Upon hearing this, Qian Shengyan initially paid no attention. Guo's letter mentioned this matter, stating that Shushen had sent a palace maid to the eunuch Wang in order to enter Changchun Palace. The palace maid had died, and the eunuch Wang had been imprisoned. The matter was already understood.
But she quickly recalled the commotion from Changchun Palace and became uncertain again, so she couldn't help but ask, "Alive or dead?"
Song: ...
Madam Song stammered, "She should be alive, right? I heard the maid say that she can also take care of the Empress. It is the princess's filial piety."
Qian Shengyan frowned slightly, then smiled after a moment and said, "This news is very important, thank you."
Her frank thanks made Madam Song feel a little embarrassed. She awkwardly gripped the teacup in her hand, as if trying to suppress something, but she couldn't help it. After a moment, she whispered bitterly, "If I could see her end before I die, that would be a good thing."
Qian Shengyan was taken aback, then she understood.
The reason for Song's weakened health was the two daughters who died young. While it's possible that the mother was physically weak, it's more likely that she was frightened or not properly cared for during pregnancy.
When Song said this, it was obvious who "she" was referring to.
"This concubine really can't hold on any longer and needs to lie down for a while. Your Majesty, please make yourself at home." Madam Song curtsied and needed her personal maid to help her up.
Qian Shengyan looked at her with complicated emotions as she staggered and leaned against the palace maid. After hesitating for a moment, she sighed, not knowing what to do. She could only go back and ask Imperial Physician Liu to come and diagnose her again, or seek out more famous folk doctors to treat her.
But both Qian Shengyan and Madam Song knew this was just a delaying tactic. Madam Song was now simply waiting day after day, waiting for Ulanara's death, or for her own.
Qian Shengyan couldn't help but feel a little sad. After a moment, she stopped and said to Qingxue as she approached, "Go to the Rare Bird Shop and find a playful and lively kitten or puppy to give to Consort Song. See which one she likes."
"Yes." Qingxue accepted the order, but did not go herself. She only instructed the little palace maid who was following behind her, while she helped Qian Shengyan up. "Is Your Highness in a bad mood?"
Qian Shengyan didn't know how to answer. She shook her head slightly and said in a low voice, "What do you think about the Changchun Palace matter?"
"Perhaps Princess Shushen has found some beauty outside," Qingxue replied honestly.
Qian Shengyan had also guessed that Ulanara might need a new woman to help her regain favor, but what about Shushen?
No, if we follow the logic of palace intrigue, she is indeed a beauty, but what Shushen wants is not competition, but chaos. Perhaps, whether the Empress is favored or not is not important to Shushen.
Qian Shengyan slowly tried to guess Shushen's thoughts, but she couldn't understand Ulanara's intentions—what was she after?
And even if the new concubine gains favor now, so what? Hongli and Hongzhou are about to come of age, so what can the young prince do? The emperor is still alive, and it is impossible for him to allow another legitimate son to be born.
Now that things have come to this, what benefits can Shushen offer to entice Ulanara to go mad with her?
Qian Shengyan couldn't figure it out, so she could only put it aside for the time being. However, she added a patrol team of guards outside Changchun Palace and went to see Guo Shi to give her instructions.
Before evening, Qian Shengyan returned to Yuanmingyuan. After a busy day, Yinzhen summoned her to the Hall of Diligent Governance upon hearing of her return.
"Your Majesty." Qian Shengyan's knees hadn't even bent before she was pulled back. Yinzhen led her towards the chair while asking about the situation in the palace.
Qian Shengyan first mentioned Hongli's two children, then Hongzhou's pregnant concubine, and finally the people in the harem, pleading, "Your Majesty, please send someone to see Consort Song again. She looks so haggard."
"If you're worried, you can leave a female physician by her side," Yinzhen said without any objection.
The female physicians from the Imperial Medical Academy were different from the palace maids with medical skills that Qian Shengyan had found for Yaliqi; they were more professional. Qian Shengyan quickly decided to hire two more female physicians to work in the backyards of the two princes, as this would provide an extra layer of protection.
There weren't many female doctors in the Imperial Medical Academy, and Qian Shengyan only discovered this loophole at this moment. She thought it would be more convenient for the Imperial Medical Academy to set up a training class for female doctors, selecting people from palace maids or commoners. Those who completed the training could serve the empress or princesses.
You don't even need to learn any useful medical skills; learning massage or acupressure would suffice.
Qian Shengyan didn't even need to tell Yinzhen; she could simply go back, write a detailed memorial, and send it directly to the Hall of Diligent Governance.
Besides that, could we also train some people who know martial arts? Palace maids would be even better, as they could provide close protection for the princesses…
Qian Shengyan pondered slowly, and before she knew it, the Imperial Noble Consort Vocational College was about to take shape.
"What are you thinking about? You seem so engrossed." Yinzhen chuckled softly in her ear. Qian Shengyan snapped out of her reverie and smiled back, "I'll be submitting a memorial tomorrow. I hope Your Majesty will approve it soon."
"Hmm? Okay." Yinzhen didn't know what new ideas she had, but he couldn't help but look forward to it. He asked another question, "How are the two factories on the estate—hmm, the factories—of Folgochun doing?"
Speaking of this, Qian Shengyan became even happier.
The two factories, one for weaving cloth and the other for making clothes, only employed female workers. Even the managers were old women from the palace. Apart from the retired soldiers patrolling the gate, there were no men. However, because they were under the banner of the Imperial Noble Consort and the Princess of the First Rank, they were very safe. They also had a steady stream of orders from imperial merchants, so even when the women were away for a year or two, the factories did not stop working.
Now, almost all the women in the nearby villages, whether married or unmarried, have come to work at these two factories. As their incomes have increased, the nearby market has gradually developed, and even the survival rate of newborns has improved.
Yinzhen had only vaguely known that she and Folgochun were having an affair, but Qian Shengyan's words surprised even him: "Is that so?" After a moment of contemplation, Yinzhen asked again, "You should also write a memorial about this matter and submit it to me."
Qian Shengyan: ...
Okay, I understand. In front of the emperor, this memorial is like an email plus a PowerPoint presentation in a modern company. It's for planning and summarizing. In short, if the big boss wants to see it, you have to write it.
Having been assigned the task of writing two memorials at once, Qian Shengyan decided not to go. She had Su Peisheng set up a small table for her, where Yinzhen sat in front to review the memorials, while she sat diagonally behind him to slowly write her own.
For a moment, the Hall of Diligent Governance was filled with a warm and fragrant atmosphere, accompanied by the lingering rays of the setting sun, creating a cozy ambiance.
Su Peisheng was leaning against a pillar and almost fell asleep when Qingxue caught him and helped him up. He woke up with a start, wiped his face a little embarrassed, and thanked Qingxue softly.
Qingxue gestured for him to go outside and stand for a while to clear his head, and Su Peisheng did not refuse. He had just stepped out and stretched when he saw a palace maid running towards him crying.
Having seen her frequently recently, the once unfamiliar face had become somewhat familiar. Su Peisheng frowned, inwardly cursing Consort Ru for her constant commotion and trouble.
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