What? You dare to hit her son?
It's one thing for Qian Shengyan to bully Yinzhen and favor her younger son, but she can't tolerate her son being hit!
Qian Shengyan rolled up her sleeves: "She's still at Yonghe Palace, right? I'll go there right now."
"Mother, Mother!" Hongli stopped Qian Shengyan, both amused and exasperated. "Mother, please have your meal first. I will accompany you tomorrow."
Qian Shengyan glanced at the sky outside and thought it over; there was no reason for her to visit her mother-in-law so late at night. She could only sit down again and ask Hongli, "Is the Third Prince also in the palace?"
“I haven’t seen my third brother,” Hongli replied. “I haven’t always been by my father’s side either.”
Just then, a young eunuch announced from outside, "The Emperor has arrived!" His voice was melodious and pleasant to hear.
Qian Shengyan couldn't help but smile as she listened, but when she looked up, she met Yinzhen's gaze as he entered the room.
"You've arrived?" Yinzhen greeted her first. Qian Shengyan was a beat slow to remember to curtsy. She quickly stood up, but as soon as she bent her knees, Yinzhen pulled her hand back as usual: "Get up, shall we?"
"Everything is fine in the garden. We caught a few petty thieves who tried to escape these past two days, and they're all tied up and left there now," Qian Shengyan replied.
Yinzhen nodded: "It's alright."
He has now ascended the throne with the late emperor's edict and the witnesses of his ministers. He then used swift and decisive measures to control the entire capital. Although it has only been a few days, things have become much more stable.
"Father!" Foerguochun called out in a clear voice, then laughed. Yinzhen smiled as well: "Good child, it's all thanks to you for keeping your mother company these past few days."
Just then, dinner was served. Su Peisheng led people in to set the table. The family of four ate their first meal in the Forbidden City in silence, without saying much.
After the meal, Hongli took Fuerguochun to the palace where he was temporarily staying. Yinzhen held Qian Shengyan's hand and sat on the small couch, his thick eyebrows slowly furrowing: "Yanyan, has Hongli told you?"
"Mm." Qian Shengyan nodded. Although she didn't really care about him, she still had to show it on the surface.
Her eyes reddened: "Her Majesty, she..."
"The affairs of the harem are not peaceful, and the titles of the women in the inner palace are not yet determined. There is always something hanging over my mind," Yinzhen said slowly. "I have already appointed thirteen people as prime ministers, as well as Longkodo, Machi, Zhang Tingyu, and others. All of these things will be sorted out sooner or later, but I really cannot handle the situation in the harem."
Qian Shengyan nodded and then asked, "But Ning Shou Palace isn't very big, how can everyone live there?"
After the late emperor's death, a total of forty-eight concubines were left behind. Yinzhen had to consider the placement of these people. He couldn't just cram them all into Ning Shou Palace, as there wouldn't be enough room for them.
Yinzhen was also in a dilemma, and only said, "My late father left an edict that concubines with sons could leave the palace to care for me when I am old..."
"The late emperor was benevolent, but..." Qian Shengyan was also in a dilemma. Kangxi's decree was not clear. How old is considered old for a concubine with sons to leave the palace? Can a concubine with sons support her?
She raised the question and added, "His Majesty has always been kind to his brothers, but only a few of the princes were granted titles by the late Emperor. The rest of them don't even have a title. How can they support the Dowager Consort?"
Yinzhen hummed in agreement and began to ponder the matter seriously.
"Perhaps His Majesty would add another restriction: princes of the rank of Junwang and above may support their concubines outside the palace," Qian Shengyan sighed. "But for princes of the rank of Beile and Beizi, their residences are too small. How can the concubines live there? It would be better for them to stay in the palace and enjoy their retirement."
Yinzhen hummed in agreement again, and after a while, he suddenly looked up at Qian Shengyan and laughed again.
He said, "Yanyan, you're so naughty."
With such restrictions in place, his brothers had no choice but to beg him to grant them titles so that they could take their mother out of the palace to care for her!
So what if you want a title? You'd better work hard!
Qian Shengyan: ...
Giving you advice is considered bad? You're the bad one, your whole family is bad!
"If that's the case, the imperial concubines won't be able to leave the palace for a while..." Yinzhen had a headache.
Qian Shengyan thought about the huge number of forty-eight people and couldn't help but think of the accounts she had to check every month, which also made her very worried.
There were only eight women in the backyard of Prince Yong's mansion, just a tiny fraction. The accounts were giving her a headache; so many people…
"Without children, would any young concubines be willing to leave the palace and return home? Or go and keep vigil for the late emperor?" Qian Shengyan asked tentatively.
Yinzhen didn't say yes or no, but after thinking for a moment, he still shook his head: "In that case, it would be disrespectful."
Qian Shengyan understood that he wanted a good reputation, so she simply brought him a floor plan of the palace. Looking at the various layouts on it, she suddenly had an idea after running her finger along the central axis.
Didn't Lady Wuya refuse to move the palace and insist on living in Yonghe Palace until she died? Fine, Qian Shengyan will grant her wish.
Qian Shengyan cleared her throat, flicked her finger, and directly cut off half of Yinzhen's harem: "Since Your Majesty is used to living in Yonghe Palace, there is no need to move. Now that the Emperor's harem does not have many concubines, why not divide the harem into East and West Palaces? The West Palace can be used for the Emperor's concubines, and the East Palace, which has both Yonghe Palace and Ningshou Palace, can be used for the late Emperor's concubines to live temporarily."
Yinzhen raised an eyebrow slightly, seemingly not expecting such a method.
"His Majesty is truly filial. He understands the Empress's deep affection for the late Emperor and cannot bear to force her to move to another palace, nor can he allow the late Emperor's many concubines to live together in cramped conditions. He would rather give up half of the harem so that the late Emperor's concubines can enjoy their old age in comfort. His Majesty is truly a model of filial piety for all people!"
Qian Shengyan flattered him, but then laughed and said, "The Chuxiu Palace in the west is still for the Emperor to select concubines. It's not too late to make room for the new concubines after the princes bring the late Emperor's concubines out of the palace to take care of them."
"Heh, humph, where are all these new girls coming from? We have to spend money to support them." Yinzhen pinched Qian Shengyan's cheek, his eyes full of "I saw through your little scheme," but his expression was very pleased.
He examined the layout of the harem more closely, and a satisfied expression gradually appeared on his face.
Those noble ladies who were granted the title of Consort were already well-fed in the Ning Shou Palace. As for the other concubines, they all had sons. As long as their younger brothers worked hard enough, it would only be a matter of time before they could bring their mother out of the palace to enjoy family life.
If the younger brother doesn't work hard, it's fine for him to help support their mother.
As for the harem's territory...
Yinzhen glanced at the many palaces to the west, did a quick mental calculation, and felt that it was enough, definitely enough.
One palace is enough for each person.
Great, let's do it that way!
"Your Majesty, I'll go pay my respects to Her Majesty tomorrow morning," Qian Shengyan said with a mischievous smile. "Should I tell Her Majesty the good news?"
Looking at her expression, Yinzhen said gently, "My Yanyan is extremely intelligent, and her idea is excellent. Let Yanyan arrange things for the other concubines. I will issue the decree in a couple of days, and I think everything will be settled before the end of the year."
Qian Shengyan: ...
Yinzhen, you're wasting your talents being an emperor of a feudal dynasty! You should be a capitalist tycoon, adept at exploiting people!
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