"What benefits can I get from consuming bird's nest made with blood?"
Consort Li was puzzled.
Lately, Concubine Liu gained favor, and the Empress's father returned home to farm, both their prestige was at its peak. So, is she, a dignified consort, being overlooked?!
She is the imperial consort who has raised a prince! If she does not even qualify for the ginseng bird's nest, who in the world does?
"Your Majesty, the Ministry of Revenue and the Internal Affairs Department do not regard me or the fourth prince as important!" Late at night, Consort Li hastily brought her palace maid to the Chonghua Palace, where the emperor was resting, and indignantly presented herself!
She cannot be wronged, otherwise, the fourth prince will also be belittled.
Moreover, her dignity is being trampled on, how can she govern the two concubines who live with her?
"Your Majesty, you must uphold justice for me!"
It was almost midnight, Xiao Yunzhou was still reviewing the memorials sent by the Ministry of Revenue, discussing with Jiang Li how to use the people's savings.
Suddenly, he was interrupted by Consort Li's clamor.
Xiao Yunzhou was speechless, "What happened?"
The Minister of Revenue, Jiang Li, yawned awkwardly.
As soon as Consort Li entered the study of the Chonghua Palace, she gave him a stern look of reprimand.
"Is Minister Jiang also here?"
"Do I need to greet Minister Jiang as well? Do I need to kneel to Minister Jiang?"
Jiang Li, from the Ministry of Revenue, awkwardly looked at the emperor.
Xiao Yunzhou waved his hand at him, "You go sit on the side and rest for a while."
Consort Li glared.
Only then did Xiao Yunzhou turn to her, "What's the matter, why aren't you asleep at this late hour?"
Consort Li took a deep breath and respectfully bowed to the emperor, "Your Majesty, don't I always feel cold, with icy hands and feet? The Imperial Hospital has always said that I should nourish my health in winter."
"Today the north wind is howling, so I asked the kitchen to prepare some bird's nest porridge with ginseng, thinking of nourishing my body for a few days."
"Who would have thought," Consort Li gave Jiang Li a big white eye, "The people from the Internal Affairs Department said the Ministry of Revenue did not agree and asked me to fill out some kind of profit expectation table for using bird's nest."
"Your Majesty," Consort Li stamped her foot, looking coquettishly at the emperor, "Aren't these servants looking down on me?"
"What profits can there be from a nourishing food? Is it not a profit if I am healthy?"
"Do they think I am not worthy?"
Consort Li fiercely criticized the Ministry of Revenue and the Internal Affairs Department, but just as she was sobbing and complaining halfway, she heard Emperor Xiao Yunzhou actually grunt in agreement.
He nodded at her very affirmatively, "Indeed, Consort Li, you eating bird's nest does not bring any benefits, so stop eating it, okay?"
Consort Li: "???"
She almost doubted if she heard it wrong.
"Your Majesty, what... did you say..."
In the past, the emperor loved Taoism and was not particularly interested in coming to the harem, at most he was fickle.
Now, the emperor must have cultivated the Way of Indifference!
"Do you think my health is not important, Your Majesty?" Consort Li was born gorgeous and charming in her youth, and now with proper maintenance, she is still an unparalleled beauty, not losing to her past self.
At this moment, her eyes were filled with tears, looking pitifully at Xiao Yunzhou.
Her voice could even melt half the bones of a regular man!
But Xiao Yunzhou, after hearing her for a while, almost directly nodded in agreement.
Fortunately, he held back. He was not that heartless yet.
"If you are sick, take the medicine, see the Imperial Physician if you must, why eat bird's nest?"
"???" Consort Li looked up in disbelief.
Xiao Yunzhou explained to her, "If you really have insufficient blood, aren't there dates for blood replenishment? They are cheap, a hundred taels can last you a lifetime, enough to cause a nosebleed."
"!" Consort Li stepped back.
Xiao Yunzhou, as if he didn't notice, made it clear to her, "Swallow's nest and ginseng porridge, a hundred taels would only be enough for you to eat a few times. It may not be effective, nor is it a prescription from the imperial physician."
"You're just eating it for no reason."
"..."
Consort Li opened her mouth, almost wanting to look in the mirror.
Is she no longer beautiful?!
What kind of harsh words is the emperor saying?!
Is she a rural peasant woman? Only deserving to eat dates that cost a few dozen cents a sack?
Xiao Yunzhou waved his hand, "Consort Li, don't belittle peasant women."
"Those women weave and sew every day, they rush to harvest during busy farming times, they make significant contributions to both their own families and our Jing Country."
"Moreover, the dates they eat in winter are earned from their own labor. Even if you were to eat a date, Consort Li, it's not something you earned yourself."
