After Empress Ye finished reciting this, Lancer, who was beside her, seemed to have helped her deal with the matter and took the initiative to step forward.
His eyes scanned the letter for a long time, scrutinizing every expense detail, his serious expression revealing a hint of anger.
“Since the Crown Prince’s triumphant return, Huayi Palace has made more than ten expenditures, each time amounting to five hundred taels, which has exceeded the usual allowance for the orphans.”
"Your Majesty, you are compassionate towards the orphans and want to share the joy with the people. You believe that the orphans should also share in the happiness. However, in just over a month, five thousand taels of silver have been spent."
"They also plan to ask for another thousand taels before the sacrificial festival. It will take a lot of effort from Your Highness to raise the money, and the good reputation will be borne by Consort Cheng and Lady Cheng."
"To be honest, these orphans have been so clueless all these years. They can't even tell who is truly kind to them. Your Majesty, we really shouldn't have given them any more money this time."
Lanse is a prominent palace maid in the Jiaofang Palace. She is just twenty-five years old and has been with Empress Ye for more than ten years.
She glanced at the palace maid, exuding a slightly authoritative aura that made anyone who met her gaze tremble.
Her outbursts of anger were even more terrifying than Empress Ye's, and they terrified all the palace maids and eunuchs.
"Why did you, a mere gatekeeper, have to go through all this trouble to take on this hot potato? If you're so capable, let the messenger confront the Empress face to face. You've stirred up a huge problem for her with your meddling."
The young palace maid who delivered the message was scolded so badly that she dared not raise her head, and knelt on the ground, sobbing repeatedly.
"This servant is illiterate and did not want to take it, but the people around Consort Cheng kept teasing me, and I don't know how I ended up taking it. By the time I wanted to return it, they had already gone far away."
“Stupid thing,” Lancer spat.
The young palace maid was filled with remorse and kowtowed, begging for forgiveness: "Your Majesty, please forgive me!"
If they wanted money, they could find a thousand reasons to do so. How could Empress Ye question an insignificant person and dismiss him?
"I will handle this matter. You may leave now."
"Thank you, Your Majesty the Empress," the young palace maid said, having been granted a pardon. She knelt back two steps and then ran out of the hall.
Yue Jiang understood the key information, lowered her head as if to avoid the topic, and wiped away the last few tears with a handkerchief, showing self-awareness.
"Your Majesty has important matters to attend to; is it appropriate for Yuejiang to be present?"
"Jiang'er, this is not a big deal that cannot be discussed, especially for your future," Empress Ye said with grace and elegance, her every move revealing the composure of an empress, yet she now looked apologetic towards Yue Jiang.
Yue Jiang raised her head, her clear eyes showing a sincere desire for guidance.
"Your Majesty, since this is something that Yue Jiang cannot shirk in the future, could you please give me your guidance in advance?"
Empress Ye lowered her eyes and summoned Lanse to bring the account book of the orphan's expenses for the past year. Yue Jiang took it and immediately began to read it.
It records the expenses for the orphans that year. When Emperor Jing went to An Nan that year, apart from Emperor Jing's death, none of the two thousand Jing guards he brought with him returned.
Later, in order to receive Emperor Jing, there were five or six military clashes with Anguo, large and small.
Because Emperor Jing was in an enemy country, the generals of Jing were hampered in leading their troops, resulting in several defeats and the deaths of thousands.
These three thousand soldiers each had an average of seven people in their families, with the elderly and young relying on the pillar of their households.
They died or were crippled, and they didn't even survive this calamity that shouldn't have happened. Jingguo felt guilty towards them and gave them treatment that no loyal soldiers in the past had ever received.
The imperial court not only exempted the descendants of these people from taxes, but also provided them with a monthly pension of three taels of silver and rice and grain according to their population needs.
On the first and fifteenth of each month, the consecration scriptures at Huayi Hall are offered as alms, which are burned for their relatives as a way of remembering them.
