Chapter 723 - 501: Finally Coming Back

Chapter 723: Chapter 501: Finally Coming Back

After the Lantern Festival, good news arrived in quick succession. Ji Yunting and Song Buran returned to the Capital City one after another, and Ling Yunhe also slipped back in secret. The outcome of the war in the north was essentially decided.

With the outcome of the war against Beiming settled, the prestige of the Emperor, Feng Yi, who had personally led the campaign, reached its zenith since his ascension to the throne.

She didn’t know what the court’s two grand councilors and the Six Ministries thought, but she knew the Empress Dowager was thrilled. Her preparations for the concubine selection grew bolder and more confident.

Song Yunzhao directed the three concubines to proceed in an orderly fashion. When it came to the silver, Consort Shu reported the situation to Shoukang Palace item by item, then threw up her hands. The palace had no surplus silver. Since the Empress Dowager was determined to have her way, what did she propose they do about the funds?

Consort Shu had all the harem’s account books brought over, allowing the Empress Dowager to audit them at her leisure.

When Song Yunzhao heard this, she couldn’t help but smile. ’The truth is, the Empress Dowager was never favored by the late Emperor and never managed palace affairs. After her son ascended the throne, their relationship soured, and she was never granted any real authority over the harem.’

’She must think she can have anything she wants just by saying the word, completely unaware that such a thing as a budget exists.’

Palace expenditures were all set by precedent. If the Empress Dowager wanted to humiliate her, she would have to produce enough silver herself to do it.

What surprised Yun Zhao was that the Empress Dowager, perhaps acting out of sheer stubbornness, actually produced her own personal silver.

Song Yunzhao: ...

The three concubines gathered together in Yaohua Palace, staring at Song Yunzhao in silence.

Song Yunzhao didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. "Why are you all looking at me? Since the Empress Dowager has been so generous as to use her personal silver, we have no choice but to carry out her wishes to the best of our ability."

Princess Consort Wan saw that Yun Zhao’s smile wasn’t forced and breathed a small sigh of relief. This was a matter she couldn’t—and wouldn’t—get involved in; she was just here today to fill a seat. If the Imperial Concubine became upset, she planned to offer a few placating words, but now, it seemed she wouldn’t be needed.

Princess Consort Zhuang said thoughtfully, "The Empress Dowager only provided two thousand taels of silver. To renovate Zhichun Palace entirely to her satisfaction, I’m afraid that’s nowhere near enough."

Consort Shu chuckled. "Then we’ll have no choice but to let the Six Imperial Departments and the Inner Workshop handle the accounting."

’In any case, I’m not touching the Empress Dowager’s silver. What if I get burned?’

In any case, the silver would be given to the Six Departments and the Inner Workshop. How it was spent would be up to the Empress Dowager’s orders, and whether it was enough would be a matter for them to show in the ledgers.

And so, the matter was settled. Then Consort Shu looked at Song Yunzhao and added, "The candidate lists from the various regions have arrived in the Capital City. They should be delivered to the harem within a day or two."

Princess Consort Zhuang said, "There’s still the preliminary selection to be held outside the palace. After that comes the secondary selection. Only the list from that final round will be handed to us, so there’s no need to rush."

Princess Consort Wan’s mind had already drifted off. These days, such matters failed to stir even the slightest ripple within her.

’Of course, I can’t mention my concerns about Zhao Ling’e to any of them,’ Song Yunzhao thought. ’I’d have no way to explain how I even know of her.’

Song Yunzhao knew Consort Shu was waiting for her to speak. She considered her words before saying, "When the list is submitted to the palace after the final selection, bring it to me. The concubines are to be sent directly to Zhichun Palace in Jincui Garden. Let them first learn the rules from the palace nannies. After all these rounds, they might even have the chance to wait for His Majesty’s return to the Capital City and be selected by him personally."

Hearing the Imperial Concubine’s placid tone, the others exchanged a glance.

The new year brought no shortage of tasks for the palace. Aside from the major event of the concubine selection, there was also the year-end accounting to be done, which mainly covered the harem’s various expenses over the holiday period.

