Chapter 80 The Tyrant.

The Emperor entrusted the selection of candidates entirely to the Imperial Household Department, and even refused to allow these candidates to enter the palace. This was truly unprecedented.

But since the emperor had spoken, no one dared to disobey.

The imperial edict shattered the hearts of countless young women and dampened the dreams of many high-ranking officials.

The Imperial Household Department received this windfall, but it was like carrying a charcoal bag. This position seemed to offer great power, but if it wasn't handled well, not only would they fail to win favor with the Emperor, but they would also needlessly offend those young ladies-in-waiting. At this moment, the young ladies-in-waiting who could be listed in the Imperial Household Department were all people of considerable importance.

More importantly, the prince's marriage is a matter of great importance—the current emperor seized the throne by murdering his brother.

Compared to the other young ladies selected for the imperial concubines, the Imperial Household Department was more afraid of offending Prince Gong if the chosen princess came from a low social class, and offending the Crown Prince if she came from a high social class.

Moreover, the selection of two Crown Princesses was a hot potato, and within a few days, the Minister of the Imperial Household Department was so anxious that he developed mouth ulcers.

Fortunately, Minister Liu of the Imperial Household Department was from the same hometown as Li Shaobao and had some personal connections with him, so he sought help from Li Shaobao.

Li Shaobao raised his eyelids slightly and said, "It's not that I don't want to help you, it's just that I don't know how."

Lord Liu flattered, "Eunuch Li, you are too modest. You are someone close to the Emperor. If even you cannot help me, I really don't know which incense to burn or which Buddha to pray to!"

Li Shaobao said, "So what if we're around him? Do you think our Emperor is like those masters from the previous dynasty? Do you think we can figure out his thoughts just by standing around him? Let me tell you the truth, we servants are no different from the tiles on the roof and the bricks on the floor of the palace. Even now, when the Emperor frowns, my legs go weak. I'm afraid I've stood in the wrong place, said the wrong thing, or even made a mistake."

Now it was Lord Liu's turn to frown and sigh: "According to your logic, wouldn't I be like a headless fly running around in complete darkness, not even knowing how I died!"

Li Shaobao said slowly, "Don't rush. Although I can't handle this matter, I can point you in the right direction. Isn't the one who understands the Emperor's mind the most in this world that person?" After a slight pause, he smiled and said, "It's not entirely like that, but whatever that person thinks, our Emperor thinks the same way. Let me put it bluntly, apart from that person, even if you beg the heavens, it won't help."

Lord Liu looked worried: "Who doesn't know that one is the Emperor's darling? But even if you want to get close to her, you have to do it yourself."

Throughout the court and among the common people, everyone knew that the Imperial Noble Consort enjoyed the Emperor's exclusive favor, and who wouldn't want to curry favor with her? But none had a way, as this Consort spent her days in the palace, seemingly without any close relationships with anyone, not even a member of her own family. While Xie Yu's wife could be considered an elder sister from her own family, she was treated differently—she would be invited to stay during festivals and occasionally summoned to the palace. But Xie Yu was a cunning and meticulous person, making that path even more impossible.

Li Shaobao pointed two fingers at the box filled with silver notes and jade, and said with a smile, "Don't worry, Lord Liu. Now that I've shown you the way, I'll pave the way myself to get you on this path!"

.

The matter was resolved in no time. Following the instructions of the Imperial Noble Consort, the Imperial Household Department selected several women from the families of officials of low rank.

Princess Gong valued character above all else, and chose the eldest daughter of a fifth-rank official in Beijing, who was renowned for her virtue.

The two concubines chosen for the crown prince were women who were beautiful and had several brothers from the same mother.

The list was submitted, and the Emperor approved it. The Crown Prince and Prince Gong naturally had no objections. Lord Liu finally felt relieved and brought over a deed for a five-courtyard house in a prime location in the capital to thank Li Shaobao.

The deed was placed on the table, but Li Shaobao didn't even glance at it. He simply said, "I only acted as a middleman. You were the one who drafted the list. I shouldn't accept this reward without having done anything for you. You should take your things back."

Lord Liu said, "This matter was entirely due to Steward Li's mediation, how can it be considered a failure?! But I am still somewhat worried. Our Emperor is intolerant of any wrongdoing. If this matter were to leak out, it might implicate you, Steward Li!"

