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

Chapter 208 Staying Spring

The ordeal at Chengqian Palace lasted for more than a month.

In October, there were a few light snowfalls, but not as much as in previous years. The Imperial Astronomical Bureau, perhaps on someone's instructions, actually told Xie Yun'an that this was an ominous sign from the heavens.

They didn't say much else, but the meaning was already very clear.

As the saying goes, a timely snowfall promises a bumper harvest. For feudal dynasties, agriculture and sericulture were of paramount importance to the nation and its people. Even an emperor like Xie Yun'an, who was already very diligent in his duties, could not escape the accusation of neglecting agriculture and sericulture.

But this charge only holds true if there are actually several years of famine.

Farmers, who toil in the fields from dawn till dusk, know best what kind of winter will bring a good year ahead. But these privileged people who do not engage in production are most adept at exploiting the livelihoods of ordinary people to seek personal gain.

Xie Yun'an was in his thirties, the prime of his life when he was both energetic and rational. At this age, he did not have the hypocrisy typical of an elderly emperor. He could even openly admit that he had been plotting against the Duke's mansion for many years. However, this composure stemmed from his absolute control over his current power and status. If anyone thought they had grasped the emperor's intentions because of this, they would be sorely mistaken.

"I'm afraid some people feel that if we don't nip it in the bud, it will leave trouble for the future. If someone from the Chen family rises up in the future, they will seek revenge for all of this."

Xie Yun'an casually tossed the memorial submitted by the Imperial Observatory onto a pile of memorials to the side. Looking at these memorials, most of which were of the same meaning, a cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

He was indeed quite handsome, and even with that cold smile, he still looked somewhat alluring. Qiao Yanran was serving the brush and ink on the side. When she heard Xie Yun'an suddenly speak, she slightly raised her eyelids, only to be met with Xie Yun'an's expression. Naturally, she didn't dare to say anything more.

She had been by Xie Yun'an's side these past few days and had become familiar with the rules of accompanying the emperor in the imperial study.

She would never say a word unless Xie Yun'an initiated a conversation; that was the principle she followed.

Not to mention that Qiao Yanran herself was a participant and bystander in the downfall of the Duke's Mansion, so she saw things most clearly. Whether it was the warning from the Imperial Observatory or other advice, these memorials were not being sent at the right time.

A few days ago, when the emperor was preoccupied with the Chen family's affairs, the appearance of these things would have made him very happy. He would have been able to do something with a legitimate reason, and no one would want to be accused of something without cause.

But now the timing isn't quite right.

Consort Rong's long talk with the Emperor in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, while not exactly a miraculous turnaround, ultimately saved the Duke's Mansion. Even if it was just a shell that was preserved, it still demonstrated the Emperor's attitude.

With the ringleader eliminated and his forces completely eradicated, the Duke's mansion no longer poses any threat. Retaining a noble status is not a bad thing for Xie Yun'an; on the contrary, it benefits his reputation as a wise ruler.

These days, Xie Yun'an not only stopped his relentless pursuit of the Duke's mansion, but also began to remember the good things the old Duke had done for him when he was alive. As a result, Qiao Yanran, who initially wanted to take this opportunity to further diminish the Consort's favor, could only now hide her sharp edges and put on a gentle, understanding demeanor. In truth, her ability to advance further in the Emperor's favor was already a stroke of luck.

When the Emperor is busy with state affairs, he doesn't often go to the inner palace. In addition, with the recent incident at the Duke's mansion, the Consort and the Emperor had a falling out, making the Emperor's surroundings seem increasingly empty.

This scene was naturally not a pleasant sight for the Empress Dowager. So, Empress Dowager Xu summoned Empress Shen, Consort Zhuang, and others for a few talks. The gist of her words was that the emperor always needs someone by his side, not just eunuchs serving him. The concubines, who rarely see the emperor, are bound to feel resentful and bored. Such a situation is not good for the current harmony and friendliness of the harem.

Therefore, following the Empress Dowager's wishes, the Empress, upon returning to Kunning Palace, immediately began arranging for the idle concubines in the harem to go to Yangxin Hall one by one. As for who could gain the Emperor's favor, that naturally depended on their own abilities.

Since the Imperial Concubine Guifei didn't participate, and the high-ranking concubines in the palace disdained to do such things, the new concubines naturally got the opportunity to show their faces. Having been in the palace for more than a year, these women had already experienced all the good and bad things in the harem and had long since shed their naivety and integrated into the system. Naturally, they were quite concerned about this matter.

No one hates wealth and honor, especially when it comes from a handsome man who possesses the highest power in the world. When such a halo is placed on a person, who wouldn't be confused?

The Empress intentionally arranged for the concubines in the harem to gravitate towards the Emperor, but in the end, Qiao Yanran came out on top and served the Emperor the longest.

Now that Qiao Yanran has benefited from this, and is also a party involved in several matters, she knows best that this is a crucial period for her family and the emperor to cultivate their relationship. If she makes the emperor unhappy because of some jealousy and rivalry, it would be a loss for her.

Since the emperor hasn't taken the initiative to visit the imperial concubine these days, and the imperial concubine, who is recuperating, hasn't taken the initiative to seek reconciliation with the emperor, wouldn't it be a waste not to make good use of this window of opportunity?

Naturally, while she had meat to eat, Qiao Yanran didn't cut off the other concubines' opportunities to drink soup. She wasn't by the emperor's side all the time; it was just that Xie Yun'an summoned her frequently.

It is through comparison that a person's goodness becomes apparent.

"Who knows what kind of seductive tricks she used, but it made us sisters look inferior, as if the Emperor only favored Consort Qiao."

When someone is favored, there will naturally be a lot of criticism. These words would not reach Qiao Yanran's ears, but Yao Jinse, who was quite popular in the palace, heard them many times.

"Young people are too impulsive. It's best to keep these things to yourself. If they get back to the Emperor's ears because of these jealous and rivalry stories, it will only ruin his impression of you. Wouldn't that be a terrible thing?"

Yao Jinse was one of the very few concubines below the rank of Consort who didn't join in the fun. These days, Chengqian Palace was closed to visitors, but she was naturally not idle either. Kunning Palace, Cining Palace, Shou Kang Palace—the palace was so big and had so many people, she always needed to spend time visiting them.

Her daughter is at a lively and active age, and Princess Dongyang is very cute and lovable. Taking the princess around for a stroll has given Yao Jinse a lot of convenience.