Chapter 365 Turmoil
Consort Li was lost in thought the whole way until she arrived at Weiyang Palace in her sedan chair, where she was politely but firmly stopped by the palace servants standing outside the palace.
"Your Highness, please wait," the head palace maid curtsied respectfully. "The Imperial Noble Consort is taking a midday rest and has instructed that she will not see any outsiders. Your Highness, please return."
Consort Li raised her eyebrows and said sternly, "How dare you! I have important business to discuss with the Imperial Noble Consort, and you dare to stop me?"
The palace maid remained expressionless, still blocking the doorway: "This servant wouldn't dare, but we dare not disobey Your Highness's orders. If Consort Li truly has urgent business, she may come later, or I may inform Your Highness that you will come after Your Highness has awakened..."
"No need!" Consort Li snorted coldly, knowing that she would not be able to see Jiang Huan today.
She stared at the heavily guarded palace gates, her hands clenched tightly in her sleeves, the cold sweat on her palms sending a shiver down her spine.
On the one hand, they granted her the power to assist in managing the six palaces, and on the other hand, they wanted to dismiss the six palaces.
Jiang Huan, what exactly are you thinking!
Consort Li, her face ashen, turned and stormed off.
Meanwhile, many concubines who had heard the news also gathered outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Their faces paled, their eyes brimming with tears, and they all longed to see the Emperor to get an explanation and a fair judgment.
Wang Degui, accompanied by a group of eunuchs, stood anxiously outside the palace, pleading with them, "Your Highnesses, please return. His Majesty is currently dealing with state affairs and will not see the concubines. I will certainly convey your wishes, Your Highnesses. Please do not put me in a difficult position..."
The concubines wouldn't listen; they cried and made a ruckus, creating a chaotic scene.
"How could Your Majesty be so heartless?"
"What did we do wrong? Why are we being dismissed?"
"It must have been that person whispering in his ear!"
...
Huo Lin listened to the commotion outside from inside the hall, his brows furrowed and his face so gloomy it could drip water.
It's so noisy, everyone's wailing like they're at a funeral, but he's not dead yet!
Why not let them go back to their own homes and find their own mothers? Why would anyone be so eager to spend their whole life living a life of idleness and waiting to die in this deep palace?
Just as he was about to lash out, a young eunuch rushed in and presented him with a secret report.
Huo Lin unfolded it and saw that it was sent by Shen Yi.
It details the most active concubines, their families' influence in the court, and their recent activities.
Shen Yi added a final note: "It's not a good time. If we send them home, there will probably be a lot of trouble. Should we postpone this?"
Huo Lin looked at the secret report, took a deep breath, and forced himself to calm down.
Shen Yi is right. These powerful families are deeply entrenched, and a single move can have far-reaching consequences.
Forcibly dismissing them now, pushing them too far, could actually endanger Jiang Huan and Zai Zai.
Enough, a small act of impatience could ruin a great plan.
He pondered for a moment, suppressing his agitation, and instructed Wang Degui: "Go and tell those people outside that I have no intention of dismissing the harem for the time being. Tell them to behave themselves and return to their respective palaces. If anyone causes trouble again, punish them severely according to the palace rules!"
Wang Degui felt as if he had been granted a pardon and quickly agreed to withdraw.
The news spread quickly, and the gathered concubines were skeptical, but seeing the emperor's firm attitude, they dared not cause any more trouble and had to disperse reluctantly, but the fear and suspicion in their hearts did not disappear.
That evening, Huo Lin returned to Weiyang Palace, his expression still not very good.
Jiang Huan was lounging on the couch eating fruit when she saw him come in. She raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Oh, what's wrong with our wise and mighty Emperor? Why is your face so long? Who has upset you this time?"
Huo Lin sat down next to her, habitually pulling her into his arms, and muttered, "Don't even mention it, a bunch of troublemakers."
[I'm so angry! Why is it so hard for me to have a peaceful life with my wife?]
[A bunch of old fogies, always keeping a close eye on my harem, more concerned than I am! Why don't they care about their own backyard being on fire?]
He briefly recounted the farce outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation during the day and Shen Yi's secret report, growing angrier as he spoke.
"...I was too hasty," he sighed, his tone tinged with resentment, like a large dog that hadn't gotten a bone. "I wanted to give you and Zai Zai some peace and quiet, but I didn't expect it to cause even more trouble. The matter of dismissing them will probably require further consideration. We need to clean up those parasites in the court first."
Jiang Huan didn't seem particularly moved by what she heard; she hadn't expected to achieve it overnight anyway.
Moreover, it was actually her fault for losing her temper that day; it was probably pregnancy anxiety syndrome.
She reached out and patted his back, her tone relaxed: "I thought it was something serious, is that all? It's okay, no rush, take your time. Anyway, they can't bother me now, out of sight, out of mind."
"You slowly clean up the court, and I slowly nurture the pregnancy; let's do both at the same time."
Hearing her say that, Huo Lin felt a little better. He looked up and stared at her expectantly.
"You really don't mind? Don't you think I'm...useless?"
Will she think I'm a spineless coward? I can't even handle a few veteran ministers...?
[My illustrious reputation, has it been shattered into pieces in her heart?]
Seeing his anxious and uncertain expression, Jiang Huan couldn't help but reach out and pinch his cheek: "As long as your heart is with me, they are just decorations. If your heart is not with me, even if you drive them all away, they will still come."
Huo Lin immediately grabbed her hand, pressed it to his chest, and hurriedly declared his loyalty: "My heart is of course with you, and will always be with you!"
[Jump faster, jump faster, let her feel my true feelings!]
[I'll have the Imperial Household Department forge a pair of love locks to bind me and her together, and melt the key down in the stove!]
Jiang Huan was amused by him: "Alright, alright, I know."
However, the tree may wish to remain still, but the wind will not cease. A few days later, some fearless individuals in the court once again brought up the old tune of "equal distribution of favors."
A minister stepped forward and spoke eloquently: "Your Majesty, I humbly beseech Your Majesty, for the sake of the nation and its people, to extend your grace to the six palaces and ensure the continuation of the imperial lineage..."
Before he could finish speaking, he felt Huo Lin's gaze pierce him like a sharp arrow, making his hair stand on end instantly.
"You keep talking about the country and its people, the imperial heir and the foundation of the nation, and your concern for the country and its people truly moves me."
The minister, increasingly flustered by this unusual calm, forced himself to say, "Your Majesty... Your Majesty was merely fulfilling your duty..."
"Duty-bound?" Huo Lin interrupted him, sneering, "Fine, since you're so concerned about the foundation of the nation and my offspring, your family must be thriving, right? But I seem to recall that you have three sons. Your eldest son is still unmarried, your second son has been married for three years but still has no children, and your youngest son has taken a concubine, but he doesn't seem to be very busy."
With each word he spoke, the minister's face paled further, and cold sweat poured down his back.
The emperor even knew such private matters in his own home!
"You're already like this with your own family," Huo Lin's tone suddenly turned cold, "yet you have the leisure to worry about my harem? Isn't your so-called loyalty a bit of putting the cart before the horse?"
The minister knelt down with a thud, trembling like a leaf: "Your Majesty, I am filled with fear!"
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