Your Majesty, please do not disturb, the empress only wants to engage in business

What Yao Jinse said actually makes sense.

Chen Yimiao had known Xie Yun'an for many years and trusted his character. She knew he wouldn't discard her so quickly, and even for the sake of his reputation, he wouldn't act so hastily.

But... when it comes to her brothers and sisters in the Duke's mansion, she can't help but worry about them.

Others might not know, but how could she, who grew up in the Duke's mansion, not know?

From childhood to adulthood, relying on their father's wealth and power and the status of the Duke's mansion, those brothers have done all sorts of outrageous things, not to mention the many other scoundrels in the Chen family who abuse their power.

Naturally, aristocratic families have no shortage of spoiled brats, but the Chen family has a fatal flaw compared to other aristocratic families: they have no successors.

The old Duke, at his advanced age, still insists on holding on to survive, simply because his son is useless, his grandsons haven't grown up yet, and among so many people inside and outside the family, not a single one is capable of managing such a large Duke's mansion.

This family business is what he's most worried about.

So even if it's the spirits in heaven reminding us, is that all they're here for?

To say that he came to check on his daughter because he was worried about her in the palace would be better than saying that.

Chen Yimiao lowered her eyes, making it impossible to see her expression, but an indescribable sadness swirled around her. This oppressive atmosphere permeated the hall, and even her personal maid, who had grown up with Chen Yimiao since childhood, had never seen such a scene.

Yao Jinse also kept her head down and remained silent. In this situation, the best thing she should do was to shut her mouth and not say a word.

At first, she did consider saying some nice things to Consort Rong, but then she thought about it and gave up on the idea.

Firstly, she didn't know the true nature of the father-daughter relationship between Consort Rong and the old Duke, so it wouldn't be very convincing to fabricate some words of concern. Secondly, Consort Rong disliked being deceived by others. She usually turned a blind eye to the flattery of her subordinates because that was the way to survive in the harem. But if someone really lied to her, even if it was a well-intentioned lie from the bottom of her heart, she would never let it go easily.

Yao Jinse is not Xie Yun'an, so she naturally cannot occupy such a high position in the Consort's heart. When doing these things, she must be careful.

Moreover, at this critical juncture, it's no exaggeration to say it's extremely urgent. If Consort Rong makes a decision sooner, the decline of the Duke's Mansion might be mitigated to some extent. Even if it's only saved by a tiny bit, it will greatly rewrite the future landscape.

If the general direction of the future can be changed, then the future days of this harem will truly become exciting, and the outcome will depend on each person's abilities.

Yao Jinse used to like clear water because it allowed her to see the veins clearly, so she wouldn't be blinded in anything she did, and she could see the direction of every fish.

But as time went on in the harem, the things she could do with her foresight actually became fewer and fewer. Eventually, she became a fish in the water, and once you become a fish, you naturally don't like clear water as much anymore. Muddy waters are good for catching fish, which naturally increases the chances of a fish surviving. Perhaps this analogy isn't quite right, but Yao Jinse found it brilliant.

The reason why the harem is now so stagnant is simply because Emperor Xie Yun'an's mind is mostly on the court, so the women can't really fight each other.

But if this stagnant water can be stirred up, then life will truly become interesting.

As for simply living a peaceful and stable life?
Yao Jinse never thought that way. The harem was not a place to seek peace. Her desire for peace from beginning to end was only for the sake of her "daughter" who had not yet grown up.

But then again, the harem is a place where turmoil never ceases. Only if she, as the mother, stands firm amidst the storms can her child grow up safely, right?
Some things don't need to be said on the surface; it's enough to understand them in your heart. Just like at this moment, after much deliberation, Consort Rong finally made up her mind.

At Consort Rong's signal, Kang Mama and the two palace maids moved a little further away, so that they could hardly hear their hushed conversation. Seeing this, Yao Jinse felt a little uneasy.

In terms of appearance, Consort Rong's beauty was almost unparalleled among all the women in the harem. The saying "a smile that could launch a thousand ships" was quite fitting for Consort Rong. However, opinions on her wisdom were more subjective.

But as the old saying goes, even a fool can have a stroke of genius. Yao Jinse wasn't worried that Consort Rong would figure out anything, but rather that Consort Rong would reveal her true intentions.

Consort Rong was naturally not narrow-minded. She could tolerate those who shared the emperor's favor in the harem, so she could tolerate others as well. However, there was one type of person that Consort Rong would distance herself from: those who were dishonest to her.

Fortunately, Heaven still favored Yao Jinse. Consort Rong hadn't thought of this. She only suddenly remembered what Yao Jinse had said when she helped Consort Yi clean up the mess because of the Duke's Mansion incident.

Over the years, Consort Rong had come to realize that while living in the Prince's residence and the harem, her hands were not clean. Whether she used her name or the names of her subordinates, she had done many dirty things, and if she was ever discovered, she would naturally admit it.

However, these things were destined to remain undiscovered, because with the death of Consort Yi, those unclean things had long been wiped clean. At least now, if you were to investigate, Chengqian Palace would be the least corrupt and filthy place among all the palaces in the harem, and it could be considered clean inside and out.

"If it weren't for your help, I really don't know how I would have gotten through the last two or this time."

The next thing to do is actually simple: go to the Emperor while pregnant and plead for mercy. However, you can't ask for too much favor for the Duke's mansion. There are many people in the Duke's mansion who have no kinship with Chen Yimiao at all. Naturally, Chen Yimiao won't bother to save such people.

Besides, it's already extremely difficult to get the emperor to release them; how many of them will live depends on their own fate.

After explaining this idea to Yao Jinse, Yao Jinse remained silent for a moment, then said, "It's good that Your Majesty said these things. The Emperor will surely know that Your Majesty is not doing these things for personal gain. However, Your Majesty must be very careful when speaking, and must prioritize your own well-being. Your Majesty is now a member of the Imperial Family, and it's not a good thing for you to be so closely tied to the Duke's Mansion!" (End of Chapter)