The queen is sober in the world, and she is winning every step of the palace fight.

What a huge fortune!

One hundred thousand mu of land, four hundred houses, more than a hundred shops of various kinds, ten silver shops, thirty pawnshops, one thousand taels of pure gold, sixty boxes of gold and silver ingots, gold and silver ingots, and twenty boxes of various pearls, jade and gemstones...

Fei Wan suppressed her surprise and asked Shixiang, "How much are these things worth?"

Nanny Shixiang replied respectfully, "The land and real estate are scattered across the land, and their market values ​​fluctuate. The value of jewels in exchange for gold and silver also fluctuates, so it's difficult to pinpoint an exact figure. However, a rough estimate puts the value at least at eight million taels."

Fei Wan's expression changed.

"Mammy, do you know what you are saying?"

"I know." Shixiang stood up and knelt. "I dare not deceive Your Majesty. The Empress Dowager still has some private property that is publicly available. It was accumulated through the open channels over the years, and is worth over one million taels. It has been reclaimed by Your Majesty, and Your Majesty can investigate and verify it. However, these are managed privately by people hired by the Empress Dowager, and are not visible to the public. For example, the 100,000 acres of land were acquired during several famines, as well as from daily mergers. These properties are unknown to anyone except those who manage the Empress Dowager's private property. I have served the Empress Dowager for many years, and it is difficult to obtain this list. It may not be the full list. But I dare not speak alarmist words to Your Majesty. The actual value of these properties is likely to be much more than eight million."

Fei Wan asked, "Madam, do you know how much the imperial treasury earns in a year?"

"I've done some research, and it seems... it's between two and four million."

"That's the amount from the reign of Emperor Zhenzong and the previous emperor!" Fei Wan's face was grim. "During the late reign of the previous emperor and after Your Majesty took over, the national treasury only had an income of over 900,000 silver coins in a single year. The income was small, but the expenses were many. Today, you brought in a list of the Empress Dowager's private property, and you claim it represents several years of national treasury income?"

After hearing this, Tohka felt a lump in her chest and remained silent for a long while.

Finally, Shen Chen let out this breath and whispered: "...Fortunately, the Queen Mother failed. If she succeeded, I'm afraid she would commit more sins in the future."

She reassured him, "I dare not lie to your Majesty. These are indeed the Queen Mother's private property. However, the person who manages them for her seems to be very powerful. If your Majesty wants to obtain these, it will probably take some effort."

“Who is taking care of these properties?”

"In southern Sichuan, my last name is Meng."

Tohka lowered her voice and briefly told Feiwan what she knew about this person.

Fei Wan reached out and helped her up.

"It's not that I don't trust Mammy, it's just that the amount is too large and it makes me angry."

How dare this old woman, the Queen Mother, extort so much money from people behind her back? No wonder she had the confidence to start a rebellion, because she had people willing to be loyal to her and the money to support and employ the troops!

After Tohka stood up, she didn't dare to sit down again. She thought that after offering so much wealth, Hibiki would be very happy, but she didn't expect the opposite to happen.

She cautiously advised, "Your Majesty, please don't be angry now. These are all yours. I promise that no one in the palace or even in the entire capital will know about these properties. The Empress Dowager is very cautious and careful in her accumulation of wealth. This is convenient for Your Majesty."

She tried to please him anxiously.

But Fei Wan said, "Why do I need so much money?"

"...Empress?"

"I don't want them, but I have to take them in my hands." Fei Wan saw that Shixiang was worried, so she relaxed her expression, "It's inevitable. I need Nanny to remind me what to do from time to time."

Shixiang quickly expressed her loyalty: "The Queen Mother is very cautious. I don't know the inside story, but I will do my best to help Her Majesty obtain these properties."

"Thank you in advance, Madam."

Fei Wan thought for a moment and then said, "Don't worry, Ma'am. I won't let you do anything dangerous."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your consideration."

Before leaving Chunxi Palace, Shixiang asked a senior palace maid from Ciyu Palace who was waiting outside to enter the palace and kowtow to Feiwan through the door.

This is the senior palace maid who secretly sold the fake pregnancy prescription to Concubine Si.

He was also secretly assigned by the Queen Mother to be the main person in charge of setting up Zhishu's fake pregnancy.

Tohka had always been somewhat clumsy in front of the Empress Dowager, so the Empress Dowager would usually assign others to do these subtle and secret tasks. Tohka knew everything in her heart, but kept it to herself. Today, the incident involving Concubine Si had implicated this senior palace maid, who had no idea that her actions had already been discovered by Tohka.

This time, she came to Chunxi Palace to kowtow and admit her mistakes to Fei Wan. She thought that it was a grace given to her by Shixiang, allowing her to ask for forgiveness from Concubine Zhao and perhaps have a chance to save her life.

