Six, Politics of the Imperial Court

  Qin Fangyi went mad after waking up, speaking nonsense all day and scaring people so much that they hid in their beds and didn't dare to come out. Xuan Ling had long disliked her, and this commotion made the palace uneasy, so he locked her in the palace and wouldn't let her out, only inviting imperial physicians to diagnose and treat her. However, she was an out-of-favor concubine who had gone mad like this, and the imperial physicians didn't want to treat her properly either, they just came every day to pretend to take her pulse and then left.

  I often gaze out at the palace where Qin Fangyi resides, recalling that day's humiliation of being spat upon. The feeling of the cold wind drying the spittle on my cheek, bit by bit, has yet to dissipate. It remains etched in my mind like the miserable scenes I witnessed that day in the Cold Palace, mixed with the pain of losing a child and the desire for revenge, congealing into a heart-wrenching wound in my memory.

  If it weren't for Qin Fangyi's ruthless trampling, if it weren't for the miserable situation of Concubine Fang in the Cold Palace, how could I have recovered so quickly? To a certain extent, they also made me who I am today.

  Then she ordered the eunuch to go to the Cold Palace and pass on her instructions, ordering the old palace staff there to take special care of Consort Fang, moving her to a cleaner place, and all her clothing, food and drink expenses would be provided by my palace. As for Consort Fang, it was not just a matter of sympathizing with someone who shared the same illness, but also a warning like a cautionary tale. If I had indulged in self-pity back then, I would have become the second Consort Fang in this palace, stuck in the Cold Palace waiting for death, and no one would have come to sympathize with me even a little bit. She also ordered people to treat Qin Fangyi's food and daily life well, but not allow her madness to be cured.

  It's really strange that I have an extra thought about Consort Fang in the Cold Palace. I peeled a kumquat and ate it, my face calm as water, saying: "I remembered she often had a fright, if I wasn't careful that day and let myself be self-willed and lost, I'm afraid the one who would live with her in the Cold Palace in the future would be me."

  Mo Yan remained silent for a moment, then said: "I don't know how Qin Fangyi offended the princess, but she's really scared."

  I gave a faint cold smile, "She's afraid I'll follow Lv Hou's example and turn her into a 'human pig' too, she's actually scared to this extent. If only she knew today, she must be very regretful of how she treated me back then."

  Xiao Yu smiled and said: "Qin Fangyi is now in this state, I'm afraid it's too late for regrets."

  Zheng and Qi were talking, when Pei'er pushed open the curtain and came in saying: "Lu Zhao Yi has arrived outside, urgently requesting to see Your Ladyship." She said strangely: "This Lu Zhao Yi has never had any dealings with us before, why did she suddenly come today? Is it because of her crazy cousin Qin Fang Yi?"

  I held the hand warmer and said, "The wind and snow were heavy last night, she was busy taking care of herself, how could she have taken care of her cousin? Do you know that her cousin has been crazy for a few days, but she didn't even dare to take a look?" I sighed: "What is called the world's indifference, this is it. When it comes to oneself, even sisters and cousins can be ignored."

  I turned back to the warm pavilion and went to sleep, telling Pei'er: "This palace is not free to see her, you go tell her that her cousin's affairs will not implicate her, but this palace does not want to see her again, nor do I want to see her face still have to respect her as a superior - she naturally understands what to do."

  Looking at me, she instructed Pei'er and saw her leave. Then she said: "It seems that the queen's behavior has changed somewhat from before." She lowered her head: "If it were in the past, the queen would not have deigned to respond to someone like Lu Zhao Yi."

  In front of the palace, a green plum tree was in full bloom, like emerald stars twinkling. The dense foliage was a sight to behold, especially against the backdrop of winter snow. I placed my feet on the golden warming pan and slowly said, reclining on the soft cushion: "Every cause has its effect. In the past, I was too kind-hearted, always accommodating them, which led to everyone daring to bully me when I showed a hint of weakness. Today is a warning to those people, a reminder that this palace is not one to be trifled with."

