Chapter 448: Chapter 449: Ran Too Little

Empress Zhou paid no mind to their expressions. "With physiques like yours, having to stop and gasp for air after just a few steps, you’re simply not fit. How can you possibly serve the Emperor well like this?

Noble Lady Xu, you’re looking at me with that expression. Do you feel I haven’t made you run enough today?"

Xu Meixin, her face covered in sweat, respectfully lowered her head. "Your Majesty, the Empress, this kind of running in circles... it doesn’t seem to be doing any good. I just feel waves of dizziness when I run."

’If we keep running like this, we’ll all become burly and our bodies will get hard as rocks. How are we supposed to win the Emperor’s favor then?’

’The Empress’s move is truly vicious. She’s exhausting us every day, trying to destroy any trace of our beauty.’

Empress Zhou said, "Noble Lady Xu, if you are feeling unwell, you should have said so directly. I will have someone summon a physician to take your pulse immediately."

"There’s no need to trouble the Empress. I will be fine after I return and rest for a while."

Empress Zhou replied, "How could that be acceptable? The Holy Emperor entrusted you all to my care. Therefore, I am responsible for everything in this harem."

As soon as she finished speaking, a palace maid at her side quickly departed. A moment later, she returned with the Imperial Physician, who had been waiting in a side hall.

Noble Lady Xu was helpless and could only let the Imperial Physician take her pulse.

The other concubines clutched their chests, their hearts still fluttering with fear. They had thought that since the Emperor had rarely visited the harem recently, the Empress would stop tormenting them as she had before. Apparently, she still had tricks waiting for them.

Just then, Hua Shunming entered and saw the scene. He bade the curtsying concubines to rise before walking straight to the main seat, taking the Empress’s hand and sitting down with her.

The concubines below nearly twisted their handkerchiefs to shreds, but could only grit their teeth in secret.

"You’ve worked hard, Empress. But what’s going on with this Noble Lady Xu? Is she so ill that she needs to be seen in the Empress’s palace?"

As Hua Shunming spoke, he shot a stern glance at Xu Meixin, frightening her so much that she shrank back, her nervous forehead beading with sweat again.

"What is wrong with them?" Hua Shunming found the concubines before him to be a bit of an eyesore. None of them knew how to present themselves; their disheveled appearances were disgraceful.

Empress Zhou didn’t give the concubines a chance to complain. "Has the Holy Emperor forgotten? Our dear sisters were pampered at home. They lack the stamina and experience to serve the Holy Emperor, which is why I am training them properly.

I only had them run one lap around the palace walls, and they already look like this.

I find their current state truly unacceptable. I want them to build stronger bodies so they can properly and loyally accompany us in this deep palace for a long, long time to come."

The concubines: "..." ’This is completely different from what the etiquette nannies taught us! Competing in beauty, plotting for favor—that’s the path we’re supposed to walk.’

’We’re not going into battle to kill enemies, nor are we trying to escape with our lives. Why are we being tormented like this?’

’The Empress is using her public position for private revenge and making her reasons sound so sanctimonious! We won’t accept this.’

But what could they do about it? Hua Shunming’s next words plunged them into an icy cellar. "This is indeed unacceptable. People shouldn’t be left idle, or they’ll start getting all sorts of ideas. One lap is too few. Have them run two more.

The honorable ministers sent their beloved daughters to the palace, so We will naturally guarantee they are well-fed, well-clothed, healthy, and happy."

Empress Zhou said, "Yes, Your Majesty. I accept your decree.

The Holy Emperor hasn’t had his morning meal yet, has he? Shall I have the servants set up a banquet here in the palace and let our sisters dine with us?"

Hua Shunming glanced at the concubines, their hair plastered to their faces. How could he possibly have an appetite?

"There’s no need. We came because We have something to discuss with the Empress. Since everyone is here, you may as well listen."

Empress Zhou replied, "Yes."

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The concubines replied, "Yes."

"We adopted some daughters in the imperial court today. In the future, We will trouble the Empress to teach them diligently."

Hua Shunming scanned the crowd. "You must not only teach them female virtues and precepts, but also give them some self-defense skills, so they have the ability to fight back if they ever truly encounter trouble."

Although Empress Zhou didn’t understand the deeper meaning behind this, the Holy Emperor had entrusted her with this great responsibility in front of so many people. She naturally smiled and accepted.

"Holy Emperor, I wonder under whose name these adopted daughters will be raised." Empress Zhou looked at the hopeful gazes of the concubines and gave them a magnanimous smile.

’She really didn’t want to get involved in raising children.’

Hua Shunming said, "Let’s place them all under the Empress’s name. We’ll trouble the Empress to teach them.

If any of them are disobedient, there’s no need to be polite. Teach them however you see fit."

After saying his piece, he had no desire to linger. The gazes of these concubines were far too alluring; he would rather go to his study and read a few more memorials.

News from the outer court soon reached the harem. Everyone guessed what the Emperor’s intention was.

For a time, the restless concubines immediately shrank back. No one wanted to be the one to stick her neck out.

The next day in the imperial court, when faced with memorials about border harassments, the ministers no longer advocated for peace. The sounds of debate quieted considerably.

As the court session concluded, Hua Shunming remarked faintly, "Indeed. One doesn’t know the pain until the knife cuts one’s own flesh."

The ministers below exchanged glances and sighed silently.

The dark circles under everyone’s eyes made it clear that they hadn’t slept a wink all night.

They didn’t feel they had done anything wrong before. As "golden branches and jade leaves" who had enjoyed the highest honors since birth, it was only natural that their daughters should sacrifice for the country.

Everyone just felt the Emperor was acting on a whim. For now, they could only bide their time and plan carefully.

「 」

Before the first goose-feather snow began to fall, Jin Qianqian had already moved back to Fu County.

Gaoling Village was nice, but it was only so big. With her child and so many servants, living there had become a bit crowded.

Now that it was snowing, everyone had mostly settled in for the winter. Unless there were special circumstances, banquets and the like were no longer being held.

Cradling a cup of hot tea, Jin Qianqian gazed at the snow piled up outside. She was staring at the two snowmen built the day before, lost in thought.

Just then, Lichun brought a letter from Shangjing. It was written by Liu Qingmei.

When she had returned this time, she had left Qing Mei, Qingzhu, and Qing Lan behind in Shangjing. The servants with her now, like Lichun, were capable of holding their own.

The letter was full of records about social exchanges during this period, rambling on for a good two pages.

As Jin Qianqian read, she commented to Lichun, who was standing beside her, "It’s rare for Qing Mei to have the patience to write such a long letter."

When she turned to the third page, however, her mood grew complicated. Xiao Wanyu had actually frozen to death in prison.

According to the information Liu Qingmei had gathered, she was originally sentenced to be beheaded next autumn. For some unknown reason, she spent a night in her cell wearing only a thin layer of clothing and literally froze herself to death.

Everyone was speculating that she must not have wanted to face being beheaded, and so she came up with this method to end her own life.

What was even more tragic was that even though her official mother and elder sister were both in Shangjing, not a single person came to claim her body. In the end, it was the Shuntian Prefect who spoke up and had his subordinates find a place to bury her.

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