Yikun Palace

Chen Yuwei huddled alone on the tatami mat, surrounded by several lit stoves.

As the weather grew colder, Chen Yuwei couldn't stand the cold and put on thick clothes early, staying indoors and refusing to go out.

Fortunately, the Empress was busy with other matters at the moment and didn't have the time to argue with them.

Otherwise, in this freezing weather, I'd have to be carried in a sedan chair by servants to Changchun Palace for my daily greetings. Ugh, just thinking about it makes me feel sick.

Chen Yuwei was very unwilling to endure such hardship, so she basically stayed indoors during winter. Even when she did go out, she would finish quickly and never procrastinate.

The benefits are obvious. Look at Xia He, who just came in through the door. She's frozen stiff.

"Come over here and warm yourself up. Didn't I tell you to stay in the palace on a day like this? Why are you running outside?"

It snowed this morning, and the snow was heavy and thick.

In just a short while, the ground around the area was covered with a layer of white frost.

Chen Yuwei had been peering out the window and saw that many people in Yikun Palace were up shoveling snow. Unfortunately, the speed of shoveling snow could not keep up with the speed of the falling snow. Sure enough, in just a short while, the road outside the door was blocked by heavy snow again.

Chen Yuwei didn't go to pay her respects today, partly because the Empress kept canceling her visits, and partly because walking in the snow was difficult, and it would be hard to explain if she fell or bumped into something. It would also be easier to find an excuse to ask for leave.

Xia He was covered in snowflakes. Hearing the noise, she stood at the door and used a duster to clean herself.

With a chuckle, Xia He rubbed her numb palms together and turned to tell her mistress that her trip out was related to Changchun Palace.

Changchun Palace?

"What happened at Changchun Palace again? Does Her Majesty the Empress have something to tell you?"

Chen Yuwei slowly moved into the room, making a small space for Xia He to sit.

Xia He didn't stand on ceremony. The bed room was the warmest. Although she was a servant, she was not an ordinary servant.

He reached out and warmed his hands by the fire, allowing his cold and stiff body to regain normal sensation.

Xia He whispered to her master about the unusual things happening at Changchun Palace.

Changchun Palace sought out Xia He not for any other reason than to hand over some palace affairs, saying that their master would help manage them.

"This servant finds it strange that the other party gave it to us without hesitation. Your Highness, could there be some kind of conspiracy involved?"

Xia He felt that some things still needed to be reconsidered, including the palace affairs during the Empress's reign.

Changchun Palace was handed over so easily; who knows what kind of conspiracy was hidden inside?

Chen Yuwei sat up. "You brought it back?"

Xia He nodded, "I placed it on the Eight Immortals table next to the main hall. Would you like to take a look, Master?"

With a wave of her hand, Chen Yuwei straightened the coat she was wearing. "Bring it here. It's not unusual for Her Majesty the Empress to hand over palace affairs, but it's not common either."

Therefore, Chen Yuwei first needs to see what exactly the palace affairs entail.

If it weren't important, one could say that with the New Year approaching, the Empress of Changchun Palace was too busy to handle everything alone, and since Chen Yuwei posed no threat in the harem and had some experience in managing palace affairs, she could entrust the task to Chen Yuwei to help her through the difficult times.

If it's important, it means there's something significant happening in Changchun Palace that requires the Empress's attention.

This concentration would prevent the empress from attending to some of the palace affairs.

Chen Yuwei was chosen by the Empress and was also the person the Empress trusted most.

She was pondering all sorts of things when Xia He moved a stack of accounts in front of Chen Yuwei.

The clean book cover still felt a little cold to the touch.

Chen Yuwei sighed and quickly flipped through one of the pages.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Chen Yuwei put down the accounts she had placed in her hands.

Alright, everything is clear now. The Empress is indeed in trouble.

"Go to our warehouse and see for yourself what items have auspicious meanings."

"Prepare some in advance; the Empress is probably about to send good news."

After Chen Yuwei finished speaking, Xia He looked confused, thinking to herself, how did her mistress know? Clearly, none of their spies in Changchun Palace had sent out any messages.

Chen Yuwei smiled and pointed downwards to the accounts she had only read halfway through. "These are all accounts from the Imperial Household Department. The Empress is willing to hand them over at this time, so she must have something more important to do."

Imagine what could make the Empress do anything to accomplish it, no matter the cost.

A thought flashed through Xia He's mind: It's the legitimate son!

The Empress is pregnant and needs to protect the pregnancy, which is why she was willing to relinquish some of the palace affairs she was in charge of.

Looking down, Chen Yuwei met her mistress's gaze directly. She smiled and nodded, then leaned back on the soft pillow and sighed comfortably. "That's how it is. Most likely, Her Majesty the Empress is pretty much telling us what's going on."

Chen Yuwei didn't know whether Fucha Jinyi trusted her or not.

The palace affairs department would tell you whatever they wanted, even things related to the Imperial Household Department.

Is he really not afraid of her taking action, or is he deliberately testing whether he will take action?

Fucha Jinyi, Chen Yuwei slowly tapped the table with her hand, "Let's prepare the congratulatory gifts first, and deal with these palace affairs for now."

It would be foolish not to take advantage of a good deal. Regardless of whether Fucha Jinyi was testing her or trusting her, once Fucha Jinyi was in her hands, Chen Yuwei would squeeze every last drop of profit out of him and put it into her own pocket.

The fee for temporarily handling palace affairs will be clearly marked and fair to all, young and old.

...

In the main hall of Changchun Palace, Fucha Jinyi has been feeling quite tired lately.

Especially towards the end of the year, with more and more things to do, Fucha Jinyi's health, which she had been taking care of, deteriorated further.

Putting down the calligraphy brush she had been holding for so long, Fucha Jinyi closed her eyes and let Donghan apply a simple hot compress to her with a towel.

"Are there any rumors circulating from Yikun Palace?"

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