Zhou Ninghai said, "Your Majesty's wisdom and foresight are beyond my reach."
"For the sake of her daughter's future, Consort Cao had no choice but to obey orders. If the Empress told her to go east, she dared not go west; if she told her to go north, she dared not go south."
Songzhi said, "There are a number of people above the rank of concubine in the harem. Let our people, and those who are insignificant, take their place."
"From now on, it won't be so easy for any favored concubine or one from a good family to be promoted."
Consort Hua said, "I won't even need to lift a finger, but the harem will still be in turmoil. The Emperor's desire for a peaceful harem is impossible."
"The Emperor's health is no longer what it used to be. The pleasures of the brothel are the downfall of heroes. Wine and women are the best at draining a person's body and eroding their will. No matter how outstanding the Emperor is, how long can he last?"
Songzhi chimed in from the side, "Yes, Your Highness, I've accompanied you through so many medical books and health preservation techniques, and I've gained some insights as well."
"Few of those who indulge in wine and women live long lives. Many of them eat meat and fish every day, drink too much, and then suffer strokes and become bedridden."
"It's much safer than trying to find a way to administer the drug, and it leaves no room for criticism."
Zhou Ninghai said excitedly, "In this way, we can achieve our goal without bloodshed."
Consort Hua raised her chin and said smugly, "I also knelt in Baohua Palace for several days before I came up with this idea."
“There are advantages to being slow. Consort Cheng is right. I used to be too impatient.”
Meanwhile, Consort Cao returned to her residence and held Wenyi in her arms, teasing her.
Yinxiu said happily, "You've been by Consort Hua's side for so many years, and you're finally about to see the light at the end of the tunnel."
"Although Qixiang Palace is nice, it is also controlled by Consort Li. This time you brought the princess to Yuanmingyuan to escape the summer heat, but Consort Li could only stay in the palace to make roast duck. She said a lot of sour things, both openly and secretly."
“I was worried that I would have to be mindful of her attitude after returning to the palace. Now that Consort Hua has made a promise, you will be the head of a palace when you return. I just don’t know which palace the Emperor will let you stay in.”
Consort Cao said, "It doesn't matter which palace it is, what matters is that once the doors are closed, one can be in charge of one's own affairs."
"However, Consort Hua is becoming more and more different from before. In the past, she would not have let go of those who dared to compete with her for favor, even if it meant being smashed to pieces."
"Now she's actually taking the initiative to arrange beauties for the Emperor. If you say it's because she cares about the Emperor too much and has no choice but to settle for second best, I can't believe it."
Can a serious illness really change a person's personality?
Yinxiu said, "Perhaps it's because I've died once, that's why I seem different from before?"
"Besides, you suspect that Consort Hua has someone else advising her behind the scenes."
"Perhaps these ideas came from that person? I just don't know who has such great ability to make Consort Hua listen to their every word."
Consort Cao, holding Wen Yi, sat on the stool and thought for a long time before saying uncertainly,
"Perhaps it's Consort Cheng?"
"Hua Fei's attitude towards her was different from that of others, and she never felt the slightest jealousy towards her, which was truly unusual."
"Moreover, she made sure that those who were favored were all her own people, thus cultivating good relations with the harem. This approach is exactly the same as that of Consort Cheng."
"Perhaps Consort Cheng is the one the Nian family was preparing to send into the palace to advise Consort Hua!"
Changchun Immortal Hall
Sun Miaoqing had just finished feeding Hongzhou his medicine and had just stepped out the door when she suddenly sneezed twice.
Who is talking about me?
Liuli said, "Perhaps you've been taking care of the Fifth Prince these past two days and you're exhausted. I'll go and invite Physician Lu over to take your pulse."
Sun Miaoqing said, "It's okay, I'm fine now."
"I want to have abalone and chicken congee tonight. Have the kitchen staff prepare it and sprinkle extra chopped green onions and cilantro on top."
Liuli said, "This servant understands, I will give the order immediately."
Linglan walked over, bowed, and took out a letter from her sleeve.
"Your Highness, a letter has arrived from Master and Madam. I have checked the letter and it is intact; it has not been tampered with."
Sun Miaoqing took the letter and opened it eagerly.
“My brother said everything is fine at home and that I shouldn’t worry. According to the transfer order, everything at the Weaving Bureau has been arranged, and I will be going to Tongzhou to take up my post soon.”
"General Nian only learned about this afterward, but he didn't say much. In his letter, he inquired about my well-being and instructed my brother to be loyal to the Emperor."
“Nian Gengyao told his brother that the contribution to Qinghai was only a small part of the effort, and that it was all thanks to the Emperor’s strategic planning and decisive victory from afar.”
"He also said that his old ailment had flared up and his legs were sluggish. After this campaign, he felt that his physical strength was not as good as before. The military doctor diagnosed him and said that he needed to rest and recuperate after this mission was over."
"But considering the Emperor's great kindness to the Nian family, we could not repay even a fraction of it, even if we died ten thousand times. The Northwest is not yet pacified, and the army cannot be without capable generals."
"Several capable generals and talented individuals have been discovered during this campaign to quell the rebellion, and we plan to recommend them to the Emperor for future use..."
Sun Miaoqing was stunned. This humble, cautious, and loyal demeanor was nothing like Nian Gengyao!
The chaos in Qinghai was no small matter; Lobsang Danjin's rebellion had been premeditated. With the late emperor's death, the emperor's ascension to the throne, and the fourteenth prince's return to the capital, the Northwest lost its opportunity to exert pressure.
The struggle for the throne has just ended, but the influence of the eldest son, Fatty Orange, and his brothers has not yet been completely eliminated. Furthermore, the fourteenth prince, the Grand General, has always been dissatisfied with Fatty Orange, his own brother.
If we let him return to the Northwest to lead troops to quell the rebellion, who knows if he might turn on us and launch a counterattack?
Although there are many military generals, among those who can make the emperor relatively at ease and who have the ability to quell the rebellion, only Nian Gengyao is the most suitable.
The fat orange king sent Nian Gengyao to Qinghai. In the early stages, he mobilized troops and formed an encirclement around Lobsang Danjin, which took more than half a year.
Until recently, the two armies clashed, and the rebel army was routed in just half a month. Most importantly, a lot of money and food were saved, and the burden on the imperial court was not too great.
This directly solidified the throne of the chubby orange tree and deterred those who disagreed with him, both inside and outside the court.
That's why the big fat orange cat called him his benefactor, and that's why General Nian's fame spread throughout the world. Nian Gengyao became increasingly proud, arrogant, and carried away by his achievements.
Before going to Qinghai, he greeted Su Peisheng with clasped hands and called him Eunuch Su. After returning from Qinghai, he dared to have Consort Su serve him meals in front of Fatty Orange.
But now, his letter to Sun Zhuhe is written with such humility.
The world is changing too fast, and Sun Miaoqing feels she can't quite understand it.
Seeing Sun Miaoqing staring blankly at the letter, Linglan called softly, "Your Highness, Your Highness?"
"Oh, what's wrong?"
Sun Miaoqing came to her senses and said, "Let's go back first. This letter contains a lot of information, and I need to study it carefully."
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