  "Your Majesty was indeed too lenient in the past. But today, you seem to have a hint of the former Empress's demeanor."

  In the palace, there are many maidservants like clouds, but only one person dares to speak to me like this, and that is Xun Si. I am not annoyed, and only say: "The Empress is a ruthless and severe person, under her iron fist, everyone retreats, which is not a good thing. However, when dealing with people in the harem who have ulterior motives, it can be useful. The Empress has been able to manage the harem for so many years, and she is not entirely useless. I cannot ignore her strengths just because I hate her. Now that I am back in power, there are some things that require ruthlessness, and I should also learn from the Empress's way of handling affairs." I sigh slightly: "In the past, people were the knife and chopping board, and I was the fish to be slaughtered. Today, it's time for a change."

  "Your Ladyship has made up her mind, and I am at ease. I only hope that Your Ladyship will have everything go smoothly from now on and not suffer anymore."

  Lu Zhaoyi's hands and feet moved quickly, and on the second day, she petitioned the emperor and empress, claiming that she had been in the palace for many years without giving birth to any children, and that she was fond of luxury, often using gold and jade, wasting the national treasury, and being arrogant as the leader of the nine consorts. She voluntarily asked to be removed from her position as a palace mistress and demoted to the lowest rank of Shunyi, fifth rank of the five ranks of imperial consorts, and moved out to live with Qin Fangyi together.

  Xuan Ling was only afraid that he would forget who Lu Zhao Yi was early on, so there were no objections. The empress dowager had some doubts, but since Lu Zhao Yi insisted repeatedly, she could only let her go.

  I just smiled and said nothing: "She's still quite clever, I thought she would only ask to be demoted to a concubine."

  Of course, I still remember the simple and kind-hearted palace maid Yan'er who was beside her. She was the only one who showed me sympathy in that embarrassing and humiliating situation, although I didn't need sympathy. Following Lu Shunyi to move wouldn't bring any benefits to this little palace maid, but the sympathy she showed was still what I appreciated, so I let Jiang Zhongmin send her to serve under Xin Gui Bin. Xin Gui Bin had a bright and cheerful personality and treated palace maids well. In this way, Yan'er also found a good place to settle down.

  As a result, under the Empress, there were only Jing Fei, Duan Fei and Murong Fei. Duan Fei and Murong Fei were like hermits, so only Jing Fei was in charge of affairs. The nine consorts were left with only one Li Xiurong who was depressed and frustrated, followed by me and Xin Gui Bin. My position in the palace also became more stable.

  But when I was in the harem, enjoying wealth and glory, the previous dynasty gradually became unstable.

  It all started with a matter that could have been easily resolved. Three days ago, King Xuan of Yunnan, Xuān Jì, was late to the morning court and wore armor into the palace hall. This was very unbecoming, as the imperial court is not a battlefield, nor is it a triumphant return from a great victory. For a prince of such high rank to wear armor and arrive late, it was nothing but a show of military might. Before Xuān Líng could say anything, the speaking official, Censor Zhang Zǔ Lín, immediately spoke out to impeach King Xuan of Yunnan for his great disrespect.

  Yunan King was the first general of the imperial court, and he had always looked down on the Confucian scholars who only knew how to talk and write. As a result, the civil and military officials in the imperial court were like fire and water, and they did not get along with each other at all. The censor had the responsibility of supervising the national etiquette system, advising the king of his mistakes, and blaming the ministers for their faults. They spoke straightforwardly without fear of retribution, and had always been respected.

  King of Runan was born with a proud and arrogant temperament, how could he put a small fifth-grade official in his eyes? Although nothing happened during the court session, on the way back to the mansion after the court session, he stopped Zhang Rulin and punched him, knocking Zhang Rulin unconscious on the spot.

