maidservant

Since they had noticed the secret dealings between Concubine Yang and Zhong Yaocheng, everyone in Liuhua Palace naturally became more cautious.

Everything else is fine, but the two princes must be protected with all my heart and soul.

Lin Yu had made up his mind, so he went to Concubine Cui's palace, intending to discuss with her and hand over all the power of managing the six palaces to her.

As soon as I stepped into the palace, I saw the eldest princess jogging happily. Concubine Cui was wearing neat clothes with her sleeves tied tightly, and she didn't wear complicated hairpins on her head, looking particularly capable.

The two people, one big and one small, were just like two fresh flower stamens, happily circling around the graceful magnolia tree with crisp laughter.

Seeing this, Lin Yu couldn't bear to destroy this beautiful moment.

Looking at them, the warm scene of myself and my son laughing and playing, chasing each other seemed to be right in front of me, and a smile unconsciously climbed up my eyebrows.

"The virtuous concubine is here?" Concubine Cui was sharp-eyed and stopped when she saw Lin Yu.

But the eldest princess was running so hard that she couldn't stop her feet and bumped into Concubine Cui's legs and fell to the ground.

The two masters walked into the main hall and then gently closed the door.

Lin Yu spoke first, her voice soft and earnest: "Sister Cui, I came here to discuss something important with you."

After several years of living together, Lin Yu knew that Concubine Cui was a proper and kind person, so he told her the whole story without reservation.

"After Empress Duanrui passed away, His Majesty entrusted the management of the six palaces to the two of us. We have a clear division of labor, and we can discuss and cooperate with each other on everything. Sister Cui handles affairs fairly and strictly, and it is all thanks to you shouldering this responsibility. If it were anyone else, I'm afraid I would have lost my composure long ago."

Concubine Cui heard the hidden meaning in Lin Yu's words, perhaps it was something related to the management of the harem. She asked with concern, "Sister, you don't have to be so polite. But what's the problem? Why don't you tell me directly?"

Lin Yu frowned slightly, a hint of worry flashed across his face, and his tone was slow and solemn:

"Sister, have you noticed that Concubine Yang's behavior has changed drastically recently. She is no longer as low-key as before. This is abnormal. I'm afraid..."

When Concubine Cui heard this, her eyes instantly became as sharp as an eagle. She straightened her back and said after thinking seriously:
"She's been quite active these past few days, moving around frequently and always smiling. I think it's because her father and brother got promoted, and she's feeling proud. My sister just said she's planning to cause trouble, but are there any concrete signs?"

Lin Yu roughly recounted his findings and speculations. At the end, he sighed softly and said helplessly:
"There is no conclusive evidence yet, but this matter is definitely related to Concubine Yang."

"If she comes straight at me, I naturally won't be afraid. But what I am most worried about is that she will make a fuss about the safety of the royal heir. If something really goes wrong, how can I explain to His Majesty and Queen Duanrui?" Lin Yu was worried, his eyes full of worry.

"I understand your concerns, sister. I also have a princess as my own."

Lin Yu quickly grasped Concubine Cui's hand and said earnestly, "So after much deliberation, I've decided to hand over all the power of managing the six palaces to you, sister. As for me, I will focus on taking good care of the two princes until they are older and can be sent to Chongwenguan to study."

After a moment of silence, Concubine Cui slowly spoke:
"Sister, do you trust me so much?"

"Since you've asked, I'll agree. But this is a huge responsibility, and I'm bound to make mistakes if I handle it alone. I need someone to assist me."

"Which sister?"

"It's Concubine Yang." Concubine Cui said in a calm tone, looking at Concubine Xian tentatively.

"Why her?" Lin Yu's face was filled with confusion, and he couldn't help but ask. "Firstly, in the current harem hierarchy, below you and me are Concubine Yang, Concubine Bianliang, and Concubine Gao. Concubine Gao is pregnant and delicate, so it's really not appropriate for her to be involved in these matters;"

"Secondly, Concubine Yang's father and brother have been promoted, and His Majesty must have other rewards for her. We have taken the initiative to propose that she assist in managing the six palaces, and His Majesty will most likely agree;"

"Thirdly, why not let her take care of Concubine Gao's pregnancy and take care of the other concubines' duties? I'll be the only one in charge of the palace and the six departments. Is that okay?"

"This is her first time as a director. She definitely wants to make a difference, so she'll naturally focus on it. This way, my sister can relax a bit and won't have to be on guard all the time."

Lin Yu listened quietly to Concubine Cui's analysis and nodded in agreement.

Concubine Cui has always been cautious in her actions. She knows how to protect herself first, avoid arousing the emperor's suspicion, and then seek ways to resolve the situation.

It is also because of this that even though her relationship with His Majesty is not close, she can still win the respect of His Majesty and the six palaces.

Since Concubine Yang received the task, she seemed to be full of energy. She was extremely energetic every day and acted in a very high-profile manner. She wanted to show her skills in front of the emperor and prove her ability.

She even sent people to carefully check Concubine Gao's pregnancy-maintaining medicine every day, not missing any details.

Since then, Lin Yu rarely saw Yang Fei again.

The beginning of summer quietly approached, and the weather gradually warmed up. Under Lin Yu's dedicated care, the Second Prince's complexion became increasingly rosy and healthy.

However, the second prince was born with congenital deficiencies and was weak in the womb. Although he was born only a few months later than the eldest prince, he was almost half a head shorter and not very strong, so Lin Yu had to spend more time and effort on him.

Lin Yu took the initiative to resign from the job of managing the six palaces. When the emperor learned about it, he recalled his groundless suspicion of her some time ago and felt that he owed her.

These days, the emperor's visits to Liuhua Palace have increased significantly.

After Yunshan finished her duty, she often saw the emperor and Lin Yu accompanying the two princes in the palace, laughing and playing.

Their smiles are sincere, they are happy, and warmth is everywhere.

This scene is so harmonious and happy that people almost forget that this is the royal inner court with strict rules, and just think that it is an ordinary wealthy family sharing the family happiness.

Since she relinquished the responsibility of preparing the Bian Liang Fei Fertility-Assisting Soup, Yun Shan plunged headfirst into matters related to Baire San, without distraction.

In order to ensure the production progress and quality of Bairesan, she often followed Fengyu to the house outside the palace to supervise the work of the craftsmen.

The house was a workshop specially used to make various imperial medicines, and soldiers came and went, responsible for transporting medicinal materials and making medicinal soups.

Most of these soldiers were careless, perhaps because they were unbearably hot while working, so they always liked to expose their chests and backs and act carefree.

Seeing this scene, Yunshan felt very uncomfortable and was too embarrassed to have much contact with them.

One day, Feng Yu saw Yun Shan deliberately keeping a distance from the soldiers, and he smiled and joked:
"Look, there are so many strong young men here, many of them from Kyoto, who have come here to gain experience, just waiting to make merit and seek official positions. Is there not one who suits your taste?" (End of this chapter)