Do You Know?: Rule the World.

Chapter 191 A Completely Different Person, Rong Feiyan's Wishes Come True
After Grand Tutor Yu's request to enter the palace for an audience was granted, he hurriedly took the old lady to the palace gate early in the morning.

Led by a eunuch, the old lady went straight to Rouyi Palace, where Yanran lived, while the Grand Tutor walked steadily toward Wenhua Palace.

He was seventy-six years old with a full head of white hair, dressed in a dark blue patterned casual robe, with a plain jade belt around his waist.
He was much thinner than when he was in the capital, but he still carried the solemn and dignified air of a veteran of three dynasties.

The air inside Rouyi Hall was filled with the fragrance of incense.

After not seeing each other for several years, the old lady couldn't help but tear up when she saw Yanran for the first time, and she held her hand and sighed repeatedly.

"If your birth mother were still alive, she would be overjoyed to see you holding the rank of concubine in the palace and having given birth to a prince for the emperor."

When her late mother was mentioned, Yanran couldn't help but wipe away a tear.

Just as the grandfather and grandson were tearfully sharing their innermost thoughts.

Inside the Wenhua Hall, Gu Tingye, Sheng Changbai, Zheng Xiao, and several others were all present. The various regulations of the Tuntian Division and the Hegong Camp had already been arranged, and they had begun to perform their respective duties.

The recruitment of new soldiers is nearing completion under the supervision of various imperial censors and commissioners.

Five hundred thousand imperial guards and three hundred thousand local troops are just the right amount to protect the four directions without overburdening the national treasury.

When the eunuch came to report that Grand Tutor Yu was waiting outside the hall for a summons, Zhao Han quickly waved his hand to signal him to come in.

Before long, Grand Tutor Yu stood in the hall, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "This old minister greets Your Majesty."

Zhao Han personally stepped forward and helped him up with both hands, saying, "Grand Tutor, please excuse the formalities and take a seat."

"This old minister thanks Your Majesty."

Gu Tingye, Sheng Changbai, and the others smiled and bowed, saying, "Greetings, Grand Tutor."

Grand Tutor Yu stroked his white beard and turned his gaze to Gu Tingye.

After looking him up and down for a moment, he laughed and said, "Gu Erlang is truly a prodigal son who has returned home. Wearing this official robe, he looks composed and upright, like a completely different person!"

"Grand Tutor, you flatter me. I was unruly and reckless in my youth, completely ignorant of the immensity of heaven and earth. It was only thanks to the Emperor's mercy that I was not led astray."

"Only then could I wear these clothes today!"

Gu Tingye said with a smile. He naturally held Grand Tutor Yu in high esteem. In the past, even Zhang Fu and Gu Yankai had to treat Grand Tutor Yu with utmost respect.

"You!" The old Grand Tutor pointed at him, then turned his gaze to Sheng Changbai.

From the first moment he met Sheng Changbai, he admired him greatly. He was calm, upright, and diligent in his studies, without a trace of the impetuousness of a young man.

If it had been ten years earlier, I would definitely have taken him on as a disciple and nurtured him properly.

Therefore, Sheng Changbai was not surprised at all by his success. He felt that he was a rough gem that had finally been polished and deserved his fame, with a bright future ahead.

With a smile, Zhao Han asked gently, "Grand Tutor, how have you been living in Shandong these past few years? Consort Xian often mentions you and the old lady at home."

"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty."

"Although it is not as bustling as the capital, the people there are simple and honest, the land is good for people, and there is nothing to worry about. The old minister and his wife live very peacefully."

"I have heard a lot about Your Majesty's achievements over the past few years and I deeply admire them."

As Grand Tutor Yu spoke, his eyes were filled with genuine admiration, and he felt even more strongly that letting Yanran enter the palace was the right choice.

He worked hard in the officialdom for many years to enable the Yu family to gain a foothold in the capital. If the fourth son of the family could make some progress in the future, he would be able to benefit from it and prevent the family from falling into ruin.

In short, he had no hope whatsoever for his sons.

"It's just doing my job in my position," Zhao Han said with a smile, waving his hand.

