"Yuanhua, go back and settle in. I'll tell His Majesty, and you can set off in the next few days," Yan Nangui waved his hand.

Yuanhua smiled and agreed.

In the afternoon, Yan Nan returned to the Beichen Palace.

Shu Chengfeng is still busy; he's had a lot on his plate lately.

After relations with the Tuotuo people were on track, there were many more things to do in the north, and initially, His Majesty had to review and advise on them.

"You're here, have a seat. Why don't you take a look at this stack of documents for me?" Shu Chengfeng pointed to a stack of folded documents on his left.

Yan Nangui's lips twitched, and he walked over.

The eunuch Liu, being very perceptive, brought over a chair.

This stack is from the local area, nothing serious. The ones with serious matters are all at the other end.

The cabinet will also send over the most urgent and important documents.

The two stopped at almost the same time. Yan Nangui rubbed his wrist and said, "I'm wondering, if Bao'er were a boy, would you have to prevent me from entering the Imperial Study?"

Shu Chengfeng stopped, thought for a moment, frowned and shook his head: "No."

He thought about it seriously and realized that he really didn't know how.

“Then I am truly honored. I heard the Empress Dowager say that I was ignorant and often stayed in the Imperial Study. I knew that she hadn’t been in there much back then,” Yan Nangui said.

"Back then, Mother..." Shu Chengfeng shook his head: "Back then, Father Emperor not only forbade her to come in."

"Tsk, alright. Empress Gongxiao was better then." Although Empress Jiang's end was truly tragic, she was still very glamorous when she was empress.

In his last few years, he suffered the pain of losing his son and grandson.

At least, they truly loved each other.

"By the way, why are you here at this time?" Shu Chengfeng asked after washing his hands.

“Oh, Bao’er was being persistent, wasn’t she? I was thinking today that even though she’ll go with someone, I’m still not entirely at ease. Let Yuanhua go first and prepare a place for her to stay. After Bao’er goes, she can take care of her for a few months and make sure everything is settled before coming back,” Yan Nangui said.

“Alright, if you serve her well, she can stay there. Wouldn’t it be nice to stay with Bao’er?” Shu Chengfeng said.

“No need, Bao’er will eventually become independent. With me around, she can’t be controlled or managed. And the people below won’t be able to manage her either,” Yan Nangui said.

"I truly don't understand you. Your people are not hers, are they?" Shu Chengfeng said.

"So it's the same? What was that girl in your household called back then? Cuizhu? Wasn't she someone your mother gave you? Why didn't you use her?" Yan Nangui asked.

Shu Chengfeng thought for a moment about who it was, but was immediately silenced.

Okay, they are indeed different.

"This matter is, after all, handled by someone from my palace, so please just say the word and leave it to me. I can't handle it anyway."

Shu Chengfeng agreed: "Then let her go, with a few people."

"I'll have someone tell Consort Wancong later, and also Consort He." The Sixth Princess and the Fifth Prince are both going.

"Is there anything else?" Shu Chengfeng asked.

"That's all, I'm going back."

"Tsk, what are you going back for if there's nothing wrong? It's almost dinner time. Go and read a few more memorials for me. There's still a pile left after dinner. Read them before you go back." Shu Chengfeng pulled her back.

Yan Nangui looked at him and sighed, "To be honest, I don't really want to. Sometimes I find these memorials quite interesting. But if you ask me if I really want to, I don't really want to."

"Just take a look, treat it like reading a book," Shu Chengfeng said with a smile.

Yan Nangui rolled her eyes, took a few steps and sat down on the small couch by the window: "Move it here."

Eunuch Liu hurriedly moved it over and ground ink for her. Of course, "looking" wasn't just about looking; it also involved issuing instructions.

The Empress's handwriting is also frequently seen in the cabinet. To be honest, they had seen it before she was Empress.

I just didn't see them often back then.

When Yunji outside announced that it was time to prepare the meal, all the lights in the hall remained on.

Yan Nangui said, "Let's set it out in a bit, and get it done before we finish eating, so we don't have to do it again after we finish eating."

Shu Chengfeng nodded in agreement.

Yun Ji and Eunuch Liu exchanged a glance, thinking to themselves that when Her Majesty the Empress gets busy, she doesn't care about right or wrong.

As a result, the Empress did not return home that night.

It's getting late, why bother going back? I might as well stay here.

After washing up in the evening, Yan Nangui was lying in bed, pondering the matters in the memorials he had submitted that day, when suddenly he was picked up and carried away.

She lay on top of him, looking at him: "...Don't tell me you want to do something without putting in any effort."

Shu Chengfeng didn't speak, but his hands and eyes were restless.

He stared at her naked.

Geese fly south...

Am I not tired?

Shu Chengfeng remained silent and reached out to pull on her pocket.

Yan Nangui clicked her tongue and sat up abruptly, pulling open his undergarment with a ripping sound and biting him.

Those outside were unaware of how intense the battle was that night, as everyone had stayed away.

But the next day, His Majesty's torn undergarments and trousers lay on the ground, a stark contrast to his appearance.

When the Empress went to sleep with His Majesty, his undergarments were torn to shreds...

These cannot be appreciated in detail.

Yan Nangui yawned as he headed towards Ruining Palace, having already instructed everyone to go there.

There's no need to go to her place.

Inside Ruining Palace, the Empress Dowager was in high spirits today.

Since the Empress arrived last, the Empress Dowager was bound to hum a disapproving remark.

"Your Majesty must have had a hard night serving me."

These words were sarcastic, and Yan Nangui didn't tolerate them: "Your Majesty, I have worked hard, but it's a pity that you don't care."

What could the Empress Dowager do? She couldn't just say, "Of course I don't pity you."

All I could say was a dry, curt reply: "Of course I pity you."

"Mother, that's a lie. You really pity me. Why won't you let me off the hook for today's greetings?" Yan Nangui sat down reproachfully. "Since Mother doesn't care about me, I had no choice but to come."

She had already sat down, and everyone hurriedly greeted her.

The Empress Dowager thought to herself that Yan Shi really didn't find it disgusting; she could still act coquettishly at this time.

"You are the Empress. Even if I feel sorry for you, you still have to manage such a large harem. How can you not follow the rules?" The Empress Dowager finally thought of this.

"Yes, Mother is absolutely right. That's why we've come. Fortunately, we're not too late," Yan Nangui said with a smile.

They started using polite language.

Yan Nangui told everyone about sending someone to Bailu Prefecture.

Tell Consort He and Consort Wan to prepare to go together.

The Empress Dowager snorted again, "It's all because of the Seventh Princess's meddling. She's a perfectly good princess, and she wants to study. Aren't the teachers in the palace good enough? Why go all the way here? It's such a hassle."

"Your Majesty is quite right. However, I am unfortunate to have only given birth to one child. She is, after all, a princess, so let her go if she wants. Once she grows up and is married, she won't be able to leave even if she wants to," Yan Nangui said.

The Empress Dowager snorted, finding it rather... somewhat...

How to put it? It's both comforting and awkward to listen to.

Thinking about it makes me realize how unlucky you are! No matter how capable you are, you just don't have a son!

Are you thinking you're not fortunate enough? What more do you want from being Empress?

Torn between these two conflicting thoughts, the Empress Dowager felt as if her chest was being pressed against something.

After saying a few more words, I told them to disperse. Any more and I'd get really annoyed.