Quick Transmigration: Survive to the End

Yinyin sat upright in her seat, already guessing the emperor's answer.

Most of these crown princes were just teenagers, a time when their minds were not yet settled.

Living outside the palace makes it difficult to restrict their movements as much as it would be inside, but it also makes it easier to corrupt them.

The emperor, who already had little affection for them, naturally wouldn't refuse the Left Chancellor's suggestion.

The emperor quickly said, "As expected, the Left Chancellor is more concerned about them."

“How can I compare to Your Majesty?” the Left Chancellor said. “I am merely sharing Your Majesty’s burdens.”

"Since you are here to share my burdens," the emperor paused, "I remember that the eldest grandson of the Left Chancellor is not yet seven years old, just the age to start school. Why don't you also send him to study at the Hongwen Academy?"

"His Majesty……"

Before the Left Chancellor could finish speaking, the Emperor launched into another tirade: "And the Right Chancellor's eldest grandson, the Grand General's youngest son, and the Minister of Works' youngest grandson—they all seem to be around the same age?"

"Why don't we all study together, like Yinyin?"

"Perfect timing. We'll need to discuss this matter with you, Prime Minister."

"With the eldest princess?" The Left Prime Minister's voice was tinged with doubt. "The eldest princess is also going to study at the Hongwen Academy?"

"Of course," the emperor said with a hint of arrogance. "If those princes can study at the Hongwen Academy, why can't Yinyin, who is already a princess?"

The Left Chancellor advised, "Your Majesty, there is no precedent for a princess entering the Hongwen Academy."

“Haven’t we had this problem since my reign?” the emperor said. “Yinyin is the only eldest princess in the palace, so no special exception is too much.”

After hearing this, the Left Prime Minister readily agreed and also took on the task of arranging a teacher.

After the Left Prime Minister left, the Emperor gave a soft hum and beckoned Yin Yin out, instructing her, "Yin Yin, after these families enter the palace, treat them as servants only, and don't give them any special treatment."

"If you're in a good mood, give me a smile, but not too much, okay?"

Is this kind of teaching correct?

Although she knew the emperor's words were plausible, Yin Yin didn't want to do it.

Rather than keeping them hanging on and letting their families believe they have a chance to marry you, it's better to just beat them into submission, as mentioned before.

Beating someone into submission is far more effective at suppressing their arrogance and making them obedient than any physical intimacy between a man and a woman.

Since entering the palace, Yin Yin rarely contradicted the emperor's wishes: "Uncle, I'll listen to my father on this matter. If they try to bully me, I'll just fight them back."

"I don't need anyone's help. I can take care of just a few kids around my age by myself."

"If they go back and complain, tell them to go to Qin County and find my father!"

After listening, the emperor looked at Yin Yin's determined eyes and suddenly looked away: "She is indeed the child raised by my imperial brother."

"Yinyin, just listen to your brother, don't worry about what I said."

After discussing this topic, the two slowly headed outside.

Upon arriving at Fengyi Palace, the Emperor told the Empress that Yin Yin would be entering Hongwen Academy for further studies, and the Empress then busied herself with preparations.

One moment she was busy preparing books for Yin Yin, and the next she was thinking about having more clothes made for her. With new clothes made, it was natural to also prepare some matching jewelry.

The Imperial Household Department's departments of Treasures and Clothing were being run around in circles under the Empress's command. Due to the urgency of the situation, even the affairs of other concubines in the palace were not being handled as quickly.

The lower-ranking concubines naturally didn't feel anything was wrong, as their affairs were always secondary to many others. But the higher-ranking concubines, who had powerful backers, were not happy about it.

For example, Consort Zhou, the niece of the Left Chancellor, was very dissatisfied that the clothes she ordered could not be made immediately as before, but would take several days to be completed.

Consort Zhou sent someone to the Imperial Household Department to vent her anger, but the Imperial Household Department suppressed her with the help of the Empress.

Yin Yin was unaware of this matter at first, but coincidentally, she was inside when Consort Zhou took Tang to the Zichen Palace to find the Emperor.

Yinyin, familiar with the place, hid behind the screen and ate her snacks by herself.

"Your Majesty," Consort Zhou's voice was full of sweetness, "it has been quite some time since you last came to my palace. Have you grown tired of me?"

"How could that be?" Perhaps thinking of Yin Yin's presence, the emperor did not respond to her question, but instead said, "This is the Zichen Palace. If my beloved concubine has nothing else to say, please return."

Upon hearing this, Consort Zhou revealed the purpose of her visit: "Your Majesty, isn't this just the Shanggong Bureau? They fawn over the powerful and bully the weak, and they treat trivial matters as imperial edicts."

"They said they were busy with the Empress's duties, so they wouldn't even listen to my small instructions, and even making a piece of clothing had to be postponed."

"Your Majesty, if word gets out, I, a mere concubine, will be disgraced if I give orders for even a single garment!"

Yinyin stopped eating her snacks. Right now, the Empress has assigned her tasks to the Shanggong Bureau. They're all her things, aren't they?

So, is Consort Zhou's move aimed at her or at the Empress?

"A task assigned by the Empress?" the Emperor read aloud.

“Yes,” Consort Zhou said, “They said it was to prepare clothes for the princess of Shu, and all the best materials were given to the princess first. If it wasn’t something I brought myself, I would have to wait until the princess’s things were finished before I knew what was left.”

"Your Majesty, please tell me, I've already compromised, only asking them to leave behind what I've taken a liking to, but they still refuse. This Shanggong Bureau..."

"The Empress is the head of the harem. The Shanggong Bureau is just following the Empress's orders. What's wrong with that?" The Emperor seemed not to understand Consort Zhou's hint. "Besides, it was my order to have the Shanggong Bureau prioritize giving the best things to the princess."

“My own niece naturally uses the best things.”

As he spoke, the emperor summoned the chief eunuch: "The Shanggong Bureau is dedicated to its duties. Go and reward them personally, and tell them to make good clothes and jewelry for the princess."

"Your Majesty!" Seeing the head eunuch about to leave, Consort Zhou, feeling utterly humiliated, stood up in anger. "How could you do this!"

"What?" The emperor's voice was full of bewilderment. "You're so old, how can you still want to compete with a child for things? The princess is so young, how much could she possibly use?"

Seeing that Consort Zhou came full of confidence and left in a huff, those in the palace who were well-informed guessed that the emperor had not helped her.

Yinyin emerged from behind the screen, still hesitant and unsure of what to say, when the emperor reassured her first.

"Yinyin, don't take it to heart. Your uncle will never let anyone take what is rightfully yours."

Yinyin had just thanked him when, less than half an hour later, the head eunuch came back and reported: "Your Majesty, Consort Zhou has sent someone out of the palace to deliver a message. The person specifically said that it was addressed to the Left Prime Minister."

Yinyin glanced at the emperor's darkened face, her expression filled with worry, and gently took his hand: "Uncle, how can the inner palace send messages so easily? Is it that easy to leave the palace?"