Where he couldn't see, the Queen breathed a sigh of relief; this time, she had won her gamble.
Over the years, she was certain that the emperor had genuine feelings for her, but she was unsure how long they would last. She feared that he might listen to slander again and harm her and her child.
Anyway, it was right for her to be wary. In this situation, her strategic retreat only made him more convinced of his decision.
The emperor addressed this matter during the morning court session the following day.
The main purpose was to address the court officials' attempts to place women in the harem. They were to clarify their decision that the harem would only have the Empress and that the matter should not be mentioned again, or they would be punished for disobedience.
The result was, naturally, that he was besieged by a group of ministers.
"Your Majesty, this is a matter of utmost importance; it must not be handled so hastily!"
"Your Majesty, as the ruler of a nation, it is your duty to ensure the continuation of the royal family. This is not something to be taken lightly!"
"Your Majesty, please reconsider!"
...
The emperor knew that it would be difficult to resolve the matter if he brought it up himself, but he was really not interested in those things. He could already appease one empress, let alone a few more. Wouldn't that make him worry himself sick?
Then, he looked firmly at his beloved Kang Tiezui...
Mr. Kang has been in high spirits lately, and there are no major issues to resolve in the court. He goes to court happily every day and goes home happily after court. On his way home, he stops by the Chen Family Escort Agency for a free meal before leisurely going to work at the Hanlin Academy.
Just then, he was thinking about going to the Chen family for a meal later and maybe stopping by the pastry shop in the south of the city to buy some snacks for Chen Feier. His mind was wandering, when he looked up and met the emperor's gaze, which looked like he was entrusting her with an important task.
Having served in the court for so long and helped the emperor solve many troublesome matters, Mr. Kang was certainly aware of this. Upon receiving the emperor's gaze, he immediately cleared his throat and stepped forward.
Ministers: ...
For some reason, they started to get scared when they saw Kang Tiezui clearing his throat.
He had already begun to speak: "You gentlemen are truly amusing. The emperors of the previous dynasty were constantly mocked by you for their infatuation with the harem, while our emperor is diligent in governing and loves his people. Yet you advise him to indulge in the harem. What are you all up to!"
With just one simple sentence, he put everyone on the line.
Kang Chengzhi was mocking them for advising the emperor against good behavior!
"Kang Chengzhi, don't talk nonsense! We were just advising His Majesty to have more children for the royal family, what's wrong with that!"
Mr. Kang sneered and continued, "Gentlemen, the way you speak makes it sound as if His Majesty has no heirs. The Empress is virtuous and kind, and she and His Majesty are a perfect match, deeply in love. She has even given birth to two princes and a princess for His Majesty, which is already quite remarkable. Isn't this contributing to the continuation of the royal family? What grudge do you hold against the Empress that you must be sending several people into the palace to compete with her for her husband? Anyone who didn't know better would think that the Empress had dug up your ancestral graves overnight!"
"You! You! You! Kang Chengzhi!"
One of the senior officials was so enraged that he was about to rush forward and beat Kang Chengzhi up if he hadn't been held back by the people around him.
That kid's words are infuriating!
Is that what they mean?
Isn't this just stirring up hatred and driving a wedge between them and the Queen?
Mr. Kang was not afraid at all, and even said with a smug look on his face, "What, are you angry? It's not that I'm being rude, it's just that you gentlemen have nothing better to do than do some annoying things. I really can't stand it. Please forgive me for being so blunt."
He said both good and bad things, that's really something!
The ministers were so angry they couldn't speak. The emperor gave Mr. Kang an approving look, very satisfied. He was indeed worthy of being called "Iron Mouth" by his own hand; he was truly effective!
Seeing that everyone had quieted down, the emperor spoke up: "Minister Kang's meaning is my meaning. The deep affection between me and the empress is incomparable to that of ordinary women. From now on, do not mention the selection of concubines again. You ministers would be better off using this time to do more practical things for the people!"
After saying this, he stood up and left, but the eunuch beside him hurriedly called out, "Court adjourned!"
After this commotion, no one mentioned the matter of the emperor choosing concubines again, and the empress's position became as secure as a rock.
That night, Jiang Jiuniang leaned against Lu Baichuan's chest, eating her bedtime fruit, and lazily said, "The Empress truly lives up to her title; she has a certain skill in controlling her husband. There's a reason why that dog emperor would only have her for him."
Finally, she added, "Unlike me, I don't know anything~"
Lu Baichuan: ...
For some reason, two words suddenly popped into his mind: drama queen.
I didn't quite understand what this term meant when my wife mentioned it before, but now I suddenly understand. What else could my wife be but a drama queen?
But he didn't expose her, and naturally played along: "Yes, my wife is a pure and innocent girl. I was attracted by her simplicity and kindness, and I'm willing to stay with her for life."
His tone was slightly playful, and the two of them, singing in unison, really sounded like they were performing a play.
Jiang Jiuniang was amused by him, but then suddenly remembered that today was an important day, and instantly became serious.
"Go take a shower and get clean, we need to get down to business soon!"
Jiang Jiuniang climbed out of his arms and urged him on.
Lu Baichuan: ...
"Hurry up and go! What are you standing there for? If I can't get pregnant with a daughter, I'll twist your head off!"
Lu Baichuan: ...
What should have been a pleasant occasion became so stressful when it came out of her mouth.
That night, Jiang Jiuniang worked harder than ever before. Today was an auspicious day, and she was determined to have a daughter!
These past few days, she has made time to visit her mother and little sister every day. The little sister is almost two months old and is getting prettier every day. She is so jealous that she drools and dreams of having a little girl.
Both she and Lu Baichuan are good-looking, and their dog is also very handsome. I believe their daughter won't be too ugly either.
Thinking about it that way, I worked even harder...
After resting for a few days, Jiang Jiuniang resumed dealing with business matters. However, she hadn't told her family about opening the ranch yet, so that evening she gathered the people from the first and second branches of the family at the General's Mansion for dinner. They got together and discussed the ranch opening.
“We didn’t cooperate with our family in Huizhou City before mainly because of the special circumstances and inconvenience. This time it’s different. Our family will definitely take the majority of the shares. So I’m asking for everyone’s opinion on whether you want to invest. If you don’t have the money, I can help you pay it in advance. You can pay me back slowly after things improve.”
Jiang Jiuniang's words were not without reason. The first and second wives and Lu Guilan only started their businesses in the capital at the end of last year, and they haven't recovered much yet. They are probably under some pressure for the time being. Although she has been investing, she has received a lot of rewards from the palace and earned a lot from her business, so she is still quite well-off.
This was clearly meant to help everyone, but the people weren't the kind of people who didn't know the significance of this. Madam Yu looked at Madam Qin and Lu Guilan, exchanged glances, and then took the initiative to say, "Third sister-in-law, we know you mean well, but it's already very difficult for you to help us make money. How can we let you pay for it? We've saved some money over the years, and we'll just invest whatever we have. You don't need to worry about it."
The others nodded repeatedly. Now that they had separated, they were really embarrassed to take advantage of the situation.
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