Chapter 105 The Harem Situation is Under Control
This Wanshou Festival can be said to be extremely grand. Su Jingyao is in charge of the Shangyi Bureau and has many responsibilities to take care of this time.
During this Longevity Festival, many countries surrounding the monarchy will send envoys.
The Canglang Kingdom in the north, the Yuehui Kingdom and the Lingyu Kingdom in the east, the Yuelin Kingdom in the south, and the Seabuckthorn Kingdom a little further away in the desert, all have customs and cultures that are completely different from those of the monarchy.
To the west of the kingdom is an endless stretch of snowy mountains, and it is still unclear whether there are other countries on the other side of the mountains.
Due to the arrival of the envoys, the main organizers of Jun Zechen's Longevity Festival were actually the Honglu Temple and the Ministry of Rites.
They need to carefully prepare the corresponding welcoming ceremony, meticulously arrange diplomatic etiquette and so on.
Su Jingyao also has many responsibilities.
Not only did he need to communicate and coordinate closely with officials from the Honglu Temple and the Ministry of Rites, but he also had to properly arrange all the details of the banquet.
For example, in the reception of banquets, the etiquette maids for the banquet on that day were carefully selected and then given strict training and instruction.
They need to prepare various performances, carefully consider the meals, properly manage the gifts, and record the entire banquet process in detail, etc.
Although Su Jingyao is a royal concubine, she can be considered as a CEO. She does not need to do many things personally. She only needs to give orders and many people will take care of it.
However, this year's Longevity Festival is extremely important, and Su Jingyao will personally confirm every key node to ensure that everything goes well.
Fortunately, Nanny Lin who was by her side was experienced and mature, and Miaoyun and other four personal maids also grew up very well under her careful training, and they were able to handle many things on their own.
Since she was promoted to Imperial Consort, Nanny Lin, Miaoyun and four other personal maids became the highest-ranking female officials in the harem.
She had more power than some of the concubines in the palace, and was even more respected by the servants in the palace who were accustomed to flattering the powerful and looking down on the weak.
The study room of Sojun Palace.
"Master, Concubine Chu is due to give birth in a month. Concubine Ling and Concubine Chu have been having a close private relationship for some time."
Miaoyun stood beside Su Jingyao, frowned slightly and continued: "It seems that Concubine Ling has wanted Lady Chu's child for a long time."
Su Jingyao sat at the desk, holding a brush in one hand and writing something with great concentration.
When she heard Miaoyun's words, a barely perceptible thought flashed across her face, and her hands did not pause much in their movements.
"Concubine Ling was bullied by Concubine Shen, so she naturally wanted to find a way to suppress Concubine Shen. She can't get pregnant, and now she is not favored by His Majesty, and she doesn't have a strong family background. If there is no royal heir, Concubine Shen will oppress her for the rest of her life."
Su Jingyao had a calm expression and spoke slowly in a calm tone.
Jun Zechen had been very kind to Concubine Ling. In order to prevent Concubine Ling from being too sad in the harem, he would go to Yikun Palace for meals two or three times a month. However, he would never stay overnight in Yikun Palace, let alone summon Concubine Ling to his palace.
But there were only a few concubines in the harem who could see His Majesty several times a month. In addition, Concubine Ling was one of the two concubines, so her life in the harem was relatively easy, except that Concubine Shen would cause her trouble.
Miaoyun pondered for a while and continued to talk about the situation in the harem.
"Now, Concubine Xu is favored in the harem and can see His Majesty once a month. However, when Concubine Ling was still a noble concubine, Concubine Xu took refuge with her. After being favored, Concubine Xu has rarely come into contact with Concubine Ling."
The master has been busy with the Longevity Festival recently, and Miaoyun is also very busy. The Longevity Festival is in two days, and everything that needs to be arranged has been almost done, and only the subordinates need to carry out the work.
Miaoyun took some time today to sort out the news about the concubines passed on by her subordinates and reported them to Su Jingyao one by one.
Su Jingyao was stunned for a while when she heard Xu Cairen's words. She has been very busy recently. There are many women in the harem, and her status has changed inadvertently.
This Xu Cairen was Xu Baolin from Taolin before, who was just promoted to Cairen.
"These women in the palace have low status, they don't eat well, they don't dress well, and it's easy for some servants to take kickbacks. After I took charge of the six palaces, although I tried my best to avoid these things, I couldn't completely prevent them."
After all, if the concubines were helped, the servants' financial path would be blocked. If the concubines were not helped, some servants would be too rampant and the concubines would have complaints. It can only be said that Su Jingyao would make the harem reach a relatively balanced state.