Even the sacrificial festival that had just begun forty years ago in the spring was arranged by the Jing Kingdom for the innocent soldiers who had died.
These orphans have lost their loved ones, and it is only natural that they are grieving. The imperial court has wronged them and has tried every means to make amends to them. They should trust the imperial court in return.
However, they only thought that they had lost their relatives and that the court's relief to them was only temporary, and they did not trust that the court would take full responsibility for them.
Since Empress Dowager Cheng had lost her brother from her maternal family and her descendants were mediocre, she had the foresight to allocate the Cheng family's wealth to support the orphans.
It just so happens that both sides share the same fate, having suffered the national crisis. At that time, Empress Dowager Cheng used this method to win over the hearts of the orphans in one fell swoop, and no one other than the Cheng family would believe it.
From then on, most of the money came from behind the scenes from the imperial court, while the Cheng family was on the front lines winning over the orphans.
To this day, the orphans probably consider everything they have gained over the years as a sacrifice made for them by the Cheng family.
"As long as these orphans are alive, the Jing Kingdom cannot mistreat them. Jiang'er will be the Crown Princess and Empress of the Jing Kingdom in the future, and sooner or later the throne will fall on your shoulders."
“It’s extremely difficult. Over the years, I haven’t been able to shake the Cheng family’s position in their hearts. I can’t find a solution, and Jiang’er may suffer injustice in the future.”
After Empress Ye explained the whole story, she held Yue Jiang's hand, deeply worried about her.
Yue Jiang reassured her, "Your Majesty has been doing this for so long, which is enough to show your virtue. It's their problem if they can't understand Your Majesty's good intentions."
"I feel sorry for Your Majesty's grievances. Since this is my duty in the future, and the Spring Festival is approaching again, may I boldly ask Your Majesty to entrust me with the contents of this letter?"
Empress Ye thought Yue Jiang had misunderstood something, so she patiently explained.
"Jiang'er, I'm not saying all this to ask you to solve my financial problems. I just want to explain the general situation in the palace to you so that you won't be confused later."
Yuejiang is afraid of being forced to take over the business in a muddled way later, so she wants to take the initiative to manage it now as soon as possible.
The imperial family is no exception when it comes to taking a wife. For the first two years after she marries into the family, there is always a sense of novelty, and the husband's family treats her leniently. If she does something wrong, they will only talk about it.
Over time, this won't work. People will take everything you do for granted. If you don't do as well as before, or as well as others, they will compare you and find fault with you.
Like Empress Ye, who managed the palace affairs for a long time and appeared to be well-organized, only she herself knew the difficulties she faced in managing them.
At this time, Yue Jiang could still be flexible and at ease. Wherever there was a shortcoming, she would always have a reason, using unfamiliarity with the matter as an excuse.
But she didn't make a fuss for nothing. She didn't care if the orphan didn't want to get close to Yue Jiang.
But relying on their status as orphans, they take advantage of her and curry favor with others. Yue Jiang wants to make it clear to them whether what they're really doing is showing respect or just shamelessness.
“Jiang’er understands. Jiang’er does not doubt Your Majesty’s intentions. However, I have heard that things here are complicated. I am not as thorough as Your Majesty and I am afraid that I will make a mistake in the future.”
"Your Majesty loves Jiang'er so much, so please let Jiang'er try it first. If it really doesn't work out, please be my support and back me up," Yue Jiang said coquettishly.
"Your Majesty, please give Princess Yuejiang a chance. We can't let Princess Cheng do the sacrificial ceremony again this year..." Lanse wanted to help Yuejiang, but deliberately hesitated before speaking.
When Empress Ye thought of what Lanse had said, her brows furrowed almost imperceptibly. Yue Jiang noticed this reaction but didn't pay it any mind, because she knew the reason.
Finally, Empress Ye couldn't resist Yue Jiang's coaxing and nodded in agreement: "If you want to do it, go ahead and do it on the first day of next month. But I must give you the money. Lanse can also help you."
Yue Jiang thanked Your Majesty: "Thank you, Your Majesty."
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