Gu Chaobei squinted at Shen Hanlu. Beside him, Prime Minister Gu and Scholar Fu’s expressions both changed.

“What… what does this mean?”

Shen Hanlu looked at several important court officials and said with great solemnity, gripping her hands, “Last night, an immortal entered my dreams, saying that because our dynasty’s Empress position has remained vacant, yin and yang are imbalanced, which will lead to great drought across the land. Therefore, these eight characters were bestowed, asking His Majesty to consider them.”

Grand Empress Dowager Nian looked at those characters and muttered quietly, “Do immortals also write so ugly?”

Shen Guiyan frowned. Was Shen Hanlu telling the Emperor to establish an Empress? But she had already left the palace to become High Priestess. What did establishing an Empress have to do with her? Why did she need to meddle like this? Looking at the Emperor’s expression, it was clear this wasn’t the Emperor’s intention. Who gave her the courage to say such things in front of everyone?

Scholar Fu, hearing this, turned to the Emperor and said, “Your Majesty, the words of heaven and man cannot be ignored. Moreover, the Empress position has indeed been vacant for a long time. Why not heed this advice?”

Prime Minister Gu also nodded slightly. “Establishing an Empress is not a bad thing—it can also stabilize the people’s hearts. However, what does this ‘benevolent one’ mean?”

Shen Hanlu raised her head to explain. “As Empress, all under heaven turn to her with benevolence and kindness. The immortal said that in establishing an Empress, you cannot look at the Emperor’s wishes but must look at the common people’s wishes. Whomever the people choose is the one ordained by heaven.”

Gu Chaobei’s brows furrowed even tighter. Shen Hanlu had always been under his control and wouldn’t speak recklessly. Who had seized control of his puppet strings today and made this person dig a pit for him?

Establishing an Empress—the Empress was the nation’s mother, and in this dynasty was even more important than the Prime Minister. Why could Empress Wen easily interfere in government affairs back then? It was because the Empress could receive court officials at any time and could freely enter and exit the imperial palace. Now Shen Hanlu was saying the common people should choose the Empress?

What kind of joke was this? The common people were ignorant. Give them some silver and they would readily help spread nonsense. Where was the reliance on the people’s choice? This was clearly buying it with each family’s wealth!

The Wen family had no one left, but there was still Imperial Concubine Fu from Grand Empress Dowager Wen’s faction. These people wanted to use heaven’s will to bypass him directly and make Fu Youyi Empress.

Narrowing his eyes, Gu Chaobei looked at Shen Hanlu, his gaze sharp as arrows. “The High Priestess truly has a direct line to heaven.”

Shen Hanlu felt a chill down her back and stepped back guiltily. It wasn’t her fault! She had no benefits from Gu Chaobei’s side and no security guarantee. National Uncle Wen had formidable military forces—crushing her would be like crushing a baby chick. She had no choice but to bow her head.

“Since that’s the case, then let it be decided thus.” Gu Chaobei closed his eyes. “Over the past half year, north of the Yellow River indeed hasn’t had rain. If establishing an Empress can bring favorable weather to our dynasty, then we shall establish one. However, the specific matters must still be discussed by Prime Minister Gu and Scholar Fu—how to have the people choose fairly.”

“Yes.” Both Prime Minister Gu and Scholar Fu acknowledged.

The rear palace was about to become lively. Shen Guiyan smiled lightly. Establishing an Empress was being done like a beauty pageant, with the common people choosing no less. Shen Hanlu’s thinking was truly strange.

But regardless of how the people would actually choose, the temporary harmony in the rear palace was probably gone. Everyone had a chance to sit in that Empress position, so naturally they should all guard against each other.

Having finished speaking, Shen Hanlu gathered her things and prepared to leave the palace. The Emperor had just wanted to stop her when a trusted subordinate of National Uncle Wen came to intercept. “Your Majesty, this subject still has matters to report.”

Looking at Shen Hanlu’s retreating figure, Gu Chaobei snorted lightly.

