The Legend of Zhen Huan Reborn: Overthrowing Zhen Huan to Become the Queen Mother

"I know." The emperor looked up at Nian Shilan. Seeing that her clothes were simple yet expensive, and she looked uneasy and a bit pitiful, he couldn't help but feel agitated.

He held Nian Shilan's hand and said, "I know, Shilan, you are my woman. I will naturally settle everything for you and compensate her."

After a pause, the emperor said solemnly, "It's just that Concubine Chun is no longer a child. She should be aware of the consequences of her actions. Don't worry about it."

Nian Shilan's lips moved, and she couldn't help but think of the words Chun Guiren said when she was rescued by the palace servants that day, wrapped in a fur cloak, her lips purple and her body trembling. "These past few days, I have been dreaming of a little girl crying for help. I came to the Imperial Garden with a feeling of depression. It was my destiny to encounter Princess Xinhe falling into the water. Your Majesty, please rest assured."

These words echoed repeatedly in Nian Shilan's mind. She closed her eyes and said, "Your Majesty, please reward Concubine Chun generously."

Seeing that Nian Shilan was still stubborn, the emperor remained silent, his voice becoming colder. "I understand. I will give her the treatment of a concubine. If there are any vacancies among the six concubines in the future, she will be given priority."

Nian Shilan finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The emperor said coldly, "The wind will pick up as the sun sets. My noble concubine, please go back early. I still have state affairs to attend to. I will come to see you next time."

Nian Shilan looked at him suspiciously. Didn’t he just stop writing? Why was there still government affairs?

She didn't ask any more questions. After all, the small and soft Xinhe was still waiting for her to come back on the bed.

After Nian Shilan left, the emperor was so angry that he pulled out the decorative sword hanging on the wall and waved it around wantonly. He was in the middle of it when his chest felt tight and he threw himself onto the table beside him.

Su Peisheng rushed over upon hearing the noise and hurried forward to support the emperor. "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, are you okay? I will go get the imperial physician right away."

As he was about to leave, the emperor waved his hand and stood up straight. "Those people in the Imperial Hospital just drink medicine every day. They are not as good as the Taoist priest who made these magic pills."

The emperor ordered Su Peisheng to bring a brocade box from the desk next to the couch in the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Su Peisheng looked at the emperor, wanting to say something but stopping himself.

As soon as the emperor took the elixir, he felt clear-headed and his eyesight was bright. The depression in his chest was swept away, and he seemed to have endless energy.

Seeing the emperor return to the dragon throne in a refreshed mood, Su Peisheng sighed inwardly and went forward to serve him with writing materials.

Although it is said that the pen is no longer in use, in reality, matters that the ministers of the Grand Council dare not handle and have no authority to handle still have to be handed over to the emperor, especially this year.

Countless officials in Henan, Shandong, Anhui, Jiangsu and Zhejiang have been arrested, and the Yunnan-Tibet region is also ready to move in this political change.

After rejecting the transfer requests of six officials, the emperor wrote down the names of several officials to be transferred to local posts. The next memorial was from Yin Jishan, the governor of Jiangsu.

The emperor was overjoyed after reading it.

"What a great Yin Jishan, what a great He Wentong!"

Su Peisheng lowered his head and stood aside, "Congratulations, Your Majesty. Congratulations, Your Majesty."

"I didn't say anything, yet you congratulated me." The emperor hummed and left a comment in a happy mood.

The Jiangnan prefect He Shancai was dismissed from his post and investigated, and all his relatives were imprisoned pending investigation. He Wentong, as an outstanding student, was transferred to Zhejiang to serve as an official, and was placed under Li Wei as an eighth-rank official.

As for whether He Wentong would break up with his family, this was not within the emperor's consideration.

This way, He Shancai's family, hoping to clear themselves from the shackles of He Wentong, would spit out everything they had, and He Wentong's integrity would become clear. Ultimately, the family would pull each other down to survive, and the emperor, as the beneficiary, would know the inside story, who He Shancai had interests in, and could choose who to use and who not.

He Shancai had been a fourth-rank prefect for nearly thirty years and was one of the most prominent figures caught in this incident. The emperor could even imagine how many people he would implicate.

By coincidence, Yin Jishan was a bastard son of the Zhangjia clan of the Bordered Yellow Banner Manchuria. He happened to be in the reign of an emperor who knew how to appoint talented individuals, allowing him to rise through the ranks from prefect in the first year of the Yongzheng Emperor's reign to the position of second-rank governor of Jiangnan. Therefore, he was less concerned with his background and family disputes than others. The moment He Wentong approached him, he listened attentively and submitted a memorial directly to the emperor.

The next memorial was from a general guarding the border. He said that there had been frequent movements in the Yunnan-Tibet region recently, harassing the people on the border. It seemed that he had received news of the unrest in the areas around the capital. He requested the emperor to send reinforcements to deal with the sudden uprising of the Yunnan-Tibet bandits.

The emperor was in deep thought, and suddenly thought of something.

Officials sent from the capital to the local areas would send a sum of silver to the capital every year. The whereabouts of this silver were unknown, and they were only said to have been delivered to the hands of the emperor's relatives in the capital. After being tortured in every possible way, they all claimed that they did not know the exact amount!

The emperor thought carefully, how many of these surviving brothers could be ruled out as sick? Prince Heng was in Henan to appease the people, and Shen Beile was too young to be considered. The name of Prince Guo naturally came to mind.

Of course, it is not ruled out that someone is using the name of the royal family to make money.

Thinking of this, the emperor spoke quietly, "Seventeenth Prince learned riding and archery from the Emperor's father, and his horsemanship has always been good. Now that Seventeenth Prince has a beloved woman, I must add another military achievement to his record."

Su Peisheng lowered his eyes and flattered, "The emperor is a wise and intelligent person, and it is a blessing for Master Seventeen."

......

......

In the blink of an eye, it is the New Year's Eve banquet.

Jiang Ruyin finally stepped out of the palace. With the emperor's approval, Hongxuan, who was about to go to the prince's residence after the New Year, sat beside her.

The rest of the imperial concubines and heirs also took their seats. The Emperor and Empress sat at the head of the table, each enjoying a sumptuous feast at their own table. The concubines in the two rows below them sat with their heirs or chatted quietly with their close friends, a scene of harmonious harmony.

Looking at the emperor and the empress again, one was drinking happily without noticing anything, while the other had a gloomy face and could barely maintain a dignified expression.

The emperor narrowed his eyes and looked at Hongxuan for a while. "Hongxuan will enter the imperial study next year. He looks much more dignified and not as annoying as he was when he was young. Concubine Fang has put in a lot of effort recently."

Jiang Ruyin smiled, "I also hope that if Hongxuan leaves me, His Majesty will have less worries. Besides, Hongxuan is already a big boy, so I will have to worry less."

Having said this, Hong Xuan stood up and saluted in a formal manner, "Mother is right. I am already a big boy. Naturally, I should be more quiet so that the Royal Father and the Royal Mother will not worry about me."

The emperor was delighted and turned to look at the queen. "Look at him, he still cares about me and the queen."

The queen forced a smile. The more Hongxuan did so, the more wary the queen became. She couldn't stop looking at Hongshi.

Hongshi had already left the Imperial Study, but because the emperor had not yet assigned him any work, he often went to the Imperial Study to listen in under the emperor's care.