Rebirth of the Abandoned Male Empress

Chapter 4

Xiaoniao remained silent, uncertain how to react to that.

"Ayah! That's just a rumor! Can't you see that our emperor has 33 beauties in his harem, and none of them is male! Sister, you're spouting nonsense!" the third lady scolded.

'Yeah, you're spouting nonsense, Madam! There's no way that bastard would happily hold me in his arms. He'd rather see my head rolling off my body instead!' Xiaoniao thought.

Unbeknownst to him, an infant-sized egg was hidden in the bushes nearby, gazing at him with longing.

***

While people reveled in their gossip about this issue, the entire Zephyr Citadel Sect was plunged into chaos.

Sect Leader Shen faced punishment from the elders for failing to properly educate his second wife.

These sanctions were decreed by the emperor himself, leading Shen into six days of seclusion within the inner part of Windsong Plateau for introspection.

Even the elders agreed that it might be time to bestow the title of Sect Leader upon Shen Yuze. For Concubine Mengtao, this foreboded grievance. If Yuze assumed leadership, she feared he would promptly expel her from the sect along with her daughters.

She lamented her fate, unable to provide a son like Young Master Peng and Madam Peiling. Instead, she had two seemingly useless daughters who couldn't even compete for the coveted title of Sect Leader.

The elderly woman, consumed by her frustrations, vented her anger on the objects strewn across her table. Objects that bore no fault were subjected to her fury.

"Mother, please calm yourself," Xing Mei spoke with a calm demeanor as she approached her mother. She retrieved a wooden box from the floor, dusted it off, and gently placed it back in its rightful spot.

Her mother glared at her, pointing mockingly. "You! You're such a worthless child! You can't even bring me honor!"

Xing Mei merely rolled her eyes, as if disregarding her mother's words. She seated herself casually in her mother's chair.

"Have you finished venting your anger now?" she inquired casually, proceeding to instruct her attendant, Yanjin, to prepare some tea. Her mother huffed and took a seat across from her, angrily striking the table.

"Just who on earth would have an interest in kidnapping that fool and using us as scapegoats? Oh, I'll make sure to tear whoever is responsible into pieces!" Concubine Mengtao vented her frustration.

"In truth, Mother, it wasn't that difficult to determine who's at fault," Xing Mei stated, causing her mother to furrow her brow.

"What do you mean?" Madam Mengtao asked.

"If a bird wishes to fly away, it must find a way to escape the golden cage," Xing Mei said cryptically. Yanjun returned with a tray bearing two cups and a teapot. She poured the tea into both cups and handed them to the two ladies.

Concubine Mengtao furrowed her brow further, unable to grasp the meaning of her daughter's words. Unlike Xing Mei, she had never had the opportunity to study and cultivate, as her mother had worked at a brothel. Thus, Concubine Mengtao's obsession with status and power made her miss the subtleties of her daughter's words.

"What do you mean?" the older woman pressed. Xing Mei gazed directly into her mother's eyes.

"That fool kidnapped himself," she declared. Concubine Mengtao stared at her daughter, bewildered.