Do You Know?: I, the Little Cabinet Elder, Regent of the World

By establishing her authority, she could solidify her position as Empress and become the mother of the nation!

How could such an important palace banquet be easily canceled?

After only a moment's hesitation, Madam Gao said, "Granny Tian, ​​quickly have someone feed Jun'er the medicine according to the prescription given by the imperial physician."

"If there is no improvement, go to the front hall and summon me."

The prince's illness was not something that would develop overnight; there were even several different prescriptions for the medicine.

Since it is an illness, it is nothing more than decocting and administering medicine.

There is nothing wrong with this arrangement.

"Yes," Granny Tian quickly replied.

Lady Gao nodded and strode towards the front hall.

Little did she know that the moment she stepped out of Kunning Palace, a young palace maid of about fifteen or sixteen years old, under the pretense of fetching water, quietly headed towards Huining Palace.

Front hall.

The wives of officials and meritorious officials gathered together.

The main seat and the left seat are currently empty.

Consort Shu, Consort Xian, and Consort De were summoned to the banquet in succession upon receiving the imperial decree.

The remaining wives of officials and noblewomen took their seats in an orderly fashion.

One person, one seat, stretching for several feet.

The social circle of officials' wives and noblewomen consisted of only a few dozen people, and they all knew each other to some extent.

Every now and then, the ladies of noble families would exchange glances, secretly astonished.

Several concubines were also present?

Sheng Hualan and Sheng Minglan exchanged a glance, their delicate eyebrows slightly raised.

Generally speaking, allowing concubines to take their seats does indeed have the effect of elevating their status according to the established etiquette.

However, that's a rare case.

After all, allowing concubines to attend the banquet not only had the "positive effect" of elevating their status according to the established etiquette, but also carried the "risk" of allowing them to get acquainted with noblewomen and enhancing their prestige.

If the empress's position is not very secure, she will certainly not allow the concubines to take the seat and steal the limelight.

Empress Gao's position was precarious, as the Emperor had not performed the "New Year's and Full Moon Rites" for over a hundred days.

Logically speaking, it would be impossible to allow concubines to attend!

Something is wrong!

The two women exchanged a glance and subtly tried to make themselves less noticeable.

At almost the same time, the remaining wives of noblewomen and meritorious officials, except for a few who were not particularly sensitive, all kept silent and minimized their presence.

The three consorts, Shufei, Xianfei, and Defei, looked at each other and secretly frowned.

For a moment, the hall fell silent.

About the time it takes to burn an incense stick.

A sharp announcement rang out throughout the hall:

"The Queen is here!"

Lady Gao slowly entered the palace.

"Your Majesty, we, your humble servants, pay our respects!"

Imperial concubines, ladies of noble birth, and wives of meritorious officials all bowed in unison.

Gao nodded, glanced around, and when he saw that the seat on the left was vacant, a hint of unexpected delight flashed in his eyes.

He took a few steps to the head of the table and forced himself to remain calm, saying:

"Be flat!"

Imperial concubines, ladies of noble birth, and wives of meritorious officials took their seats in succession.

"Where is Xiang's younger sister?" Gao asked impatiently.

This time, an imperial decree was issued to hold a palace banquet, with drinking and conversation being secondary.

The main purpose was to overshadow the Consort Gui, Consort Xian, Consort Shu, and Consort De in front of everyone.

This was done to demonstrate the majesty of the Empress.

In fact, simply drinking and chatting can also build up the Empress's authority.

However, it takes too long to see results!

Lately, the emperor has grown increasingly annoyed with her. To secure her position as the empress, she must quickly establish the prestige of being "the mother of the nation."

The best way to achieve this is to suppress other concubines and establish authority.

Once the concubines are suppressed, one can take the opportunity to win over some famous noblewomen and bestow upon them gold and silver jewelry.

Thus, she possesses both prestige and virtue, and has the demeanor of "the mother of the world".

Originally, she didn't know where to start in order to better suppress the concubines.

Unexpectedly, Consort Xiang was absent.

This was a huge surprise for her.

“Since Xiang’s sister is absent, let’s wait for her,” Gao said slowly.

She's going to roast Xiang Guifei!

Time passes little by little.

It took about an incense stick's time for Consort Xiang to enter the palace.

"Your Majesty, my stomach was upset and I vomited for a while, which is why I was delayed. I beg Your Majesty's forgiveness." He knelt and bowed to the Imperial Concubine.