"..."
Consort Li was stunned.
What, she's not even worthy of dates now?
The emperor might as well hang her!
"...Oh, haha."
Xiao Chuchu, who woke up hungry in the middle of the night, was nursing in Concubine Liu's arms.
As she nursed, she prepared to enjoy some gossip as a side dish.
But when she saw the gossip video exchanged by the system—Consort Li's complaints, she couldn't help but laugh.
"Mom, it's so funny, so satisfying!"
"That's right, why eat ginseng for no reason, how old is Consort Li?"
"Besides, the money in the national treasury now is borrowed from the people! She even has the audacity to use the people's money to pamper herself, maintain her beauty!"
While Xiao Chuchu was nursing and enjoying the gossip, Concubine Liu was so awake that she couldn't sleep, her previously drowsy eyes wide open.
Other mothers would be exhausted when getting up in the middle of the night to nurse, but when she nursed her little princess, she felt more and more energetic.
She even wanted to laugh—
*
In the emperor's study.
Consort Li was about to break down, she could clearly feel that the emperor was different now.
She had a bellyful of grievances, but she couldn't argue with the emperor.
"So... does the harem... not eat swallow's nest and ginseng? If the Empress and Concubine Liu are the same, then I have nothing to say."
Xiao Yunzhou immediately waved his hand, "Why are you comparing yourself to Concubine Liu! She's different."
"???"
Consort Li widened her eyes, looking at the emperor in disbelief.
The emperor doesn't lack heart, his heart just leans too much!
He's too biased!
"Jiang Li, explain to Consort Li. I need to continue reading the memorials, I don't have time."
Xiao Yunzhou gestured.
Jiang Li from the Ministry of Revenue had no choice but to stand up reluctantly, "Consort Li."
"Concubine Liu you mentioned has improved silk reeling technology in the past three months, increasing the efficiency of silk weaving in the capital. I roughly calculated, the entire capital's female silk workers have recently increased their income by three hundred taels."
"!" Consort Li was shocked.
"Additionally, the winter clothes that Concubine Liu sewed for the refugees have a value increase of over fifty taels."
"And, Concubine Liu is still continuing her research on silk weaving."
Jiang Li from the Ministry of Revenue spread his hands towards Consort Li.
"If Concubine Liu needs to consume ginseng for her health, we should consider whether the cost-benefit ratio is balanced."
"..."
Consort Li felt faint.
However, upon hearing this, Xiao Yunzhou interrupted Jiang Li, "I won't be so harsh."
"If a woman in the harem falls ill, she should seek a prescription from the royal physician."
"If ginseng is truly needed to save a life, then life outweighs everything, and I will approve it."
Jiang Li nodded, "Alright, I will add this clause when I return."
"Good, Consort Li, you may leave. I am still busy."
Consort Li's face was filled with dejection. She failed in her mission today, not gaining anything and even got scolded, both openly and covertly!
How infuriating.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
But just as she was about to turn and leave, she was stopped again.
Close to midnight, the sky was pitch black, with only the palace lanterns shining brightly.
As Consort Li reached the threshold, her magnificent gold-threaded gown, illuminated by the palace lanterns, radiated brilliant light, almost blinding Xiao Yunzhou.
Xiao Yunzhou paused, suddenly remembering, "Consort Li, how much does this palace attire cost?"
Consort Li: "???"
As she looked back in confusion, she heard Xiao Yunzhou musing.
"The common people can't even afford silver thread and have to borrow money from me. How then can I and my harem wear gold thread?"
"Take it off, Consort Li."
"Put away these extravagant clothes and wear something simpler from tomorrow."
Consort Li: "!"
She felt like crying, but no tears came.
Tonight, it was like she'd lost both her dignity and her troops!
Meanwhile, in Donghua Palace, Xiao Chuchu, who was observing this from a distance, came to a sudden realization.
"This is just a form of cost-cutting and expenditure saving! My emperor father has made progress~"
"I'm so relieved."
Hearing her daughter praising her father's progress, Concubine Liu didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Her daughter seemed to treat the emperor like an ancestor.
But the next moment, Concubine Liu couldn't hold back her laughter anymore.
Because she heard her daughter make a suggestion that sounded like divine music to her ears, ——
"Ah, my emperor father reminded me, we can hold a charity sale in the palace for the New Year!"
"The emperor and the consorts can take out some overly luxurious clothes and jewelry, or those that are out of style, no longer liked, or rarely worn, and hold a charity sale to sell them to wealthy merchants ——"
"Wouldn't Jing Country then have an additional source of income!?"
Concubine Liu sat up abruptly.
