After I got into the drama, I led the plot astray

Seeing that everyone was in a similar mood, I started to speak: "Now, the Empress Dowager and I are the only ones left in the harem from the previous generation. I am weak and don't have much energy to manage the harem. The Empress Dowager doesn't like to manage things, so she gave the Phoenix Seal to Concubine Li and Concubine Yun to manage together. Unfortunately, Concubine Li is not a good person. After she came to power, she messed up the harem. Of the 28 concubines, only 18 of you are left now. What I hate most is people who bully others by taking advantage of their power. Concubine Li has been sentenced to death by me. I hope you can learn from this and don't think you are in heaven and trample on others once you gain power. I will never allow people with bad intentions to stay in the harem and cause trouble to the harem and the royal heirs. Do you understand?"

Everyone shouted "Understood" in unison.

I nodded and said, "It seems that everyone is smart and has realized that the way to survive in the harem is not to use tricks and oppress others. Although I cannot ask you to be harmonious, at least you cannot take human lives lightly and cause chaos in the harem. If someone refuses to listen to my advice, don't blame me for being rude."

Everyone expressed their loyalty again, saying that they would never become someone like Concubine Li.

Although I don't know whether they can do it, I am still very satisfied with today's meeting. At least everyone seems to be in harmony, and no one will cause trouble for He Wan'er in the future.

In order to enhance everyone's feelings, I did not arrange single tables, but arranged surrounding tables.

Eighteen people were divided into two tables, and I sat at the main seat.

Unexpectedly, Zheng Yan came just as we were about to start eating!

There were several concubines who had entered the palace for so long but had never even seen the emperor. Now when they saw Zheng Yan, their eyes immediately lit up, as if their eyes were fixed on Zheng Yan and they couldn't move away.

Although they had just been reprimanded by me, compared with the happiness and power in the second half of their lives, the so-called reprimand was like wind in the ears and was forgotten in the blink of an eye.

Zheng Yan knew that I was in the palace and just wanted to come over to have dinner with me. He really didn't expect that there would be so many concubines in my palace.

When Zheng Yan saw two full tables of people gathered together to eat, he thought he had come to the wrong place.

Seeing Zheng Yan coming, everyone stood up to welcome him.

I walked up to Zheng Yan and was about to kneel down, but Zheng Yan held me up and said, "You are not in good health. You don't need to kneel when you see me in the future."

Of course I would not refuse the privilege of not having to kneel, so I quickly thanked him for his grace.

Zheng Yan saw that several concubines had been secretly looking at him. He suddenly felt like a commodity waiting to be sold. He felt disgusted for no reason. He frowned and said, "I didn't know you had someone in the palace. I wanted to have dinner with you, but I suddenly remembered that I had some urgent official business to deal with. I will come to have dinner with you next time."

I also saw some of the concubines' ambitions. It was indeed inappropriate for Zheng Yan to stay any longer, so I said, "Then I respectfully send your Majesty off."

As soon as I finished speaking, Wei Yi shouted at the top of his voice: "Your Majesty, please get up."

Zheng Yan nodded at me, ignored the eager gazes of the concubines, turned around and left.

After Zheng Yan left, I asked everyone to return to their seats and continue eating.

There is a small kitchen in my palace. The cooks are all transferred from the imperial chamber. The dishes are naturally impeccable. Everyone feels satisfied and happy when eating.

After the meal, I gave each person a small basket of fruit from Nanqin.

These fruits were brought from Nanqin by Hua Wushuang's family. Hua Wushuang gave birth to a big fat son. Her parents and elder brother were so happy that they immediately rushed from Nanqin to add to the joy of Hua Wushuang.

Hua Wushuang's mother's family is also a powerful family in Southern Qin, with strong family background. It is said that the gifts they brought this time numbered more than a dozen carriages, and there were four carriages of fruits alone.

When Hua Wushuang got so many fruits, he immediately sent someone to deliver a carriage to me.

I had just finished delivering the fruits that Zheng Yan sent me, but then another carriage arrived!

So today I decided to do them a favor and digest these fruits at the same time.

After all the concubines left, I washed up and Yang combed my hair before going to bed with me.

While combing her hair, Yang said, "My lady, among these concubines, I see that there are quite a few who are restless."

I was reading a book, flipping a page nonchalantly, and said, "Send someone to check the background of these people. It's hard to persuade the damned ghosts with kind words. Since they won't listen, find a reason to get rid of them."

Yang paused while combing her hair and swallowed silently. She suddenly regretted talking too much. Just opening her mouth could potentially kill several lives.

After combing her hair, Yang couldn't help but say, "Madam, it's natural for women in the harem to want to climb into the emperor's bed. Wouldn't it be too much to get rid of them all?"

I put the book down, glanced at Yang, and said, "We'll talk about this tomorrow. I'm tired, so I'll take a rest first."

"Yes, your majesty." Yang quickly tidied the bedding and helped me onto the bed.

My murderous intention towards those disobedient concubines made Yang feel uneasy. After she helped me to sleep, she immediately went to Yingchun to discuss countermeasures.

Yingchun and Zhang Yan were busy in the kitchen at this time. She had to cook the soup for me to drink tomorrow. My tonic soup takes a long time to cook, and it would be too late to cook it the next morning, so it had to be prepared in the evening.

Zhang Yan could enter the palace at any time relying on his status as a member of the Imperial Guard. As soon as he was off duty, he would run to Yingchun, saying that he was there to help, but everyone could see that he was attracted to Yingchun and was determined to marry this woman.

Yingchun was weighing various herbs on a scale, while Yang kept muttering beside her. Before Yingchun could say anything, Zhang Yan couldn't help but say, "Sister Yang, how can we, the servants, object to what the queen has decided? Don't say too much and make the queen unhappy. Then we will lose our lives."

Yingchun was a little unhappy with Zhang Yan's words of self-preservation. She raised her head and glared at Zhang Yan, saying, "How can you speak here?"

After listening to this, Zhang Yan pouted a little aggrievedly and said, "What I said is all true. Why are you angry?"

Yang looked at Zhang Yan's aggrieved look. This was the man that the Empress had specially asked the Duke to find as Yingchun's husband, so she couldn't let him suffer any injustice. So she said, "Captain Zhang is telling the truth. Why are you yelling at him? Yingchun, you are not young anymore. You will be someone's daughter-in-law in the future. You have to control your temper. Otherwise, it will be so unpleasant if it gets out."

Yingchun's forehead throbbed when she heard this. What was wrong with Yang today? She helped her but ended up scolding her.

Zhang Yan was unhappy when she saw her future daughter-in-law being scolded, and she said quickly: "Sister Yang, please don't say anything about Yingchun. It's my fault. I shouldn't have said too much. From this moment on, I will shut my mouth and never speak again."