Transmigration: The Main Character is Not Becoming the Cannon Fodder!-Chapter 355 - 21: Her Highness the Princess (21)

Prince An Yi glanced at the Princess Consort, with a hint of a smile in his eyes. The Princess Consort was not from an influential family, her background was not high, but after they got married, Prince An Yi thought about how it wasn’t easy for the Princess Consort and respected her greatly.

Aside from the two concubines originally bestowed by his father, the Emperor, there were no other women in the rear courtyard.

"Xin’er, don’t worry. His Majesty summoned me to the palace to abdicate and pass the throne to me."

An Xin was completely stunned, her mouth slightly open, somewhat incredulous.

Prince An Yi smiled bitterly. When His Majesty told him, he too was incredulous, but His Majesty made it very clear. She no longer wanted to be trapped in political affairs and only wanted to live a peaceful life. After abdicating, she planned to live in the Summer Palace outside the Imperial City. She said she trusted his character, so she summoned him back.

Prince An Yi had no ambition; he didn’t want to be Emperor. However, seeing His Majesty’s pleading eyes, he felt compassionate.

Three months later, Li Shuning passed the throne to Prince An Yi.

The ministers didn’t oppose much. They already felt somewhat strange about a woman being Emperor.

Regarding Prince An Yi’s character, they had all heard about it before. Soon after, Prince An Yi ascended to the throne, and Li Shuning took her usual entourage to the Summer Palace.

Prince An Yi deeply understood that becoming Emperor was due to Li Shuning’s efforts, so he paid special attention to her matters.

Li Shuning never had a husband. After the Emperor inquired, he knew Li Shuning was unwilling to marry, and he felt a bit of pity for this sister, naturally allowing her to do as she pleased without giving her a hard time.

He had heard about the matter with Prince Lian and feared that Sixth Sister had been hurt.

After Li Shuning moved to the Summer Palace, many noble ladies came to act as matchmakers for her, disturbing her life. Thereafter, the Emperor declared that no one should disturb her again.

However, during the summer, the Emperor would take the Empress and their legitimate children to the Summer Palace to accompany Li Shuning.

Li Shuning was particularly powerless against children.

Especially the Empress’s youngest daughter, now only three years old, whom she liked the most.

The little girl always liked to run to Li Shuning, sweetly hugging her, kissing her face, leaving Li Shuning completely defenseless.

With the Little Princess’s company, Li Shuning even put her cultivation aside.

The Emperor, seeing that Li Shuning liked the Little Princess, privately discussed it with the Empress.

"Xin’er, our Imperial Sister has had a hard life since childhood. The actions of mother consort and Fifth Sister towards Sixth Sister caused significant harm. I see that our Imperial Sister likes Zhao Zhao. Why not let Zhao Zhao stay with our Imperial Sister? This way she won’t be lonely here."

The Emperor’s harem only had about five or six people. The Empress knew that the Emperor was content with having only a few concubines. He didn’t expand the harem because he had no such desire. Though ministers had objections, the Emperor resisted the pressure, and Sixth Princess had also contributed. Although she lived secluded in the Summer Palace, she still held some influence in the court.

In the past, the Emperor spent most of his time on political affairs, and when he wasn’t, he was mostly with the Empress, rarely visiting the palaces of his concubines.

The Empress knew she had to reciprocate the Emperor’s favors, so she agreed to his proposal.

However, deep down, the Empress was a bit unwilling. This was her daughter, living well in the palace with the honor of a Princess. Why send her to the Summer Palace to suffer?

There was a struggle on the Empress’s face, and she hesitated to speak.

The Emperor noticed and felt somewhat disappointed.

Still, he didn’t say much.

Returning to the palace, he sent the daughter of another concubine to the Summer Palace.

At that time, the Empress even mocked Princess Consort Ping. Some people sought favor, even abandoning their children, yet several months later, she couldn’t laugh anymore.

After the Emperor talked with Princess Consort Ping, Ping’s child was only two and a half years old, but Ping agreed without hesitation.

Princess Consort Ping reasoned well. She didn’t know what was best for the child, and she was reluctant to part with her—after all, her child was her own flesh and blood—but she believed that someone of Sixth Princess’ caliber could definitely nurture her child well. For the child, this was a rare honor and the best opportunity.

Moreover, as the Emperor said, it was simply to have the child accompany Sixth Princess. He would still take her to visit, so what was there to worry about?

What Princess Consort Ping didn’t say was that she had two children, and after her son turned four, he went to live at the Glazed Courtyard, with dedicated teachers and nannies for education. She had no say over her son’s matters. Her daughter was with her, but the harem was a battlefield. Her daughter was once schemed against and almost lost her life.

Sending her away might be better; at least her daughter would be safe.

Where there’s women, there’s strife in the harem. With higher status comes different plans.

The Empress came from a lower background. Though the Emperor rewarded her family, he didn’t promote them. Her family had complaints, occasionally sending letters asking her to speak to the Emperor about it.

The Emperor had his bottom line. The first time he refused the Empress, he made his stance clear. Yet, the Empress kept bringing it up, leading to disappointment from the Emperor.

The issue with the child added to the change in his perception of the Empress.

The Empress’s personality changed as well.

She was his first wife. When he was still a Prince and she was the Princess Consort, she did nothing against the two concubines. But after becoming Empress, she frequently targeted other women in the harem, even involving their children, which displeased the Emperor.

Thus, the Emperor often visited Princess Consort Ping.

The Empress thought it was because of the child that the Emperor visited Ping.

When Ping became pregnant again, the Empress regretted it even more.

During this time, Li Shuning enjoyed her days, accompanied by little buns (children), unaffected even when she practiced cultivation, allowing her to experience life with children in advance.

Li Shuning was attended by many servants, and having the advantage of modern childcare knowledge, in just a few months, the previously weak Little Princess grew plump and fair.

In the fifth month after Li Shuning took charge of the child, the Emperor also sent Princess Consort Ping there.

As it turned out, Ping was almost miscarried due to someone’s scheme.

The Emperor, enraged, conducted a thorough investigation of the harem. With only so few people, it was obvious who the culprit was—the Empress was thoroughly despised by the Emperor.

However, the Emperor was unwilling to depose the Empress. After all, reaching this point, he too bore some responsibility, so he sent Princess Consort Ping to the Summer Palace, asking Li Shuning for assistance.

After some thought, Li Shuning agreed and even allocated some members of the Dark Department to the Emperor.

Knowing these were the Emperor’s specially trained dark agents over the generations, the Emperor felt some gratitude.

He certainly trusted Sixth Princess.

After all, without her, he wouldn’t have gained the throne.