Hall of Mental Cultivation

Hongli was sitting in a chair dealing with palace affairs. He had been very busy lately and hadn't even had a chance to relax and enjoy himself in the inner palace.

Of course, it's not that you really can't find the time; you can still be lazy if you want.

However, the Qing Dynasty is now surrounded by problems, and even the autumn harvest has been disrupted by the sudden drop in temperature. Hongli would never dare to defy the odds at this time.

What if it gets seized upon by some malicious individuals and becomes an excuse for attacks by civilian forces?

He couldn't argue too much with the common people, as that would damage his imperial reputation, but ignoring it made him feel stifled. Who would like to stay in the palace and be unfairly labeled by outsiders?

Thud—

He tossed aside the thick stack of memorials in his hands, ignored them, and rubbed his stiff cheeks as the worries that had been weighing on his mind began to surface.

It's no wonder that Hongli felt this way; he was truly frustrated by the memorials that were being sent to him.

This won't do, that won't do, and they keep pleading in their memorials for tax exemptions, grain exemptions, and exemptions from all other aspects.

Please, he's the head of the Qing Dynasty. Do I need to ask how expensive firewood, rice, oil, and salt are? If this place is exempt, what will happen to other places?

With no further replenishment of the national treasury, how will the government provide sufficient funds and grain for disaster relief and emergency response in the future?

It's impossible to say that natural disasters and man-made calamities never occur under his rule.

Even the late emperor and the Holy Ancestor did not have this ability. Hongli is arrogant, not stupid. Without grain reserves, the entire country is instable.

The tightly closed door was knocked open, and Wu Shulai, holding a whisk in his hand, carefully approached Hongli and stood there.

Before Wu Shulai could even speak, Hongli's orders came raining down on him.

"Send these documents out of the capital as soon as possible, and send people to instruct the surrounding towns that the amount of grain to be collected this time should not be less, and the amount of tax that should be waived should not be more."

Wu Shulai: ...

With a "hiss," Wu Shulai stepped forward and took away the memorial that Hongli had approved.

But he hesitated for a couple of steps and didn't leave immediately, clearly having something to say.

Hongli looked up and simply put down his pen and ink. "What exactly happened?"

He hesitated and dawdled, and the anger in Hongli's heart suddenly erupted.

Wu Shulai was startled by Hongli's sudden change of attitude and quickly knelt on the ground, begging for mercy.

Hongli: ...

"You dog slave, get up right now!" Instantly, all the anger in my heart vanished.

Hongli didn't really want to make things difficult for Wu Shulai. They still had feelings for each other, and Wu Shulai was even more important than some of the concubines in the harem.

After all, in Hongli's eyes, the concubines in the harem were merely tools for procreation, ensuring the continuation of the imperial line, and maintaining the stability of the court.

Although there were a few important people among them, most of them were dispensable. When Hongli got ruthless, he didn't hesitate to take action.

Wu Shulai was at least able to help Hongli handle some major and minor matters in the Hall of Mental Cultivation and the Qianqing Palace.

In addition, the position of serving the emperor was not easy, and unless Wu Shulai made any major mistakes, Hongli would not replace him.

Upon hearing this, Wu Shulai gave a fawning smile and quickly got up from the ground.

"Your Majesty, it's all my fault. I was just about to say that Consort Shu has arrived and is waiting at the door. Would Your Majesty like to see her?"

Taking the opportunity, Wu Shulai told Hongli about Chen Yuwei's visit. He didn't blame Chen Yuwei for coming at such an inopportune time, since he and Chen Yuwei were allies.

"Is Consort Shu here?"

Upon hearing that it concerned Chen Yuwei, Hongli lowered his head and pondered for a moment before waving his hand to signal Wu Shulai to let the other party in.

Wei'er must have something to ask of her if she comes here at this time, otherwise she wouldn't have come to the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Chen Yuwei's positive persona allowed her to act freely in front of Hongli.

This is thanks to Chen Yuwei's unwavering persistence over the years. Not everyone has such a tenacious spirit; most people, after seeing enough benefits, revert to their original nature.

This is why an emperor might like someone, but then abandon them again after only a few years.

While the emperor's fickle nature certainly played a role, the more significant factor was that as time went on, both parties revealed their true flaws, proving that pretense was unsustainable.

Chen Yuwei doesn't have this problem because she has traveled through time countless times and is already used to playing the role.

It's just a persona, she can maintain it for a lifetime, so who can say that she's creating a persona instead of just being human?

"Please invite Consort Shu in."

Hongli's expression softened considerably; at least it was clear that he wasn't as angry as he had seemed before.

This was good news. Wu Shulai breathed a sigh of relief, smiled, and turned to leave. He was greeted by Chen Yuwei at the door. "Your Highness Consort Shu, the Emperor invites you."

Chen Yuwei, dressed in a qipao, stood beside Xia He. She glanced calmly at Wu Shulai, who was bowing, and nodded with a smile, "Thank you for your trouble, Eunuch Wu. His Majesty must be quite busy these days."

Wu Shulai sighed, still holding a stack of memorials that Hongli had finished reviewing. "It's all what a servant should do. Your Majesty, please go and comfort His Majesty. Everything should be done with His Majesty's health in mind."

Wu Shulai subtly conveyed to Chen Yuwei that Hongli's condition was not very good, and even advised Chen Yuwei to be more agreeable to the emperor in her words.

Chen Yuwei understood, exchanged a few pleasantries with Wu Shulai, and then turned and entered the hall.

No one is with me, and I don't need anyone to be with me.

Chen Yuwei walked leisurely to Hongli's desk, where he used to work, and said, "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you. Long live the Emperor!"

Hongli heard the woman's voice beside him, looked up and smiled.

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