bestfiction Chapter 230 Decentralization of Powers
Chapter 230 Decentralization of Powers
"Your Majesty, would you please take a break and have some tea first?"
Su Peisheng had guessed what the emperor had been up to from his masters' few words, and he tried to persuade them with heartache.
"Su Peisheng, please go down."
The emperor's voice revealed deep fatigue, and he waved his hand to signal Su Peisheng to leave.
Although the late emperor left a decree before his death for him to inherit the throne, his brothers were dissatisfied with this.
None of them dared to shout openly, but they kept making small moves in private, and almost all of them were political enemies of the previous dynasty.
His biological mother, the Queen Mother, also refused to confer the title on him, which made him a laughing stock in the court and the public, and made it difficult for him to move forward.
Now that the Queen has put medicine in the soup, the Queen Mother still favors her.
He was deeply surrounded by unprecedented isolation and helplessness.
After all, he was weak and was constrained by the Ulanara and Uya tribes.
The candles in the Yangxin Palace were lit until late at night, and finally the emperor went to the back hall to rest after Su Peisheng's kneeling plea.
The next day, when An Lingrong saw the emperor's eyes with dark circles, tears welled up in her eyes and she spoke with concern and worry.
"Your Majesty, I know the government is very busy, but you must take good care of your health."
"Seeing you like this, my heart is broken."
"You must have been so busy last night that you forgot the time. Why don't you go to the inner room and get some sleep?"
"Okay, Rong'er, accompany me to rest for a while."
Since Rouze left, the emperor never felt such pure care again.
Feeling warm in his heart, he pulled An Lingrong into the inner room.
Su Peisheng, who was guarding the door, breathed a sigh of relief.
He knew very well that the emperor was always worried and kept things to himself, which would undoubtedly harm his health.
Now with the company and care of Concubine Shu, the Emperor may feel a little more relaxed.
He didn't know that after the emperor in the inner room took even breaths, An Lingrong gently opened her eyelids.
When she heard yesterday that the Queen Mother had gone to Jingren Palace, she knew that she could not overthrow the Queen with just a pot of drugged old duck soup.
The discord between the Emperor and the Empress Dowager has been going on for a long time. This time, the Empress Dowager did protect Ulanara's position as Empress, but the gap between the Emperor and the Empress is not so easy to eliminate.
No man can tolerate a vicious woman who almost makes him childless.
Especially this man is the emperor who rules the world.
The person next to her was sleeping soundly, and An Lingrong, infected by her, gradually began to feel sleepy.
She simply closed her eyes, thought nothing, and fell asleep.
When the emperor was awakened by the sound of birds singing outside the window, he felt an unprecedented sense of relaxation and comfort.
That refreshing feeling of relief is like having a heavy burden lifted.
He turned his head to look at An Lingrong who was lying there obediently, and his heart couldn't help but be moved.
The best thing the Empress Dowager did was to choose the lovely Concubine Shu into the palace.
As soon as he returned to the Yangxin Palace yesterday, he called Zhang Wuwei to take his pulse.
Zhang Wuwei said that his body had been damaged by the intermittent use of the powder. Although his ability to reproduce had not disappeared, he would not easily make a woman pregnant.
The fact that Concubine Shu was able to give birth to three children in succession is enough to show that she was in good health.
Such a rare woman must be well protected.
When An Lingrong woke up from her sleep, the emperor was playing with Hongzhan in the hall, and the almost five-month-old twins were also lying on the couch.
The emperor showed unprecedented patience in playing with the Sixth Prince.
An Lingrong thought that the little gadget seemed to be more attractive to the emperor.
As soon as the sharp-eyed Hongzhan saw the person standing at the door, he ran over happily and shouted.
"Mother, the Emperor said you needed to take a nap and didn't want me to wake you up."
Hongzhan, who was more eloquent, pulled at An Lingrong's palace dress and complained in what he thought was a very quiet voice.
"I thank Your Majesty for your consideration. Why didn't you ask me to serve you when you got up?"
The emperor, who was very pleased with the unconscious coquettishness in An Lingrong's words, deliberately joked with her.
"I made quite a noise when I got up, but you covered your head with the quilt, so naturally you couldn't hear it."
"Your Majesty, Hongzhan and the others are still here. Please give me some face."
An Lingrong protested softly as she scratched her son's chubby little chin.
The emperor in front of her, who was spinning a tattered rattle, seemed to be the loving father of a family of five, but An Lingrong knew in her heart that all this was an illusion.
The emperor, feeling depressed, was just deceived by the temporary warmth. Once he returned to the Yangxin Palace, he would return to normal.
"Okay, I'll listen to Rong'er and save your face."
After the emperor laughed heartily, he told the purpose of his visit to Yonghe Palace.
"The Queen is unwell and temporarily unable to handle the affairs of the six palaces. I hope Rong'er can share more of the responsibilities. Are you willing to accept this responsibility?"
An Lingrong's heart trembled. She knew that the emperor was testing her attitude.
She declined without changing her expression.
"Your Majesty, the Empress ordered me to take charge of the flower and plant department a month ago. I have just sorted it out."
"Your Majesty, why don't you ask other sisters in the palace to help the Empress?"
When the Queen was mentioned, the Emperor instantly stopped smiling.
"Rong'er, the imperial physician said that the queen needs a long period of recuperation. Which areas would you like to manage? I will issue an order immediately."
His words meant that the Queen would never have the chance to regain power in the palace in her lifetime, and also hinted that An Lingrong would take the opportunity to seize important institutions.
An Lingrong didn't need to think too much to know that the emperor's suspicious nature had come back again.
"I thank the Emperor for his kindness. It is my great honor to be in charge of the flower and plant department."
There are many affairs in the harem, involving the deployment of palace maids and eunuchs, the distribution of allowances to everyone in the harem, and the arrangement of various rituals and festivals.
She didn't believe that the emperor, who played the game of checks and balances, would assign important institutions to her.
The Emperor was very pleased with An Lingrong's tact. "Rong'er, I see the affairs of the Imperial Tea House and the Tea Storehouse are not that busy. How about leaving them to you?"
These two places also belonged to the Imperial Household Department. The former was responsible for the tea, wine, fruits and vegetables for the emperor and the palace, while the latter stored tea as well as other items such as ginseng, incense, paper, pigments and wool yarn.
Although it is not so conspicuous, it is also an important department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The emperor has spoken personally, so if An Lingrong continues to refuse, it would seem tactless.
"I will do my utmost to manage the affairs and live up to the trust placed in me by Your Majesty. If there are any shortcomings, I welcome your corrections."
"I trust Rong'er to handle things. If there is anything you don't understand, please ask Concubine Hua for advice."
The emperor played with Hongzhan for a while, and then went to Yiku Palace, Xianfu Palace and Chuxiu Palace in turn.
After An Lingrong learned of the emperor's whereabouts, she realized that he had originally planned to let everyone share the power of the palace.
Thinking of the emperor's request for her to take care of the baby in Concubine Hua's belly before he left, An Lingrong went to Yiku Palace after breakfast the next day.
As soon as she stepped into the palace, Concubine Hua greeted her cheerfully.
"Lingrong, come here quickly. I'm going to tell you a big joke."