Grand Ceremony Burden Reduction Plan
Spring sunlight streamed through the newly installed gauze windows of Chengxiang Hall, casting dappled shadows on the bluestone floor.
Wu Meiniang sat at a sandalwood desk by the window, her long, thick black hair loosely tied up with a simple jade hairpin, a few strands falling beside her cheeks, making her skin appear even whiter and more like jade.
She wore an apricot-yellow silk dress, with fine silver thread embroidery of intertwined floral patterns on the lapel. It was both dignified for a concubine and much more refreshing and neat than those palace dresses adorned with pearls and jade.
(Inner monologue: This office environment has been upgraded quite well. The lighting is good, the chairs are comfortable, which will help improve work efficiency.)
She realized that simply relying on the boss's favor was far from enough to ensure a peaceful life in the Tang Dynasty's imperial harem.
This is similar to a modern company where simply pleasing the chairman is not enough; you also need to manage relationships with various departments, especially grasping the company's core lifeline—finance.
(Inner monologue: The third rule for workplace survival: Master financial data to gain the power of discourse.)
The opportunity came soon.
That day, Li Zhi came for dinner, his brow furrowed with lingering irritation.
The Chengxiang Hall was brightly lit with candles, and the newly replaced Xiangfei bamboo curtains exuded a delicate fragrance. Several exquisite dishes were laid out on the table, all specially prepared according to Li Zhi's taste.
But he barely touched his favorite sea bass sashimi, his slender fingers unconsciously tapping the rosewood tabletop.
"Is Your Majesty troubled by something?" Wu Meiniang asked, offering a cup of warm wine at the opportune moment.
In the candlelight, her eyes were lowered, her long eyelashes casting a soft shadow beneath them, and her voice was so gentle it could melt water.
Li Zhi rubbed his temples and sighed, "It's all because of the Fengshan ceremony. The budget submitted by the Ministry of Rites is simply outrageous! Just the repair of the temporary palaces along the way, the carriages and ceremonial guards, and the rewards for the officials will consume 30% of the national treasury's annual revenue. The Ministry of Revenue is about to flip the table."
(Inner monologue: Fengchan? Isn't this just the company's annual gala? Budget overruns are common. But... this is a great opportunity to showcase my professional skills!)
Wu Zetian's eyes lit up, and she immediately got to work. She leaned forward slightly, revealing a section of her fair and graceful neck: "Your Majesty, may I see the budget details?"
Li Zhi looked at her in surprise, but still had a eunuch bring the memorial.
Wu Zetian quickly browsed through the obscure ancient texts, automatically converting them into an Excel spreadsheet in her mind.
A warm spring breeze wafted through the crabapple trees in the courtyard, bringing with it a fragrant aroma that mingled with the faint scent of ink and books emanating from her.
(Inner monologue: Good heavens! This budget is even more extravagant than that of major internet companies! It's a complete vanity project!)
"Your Majesty," she put down the memorial, her expression serious, "this budget can be cut in at least half."
"What?" Li Zhi exclaimed in shock. "Meiniang, the Fengshan Ceremony concerns the dignity of the nation; how can it be treated so lightly?"
"Precisely because it concerns the national system, we must be even more meticulous in our calculations." Wu Zetian displayed the same professional attitude she had when preparing proposals for clients back in the day.
She rose and fetched charcoal and paper with swift movements, her wide sleeves carrying a waft of fragrance. "Your Majesty," she said, "if the purpose of the Fengshan ceremony were to incite public resentment, wouldn't that be putting the cart before the horse?"
She was writing furiously at her desk, her profile appearing exceptionally focused in the candlelight:
"First, the honor guard can be streamlined. The golden-armored warriors can be replaced with painted paper armor; the effect from a distance is the same, but the cost is only one-tenth."
"Secondly, there's no need to build a new palace; we can expand an existing post station. I've studied the route, and it's entirely feasible."
"The most important thing is the reward—instead of giving out so much silk, it would be better to change it to 'commemorative silver coins for the Fengshan ceremony,' which would be both respectable and economical, and the officials could keep them as souvenirs."
Li Zhi was stunned: "This...this can't possibly work?"
"Of course!" Wu Meiniang raised her head confidently, her eyes gleaming with wisdom. "I can prepare a detailed plan, including cost control and contingency plans for each step."