  When this happened, it was like a stone hitting the water. For a time, scholars and officials repeatedly petitioned to severely punish the King of Ru'nan in order to restore the imperial court's laws and discipline. However, the King of Ru'nan refused to admit his mistake and even claimed illness to avoid attending court again.

  The King of Yunnan's tail is too big to drop, and his momentum is growing daily. Xu Ling has been worried for a long time, and this matter has further deepened the opposition between civil and military officials in the court. If it is not handled properly, it will be a major event that endangers the imperial court. For this reason, Xu Ling stayed in the Imperial Study Room for a whole day without coming out.

  It involves King Yunnan and the Murong family, so I'm a bit worried. I ordered Liu Zhu to prepare swallow's nest for dinner and went to the Yi Yuan Hall together.

  The officials who had an audience retired, and Xuan Ling quietly leaned alone on the wide dragon-carved armchair, closing his eyes and concentrating. I slipped in alone, took out the swallow's nest from the food box. He heard the movement and opened his eyes, seeing me, smiled tiredly, saying: "Xuan Xuan, you're here."

  I smiled warmly: "Didn't disturb Your Majesty, did I?"

  He shook his head and said, "You should have heard about what happened these past few days, right?"

  I nodded slightly: "Yes. This matter has been noisy, and although I am in the harem, I also know a thing or two. However, even if the imperial court is busy, Your Majesty must take good care of your body." I handed him the swallow's nest and smiled: "I personally stewed it for a long time, Your Majesty has been discussing with the ministers for a long time, why not try some to moisten your throat?"

  He smiled when he heard this, took a scoop and tasted it, saying: "So sweet!"

  I furrowed my brow and took a sip, puzzled: "Isn't it too sweet? The Emperor doesn't like things that are too sweet, so I didn't add much sugar."

  His eyebrows relaxed, and he stretched out his arm with a smile: "What's sweet isn't the bird's nest, but the thought you put into cooking it for me personally." He flipped over my hand and said, "This time your hands aren't burned, are they?" My heart skipped a beat, and he continued to say, "I remember when you first cooked bird's nest for me, you accidentally scalded your hand bright red."

  A faint stir in his heart, he still remembered it so clearly from years ago. Before his eyes, there seemed to be a fleeting glimpse of the past, where the room was filled with bright candlelight, like the soft glow of a 17 or 18 year old moon, accompanied by the warmth of red embers and the sweet fragrance of dragon's saliva incense flowing in the air, serene and quiet. His heart sank, and he said: "How could I still be so careless? That time was because I was too anxious."

  As he spoke, he drained a cup of swallow's nest and said: "You are already aware of the matter of King Yunan beating up the official. So... what do you think I should do? Should I deal with King Yunan according to the law and punish him fairly?"

  In an instant, thousands of thoughts flashed through my mind, and my thoughts were in disarray. As long as I said to let him handle it according to the law and punish the King of Yunnan, the first step of avenging a great hatred could be taken. However, after a moment's hesitation, he quickly calmed down and said calmly: "Your Majesty, as the ruler of a country, must handle things according to the law, but - it is not to punish the King of Yunnan."

  He narrowed his eyes, gazing at me, and unexpectedly said "Oh" in a somewhat surprised tone, saying: "I thought you would suggest that I punish the King of Yunnan? You tell me."

  I smiled and looked at him: "Your Majesty doesn't blame me for daring to discuss state affairs?"

  "He said: 'No harm done, I will just listen to your idle talk, and absolutely won't blame you.'"

  I took a deep breath and stood beside him, saying in a gentle voice: "I will not let Your Majesty punish the King of Yunnan out of personal motives. What is most important now is to calm the people's minds and resolve the conflicts between the civil and military officials. When two tigers fight, one must be injured, and no matter which side is injured, it ultimately harms the foundation of the country. And punishing the King of Yunnan at this time will only provoke more dissatisfaction among the military officials in the court. Military officials... are those who hold military power."