The palace hadn’t held a grand banquet this year, so the account books were less than half the volume of the previous year. Still, there were several boxes of them, and verifying them ledger by ledger was no easy task.

The expenses from the various kitchens were a particularly large portion. While the harem wasn’t responsible for the accounts of Taixi Hall, any expenses from the harem’s Imperial Kitchen and the small tea rooms in each palace that were part of the official palace accounts had to be verified.

This didn’t even include the matter of making spring garments for the masters of each palace, as well as for the eunuchs and Palace Attendants. These tasks were all trivial, but none could be overlooked.

Consort Shu had been so exhausted lately that her steps were unsteady and her eyes glazed over. Today, she brought the summarized ledgers to the Imperial Concubine.

Song Yunzhao felt a bit dizzy just looking at the stack of ledgers on the table, which was over a foot thick, but she couldn’t refuse the task.

The days passed one by one, and Yun Zhao finally finished reconciling the accounts. The overall discrepancies were minor, and the losses were within the expected range. ’If the water is too clear, there will be no fish,’ she mused. ’The Palace Attendants need to get their small share. If I scrutinized every single detail, who would be willing to work for me in the future?’

’Focus on what’s important and let the small things go. It has always been this way.’

Before the list of concubines was even sent to the palace, news arrived that the grand army was about to return in triumph.

An air of joy filled the entire harem. The Emperor was finally coming back.

Beiming had suffered a major defeat this time. Pursued for hundreds of miles by the army of Great Chu, they had retreated deep into the Desert.

If not for their dwindling provisions, Feng Yi, with his personality, would likely have pursued them even further.

Song Yunzhao held a letter from Feng Yi. Along with it came a palm-sized box. The box itself wasn’t particularly exquisite, but inside lay a double-fish Jade Pendant.

It was one Feng Yi had carved himself.

It looked a little rough, but Song Yunzhao was overjoyed as she held it in her hand.

’I never expected that even while away at war, Feng Yi would prepare something for me with his own hands.’ She wondered how long he must have spent carving it, fitting it in amidst his hectic schedule.

At that moment, her longing for Feng Yi reached its peak.

"Your Highness, this was just delivered from Shoukang Palace." Nanny Yu entered, presenting a register.

Song Yunzhao carefully put the Jade Pendant away before reaching for the register. "Is this the final list?" she asked faintly.

"Yes. The Empress Dowager has already reviewed it, and Consort Shu said to ask for your final approval," Nanny Yu replied.

Song Yunzhao took the register and opened it. She flipped through it, page by page. After more than ten pages, she still hadn’t seen the name she was looking for. Then, she turned to the final page, and her gaze froze.

There, in the bottom-left corner of the last page, was the name Zhao Ling’e, written primly and properly.

The great stone that had been weighing on her heart for months finally crashed to the ground.

*Tsk.* ’Just as I expected.’

Song Yunzhao let out a soft laugh. ’The Zhao Family. Zhao Ling’e.’

Nanny Yu watched as her mistress’s eyes lingered on the last page. She didn’t know what she had seen, but that smile sent a chill down her spine and made the hair on her arms stand up.

Her Highness hadn’t smiled like that in a long time.

"Since the Empress Dowager has reviewed it, then it’s settled." Song Yunzhao pushed the register forward. ’I just wonder if the Zhao Family has managed to connect with the Empress Dowager’s side.’

’Given the Empress Dowager’s enthusiasm, I suspect it’s quite possible. But I can’t be certain.’

’However, once the concubines move into Zhichun Palace, the clues will slowly reveal themselves.’

For the first time in three years, the bustle of a concubine selection returned to Jincui Garden. Combined with the recent renovations of Zhichun Palace, everyone throughout the garden was gossiping about how the Empress Dowager was determined to carefully choose new women for His Majesty’s harem this year.

The concubines who moved into Zhichun Palace each harbored different feelings: some were excited, some were anxious, and some were full of anticipation.

But since they were chosen to participate, they all hoped to be like the palace’s own Imperial Concubine and rise steadily through the ranks.