Dividing Authority over Palace Affairs

Hua Meng spoke naturally, but there was not a trace of worry or fear on her face.

Emperor Jing'an found this amusing. He looked at Hua Meng and asked, "Aren't you worried?"

"Worried about what?"

Hua Meng raised her eyes and glanced at Emperor Jing'an. She happened to catch the hint of amusement in his eyes before he had time to hide it, and she knew he had asked on purpose.

"I am your woman, Your Majesty. With you backing me, why would I need to worry about such things?"

This was not the first time Emperor Jing'an had heard Hua Meng say something like this. Before, he had suspected she did not mean it, but hearing it again today, and considering what he had learned of her nature these past days, he understood that she was telling the truth.

"It's good that you aren't worried." Emperor Jing'an reached out and clasped Hua Meng's hand tightly. He led her to the couch and sat down with her before continuing, "Besides, Yi Yun is protecting you now. As long as they don't make a direct attack, there will be nothing to fear."

Hua Meng understood what Emperor Jing'an meant and thought of the assassination attempt that day. Seeing that he still had not brought it up himself, she thought for a moment and decided to ask about it.

Emperor Jing'an was neither angry at Hua Meng's question nor did he feel she should not have asked. He had never intended to keep it from her; he had simply thought the matter sounded frightening and worried she would be upset to hear it.

But since Hua Meng had asked, he told her.

"Those old eunuchs were utterly vile. If not for what happened today, I would never have known there was such a group in the imperial palace."

Hua Meng had never heard of those old eunuchs in her previous life either, but when she thought carefully about that life, something did come to mind.

"Your Majesty, those young eunuchs and palace maids cannot all have been without families. They entered the palace in recent years, so it should be possible to trace their ancestral homes." After saying this, Hua Meng added as though in passing, "If their ancestral homes can be thoroughly investigated, perhaps something hidden will come to light."

At Hua Meng's words, Emperor Jing'an's spirits immediately lifted. He had been deeply displeased because he could not determine whether those old eunuchs had any connection to Yue Shu.

He had not thought to look into that before.

"That's a good idea."

Having said this, Emperor Jing'an recalled what the Empress Dowager had mentioned when he went to see her at Chaohuang Palace before coming to Sparrow Plume Palace, and suddenly made a decision.

Hua Meng did not know Emperor Jing'an's thoughts had wandered. Hearing him praise her, she hurriedly smiled and said, "The idea merely came to me in a flash of inspiration."

Almost the moment Hua Meng finished speaking, Emperor Jing'an immediately said, "Then give me another suggestion." Without waiting for Hua Meng to react, he continued, "Before coming here, I visited the Empress Dowager. She mentioned that there was no one to manage palace affairs. Who do you think would be suitable for the task?"

Hua Meng was slightly taken aback once she understood what Emperor Jing'an had said, then gave it careful thought.

There was currently no empress in the harem, so the Empress Dowager had always overseen palace affairs, with several ranking palace matrons helping her.

Occasionally, when Emperor Jing'an did not have many memorials to read, he would help take care of some matters as well.

Now that the Empress Dowager was injured, it would not be suitable to hand everything directly to the matrons.

Emperor Jing'an was, after all, the ruler of a nation, with many state affairs to attend to every day. They could hardly push all the palace affairs onto him.

"If you had already given birth, these palace affairs could gradually be handed over to you. But you're pregnant now, and I wouldn't feel at ease entrusting them to you."

Although Emperor Jing'an did not have many women in his harem, once the palace maids and eunuchs who served their masters were included, there were still quite a few palace affairs to handle each day.

The Empress Dowager's intention was to leave palace affairs to Consort Qi for the time being. After all, Consort Qi came from a good family, had seniority, and had made no serious mistakes in all these years.

Most importantly, the Empress Dowager could see that Consort Qi's heart was wholly devoted to Emperor Jing'an.

But Emperor Jing'an understood Consort Qi's nature. If palace affairs were handed over to her, it would certainly be difficult for Hua Meng to take them over later.

Hua Meng understood what Emperor Jing'an meant as soon as she heard him out. Thinking that Consort Wan and Consort Ying were the only ones in the harem she was close to at present, she ventured, "I think it would be better to divide the palace affairs among several people and have them manage them together."

After all, everyone had their own interests. If power was not placed in a single person's hands, it would be much easier to take it back later.

At Hua Meng's words, Emperor Jing'an raised his brows, signaling her to continue.

Hua Meng held nothing back. She told him about her good relations with Consort Wan and Consort Ying, then concluded, "Why not let Consort Qi, Sister Wan, and Sister Ying manage palace affairs together?"