This was a veiled question about the reliability of the matter. It wasn't surprising; since the Emperor took office, many heads had been chopped off, even within the cabinet. Who wasn't trembling with fear? Li Shaobao glanced at him: "Lord Liu is worrying too much. Let me tell you, this matter has indeed been leaked, and it was the Imperial Noble Consort herself who told the Emperor. If the Emperor wanted to punish you, your whole family would be reunited in the underworld by now. But the Emperor didn't punish you, so you can rest assured!"

Lord Liu's face turned deathly pale: "The Emperor knows? Or did the Imperial Noble Consort report it?!"

Li Shaobao laughed and said, "The Imperial Noble Consort wasn't complaining at all; she was clearly trying to curry favor with you!"

He recalled the scene that day. At first, the Imperial Noble Consort only tried to probe indirectly, but how could she deceive the Emperor? In just a few words from the Emperor, the Imperial Noble Consort revealed everything, and in the end, she almost became angry and embarrassed.

Li Shaobao entered the palace at the age of eight. Although he was only in his early thirties, he had experienced the previous dynasty and served the Emperor Emeritus's favored concubine. He had seen many concubines in the harem, and regardless of whether they were favored or not, whether they intended to or not, they all cared deeply for the Emperor. Only this Imperial Noble Consort was somewhat perfunctory towards the Emperor, and he originally thought that the Emperor would not notice. But that day, when he saw him teasing the Imperial Noble Consort and laughing more heartily than ever before, Li Shaobao was shocked to realize that the Emperor understood everything.

Lord Liu asked in surprise, "That's what the Empress said? The Emperor didn't blame her, and even told her about it?"

Li Shaobao slowly sipped his tea. "Otherwise what? It's just that the things you sent happened to catch the eye of the Imperial Noble Consort and make her happy, so the Emperor naturally won't punish you."

Lord Liu hurriedly asked, "May I ask, Steward, which of my treasures has caught Her Majesty's eye? I will go and prepare another one immediately!"

Li Shaobao said, “The whole world belongs to the Emperor. Would the Imperial Noble Consort lack your few trinkets? It just so happens that you are in charge of the Imperial Household Department. Didn’t I ask you to choose silk flowers from Ruyi Tower as tribute when you were purchasing them? Let me tell you the truth, Ruyi Tower is owned by the Imperial Noble Consort. Many girls in the girls’ school she runs learned how to make silk flowers first. They couldn’t make a good price selling them individually, so the Imperial Noble Consort simply opened her own shop. But ordinary people can’t afford this kind of authentic palace style from the previous dynasty. The women who can afford it are all customers of established brands and don’t care for these things. So the shop’s business has always been sluggish. Some time ago, the Imperial Noble Consort was troubled by this. You accepted their silk flowers as tribute, which helped build their reputation. Their business will naturally prosper in the future. The Imperial Noble Consort is smiling. The Emperor is only avoiding criticism by not rewarding you. How could he punish you?”

Lord Liu turned around and hurriedly said, "Thank you very much, Steward. Without your guidance, I would never have thought of this place!"

Li Shaobao laughed: "Our Imperial Noble Consort would never want to bully others by abusing her power. I had to go to great lengths to find out about the relationship between Ruyi Tower and her. You must keep your mouth shut and not let it leak out, otherwise you will anger the Imperial Noble Consort and no one can save you!"

Lord Liu hurriedly replied, "I understand! Based on your words, you must accept this deed. There are also four beautiful maids and two male servants inside, all of whom were trained in Jiangnan and specially selected and sent over. They are extremely knowledgeable and sensible. Please accept it, Steward. Otherwise, I would never dare to come to your door again if I need anything in the future!"

Li Shaobao loved money, but he also knew that there was a proper way to acquire it. He also knew that when accepting gifts, he had to make the giver happy to avoid any resentment. That's why he put the house deed into his sleeve. "In that case, I'll go and take a look?"

"This humble official will accompany the steward!" Lord Liu said with a fawning smile, acting as his vanguard and going with him.

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Prince Gong's wedding was scheduled for August. The next day, the two arrived at the palace together. Compared to the Crown Prince and Crown Princess's affectionate arrival, Prince Gong was somewhat polite and cold towards Princess Gong. This Princess Gong was of ordinary appearance and probably did not have Prince Gong's favor. However, she remained neither humble nor arrogant under such circumstances, which showed that she was a calm and open-minded person.

