When Consort Hua arrived at the Hall of Mental Cultivation, she saw Su Peisheng waiting outside, and knew that Big Fat Orange was probably busy at the moment.

"Greetings to Consort Hua."

"Please rise, Eunuch Su."

Consort Hua reached out to help him up, and ever since she learned of Su Peisheng's importance in Fatty Orange's heart, she had become even more enthusiastic towards him than before.

"Does Your Majesty have any free time right now? I need to report to Your Majesty about the New Year's Eve palace banquet."

Su Peisheng said, "This is really unfortunate. The Empress Dowager is inside talking to the Emperor. I don't know when she will come out."

"Your Majesty, why don't you go back first and come back later? It's the same thing."

Consort Hua glanced at the tightly closed door in front of her, wondering what the Empress Dowager wanted to do there.

"If I remember correctly, the Empress Dowager visited the Emperor at the Hall of Mental Cultivation just a few days ago?"

Su Peisheng sighed, "Yes, His Majesty is still recovering from his injuries, and Consort Cheng lost her child. The Empress Dowager feels sorry for His Majesty, so she will have to be more lenient with him."

Heartache?

Consort Hua didn't believe it. She thought it was mostly because the Emperor's grief and resentment had affected her beloved Fourteenth Prince. That's why she was trying to mend her relationship with the Emperor.

What effect can steamed cheese with sugar and osmanthus wine have after being made for decades?

Consort Hua stood there for a while, but no one came out. She originally wanted to go back first, but she really wanted to see how sad Big Fat Orange looked.

"It shouldn't be long now, so I'll just wait here. The New Year's Eve banquet is not something to be taken lightly; it's best if His Majesty makes the decision."

Su Peisheng said, "The wind outside is bitterly cold. Your Highness is delicate and may not be able to withstand this."

"Why don't we wait in the side hall for a while and have a cup of hot tea? When His Majesty has some free time, I will go in and inform him."

Consort Hua nodded, "Very well, thank you, Eunuch Su."

Consort Hua, following the young eunuch arranged by Su Peisheng, was about to turn around and go to the side hall when she saw the door of the Hall of Mental Cultivation open and Zhu Xi helping the Empress Dowager out from inside.

They were both old foxes, and Consort Hua could not discern any emotion from the Empress Dowager and Zhu Xi's aged faces.

However, the less you can tell someone's emotions, the more problematic they are.

It's common for parents to show favoritism, but to see it as extreme as the Empress Dowager's is something Consort Hua has never seen before.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects. May Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings and peace."

The Empress Dowager stopped in her tracks. She was already in a bad mood after being rebuffed by the Emperor. Seeing Consort Hua dressed so charmingly only worsened her mood.

Thinking of how she spoke recklessly, mentioning the thousand-eyed bodhi beads in front of the emperor, which implicated the fourteenth prince.

The Empress Dowager wished she could send Consort Hua to the Cold Palace.

Unfortunately, with Nian Gengyao around, Consort Hua couldn't be touched...

The Empress Dowager's tone was as usual, and her attitude towards Consort Hua was very lenient: "Get up."

"What brings you to the Hall of Mental Cultivation at this hour?"

"Your Majesty, I thank you for your grace."

Consort Hua said, "Reporting to the Empress Dowager, it is about the New Year's Eve palace banquet."

"Your Majesty has ordered me to prepare for this matter, but I dare not act on my own initiative, so I have come to ask for Your Majesty's opinion."

The Empress Dowager nodded, "You are very sensible. The Emperor and I have always trusted you."

"I'm going back to the palace now. If there's anything you need to say, you can talk to the Emperor."

"Thank you for your praise, Your Majesty. Your Majesty, I respectfully see you off."

As Consort Hua watched the Empress Dowager and Zhu Xi's group walk away, she thought to herself, "Just wait and see, they'll become more sensible and make her 'like' them even more."

*

Once inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Consort Hua explained the method that Shen Meizhuang had just mentioned to Fatty Orange.

"Does Your Majesty think this is feasible?"

Big Fat Orange was clearly very satisfied with this. He took a sip of hot tea and exclaimed, "This is a good method. It saves a lot of money, which can be used to set up more iron pots, allowing poor people to have a few more meals to eat."

"Who came up with this idea? She really has the talent of a steward. I should reward her with something."

Consort Hua pouted unhappily, her eyes practically rolling to the sky.

"Your Majesty is biased, so why can't it be my idea?"

The chubby orange cat glanced sideways and said with a smile, "Your idea?"

"I am not old yet, and my hearing and eyesight are still very good."

Consort Hua muttered, "Who else could it be but Consort Shen, the Emperor's favorite..."

The chubby orange cat laughed, "He's being temperamental again."

“She was young when she entered the palace, and you were ill at that time, so I visited her several times.”

"Letting her learn to cook these things is also because I'm worried about you working too hard, so I'm finding someone to share the burden with you."

Consort Hua was in a bad situation, and if she wasn't having a good time, then Big Fat Orange wouldn't be either!

"Your Majesty keeps saying that you care about me, so you're finding me two helpers."

"But the national treasury is empty, and I can't conjure up any silver. I also can't afford to damage the imperial family's prestige. His Majesty doesn't care at all about the hardships I've endured; he only cares about Consort Shen!"

"The Empress Dowager has so many private assets, including estates, shops, and fields, even though they are in the inner palace."

"Before the late emperor passed away, he left a lot of private money for the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager is old and doesn't have the energy to manage these things."

"Why doesn't Your Majesty find someone to share the Empress Dowager's burdens?"

The chubby orange cat said with a serious expression, "Are you asking me to scheme against the Empress Dowager's private funds?"

The person who was smiling just a moment ago suddenly became serious. Having been by Consort Hua's side for so many years, he'd seen all sorts of expressions.

When I first entered the manor, I wasn't afraid, but now that I know where my strength lies, I'm even less afraid.

Consort Hua swayed her slender waist and sat down next to Big Fat Orange, stretching out her two jade-like hands to gently massage Big Fat Orange's shoulders.

"Your Majesty has no other intention than that Your Majesty has only been on the throne for less than two years and is currently short of funds."

"The expenses for the late emperor's funeral and ascension to the throne used up eight or nine tenths of the silver he left behind."

"In addition to the talent show, the previous birthday celebration, and this New Year's Eve, I have calculated and saved again and again, and finally managed to make it look presentable."

"The Empress Dowager lives in the palace and has always been frugal. How much could she spend? So much silver is just sitting there."

"You are the Empress Dowager's own flesh and blood, and those things will be yours sooner or later. After the New Year, there will be even more places to spend money."

"It's just an advance on some emergency funds; we'll return them once we have them. Would the Empress Dowager really hold a grudge against her own son over such inanimate objects?"

Consort Hua's words struck a chord with Fatty Orange. He worried about money every day, while the Empress Dowager had been favored for so many years, and the late Emperor had managed the harem for decades.

Even though a lot of the money on the fourteenth prince had been spent, there were still several hundred thousand taels left.

Seeing him struggling to make ends meet every day, the Empress Dowager showed no concern whatsoever. It seems she had no intention of letting her own son inherit any of that wealth.

As for who he would leave it to if not him, is that even a question?

Big Fat Orange felt his teeth suddenly become incredibly itchy!