From cute to empress

Chuntao's report was like a bucket of cold water, extinguishing the joy in my heart. Harem rivalries, internal corruption—these words gnawed like venomous snakes at the peaceful and prosperous era I had worked so hard to build.

"How ridiculous!" I stood up suddenly, my anger almost swallowing me up. "I have worked so hard to build a harmonious harem and an honest court, but they..."

Zhen Youcai held my shoulder and said calmly, "Mengmeng, don't be angry yet. The whole story hasn't been figured out yet. Don't worry, I will get to the bottom of it and give you an explanation."

His words were like a magic needle that calmed me down. Yes, anger can't solve the problem. What I need is the truth, the solution to the problem.

"Chun Tao, invite Concubine Yang and Concubine Zhao to Fengyi Palace." I ordered in a deep voice.

Chuntao took the order and left. My eyes fell on Zhen Youcai, "Youcai, I have to trouble you again this time to secretly investigate the Ministry of Internal Affairs. I want to see who is so bold as to dare to do such a thing under my nose!"

"Don't worry, leave it to me." Zhen Youcai gave me a reassuring look and turned to leave.

Concubine Yang and Concubine Zhao were quickly brought to Fengyi Palace. Both were terrified, kneeling on the ground and trembling. I looked at them coldly, my heart filled with disappointment.

"Do you know your guilt?"

Concubine Yang and Concubine Zhao exchanged glances, and finally Concubine Yang mustered the courage to speak: "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I just want to gain your Majesty's favor..."

"Favor?" I sneered. "So you're using those despicable means to frame other concubines? What do you think my harem is? A place for you to fight over my favor?!"

Concubine Yang turned pale with fear and kowtowed, begging for mercy: "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I know I was wrong, and I will never do it again..."

I looked at Concubine Zhao. She kept her head down and said nothing.

"Princess Zhao, what about you? What do you want to say?"

Concubine Zhao's body trembled, and she slowly raised her head, tears welling in her eyes. "Your Majesty, I... I was forced into this..."

I patiently asked, "You were forced? Who forced you?"

"It's...it's the Internal Affairs Manager Sun..." Concubine Zhao's voice became smaller and smaller, and it was almost impossible to hear what she was saying.

"Housekeeper Sun?" I frowned, a sense of foreboding washing over me. "What did he force you to do?"

Concubine Zhao took a deep breath, as if she had made a major decision. She raised her head and looked at me firmly, "Your Majesty, I have something very important to tell you..."

Her words were like a stone dropped into a calm lake, instantly stirring up a thousand waves. I realized that within this harem, there seemed to be a greater secret hidden, a secret that could shake the nation's foundation...

"Your Majesty, Sun, the head of the internal affairs department... He embezzled and accepted bribes, and enriched himself. He replaced many of the furnishings and expenses in the harem with inferior ones, and secretly transported all the money out of the palace and hid it..." Concubine Zhao's voice became smaller and smaller, but it exploded in my ears like thunder.

I suppressed my shock and asked, "Do you have any evidence?"

Concubine Zhao bit her lip, as if she had made up her mind. "Housekeeper Sun secretly goes to a house on the outskirts of the city every month. I have seen it with my own eyes..."

I took a deep breath, calmed myself, and told Chuntao, "Notify General Zhen immediately and have him arrest Internal Affairs Director Sun!"

"As you wish!" Chun Tao took the order and left. My gaze returned to Concubine Zhao. "Don't worry, I will make the decision for you."

Less than an hour later, Zhen Youcai returned, exhausted, trailing several guards, escorting the bound Chamberlain Sun. He knelt on one knee upon entering, "Your Majesty, I have apprehended Chamberlain Sun and seized a large quantity of gold, silver, and jewelry from his suburban residence!"

I nodded and signaled the guards to bring Housekeeper Sun to me. He had lost his usual arrogance and looked as if his bones had been pulled out. He collapsed to the ground, his face pale.

"Mr. Sun, the housekeeper, do you admit your guilt?" I looked at him coldly, without a trace of emotion in my voice.

Housekeeper Sun raised his head tremblingly, his eyes flickering, not daring to look me in the eye, "Your Majesty...this old servant...this old servant is wronged..."

"You're still trying to quibble at this point?" Zhen Youcai threw a stack of account books in front of him. "Look for yourself. These are all evidence of your corruption over the years!"

Housekeeper Sun's face turned pale, his lips moved a few times, but he could no longer speak. I looked at this man who had once groveled before me, and I felt a mixture of emotions.

I knew that this matter could not be let go. I had to make an example of him to warn others. So I immediately ordered a court to be set up in the palace to publicly try the case of corruption against Sun, the head of the internal affairs department.

The news shook the entire harem. Since the founding of the dynasty, there had never been a precedent for an official being publicly tried in the palace. Sitting on a high phoenix chair, I looked at the kneeling Chamberlain, Sun, without a trace of emotion.

Faced with overwhelming evidence, Sun, the head steward, finally confessed his guilt. I publicly announced that he would be dismissed from his post, investigated, and his property confiscated.

I thought the matter was over, but it turned out to be just the beginning... My eyes fell on Doctor Li and Nanny Zhou in the crowd. An intuition told me that they must know something...

