Many ministers strongly recommended themselves to enter the harem and be conferred the title of Empress, hoping to compete with The Lady for favor with their beauty and intelligence, and gradually persuade this foolish emperor to work diligently and save the country from disaster. However, no one knew what kind of sorcery The Lady had used to make the emperor so infatuated that he could no longer distinguish right from wrong. For two whole years, he had never spent a night in her Kunning Palace, nor had he ever touched her. The plan to win favor and save the emperor naturally ended without any result. She was never a woman who enjoyed vying for favor, showing off her looks, or playing political games, so she had no real regrets about such an outcome. If not for her genuine concern for her family, now that there was no one around, instead of fighting to the death, perhaps she could have even done something good for the people.

"Y-Your Majesty?" Setting aside the Empress's colorful inner thoughts, William Carter was truly startled—Your Majesty? Huh? Damn, I’ve transmigrated into the emperor?

……

Chapter 2 Empress

……

Only now did William Carter have the leisure to privately look around. This was a study decorated in an ancient yet extremely luxurious style. With only two years of post-college work experience, he could only tell that the furniture in this study seemed to be made of huanghuali wood. As for the small items on the desk, such as brush holders, they emitted a refreshing fragrance, but he had no idea what kind of wood they were made from.

Behind the huge desk hung all kinds of calligraphy and paintings, the brushwork wild and unrestrained. Some he could barely understand, while others he couldn’t recognize at all. As for a few paintings, although he couldn’t quite make them out, he could at least tell they were probably well done. The carved beams and jade pillars, the floor like a mirror. In the corners stood several bronze auspicious-beast incense burners, with clear smoke curling out from the beasts’ mouths. The whole study was filled with a subtle fragrance, making one feel refreshed and focused.

Although he didn’t really understand the arrangement of the study, he could still tell that this was not something an ordinary family could afford. And he also knew that in ancient times, imperial power was absolute. Ordinary people, even the wealthiest, would never dare to impersonate the emperor. If word got out, it would be a crime punishable by extermination of the entire clan.

"Emperor?" Once William Carter was sure, his heart began to itch with excitement. Thinking back to the recent days of desperately job hunting, enduring all those cold stares and snide remarks. Now he had transmigrated into an emperor—everyone knows, is there any job in the world better than being emperor? Eating youtiao—eat one, toss one. Drinking soy milk—drink a bowl, throw a bowl, of course. He definitely had to try what it felt like to eat dumplings in the Golden Throne Hall.

Uh, wait, I’m the emperor. How can I be so petty? How can I act like a nouveau riche? At the very least, I should drink one bowl and throw away three! And as for the imperial guards, I’d have to take a whole entourage out, and if I saw anyone I didn’t like, I’d just smack them. After all, no one can outnumber the emperor, right? Especially, if I see a beautiful woman on the street, I can even flirt with her a bit. What? Afraid of being beaten? I’m the emperor, who would I be afraid of?

Seeing William Carter’s strange smile, looking very happy, the Empress was even more terrified, because she knew this foolish emperor was bloodthirsty, and every time he killed someone, he would smile happily. Thinking of what happened today—hitting him on the head with a vase—she realized her parents and family might be implicated. The Empress immediately steeled herself, bit her lip, bent her knees, and knelt down, trembling as she said, "This was just a moment of foolishness on my part and has nothing to do with my parents. I beg Your Majesty to show mercy and spare my parents and family. I am willing to give up my position as Empress and take my own life to apologize to Your Majesty."

William Carter was still daydreaming about the perks of being emperor, never expecting this woman in front of him to pull such a move. From childhood to now, aside from beggars kneeling on the roadside, no one had ever knelt to him before—especially not a woman as stunning as a fairy. In his time, even women who were just passably good-looking would look down on everyone.

And the words that came from her rosy lips left William Carter dumbfounded—Empress? Such a noble and beautiful woman was actually the Empress? But thinking about it, it wasn’t surprising; she kept calling herself "臣妾," and since he was the emperor, she was either the Empress or a concubine. It was just that William Carter had just transmigrated and was still adjusting, so his mind hadn’t caught up yet.

Empress—didn’t that mean this great beauty was his wife? William Carter’s heart began to float with excitement. Thinking about himself, in his twenty-something years, the deepest contact he’d ever had with a girl was just holding hands. He had average education, average looks, no house, no car, no money, and in the end, not even a job. Let alone a woman as stunning as the Empress, even those who were just a little less plain would never look at him. Empress, emperor? Heh, William Carter started to daydream again—so, he could be with this peerlessly beautiful wife… Hehe, the more he thought about it, the more excited he became.