  Xuan Ling's right hand was placed under his chin, and he slowly pondered. I continued: "Actually, Your Majesty didn't have to punish the king to calm this matter down. If you do so, it would only be a case of yielding to the brother but losing the sister's heart, after all, it's just a bowl of water that can't be balanced. The scholars are just eager for an explanation, and Your Majesty only needs to give them one. The best way is to let the king come to apologize."

  Xuan Lingyu had a look of surprise, shook his head and sighed: "You want to let the King of Runan go to the door to apologize? He is so arrogant, it's better to kill him."

  I smiled and said, "That's not necessarily true." I turned behind him, gently swaying my sleeves, and softly asked, "Prince Wang has fought on the battlefield, killed enemies for the country, and can be considered a hero. So, what is the most difficult pass for a hero?"

  He clapped his hands and laughed loudly: "Heroes can't pass through the beautiful pass! You clever ghost! It's a good thing you came up with this trick!"

  "Even the Emperor knows that heroes can't resist beautiful women!" I smiled and said, "I don't know anything about national affairs, all I know is some trivial matters between sisters-in-law. The king is afraid of his wife like a tiger, naturally he will follow her orders, if you let Princess Yun'nan go to persuade him, it will be invincible. I have met Princess Yun'nan before and I know she's not an ignorant and jealous woman."

  He thought it was reasonable, but soon put away his smile: "Then who will persuade the Princess of Yunnan?" He asked, but his eyes fell on me.

  He naturally wanted me to go, so whether he mentioned it or I mentioned it would have been the same result. Rather than that, it's better if I say it myself. Firstly, it shows that I understand his intentions, and secondly, it also helps to share his worries. So I said: "If Your Majesty doesn't think that I, your subject, am incapable, then I will take the initiative."

  He indeed smiled and his face lit up, stretched out his hand to hold me in his arms, and said with a low laugh: "In the harem, only you, Xuanxuan, can help me share my worries and solve difficulties. Those officials who took my salary, made a racket for half a day, could only come up with ideas of punishment or no punishment, truly useless to the extreme."

  "I smiled with seven parts amusement and three parts annoyance, saying: 'I am just a humble woman in the harem, how could I have my own ideas? It's just that I happened to guess correctly what was on the emperor's mind. Those ministers are familiar with book knowledge, but I am familiar with the emperor, so I can still guess two parts of his heavenly intentions, while the ministers cannot. I thought to myself, the emperor wants the court to be stable, how could he possibly blame the civil officials and indulge the military generals?'"

  Xuan Ling sighed and said, "Huan Huan, you indeed know my mind." He suddenly furrowed his brow, "But the King of Xun Nan will eventually have to be dealt with. Otherwise, the court will all be his followers, not a single one with integrity, and my throne will also become unstable."

  Indeed, he had such thoughts in mind. A glimmer of hope emerged in his heart, and he said, "If the Emperor has such intentions, it would be a great fortune for the people and the country. However, now is not yet the time to get rid of him."

  He gazed at me, with a hint of entrustment in his eyes. "Xuan Xuan, I have decided that after this matter has settled down, I will let your brother take office as the Minister of War and command the Imperial Guard's military power." My heart skipped a beat violently. Granting my brother the military power of the Imperial Guard was to counterbalance the influence of Prince Yu Nan. Xu Ling spoke in a serious tone: "Not just your brother, but also other talented generals who are not close to Prince Yu Nan, I will intentionally promote them. However, we cannot act too early and alarm them, so we need to carefully placate them, hence there is still some hesitation about this matter."

  Indeed, if one startles the snake while cutting the grass, it won't be as simple as abandoning all previous efforts. I thought deeply and pondered for a long time: "The King of Junan and the Queen are already at the pinnacle of nobility. Alas, the hearts of parents under heaven seem to have no choice but to focus their efforts on their children."

