The wives of the concubines are empresses

Shangguan Wanjun looked at the registration list and smiled with satisfaction.

One temporary male housekeeper; one temporary female deputy housekeeper; forty guards; ten at the gate; five patrolmen; five at the back gate, guarding in two shifts; one kitchen steward; one wardrobe clerk; one flower and plant clerk; one accountant, responsible for managing the finances; twenty maids; twenty servants; forty footmen; twenty embroiderers, responsible for mending clothes, shoes, socks, and embroidery; ten night incense smokers...

Seeing the emperor's smile, Minglan also smiled slightly.

After arranging the 1,320 people, Shangguan Wanjun felt better.

"Xiao Liuzi, go and inspect on my behalf."

Liu Cheng took the guards out of the palace and rode in a carriage. He lifted the curtain and looked outside. He saw the long line of refugees wearing tattered clothes waiting to get porridge, and he couldn't help feeling sad.

If he hadn't entered the palace, he might have been one of them.

Shangyi Bureau

Embroiderers are rushing to make veils, masks, and even gloves made of cotton and other materials in case of emergency.

(Archaeological discoveries show that gloves existed during the Warring States Period)

Anxious Shangguan Wanjun decided to go out for a walk to relax.

"Minglan, why don't we go to the Clothing Bureau and see how everyone is doing."

Minglan pursed her lips and nodded: "Your Majesty, yes."

When they appeared in the Shangyi Bureau, the female official Su Yuning was shocked.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you."

"Master Su, please don't be polite."

In this dynasty, all women with surnames and ranks are addressed by their own surnames.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

"How's your rush going?"

Seeing that the embroiderers were preparing to salute, Shangguan Wanjun waved her hand.

"Just keep busy."

The middle embroiderer nodded: "Yes, Your Majesty."

"We have followed your instructions and divided ourselves into three groups of ten people each to rush to make veils, masks and gloves." The Shangyi Bureau has two female officials, thirty embroiderers, four cleaning eunuchs, and four cleaning palace maids, a total of forty people.

Shangguan Wanjun had been listening to the report quietly. Thinking of the quantity issue, she looked at Su Yuning from the Clothing Bureau.

"quantity."

"Your Majesty, we currently have 500 veils, 300 masks, and 200 pairs of gloves."

Thinking of this number, Shangguan Wanjun frowned.

"The quantity is still too small." It seems that she has to think of a way to increase production. What if the situation becomes more and more serious and there is not enough?

"Master Su, what do you think of selecting some embroiderers from the common people to come into the palace?"

Su Yuning from the Clothing Department was shocked: "But I'm afraid this isn't appropriate right now."

I heard that there are tens of thousands of refugees outside the palace, and I'm afraid it's not safe.

"What you said is also a problem. What if we set up another one directly outside the palace?"

"That's not impossible, but what about management?"

At this moment, Shangguan Wanjun suddenly raised her eyes and asked, "Who is this female official?"

He looked a little unfamiliar, perhaps because she hadn't noticed him before.

"Your Majesty, my name is Wang Shuxian, and I am an eighth-rank female official. I have been in this position for many years." She hoped that her proper answer would not displease the emperor. After all, in this special period, the emperor should be easily angered.

"Wang Shuxian." Shangguan Wanjun murmured softly while reading, praising sincerely.

"It's a nice name. I see you're an old hand in the palace, so this time you'll be in charge of finding a new batch of embroiderers who can sew shoes, socks, and clothes. The more the better, but they can't be just anybody, young or old, male or female."

When Wang Shuxian from the Shangyi Bureau heard that the empress wanted to use her, she was filled with surprise.

"Thank you for your obedience."

"Xiao Dezi, you take Lord Wang out of the palace yourself. The address should be the mansion under the name of the national treasury, the largest one next to the people." It is said that the mansion was the mansion of a rich man who was corrupt and accepted bribes in the previous dynasty. When it was still in the mansion, it could accommodate one or two thousand people. This is a good thing. If she squeezes in a few more people, she can solve the problem of more than two thousand people.

"The slave obeys the order."

Wang Shuxian, Su Yude and others from the Shangyi Bureau left, and Shangguan Wanjun continued to communicate with Su Yuning, hoping to get some useful information from her.

"What is Master Su's name?"

"Your Majesty, this is your servant Su Yuning."

Shangguan Wanjun was stunned, and Su Yuning was puzzled: What does the emperor mean by this expression?

"Your Majesty, is there a problem?"

Shangguan Wanjun smiled lightly and shook her head: "No, I'm just surprised that your name and Xiao Dezi's are only one character apart."

Now it was Su Yuning's turn to be curious and asked softly.

"I wonder what Eunuch Su's name is?"

"Su Yude." Now Su Yuning understood the emperor's shock.

“It’s really just one word.”

As they were strolling, they came to the corridor of the Clothing Department.

"I think this place is quite spacious, and we can add a few dozen more people. However, we should wait until this incident is over before proceeding."

Su Yuning had been listening respectfully, but was stunned when she heard the emperor's words.

"The Emperor's Holy Might."

The cleaning maid brought up the best tea from the Shangyi Bureau. Shangguan Wanjun nodded slightly to thank her, and the cleaning maid was stunned.

She must have just imagined it, the emperor actually thanked her, and for a moment she was frightened and at a loss for words. Shangguan Wanjun smiled at this, and her red lips parted slightly, but the words she spoke were warm and gentle.

"Go down."

"I'll take my leave." Fortunately, the emperor did not blame her for her loss of composure.

Su Yuning spoke for her: "Your Majesty, the maid didn't mean it. She was probably surprised when she heard you say thank you."

To be honest, she felt a little horrified. It was unheard of and unseen for an emperor to thank a cleaning maid.

Shangguan Wanjun just smiled faintly at her words.

"Has the Queen Mother Xigong come here recently?"

Su Yuning hurriedly reported: "I haven't been here in the past ten days or so."

Shangguan Wanjun seemed to be lost in thought. Su Yuning did not dare to guess the emperor's intentions and lowered her head respectfully.

After leaving the Clothing Bureau, Shangguan Wanjun suddenly walked towards the Imperial Hospital. At this time, Zhang Xinzhuang was able to walk well with a cane, and even a scene surprised Shangguan Wanjun and others.

Zhang Xinzhuang tried to throw away his crutches and tried to walk for a quarter of an hour, but the people behind him widened their eyes.

Zhang Xinzhuang, feeling something was wrong, looked up and met everyone's surprised eyes. He was slightly stunned, and then shocked.

"The common people meet the Emperor."

"Young Master Zhang, please excuse me. I've been walking for almost a quarter of an hour. How's your leg?"

Only then did Zhang Xinzhuang react slowly, and he seemed to be able to walk again.

Looking at him in disbelief, Shangguan Wanjun pursed her lips and smiled.

"Sit over there, I'll take your pulse."

As soon as these words were spoken, Zhang Xinzhuang looked at the empress in bright yellow in shock.

Oh my god, what did he just hear? The emperor wants to take his pulse?

Until Shangguan Wanjun took out her slender jade fingers, Zhang Xinzhuang felt a sense of unreality as if he was deep in a dream.

"The pulse is much more stable. It seems that the efforts during this period have been effective."

Zhao Xianyun listened quietly, her eyes full of excitement. Xinzhuang was really going to get better, and he would be able to take the imperial examination and enter the official career in the future.

Looking at Zhao Xianyun, whose eyes were red with excitement, Shangguan Wanjun smiled gently and brightly.

"Everything is moving in the right direction." Neither of them seemed to understand the multiple layers of meaning in her words, but Minglan, the bystander, sensed something.