The emperor's only solace now was indulging in the company of countless beauties.
As long as he reveled in the daily pleasures of the harem, the Lord State Duke seemed indifferent to his activities. Even neglecting to lavish attention on the empress wouldn't draw censure from Lord State Duke.
His Empress, the eldest daughter of the Public House, surpassed his mother in intelligence but still fell slightly short of the Empress Dowager. Unfazed by the emperor's cold demeanor, she focused her protective instincts solely on the emperor's eldest son.
The emperor held a starkly different sentiment. He harbored a genuine desire to quash his eldest son, fueled by the Lord State Duke's threat to eliminate him for disobedience. The chilling prospect loomed of his two-year-old heir ascending to the throne, with Lord State Duke assuming the role of Regent.
The future seemed grimly predetermined.