"In a harem like this, any woman with a little ambition will naturally try every possible means to gain favor. The fact that Concubine Xu can speak freely in front of His Majesty shows that she is outstanding."
"A woman like this, if she is favored, will not be willing to be someone else's pawn. If Concubine Ling cannot bring enough benefits to Concubine Xu, it is not impossible for Concubine Xu to find another master."
Su Jingyao analyzed calmly, her expression was calm, but her eyes were deep and sharp.
Miaoyun nodded, without much expression on her face, but her eyes revealed a kind of sophistication and indifference.
She had been with her master for a long time and had become indifferent to the competition for favor among the concubines.
No disgust, no dislike, no hatred.
Everyone lives for himself, but the winner takes all and becomes the king.
Miaoyun would not have any sympathy for these women as they followed her master in plotting against them.
After that, Miaoyun hesitated for a moment and then said softly, "My lord, Concubine Ye knelt in Zhaochun Palace for more than half an hour that day. After returning to Jingyang Palace, she immediately sent someone to Cining Palace, saying that she wanted to worship Buddha with the Queen Mother during her pregnancy and pray for the royal heir."
As she said this, Miaoyun's brows were tightly wrinkled, and her face was full of disgust.
Su Jingyao's lips curled up slightly in a mocking smile, and she said coldly: "Ye Guipin is still as smart as ever. She knew that I wanted to take action against her, and quickly found a backer for herself."
"Unfortunately, I am not the one who is going to take action."
Miaoyun was puzzled when she heard this, and couldn't help asking, "Master, what do you mean by this?"
Su Jingyao narrowed her eyes slightly, her thoughts drifting back to the time when she had intentionally or unintentionally tested Jun Zechen's punishment of Ye Guipin.
Only then did I know that Jun Zechen originally wanted to keep Concubine Ye and Concubine Lin to continue the fight, but he didn't expect Concubine Ye to be so anxious to take the initiative to find the Queen Mother.
In this way, Concubine Ye would have no value to Jun Zechen, and Jun Zechen would not let her go. The empress dowager was protecting the royal heir, not her.
In fact, the more times she went to see the Empress Dowager, the more likely she was to have a difficult labor. Once she had a difficult labor, the only one who would survive would probably be the heir to the throne.
It's really a case of being too smart and making mistakes.
Indeed, no matter how well a young lady from an aristocratic family is brought up, how can she see through those who truly hold power?
Thinking of this, Su Jingyao looked lazy and said nonchalantly, "Don't worry about Concubine Ye."
"yes."
"How is Concubine Lin doing recently?" Su Jingyao asked calmly.
"Concubine Lin has been very close to Concubine Shen recently. Concubine Shen sent me news that Concubine Lin wants to rely on her to deal with Concubine Ye, and also..."
Miaoyun paused for a moment, raised her eyes and looked at her master carefully before continuing, "And you."
Su Jingyao couldn't help but raise her eyebrows slightly when she heard this.
So Concubine Lin believed that Concubine Shen and she were not on good terms, and since Concubine Shen was not favored, she wanted to pull Concubine Shen down?
Since Su Jingyao became the Imperial Consort, her influence in the harem has gradually expanded, and she has more and more spies planted in various palaces. Sometimes when I hear the news, I feel that these women are both smart and ridiculous.
At the same time, I feel that their talents are wasted in this harem.
If they were to live in modern times, they would surely shine in the workplace.
"Let Concubine Lin suffer."
Su Jingyao shook her head lightly. These women in the harem might be bored, so they had to find something to do.
Su Jingyao was too lazy to interfere with their love-hate relationship, as long as they didn't bother her.
Nowadays, Su Jingyao would rather deal with the tedious affairs of the six palaces than deal with the trivial matters between concubines.
"By the way, Master, Concubine Ye sought the Queen Mother's blessing after she became pregnant. Concubine Lin may not be able to vent her anger on Concubine Ye, so she has been making things difficult for Concubine Yan recently."
Miaoyun had a look of gloating over a misfortune.
"A few days ago, Concubine Lin met Concubine Yan in Yu Garden. She angrily accused Concubine Yan of committing treason and made her kneel in Yu Garden for half an hour."
Miaoyun described the scene vividly, as if it were right before her eyes.
"But Concubine Yan was no pushover. I heard that she reported the matter to His Majesty that day. But surprisingly, His Majesty punished Concubine Lin."
Miaoyun had a smile on her face, as if she was mocking Concubine Lin's so-called favor.
Su Jingyao frowned slightly.
Could it be that Jun Zechen abandoned Concubine Ye and was planning to use Concubine Yan to compete with Concubine Lin?