Xi Jiaorong refused to move forward, so Sun Shurong reached out to pull her.
"Empress Xifei, the camellia is not far from here, let's go see the flowers."
"It's too dark. Wait until I get a lantern."
Zhu Bifeng came around the corner and asked, "Xi Fei, it's late, why aren't you going back to the palace?"
"Your Highness, I pay my respects to you."
The three concubines immediately knelt down. Zhu Bifeng ordered Shuangxi to escort Xi Jiaorong back to the palace. Along the way, Shuangxi kept reminding her, "My Lady Xi Fei, you'd better not go out at night."
"Eunuch Shuangxi, I wasn't going out tonight. I went to pay my respects to the Empress Dowager at dusk. After I came out of the Cining Palace, Concubine Chen insisted on dragging me to see the camellias, and I couldn't get away no matter how hard I tried."
When Shuangxi returned to the imperial study, he told Zhu Beifeng everything exactly as it was. Zhu Beifeng frowned after hearing it.
"Send a few maidservants to guard her, and tell the guards patrolling at night to be alert. Too many women in the harem will easily lead to trouble."
Guo Zhusi from the Jingshifang came forward with a tray on which were placed the green name cards of the concubines.
"Your Majesty, it's time to turn over the cards."
"I don't want to turn over, I just want to be alone and quiet."
Manager Guo was disappointed and left with the tray.
Shuangxi made a cup of tea for Zhu Bifeng, and the light tea fragrance soothed Zhu Bifeng's irritable mood.
After drinking a cup of tea, he got up and rushed to the Cining Palace.
"Go to the Cining Palace. I want to see the Queen Mother."
“He knows a lot about the former dynasty, but not about the harem. He needs to ask others for advice on things he doesn’t understand.
Zhu Bifeng came to the Cining Palace in a sedan chair, and Gu Yinwei was already waiting for him.
"The emperor is here, come in and sit down."
"Your son pays his respects to the Queen Mother."
"Your Majesty, please wait a moment. I have recently blended three new fragrances. Please choose the one you like and I will send it to you later."
"The first is the plum blossom scent, which is elegant and timeless; the second is the lilac scent, which is long-lasting; and the third is the gardenia scent, which is refreshing and soothing."
Gu Yinwei's words were full of profound meaning, and Zhu Bifeng listened quietly.
"Only when the court is peaceful and the harem is tranquil can the emperor sit securely on the throne. The daughters in the harem are like spices, each with its own characteristics and flavor."
"Can the Queen Mother help them get along?"
"No."
"Then how was the late emperor's harem managed? Why was it so peaceful, with the concubines so contentious? The Empress Dowager and the Virtuous Consort Dowager got along so well, calling each other sisters. Why can't the women in my harem live in harmony?"
"Because the late emperor only had one woman, Aijia. Emperor, can you be so single as to have only one woman for your entire life?"
Zhu Bifeng was stunned at first, then suddenly stood up from his chair.
The previous emperor had three palaces and six courtyards with countless beauties, but he only had one woman.
Yes, he only had one woman, otherwise how could he not have an heir, otherwise the throne would not have been his turn.
"The love between my mother and my father is truly admirable."
"Emperor Feng'er, you can't be too sentimental, nor too ruthless. I hope you can handle the affairs of the harem well. I am old and just want to enjoy my remaining years.
Gu Yinwei is twenty-four years old this year. There is not a single wrinkle on her face. Her eyes are clear and bright. She does not participate in intrigues or fights with others. She plays with cats and dogs, plants flowers and raises trees every day. She lives a comfortable life and does not want to care about the affairs of the harem.
"Mother, please take care of the affairs of the harem."
Gu Yinwei closed her eyes, then slowly opened them. She looked extremely tired.
"Since the emperor has spoken, I will take better care of you."
"Thank you, Mother."
On the way back, the emperor was in turmoil. The behavior of the previous emperor really shocked him.
King Xiaoyao is just an idle prince with many wives and concubines. The emperor is the son of heaven, but he only has one woman.
Shuangxi was also shocked. If it was an ordinary person with one father and one wife, he could understand it, but since the other party was the emperor, this matter seemed a bit absurd.
"Shuangxi, ask someone to invite Chief Guo over."
Chief Secretary Guo was extremely terrified. The emperor did not turn over the card, the concubines in the harem put pressure on him, the ministers of the previous dynasty questioned him indirectly, and the two concubines also reprimanded him. Just when it was time to change shifts, the emperor called him again.
Day after day, if the emperor didn't turn over his cards, everyone else would make things difficult for him.
"Minister Guo, is there any archived red book from when the late emperor was alive? Please show it to me."
Guo Jia raised his head with a surprised expression. Did the emperor call him here tonight not to punish him, but to inquire about the secrets of the late emperor?
"The late emperor's imperial edict is on file. I will send someone to deliver it immediately."
Guo Jia ordered a young eunuch to get the red book. After a cup of tea, the red book was retrieved.
Zhu Bifeng opened the red book and took a closer look. On a certain day of a certain month of a certain year, the late emperor accompanied the concubine to have a meal. On a certain day of a certain month of a certain year, the late emperor accompanied the empress to drink tea.
Zhu Bifeng aimed at the directory recording the emperor's sleepovers and flipped through it. He saw a line of small characters that recorded the date when the emperor summoned Gu Yinwei to sleep with him. He couldn't help but feel something in his heart.
"Master Guo, are all the records of the late emperor here? Are there any omissions?"
"Your Majesty, nothing has been omitted. Everything, big or small, is here."
Zhu Bifeng sighed silently: "You go down."
·····
In the clean room of the Qianqing Palace.
Zhu Bifeng half sank into the water, and Shuangxi slowly added hot water to the wooden barrel.
I don’t know what happened to the emperor today, and suddenly I remembered looking at the red book when the late emperor was alive.
Incense was lit in the room, and the candles on the table emitted a goose-yellow light. Zhu Bifeng rested his hands on the edge of the bucket, his eyes looking at the ceiling.
The water vapor gradually rose, and the room seemed to be covered with frost.
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