The people were very excited about the grand ceremony, and it was a hot topic of conversation everywhere.

In the teahouse, the storyteller slammed his gavel and vividly described the grand scene of that day: "The phoenix carriage with its canopy was magnificent and resplendent. The Imperial Concubine, dressed in a bright yellow auspicious robe, was truly a celestial being descended to earth! The Emperor himself was supporting her, and his gaze, wow, it was even more focused than when he was reading a memorial!"

The audience laughed, but couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion.

Although Consort Lin was a Han woman, she was able to win the Emperor's heart so much that he even treated her with the honors due to an Empress, which shows that she was extraordinary.

The court officials also had different thoughts.

As the Vice Minister of Works, Ortai, and his colleagues walked out of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, he whispered, "His Majesty's actions suggest that he has already decided to establish an empress."

The imperial censor standing nearby shook his head and sighed, "It's already the first time in this dynasty that a Han woman has been made a concubine. If she's to be made empress... that's against the rules of our ancestors..."

Before he could finish speaking, Zhang Tingyu, who was walking in front, stopped him with a look.

Everyone knew the unspoken truth: the Emperor had been acting swiftly and decisively in recent years, even wiping out the Eighth Prince's faction. Who would dare to provoke him?

Before the afterglow of the investiture ceremony had faded, Lin Yun officially took charge of the harem as a Noble Consort.

She knew all too well that the imperial harem was like a massive machine; if not managed properly, it would not only be inefficient but also breed countless scandals.

Therefore, she decided to use modern corporate management methods to comprehensively reform the harem system.

Previously, the management of the harem was concentrated in the hands of the empress, and the concubines could only manage the eunuchs and maids in their own palaces.

The process of reporting matters up the chain of command is cumbersome, and when problems arise, people pass the buck and responsibilities remain unclear.

For example, the allocation of palace maids had to be reported to the Empress first, and then the Empress would assign them, which often took several days. In addition, the Empress and Consort Nian were vying for power, which always made things very complicated.

The monthly allowance payments are even more chaotic, with frequent instances of deductions or delays.

In addition, major events such as renovation projects and festival preparations often suffer from oversights due to a lack of dedicated personnel, and are ultimately handled hastily.

Lin Yun divided the harem into multiple "departments," assigning responsibilities based on a modern company's division of labor model:

The Personnel Department, headed by Consort Yu, was responsible for the allocation, promotion, rewards, and punishments of palace maids and eunuchs.

Consort Yu's fifth son, Hongzhou, is now nine years old. Giving her this position will allow her and her son to live a better life in the palace.

Finance Department: Headed by Consort Qi, it audits the expenses of each palace monthly to ensure that monthly allowances are distributed on time.

Although Consort Qi had a carefree personality, she dared not take on this meticulous task on her own.

The Department of Ceremonies: Headed by Consort Mao, it presided over palace celebrations, banquets, and audiences with ladies of high rank.

Consort Mao has some ulterior motives; she would probably thrive if she focused her energy on social interactions.

The Department of Internal Affairs: Headed by Granny Li, responsible for the daily procurement and distribution of supplies.

Granny Li has been in the palace for a long time, has a lot of experience, and knows a lot of things, so this matter will be temporarily entrusted to her.

Chunlan and Xiahe were responsible for relaying orders to Lin Yun, similar to the role of the Grand Steward of the Emperor.

Normally, the concubines in the harem did not need to pay their respects to her; they only needed to hold a monthly meeting to report on their daily work.

If you ever encounter a problem you're unsure about, you can always come to her.

On that day, when everyone came to pay their respects to the Imperial Concubine, Lin Yun suddenly announced this decision.

At first, Consort Qi, Consort Yu, Consort Mao, and the others all looked bewildered.

They were used to being marginalized, and when they were suddenly entrusted with important responsibilities, they felt both uneasy and shocked, which slowly turned into surprise.

Consort Mao stood there stunned for a long while before asking in a low voice, "Your Majesty, is it really alright for me...?"

Lin Yun smiled slightly: "Sister, you are thoughtful and know the most about etiquette. No one but you can do this job."

Consort Mao's eyes reddened slightly as she recalled the days when she was neglected. Now, she was able to participate in important matters, and a long-lost sense of motivation welled up in her heart.

From her time as a prince to her time in the palace, she was always virtually invisible.

In the past, it was Consort Nian who presided over these matters. Who wouldn't envy her, seeing her moving among the noblewomen in her magnificent auspicious robes?

Now this task has actually fallen to her?

She used to be so jealous of Consort Lin, though she dared not show it. But as a woman, how could Consort Lin not know?

Unexpectedly, the Imperial Concubine disregarded past grievances and entrusted her with an important task.

Thinking of this, she immediately knelt down and kowtowed heavily: "Your Majesty, I will certainly not fail your trust."

Seeing this, Lin Yun quickly helped her up: "Sister, there's no need for such a grand gesture. From now on, let's work together to manage the harem well. That will be a contribution to the Emperor and the Qing Dynasty."

Consort Yu watched from the side, her eyes also reddening. She was not favored by the Emperor and usually got closer to Consort Xi.

Later, when Consort Xi was deposed and Hongli was in the imperial mausoleum, she felt like she didn't know who to rely on.

The fact that the Imperial Concubine has entrusted the Personnel Department to her shows her trust in her.

The personnel management and coordination within the palace was equivalent to the Ministry of Personnel in the previous dynasty—that was a very high-ranking position...

Thinking of this, she also knelt down and said to the Imperial Concubine with deep gratitude, "Your Highness, I thank you for your trust. I will definitely handle things well and live up to your trust."

Consort Qi felt a lump in her throat upon seeing this; the Imperial Concubine had actually entrusted her with managing the finances.

Everyone knows that this place is lucrative; the eunuchs and palace maids can easily provide enough for them to eat and drink by simply offering a little tribute.

She also has an eldest princess who will need to marry off her daughter and son in the future, all of which will cost money.

The Imperial Concubine entrusted this matter to her; wasn't she afraid that she would embezzle funds?

But since the Imperial Concubine entrusted this matter to her, she must handle it properly for the Imperial Concubine and absolutely must not do anything dirty.

Only by surviving long and prolonging her life in this harem can she provide support for her sons and daughters.

She was about to stand up and bow when Lin Yun stopped her...

"Sisters, please don't be like that. The most important thing now is for everyone to work together to get the job done. Let those men see that we women can hold up half the sky too," Lin Yun said with a smile.

The group stood up and looked at the Imperial Concubine, who was smiling radiantly and had a calm gaze. They were certain that she was not testing them, but rather sincerely entrusting them with a mission, and they all felt relieved.

I also gained a new understanding of this imperial concubine's style of handling affairs.

No wonder the Emperor liked her; who wouldn't like such a clean and pure woman?

Granny Li smiled as she wiped the corner of her eye.

She was deeply moved when the Empress entrusted her with the task of purchasing supplies.

She's an old woman, yet she's now a manager. Isn't that a glorious and glamorous position?

In the past, when the Empress was in power, all the palaces had to be mindful of the Empress and Consort Nian's moods. Not to mention palace power, they even had to be careful with their words, for fear of being punished for saying the wrong thing.

Interacting with the various palaces was like walking on thin ice.

Now it's all good; our lady is so magnanimous, truly a woman of unparalleled grace.

Regardless of the upheaval caused by the Imperial Concubine's reforms in the harem, life had to go on, albeit slowly.

About two months later, the advantages of the reforms became apparent, even alarming the emperor.