Dad, open the door. I'll bring your mistress back for you.

After Shen Chuning left, Concubine Hui silently took out a jar of long-treasured wine from the cabinet, then silently filled the wine glass and drank it all.

"Your Majesty, you should drink less. After all, drinking too much is harmful to your health." Amber, who was standing aside, couldn't help but advise her.

In the first few years after Concubine Hui entered the palace, she was depressed and relied on drinking every day to relieve her sorrow.

But the situation has improved a lot in recent years, especially after the eldest princess was raised in her palace. In order to avoid any mistakes, she almost stopped drinking.

"Amber, do you know? His child's name is Yunyan, Yunyan..." Concubine Hui's voice was filled with deep loneliness and helplessness.

Agate hurried to the door and guarded the yard vigilantly to prevent others from approaching.

Amber closed the door and whispered, "Your Majesty, please keep your voice down. There are many people in the palace and they are all gossiping. If someone hears you, who knows what they will say to you."

Concubine Hui gently wiped away the tears that fell from the corners of her eyes and sighed, "I know, I'm just really suffocated and want to find someone to talk to."

"Your Majesty, over the years, you have been deliberately avoiding news about the eldest young master of the Yun family. Now that you have heard it today, perhaps you should try to let it go and move forward." Amber patiently persuaded from the side.

As if she had found someone to confide in, Concubine Hui spoke of her frustrations to herself: "I know I should let it go, but he named the child Yunyan."

She paused, her eyes revealing a trace of sadness and helplessness, "I was the one who gave it the name 'Yan'." She recalled the past, a trace of nostalgia flashing in her eyes.

"At that time, he also said that the word 'Yan' was not a good word. My last name is 'Mo', and Yan is used to grind ink. He was afraid that the child would not listen to me in the future."

Concubine Hui sighed softly, as if she had returned to the past.

"I know I was the one who betrayed him first. I wouldn't say a word against him getting married and having children." Concubine Hui's face revealed endless sadness. "But he chose to name his child with the word 'Yan'." Her voice trembled slightly.

Concubine Hui picked up a seal stone from the box and gently touched the pattern carved on it.

There is a cute little rabbit engraved on the seal, standing on its hind legs, as if trying to pick the moon in the sky.

"Since he has already married and had children, what is he doing carving so many things for?" Concubine Hui murmured to herself.

After saying this, Concubine Hui raised the seal stone high up, but after hesitating for a moment, she slowly put her hand down.

She picked up a handkerchief and carefully wiped the seal stone, then placed it back in the box.

Then, Concubine Hui gently closed the box and touched the rabbit carved on the outer wall of the box with her fingertips.

Finally, Concubine Hui took a deep breath and said, "Amber, please return these two boxes of things sometime." Her voice was calm and firm, as if she had already made a decision.

After saying that, she pushed the two boxes to Amber.

When Amber took the box, she noticed Concubine Hui's reluctant look, and she couldn't help but sigh inwardly, then carefully put the box away.

Just as she had put the box away, she suddenly heard a loud shout from outside: "The Emperor has arrived!"

Then, Agate knocked on the door anxiously, walked in hurriedly, and together with Amber quickly put away the wine jugs and wine cups on the table, and opened the windows for ventilation.

By the time the two of them had finished packing, the emperor had already walked into the room.

Smelling the strong smell of alcohol in the room, he couldn't help but frown slightly and said unhappily: "Why are you drinking so much in the middle of the day?"

Amber quickly offered the emperor some hot tea and replied, "Today is the first time Princess Nanyan and Miss Shen Jiu have entered the palace since the New Year. Seeing so many people and the lively atmosphere, Concubine Hui was in a good mood and drank a few more cups."

An Zhiyao's wedding date was set for August, so she would not enter the palace after the new year.

The emperor stared closely into Concubine Hui's eyes and asked, "Is that so?"

Concubine Hui nodded expressionlessly and responded, "Yes."

The emperor sighed softly, looked at Concubine Hui tenderly and said, "In two months, Jinyu will be leaving the palace and setting up her own residence after she reaches the age of marriage. If you like children, why don't we have one?"

A trace of barely perceptible disgust flashed in Concubine Hui's eyes. She did not directly respond to the emperor's question, but instead asked if the emperor had had lunch and said she would send someone to prepare the meal.

However, the emperor sighed softly and told Concubine Hui that he had already dined and that he had come for something else. "This year's salt permits have been issued, and I have specially reserved a portion for the Mohist school."

This news made Concubine Hui feel puzzled, because the Mohist business scope did not include salt industry.

What is even more puzzling is that such a scarce salt permit was reserved specifically for the Mohist school.

Concubine Hui was keenly aware of the unusualness and directly asked about the price of the salt permit.

The emperor replied, "This year, the Ministry of Revenue sold salt to other salt merchants for eight million taels each, but for the sake of my beloved concubine, I will only charge the Mo family seven and a half million taels."

Concubine Hui sneered inwardly, knowing there must be a deeper purpose behind this. Ever since Minister Shen was promoted to Prime Minister, it had become more difficult for the Emperor to withdraw money.

Now, the salt permits are sold to the Mohists at a price lower than the market price. If you say there is no trick in it, I am afraid even the emperor himself would not believe it.

After taking a sip of tea, Concubine Hui stood up and walked to the emperor. She lifted the teapot, tilted it slightly, and slowly poured the tea into the cup in front of the emperor. She asked softly, "I wonder which salt field's salt permit Your Majesty has reserved for the Mohist family?"

The emperor picked up the teacup, gently blew away the foam on the surface, and drank it all in one gulp. He put the teacup down and replied with a smile: "The salt fields in Tonghai area are close to your Mo family and are convenient for management."

After hearing this answer, Concubine Hui could no longer remain calm. Her face instantly became gloomy, as if covered by dark clouds.

She clutched the handkerchief tightly in her hand, trying to control her emotions. "I, the concubine, thank the emperor on behalf of the Mo family."

She suppressed her discontent and anger, trying to make her voice sound calmer. "I drank a little too much just now, and my head hurts. I need to rest. Your Majesty, I will not keep you here."

The emperor stood up helplessly after hearing this and said, "Then you rest first. I will come to see you again after some time."

"Agate, take good care of your mother."