  Xuan Ling's eyes flashed with a scorching light, and he said with joy: "Not bad. His queen gave birth to a son and a daughter, the eldest daughter is Qing Chengzong Ji, who just turned twelve this year, I intend to break the rules and confer her as Imperial Princess; then confer the son of Junan King as Crown Prince, to inherit his father's legacy."

  I nodded and smiled: "Your Majesty is wise, and your intention is also very good. However, I think that not only should the Emperor's daughter be enfeoffed, but her title should also be changed to 'Gongding', which can serve as a reminder to her father, the King, to be respectful and peaceful at all times. Of course, Your Majesty also wants to resolve the conflict between brothers without resorting to arms. It depends on whether the King can understand the heavenly grace. Moreover, Gongding Emperor's daughter should be raised in the palace by the Empress Dowager herself - if there is any unexpected event in the future, she can temporarily control the King of Xun Nan."

  He nodded thoughtfully, and suddenly smiled with joy: "Alright, let's do it as you said. I'll draft the edict immediately." After he finished speaking, he unconsciously relaxed a bit, swept me up in his arms and opened the door to head towards the eastern chamber, whispering behind my ear: "You just said heroes can't resist beautiful women..."

  I smiled and pushed him, saying: "Your Majesty is always joking with me, I'm not even considered a beauty." While speaking, my heart was thinking of finding an excuse to push him away. Just last night, we had a romantic encounter, and for the sake of being appropriately distant and seemingly reluctant yet welcoming, it's better if we don't get close for a day or two.

  Just as he was about to enter the east chamber, he turned his head and saw Li Chang's face with a worried expression, quickly following behind him and reminding him in a low voice: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, you have already chosen An Xiaoyuan to serve you tonight." He hesitated: "An Xiaoyuan's side has sent people to ask several times already."

  I couldn't help but smile coldly to myself, and Ling Rong also became anxious. Xuan Ling uttered a soft "oh" as if suddenly remembering something, then thought for a moment before saying: "Then go tell her that she doesn't need to come over tonight, and have her rest early in her own palace instead."

  In that moment of hesitation, I had already lightly jumped down from his arms and adjusted the pearl flower on my hair which was about to fall off. "An is still new to the Emperor's favor, it's time for her to receive more pity. How can we let her wait in vain? I should take my leave."

  Xuan Ling grasped my sleeve and said, "You're not allowed to leave yet." His expression turned serious as he was about to instruct Li Chang to decline the invitation from Ling Rong. I turned around and gently pulled on his sleeve, smiling softly and saying, "I wonder what An Miao is doing in the palace at this time, eagerly waiting for the Emperor's summons. The Emperor's words are like a decree from heaven, he can't disappoint her."

  His expression flickered, and he smiled slightly: "But I want to be with you..."

  I smiled and persisted: "As long as Your Majesty thinks of me, I will not compete with An for the length of morning and evening." He was helpless against my persistence and humble politeness, and nodded in agreement with a smile, seeing me off.

  The night was very cold, and after the Lantern Festival, the winter night still had a vast expanse of goose feather-like snow. The sedan chair was surrounded by a warm silver flower brazier, which was very warm. The boots of the eunuchs carrying the sedan made a faint "creaking" sound on the snowy ground, with no hint of human speech.

  I lifted the curtain and sent Ling Rong to the east room of Yi Yuandian. The Fengluan Chun'en carriage happened to be passing by my side, with a bright red lantern in the driver's hand swaying in the wind amidst the vast snowy landscape. The carriage shafts thundered past on the snowy ground, while the crystal wind chimes at the front of the carriage collided with each other in the wind and snow, producing a pleasant tinkling sound that drifted far away with the wind, ringing out clearly.

  I put down the curtain and sit quietly. It doesn't matter who serves me in bed, what matters is whether I can grasp Xuan Ling's heart.

