Best friends dressed up in ancient times to become mistresses? You run, I run too!

"They also said he was handsome, with broad shoulders, a narrow waist, long legs, and a lean and upright physique. He was so attractive that he could kill anyone just by standing there. It would be such a shame if we couldn't sleep with him."

"If she could, she would be willing to let the other person take advantage of her without even closing her legs."

"What, have you already forgotten how dissolute you were back then?"

The woman blushed with embarrassment and spat at the other person.

"Pah, pah, pah, go away, go away."

"Back then, they were just country bumpkins who had just come to the city. They had no experience and had only heard of the general's fame. They knew nothing else. They thought he was a great hero who saved the people from suffering and blindly looked up to him, thinking he was unattainable."

"Now that I know the details, even if you ask me to go, I'd rather die than go."

As the group was teasing each other, the madam pushed open the door and walked in, nervously asking...

"General Pei has left?"

The woman in red was Die Meng. She gracefully stepped forward and said with a smile,

"I'm leaving now, Mom, don't worry."

How could the madam not be worried? After asking the girls present for all the details, the madam's heart sank to the bottom.

"Mom, what's wrong?"

Butterfly Dream asked with concern.

The madam shook her head. "It's alright. I hope I'm just overthinking it. Alright, you can all go and attend to the guests. Diemeng, you stay here. Madam has something to tell you."

"Yes, Mom."

After everyone left, the madam grabbed Die Meng's hand, her eyes clearly showing some panic.

"Dream, did you guess it too?"

Die Meng pursed her lips, and after a long while, gently nodded.

General Pei is so enamored with the Prime Minister's wife that he is almost insane; who in the entire Jiang Kingdom doesn't know this?

A person like that, suddenly coming to a brothel, a place of depravity, to learn the techniques of pleasing women in bed—even a fool could tell who he was learning them for.

Even more coincidentally, it was rumored that the Prime Minister was a rootless eunuch, unable to have sexual relations or continue his lineage.

Therefore, Pei Yun Chu's actions today are extremely frightening upon closer examination.

"What should we do, Diemeng? You've always been so clever. Quickly give your mother some advice and tell her what to do!"

The madam was almost in tears.

She was just an ordinary businesswoman who didn't want anything else but to have food to eat.

She didn't want to offend any of those powerful nobles and officials, nor could she afford to! But she had run into this hot potato, which was really putting her in a difficult position.

Butterfly Dream couldn't think of a good solution either.

"No matter what we do, there are risks involved. If we report this to the Prime Minister, General Pei will not let us off the hook. A man of his stature can crush Chunfeng Tower to dust with just a flick of his finger."

"But if we know the truth and don't report it, and something happens to the Prime Minister's wife, the Prime Minister will investigate and we will also be implicated."

That prime minister was formerly the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, in charge of the Imperial Prison; one can imagine his methods.

"What should I do?"

"Mom, are you brave enough to take a chance?"

“Meng’er, what you mean by that is…”

……

Liu Zhiyi's prediction was correct; she indeed couldn't get up for the morning court session on her first day in office.

The carriage had arrived at the palace gate, and she was fast asleep in Song Hanchuan's arms when she was just shaken awake.

While she was still in a daze, Song Hanchuan had already deftly reached out and tidied her thick, black hair.

He smiled and kissed the corner of her lips before whispering:

"Madam, it's time for the morning court session. Wake up."

"Here's some tea to rinse your mouth. Also, I've asked the kitchen to prepare your favorite crab roe soup dumplings and some stewed bird's nest, both of which are keeping warm on the stove."

"Once you're done tidying up, have something to eat to tide you over."

"okay."

Liu Zhiyi squinted, took a sip of tea that was brought to her lips, and then spat it back after a while.

Then, she swallowed a few mouthfuls of the crab roe soup dumplings that Song Hanchuan fed her, and shook her head to indicate that she wouldn't eat anymore.

What a joke! Who gets up at four in the morning to eat?

So when the eunuch shouted, "If you have something to report, speak up; if not, the court is adjourned," she immediately spoke up.

"Your Majesty, I have a memorial to present."

People were extremely dissatisfied with her, who came from humble beginnings through connections, and they said all sorts of nasty things about her in private.

What nonsense about a hen crowing at dawn, turning the heavens upside down!

Women who fail to cultivate virtue and who show their faces in public, etc.

However, since the official titles were personally conferred by the emperor, they only dared to criticize them in private and dared not say anything to their faces.

Now, when they hear her say she has a memorial to submit, they all look at her with mocking eyes, wanting to see what kind of trouble a woman like her can cause.

Jiang Xuan Yan, seated high above, paused for a moment, then spoke with authority.

"My dear, please speak."

Liu Zhiyi raised an eyebrow, never expecting that this tyrant would be so polite when speaking in court.

"Your Majesty, I propose that the morning court session be moved back by two hours, and that officials in the court be allowed two days off every ten days after serving five days to rest and recuperate. I request Your Majesty's approval."

Ministers: ...

"What nonsense is she talking about?"

"Nonsense! The time for the morning court session has been passed down from our ancestors for thousands of years. How can it be changed so easily?"

"An ignorant woman, recklessly audacious."

"In my opinion, women should stay at home to support their husbands and raise their children, cook and do embroidery. It's better than running around and making a fool of themselves."

Song Hanchuan's phoenix eyes were icy cold as he swept his gaze over the people who were talking, his eyes like knives slowly tearing them apart. The people immediately lowered their heads as if someone had choked them, not daring to utter a sound.

Unexpectedly, Jiang Xuan Yan remained silent for only a moment before saying:

"allow!"

The courtiers were in uproar!

Some old, pedantic officials even tried to remonstrate against it, but he stopped them by raising his hand.

"My beloved ministers have served the country tirelessly. But now that the country is peaceful and the people are living in peace and contentment, you should relax a little and not be so tense all the time."

"Delaying the morning court session is not the same as canceling it, so it's not a big deal."

"Furthermore, changing the weekly rest day from one day to two days is also to allow everyone to take care of their health, balance work and rest, spend more time with their families, and serve the country for a longer period of time."

"This is a good thing and should be adopted. What do you all think?"

The ministers looked at each other in bewilderment.

They weren't stupid; they naturally knew that Liu Zhiyi's suggestion was a good thing for them, but if they readily agreed, it would seem as if they were acknowledging Liu Zhiyi's opinion.

They naturally didn't want things to end so easily.

But the emperor had repeatedly given his support, and had said both good and bad things to him, so what else could they say?

He could only say reluctantly:

"Your Majesty is wise."

……

Soon, the morning court session ended, and the eunuch announced the end of the session.

Liu Zhiyi breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that she finally didn't have to listen to those old-fashioned people's heated arguments. Just as she was about to slip away, Jiang Xuanyan called her back.

"Minister Liu, please wait. I have something to discuss with you. Please come with me to the Imperial Study."

Without waiting for Liu Zhiyi's reply, he left the main hall first.

The officials, who were in a hurry to leave the court, paused slightly, staring in surprise at the departing figures of Jiang Xuan Yan and Liu Zhi Yi, their eyes filled with inscrutable expressions.

Song Hanchuan naturally wanted to go with his wife. Seeing her being called away, he followed and stood not far from the Imperial Study waiting for her to come out.

Just then, Qingyun walked up to him with a grim expression and whispered something in his ear.