Because she had announced her pregnancy, Jian Xiao finally no longer had to work hard to do anything, but could calm down and start enjoying the process of being a mother. She resumed the habit of reading books every day and playing the piano to her children regularly every day.
Everything is let nature take its course
Looking at the scene of the resurrection of all things in spring, Jian Xiao began to walk around the imperial garden appropriately. She was just a person, and even Yueyue did not let her follow her. She felt that being with her children was an extremely private matter and should not be
share with others
She told her children the story of Tuo Jinglie from time to time, so that the name would no longer be unfamiliar to them. Sometimes she would meet Guo Ziqing and Wei Zhu guarding the garden, and they would exchange polite greetings, but Wei Zhu's attitude was much worse than when she first met.
Much colder
Jian Xiao wanted to mistake him for Tuo Jinglie, maybe she was just dizzy for a moment.
Walking back to Xiaoxiang Tower, Yueyue was walking around in the room, seeming to be upset about something. When she saw Jian Xiao coming back, Yueyue hurriedly came over and said, "My dear, why have you been gone for so long today?"
"The sun is warm, why not take a walk?" Jian Xiao picked up the boiling water that had been dried, "What's the matter?"
Yueyue took out a large piece of paper and said, "Young Master Yun has received a letter. There are some signs of the investigation you asked me to do."
"Oh? Seriously?" Jian Xiao took the paper, unfolded it, looked at the letter and simply wrote a few sentences:
"The girl's surname is Cheng Mingjun. She is from Jingzhou. She was not a member of the palace. She was suffering from a strange disease. She was said to not survive the eighteenth century. Her family was poor. After a mother and a brother committed suicide, the mother and brother moved out of Jingzhou and changed their names. In
Liangyan Mountain purchased a family property, a hundred acres of fertile land, all of which were official silver. His younger brother once said that a man surnamed Zhou was the one who rewarded them. It is reported that the man surnamed Zhou said that his cousin was very powerful in the palace. This man has not been found yet.
Only the portrait sister-in-law must take care of everything in the palace. Everything goes well at home. Brother Wu Nian Yun, here’s to you.”
Zhou? Jian Xiao counted the concubines in the palace, and there was really no one with the surname Zhou. But since they were cousins, they might have different surnames. If she wanted to know about this black hand hidden deep in the harem, Jian Xiao would have to master their detailed information.
"Yueyue, try to lend me the files in the palace, mainly the list of concubines," Jian Xiao said
"Archives? What are files?" Yueyue didn't know what Jian Xiao was talking about.
"When selecting concubines in the harem, I want the family background of each show girl, from the queen to the maids, I want them," Jian Xiao said
Yueyue nodded, "I'll get it to you as soon as possible."
Jian Xiao heard the chirping outside the door and opened the window to see two magpies singing on a branch. Jian Xiao smiled. This seemed to be a double happiness. But she already knew one of the happiness, and the second happiness.
What could it be?
Jian Xiao saw the familiar figure of Eucommia ulmoides staggering on the path from a distance. It seemed that there was something urgent, could it have something to do with her?
Eucommia ulmoides was panting, so Jian Xiao made him a cup of tea, "Why are you here in such a hurry? Could it be that Concubine Li Shu is awake?"
Du Zhong spat out a sip of tea, feeling rude and apologizing while wiping her clothes, "How does the empress know?"
Jian Xiao looked at him fussing around and laughed, "I think it's time to wake up."
Eucommia ulmoides nodded, "I'm awake, but I can't raise my hands or speak. I can only nod and shake my head. Your Majesty went to see her. Her eyes were full of tears, which made me feel pitiful."
Jian Xiao will definitely not believe that Li Shufei can only do that. She just heard her threats and felt that if she didn't wake up, she would really die. How could she wake up without talking? Pretending to be stupid is the best option. But I, Jian Xiao, don't know how to do it.
Let you embark on this path?
"Do you want to see her?" Eucommia asked.
Jian Xiao shook her head, "Now is not the time." She took out some broken silver from her jewelry box, "You have worked hard every day, so go and use it first."
Eucommia no longer minded, took the silver and said with a smile, "How do you know that our monthly salary has been reduced recently?"
"Oh?" Jian Xiao didn't know, "Tell me and listen."
"Your Majesty said that after just escaping the Turks and civil strife, everything was waiting for improvement, so all the officials in the palace had their salaries reduced, and the money of the ladies in the harem was also reduced."
"Really?" Jian Xiao always gets his money every month. Zhang Qin comes here from time to time to ask if he has any family members he needs to worry about. Tuoba Yun and the others also send some to the palace to control the expenses.
Some of them didn’t know that such a situation was happening in the palace.
Jian Xiao rolled her eyes and showed a somewhat proud smile.
"What are your plans?" Du Zhong knew Jian Xiao very well. As long as she looked like this, she definitely had something on her mind.
Jian Xiao just smiled, "I just know that I have something new to do!"
Jian Xiao asked Yueyue to go to Wan Yun to inquire, and found out that the monthly salary reduction was indeed true. According to the grade of each palace, it was reduced by about one-third. It seems that the national treasury is empty at this time. If there is any disaster or war, the country will not be safe.
Zhang Qin was sitting in the imperial study, with heavy dark circles under his eyes, looking through the memorials, sighing, and rubbing his temples from time to time.
"Your Majesty!" Jian Xiao walked in with a bowl, "I heard that Your Majesty has not eaten well for several days, so I specially cooked a bowl of snow clam and white fungus soup for Your Majesty to calm down."
"Hey, you are pregnant, why are you cooking?" Although Zhang Qin said this, he was very happy with a smile on his face.
"I am afraid that Your Majesty will suffer a lot and will lose his backing," Jian Xiao joked.
Zhang Qin also smiled, took a sip of the soup, looked at Jian Xiao and sighed, "After seeing you, I felt that everything was fine."
"Is there something wrong now?" Jian Xiao asked
Zhang Qin smiled sheepishly, "I sometimes feel that I am really incompetent and can't handle anything well!"
"It seems that some of the things His Majesty said should not be handled by Your Majesty?" Jian Xiao comforted, "Is there anything that I can help you with?"
"Qin Minting on the front line asked for the replacement of weapons. The surrounding places said that after the rebellion, they also need money to put down the rebellion. But my current treasury is not empty, but it is almost there. I know that many ministers have more money than me. I have reduced their monthly salary.
, they are still not happy”
It seems that the rumors are true. Jian Xiao pursed her lips and said, "Then there is actually only one thing that Your Majesty has to do now. Once it is done, and everything returns to normal, why does Your Majesty need to work so hard?"
"What's the matter?" Zhang Qin asked curiously
"Streamline the organization!" Jian Xiao said four words
"How to streamline it?" Zhang Qin asked, "Many of my official positions and institutions are useful. How can we just streamline it?"
"But in my eyes, there are many useless official positions in the imperial court now. For example, the position of governor of Jingzhou already has the assistant prime minister of the capital. What is the use of this governor?" Jian Xiao said