  Two days later, the meeting with He Fei is what's truly crucial. At this moment, I absolutely cannot give any opportunity for the King of Runan to make a comeback, or else it won't just be me and Xuan Ling who die, but also countless innocent people. Without our lives, how can we talk about revenge and safety? I must carefully plan everything.

  The day Princess Yun'nan of the He clan entered the palace was to pay her respects to the Empress. Seeing me smiling and sitting below the Empress, she showed a slight surprise, but quickly smiled calmly: "Your Majesty's body has recovered? I congratulate Your Majesty."

  I smiled and said, "On the Lantern Festival day, I saw you accompanying the palace ladies to pay respects in the palace. I really wanted to chat with Your Highness for a bit. Unfortunately, something came up and I was delayed, what a pity."

  He Fei smiled and said: "Your Highness is a noble person, how dare I disturb you by rushing forward in the crowd?"

  I smiled lightly: "The rules usually say so, but the master of the palace still has to respectfully address me as 'Third Sister'. Moreover, we are all family now, and should be close and affectionate."

  He Fei said to the Empress Dowager: "Your Majesty looks very well this year."

  The queen stroked her cheek and smiled: "The princess is really good at talking, I think the princess looks even better in spirit after giving birth to the crown prince."

  He Fei was taken aback and said: "Crown Prince? Is Her Majesty joking with me? I'm only six years old, how can I be the Crown Prince?"

  The queen smiled and said, "This is the emperor's great kindness! The emperor likes Bo'er the most among all his sons and nephews. Although Bo'er is still young, he is the smartest, so the emperor wants to appoint him as the crown prince of Runan Kingdom as soon as possible, raise him well, and in the future, he can also follow in his father's footsteps, bring peace and stability to the country, and prosper our dynasty." As she spoke, she exchanged a glance with me.

  As a parent, it's often the case that they dote on their weak and young children, and Empress He was no exception. She was both shocked and delighted, her face filled with joy that she couldn't contain, and quickly got up to thank the emperor. The empress smiled and continued, "That's not all, the emperor intends for good things to come in pairs, and has also decided to break precedent and confer upon Qing Cheng the title of Imperial Princess, with a title already prepared as 'Gong Ding', and she will be known as Gong Ding Imperial Princess, personally raised by the empress dowager."

  The Empress originally heard with joy, but upon hearing that she had to be raised by the Dowager Empress, her face changed color and she hastily said: "Thank you for the Emperor's benevolence, however, my daughter is only twelve years old and doesn't understand things well. If she were to be made an Imperial Princess and raised by the Dowager Empress, I fear it would disturb the Dowager Empress' quiet life. It would be better if the Emperor were to rescind this order."

  Princess He's excuse was within my expectations. The Empress glanced at me, and I smiled slightly, saying: "The Emperor has few children under his knees, and in the palace, there are only two imperial princesses, Shu He and Wen Yi, who are both young and not yet grown up. It is a joy that Princess Wang's Qing Cheng can enter the palace to be raised. Since the founding of our Great Zhou dynasty, I have heard that only the Sacred Ancestor had an example of granting the title of Imperial Princess to a relative's daughter before her marriage, which was also done to respond to the family's door and face. But for someone like Qing Cheng to be appointed as an imperial princess at such a young age, this is still the first case under our Emperor's rule."

  The queen slightly hesitated, wanting to say more, but the empress had already stood up and said: "I'm also a bit tired, Princess. Please return to the palace. The emperor's edict will arrive at the palace tonight."

  The queen smiled and left, I also bid farewell and returned to the palace. My footsteps were intentionally slow, walking leisurely. The queen's situation was already hopeless, He Concubine would definitely come to ask me to persuade Xuan Ling.

  As expected, before leaving the palace gate, Princess He came up and said: "The sky is still early, I'd like to go to your palace and sit for a while, I wonder if you would welcome me?"

  I smiled and said: "The princess is getting more and more polite, I like it when the princess comes uninvited, otherwise it would be awkward."