(Inner monologue: Just kidding, I saved the company 20 million by controlling the budget back in the day!)
Three days later, when Wu Zetian presented the "Cost Control Plan for the Fengchan Ceremony" written in tiny regular script, Li Zhi was so excited that his hands trembled as he looked at the detailed comparison tables, alternative plans, and risk contingency plans inside.
The paper still carried the faint scent of ink from her body, and her handwriting was elegant with a touch of grace.
"Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful!" he exclaimed repeatedly. "Meiniang, you are truly my..."
"A virtuous wife?" Wu Meiniang deliberately replied, her lips slightly raised and her eyes sparkling.
"No," Li Zhi looked at her intently, "it is my Minister of Revenue."
The plan was implemented quickly.
The effect was immediate—the budget was cut by 60%, and the Minister of Revenue was so moved that he burst into tears and came to Chengxiang Hall to kowtow and express his gratitude.
(Inner monologue: Great, finance department sorted it out.)
This news quickly spread throughout the palace.
Enraged, Empress Wang smashed a Yue ware celadon tea set in the Lizheng Hall, shards of porcelain and amber-colored tea spilling across the floor: "Who does Wu Zetian think she is! How dare she interfere in court affairs!"
Consort Xiao stormed straight into Chengxiang Palace. Today, she wore a scarlet palace gown embroidered with gold phoenixes and jewels, her hair adorned with pearls and jade. As she barged in with an imposing air, her ornaments jingled: "Consort Wu, you have quite the audacity! You even dare to interfere in the Fengshan ceremony!"
Wu Zetian was checking the accounts of the Imperial Kitchen when she heard the sound and slowly looked up.
The spring sunshine shone on her, making her moon-white brocade dress glow softly. She wore only a pair of pearl earrings, which made her look even more elegant and refined.
"If Consort Shu has any objections to the budget, she can speak to His Majesty." She spoke calmly, gently placing the wolf-hair brush on the jade brush rest. "However..." she finally stood up, a professional smile on her face, "I suggest you take a look at this first."
She pushed a ledger towards her, the jade bracelet on her wrist clinking against the sandalwood tabletop: "This is the expenditure of the six palaces last month. Just for Consort Shu's palace alone, two hundred bolts of silk, fifty catties of sandalwood, and three bushels of pearls were consumed... Would you like me to calculate for you how many people's food rations this money could provide for a year?"
Consort Xiao's face turned deathly pale. She staggered backward, her head full of jewels swaying violently, reflecting a dazzling light in the sunlight.
(Inner monologue: Trying to compete with me? I've won the Best Cost Control Award for three consecutive years!)
That evening, when Li Zhi arrived, Wu Meiniang was studying the palace's account books by candlelight.
She changed into a light blue nightgown, her long hair flowing freely, shimmering like satin in the candlelight.
"What are you looking at?" Li Zhi wrapped his arms around her from behind, his chin gently resting on the top of her head.
"Your Majesty," Wu Meiniang leaned against him, her voice aggrieved, "I may have offended Consort Shu."
She recounted what had happened during the day, emphasizing, "I didn't mean to embarrass Consort Shu; it's just that seeing these accounts really pains me."
She looked up, the candlelight flickering in her clear eyes. "If we could save on these unnecessary expenses, the court could levy less taxation, and the people's lives would be better."
Li Zhi was deeply moved and gently stroked her cheek: "Mei Niang always cares about the people; it brings me great comfort."
He pondered for a moment, then said, "Since you have this talent, you will be in charge of managing the expenses of the six palaces from now on."
(Inner monologue: Bingo! Goal achieved! Now I have the right to audit the entire harem's accounts!)
Wu Meiniang suppressed her inner joy and said softly, "This concubine will certainly not fail Your Majesty's trust."
She nestled into Li Zhi's arms, a triumphant smile blooming on her lips, quietly blossoming in the shadows.
The next day, when the imperial decree to manage the expenses of the six palaces was issued, the harem was in an uproar.
Empress Wang fell ill immediately—her power to manage the six palaces was largely taken away, which was a blatant power grab!
Consort Xiao was so angry that she fell ill—her biggest weakness was in Wu Zetian's hands!
Meanwhile, Wu Zetian was happily starting her new project in the Chengxiang Palace.
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