As the sun set, Ji's feelings were quite complicated.

How long has the Empress been in the palace? Less than a month. The Pei family has ruined themselves like that.

Cuizhu's feelings were quite complicated, but she was unwilling to go to the Pei residence.

The cat also objected: "We don't even know what the Pei family is planning."

Huan Yue chuckled: "Are you afraid they'll eat you?"

The cat nodded: "That's hard to say." It fiddled with its fingers, "The old man's death was quite strange."

Huan Yue whispered in her ear, "It was Cao who killed him."

The cat's eyes widened suddenly: "Isn't the Pei residence too scary?" Poor thing, "Your Highness, this servant dares not go."

Huan Yue poked her forehead with his finger: "You have no conscience. The Pei family raised you all these years."

"It's alright, it doesn't hurt," the cat scratched its nails. "The Pei family has ill intentions. The old master is dead, so they must be planning something."

Huan Yue looked at the little maid: "What does he do that makes you afraid?"

The cat nodded: "It's quite scary." It blinked, "Your Majesty, aren't you afraid?"

Huan Yue slapped her: "You brat."

The cat ran away. The Empress must be terrified. Madam Qian is surely waiting to deal with the Empress.

Ji was also terrified.

If Her Majesty goes back, then everything will be alright. If she goes back, then Ying will be in trouble.

Chao Yun watched from the side, speechless. But the Pei family was truly ruthless.

The Li and Qian families used to be vicious, but now the Cao family even dares to kill their husbands. It seems that the Xia family is not simple either.

Ji said slowly, "How about we go to the funeral another day?"

Generally speaking, married daughters can return home for a few days when attending a funeral, except for the Crown Princess.

Attending a funeral is like visiting a guest; you just go through the motions.

Yu Yan said, "Don't worry, you can choose two, and I'll choose four. We'll give you face and bring you gifts."

The cat peeks in from inside, sticking out its tongue; that's more like it.

Huan Yue shouted, "Go!"

Cuizhu said honestly, "I'll go with Mao'er. The Empress can't be separated from anyone else. Even if her family says something, it's fine to listen."

The cat thought for a moment, then came out and said, "Let's hear what other plans they have."

Huan Yue and Chao Yun said, "Cui Zhu is granted the title of Zhang Zheng, and Mao'er is granted the title of Zhang Yan."

Chaoyun nodded; this was a sign of respect from the Empress.

Cuizhu and Mao'er quickly knelt down and kowtowed.

Even a female official of the eighth rank! Even if she were a family member, could she possibly achieve that by serving as a servant her entire life?

The cat is having a great time lately; the Empress really is someone you can get along with as long as you go along with her.

Huan Yue and Chao Yun discussed, "If the Pei family wants to send people, let them send a few, shall we?"

Chao Yun nodded with a smile. If they misbehave, a beating will make them obedient.

That's all the Pei family can do. They're not afraid of any number of people from the Eastern Palace coming.

Cui Zhu is honest and steady, so this job is quite good for her.

Chaoyun and Yuyan discussed what to send.

Huan Yue said, "Wouldn't it be better to give pine and cypress trees?"

A group of people blinked. "Your Majesty, you look quite good like this."

Huan Yue did not make a decision unilaterally, but discussed it with everyone: "Without the cold of winter, one cannot know the true value of the pine and cypress. The willow and cattail fall in autumn, but the pine and cypress remain evergreen even in the face of frost. May the evergreen pine and cypress bring lasting blessings to the Pei family."

Yu Yan nodded. "Very good, very good. Although the Pei family doesn't possess the qualities of pine and cypress, this is what the Empress expects." He went to find saplings.

"By the way," Yu Yan asked, "How many trees should we send?"

Huan Yue asked, "Three trees each?"

Okay, six trees in total, that's quite a lot, just enough to make up the numbers.

Chaoyun blinked, and decided to send the gift according to this taste.

Huan Yue said, "I must write another poem. Look how wonderful this tree is; it's alive."

Chao Yun thought to herself, "Stop talking. Anyway, the Pei family doesn't care about things, even though they used to."

If you all think about it, this gift is actually quite good. The basic allowance won't be shortchanged.