  She walked all the way into the Yingxin Hall, and Princess He looked around, nodding and smiling: "Indeed, it has a new atmosphere, unlike before."

  I ordered tea to be served and smiled, saying: "This is 'Snowy Peak Emerald', which was rushed over from 500 miles away. Your Highness, please try some and see if it's still drinkable."

  He Fei took a sip of tea, and there was not the slightest hint of special delight on her face. She simply looked as usual and said, "It's fine. Nowadays, the palace maidens who are most favored by His Majesty naturally have everything that is best."

  I sat down opposite her and saw that she already had a plan in mind. Smiling, I said: "The princess is also overjoyed today."

  He Qi heard this and her expression turned gloomy, saying: "If we must separate mother and daughter, how can that be good? The imperial edict cannot be disobeyed, I can only ask you to persuade the Emperor to fulfill my wish for my mother and me." Seeing that I was just hesitating, she said again: "If it really doesn't work out, then our family's Wang Ye will have to go beg the Emperor on our behalf."

  I knew this matter was not easy to handle, so I asked the Empress to speak out and then I would move her with emotions and enlighten her with reason. Otherwise, if this matter were transmitted through my mouth to convey Xuan Ling's orders, she would not listen even if I advised her again. And if Princess He refused, King Yunnan would also definitely refuse, then the strategy of pacifying and plotting for the future would be impossible to continue.

  I didn't answer her, but pointed to the beams of this palace and said: "Although I have met Her Highness only three times today, I regard Her Highness as a close relative in my heart. After giving birth to the Japanese palace, I was cold-shouldered and suffered from all kinds of white eyes. In the desolation, only the queen came to visit me without avoiding suspicion, and also gave me ginseng to nourish my body. I have always remembered it in my heart and hope that one day I can repay the queen's kindness."

  Her words were so moving that she nodded repeatedly and said: "Your Ladyship is a noble person, and yet you still remember this matter."

  "I said: 'This is natural, a drop of water in return for a gushing spring. Now is the time for me to repay the princess.'"

  He Fei's face showed joy, and she said: "Is Your Ladyship willing to request the Emperor on behalf of me?"

  I shook my head: "This palace is for the queen's consideration. Please let the queen follow the imperial edict and have the empress dowager raise the princess."

  He Fei furrowed her brow, a hint of annoyance in her voice, and asked: "What's going on here?"

  I calmly said: "As the queen is both a mother and **, she naturally has to consider her husband and children in everything, putting them first. Is that right, Queen?"

  She nodded: "It's indeed not easy being a mother, let alone in the imperial family."

  I sat face to face with her, gazing at her and said: "A few days ago, about the matter of the king beating up the official, has the queen heard about it? The public outrage is quite considerable. Our dynasty has always emphasized both literary and military achievements, and especially values the position of officials who can speak directly to the emperor. For the king to do such a thing, it's really not appropriate."

  He Qi sighed and said, "The king's temper is a bit urgent, I've advised him several times. But that official was also confused, speaking recklessly in public without regard for the king's dignity. The emperor and the king are close brothers after all."

  I smiled and advised: "It's precisely because you are brothers that the Emperor has a special affection for protecting the King. However, public resentment must also be appeased, after all, it was the King who made the first move, and the Emperor cannot just protect the King unconditionally. Moreover, if he overprotects him, the King will only invite idle gossip, which would not be good for his own reputation."

  Seeing her slightly moved, I hastened to strike while the iron was hot and said: "So, Your Majesty wants to maintain the dignity of the imperial family and also give an explanation to the literati of the world. It is hoped that Prince Wang can visit Zhang Ruilin to apologize, first as a gesture of the prince's demeanor, and secondly to show that the prince does not despise the literati of the world. This matter can be considered settled."

  He Fei shook her head repeatedly and said: "No, no, the king's temper is that others can only ask him for favors, how could he go apologize to someone?"