Lingyi recalled Qin Lie's words that day: "When choosing a wife, one should choose a virtuous one. Can'er is narrow-minded and has an extreme temperament. She needs a tolerant and kind-hearted princess to guide her. She should avoid those who are jealous and envious."

His idea was undoubtedly the best for the court and the Qin family, but now it seems it might only create a resentful couple. Prince Gong is fine, after all, he can still have concubines and maids; any tenderness he can't use here, he can scatter elsewhere. It's just a pity that Princess Gong will be buried in the Prince's mansion for the rest of her life, never to be free again.

Qin Lie met with Princess Gong together, but the two Crown Princesses were not qualified to meet the Emperor. Only Lingyi was summoned by herself.

Both of them were extremely beautiful; one was bright and charming, and the other was quiet and graceful.

Their beautiful appearance meant they could attract the prince to their rooms more often, and they all had more than one brother, who should all be fertile.

After chatting with them for a few minutes, Lingyi could tell their personalities. The bright and beautiful one was straightforward, while the quiet and pretty one was quite scheming. In just a few words, she subtly belittled the other and elevated herself.

After the two left, Lingyi asked Qin Lie, who had just returned from court, "Doesn't the Crown Princess need to be considered based on her temperament?"

Qin Lie said, "She's just a concubine. If she's not content with her lot, she can leave her mother and keep her child."

His tone was so calm, as if he were talking about something extremely ordinary.

Just like that day when he said he wanted to find a woman to marry Ji'an, just to continue the bloodline.

Compared to the meticulous considerations a woman makes before marriage—family background, character, future prospects, and affection...

It turns out that men are quite simple and direct when choosing wives and concubines.

Especially for men who hold power, it can be as simple as brutal.

A virtuous wife and beautiful concubines are simply each fulfilling their respective duties.

Even their most valued principal wife only provides one kind of value; if she cannot provide that, they can still replace her.

Lingyi lowered her eyes and remained silent until Qin Lie came over, took her hand, and frowned, saying, "Is there too much ice used in the palace? Why are your hands so cold?"

She gathered her thoughts and deliberately retorted, "This is called 'ice-like skin and jade-like bones, naturally cool and sweat-free'! How can you say it's cold?"

Qin Lie laughed: "That's right, with skin as white as ice and bones as jade, only you can truly live up to that description."

Lingyi casually said, "I have a favor to ask of you."

Qin Lie couldn't help but look up at the calligraphy hanging on the table. It was from the day she came to him with a bribe, asking what kind of Princess Gong and Crown Princess she wanted. He told her, but the next day he wrote the four words "This is the last time" and left them by her pillow.

She took it very seriously at the time, and had it framed and hung in a prominent place, saying that it was to constantly remind herself.

But as it turned out, it wasn't a warning to her, but rather a mockery of him, the emperor.

The princess not only accepted the gifts, but also seemed to lose some patience.

In the past, they would try to hide it, but now the opening line is: I have something to ask of you.

She claimed to be asking for a favor, but she showed no such attitude. After accepting the bribe, she became lazy and blatantly wanted me to collude with her.

This situation certainly warranted a lesson, but seeing her arrogant and spoiled demeanor, Qin Lie couldn't muster any more anger. Often, men's thoughts are simple and naive. —Everyone else has to respect and beg her, and then she begs him; isn't this also a gift he received after ascending the throne?

The greatest honor for a man has always been to have his wife and children granted titles and privileges.

Even though he knew it was pointless, he still reminded her, "The women of the inner palace should not interfere in politics."

Lingyi blinked innocently. "When have I ever interfered in politics?"

She asked about trivial matters, and some of them were questions that ministers couldn't understand, so they asked her to inquire.

Qin Lie sneered: "Didn't the Imperial Noble Consort promote that scholar from Huangzhou a few days ago?"

Lingyi said, “He is not some scholar from Huangzhou, but a proper third-ranking scholar in the imperial examination. I have never met him, nor have I ever received any favors from him. I have only heard that he is stubborn and unwilling to compromise his principles, which led to his being ostracized by his superiors and colleagues, forcing him to become a compiler. I mentioned him casually so that the Emperor would not miss out on talent. It is also because he did his job well that he was able to be promoted so quickly.”