Then, changing the subject, he said, "In the past few years, Minister Yu has been quite diligent in his post outside the capital, and he has managed local affairs in an orderly manner."

Upon hearing this, Grand Tutor Yu smiled helplessly.

"This old minister has worried himself sick over this eldest son. I am already satisfied that he is able to be obedient and diligent in his duties."

Without the instigation and instigation of that old lady, Lord Yu has indeed become much more restrained in recent years, and has not dared to act recklessly in the local area because of Yanran's favor.

-

In the eighth year of the Hongwu reign, at the end of the year, a cold wind howled.

Qi Heng's son, Qi Hanzhang, is now studying at Zishan Hall alongside Quan Ge'er and others.

Although Shen Hezhen was reluctant, she also knew that Han Ge'er and the Qi family's future were more important.

Besides, she is still young, and Yu Jie'er is growing up day by day. Princess Pingning also dotes on Yu Jie'er. It is time to give the Qi family another child.

Minglan's fifth son, Ruige'er, has also turned one year old. He is adorable, cute, and charming.

Inside the Ninghui Palace in the inner palace.

Minglan had beautiful features, a graceful figure, and a slender, agile body. Her waist was so thin it could be grasped in one hand. She knelt respectfully in the hall, with a hairpin hanging down slightly at her temple.

Qingyun personally led a group of eunuchs to read the imperial edict, "Your Excellency, the decree reads:

I believe that the administration of the palace should be based on virtue and gentleness, and the virtue of the concubines should prioritize respect and prudence.

Lady Zhaorong, of the Sheng family, is renowned for her noble character and gentle nature. She gave birth to the fifth prince, a great blessing to the nation and a glory to the country. I am delighted and hereby bestow upon her the title of Consort Chen.

Wang Erke was diligent and frugal, carefully observed palace rules, and assisted in managing the inner court.

Qin Zai. "

Minglan looked up at Qingyun, took a deep breath, and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, I am grateful for your great favor. I will certainly obey your decree and live up to your kindness."

The character "宸" is a title for the emperor. This title could only be obtained by a concubine who was extremely favored and had both virtue and prestige. It was slightly above the four imperial concubines and below the empress and the imperial concubine.

The late emperor's birth mother was posthumously honored as Consort Chen, and Minglan felt deeply apprehensive about receiving this title.

After Minglan received the imperial edict with both hands, Qingyun smiled and said, "Your Highness, please rise."

"His Majesty is currently discussing matters with his court officials in the Funing Hall. He has come to dine with Her Majesty tonight."

Minglan nodded gently.

After Qingyun left, he took Xiaotao and Danju to the small kitchen to prepare dinner himself.

Meanwhile, inside the Funing Hall, it was as warm as spring, filled with the aroma of tea.

At Shen Shi, dressed in a purple robe and jade belt, with a furrowed brow, he cupped his hands meaningfully and said, "Your Majesty, I have something to say from the bottom of my heart, something that I have to say."

"The Sheng family already has an empress in the central palace, and Consort Shu also enjoys honor."

"Now, Lady Sheng, the Consort Zhaorong, has been granted the title of Imperial Concubine Chen by imperial decree. Within one family, there are both empresses and consorts, a testament to the great favor bestowed upon her."

"I am afraid that the bigger the tree, the more the wind will blow against it, which will not only attract criticism from the court officials, but I am even more afraid that the Sheng family will become arrogant because of their favor, and gradually develop disloyal intentions, thus disrupting the court."

Zhao Han put down the vermilion brush in her hand, looked up at Shen Shiqi, and was quite aware of his worries.

The excessive power of maternal relatives has always been a root cause of turmoil in the imperial court.

After a moment of contemplation, he said slowly, "The disaster caused by the interference of the empress's relatives in politics is still fresh in my mind. I have never dared to forget it for a single day."

"I hereby promote Lady Sheng to the rank of Consort Chen, firstly in recognition of her contribution in giving birth to the imperial heir. The fifth prince is intelligent and healthy, which is a blessing for the imperial family and ancestral temple."