That way, although Consort Wan and Consort Ying were lower in rank than Consort Qi, as long as the two of them were of one mind, Consort Qi would have no way to hold power alone.

Most importantly, both Consort Wan and Consort Ying came from prominent clans. Though one came from a civil family and the other a military one, their families must have taught them how to manage a household.

And because their families intended to send them into the palace, they might even have been taught how to handle palace affairs.

Emperor Jing'an chuckled softly after hearing Hua Meng out. "That's a good idea." But if Consort Wan and Consort Ying were to join forces to keep Consort Qi in check, something was still missing.

Seeing that Emperor Jing'an was not surprised by her answer, Hua Meng knew he had probably thought of the idea himself long ago.

Although Hua Meng was interested in palace affairs too, she understood that the most important thing for her at the moment was to have her child.

Hua Meng was not anxious when Emperor Jing'an did not give a final answer. Thinking that she was idle and bored these days anyway, she boldly asked, "Your Majesty, in a few days, may I have my mother bring a few of my nephews and nieces into the palace to spend a day with me?"

In fact, as a consort of pin rank and the mistress of a palace, Hua Meng could send word to her family and have a titled woman of the family submit a request to enter the palace.

As for Hua Meng's nephews and nieces?

Her nieces could naturally come without issue, and as long as her nephews were no older than ten, there was no problem with them entering the harem either.

But Hua Meng was now living with Consort Wan, who had entered the palace before her, so Consort Wan naturally took precedence in Sparrow Plume Palace.

That being the case, it would not be proper for Hua Meng to invite her family over in the name of Sparrow Plume Palace's mistress.

As soon as Hua Meng asked, Emperor Jing'an agreed without the slightest hesitation.

Emperor Jing'an also took into account that Consort Wan was still living in Sparrow Plume Palace.

Hua Meng was pregnant, so it was not suitable for her to move palaces at this time, but he wanted her to move directly into Primordial Phoenix Palace, where the empress resided, after giving birth.

So Hua Meng could not move now, which left only Consort Wan to move out.

At that thought, Emperor Jing'an looked at Hua Meng and said, "Why don't you come with me to visit Consort Wan?"

Hua Meng did not know what Emperor Jing'an meant. Even if he intended to give Consort Wan a share of the palace affairs, she did not think he should take her along.

But she was only a consort, after all. Since Emperor Jing'an had spoken, and she was not feeling unwell and was close to Consort Wan, it would not be proper to say she did not want to go.

Hua Meng and Emperor Jing'an did not take many people with them, nor did they send word to Consort Wan beforehand.

So when they arrived, they saw that Consort Ying was there too.

Looking at the wine pot and four dishes to accompany the wine in front of the two women, Emperor Jing'an shook his head with a laugh and said to them, "You two are certainly enjoying yourselves."

A trace of embarrassment flashed across Consort Wan's face, but Consort Ying did not feel there was anything improper about Emperor Jing'an seeing her drinking with Consort Wan.

When she saw Emperor Jing'an come in and sit down at once, she rose, ready to take her leave and return to her own Three Green Palace.

"Don't go yet. Since you're here too, I'll tell you both at once." Emperor Jing'an knew Consort Ying's nature well, so he wasted no words and stated the purpose of his visit.

"Before I came here today, I visited the Empress Dowager. She mentioned that no one was managing palace affairs and wanted Consort Qi to take charge. I asked Consort Jing just now, and she suggested that you two manage them together with Consort Qi."

Neither Consort Wan nor Consort Ying was stupid. As soon as Emperor Jing'an spoke, they understood what he meant.

Before Consort Wan could speak, Consort Ying frowned and looked at Hua Meng. "Sister Jing, although I know we would be looking after them for you temporarily, I truly dislike such matters." Having said that, she paused just as everyone thought she was going to refuse, then continued, "But since it is to help you manage them for a while, you must give me tasks that are few and easy."

Consort Ying had always been like this, and the other three people present understood.

Consort Wan was perceptive. She knew that, besides wanting them to remember Hua Meng's favor, Emperor Jing'an must have had other arrangements in mind when he brought her along.

Thinking of this, Consort Wan first gave Hua Meng a gentle smile of thanks, then looked at Emperor Jing'an and asked, "How do you intend to arrange things, Your Majesty?"

"My intention is for you and Consort Qi to take primary charge of palace affairs, with Consort Ying and Consort Jing assisting you both."

That way, no matter how capable Consort Qi was, she would surely have a difficult time facing three people who were of one mind.