Sun Miaoqing didn't care who had the big orange cat; she only knew that she finally didn't have to go to work today, so she cherished this rare holiday and planned to lie down for a while.
Jingren Palace was finally bustling with activity again. The Empress personally took off the snow-covered cloak from the chubby orange and had the stove moved closer to keep the orange warm.
"It's so cold outside, and snow is falling. Why doesn't His Majesty care about his health at all? He didn't even take a sedan chair and just walked over."
"Quickly go and boil a bowl of ginger soup and bring it up."
The chubby orange cat said, "I'm not a porcelain doll, there's no need to be so nervous."
"Sitting all day long, it's quite comfortable to walk around like this occasionally."
The Empress said, "I was just worried and confused. You are responsible for the well-being of the people, so you must take good care of yourself."
Before they could exchange more than a few words, Jianqiu had already brought over the ginger soup, and Da Pangju took it and drank it all in one gulp.
He hadn't visited the Empress for some time. In a couple of days it would be the Emperor's birthday, and it would be only right and proper for him to come to Jingren Palace to sit down and listen to some of the affairs of the inner palace during this period.
The chubby orange cat said, "The Emperor's birthday is in two days. I wonder how the Empress's preparations are going?"
The Empress said, "Your Majesty, rest assured, I have made all the necessary preparations as you have instructed."
"The national treasury is empty now. Although we should be frugal, this is your first birthday celebration since you ascended the throne. A total of 15,000 pieces of auspicious and festive porcelain, named 'Long Live the Emperor,' were specially made for the birthday banquet, costing 20,000 taels of silver."
"The fourth-class banquet used for the birthday celebration cost four taels and four fen of silver per table, for a total cost of twelve thousand taels."
"Including the flowers, silks, palace lanterns, and charcoal for the birthday banquet, the total cost was 100,000 taels. There was also the silver for distributing porridge to the people, as well as other expenses. All in all, it came to 500,000 taels."
"Your Majesty, please take a look." The Empress handed the account book to the chubby orange.
(Historically, the actual cost was likely even higher. It's said that Emperor Guangxu's wedding cost over five million taels of silver, and Empress Dowager Cixi's birthday celebration cost over ten million taels of silver, far exceeding my poor imagination!)
Da Ju was immediately unsettled. The late emperor had left him eight million taels of silver. Although this year's tax revenue had increased somewhat, the court still needed to function properly and prepare for potential disasters.
The coronation costs money, the imperial selection costs money, and the 500,000 taels spent on the Emperor's birthday celebration will soon be the New Year. How long can the remaining 8 million taels last?
Looking at these expenses, he understood that the Empress was telling the truth. This was his first year on the throne, and he really couldn't cut back.
After this, we must think about how to increase revenue and reduce expenditure, otherwise we won't be able to make a living in the future.
The chubby orange said, "You've worked hard, Your Majesty."
Upon hearing the words "Big Fat Orange," the Empress smiled and felt that the hardships of the past few months were not bitter at all.
"These are all things I should do. You are busy with state affairs every day, and I can only share your burdens in these areas, hoping to give you a peaceful harem."
The chubby orange was deeply moved by the Empress's words and reached out to hold her small hand. However, it was also clear in its heart that Consort Hua was spoiled and willful. As long as the Nian family was still around and she had someone backing her up, the harem would never be peaceful.
Although the Empress was virtuous, she was in poor health and lacked the ability to suppress Consort Hua. Therefore, it was necessary to put forward someone to counterbalance Consort Hua.
Thinking of this, Big Fat Orange pictured a lively, mischievous, and two-faced person in his mind. A smile involuntarily crept onto his lips, but then he realized that she alone probably wouldn't be as he imagined.
The image of Shen Meizhuang's gentle and dignified demeanor flashed through her mind again, and she immediately had a solution. However, there was no need to rush this matter, as Shilan was still ill, but she had been ill for far too long.
Big Fat Orange said, "Consort Hua has been ill for so long, and every time I went to visit her, she blocked me at the door and wouldn't let me see her. The imperial physician said she's been feeling better these past few days, but we don't know when she'll be fully recovered."
When he mentioned Consort Hua, the Empress's smile faded. She knew that if Consort Hua were not present, all sorts of strange rumors would spread, damaging the royal family's reputation.
The Empress said, "I have already sent someone to Yikun Palace to inquire. They said that Consort Hua's health is almost recovered, but she has been seriously ill these days and is inevitably a little weak."
"His Majesty's birthday is a momentous occasion, and Consort Hua will definitely attend."
Big Fat Orange was satisfied, but then he remembered the day of the selection, when the girl who looked very similar to Chun Yuan seemed to have been sick for quite some time.
"What about Consort Wan? I remember she fell ill as soon as she entered the palace, and she hasn't fully recovered yet?"
The Empress said, "The imperial physician said that Consort Wan's condition has been relapsed. Her previous symptoms had almost subsided, but due to the severe winter cold, she caught a chill and is now too sick to get out of bed. I'm afraid she won't be able to come out to celebrate His Majesty's birthday on the day of the Emperor's birthday."
He frowned. How could her body be so weak? Oh well, let her rest a little longer.
Big Fat Orange said, "Then let her rest and recuperate in her own palace until she is better."
The Empress smiled and agreed, but she still felt uneasy. Before Jianqiu went there, she had someone secretly go to Suiyuxuan and found that the thing buried in the flower bed had disappeared.
Consort Wan was genuinely timid, but also undeniably intelligent. She didn't want to stand out, content to grow old and die in the palace; let her be.
Anyway, with that kind of face, even if the matter is exposed, the emperor won't send her to the cold palace, and it's easy for her to be implicated.
Moreover, although Consort Shen is patient, she doesn't seem to be a match for Consort Hua. She'll wait for the right opportunity to push Consort Wan forward. When the two clams fight, the fisherman benefits; she'll sit back and watch.
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