"...I was forced by the Empress Dowager to act without my own will. I beg Your Majesty to forgive me. I did not intend to harm Empress Ying! I know my sins are grave, but please, Your Majesty, please consider that you were once a palace maid and suffered abuse at the hands of your master. Please forgive me! I do not want to die. Please have mercy on me and ask His Majesty to spare my life. I will repay you with my life!"

The palace maid cried and begged through the door curtain.

Very miserable.

But Fei Wan still didn't let her in.

She simply said in a calm voice, "I have no knowledge of what you and Concubine Si did in private, and I don't want to intervene, nor can I. This matter involves Concubine Si's treason. Your Majesty will decide whether you live or die. As for the Queen Mother colluding with Prince Rui to cause Concubine Ying's miscarriage and arranging for the palace maid Linshui to falsely accuse me, whether you were involved in this or not, the Palace Justice Department and the Tiger Guards will investigate. What's the point of you coming to me for help? Go away."

"Empress! Please have mercy on me! I don't want to die. I don't know who to ask for help. Empress Ying won't even let me in..." The maid cried even more pitifully.

However, she was glared at by Tohka who was supervising nearby.

He warned in a low voice: "Have you forgotten what I told you before you came?!"

The palace maid shuddered.

She pleaded again, "Your Majesty, I shouldn't have obeyed the Queen Mother's orders and instigated Linshui to falsely accuse you of plotting to murder Concubine Ying and causing her miscarriage, but I really had no choice! I knew I was wrong a long time ago, and I don't want to die, Your Majesty Zhao Concubine..."

"Forget it." Inside the house, Fei Wan sighed softly and said weakly, "You are also very pitiful. This palace will plead for you in front of the emperor, but if His Majesty does not forgive you, this palace is powerless. The only thing is, if you want to save your life, you can't hide your crimes. What secret things did the Queen Mother ask you to do, and how did Concubine Si buy the prescription from you? When you go to the Palace Administration Office tomorrow, you must confess carefully."

"I understand! I understand! Thank you, Empress Zhao!"

The palace maid kowtowed several times before being taken away by Tohka.

Leaving Chunxi Palace and on the way back to Ciyu Palace, there was no one around, so Shixiang quietly warned the palace maid.

"Just now, you almost said that the Queen Mother asked you to drug Empress Ying to fake a pregnancy, didn't you? Tomorrow when you go to the Palace Administration Office, you should be more clear-headed. His Majesty is so sympathetic to Empress Ying's miscarriage, and you are making trouble out of nothing and telling him that Empress Ying's pregnancy was fake - then no one knows whether you can still save your life."

The maid nodded quickly: "I know everything! Thank you for your advice, Madam! I will never forget your kindness!"

Tohka was too lazy to say anything more.

Stupid people can only wish for good luck on their own.

This palace maid was completely lost. Did she think that by helping the Empress Dowager commit a few harmful acts, she could become a trusted confidant of Ciyun Palace? Did she think that by secretly befriending the concubines and exchanging her secret remedies for money, she could amass both wealth and connections? Did she think that since she nearly caused Concubine Zhao and Concubine Ying to receive the death penalty, she could kowtow to Concubine Zhao and forgive her?

Stupid thing!

In the palace, it is not wrong to try your best to climb up, nor is it wrong to make money, but you must never harm others easily.

If you use other people's lives to exchange for your own future unless you have no choice, you will have to pay with your own life sooner or later!

"Mammy, Consort Zhao will certainly plead for me in front of His Majesty, right? She has always been very kind to the palace maids and is a Buddhist. Since she has promised, she will definitely do it, right?"

The palace maid didn't know that Shixiang brought her here to kowtow today just to find a high-sounding excuse to ask for an audience with Concubine Zhao.

Giving her the property was real, and taking her to apologize was just a superficial act, done for His Majesty to see.

She's still asking here.

Shixiang replied, "Don't worry, Concubine Zhao is kind-hearted and will help you. You also have to be brave and make a good confession in the Palace Administration Office tomorrow. If His Majesty knows you are honest, and with Concubine Zhao's intercession, you might actually be able to save your life."

"Yes, I know!"

The maid's look of fear and anticipation made Tohka sigh inwardly.

A fool is also a pitiful person.

With Concubine Ying's "pregnancy" and "miscarriage" now a fact, there was no need to revisit the question of whether it was a fake pregnancy. Shixiang knew that Concubine Zhao and Concubine Ying had the ability to dispel His Majesty's suspicions after Concubine Si's accusation. However, she instructed the maid not to mention Concubine Ying's fake pregnancy, implicitly helping Concubine Zhao and Concubine Ying, perhaps showing the foolish maid a clear path and earning her some good fortune.

"Remember, if you can escape the death penalty, never do anything harmful to others again. If you can't escape death, it's your own fault, and you can't blame anyone else."

"Yes... Mammy..."

The night wind howled.

Shixiang walked on the deserted palace road with a lantern in her hand. Looking back in the direction of Chunxi Palace, she could only see the layered palaces shrouded in darkness.