"Secondly, since entering the palace, Lady Sheng has adhered to the virtues of a woman, and has been humble, gentle and kind, which has won my heart."

"As for the Sheng family, as long as I am alive, I can control them. Their honor and favor are all in my hands. After I pass away, I will also have a way to deal with them."

To counterbalance the maternal relatives, one must deliberately cultivate certain forces to create a multi-party power struggle. Zhang Guifen already had the fourth prince by her side, her family had been loyal for generations, and she had distinguished herself in military service, making her the best pawn to counterbalance the Sheng family.

Although Grand Tutor Yu's sons were incompetent, several of his nephews were officials in the court, and he had many protégés and former subordinates. Wei Ling also had many grievances against the Sheng family.

Shen Shiqi lowered his eyelids slightly, pondered for a moment, then cupped his hands and said, "Since Your Majesty has already made a plan, I can rest assured."

After all, Consort Shu only has one daughter, and her family has only money and titles.

Sheng Changwu's official position was not high, and there were many capable military generals in the court at the moment, so it was naturally not his turn to stand out.

The Sheng family's foundation was still shallow, and Sheng Changbai was the only capable descendant.

As long as Zhao Han is not deceived by the Sheng family, everything will be fine.

"How is the dredging progressing near Bianjing and several tributaries of the Yellow River?" Zhao Han changed the subject and asked softly.

The Bian River was the foundation of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and millions of dan of grain were transported to Bianjing (Kaifeng) from it every year.

The Bian River's water source is mainly the Yellow River, but the Yellow River's water level varies greatly with the seasons and contains a lot of silt, making it prone to sedimentation.

In the event of a drought, the Yellow River's water level will drop, and the Bian River will immediately face the risk of drying up.

Shen Shiqi replied, "Your Majesty, the dredging and deepening projects of Huimin River and Guangji River are nearing completion, but the Jinshui River project has not yet started."

"I have already dispatched people to expedite the process, and groundbreaking can begin after the New Year. The tributaries in the north and south are also progressing steadily."

"If it weren't for cutting hundreds of thousands of redundant soldiers and saving a large amount of military expenses every year, the national treasury would have been unable to cope with such a large-scale water conservancy project in a short time."

Zhao Han's eyes flickered slightly, and her fingers tapped lightly on the table.

After a moment, he said in a deep voice, "Issue my decree."

"From this day forward, anyone who can propose an effective water conservancy project, whether an official or a commoner, will be richly rewarded once it is adopted."

"Wang Anshi will be dispatched soon to oversee water conservancy matters in the northern regions."

Shen Shiqi nodded solemnly, "Your subject obeys the decree."

As dusk approached, a peaceful atmosphere pervaded Bianjing City.

The streets were bustling with people, the taverns and teahouses were brightly lit, and all sorts of hawking cries mingled together.

Inside the main hall of the Duke of Wei's mansion, Sheng Hong and Wang Ruofu were both astonished as they looked at the rewards that the eunuchs had just delivered.

When Minglan was conferred the title of Consort, her family would inevitably be rewarded. At present, the only thing that could be given to the Sheng family was money.

"My God, Consort Chen... His Majesty really values ​​Ming'er too much."

"Speaking of which, it is also thanks to my mother that I was able to read and understand things from a young age and was exposed to all kinds of situations. Otherwise, I would never be where I am today."

Sheng Hong sat in the round-backed chair, stroking his beard and smiling, turning his head to look at Wang Ruofu.

Wang Ruofu twitched the corner of her mouth. "What you say is true, my lord. Ming'er is better off than Shu'er from the first wife."

"It's just that I pity my Ru'er. Not only did she marry someone worse than Pin'er, but her father doesn't care about her at all."

Upon hearing this, Sheng Hong's smile froze slightly. "What are you saying?"

"You take care of everything for Ru'er. If the Wen family gives her the slightest bit of attitude, you rush over and give them a good scolding."

“My son-in-law is far away in Thang Long, and he is doing a great job in his official duties. He also keeps in touch with Ru’er through letters. How can I, as her father, possibly care about her?”

"Follow her around every day, showering her with concern? If word got out, people would laugh their heads off."

