Song Xia kept everyone at Fengyi Palace for lunch, so the concubines returned to their respective palaces in the afternoon to change their clothes and tidy their makeup before attending the evening banquet.
"Your Majesty's complexion has improved a lot recently."
"Really?" Consort Xian looked at herself carefully in the bronze mirror. "The fine lines seem to have faded a bit, and her skin looks fairer."
"Your Majesty, you haven't even noticed it yourself, but you've been smiling more lately. Perhaps it's because you're in a better mood."
"My mood has improved," Consort Xian murmured. Recently, the infighting between the palaces seemed to have decreased, and there was less scheming. Was it because His Majesty hadn't visited the inner palace? Not necessarily. She felt it was more because of the Empress.
"Your Majesty, what's wrong?"
"It's nothing, it's just that I suddenly feel like I'm no longer qualified or capable of competing with the Empress."
"Your Majesty, how can you think like that? The Empress has never even given birth to a prince, while you still have the Fourth Prince in your womb!"
"It is because my level of understanding is not as high as hers. If I had as much knowledge as she does, I would never teach everyone so selflessly."
"Your Majesty, you were once a renowned and talented woman in the capital. Why belittle yourself?"
"You don't need to praise me anymore. I am inferior to her, that's an indisputable fact. Mo Shu, has my brother sent any messages to me recently?"
"Nothing else, except that several factories have recently opened in the capital, and the products they produce are very similar to the knowledge that Your Majesty passed back to the Marquis of Zhongyong's residence."
Consort Xian became interested: "Oh? What kind of things are there?"
"This is a mirror produced in one of the factories. The purity of the glass is much higher than before, and it is coated with a layer of mercury. It is much clearer than a bronze mirror. I heard that it has become a highly sought-after item among the noble ladies of the capital."
Consort Xian nodded: "It is indeed something that Her Majesty the Empress could create."
The palace maid exclaimed in surprise, "Your Highness, are you saying that all these factories belong to Her Majesty the Empress?"
"Perhaps. Do these factories primarily employ female workers?"
“That’s right. Because of this, I’ve heard that many families no longer sell their daughters, since daughters can now earn money for their families.” Mo Shu was very happy. She was originally a maid in the Marquis of Zhongyong’s mansion. She entered the palace with the Empress. Back then, her parents could have supported her, but they still sold her, just to save more dowry for her brother. How ridiculous! Fortunately, she met the Empress and was not sold to that filthy place.
Consort Xian sighed, "I saw it long ago; she has always been fighting for women's rights."
This is what she admires most. Why is her thinking starting to turn against her now? Perhaps she also wants to see what kind of changes will occur in Xuan Kingdom under the Empress's efforts!
What other factories are there?
“Besides the textile factory that only hires female workers, there is also a soap factory. The soap you use in the morning, Your Majesty, is produced by the soap factory. It’s just that the factory has changed its name to soap.”
"No wonder it feels different from before, more delicate, and the fragrance is also nice."
Mo Shu said with great interest, "There's also a menstrual belt factory. I heard that it was criticized by many scholars when it was set up, but it still went ahead and was able to operate. The menstrual belts it produced were very cheap, and ordinary women could afford them."
Consort Xian was taken aback. She never expected that the Empress would think of such a thing and not be so timid at all.
"Can these female workers still go to school?"
"Your Majesty, you guessed right. The female workers in these factories have to study for half a day every three days. I heard that they must learn common characters and basic arithmetic. There was a female worker whose family was very poor, but because of her strong learning ability, she was promoted to deputy factory director."
Consort Xian sighed, "Your Majesty the Empress has a brilliant plan! This way, everyone's enthusiasm for learning will be even greater. If this continues, the atmosphere of the capital will probably change. It will no longer be a place where men rule, but where all parts of Xuan Kingdom will take pride in learning from the capital. In a few years, factories like this, where women work, and where women practice calligraphy, will probably gradually spread throughout Xuan Kingdom."
"How do you know so much? I'm afraid my brother wouldn't have explained it in such detail."
Mo Shu smiled sheepishly: "The person who came to deliver this message is Xiao Yu's husband, whom I'm on good terms with in the manor. Xiao Yu specifically asked him to tell you about the recent changes in the capital. Your Highness, don't you like it?"
"No, if you like it, you can let him talk more next time he comes."
"Why."
Consort Xian looked at the ink book and thought that she was probably envious, but how could she not be envious herself!
When she was still a young lady, she couldn't stand seeing women being bullied, but she had no choice but to rescue a few girls. Now, the Empress has given her a new direction.
She didn't have the Empress's novel ideas and creativity, but she could emulate the Empress by opening shops and factories that only hired female workers. Only by enabling women to earn money could they increase their voice at home.
So Consort Xian quickly wrote a letter to her brother, telling him her thoughts. Although her brother might not understand, she just needed to convince him that she was doing this for the Fourth Prince.
After finishing writing, she told Mo Shu to withdraw the forces that had been lying in ambush in the Empress's palace. She would not stop them if they wished to stay in Fengyi Palace, but they did not need to report any news about Fengyi Palace to her anymore. If anything happened in the future, it would have nothing to do with her Ganquan Palace and Zhongyong Marquis's Mansion.
But to Consort Xian's surprise, not a single person was willing to return. She chuckled softly, realizing that she wasn't the only one captivated by the Empress's charm.
It's only been a few months! It seems like everything and everyone in the harem has changed!
"Your Highness, it's almost time. Let me re-do your hair."
"Well, let's not delay. His Majesty has been away from Taiji Palace for a long time. We don't know what will happen at the banquet tonight!"
The Emperor, whom everyone used to vie to serve, now, for some reason, she felt no anticipation, but rather worry, as if the Emperor might cause some trouble. Consort Shu and Consort Zhen probably felt even more strongly about it. As for Consort Zhuang and Consort Li, it was unclear whether they were still holding out.
At Xingqing Palace, Consort Zhuang seemed to have no desire to dress up. After her head was adorned with a full head of pearls and jade by the palace maids, she had them removed and was only allowed to wear the set of gold phoenix hairpins, which, although gorgeous, were somewhat gaudy.
"Your Majesty, you haven't worn this outfit in a long time. It's been months since you last saw His Majesty. Wearing the same old outfit, will His Majesty find it refreshing?"
"I've been in the palace for so many years, what do I need novelty for? Wearing these things will remind His Majesty of our past affections," Consort Zhuang said impatiently. "Just wear them, why all this nonsense?"
The palace maid dared not question any further, so as a result, when the palace banquet arrived, only Consort Li was dressed in gorgeous clothes and with novel headdress. She looked at Consort Zhuang as if she had been betrayed.
Consort Zhuang pretended not to see anything and drank her tea. Who could she blame for being foolish? She had been indebted to the Empress for so long, why did she have to steal the Empress's thunder on this one night?
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