Female-dominated society: Striving for the position of powerful minister, doting on Xiao Yunqing

The Prime Minister's Residence (Main Hall)

Mu Yunyan sat in the hall, with Mu Xue and Mu Xi standing beside her, one massaging her back and the other making tea, busy and happy.

"Why did Mother return so late today?" Mu Xue asked softly, patting her back.

The mere mention of this matter gave Mu Yunyan a headache. They were to depart early the next morning, and it seemed inappropriate to send just any of them.

"The Empress discussed the floods in Wenzhou with me today, so I'm a little late."

"The Wenzhou flood? Is the Empress going to send you there again?" Mu Xue felt sorry for her mother.

"If only that were the case, but unfortunately the Empress won't let me go; she wants you to go." Mu Yunyan sighed after saying that.

Mu Xue stopped massaging her back. "Let us go?"

Mu Xue found it hard to believe. Putting aside whether her mother could handle the flood, it was absolutely impossible for the three sisters to do so.

That makes sense. Mu Xue and Mu Xi had studied literature and politics since elementary school. Their daily routine consisted of copying books, painting, visiting gardens, and occasionally going to literary exhibitions. That was all. They had no idea how to manage water resources.

Then there's Mu Yan. Although Mu Yan has learned more than the other two, she only has superficial skills. Asking the three of them to control the floods is simply absurd.

"Mother, are you sure the Empress wants the three of us to go?"

"No, there should only be one Empress."

"Just one? Is this a test of strength or something?" Mu Xue pondered, about to speak, when Mu Xi beside her tugged at her clothes.

"Mother, why don't you let Third Sister go? Third Sister is smart and eloquent, she'll definitely have a way to control the flood. Second Sister and I are not as good as her," Mu Xi said softly, her mind full of calculations.

"Sigh, your third sister doesn't understand anything about this matter," Mu Yunyan sighed, rubbing her forehead.

“Mother, you’re mistaken. I saw my sister cutting wood with a group of people when I passed by her room today.”

"What kind of wood are you cutting? What are you going to do with it?" Mu Yunyan asked, somewhat puzzled.

"Xi'er doesn't know either. She only heard from the servants that Third Sister is going to make a bow and arrow."

"Is this true?"

"Mother will know once she goes to see for herself."

"Alright, I'll go see Ayan later and hear her opinion."

Just as she was about to achieve her goal, Mu Xi snorted coldly in her heart.

[Mu Yan, I'd like to see what you're going to do. If you can't cure him, the Empress will hold you accountable.]

"Then Mother, you rest. My second sister and I will take our leave now."

"Well, back off."

After receiving Mu Yunyan's permission, Mu Xi took Mu Xue out the door, and the two sat down in a pavilion.

Mu Xue looked annoyed. "Big sister, why did you stop me just now?"

"Why am I stopping you? Do you know that the Empress will punish you if this is not done well?" Mu Xi's tone was filled with anger, and she cursed Mu Xue as an idiot in her heart.

"But you can't just give her the chance. If she doesn't do well, she'll be punished. What if she does well? What if the Empress is so pleased that she grants her a title and lets her ride roughshod over us?"

"Don't worry, I know her capabilities. Besides, the floods in Wenzhou aren't so easy to handle."

"How do you know it won't be easy to handle?" Mu Xue asked her back.

“A few days ago, Mother sent people to Wenzhou to investigate. The floodwaters were very high. How could she possibly handle it?” Mu Xi’s tone was quite displeased.

"Oh, my dear sister, I was just worried she'd take advantage of us, so I asked a few more questions out of curiosity. Please don't be angry," Mu Xue said softly, trying to appease her.

"Alright, don't be so reckless next time. If I hadn't stopped you today, you would have been the one suffering in Wenzhou."

"Oh dear, it's because I have you, my sister. You're such a good sister, you definitely wouldn't want Xue'er to suffer."

"You're so sweet-talking~" Mu Xi said, reaching out to rub Mu Xue's head.

[My dear sister, you must always believe in me like this.]

Fanglan Garden

The group had been working all morning and were now taking a break. Groups of three or five gathered in a circle and started gossiping. Mu Yunqing sat alone to the side.

"This Prime Minister's mansion is huge! Just one of the young ladies' rooms is bigger than our house!"

"That's for sure. The most favored minister in the court right now is the Prime Minister. He's rewarded every few days, so his residence has to be quite large."

"Hey, why has the Third Miss changed so much?" The person speaking deliberately lowered their voice and looked up at Mu Yan on the eaves.

"There has indeed been a significant change." The man nodded approvingly after saying this.

"Rumors say she's arrogant and domineering, but after spending time with her, I don't think that's true at all. I think someone is clearly trying to ruin her reputation!"

"Hey, I agree with that. I think the Third Miss is a really nice person."

"That's right, that's right! Ordinary people don't get such good treatment, with tea and snacks available to everyone!"

The people below were talking louder and louder, waking Mu Yan, who was sleeping on the eaves.

She tossed the medical book aside and stared blankly at the people below for a while.

She saw Mu Yunqing sitting there blankly, looking somewhat bored.

With that thought, Mu Yan flew to Mu Yunqing's side in a flash.

"What's wrong? Are you tired?" Mu Yan sat down next to him.

"No." Mu Yunqing said, moving to the side.

"What are you doing!" Mu Yan's beautiful face showed a hint of displeasure.

"I'll give you my seat." Mu Yunqing said it in a very serious tone. If he weren't Mu Yunqing, Mu Yan might have actually believed him.

