Lin Yan asked again: "Since Mother is now in poor health, what about Fourth Brother and Second Sister's marriage..."

  "Please rest assured, Your Majesty," replied Madame Qi, "I will personally ensure that these two marriages are properly arranged."

  Lin Dai nodded.

  So Mother can take good care of her pregnancy and no longer worry about Lin Chenggang and Lin Ju's marriage.

  Mr. Li said, "When my wife entered the palace, Yu Yu was actually clamoring to follow her in to see you. However, I thought that since Your Majesty had just entered the palace and your affairs were not yet in order, it would be inconvenient for Yu Yu to enter the palace, so I didn't let her come with me. When Your Majesty's affairs are settled another day, I will have Yu Yu enter the palace to see you, which won't be too late."

  "It should be."

  As for the harem, she is indeed still worried about it now, and she doesn't even feel at ease with Yu Yu entering the palace.

  Lin Daiyu chatted with Qi and Li for a while, asking about the situation at the Wu Guogong Mansion and Zhuang's health. After glancing out at the sky, she said to Qi and Li: "Grandmother and Second Aunt, please stay and have lunch with me."

  Mr. Qi and Mr. Li respectfully said "yes".

  The rules for eating in the palace are much stricter than those among ordinary people. The palace maid arranged the meal, and the soup dishes and vegetable dishes were brought up one after another like flowing water, and then changed again like flowing water.

  Qī and Lǐ sat on either side of Lin Xiǎo, although they couldn't be said to be uncomfortable, yet they wore the due respect, so they seemed distant.

  Lin Xiao saw that there was a dish of braised goose in the menu, which was Li's favorite dish. She personally picked up a piece and put it into Li's bowl.

  Li said with a bow: "Thank you, Your Highness, for the dish." Then she ate the piece of foie gras in her bowl with great respect.

  Lin Xiang looked at them and sighed in her heart, she still remembered that they were her grandmother and her relatives, but they had already begun to treat her as the empress.

  Lin Xiao put down her chopsticks, looking disappointed in her heart.

  Once inside the palace gates, it's like being in a deep sea, and even in high places, one can't escape the chill. Even relationships with loved ones become those of ruler and subject. Only now did she truly feel that the person sitting on the throne was so lonely.

  Li saw Lin Xiao put down her chopsticks and asked anxiously: "Your Highness, is the food not to your taste?"

  Lin Xiao's expression changed instantly, her grandmother and the others may have already started treating her as an empress, but their concern for her was genuine and sincere, without any pretence.

  Lin Xiao smiled and said: "No, I just miss Fu Momo's crystal elbow."

  Li listened with a warm face, looking at Lin Xiao's gaze becoming softer and softer, couldn't help but say: "Your Majesty is still like a child."

  Lin Xiao picked up her chopsticks again and helped Li Shi and Qi Shi each pick some dishes, saying: "Grandma, eat. Second Aunt, eat."

  Qī shì also smiled warmly at her, then lowered his head and picked up the dish she had picked for him to eat.

  After dinner, several people moved to a side hall.

  Lin Dai let all the palace maids out of the hall, closed the door, and then walked to Li's side, knelt on her leg, pulled up her hand, half spoiled and half wronged, called out: "Grandma."

  Li was greatly startled and cried out: "Your Ladyship." Then she tried to get up.

  Li also stared at her in shock.

  Lin Daiyu grasped hold of Lady Xing, preventing her from rising to her feet. With feigned sorrow, she said: "Grandmother, must you do this? You're treating me with such courtesy and respect, I don't know how much more heartache I can bear. Just because I've become the Empress, does that mean I'm no longer your granddaughter?"

  Mrs. Li sighed and sat down again, stroking her hair and calling out: "Yuanyuan, Grandma's dear granddaughter."

  It had only been three days since Lin Yin's grand wedding, but she felt as if she had been away from home for a long, long time. Her heart was filled with grievances and her eyes were brimming with tears as she murmured: "Grandmother."

  Li also had tears in her eyes, gently stroking Lin Xiao's hair, as if comforting her own beloved treasure.

  After a while, Li said: "Grandma thought you had grown up, but it turns out that there is still a child in your heart, and you are so fond of being spoiled."

  "That's because I know grandma will miss me."

  Li helped her up and used a handkerchief to wipe away her tears before asking: "How have you been in the palace?"

  Lin Daiyu said: "Good, very good. The Emperor is very kind to me and trusts me."

  Li knew she had always been one to report good news but not bad, and sighed: "I'm afraid the other consorts are not paying attention."

  Lin Xiao smiled and said with a half-joking and half-serious tone: "I have the emperor's favor, what are they going to do to me?"

  Mr. Li asked again, "What about yesterday's incident at the Zhao Yang Palace? Rumors are circulating outside that you not only beat Wu Guifei but also tied up her palace maids and eunuchs. Several officials have already submitted a memorial impeaching you."

  Lin Xiao listened with some surprise, then smiled secretly and said: "People outside really are, spreading all sorts of rumors."

  "Now rumors are flying everywhere, and it's not good for your reputation." said Li.

  "Grandmother, rest assured, I have my own measure. Since ancient times, there have been treacherous consorts, but never a treacherous empress. As the one in charge of the harem, don't I even have the right to punish a palace consort?"

  But the matter was able to spread so quickly outside, and it was even distorted, and it could lead to impeachment by the officials. In between, there must have been some people who pushed for it. However, this was also something she had expected, but her top priority now was to establish her authority, suppress all the palace concubines who were eager to move, and temporarily put aside the matter of reputation.

  As for the impeachment, since it hasn't reached her ears, it means that the emperor has suppressed these memorials. Since the emperor doesn't care about it, she naturally doesn't need to be too concerned either.

  It can be seen from this matter that her news is still too closed. She is in the harem, like being covered with two ears and blinded by two eyes, she still has to grasp and sort out the affairs of the harem.

  "Li asked again: 'And what about Your Highness? How does he treat you?'"

  Whenever she thought of the Crown Prince, Lin Fei's head would ache slightly, but she still smiled lightly at Li and said: "The Crown Prince is fine. Grandmother has forgotten that the Crown Prince and I have been close since childhood. I came to the palace to help him, the Crown Prince is not stupid, there's no reason for him not to be on the same page as me."

  Lin Xinyi said, some people are really stupid sometimes. Children who seemed quite clever when they were young, how did they become more and more childish as they grew up?

  Li then finally felt relieved and said: "That's good."

  Years ago, after the Crown Prince fell ill, he lay in Cui Xianfei's arms and cried, saying that she was like his mother. This had been stuck in her mind ever since. Although the Lin family was the Crown Prince's maternal relatives, they couldn't get too close to him either. Sometimes, they didn't even have the chance to know what he was thinking, let alone offer a few words of advice or analyze the pros and cons with him.

  The crown prince also didn't know what was going on, previously he clearly loved to run to the Wu Guo Gong Fu, coming once every three days or so, but since Yuan Yuan returned to the capital until now, he hadn't seen him move around Lin's house again.