  I said, "As the queen, you naturally have to consider the king's interests. Those scholars love to wield their brushes, and the king's martial achievements can't be ruined by them leaving a bad name for eternity. Besides, Lian Po's apology to Lin Xiangru is still a good reputation, and it's even in the plays that Your Highness often watches." Seeing her somewhat moved, I continued, "Men are always prone to acting impulsively and recklessly, doing things without thinking ahead, so we women have to remind them and help from behind to make them feel at ease. Your Highness cares about the king, so you must advise him well in this matter."

  He Fei nodded slowly and pursed her lips: "But we can't let the king be humiliated either, the king has always been of the highest integrity."

  I personally handed two pieces of pastry to Princess He's hands and said sincerely, "Yes. The Emperor also thinks so, the King is a meritorious minister and also a close brother, how can he be humiliated? So we must hurry up and make Boer the Crown Prince, and make Wanye the Gongding Emperor Princess. This is the dignity of the King."

  "Just because I'm the emperor's daughter, I have to live in the palace, but as a mother..."

  I hastily comforted her, saying: "Shu He and Wen Yi, the two imperial princesses, are still young and cannot yet take care of Empress Dowager's daily needs. When Empress Dowager is ill, she likes to have children who can understand her well by her side. The empress and I also want to accompany Empress Dowager every day, but we can't do that. The emperor is busy with state affairs and cannot always be by Empress Dowager's side either. If the imperial princesses can take care of Empress Dowager on behalf of the emperor and empress, that would be the ultimate filial piety. In the future, when the imperial princesses get married and are conferred as princesses, they will have the most honorable status." I added another sentence: "Although the emperor wants to protect Prince Wang, Prince Wang did hit someone after all, and Zhang Zhenlin still can't get out of bed until now. The emperor is indeed a bit angry about this. Moreover, Prince Wang has a straightforward personality, so it's inevitable that he will be complained about by others. If there are imperial princesses who can persuade the emperor to reconcile from time to time, wouldn't that be better? I will also tell the emperor to let Princess Wang come into the palace to visit the imperial princesses whenever she wants, and that would be good."

  After such a long and tiresome conversation, Princess He finally agreed to go and persuade the King of Ru Nan, and also agreed that her daughter would enter the palace.

  On the third day after the incident, King Runan personally came to Zhang Rulin's door to apologize. Although it was just a perfunctory gesture, the matter had largely subsided. Meanwhile, Qingcheng Zongji had also chosen an auspicious date to prepare for her ceremonial entry into the palace to serve Empress Dowager.

  It was Ye Xuanling who came to me and said, "I was worried that she wouldn't agree, and all my efforts would be in vain. I didn't expect it to go so smoothly. Huanhuan, you've helped me a great deal."

  I smiled: "Your Majesty doesn't need to praise me, it's my duty to help Your Majesty. Besides, I don't understand the affairs of the previous dynasty and can't be of any help, but among these palace women, I can still lend a hand."

  I smiled and poured him a pot of "Snowy Peak Emerald", the fragrance wafted, he took a sip, savoring it carefully and said: "Indeed, this is good tea." He held my hand and smiled: "I knew you liked this tea, so I specially picked the best one for you, do you like it?"

  I smiled and sat on his lap, looking at the emerald green color, and gently laughed: "Of course I like it. Today, Princess Yun Nan also came to me and brewed this tea to entertain her, but unfortunately, the princess seemed not to be in a good mood, afraid that it didn't suit her taste. I thought I was going to be embarrassed, fortunately, the princess didn't mind either, or else I would have been in trouble."

  Xuan Ling had been holding back a smile as he listened, but by the time he finished listening, his expression had already turned gloomy.

  There are tributes from abroad, supplies in the palace, and the Yu Nan Wang Fu must have them, or even better. Xuan Ling will not be unaware of this.

  His aversion and taboo deepened even further.