Concubine Liu bundled up Little Chuchu tightly and quickly rushed back to the palace with the duck eggs.
As her daughter was sound asleep, she and the palace maid checked today's accounts, tallying the income from the harem.
It wasn't until the evening of the next day that Concubine Liu went to report at Cining Palace.
"Empress Dowager, the wolf hair brush with a broken tip, which you used to teach the Emperor how to write when he was a child, and taught him to be a wise ruler, it's the one that broke because he was truant."
"It sold for 2,900 taels!"
There were already a pile of concubines and consorts in Cining Palace waiting for the news, even the Empress was there.
Upon hearing this, everyone's corners of the mouth twitched.
This brush had disciplined the Emperor.
It was one of the few high-priced items in this harem auction.
"It sold for so much?" the Empress Dowager exclaimed in surprise and delight, "I almost threw this brush away a few years ago."
Concubine Liu smiled, "The people were praising the Empress Dowager as a strict mother yesterday, saying that's why we have an Emperor who is willing to raise pigs and ducks for the people."
The Empress Dowager couldn't close her mouth from laughing.
The money was secondary, the key point was her reputation; this charity sale really gave it a good boost.
"I heard that the entire Zhengxuan Building was surrounded by three layers of people, inside and out? Even the wealthy gentry from neighboring towns rushed over."
"Yes. We were worried that with so many people, not everyone would be able to hear clearly, so we distributed introduction scrolls of the items on sale to all the buyers present."
The Empress Dowager's eyes lit up, her story of educating her son was even recorded in text?
"Good, good, good! Concubine Liu, you did well, you are a good child."
The Empress Dowager was extremely satisfied.
Concubine Liu quickly began dividing the money.
"The Empress Dowager's tea cup, the one she used to educate the harem."
"The spinning wheel with which the Empress Dowager personally spun silk."
The more the Empress Dowager heard, the more satisfied she became. Her stories of educating her son, the Emperor, her daughter-in-law, the Empress, and her personal labor, asking for blessings for the people, all these virtues... had all been spread!
As long as these collectibles were held by the wealthy gentry, they would treasure them, showing them off to their descendants and guests who visited.
Each time they showed them, they would recount the story of these old items, retelling the story of her, the Empress Dowager's good name!
The Empress Dowager was all smiles, extremely satisfied with this charity sale arranged by Concubine Liu.
She casually waved her hand, "Concubine Liu, I am old now, and I don't need much money. Abalone and sea cucumber, I can't even digest them, the money from these sales, the portion that belongs to me, will just gather dust if kept, I will give it all to you."
The Empress and the consorts: "......???"
They were stunned.
Just as Concubine Liu was about to refuse, the Empress Dowager deliberately put on a stern face to stop her, "The Emperor has been talking about project profits recently, I am old, I can't keep up with the Emperor's thinking. Concubine Liu, you take the money, you will definitely make better use of it than me."
Concubine Liu had no choice but to accept. She was about to kneel down in thanks, but was stopped by the Empress Dowager.
"Having you in the harem is a blessing for me and the Emperor."
As the Empress Dowager spoke, she couldn't help but glance at Consort Li, who was rolling her eyes in jealousy.
The Empress Dowager frowned and withdrew her gaze, looking at Concubine Liu with pity, "Ah, you're even thinner than Consort Li."
Consort Li: "???"
What does this have to do with her?!
"Consort Li knows how to nourish her health, she needs to eat blood swallows and ginseng, Concubine Liu, I think you need to nourish yourself even more."
The Empress Dowager patted Concubine Liu's hand, "You are strong and full of good ideas to serve the people. The Emperor has also started to eat lamb milk and eggs regularly, hasn't he? Don't just think of others and neglect yourself."
The Empress Dowager outlived the Former Emperor.
She knew all too well that in critical moments, men couldn't be relied on. Women had to depend on themselves.
The Empress Dowager immediately turned to her own maid, "Bring me some of the cordyceps that the Former Emperor rewarded me with. I think Concubine Liu has made great contributions. I will reward her. I will not be at a loss."
"Alright, the rest of you can share the money with Concubine Liu."
"Empress, you stay."
Empress Tong's brows slightly furrowed.
Sure enough, as everyone else left, the Empress Dowager's face hardened.
"Empress, you were silent just now. Are you dissatisfied with me, or are you jealous of Concubine Liu?"
Empress Tong was shocked, "I... I dare not... I was only..."
The Empress Dowager closed her eyes, "You are the Empress, and no woman in the palace can surpass you. But you also need to keep up with the Emperor's pace."
