Chapter 925: The Young Empress (62)

The day after Tang Guo issued the decree, forty percent of the men in the imperial harem expressed their willingness to leave.

Because they had accepted the situation so sensibly, Tang Guo rewarded them generously. She instructed the Grand Chief Eunuch to purchase individual residences for them in the imperial capital.

How they chose to live from then on was entirely up to them. Whatever kind of life they desired, they were free to pursue it.

With the gifts bestowed by Her Majesty, anyone who wasn't wasteful and possessed even a little intelligence would never have to worry about food or clothing for the rest of their lives.

"If, in the future, you meet someone you love, you may enter the palace and seek an audience with me. I will personally arrange your marriage."

None of them had expected the Empress to be so kind.

Not only had she granted them freedom, she was even willing to oversee their future marriages.

An imperial marriage bestowed by the Empress was infinitely better than being married off casually.

And with Her Majesty's promise, even if they chose never to marry in their entire lives, no one would dare do anything to them.

"If anyone dares trouble you, you may also come to the palace."

Jing Cheng refused to be outdone.

"You can come directly to me."

He understood all too well that most of these men had been sent into the palace by their families in order to secure ties with the Empress.

Once they returned home, they would inevitably face cold looks and harsh treatment from their relatives.

Not every family in Western Saint Kingdom was like the Jing family, where boys could grow up safely and happily without discrimination.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. Thank you, Imperial Consort."

With the promises of both of them, they truly felt at ease.

Initially, they had been reluctant to leave. But once the Empress's decree had been issued, these intelligent men had realized there was no room for reversal and decisively chose to depart.

Never had they imagined that this decision would bring them such peace of mind.

To live in wealth for a lifetime, free from the control of others, with the Empress and Imperial Consort standing behind them, able to choose marriage or remain single and live freely and happily—such a life was something countless people could only dream of. It was far better than being trapped within the palace, this gilded cage.

In the end, they were still men, and deep down they longed for freedom. None of them truly wished to spend their lives confined within the small world of the harem.

Had circumstances allowed, many of them possessed hobbies and aspirations much like Jing Cheng's.

After everyone had left, Jing Cheng turned to Tang Guo.

"Guo'er won't blame me for taking matters into my own hands, will you?"

"Why would I blame you? Ah Cheng, you've thought things through more thoroughly than I have. Once these people leave the palace, they're bound to encounter all kinds of troubles. If they're mistreated by their families, then we really should intervene."

A smile bloomed across Jing Cheng's face.

"I've already gained Guo'er for myself, so I'm willing to help them."

"They've set a good example. I imagine even more people will choose to leave starting tomorrow. We should indeed treat them well."

She only had a few decades to spend in this world, and there wasn't much time left to pursue other interesting things.

The empire of Western Saint Kingdom was already firmly established. All she needed to do was protect it and pass it on to the next Empress.

Sure enough, the following day brought many more visitors seeking an audience with Tang Guo.

They all came to bid farewell.

To these sensible men, Tang Guo was equally generous, granting them residences and shops to ensure they would live comfortably for the rest of their lives.

In just five days, the once bustling harem of several dozen men had gradually emptied.

Only Jing Cheng, the Imperial Consort, and Su Qing remained.

Naturally, Jing Cheng had no intention of leaving.

As for Su Qing, his continued presence attracted much attention.

After all, before the Empress lost her memories, Su Qing had been her favorite. Now, despite everyone else's departure, he showed no intention of leaving, causing many to watch curiously.

Would he become the exception?

"Young Master Su," a palace servant said carefully, "all the other attendants of the harem have already departed."