After leaving Yunxiang Courtyard, Lin Yun took the harvested crops to Yunxiang Pavilion.

Yongzheng was still enjoying tea in the private room upstairs when he saw her return. A smile flashed in his eyes: "Have you finished your business?"

Lin Yun nodded and ordered someone to bring the crops up: "Your Majesty, please take a look at this."

Yongzheng's gaze fell on the tender vegetables and plump rice, and he raised an eyebrow slightly: "This... you grew these?"

“Exactly,” Lin Yun said with a smile. “These were harvested from the hydroponic room, especially the rice, which yielded more than two hundred catties.”

Upon hearing this, Yongzheng's expression changed: "How much? More than two hundred catties?" He stood up, walked to the rice paddies, and picked up a handful of rice to examine it closely.

The rice grains were plump and golden, of higher quality than any rice he had ever seen.

“Nowadays, the yield from one mu of land is only a little over two hundred jin, and it still requires a lot of manpower.” Yongzheng’s voice trembled slightly. “Your hydroponic room really has such miraculous effects?”

Lin Yun nodded and said softly, "As long as you soak the seeds in the spiritual spring water first, and then plant them in the ground, you can harvest two crops. The third crop will grow a little slower."

Yongzheng took a deep breath, his eyes blazing with fervor: "If this method can be promoted throughout the country, what will prevent the Qing Dynasty from prospering!" He held Lin Yun's hand tightly, "Yun'er, do you know what great contributions you have made to the Qing Dynasty?"

Lin Yun said nervously, "Your Majesty, as you know, I only benefited from the divine water. If it can benefit the people, it is my blessing."

As long as the Emperor doesn't see her as a demon, that's all that matters. She's happy as long as she can help him.

Emperor Yongzheng gazed at her, his heart filled with countless emotions.

He remembered Lin Yun saying that a celestial being had once bestowed upon him a treasure, and only now did he truly understand the weight of those words.

Why did the immortal give it to Yun'er instead of him, the supreme emperor? It must be because Yun'er has a destiny with the immortals. I just didn't expect that even immortals understand the art of weighing things.

"I will immediately order people to test this method. If it is effective, it will be promoted throughout the country."

Emperor Yongzheng said softly, "Yun'er, you are truly my lucky star."

Lin Yun leaned on his shoulder and whispered, "It is a blessing for the people that Your Majesty has the world in your heart."

Yongzheng remained silent, only holding her tightly as they looked out the window.

Only he knew the true significance of this gift, and he had to keep this secret from any outsider, otherwise his Yun'er would be in danger.

--------

The next day.

The morning light of Changchun Palace shone through the carved window lattices onto the bluestone floor. Empress Ulanara sat regally in front of her dressing table, letting the palace maids comb her hair.

The face in the bronze mirror remained dignified and graceful, only a trace of fatigue at the corner of her eyes betrayed the fact that she hadn't slept all night.

"Your Highness, would you like to wear this phoenix hairpin today?" The personal maid held up a nine-tailed phoenix hairpin inlaid with kingfisher feathers and asked softly.

The Empress's gaze faltered slightly as she suddenly recalled the kingfisher feather hairpin in Lin Yun's hair during her morning greetings. Despite its simple design, the ethereal grace of Lin Yun's movements made all the other concubines' jewelry appear vulgar in comparison.

She closed her eyes briefly, suppressing the inexplicable bitterness in her heart: "Let's change to the one with the pearl inlay."

The palace maid quickly agreed, but was inwardly surprised. Her Highness had always despised the ostentatious display of pearls; why was she acting this way today...?

"Did His Majesty stay at Yanxi Palace again last night?" the Empress suddenly asked, her voice so calm that no emotion could be discerned.

The palace maid's hand trembled, nearly dropping the hairpin: "Your Majesty, it is...this is the sixth day."

The bronze mirror was slammed onto the table with a "click," and the hall fell into an instant deathly silence.

The Empress's fingertips trembled, and a huge rock seemed to weigh on her chest. Six days! Since the Emperor ascended the throne, when had he ever summoned the same person for more than two consecutive days? Even with the most favored Consort Nian, the Emperor only stayed for three days before going to the front courtyard. What methods did Lin Yun use?

"I remember, it's time to serve the meal card today?" The Empress forced herself to remain calm and smoothed out the wrinkles on her sleeves.

"Yes... but Eunuch Su just came to deliver a message, saying that the Emperor has ordered..." the palace maid stammered, "that he's been busy with state affairs lately and won't be choosing consorts for the time being..."

"Smash!" The rouge box was swept to the ground, and the bright red powder splattered on the skirt, as glaring as blood.

The palace maids knelt in fear, but then the Empress suddenly laughed: "Good, very good." Staring at her distorted reflection in the mirror, she said, slowly and deliberately, "Prepare ink; I wish to write a memorial of remonstrance."

——

The fragrance of ambergris rose gently from the Qianqing Palace. Emperor Yongzheng was reviewing memorials when Su Peisheng announced that the Empress requested an audience. He frowned slightly, but his brush continued writing: "Summon her."

Ulanara entered the hall with a standard smile, her phoenix crown beads remaining perfectly still as she bowed: "Your Majesty, I pay my respects."

"Is there something wrong with the Empress?" Yongzheng asked without looking up, his pen pausing heavily on the word "approved".

The Empress's fingernails dug into her palms from her sleeves. In the past, when she visited the Qianqing Palace, the Emperor would at least offer her a seat! Now, he wouldn't even grant her that much courtesy? She maintained her smile: "Your Majesty, I dare to request..." But the words trailed off, "...to try the newly presented Junshan Silver Needle tea."

Yongzheng finally raised his eyes, his gaze like an icy blade scraping across her forced smile: "When did the Empress become a tea-serving maid?"

The air in the hall seemed to freeze. The Empress's face drained of color, and she nearly ground her teeth to powder. She took a deep breath and suddenly knelt: "Your Majesty, I have overstepped my bounds, but I have come for the sake of stability in the harem. His Majesty has been favoring Consort Yun for several days now, and the other concubines..."

"When did it become their place to interfere in my family affairs?" Yongzheng interrupted with a cold laugh. "Or does the Empress also think that I should follow the late Emperor's example and visit my concubines daily according to established procedures?"

"Your Majesty, I dare not!" The Empress prostrated herself, her forehead pressed against the cold, hard blue bricks. "It's just that the New Year is approaching, and the Mongol princes will soon be coming to the capital to offer their congratulations. If they hear that Your Majesty favors Han women, they may feel contempt for you..." She deliberately emphasized the words "Han women," secretly glancing at the Emperor's reaction.

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