"Now, you must clearly know who contributes to the harem, and reward them accordingly. Those who contribute nothing, only hold others back and waste the people's money, you, as the Empress, should discipline them."
"If they can create such a scene that they cry to the ministers, it's not my face that is lost, it's the face of the entire harem, it's the face of the Empress who governs the six palaces!"
Empress Tong's face stiffened, "It's my fault."
The Empress Dowager picked up her prayer beads, "If you can't manage it, Empress, I'll have someone who can."
Empress Tong, maintaining her dignified demeanor, couldn't believe what she heard.
"I think Concubine Liu has made considerable contributions recently. Empress, what do you think?"
Empress Tong ground her teeth and knelt, "I... I also think so."
"I will go to the Emperor later and suggest that Concubine Liu should be promoted to a higher rank."
The Empress Dowager finally opened her eyes, satisfied, and nodded at her with a smile.
The Empress's hands behind her back clenched tightly, her fingers digging into her own flesh.
*
In the Imperial Study, Xiao Yunzhou was also listening to Jiang Zheng from the Ministry of Revenue report yesterday's revenue.
Everyone was overjoyed, including Xiao Yunzhou.
A pile of old things brought in a million taels of profit!
"Your Majesty, we can cover most of the military expenses for this year!" Jiang Li was thrilled.
Who could have imagined that the women of the harem would be so capable?
If they held a charity sale every year, it would be extraordinary.
Xiao Yunzhou lifted his handsome face with satisfaction, "I didn't expect that just a few days ago, I said that if any official could come up with a project that would bring in a million taels, I would promote him."
"As it turns out, before any official could act, my concubines took the initiative."
The faces of the ministers in the Imperial Study turned awkward for a moment.
There's no harm without comparison.
Once they compared, their faces hurt terribly!
Who says women are inferior to men?
The key point is, Concubine Liu, who hasn't even passed the imperial examination, not even a student, has bested them all.
Their faces hurt terribly!
"I am out of face, how about you?" Xiao Yunzhou put down his teacup with a thud.
All the ministers kept silent, looking down at their shoes.
"I think... Concubine Liu's rank should be promoted, as a reward, and it wouldn't count as the Emperor breaking his word." Jiang Li from the Ministry of Revenue was the first to speak.
He truly admired Concubine Liu.
Don't even mention her resourcefulness, just her ability yesterday to organize the charity sale so smoothly was not inferior to some junior officials in the Ministry of Revenue.
However, Concubine Liu was a woman of the imperial harem and could not be promoted to an official post, so why not elevate her status instead!
Jiang Li had a great impression of Concubine Liu and was happy to seek benefits for her, grateful that she solved an urgent problem for the Ministry of Revenue.
But in a short while, Wei Zheng reported from outside.
He entered shortly after, whispering something to Xiao Yunzhou.
Upon hearing, Xiao Yunzhou spread his hands to Jiang Li, "You're too late. The matter of raising her status, the Empress has just proposed to the Empress Dowager to promote Concubine Liu to the position of Consort Liu. My Ministers, how should I now keep my promise?"
"You all are roasting me over a fire!"
"..."
Once the Emperor has spoken, it is too late to withdraw his words.
When it was agreed to promote, naturally, it must be done.
But the problem is... Concubine Liu is not an official, and there is no higher position to promote her to in the harem.
It's not like they can promote her to Imperial Consort now.
"Erm, Your Majesty, our dynasty has no precedent for women to hold office. In my opinion, why not give her an imperial pardon?"
Vice Premier Shen Mian spoke.
The entire royal study room was stunned.
An imperial pardon?
The first imperial pardon after Xiao Yunzhou ascended the throne was not given to a high-ranking official, but to a woman in the harem!?
Chancellor Fu Cha's beard twitched, "Shen Mian, watch your words!"
Those who receive the imperial pardon will go down in history.
Would their dynasty's officials still be able to hold their heads up!?
Women receive it, but men do not.
Those who sew clothes receive it, but those who serve as officials do not.
How would future scholars view these officials of their dynasty?
They would lose face for generations!
"I think, compared to the earnings from the Ministry of Revenue, the charity sale is more beneficial to the people, but it's not enough to warrant an imperial pardon."
Chancellor Fu Cha firmly opposed giving Concubine Liu this item, "Since the Emperor promised to promote her, why not let Concubine Liu jump two ranks and be conferred as Imperial Consort."
Xiao Yunzhou pondered as he paced, just about to speak, when he heard Wei Zheng enter again to report.
"Your Majesty, the Ministry of Works has submitted a memorial."
"Concubine Liu and Consort Min seem to have jointly developed a new type of winter clothing, a down jacket."
Xiao Yunzhou was taken aback.
