Chapter 8: The Villain Redemption System

Jiang Mingzhu knew the emperor didn't trust her. Time would reveal a person's true nature, and she no longer harbored the same thoughts as before. Whatever she did, the emperor would naturally see it for himself. Besides, even if she were to act hastily, it would be useless. She had done what she did in the past, and no matter what she did now, the emperor would always assume the worst of her.

"Regardless of whether you believe me or not, Your Majesty, I just want to live a peaceful, happy life from now on," Jiang Mingzhu said.

"If the Empress Dowager truly feels this way, I, of course, wholeheartedly support it," South Palace Qing responded.

"I have a condition. If you agree, I will slowly transfer the power in my hands to you and stop fighting against you."

Jiang Mingzhu knew the emperor didn't believe her, but there were conditions that needed to be discussed. There had to be a starting point.

"I want the emperor to agree that once you gain control of the throne and the power of the court, you must leave a way out for the Jiang family. I do not ask for the Jiang family to remain as powerful as they are now, but at the very least, they should be spared and not implicated by my past actions."

Upon hearing Jiang Mingzhu's words, South Palace Qing noticed that she didn't even mention her own children. Instead, she was entirely focused on the Jiang family's future.

"When you refer to the Jiang family, you mean your older brother Jiang Hui's side, correct? As for Jiang Su and those ungrateful sons of the Jiang family, Your Majesty may deal with them as you see fit."

"The Empress Dowager is concerned only about the Jiang family. Aren't you worried about yourself or your own children?" South Palace Qing asked, his tone skeptical.

Jiang Mingzhu had always placed great importance on her children, so South Palace Qing found it hard to believe she would change her attitude so suddenly. He assumed that Jiang Mingzhu was just setting up a false front, trying to lull him into letting his guard down.

"The son and daughter I raised turned out this way—it's something I never foresaw. If I had known, I might as well have aborted them. Your Majesty needn't doubt my sincerity; just think about whether you want to agree to my terms. Surely, this is a fair deal for you, isn't it?"

Although it was just a promise, Jiang Mingzhu knew that South Palace Qing was a man of his word. If he agreed, he would certainly follow through.

South Palace Qing's eyes darkened.

To be fair, if what Jiang Mingzhu said was true, her terms were indeed quite reasonable. Though he harbored deep hatred for this wicked stepmother, if it was for the sake of the nation and the court, he was willing to give up everything, including his personal grudges. His hatred for Jiang Mingzhu would also have to be set aside.

"If the Empress Dowager truly can do as you say, I will agree. As long as the Jiang family's main branch does not engage in any rebellious plots, I will not touch them. But Jiang Su…"

"As for Jiang Su, you may dispose of him however you wish, as long as you do not hold the Jiang family accountable for his actions. You saw how Jiang Su dared to give orders to me, defied me openly, and acted in a way that was nothing short of disrespectful. He's a troublemaker, and his actions have nothing to do with the rest of the Jiang family," Jiang Mingzhu replied.

What she was implying was that if Jiang Su showed any disrespect to the emperor, the emperor should settle it directly with Jiang Su and not involve her or the Jiang family.

"Now I understand what to do. But should I need to take action against Jiang Su in the future, I hope the Empress Dowager will not interfere," South Palace Qing said.

"Although I'm a woman with a cruel reputation, I always keep my word," Jiang Mingzhu replied with a smile.

She secretly hoped that South Palace Qing would eliminate Jiang Su. If the emperor took action, she would not only refrain from stopping him, but would even assist in dealing the final blow to Jiang Su.

South Palace Qing nodded. Despite Jiang Mingzhu's evil reputation, she had maintained her credibility.

"This is a matter for the future. For now, Your Majesty should focus on the new policies. With the warning I've just given, Jiang Su won't dare to interfere with your plans. I will make sure to remind him. You can proceed as you wish, but remember to keep your actions moderate."

Once Jiang Mingzhu finished speaking, she noticed South Palace Qing seemed to be lost in thought.

"Your Majesty, you must understand the principle of gradual progress."

South Palace Qing bowed respectfully. "Thank you for your advice, Empress Dowager. I have learned from it. If you can truly uphold your end of the bargain, I will certainly not forget today's agreement."

As South Palace Qing left, Jiang Mingzhu lazily reclined on her chair. In her past life, the person she owed the most was her older brother. If she could ensure the survival of the Jiang family's main branch, it would somewhat ease her feelings of guilt.

As for herself, Jiang Mingzhu knew she had done too many evil things to the emperor and had offended him too greatly. That was why she didn't even bring up her own future. For now, she just wanted to enjoy a few peaceful years. After all, she had been given a second chance at life. Every additional day she lived was a gift.

"Ding! Congratulations, Host. The Villain Redemption System is now activated. Every act of kindness toward the male lead will be a redemption of your own life."

"Current hate value toward the male lead: 178%. Trust level: 16%. Once the hate value exceeds 200%, the male lead will be unable to control his hatred and will develop a strong killing intent toward the host."

What is this?!

Jiang Mingzhu had lived two lives, so she was quite knowledgeable. She paused in surprise after hearing the voice in her head but quickly processed the situation.

"So, what exactly is this Villain Redemption System?"

"Host, every time you show kindness to the male lead and cause him to change, you will be rewarded by the system."

Hearing about the rewards didn't excite Jiang Mingzhu. As the Empress Dowager, she was the most powerful woman in the world right now. There was nothing she couldn't have, so she wasn't interested in material rewards. However, the fact that the system could reveal the emperor's true feelings was quite useful.

By observing the hate value, she could get an idea of what the emperor truly thought. With that, she decided to accept the so-called Villain Redemption System with a smile.

A gentle breeze blew, and the sunlight was warm. Jiang Mingzhu lay down again and drifted back to sleep.

In her drowsy state, she vaguely heard Fang Ruo's anxious voice.

"Master! Master! Please wake up! The princess is in trouble!"

Jiang Mingzhu's mind was foggy. Upon hearing her daughter was in trouble, she immediately woke up and sat up, only to realize what had happened and lay back down again.

"Fang Ruo, you need to calm down. Why are you so worked up over such trivial matters?"

"Master, it's the princess! She's been hurt."

Fang Ruo was perplexed. She didn't understand why her master, who used to care deeply about her children, seemed so indifferent now.

"Hurt?"

Jiang Mingzhu's mind flashed back to something similar that happened in her past life.

Her "good" daughter, An Le, was a bully. One day, while wandering in the Imperial Garden, she crossed paths with the Sixth Princess and the Twelfth Prince. Seeing them get along so well, An Le grew jealous and deliberately caused trouble. She slapped the Sixth Princess twice and forced her to clean the dirt off her shoes, humiliating the girl.

When the Twelfth Prince saw his sister being bullied, he defended her. This angered An Le, and she whipped them both. In the scuffle, the Twelfth Prince accidentally pushed her away, and An Le hit her forehead on a rock, leaving a large gash that nearly ruined her beauty.

In her previous life, when Jiang Mingzhu found out that her daughter had been so badly injured, she was enraged. She rushed to the scene, not bothering to hear any explanations, and immediately ordered twenty lashes for both the Twelfth Prince and the Sixth Princess, regardless of their protests. She insisted that they repay her daughter's injury tenfold, a hundredfold.