Qin Lie gave a half-smile: "So, I should thank the princess?"

Lingyi straightened her clothes. "If Your Majesty insists on thanking me, I am not unable to accept it."

Qin Lie was so angry he wanted to bite her. He took her hand, put it to his mouth, and bit it. Ling Yi winced in pain and quickly pulled it back. A shallow tooth mark was left on it.

Lingyi's request this time wasn't much. With the national treasury becoming increasingly full, the palace could finally be repaired, costing at least tens of thousands of taels of silver—a lucrative project that naturally attracted many competitors. Just then, someone came to her for help, and she declared confidently, "As the saying goes, 'If the water is too clear, there will be no fish.' Throughout history, corruption in such projects has been unavoidable. Rather than letting them fight over it and be exploited by countless people, it's better to let it fall directly into my pocket."

Qin Lie couldn't help but ask, "What do you need so much money for? Just for that girls' school?"

It was just a pastime for her, but she never expected to take it so seriously.

Lingyi was indeed doing this for the girls' school. Ruyi Tower was thriving, and the students could earn at least one or two taels of silver a month. One or two taels of silver was enough to change their fate. Many people even came from other neighboring prefectures and counties, sleeping by the roadside at night, just to learn some skills.

Because she was the one who opened it, more and more noble ladies came to study, and those courtyards were already overcrowded.

They've already started selecting a location in the west of the city to open another branch first, and then expand to areas outside the capital later. This way, noble ladies won't crowd together, and poor women won't have to travel back and forth anymore. Therefore, the more money the better, and there's no worry about not being able to spend it.

After listening, Qin Lie pondered for a moment and said, "There's really no need to worry about it too much. If you're not at ease, I can order that girls' schools be incorporated into the official schools. Not only in the capital, but also in all the prefectures, they should be established. Why do you need to go to the trouble of raising money?"

This would naturally solve the problem once and for all, but unfortunately, official schools teach the eight-legged essays required for the imperial examinations, and further restrict their curriculum.

Once girls' schools were incorporated into official schools, it meant they would be under the control of the imperial court and would no longer belong to them alone.

Lingyi refused without hesitation, offering a very tactful excuse: "I'm just trying to keep myself occupied. It doesn't really take much effort, and I might lose interest someday. Why waste the court's money? It would be enough if the court could provide some convenience for the girls' school in certain matters."

She then brought up that matter again.

This was really not a big deal, but no matter what she said, Qin Lie refused to agree.

Lingyi was still thinking that she had asked him for several things in the past month, which was indeed a lot. Little did she know that Qin Lie would never take these things to heart. He was simply enjoying being pleaded with by her in a soft voice, looking at her pitifully, sometimes coquettish and sometimes angry, all of which he found amusing.

Normally, he is always busy with other things and often agrees to things easily. Today, he rarely has any free time, and she has personally come to his door to catch him in the trap. How could he let her go so easily?

However, after several unsuccessful attempts, Lingyi was about to turn her back and leave.

He pulled her back and held her on his lap, his voice tinged with grievance: "The princess carves seals for others and seeks official positions for them, so why does she have no patience for me at all?"

Ling Yi really suspected that he was some kind of bottle spirit reincarnated, able to hold so much old vinegar, but since he had given her a way out, she naturally had to take it, and she had to do it without leaving a trace. "It's not that I'm impatient, it's clearly that the Emperor is deliberately playing with me!"

He sighed, "How could I bear to?"

Lingyi then asked, "So, have you agreed?"

Qin Lie said, "This is a trivial matter that I shouldn't personally concern myself with. Just tell Li Shaobao tomorrow, and he will definitely handle it properly for you."

Lingyi said happily, "Your Majesty, I thank you!" Then she pretended to be distressed and said, "Your Majesty has been so indulgent towards me. I already have a reputation for being jealous and arrogant. Now, if I add greed and favoritism to my name, won't I become a vile concubine that everyone hates?"

Her affected, feigned fear, yet undeniably smug expression was incredibly alluring. Qin Lie lowered his head and bit her lip, chuckling in a hoarse voice, "Since my beloved concubine is a bewitching one, what harm is there in me being a foolish ruler today?"