Ever since learning that Consort Yu was going to visit her family, the entire Sun family has been busy. First, they demolished the entire wall connecting the main courtyard to the main courtyard, and then expanded the main courtyard by more than double. Bamboo, Consort Yu's favorite planted in the courtyard, and a path paved with pebbles was laid out. Fresh flower scents replaced incense, and the dressing table was filled with bottles and jars. All this preparation showed how much care the Sun family had taken Consort Yu's visit.

On the day of the visit, just as dawn was breaking, the entire Sun family, including Madam Sun, were already waiting outside.

It wasn't until nearly noon that the imperial carriage, ceremonial carriage, and ceremonial chariot slowly approached from afar.

"See the Imperial Concubine."

"Get up, get up quickly. Grandmother, Father, Mother, get up quickly..." Before Consort Yu could speak, she was already choked up. She had been unable to see her family for more than ten years in the deep palace. Only those who had experienced it could understand the bitterness she felt.

"Your Majesty, etiquette cannot be disregarded." Madam Sun looked at her eldest daughter, unable to control her emotions.

"mother……"

Consort Yu's return to visit her family was a great honor bestowed by the Emperor, but she could not stay overnight at the Sun residence, as this was against etiquette. After lunch, Consort Yu and Madam Sun had a private conversation in their room.

"My sister didn't come back this time?" Consort Yu asked Madam Sun, looking around at the room's furnishings.

It would have been better if this hadn't been mentioned, but the mere mention of Consort Yu's younger sister, Sun Pei'er, brought another wave of sorrow to Madam Sun's face. What kind of trouble had she caused? Master Sun was not fond of lust, and the entire Sun household had only two daughters and one illegitimate son, which was perfectly fine.

"Your sister...she's suffered so much..." Madam Sun suppressed the bitterness in her heart, her lips trembling as she spoke. Poor second sister of hers, married into the Grand Commandant's household—a marriage of convenience—but before she even gave birth, her husband died young from illness. She was left alone to care for two children and manage the household affairs.

Consort Yu could tell from her mother's expression that her younger sister hadn't returned, and she said with a look of disappointment, "Didn't I tell her to come back?"

"She...she has no desire to come back. Her son insists on going to the battlefield to bring glory to the family," Madam Sun said, trying to defend her youngest daughter.

"Go to the battlefield? Going there means never coming back," Consort Yu said bitterly.

"Yu'er, if your sister hears this, she will definitely make a scene against you." Madam Sun was unhappy to hear her eldest daughter cursing her grandson.

"Am I talking nonsense?" Consort Yu pulled Lady Sun aside and whispered, "Do you really think I asked the Emperor to let me return home for a family visit just to chat with you?"

"?" Madam Sun was shocked, her expression puzzled.

"His Majesty is getting old and suspicious of everyone, fearing that his throne is unstable. Right now, his biggest worry is the princes vying for the throne and the powerful families seizing power. Among them, the Grand Commandant's Mansion and the Marquis of Ningguo's Mansion are the only two powerful families with imperial edicts of merit. Things are peaceful now; would he join the army, gain military merit, and revitalize the Grand Commandant's Mansion? Would His Majesty allow the powerful families, which he has so painstakingly brought down, to rise again?" Consort Yu explained this carefully to Lady Sun, but she concealed something: how could His Majesty allow the powerful families, which he had so painstakingly brought down, to rise again?

"So what does His Majesty mean..." Madam Sun didn't understand politics, but she did understand what Consort Yu was saying.

"It's not His Majesty's intention, but something that a subject should know." Consort Yu interrupted Lady Sun. She had originally wanted to tell her sister herself, but the good-for-nothing hadn't returned.

"What can we do then?" Madam Sun could manage dealing with a concubine and household affairs, but she was completely helpless in this situation.

"Just stay obediently in the capital and don't go anywhere. Be a carefree and unrestrained playboy," Consort Yu instructed him. Consort Yu repeated twice at the end, "Also, the Danqing Iron Certificate is a hot potato."

Consort Yu looked at her mother's worried face. Fearing that her mother might not remember everything, she simply repeated: "You are not allowed to make any achievements; the iron certificate is too hot to handle."

Madam Sun nodded quickly, indicating that she would convey the message.

Afterwards, Consort Yu chatted with the lady about everyday matters, and the atmosphere was quite harmonious.

"Your Majesty, this is a conversation between the Imperial Concubine and the Sun family." The chief eunuch respectfully placed the memorial on the emperor's desk.

The Emperor opened it and examined it carefully, finally managing a slight smile: "She's quite clever; she even managed to resolve the iron certificate issue."

"Consort Yu has always been aware of His Majesty's intentions." The head eunuch watched as the Emperor finally smiled, then let out a long sigh, his face crinkling with laughter. While saying this, he secretly plotted. The Emperor had deliberately allowed Consort Yu to leak information to the Grand Commandant's office. He would have to pay closer attention to Consort Yu in the future.

Consort Yu, who was still weeping and wailing about parting from the Sun family, had no idea that her conversation with the Sun family had already taken place on the Emperor's desk.

"Madam, Madam. I've found the person you asked me to find." Ping'er ran in from outside.

"Really? You're amazing, Ping'er!" Xu Zhu wasn't angry at all because Ping'er broke the rules. On the contrary, she was very happy to hear that Ping'er had returned and got up from the rocking chair.

When Ping'er entered, she saw three alluringly dressed women and silently lit an incense stick for them. These three women were so pitiful.

After the three entered the manor, after giving Ruoshui a hard time that day, the madam immediately changed their names. Ruoshui remained Ruoshui, while the other two were named Ruohe and Ruohu respectively. These names were truly perfunctory.

"Hey, don't move, don't move. It's only been a short while, and you can't even stand up anymore? That's a bottle bestowed by the emperor. You can't afford to pay for it if you break it." Xu Zhu saw the bottle on Ruoshui's head swaying and quickly and kindly "reminded" her.

Why did Ruoshui have to carry the bottle on her head? It all goes back to the "mixed stew" she was given a few days ago. Even though she was rendered speechless, she still tried to seduce Li Qian. In the freezing cold, she wore a thin, gauze-like dress, her breasts half-exposed, barely concealed. Like a woman playing the pipa, half-hidden behind a veil, what a captivating sight!

Ruoshui was so frightened by Xu Zhu's suggestion that she didn't dare to move. She was also so angry that she gritted her teeth. She really doubted whether Li Qian was a man. That night, in the small garden, it was dark and windy. Ruoshui was almost bewitched by her own beautiful face and alluring figure, but in the end... Li Qian wasn't angry at all. Instead, he smiled and quickly pulled her into the room by pinching her slender arm with a handkerchief.

Ruoshui was overjoyed. Had she succeeded? She was now a concubine, a mistress! Before her joy could even surface, Li Qian led her into the house. Entering the house was fine, but Li Qian dragged her to Xu Zhu's room and told Xu Zhu that Ruoshui had seduced him. Very well, very well indeed. Li Qian had successfully secured a life free from whippings and eating mixed vegetables, while she was now living a life of misery. However, once today was over, Ruoshui's days of punishment would be finished.

“It’s really Madam. I went through a lot of connections to find her. Will you go and take a look tomorrow?” Ping’er asked Xu Zhu.

“Of course, since our master has given us so many lovely ladies, we must return them.” Xu Zhu said this while looking at Ruoshui with a half-smile.

Ruoshui shuddered violently. Terrifying, she was so vicious. That was the only thought in Ruoshui's mind.

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