The eldest sister was reborn and the younger sister traveled through time. I just want to survive.

After the Lantern Festival, as the snow gradually melted, a large number of disaster victims emerged outside the city of Luodu.

The Empress Dowager took the lead in setting up porridge stalls to provide porridge to the victims. Soon after, many aristocratic officials and merchants also set up porridge stalls outside the city. Fortunately, Luodu to the south was not affected by the snow disaster, and the victims who poured into Luodu were within the controllable range and did not cause large-scale riots.

Due to the snowstorm, the general election originally scheduled after the Lantern Festival was postponed to March. The imperial court issued a number of disaster relief edicts in succession, and a large amount of food and grass was transported to the disaster-stricken prefectures. When the weather warmed up in February, the victims who were wandering outside the city of Luodu returned to their hometowns to farm.

Although Luodu City seems to have returned to peace, there are actually undercurrents.

In the imperial study, after listening to the secret guard's report, Yu Jinzhou angrily threw down the books, ink and cups on the table and said, "Investigate, send someone to investigate."

The more than 60,000 reinforcements sent to the northwest years ago had lost contact. After the snow stopped, he sent several groups of people to investigate the military situation, but they all lost their trace. The heavy snow blocked the roads for two months, and now the court knew nothing about the situation in the northwest.

Of the grain and fodder that was shipped to the northwest some time ago, only 20% was disaster relief food, and 80% was military pay.

When the reinforcements set out, they only brought enough military supplies for about a month. Before they could get enough food and fodder, heavy snow blocked the roads. Now, two months have passed, and Yu Jinzhou didn't dare to think about what had happened to the more than 60,000 soldiers and horses.

The palace selection was held on the third day of March, and the daughters of local officials who participated in the selection arrived in Luodu one after another in mid-February.

It was the first election after the new emperor ascended the throne, and people were bound to talk about the existing concubines in the harem. The censor's attack on Concubine Yan at the palace banquet and the emperor's anger for his beloved became the topic of conversation among the people after dinner.

At first, everyone said that Concubine Yan was very beautiful, three times more beautiful than Yan Muyun, the most beautiful woman in Luodu at that time. Even though she was married for the second time, she was still treated like a treasure by the emperor.

The favorite concubine was married for the second time, so her ex-husband naturally became the focus of attention and discussion. Some said that Concubine Yan's ex-husband was a businessman, while others said he was a bureaucrat. The emperor coveted his wife's beauty and forcefully snatched Concubine Yan into the palace.

Soon, the news that Concubine Yan was the second daughter of Prime Minister Yan and the former Crown Prince Consort of Prince Rong spread. Considering Concubine Yan's title, the rumor gained more credibility.

If a rumor is spread three times, it becomes true. What's more, it is true. The most favored concubine in the harem, Concubine Yan, is the first wife of the King of Dingbei and the aunt of the current emperor. The emperor disregarded the moral code and welcomed Aunt Wang as his concubine, which inevitably became a new round of gossip among the people and was also despised by the self-proclaimed scholars.

No one dared to openly question or insult the emperor, so they directed all their criticisms at Concubine Yan, calling her a monster that brought disaster to the country and would sooner or later lead to the country's destruction, and she should be punished by all.

Literati wrote articles to denounce the emperor, vulgar people cursed him verbally, and even some upright students organized poetry protests, demanding that the emperor execute the evil concubine who had brought disaster to the country.

Time flies, and it is March in a blink of an eye. The people's crusade against the evil concubine has come to an end due to the palace selection, but it has become more and more intense.

After the palace selection, another censor advised the emperor that he should put the country of Dafeng first and execute Concubine Yan. The emperor was furious and promoted Concubine Yan to Noble Concubine Yan.

It was not until the eunuch came to Jinxiu Palace to announce the imperial edict that Yan Muxi knew that she had been conferred the title of noble concubine.

After sending the eunuch away, Dong Yu angrily said, "What on earth does the emperor want to do? Young Miss has already been scolded badly, and now she is being named a noble concubine at the cusp of the storm. Doesn't this only solidify Young Miss's reputation as a demon concubine who brings disaster to the country?"

