Chapter 61: Boss Yuan Is a Great Philanthropist

After settling on offering the daughter of the Zhen family as a gift to the Emperor, Yuan Shao swiftly spread word throughout the land and encouraged others to do the same.

Once this news circulated, all rumors previously circulating vanished without a trace, as if they had never existed at all.

In contrast, everywhere people spoke of Yuan Shao’s loyalty to his ruler and how he went to great lengths to seek out someone fated to become empress for the Emperor, thus filling the void left by the late Empress Dowager.

Liu Xie only learned about these events after receiving notice from Ju Shou.

“Are you telling me I must marry that Zhen Mi?” Liu Xie asked, shocked. Wasn’t it supposed to be one of Yuan Shao’s sons marrying her? Why did it now fall upon him?

“It is not marriage but concubinage,” Ju Shou corrected Liu Xie’s mistake. “As Your Majesty, your current status allows you to take additional wives.”

“Zhen Mi comes from a prestigious clan; she is the daughter of Zhongshan’s Zhen family, exceptionally beautiful, and even rumored to have been born with a phoenix destiny, making her the ideal candidate to enter the Imperial harem.”

“So my lord has already ordered the Zhen family to offer Zhen Mi.”

Ju Shou was also surprised by this outcome; it had not been what he expected at all.

Without his imperial status, Liu Xie wouldn’t have even been able to lay eyes on Zhen Mi, let alone approach her, much less marry her. Yet now, through a series of fortunate coincidences, he’d managed to win her favor.

As Ju Shou contemplated this, he couldn’t help but glance at the excited Liu Xie and warn him, “Once Zhen Mi enters the imperial palace, Your Majesty must be more careful.”

“Don’t let her discover your true identity.”

This was why Ju Shou had come today—to remind Liu Xie to remain cautious.

After all, his claim to the throne was fraudulent.

Liu Xie nodded repeatedly, smiling broadly. “Rest assured, my dear subject, we shall never reveal any weaknesses… I wonder when this beauty will arrive?”

His face betrayed his lustful thoughts.

Ju Shou frowned slightly at the sight, though he kept his distaste to himself, only saying, “Within a month, I leave.”

Then he turned around and left without another word.

Liu Xie only relaxed his expression after Ju Shou’s figure had disappeared from sight. He stroked his chin thoughtfully, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

Any man would be overjoyed to take the legendary Luo River Goddess as his wife, but now that there was another Zhen Mi within the palace, Liu Xie would have to be more cautious going forward and could no longer act so carefree as before. On top of that, he must remain vigilant lest his false identity be discovered.

As for why such a fortunate event had fallen upon him, Liu Xie had a fairly good guess—it was undoubtedly the work of Guo Jia.

In the previous timeline, Zhen Mi’s first husband was Yuan Xi, which is how things were progressing until the rumor suddenly took off, leading directly to her entrance into Liu Xie’s harem.

If it wasn’t for Guo Jia pulling the strings behind the scenes, Liu Xie wouldn’t believe any of this was coincidence.

After all, Boss Yuan was also quite benevolent.

“Doesn’t this mean I’ve essentially taken the Zhongshan Zhen Clan hostage? Will the Zhen family become my allies?” Liu Xie thought, eagerly anticipating Guo Jia’s visit to discuss these matters further.

Zhongshan, Xuwu County.

The Imperial decree announcing the Emperor’s intention to take a concubine was promptly delivered by Yuan Shao’s men upon its release, commanding the Zhen family to send Zhen Mi to Ye-cheng within a month.

This decision naturally aimed to avoid any unforeseen complications arising from the long wait ahead.

The sudden news left both the upper and lower echelons of the Zhen household shocked, some overjoyed while others anxiously awaited their fate.

Within the main hall of the Zhen estate, Madam Zhang, the matriarch, summoned all the children aside from Zhen Mi to discuss the Emperor’s summons for her daughter.