Just as Mu Yan was about to speak, Xiang Qin across from her started beating a drum and shouting, "Break time is over, time to get back to work! Time to get back to work!"

"Master, I'll go take care of my business now," Mu Yunqing said, getting up and leaving.

Okay, you're really something, saying the most polite things while doing the most impolite ones.

Mu Yan mentally complained a hundred or eighty times, then poured herself a glass of water and quietly watched the busy person opposite her.

Without a doubt, they were looking at Mu Yunqing.

He was holding a log in his hand, and his expression seemed hesitant. Then he nudged the person next to him.

With thin lips, he spoke softly, not knowing what to say, and then saw the man take the log and hand Mu Yunqing a sharpened arrow.

Mu Yunqing took the arrow and began to polish it. His slender hands held the arrow, and his knuckles were slightly red, probably from using too much force.

His light blue eyes were fixed intently on the arrow shaft, his hands never stopping; he was truly focused.

Imperial Palace (Xinghe Hall)

Xiao Ran excitedly busied herself packing her things, almost emptying the entire room, with her maid following behind her.

"Oh, Princess, you're going on an important mission, not for fun!" The maid looked at the mountain of luggage with a helpless expression.

Who would carry a bunch of stuff when they go out to run errands?

"Oh, you don't understand. These are all useful. Who knows how many days we'll be gone? They might come in handy."

"Even if it comes in handy, it's no good." The maid said, taking the things out of Xiao Ran's large bag.

"Hey, hey, don't move, don't move! Those are my precious treasures!" Xiao Ran rushed forward to protect the bag.

"His Majesty won't let you bring so much stuff, and the carriage is too small to fit all this!" the maid said, pulling at the bag in Xiao Ran's hand again.

"Ugh! No way, won't she arrange two carriages for me?!" Xiao Ran clutched the bag tightly.

"His Majesty is extremely busy with state affairs; how could he possibly have time to arrange these things for you!"

"Why does my mother, who is so busy with state affairs, still care what I bring!"

"His Majesty is worried that you'll get tired!"

"I won't get tired!" Xiao Ran said, pulling the bag back.

"Princess, you must be obedient~"

"The princess doesn't need to obey!"

The two of them were pulling and tugging at each other when suddenly, with a "rip," the bag tore! Everything fell out.

Both of them were stunned.

"Look what's happened, now we have to clean it all over again!" Xiao Ran pouted, looking displeased.

"It's alright, I'll help you pack!" she said, reaching into the bag to take things out.

"I don't want to, I refuse,"

"Rejection is invalid!"

"Hmph!" Xiao Ran stomped her foot angrily.

"What is this? We probably won't need it, don't bring it!" The maid threw a dark object aside.

"What is this?! You're not allowed to bring this!"

"You're not allowed to bring this either!"

"You're not allowed to bring this either!"

…………

Finally, after countless prohibitions, the maid managed to pack a perfect bag of things.

"Alright, Princess, these are your belongings~"

Xiao Ran glanced at the flat bag and her precious babies lying to the side—her heart ached terribly!

"Alright, Princess, listen to me as I explain tomorrow's itinerary."

"We're going to the Prime Minister's residence first thing tomorrow morning."

"Why are you going to the Prime Minister's residence!"

"There is a young lady from the Prime Minister's residence who also wants to go with you."

"Oh. Got it."

Xiao Ran's lips were practically pouting to the sky; she was so angry! She finally got to go on a long trip, but they wouldn't let her bring this or that!

Heh heh, she'll sneak out of bed when it's late at night, hehe.

_Prime Minister's Residence

It was nearly dusk, and looking out, the last rays of sunlight had faded from the mountaintop in the distance. The people who had worked during the day had already finished their shifts and gone home.

The courtyard was filled with the incessant chirping of cicadas, the rustling of the sycamore leaves in the wind, and the blooming of several potted clivia plants in the corner.

Mu Yan sat under the paulownia tree, looking at the bow that had been carved and the arrow shafts that had been sharpened, and was overjoyed.

It seems she made a good decision; at this pace, the new weapon will be ready to be produced soon.

"Ayan~" Mu Yunyan called softly from outside the door.

"Mother, what brings you here!" Mu Yan put down what she was holding to greet her.

"Come see my Ayan." Mu Yunyan's eyes were full of tenderness.

"Hehe." Mu Yan took Mu Yunyan's hand and walked into the house.

She really liked her mother; she was beautiful, had a good personality, and most importantly, spoke to her so gently.

"Ayan, I won't hide it from you, I actually have something to tell you today." Mu Yunyan said, then sighed softly.

"Mother, please tell me what it is."

"Today I discussed the Wenzhou flood with the Empress. The Empress intends to send one of you three sisters, along with the Second Princess, to Wenzhou to quell the flood."

"Both of your older sisters recommended you, so your mother came to ask for your opinion."

Ha, I was just wondering when the power struggle within the household would begin, and it turns out it was waiting for me here.

"Mother, can you tell me about the situation in Wenzhou?" Mu Yan asked, pouring a cup of tea and handing it to Mu Yunyan.

“Mother sent someone to check on things a few days ago. The situation in Wenzhou isn’t great, but it’s not terrible either.”

"Does Mother mean there's a way to control the flood?"

Mu Yan's words hit the nail on the head: since the Empress and her mother had discussed the Wenzhou flood together, it meant that the two of them already had a plan; otherwise, they would never have let her and the princess go alone.

"Yes, there are ways to control the flood. We plan to build a dam between the upper and middle reaches of the river. Of course, this is only a temporary solution. We will make other plans after the rainy season."