The Female Psychology PhD Who Time Traveled to the Royal Harem

She would not keep Xi Que in the palace for her entire life just because she needed a confidant.

The square palace walls had trapped the youth of so many women, and she hoped... at least those around her could find happiness.

Xi Que cried even harder: "Your Majesty... Your Majesty... I... I can't bear to leave you, wuwuwu..."

"I can't bear to part with you either," Jiang Xinyue pinched her chubby little cheeks. "But all banquets must come to an end, Xi Que. You've accompanied me this far, and I am already deeply grateful."

The road ahead would only be more difficult and dangerous than being a concubine, a hundred times more treacherous. Xi Que was too pure-hearted and not suited to stay by her side any longer.

She was too straightforward, and it would be easy for someone to harm her. Jiang Xinyue feared that in the future, she would be too busy with state affairs to protect Xi Que with the same care.

If Xi Que were to lose her life because of this, Jiang Xinyue would carry the guilt forever.

"If you don't make a decision soon, Guard Meng is going to die of anxiety."

Xi Que blushed, wiping her tears as she sniffled: "This servant... this servant will follow Your Majesty's arrangement."

Jiang Xinyue smiled and nodded: "Then let's set it for the end of the year! There are many auspicious days then, and I will have just finished my postpartum recovery. You can also help me take care of the Seventh Prince until he's a month old."

Wet Nurse Lu was originally supposed to leave the palace, as the Crown Prince had already been weaned and was under the care of Nanny Xiang. However, with Jiang Xinyue's pregnancy, she couldn't leave after all. Wet Nurse Lu was promoted to Nanny Lü and assigned to the Seventh Prince.

As for the Seventh Prince's wet nurses, the Emperor had already arranged several, and they were now residing in Kunning Palace, being instructed by Nanny Xiang and Nanny Lü on the necessary precautions and etiquette.

Late at night—

A narrow gap opened in the side gate of Kunning Palace, and a slender figure cloaked in black emerged from the darkness. The woman in her twenties was startled: "You scared me! Why did you call me out? The rules in Kunning Palace are strict. Hurry up and say what you need to; I have to go back soon."

"Take this..."

"What is it?"

"After the Empress gives birth, find a way to put this in her food. It will make her bleed to death without anyone noticing."

"What? Are you out of your mind? You called me out to plot against the Empress?"

"I sent word for you to enter the palace to help me. It's too late to back out now. If the Emperor finds out about our connection, do you think you'll leave the palace alive?"

"You... you only said the Empress needed wet nurses. How was I supposed to know..."

"But my brother knew, and he still sent you. Don't you understand what he meant?"

The woman's face turned red with panic: "You... I... I'm really going to be ruined by you."

The shadowy figure pressed the small bottle into the woman's hand: "Only if the Empress dies will I have a chance to rise. And if I rise, your children will have a bright future, won't they?"

The woman, with her dignified appearance, gritted her teeth and took the bottle, tucking it into her robes: "The greater the risk, the greater the reward. I'll trust you one more time. But if something happens to me, you must take care of my children."

The sound of orderly footsteps from the patrolling guards approached, and the figure in the black cloak retreated into the shadows: "Sister-in-law, once this succeeds, your status will be beyond measure."

The woman had just closed the back gate and taken two steps when a night-patrolling eunuch from Kunning Palace spotted her: "What are you doing there?"

Shang Hong was startled but quickly composed herself: "Eunuch, I... I'm a new wet nurse who arrived today. I needed to use the restroom but got lost. I'm about to burst. Could you please show me the way?"

...n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Father, hold me! Hahaha... Father, higher! Higher!"

In Kunning Palace, the Emperor was playing with the Crown Prince, lifting him high into the air. Tang Shiliang led a few eunuchs carrying tall stacks of memorials into the room: "Your Majesty, these are..."

"Just leave them there," the Emperor waved his hand before Tang Shiliang could finish. "The Empress is inside. Give them to her."

In front of outsiders, the Emperor referred to Jiang Xinyue as the Empress, but among his close attendants, he still called her the Empress.

In his heart, Jiang Xinyue had always been his one and only Empress.

"Father, Mother is tired."

The Emperor kissed the Crown Prince: "Your mother has been so absorbed in reviewing memorials lately that she hasn't had time for me. You little ingrate, I play with you every day, and you're worried about your mother being tired. Why don't you worry about me?"

The Crown Prince giggled, dodging the Emperor's kisses: "Go see Mother, go see Mother..."

"Xiazhi, sort the memorials by urgency for me."

"Qiuhe, distribute the ones I've already reviewed. Let's finish today's work today and speed things up."

"Dongxue, put the memorials from Qinzhou on the far right. There are some matters I need to discuss with the Emperor before making a decision."

"Chunfen, throw all the memorials that criticize or insult me into the brazier. These pedantic officials, always quick with their pens but slow to act."

Their insults were endless.

Things like "a hen crowing at dawn brings ruin to the household" or "a wicked Empress ruling the country brings disaster to the people."

As if the world would collapse if a woman took charge, as if Great Yan would fall.

Yet Consort Shu had trained a large number of skilled perfumers among the palace maids, and these women had played a significant role in the women's academy established by the Bureau of Palace Affairs, attracting a great deal of talent.

The imperial kitchens were no longer a male-dominated domain either, with more and more talented female chefs crafting delicious dishes.

Zhang Xiuzhu, a palace maid who entered the palace in March, had become a master chef in just half a year, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with her mentor, Chief Steward Gao.

"Mother... Mother..."

A soft, tiny touch brushed against her leg. Jiang Xinyue looked down to see a little ball of a child clinging to her legs, his small hands wrapped around her calves and his tiny feet hooked onto her. His grape-like eyes blinked up at her: "Mother, your eyes hurt? Let me blow on them, hoo hoo~ hoo hoo~"

Jiang Xinyue lifted the little one onto her lap: "How did my little treasure get in here? Where's Father?"

"Knock knock!"

The door to the study in Kunning Palace creaked open, and the Emperor's head peeked in, a few strands of hair sticking up where the little one had grabbed them.

Where was the dignity of the Son of Heaven?

He looked more like an ordinary father and husband.

Jiang Xinyue couldn't help but laugh, and her attendants, Chunfen, Xiazhi, Qiuhe, and Dongxue, discreetly lowered their heads and withdrew.

"Does Xinyue no longer need me and our little one, now that she has her memorials to keep her company?"

He sounded a bit like the Emperor of old, who had once been so absorbed in his work that he forgot to eat or sleep.

Jiang Xinyue set the little one on the table and wrapped her arms around the Emperor's neck: "How could that be? Your Majesty is my sky. Everything I have today is because of Your Majesty's favor. There's still so much I don't understand. How could I not need you?"