Upon learning this news, the six palaces first fell silent for a good while, then Consort Hua came to find Shen Guiyan. “Your Ladyship, that High Priestess is clearly speaking on behalf of Imperial Concubine Fu. If we rely on the people’s choice, how would the common people know who’s suitable to be Empress? Won’t it just come down to buying them with wealth? In such a comparison, who can match the financial power of the Wen and Fu families?”

Shen Guiyan reclined on the soft couch. “This palace knows.”

You know yet you’re still so leisurely? Consort Hua truly felt the frustration of disappointed expectations. “Even if it were according to His Majesty’s wishes and Your Ladyship were made Empress, this subject wouldn’t react so strongly. But to have to watch helplessly as Imperial Concubine Fu uses improper means to rise to power—how can this subject be willing?”

Shen Guiyan glanced at her. “What can unwillingness do? Consort Hua, don’t burden yourself with such deep sins.”

Sins? Consort Hua laughed coldly. She wasn’t afraid of any sins. From the moment she entered Zuihua Yin, her sins could never be washed clean.

“Does Your Ladyship still not want to compete?” Consort Hua looked at her and asked seriously.

Shen Guiyan shook her head without the slightest hesitation. “Leave it to fate.”

Consort Hua angrily stood up with a flick of her sleeve, saying with slight anger, “With Your Ladyship doing nothing like this, pies won’t fall from the sky!”

With that, she turned and left.

Baoshan watched Consort Hua’s retreating figure and couldn’t help but sigh. “Consort Hua is so fierce.”

Shen Guiyan smiled. Whether or not she would take action was one thing; whether she would tell Consort Hua was another matter entirely. She also wanted the Empress position. Only by ascending to that position would she have enough strength to protect herself and be able to do what she had always wanted to do.

How could she not compete?

“Baoshan, have Zhuiyun invite Scholar Zhou from the capital academy into the palace for this palace.”

“Yes.”

Gu Chaobei sat behind his desk. Yuwen Changqing frowned. “You shouldn’t have trusted Shen Hanlu. A fence-sitter like that woman—did you really expect her to keep working for you? The High Priestess’s words are even more effective than yours, yet you gave her the power to spout nonsense.”

“That power can be taken back now,” the Emperor said softly.

“How will you take it back?” Yuwen Changqing snorted coldly. “Do you think the High Priestess is some village official? If you order her position revoked now, wouldn’t that mean everything you had her do before was fraud, and all your enemies were eliminated by Your Majesty’s orders? Wouldn’t the realm be thrown into chaos?”

Gu Chaobei snorted twice. “Do you think I’m that stupid? From the moment I elevated her to power, I already had plans to pull her down. Do you think I would repeat Grand Empress Dowager Wen’s mistakes? It’s just that I need to wait a few more days. I still want to use her mouth to deal with a few more people.”

Yuwen Changqing said, “Then regarding the matter of establishing an Empress, you’ll just let them run wild?”

“If they enjoy distributing silver to the people of Chang’an, I won’t stop them.” Gu Chaobei’s eyes were dark and fathomless. “Let’s wait and see the results.”

Imperial Concubine Fu had originally been so frightened by the High Priestess’s words that she fell gravely ill. Scholar Fu made time to enter the palace once, and Fu Youyi’s illness miraculously recovered. Moreover, she was radiant, walking about the palace like brilliant spring sunshine.

“Indeed, nothing in this world is absolutely impossible.” Imperial Concubine Fu looked at Consort Hua and smiled. “Don’t you agree, elder sister?”

“Mm.” Consort Hua responded to her coolly.

“This concubine has been ill for so long, and only now thought to ask elder sister—regarding Concubine He’s drowning death, how has elder sister’s investigation progressed?” Imperial Concubine Fu said. “Matters of the rear palace are under your management. You must give this concubine an explanation. Was it truly death by heavenly punishment?”

“She drowned by accident.” Consort Hua turned her head to look at her. “It should have been caused by heavenly punishment.”