Yan Muxi comforted him, "Don't worry too much. They are all imperial concubines. The only difference between a noble concubine and a concubine is that there is no difference."

"But, the people outside..."

Yushui interrupted Dongyu's words, "Why bother about what's happening outside? No matter how much they yell and curse, they can't get into the palace. We can do whatever we have to do. If the sky falls, there are tall people to hold it up. Anyway, there's nothing to worry about if it hasn't happened yet!"

Yan Muxi echoed Yu Shui, "That's right, if the sky falls, there are tall people to hold it up! By the way, if the sky really falls, Dongyu, you have to bend down in time. You are tall, don't get crushed."

"It's already this late and you still have the mind to have fun." Dong Yu complained, and when he saw Yu Shui shaking his head slightly at him, he tactfully shut up.

At noon, Yu Jinzhou came to Jinxiu Palace for lunch.

At the dinner table, Yu Jinzhou picked up some food for Yan Muxi and said, "Aunt Wang, don't take the rumors outside too seriously."

Yan Muxi smiled indifferently, "Don't worry, Your Majesty. I believe in you and have never taken the rumors outside to heart."

Governor Yu Jin breathed a sigh of relief. "It's good that Aunt Wang doesn't care. I was worried that Aunt Wang would be frightened. However, if Aunt Wang really trusts me so much, aren't you afraid that I will sacrifice Aunt Wang in order to stop the gossips?"

"What's the difference between being afraid and not being afraid? I would rather believe that the emperor is sincere to me than care about the groundless gossip outside." Yan Muxi looked at Yu Jinzhou with serious eyes.

Yu Jinzhou seemed to have not expected her to say this. He was stunned for a moment before he laughed, "I am very pleased that you are willing to believe me. Aunt Wang, rest assured, no matter what situation you are in, I will keep you safe."

Meeting his smiling eyes, Yan Muxi's face flushed with pink, and she quickly frowned and lowered her head to eat.

There was a smile in Yu Jinzhou's eyes, which gradually became blurred and out of focus.

How wonderful it would be if time could stop at this moment and no longer flow and change!

After lunch, before Yu Jinzhou had time to leave, Concubine Xian and several others came to Jinxiu Palace to congratulate Yan Muxi on being conferred the title of Imperial Concubine.

Concubine Xian was under house arrest by the Empress Dowager for two months and was just released yesterday. She had not seen the Emperor for dozens of days and she thought she would be able to receive the Emperor's comfort, but unexpectedly what she got was the news that Concubine Yan was promoted to Imperial Concubine.

Moreover, they had been in the palace for a long time, but the emperor only glanced at them casually and never looked at her directly. All he had in his eyes was Concubine Yan, no, now she is Imperial Concubine Yan.

No matter how favored and high-ranking Concubine Yan was, she looked down upon her. Thinking of her questioning of Concubine Yan on New Year's Eve, she felt like a joke, a complete joke.

Not long after the emperor left, Concubine De and several others also took their leave one after another. Only Concubine Xian sat firmly on the chaise longue, showing no intention of leaving.

"Is the tea in Jinxiu Palace delicious?" Yan Muxi asked.

The virtuous concubine subconsciously sang a different tune, "It doesn't taste good. It's far inferior to the top-quality snow buds in my palace."

Yan Muxi chuckled, "My tea is not tasty, and the virtuous sister can't drink enough."

Xian Fei realized that she was trying to drive the guest away, and stood up angrily, "I don't want it," she said halfway and sat back down, "I'm tired of the best tea, so I want the coarse branches and rotten leaves here. It's just a few cups of tea, Concubine Yan wouldn't be reluctant to give it to me!"

For some reason, Concubine Xian wanted to stay here at this moment, wanting to see clearly what kind of woman the emperor brother liked looked like.

She didn't believe that the emperor liked the woman in front of him just because of her charming beauty. Concubine Yan must have other advantages that she hadn't discovered.

If she could possess the same advantages as Concubine Yan, the Emperor might also truly like her.