Li Qiji was also surprised for a long time after hearing Xiao Dezi's words. He hadn't sent anyone to keep an eye on Guan Zhiyue for a long time, and he didn't expect that this woman had done so many things behind his back.
It seems I haven't tried hard enough, nor do I understand her well enough.
"Do you know why the Empress is so enthusiastic about growing grain?" Li Qiji suddenly asked.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Dezi burst into tears. He kowtowed twice more before raising his head and saying, "Because Your Majesty's father is a general."
"The Empress said that before she got married, she often heard General Guan sighing in his room. The food supply for the war was a problem. Many times the soldiers would not have enough to eat. If there were more food, that would be better. This problem had been lingering in the Empress's mind."
"In the past, Her Majesty was too heavy-set to care for food, but now that Her Majesty has gradually become thinner, she has more energy to think about and study food. That's why Her Majesty is so enthusiastic about growing food, in order to improve the food problem of our Nan Ding Kingdom."
Upon hearing this, Guan Hongsheng felt as if he had aged several years. His daughter had done all this for the sake of Nan Dingguo. She truly was his good daughter!
"With such a virtuous and capable Empress, how can our country not prosper!"
"This is a blessing for the Emperor! He has married a wonderful Empress!"
"Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations, Your Majesty!"
"Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations, Your Majesty!"
"Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations, Your Majesty!"
The ministers, no one knew who had started it, uttered these words, and the entire hall erupted in uproar once again.
"I never expected it! I never expected that this precious glass, as valuable as gold, would be made by Her Majesty the Empress!"
"Your Majesty is so fortunate! Lord Guan is so fortunate!"
"Yes, I never imagined that this was actually the idea of our Empress. I truly admire her!"
"Haha, what I admire even more is that Her Majesty the Empress is so concerned about the people and their basic needs. This is a truly great plan!"
"We who only know the classics don't have the courage of Her Majesty the Empress. She actually went to the fields to plant and study grains!"
"Last time it was the water carts, this time it's the grain—every time it's for the people! She truly is a good empress!"
The ministers began to offer their flattery again, and Su Xu, sitting in a corner, also had a gentle smile on his lips.
"Little Yue'er, it really is you! You're getting cuter and cuter."
Li Qiji was also full of admiration. This woman was making him more and more curious, and he felt like he couldn't put her down.
Seeing that the situation in the court had been turned around, Shen Na quickly spoke up, "Your Majesty, I may not have made any great contributions, but I have certainly worked hard. I was unaware that Her Majesty the Empress was planting grain for the sake of the people, therefore, therefore..."
"While Your Majesty was planting grain, I was the one who managed all the affairs of the inner palace. I was a very hardworking person. Your Majesty, please forgive me for my hard work!"
Upon hearing Shen Na's words, Li Qiji was even more enraged and immediately said, "Since the Empress has said that she will be in charge of the six palaces from today onwards, then from today onwards, all affairs of the harem will be handled by the Empress, and the allocation of personnel will be entirely at her disposal. Anyone who violates this rule will be executed without exception!"
Upon hearing this, Shen Na realized that she had tried to steal a chicken but ended up losing the rice instead. She had come to the Emperor to ask him not to take back her power over the palace, but now she had been stripped of it. This was something she did not want to see, and she was unwilling to see it.
"Your Majesty, I know I was wrong. Please allow me to continue managing the affairs!"
"Your Majesty~~"
"Your Majesty~~"
"Guards! Take Consort Shen away! From this day forward, she will be confined to the palace for three months, and no one is allowed to visit her!"
And so, amidst her cries and screams, Shen Na was dragged away by several eunuchs.
Li Qiji looked coldly at Shen Zhongchangshi, who was still kneeling on the ground, and said, "Minister Shen, you have failed in your duty to educate your daughter, raising her to be so unruly, unreasonable, and full of lies. I hereby deduct your salary for one year and order you to reflect on your mistakes in confinement for three months. Do you accept this?"
"This old minister accepts the punishment and begs Your Majesty's forgiveness!"
"Hmph, I toil away every day, working diligently on state affairs and serving the people, thinking day and night about how to ensure my subjects can live in peace and prosperity, yet my harem is in such a chaotic and corrupt state."
Effective immediately, the annual imperial concubine selection is abolished, and no more concubines will be admitted to the harem. Anyone who dares to obstruct this will be dismissed from office and sent back to their hometown.
The emperor's words sent a shiver down the spines of the court officials. Although the emperor had not shown any affection for any of the women in the harem and there had been no news of any princes or princesses yet.
The ministers unanimously believed that the Emperor might not be interested in the women in the harem. They had been planning to select some beautiful women for the palace each year during the imperial concubine selection process, but now that had been cancelled, and no new women were being added to the harem...
It can be said that some people were happy while others were sad. Those who were happy were those who had already sent their children to the palace, while those who were unhappy were those who had not yet had the chance to send their daughters to the palace.
Guan Hongsheng returned to his residence amidst the flattery of the court officials, feeling quite elated. He even went to see his elderly father, pleased that his children had truly brought honor to their family.
However, Guan Zhiyue, who was in the Cold Palace, was completely unaware of what had happened earlier. At this moment, she was watching the eunuchs carrying a lot of the harem's accounts from the Shenna Palace outside. All the harem's accounts from the founding of the country had been brought over.
"Holy crap, when will this ever end? There's so much! How can she possibly handle all this by herself? This is going to kill her!"
"I regret it, okay?!"
"Bilian, did I dig a hole for myself? This is way too much! It's going to kill me!"
Looking at the account books piled up in several baskets, and then at the courtyard full of baskets, Bilian swallowed hard and said, "Your Highness, perhaps we shouldn't take on this power over the palace?"
"Can you possibly read through all these ledgers?"
"This thing gives me a terrible headache just by looking at it; it's like reading a book written in a foreign language."
Guan Zhiyue looked at the ledger in front of her, shook her head, swallowed hard, and said, "If you're not happy, then let's do it. Since I've already taken this on, I still have to finish this hot potato. I don't want to be looked down upon!"
"But Your Highness, isn't this far too much? Should we ask someone to help us?"
Guan Zhiyue glanced at it, then laughed and said, "Of course we have to. It's just settling accounts in the harem, right? Then let the storm rage on!"
"Bilian, go to the Accounting Department and ask the officials who manage the books where I am, and see how they settle accounts," Guan Zhiyue said with a smile.
Bilian looked out the window and said, "Your Highness, the officials have all finished their duties today. Why don't we go tomorrow?"
"Alright, then let's begin settling all affairs of the harem tomorrow..."
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