Chapter 843: All Benefits and No Harm
Xiao Xixi took great efforts to appease Luo Qinghan, the jealous one.
She really didn't expect that Luo Qinghan usually looked cold and aloof, as if he was out of touch with the world, but she didn't expect that he would even be jealous of the pillow!
Although he is also cute when he is jealous, cough cough.
When Xiao Xixi woke up, Luo Qinghan was gone.
She looked around: "Where's my pillow?"
Baoqin opened the wardrobe and took out a human-shaped pillow.
"Here it is."
When they came in just now, they saw the pillow lying pitifully on the ground.
The floor is cleaned every day, so there is no need to worry about it getting dusty.
To prevent it from tripping people, Baoqin put it in the cabinet.
Xiao Xixi stretched out her arms: "Give it to me."
Baoqin put the pillow in her arms.
Xiao Xixi hugged the pillow tightly, then touched it and comforted it.
"Don't be sad. Although I chose him between you and him, I still have you in my heart."
Baoqin: “…”
What kind of scumbag statement is this?
At this time, Zhezhi walked in.
"Your Majesty, Concubine Lao just sent someone to deliver an invitation, saying that she brought some peach blossom wine from home to the palace, and she would like to invite you to come over and taste it together."
Xiao Xixi was very surprised. Her relationship with Concubine Tuberculosis had always been bad since she entered the palace.
Why did Concubine Lao suddenly think of inviting her to be a guest?
Zhezhi presented the invitation with both hands.
Xiao Xixi took the invitation and took a look at it. It was written on light pink peach blossom paper, with a line of poetry written in beautiful hairpin-shaped small calligraphy on it.
Below the poem were written the time and place of the invitation, as well as Concubine Lao’s signature.
Of course, she did not write the words "Lao Fei", but her maiden name at home, Jingci.
It was not until today that Xiao Xixi found out that the tuberculosis concubine's real name was Bai Jingci.
The time is five days later and the location is in the Misty Rain Palace.
Baoqin reminded, "The consort has always been at odds with you. Now she suddenly invites you to visit the Misty Rain Palace. I'm afraid there is something fishy going on."
Xiao Xixi put the invitation to her nose and smelled it.
"This seems to be the scent of peach blossoms, but it has a little more sweetness and alcohol than ordinary peach blossoms. Could this be the taste of peach blossom wine? It smells quite nice, and I think it should be delicious."
She looked at Baoqin expectantly.
"Can you make peach blossom wine?"
Baoqin took the invitation, asked carefully, and answered seriously.
"Peach blossom wine is not difficult to make, but the taste of this peach blossom wine is quite special. It should not be ordinary peach blossom wine. I cannot make this taste."
Xiao Xixi showed a look of disappointment, then slapped her thigh and made a decision.
"I want to try this peach wine!"
Baoqin asked hurriedly, "What if the consumptive consort wants to harm you?"
Xiao Xixi: "It's said on the invitation that she invited not only me, but also other concubines. No matter how much she hates me, she wouldn't be stupid enough to attack me in front of so many people. At most, she would just disgust me secretly."
Baoqin: "It's better to be careful."
Xiao Xixi: "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
…
Even though Luo Qinghan tried to persuade him to stay, Wanjun still insisted on resigning.
In the end, Luo Qinghan had no choice but to agree.
Wan Jun's resignation caused quite a stir in the court.
It was mainly because of the tax reform. Everyone thought that Wan Jun resigned in anger because he opposed the tax reform.
Only the emperor and five cabinet ministers knew that Wanjun actually supported tax reform.
After Wan Jun left, the only person in the cabinet who supported tax reform was gone. Among the remaining five people, three were clearly opposed to tax reform, while the attitudes of the remaining two were ambiguous, and it seemed that they did not want to offend either side.
Memorials opposing tax reform flew into the palace like snowflakes and appeared on the desk in the imperial study.
At first, Luo Qinghan could still patiently take a few glances at them, but later he simply stopped looking at them and asked someone to take the memorials away to avoid being an eyesore.
Amidst the numerous voices of opposition, there are also a few who support the tax reform.
Without exception, these people all came from humble backgrounds.
Their parents and family members are all farmers, and they know very well how important tax reform is to ordinary farmers.
Once this reform is successful, the tax pressure on farmers can be greatly reduced.
With the extra money, farmers could live a better life. They could also afford to pay their tuition fees, so that their children could go to school, take the imperial examinations, and have the opportunity to change their lives.
If this succeeds, it will not only benefit the common people, but also allow more children from poor families to appear in the court.
The more children from poor families there are in the court, the more say they will have, and they will no longer have to consider the faces of the aristocratic families when doing things in the future.
In short, this matter has only benefits for them and no harm.
Among these supporters, the most prominent one was Li Qingyan, the Minister of Personnel.
He was the youngest among these supporters and the one most trusted by the emperor.
Invisibly, Li Qingyan became the representative of this group of people.
Luo Qinghan often summoned Li Qingyan to the palace to discuss the specific details of tax reform.
The officials from aristocratic families in the court already disliked Li Qingyan, and after this incident, their hostility towards him deepened.
Originally, some noble families were optimistic about Li Qingyan's future and wanted to recruit him as their son-in-law, but now that they see the situation is not going well, they have all given up on this idea.
The vast majority of people think that this tax reform has no chance of success.
After all, the emperor was still too young. With the little power he had, it was impossible for him to shake the status of the aristocratic families in the Great Sheng Dynasty.
The aristocratic families are also plotting secretly. If the emperor insists on going against the aristocratic families, don't blame them for being rude.
The entire court looked like a powder keg.
Although things seem calm on the surface, tensions are already high in private.
All it takes is a fuse to ignite the pent-up conflicts.
…
Five days passed in a flash.
Xiao Xixi's house arrest period has finally arrived.
She rode in a chariot to the Misty Rain Palace.
This was her first time to come to the Misty Rain Palace, so she couldn't help feeling a little fresh. She walked and looked around, and soon she saw Concubine Lao.
The tuberculosis concubine still looked as weak and graceful as a willow in the wind. She wore a lavender waist-length skirt with pearl pendants on her ears. A lavender camellia was inserted diagonally next to her hair, and long tassels made of fine pearls hung down.
She was originally talking to other concubines, and when she heard that the imperial concubine was coming, she immediately stood up and went out to greet her.
Coincidentally, Xiao Xixi was also wearing a purple skirt today, but the hem of her skirt was gradient in color. The bottom was dark purple, gradually turning into light purple, and there were two layers of snow gauze on the surface.
The snow-white gauze was thin and soft, with a faint pearly luster on the surface. When she walked, the hem of her skirt swayed gently, shining brightly, like a purple fairy who accidentally fell into the mortal world, breathtakingly beautiful.
In a sense, Xiao Xixi and Concubine Lao have the same clothes.
But Xiao Xixi never cared about these little things and didn't take this matter to heart at all. After greeting Concubine Lao, she went straight into the house.
She really couldn't wait to taste the peach blossom wine!
(End of this chapter)
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