Generally speaking, when a concubine greets the empress, she performs the "Wanfu" salute.

The kneeling ceremony was quite solemn.

However, Gao had a rare opportunity to establish his authority, so how could he let it go so easily?

"I, too, have been pregnant before; how could I not know the suffering involved?"

Gao gave a symbolic expression of understanding, and then said, "Indeed, nothing can be accomplished without rules."

"It is truly inappropriate for the Imperial Concubine to be so late in entering the palace, causing me, my sisters, the ladies of the highest rank, and the wives of meritorious officials to wait in vain."

"Considering that my sister has only recently entered the palace, I will establish a few rules for you!"

A few words, but they conveyed a sense of admonition.

"This"

Dozens of officials' wives and noblewomen looked at each other in bewilderment.

Actually, there's really no need for that.

"I. In the Palace."

Royal study room.

Zhao Ceying held a vermilion brush and wrote his comments on the memorial.

"Your Majesty, Consort Zhu from Yanfu Palace has come to report that she requests the presence of an imperial physician," Li Xian announced with a bow.

"Zhu Jieyu?"

Zhao Ceying was somewhat surprised.

Of the concubines in the imperial harem, he could only recall a handful.

This Zhu Jieyu happens to be one of them.

Four Consorts, Nine Concubines, Jieyu, Beauty, and Talented Woman.

The rank of Jieyu was neither high nor low, but this Zhu Jieyu was definitely from a commoner background.

For a commoner to be promoted to the rank of Jieyu shows how deep an impression he left.

"Let her in!" Zhao Ceying said.

About ten breaths later, Consort Zhu entered.

"Your Majesty, the young prince's old illness has relapsed. May I summon the imperial physician for treatment?" Consort Zhu asked tearfully.

"Huh?" Zhao Ceying was taken aback.

To date, he has only one child, Zhao Jun.

The young prince, of course, refers to Zhao Jun.

"Where is the Empress?" Zhao Ceying asked, frowning.

The young prince was seriously ill and needed to be diagnosed by the imperial physician. It was not Zhu Jieyu's place to report it!

"Her Majesty is having a palace banquet with the ladies of high rank and the wives of meritorious officials. It just so happens that Consort Xiang is vomiting incessantly and is delayed in entering the palace. I reckon she is being reprimanded right now," Consort Zhu said truthfully.

These words were all taught to her by Consort Xiang.

Zhao Ceying's expression changed drastically.

"Jun'er is seriously ill, yet you disregard him, instead drinking, chatting, and reprimanding Consort Xiang to establish your authority?" Zhao Ceying couldn't help but scold, "Where is the demeanor of an empress?"

"Send someone to summon the imperial physician!"

After speaking, his face turned cold, he dropped the memorial and headed straight for Kunning Palace.

Front hall.

After the Empress finished her reprimand, she wept slightly towards the Imperial Concubine.

A eunuch entered and announced, "Your Majesty, the Emperor has summoned you to the rear hall."

"The rear hall?"

Instantly, Gao's expression changed drastically. She only managed to say a few words before rushing back.

Consort Xiang watched this scene and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

A single stick of incense burning slowly is enough to allow one to arrange too many things.

Your Majesty!

Entering the palace means entering a power struggle!

apse.

The imperial physician diagnosed the patient using acupuncture, his expression grave.

Zhao Ceying asked with a stern face, "Empress, did you know beforehand that Jun'er was seriously ill?"

"Your Majesty," Gao said, her eyes darting around, unsure how to respond.

"I understand!" Zhao Ceying sighed.

Actually, there might be more to this story.

It might be a power struggle among the concubines, or it might be a setup.

But none of that matters anymore.

During the fierce battles on the frontier, the Empress repeatedly offered advice, at one point losing her demeanor as the mother of the nation.

Inside the Kunning Palace, the discussions among the Empress, Lady Gao, and Lady Gao about the "defeat on the frontier" were even more unbearable to hear.

Each and every one of these incidents is truly disappointing.

This time, even knowing that the prince was ill, she still insisted on holding a palace banquet.

The purpose was to suppress several concubines.

In order to suppress the concubines, he even went so far as to expose the discord within the palace.

How can such an empress be a model for the nation?

"Jun'er, from now on, let him be raised in the Eastern Palace."