead of night, she stared blankly at the bed curtains, silently shedding tears.

She could only be a good empress during the day by forcing herself not to think about it.

She also had to keep reassuring herself that she still had the Crown Prince!

The Crown Prince is the future emperor. Even if she can't compete with other women, as long as the Crown Prince is ambitious, she will always be superior to these women.

But now, Bai Xiaoxiao wants to depose the heir apparent, which is going to shatter her last hope.

How could she possibly tolerate this?

Just as his mind was wandering and he was feeling anxious, a message came from outside the hall.

"His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived!"