“This is the Imperial decree sent from Ye-cheng.” Madam Zhang placed the document bearing the decree on the table, then sighed as she looked at her many children gathered there, anxiety written plainly across her face. “What should we do now?”

“Should we send Mi’er off?”

At this question, Zhen Rong, the seventh daughter, responded immediately, “Of course we must! To enter the Imperial harem is an immense honor!” Her youthful little face shone with excitement and anticipation.

Sending one’s daughter into the Imperial harem truly was a goal sought after by many aristocratic families; not only would it enrich their lineage, but their status would also rise accordingly like a ship buoyed by water.

Zhen Rong was only two years older than Zhen Mi, so entering the palace seemed like an exciting prospect to her, because the women who lived within were the most respected ladies in the world.

“Absurd!” Zhen Rong’s words were immediately met with rebuke from his fourth sister, Zhen Jiang. “The imperial harem is treacherous; it is no place for the ordinary. Moreover, our little sister lacks guile or scheming. Would you not be pushing her toward the flames by sending her there?”

Zhen Rong’s face fell after this scolding, and he stopped speaking altogether.

Then Zhen Jiang turned to Madam Zhang. “Mother, could you please not send my sister to the palace? She is too young, and if that truly proves to be an issue, then swap me out instead.”

In contrast to her sisters’ concerns, Zhen Jiang’s thoughts were simple and pure—they stemmed solely from her compassion for her younger sibling.

Madam Zhang had yet to respond when Zhen Yao, seated beside them, shook his head. “Once His Majesty has issued his decree, there is no turning back, let alone swapping your sister in for yourself—such actions would constitute treason against the Emperor.”

At these words, Zhen Jiang’s expression instantly darkened.

Seeing her distress, Zhen Tuo offered some comfort. “Jie-ge needn’t worry so much. Although the imperial harem is indeed treacherous, rumor has it that all of today’s Empress Dowager’s concubines reside at Xu County with Cao Cao, and that she possesses none within the palace walls of Yecheng itself.

“By entering the palace, our little sister will have the opportunity to accompany the Emperor’s side at all times. Given her intelligence and beauty, I am certain she will receive His Majesty’s favor above all others.”

While these words carried merit, the worry on Zhen Jiang’s face remained. In a low voice, she asked, “But…what if…the Emperor of Yecheng isn’t actually the true Emperor?”

The faces of the entire Zhen clan instantly transformed, and they fell silent together.

This was their greatest concern, even more than the treacherous waters of the imperial harem.

Cao Cao claimed that the Emperor resided at Xu County, while Yuan Shao claimed he was at Yecheng. It was impossible to tell which was true; no one knew which city held the real Emperor.

What if the man in Yecheng wasn’t the real Emperor after all?

“Ahem…”

A burst of coughs broke the silence within the hall and drew everyone’s attention.

The cougher was the second son of the Zhen family—Zhen Yan—who now held the mantle of Patriarch of the house.

Unfortunately, Zhen Yan had always been frail, so household affairs were usually handled by Madam Zhang, with Zhen Yan focusing solely on his studies.

After coughing for some time, a sickly flush appeared on Zhen Yan’s face. Only when he managed to catch his breath did he say, “Summoning my little sister to the palace is not the Emperor’s wish, but rather Yuan Shao’s.”

“Yuan Shao originally intended to have his two sons, Yuan Xi and our own Zhen family, enter into marriage, but because it was predicted that my little sister would bear the fate of a phoenix, there are rumors that Yuan Shao harbors disloyal intentions toward the throne.”

“So, Yuan Shao has turned to offering my little sister as a bride to the Emperor instead.”

“It matters not whether the Emperor in Yecheng is truly the legitimate ruler or merely a pretender—neither option allows us to refuse, since the one who truly wishes to take my little sister into the palace is Yuan Shao.”

Though Zhen Yan spent most of his time at home, he remained well-informed. He had already learned about what transpired in Yecheng, and aside from cooperating, the Zhen family had no other choice regarding Zhen Mi’s entry into the palace.