After the trial, I dismissed the crowd, leaving only Imperial Physician Li and Nanny Zhou. They knelt in the hall, heads bowed, trembling with fear, not saying a word. I remained silent, watching them quietly, my eyes filled with inquiry and... anticipation.

After a long moment, I slowly spoke, my tone calm yet tinged with authority. "You two have served the royal family for many years, so I'm sure you know a thing or two about what Chamberlain Sun does, right?"

The two of them trembled, and Nanny Zhou turned pale with fear, her lips trembling but unable to speak. Doctor Li calmed down a little, but he just kept kowtowing, "Your Majesty, please spare me, Your Majesty, please spare me!"

"I don't mean to punish you," I said, my tone slowing down, a hint of tenderness in my eyes. "I just want to ask you, do you remember the oath you swore when you first entered the palace?"

My words resonated like thunder in their ears. They jerked their heads up, their eyes filled with shock and bewilderment. Yes, upon entering the palace, they had sworn an oath to serve the imperial family with all their heart and soul, never stepping beyond the bounds of justice. But over the years, they had been blinded by the petty intrigues and deceit that surrounded them, gradually losing themselves.

"I believe you all have good intentions," I stood up and walked over to them, my tone sincere and firm, "I hope you can understand that today's matter is not just about punishing corrupt officials, but also about restoring order to the harem and bringing justice to the royal family!"

My words were full of power and appeal. Doctor Li and Nanny Zhou looked at me, tears welling in their eyes. They knew I wasn't just forcing them, but giving them a chance, a chance to reform.

"Your Majesty..." Imperial Physician Li took a deep breath, as if he had made up his mind. "This old minister is guilty! This old minister knows that General Manager Sun has been colluding with Concubine Yang for years, exploiting his position to secretly transport many high-quality tributes out of the palace and sell them, making huge profits!"

"What?!" I was shocked. I didn't expect that this matter would involve Concubine Yang.

Nanny Zhou seemed to open up, spilling all she knew. It turned out that, to win favor, Concubine Yang had colluded with Chamberlain Sun, using the gold, silver, and jewelry he had embezzled to bribe court officials and secure personal benefits. Chamberlain Sun, in turn, exploited Concubine Yang's power to engage in even more unscrupulous corruption.

I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and suppressed the anger in my heart. Yang Fei... I slowly opened my eyes, and a sharp light flashed in them. "Send Yang Fei!"

Soon, Concubine Yang arrived, flanked by a group of palace maids. Her usually radiant face was now filled with panic. She feigned composure as she saluted me, her eyes flickering, unwilling to meet my gaze.

"Yang Fei, do you admit your guilt?" I looked straight into her eyes, my tone cold and without a trace of emotion.

Concubine Yang's body trembled noticeably, and she immediately knelt on the ground, crying, "Your Majesty, this is unjust! I have always been law-abiding and have never done anything to let Your Majesty down or to let the royal family down!"

"Oh? Really?" I sneered. "Then how do you explain the testimony of Doctor Li and Nanny Zhou?"

I told her everything that Imperial Physician Li and Nanny Zhou had just said. Concubine Yang's face turned pale, and beads of sweat rolled down her forehead. She opened her mouth, wanting to defend herself, but found herself unable to speak.

"Come here, take Concubine Yang to the cold palace. No one is allowed to visit her without my order!" I gave the order coldly without giving her any chance to explain.

When Concubine Yang was dragged away by the guards, she kept crying and shouting that she was wronged, but her voice became increasingly distant and finally disappeared in the empty hall.

I watched her leave, feeling no pity in my heart. As a concubine in the harem, instead of serving the emperor properly, she was obsessed with vying for power and profit, even colluding with corrupt officials and doing things that harmed the imperial family. This is truly an unforgivable crime!

After dealing with Concubine Yang's case, I ordered a thorough investigation of the harem and the Imperial Household Department. All those implicated were severely punished. For a time, panic spread throughout the harem, and even those palace maids and eunuchs who had been known to bully others and engage in corruption were terrified, fearing they would be next.

After this overhaul, peace finally returned to the harem. Those concubines once oppressed by Concubine Yang could finally hold their heads high and live a peaceful life. Because of her meritorious service in exposing the truth, Concubine Zhao was promoted to Imperial Concubine, assisting me in handling harem affairs.

That evening, after I had finished processing memorials and was about to rest, Zhen Youcai suddenly arrived. He looked even more handsome and tall in his military uniform.

"Mengmeng, you've worked hard." He walked over to me and gently held me in his arms.

"Fortunately, it's finally solved." I leaned my head on his chest, feeling his warm embrace, and felt extremely at ease.

"You did a great job. You are worthy of being my good Mengmeng." He bent down and kissed my forehead, his tone full of pampering and pride.

"By the way, how is the war on the front line?" I looked up and asked with concern.

"Everything is going well. I believe we will return triumphantly soon." He said with a smile, his eyes shining with confidence.

"That's good." I nodded with relief.

Suddenly, hurried footsteps were heard outside the hall, followed by a guard running in in a panic.

"Report... Your Majesty, urgent news from the border!"

My heart tightened, and an ominous premonition came to my mind...