Chapter 13 The emperor stared at the back of her head, his eyes gleaming.

Chapter 13 The emperor stared at the back of her head, his eyes gleaming.

Leining sneered. If it weren't for His Majesty's order to refrain from rash actions, he would have divorced this venomous woman long ago!

He only spared her life because she had given him a daughter.

Wait a moment.

Leining looked at his second daughter's angry little face, as delicate and lovely as a porcelain doll.

But she didn't look much like him...

A terrifying suspicion formed in Leining's mind. Could it be that the child isn't his either!

However, he glanced at his eldest daughter, whose baby fat had largely faded due to less meticulous care.

Even at such a young age, one could already see the future vigor in her slightly round phoenix eyes.

Feeling her father's gaze, Lei Nian'er turned her head in confusion.

General Lei withdrew his gaze.

His eldest daughter was also beautiful. Though he was ugly, why shouldn't his daughters be lucky enough to be good-looking?

His thoughts returned, and he said solemnly, "You did wrong and now you're trying to blame others. If you think being the lady of the house brings no prestige, then don't be the lady of the house."

Lady Lei and Lei Nan'er suspected they had heard wrong.

"Father, you... what are you saying?"

Lady Lei pulled Lei Nan'er into her arms, "You scoundrel, saying these things in front of the children! How frightened will they be!"

Even if he was too angry to think clearly, Lady Lei decided that whatever Leining said, she wouldn't speak to him for a month!

Leining took Lei Nian'er by the hand and left, leaving behind a final word, "From today on, you need not manage the household anymore."

Lei Nan'er screamed in disbelief, "Father! Aren't you afraid Mother won't talk to you?"

In the past, when Mother got upset and ignored him, Father would always panic and try to appease her.

Lady Lei also waited for her daughter's words, expecting Leining to come and apologize.

She sat upright in her chair, her posture haughty.

To her surprise, General Lei sneered, "Don't want to talk to me? Fine, then stay in the main courtyard. I don't want you causing trouble elsewhere."

Lady Lei was stunned; her tried-and-true tactic was useless.

"General! How can you treat me like this!"

Seeing Leining unmoved, Lady Lei laughed bitterly in anger, "Fine, fine, then lock me up. Don't expect me to ever see you again!"

Lady Lei didn't believe she would really be confined. She couldn't be confined; if she couldn't see Leining for a long time, how could she follow her parents' instructions to lure Leining to his death?

General Lei ignored her and left with Lei Nian'er.

Lady Lei's eyes blazed with fury. She never thought Leining, that scoundrel, would dare to confine her here!

The servants of the General's residence were terrified. In the past, they all helped Second Miss bully First Miss.

They never imagined that First Miss would turn the tables, with the General personally taking her out of the main courtyard and confining Lady Lei for her sake.

The steward immediately ordered, "Quick, quickly make up for the clothes, charcoal, and other allowances that were withheld from First Miss and the concubines, and send some good items as an apology."

His son thought it unnecessary, "Father, if Lady finds out we're courting that little girl while she's out of favor, she might punish us severely once she regains the General's favor."

The steward hesitated, knowing Lady's temper was unforgiving.

His son continued, "Though we don't know why the General is so angry, couples often reconcile after arguments. Once the General calms down, he'll still have to appease Lady."

The steward found this reasonable. Lady had held sway over the Lei family for five or six years and always enjoyed the General's love and respect.

They had argued before, but the General always went to apologize humbly.

Even if First Miss temporarily gained the General's affection, she could never match Lady.

Thinking about this, the steward relaxed, "Then there's no need to do anything."

In the morning, during court, the emperor also carried Bei Jing up, to hear her thoughts and gain more information.

Fortunately, he had the decency not to wake Bei Jing, just changing her sleeping place.

When Bei Jing woke up, she heard the ministers petitioning the emperor to adopt a successor.

"Your Majesty has reached adulthood two years ago, yet you have only one daughter. For the stability of the state, please adopt a son from the imperial clan."

Bei Jing immediately rubbed her eyes and perked up.

She had heard of a historical emperor who, due to having no heir, was forced by his ministers to adopt someone else's child.

But that child, upon ascending the throne, treated the emperor's daughters poorly, and the eldest princess was even abused to death by her husband.

However, that emperor was weak, allowing the ministers to succeed.

But her stepfather was not.

Bei Jing could already foresee their impending doom.

"Ridiculous, Your Majesty is in the prime of life. Why should you consider a successor? Are you cursing the emperor to die young?"

"Of course not! It's just that the lack of a prince has left the state unstable and the court in turmoil!" the minister retorted, bowing toward the dragon throne.

"Please, Your Majesty, adopt an heir as soon as possible."

"Look at this, my handsome dad is grinding his back molars."

Hearing Bei Jing had just woken up, the emperor looked down to see her biting her finger, looking incredibly content.

He suddenly found it very irksome.

Unable to bear seeing her so happy, he really wanted to send her to school.

Bei Jing didn't know that her carefree princess life, filled with eating, drinking, and playing, was about to change because she was too relaxed while watching the drama unfold.

The people below argued incessantly, and the emperor, looking down with a lowered gaze, noted the two factions.

According to what the little one said, King Lu did not want him to have children and wished to inherit the throne himself.

So those who opposed the adoption were King Lu's men.

Those who supported the adoption and proposed candidates were clearly loyal to someone else.

After noting who belonged to which side, the emperor raised his hand slightly.

Eunuch Jiang stepped forward upon seeing this and shouted, "Silence—"

The hall fell quiet, and only then did the emperor speak.

His voice was not loud, and in the vast hall, one might miss it if they weren't listening carefully.

But no minister standing below dared to be inattentive; all were fully focused, afraid of missing a single word.

"Chancellor."

"I am here, Your Majesty."

The Chancellor was the highest-ranking official with real power.

Only a trusted confidant of the Son of Heaven could sit in this position, so the emperor was deeply disappointed in him.

"What benefits did Duke Huayuan offer you to suggest adopting his son?"

The Chancellor dared not answer, only kneeling and crying out, "I am innocent, I have always acted for Your Majesty's benefit."

The emperor didn't need an answer; it was clear that the successor would grant him favors and titles after taking the throne. The old man, having been a powerful minister for a reign, wanted his descendants to enjoy the same glory.

The emperor spoke gravely, "Considering your past service, I will give you one chance, just one."

The Chancellor was already drenched in cold sweat, but the sudden turn of events made him feel deeply grateful for the emperor's grace.

"Your subject, I thank Your Majesty!"

Seeing this, the ministers dared not discuss the adoption of an heir any further, and King Lu's faction felt relieved.

Bei Jing, observing the emperor's skillful demonstration of power, couldn't help but comment, "How devious, he never intended to demote that old man from the start, just wanted to scare everyone by making an example of him.

The Chancellor doesn't even know that the emperor never meant to harm him. Now that the sword hanging over his head has been retracted, he's probably still thanking my father for his magnanimity, and he won't dare to have such private thoughts again.

And others, seeing that even the emperor's closest confidants aren't spared, will be even more cautious about stepping into my father's minefield.

Devious, truly devious."

Bei Jing watched the court, observing the various expressions of the ministers below, unaware that the emperor was staring at the back of her head, his eyes practically glowing.