The young man sighed, his delicate face showing a hint of weariness. "Your Majesty, the entire palace is now abuzz, saying you took your heart's blood to please a beauty."
Xue Zining heard this and was surprised. "So fast? I thought it would take much longer."
Seeing the Empress Dowager still in the mood to joke, Hua Yunjin felt a surge of anger, his tone growing harsher and more stern. "Does Your Majesty mean it's spreading too slowly? Do you want the news to be that the Empress Dowager is infatuated with beauty and reigns incompetently?"
Xue Zining knew Hua Yunjin was thoroughly angered. She stood up, her vision suddenly blurring, her body swaying. "Yunjin..."
Hua Yunjin lunged forward and supported her. "Your Majesty, what's wrong?" he asked urgently.
A faint scent of fresh grass, from Hua Yunjin's journey, reached her nostrils. It was very refreshing.
"It's nothing, just a little dizzy." The young girl looked up, her gaze as clear and pure as a baby's.
Hua Yunjin could no longer maintain his stern demeanor, sighing softly. "Your Majesty, you must not neglect your health like this again."
The young girl gently pushed him away. "Yunjin, you know how much Grand Tutor Lin treasures his son. With such a good opportunity presenting itself now, how could I possibly let it pass?"
"There are other ways."
The young girl sighed. "There will be, but I don't know when. Therefore, I cannot let this opportunity slip away."
"Your Majesty..."
"Favoritism, in fact, is a killer move," the young girl said slowly, raising her head.
In the imperial court.
For the first time, Grand Tutor Lin did not stand to the left or right of the Regent, but obediently by the side.
Xue Wenjie's gaze was icy. Since he learned that the Empress Dowager had taken her heart's blood for Lin Yanzhi, he knew this situation would arise.
However, Grand Tutor Lin had underestimated the complexity of the matter.
"Your subject has heard that Your Majesty selected the son of Grand Tutor Lin and the son of Grand Censor Li to enter the palace yesterday. Is this true?"
Xue Zining looked up, her red lips parting slightly to reveal a smile. "As expected, nothing escapes the Regent. It is indeed true."
"Your Majesty, although it is too early for selecting consorts, the late Emperor already had one Empress and four Imperial Consorts at your age."
"Then, Regent, what exactly are you trying to say?" Xue Zining's gaze turned slightly cold.
For Xue Wenjie to bring this up, he surely had a stratagem in mind.
"If Your Majesty wishes to add to the harem, I already have an excellent candidate."
Xue Wenjie looked up, his icy gaze filled with an oppressive force that Xue Zining could not withstand.
Xue Zining's fingers, resting on the armrests of the dragon throne, clenched tightly. She could feel the carved patterns on them pricking her palms, causing a slight pain.
"Regent, I have not yet reached my coming-of-age ceremony. It is still too early to add to the harem."
Xue Wenjie stepped forward a few paces. He now faced the young girl seated on the dragon throne eye-to-eye. "Your Majesty, it is not too early."
He saw the young girl subtly biting her lower lip, her eyes filled with terror.
A mere young girl, trying to undermine him? How naive.
He straightened up, and the oppressive force emanating from him vanished. "Your Majesty, you know of my candidate."
"Who... is it?" the young girl asked.
"Yan Zhao," Xue Wenjie said, word by word.
"No."
The young girl looked up, her terrified eyes showing a struggle.
She was making one last desperate effort.
Xue Wenjie sneered and cupped his hands towards the distance. "Your Majesty, I am a minister appointed by the late Emperor to assist you. You cannot refuse this matter."