That feeling of oppression is the same as the feeling given by Concubine Zhao today when her face was solemn.

Seeing millions of properties without any joy, Tohka was surprised and frightened by this Zhao Fei.

For the first time, she experienced Zhao Fei's cunningness face to face.

This unfathomable favorite concubine will be her secret master from now on.

In terms of scheming, Concubine Zhao was even more cunning than the Empress Dowager. However, Tohka sensed a different aura from her.

She hoped she had not chosen the wrong master!

……

"It's past midnight, and the wind seems to be getting stronger. Your Majesty, why don't you stay here and leave tomorrow morning?"

After Shixiang left, Concubine Qing came out of the west room and returned to Feiwan's bedroom.

Fei Wan tried to keep her.

It wasn't out of courtesy, but because I saw that Concubine Qing's face had become even paler.

Imperial Concubine Qing shook her head, the pendant beside her ear swaying gently as she smiled gently, "No matter how strong the wind is, I still want to go to the Imperial Court. His Majesty must still be awake. He will surely be happy to know that I have settled you down."

Why did she dare to enter Chunxi Palace openly after interrogating Concubine Si without fear of being suspected of forming a clique with Feiwan?

It was because he had already thought of an excuse: to settle Concubine Zhao who was "assassinated" by Concubine Si!

After everything is settled, it will be more logical for him to go to the emperor in person to report.

"Shixiang brought the guilty palace maid to plead for mercy, which disturbed your rest. I can also mention it to His Majesty." Concubine Qing smiled.

Fei Wan thanked him: "Thank you for your consideration, Your Majesty."

Tohka came to see him with the excuse of bringing a palace maid to apologize, which was naturally reasonable.

But it would be more believable if Concubine Qing joined in.

As for Shixiang's private conversation with her, Fei Wan knew that Concubine Qing must have noticed that the two were discussing something important. But Concubine Qing did not ask, but only helped, such was the tacit understanding between allies.

Imperial Concubine Qing smiled and said, "Why thank me? If I heard any important news while in the presence of the Emperor, I will share it with you another day."

The military and national affairs that the emperor stayed up late to arrange were all very important.

It would be great if we could find out a little bit.

Fei Wan ordered people to dig out a fine feather satin cloak from the various rewards she had received before and let Concubine Qing wear it.

Concubine Qing saw that the cloak was exquisitely made. The satin on the outside was fine, but the fur on the inside was so fine and dense and golden that she couldn't tell what animal's fur it was made of.

"I heard it's made from the top feathers of a water bird, collected and woven." Fei Wan personally put the cloak on Concubine Qing. "It was a reward in the summer. I would have been too hot to wear it then, so I put it away. The wind is blowing hard tonight, and it's just right to block the wind. It's also light and warm, and it won't be heavy to wear. It's perfect for your Majesty."

Concubine Qing couldn't help but sigh, "How many feathers are on the head of a water bird? Yet, it's hard to make such a large cloak out of them. I wonder how many birds' feathers must have been collected to make this. Your Majesty's favor to you is truly unprecedented."

Fei Wan smiled and said, "This is the most labor-intensive one. Using it on Her Majesty will not seem like a waste of resources."

"What do you mean?" Concubine Qing thought she was joking.

But then Fei Wan said, "The stone in your hand may be of great use in the future. By then, the merits you have accumulated will allow you to wear a thousand of these cloaks."

The Empress Dowager's private property that Shixiang offered up rekindled Feiwan's bold idea after he learned about Concubine Qing's life experience.

Concubine Qing was sent away.

With the help of her maid, Fei Wan lay down again, but did not fall asleep immediately.

Taking the note given by Tohka, he carefully looked over the property on it again.

While being shocked once again by the huge amount of money, I also began to roughly calculate how to spend it.

Daliang was facing internal and external troubles, and with turmoil imminent, maintaining troops was naturally the top priority.

I didn't dare to think about it before, but now I have a little confidence...

But Fei Wan understood that although this money seemed like a lot, it was probably not enough to actually support an army, especially to fight a war.

First of all, the most important thing is to get this money and make it truly your own private property!

Otherwise, it’s all wishful thinking!

……

The next morning, Fei Wan received the news that Dong Bao had inquired about.

It is said that Concubine Si was detained in the palace prison last night and suffered a lot of torture.

The concubines who had been schemed against by her in the past, after hearing that she was convicted and imprisoned, secretly went to the Palace Administration Office to pay money and use their connections, taking advantage of her illness to kill her, and tried their best to have the people in the torture room torture Concubine Si.

Anyway, His Majesty's intention is to just let her live for a while and then investigate her crime.

"Deserved it."

Xiangyi just felt relieved.

Concubine Si has been plotting against her own queen a lot!

You dared to assassinate me last night, now is your retribution!

"Does Dongbao know anyone in the Tiger Guard? Ask him to find out how Zheng Zhuyi is doing in that prison."

Fei Wan ordered.