It might make people think the Crown Prince is stingy, but it certainly wouldn't be considered a lack of manners. As for being stingy, that's hard to say. After all, even a young lady from the Pei family dared to barge into the Crown Prince's palace.

Huan Yue wasn't quite sure what to send, so he left it to someone who knew.

Cuizhu went to prepare the clothes.

Not only are there female officials, but there are also mourning clothes for funerals. She can keep it simple and get it ready quickly.

If Huan Yue doesn't give others a reason to criticize him, he should at least be a little more cautious these next few days.

Huiqing brought people to make clothes for her. Wasn't she supposed to wear white? Now she can wear mourning clothes.

Huan Yue exclaimed, "I want white lotus!"

Huiqing looked at her and felt that Bailian was being a bit awkward.

Huan Yue did it on purpose.

Huiqing smiled and said, "Let her be."

Huan Yue said, "Tomorrow, have Di Baose make a few white lotus dresses as well. Have Ju Fengyi embroider a large white lotus screen for me, and give her one hundred taels of silver."

Huiqing smiled and nodded, saying, "Summer is quite nice with white lotuses too."

Huan Yue blinked: "Whenever something comes up, I'll send lotus flowers to someone. As a noble flower, it rises from the mud unsullied and remains pure and unpretentious. It's fine to send it to a woman, a man, an elderly person, or even a child."

The palace maid said, "The lotus pond will be plucked bare."

Huan Yue said, "It's alright, let's go pick some in the Imperial Garden."

A group of palace maids were speechless; they had their eyes on the Imperial Garden.

Huan Yue said, "If it really was picked from outside, and I said it was from the Imperial Garden, who would dare to say it wasn't?"

Sending flowers, isn't that basic stuff?

The eunuchs all knew what was going on.

Please take better care of the garden in the future. The Empress can trim it whenever she needs it.

Wouldn't it be better to save the money and tip everyone?

As for others saying that the Empress is stingy, does it matter?

Lizheng Hall.

Wen Yuan, Di Shan, and the others were so busy that they had to turn on the lamps.

Xie Zhou stopped to drink tea and asked, "Who among you knows how to cook?"

Di Shan asked, "How do you calculate it?"

Xie Zhou said, "Cooking, grilling meat, and making soup are all fine."

Di Shan asked, "Does grilled fish count?"

Xie Zhou looked at him, wondering how he could do that?

Wen Yuan was speechless. Di Shan had secretly eaten fish in Hualin Garden; this was an admission of guilt.

Di Shan didn't care: "The fish in Hualin Garden are delicious! The prey is delicious too."

Xie Zhou made the final decision: "Find someone else to teach, and Wen Yuan will also learn."

Wen Yuan blinked.

Xie Zhou remembered and asked him, "Does Lü Wenren know how? Does Miss Lü know how?"

Wen Yuan said slowly, "I'll have to ask."

Di Shan suddenly remembered: "Your Highness is going to make this for the Empress?"

Xie Zhou looked at him and said, "Is that not allowed? If she wants to eat what the Empress makes, we should make it for her first, isn't that right?"

Di Shan nodded. "Yes! Very true! Absolutely true!"

Di Shan and Wen Yuan exchanged a glance: "Has Your Highness lost your mind?"

Wen Yuan didn't think it was important.

Xie Zhou recalled that Grand Tutor Wen was rather casual.

Although he was a great Confucian scholar, his knowledge was extremely broad. Wen Yuan is similar; he was also very eclectic, referring to his extensive learning.

Otherwise, he wouldn't be so unconcerned about Miss Lü. There are plenty of hypocrites in this world; even General Lü's daughter can be as hypocritical as He Yuzhi.

Xie Zhou said, "If Miss Lü has time, she can come to the palace to play with Qing'e."

Di Shan cautioned, "Whether Di Baose is willing or not is hard to say."

Xie Zhou said, "We'll introduce her to the rank of Liangdi in a while."

Di Shan nodded: "Let's wait a while."

Don't let her think that being demoted or promoted is a joke, especially since it doesn't affect her life whether she's a Liangdi or Zhaoxun.