Wang Ruofu stared wide-eyed, mouth agape, speechless for a moment.

After a long pause, she took a deep breath and said, "Yes, yes, yes, what you say is all right! It's one thing to not care about Ru'er, but to come up with all this to shut me up."

"Alright, alright, when you have time, have Ru'er bring Yun-ge'er home for a meal." Sheng Hong said casually, turning to look at Dong Rong standing to the side.

He served Sheng Hong closely for many years, was reliable and thorough in his work, and kept his mouth shut.

Dong Rong has now become a steward in the mansion, and has set up a residence on the back street, three to five miles away from the Duke's mansion, to marry a woman from a respectable family.

"The Sheng family's success today is inseparable from the blessings of our ancestors. Go to the Rongchang Marquis's residence and invite Brother Wei to come over tomorrow to discuss the repair and expansion of the Youyang Ancestral Hall."

"It wouldn't be good if we lived in luxury and had a prominent position, but our ancestral hall was still cramped and old-fashioned."

Dong Rong nodded vigorously, "I'll go right away and make sure to deliver the message."

Wang Ruofu glanced at him lightly, said nothing, and took Liu Mama to Weirui Pavilion, while Sheng Hong went to Shou'an Hall to see the old lady.

With the imperial edict of investiture issued, the old lady was completely relieved and had a great appetite. She was always very disciplined with her food and never ate too much, so she had an extra bowl of rice porridge for dinner.

Worried that the old lady was too old and had a weak stomach, Fang's mother hurriedly asked the kitchen to prepare some digestive aids in case she needed them.

-

At the palace, Zhao Han also had dinner with Minglan.

He was holding her tenderly in his arms, and Minglan tilted her head back to cooperate, panting heavily, her face glowing rosy in the candlelight.

Little Peach and Orange stood behind the screen, ready to be at your service, their eyes and brows beaming with a bright smile.

The higher Minglan's status, the higher their status naturally rose as well, as her personal maids.

Meanwhile, Rong Feiyan was sitting upright on the soft couch, picking up a bunch of plum blossoms from a vase, and tearing off the petals one by one with a resentful look in her eyes.

"Your Highness, please don't be upset. The Dowager Consort said she would help you find a solution," the personal maid Qiuying whispered to comfort her.

Rong Feiyan snorted lightly, "That's just to appease me. She's a former imperial concubine; what other methods could she possibly come up with besides burning incense and praying for my well-being?"

“Previously, Consort Chen said that in life, fate, luck, and ability are the three most important factors. I don’t think I have any of them.”

As Qiuying tidied up the flower petals, she said, "What are you saying, Your Majesty? Although the Emperor dotes on Consort Chen and the others, he has not forgotten Your Majesty."

"This servant thinks that Consort Gao and Consort Liang are not as good as Your Highness."

"People strive for higher positions!" Rong Feiyan, seeing that she had already picked all the flower petals, rested her chin on her hands and leaned on the table.

Just as she sighed and stood up to take off her clothes, bathe, and go to bed, she suddenly felt a blackout before her eyes and her stomach churned.

"Is Your Highness alright?" Qiu Ying quickly helped her up. "This servant will send someone to fetch the imperial physician right away."

"Why call the imperial physician? Perhaps I've been eating too much these past few days." Rong Feiyan covered her mouth with a handkerchief, her chest heaving violently, her face turning red from coughing.

Qiu Ying frowned. "That won't do. If Her Majesty is unwell, it will be even more difficult for her to have an imperial heir."

"You're right. Go now, hurry up."

In less than half an incense stick's time, the imperial physician arrived with his medicine chest. After taking her pulse, Rong Feiyan blinked, looking overjoyed.

Am I pregnant?

The imperial physician took a step back, bowed, and said, "It is absolutely true, Your Majesty."

After the imperial physician left with the reward money, Rong Feiyan held Qiu Ying's arm, unable to calm her emotions for a long time. She planned to tell Zhao Han and Consort Rong the good news the next day.

"Looks like I'm still lucky."

Rong Feiyan shook her head, too happy to sleep all night.

(End of this chapter)