Chapter 904
Empress Wang
Seeing Empress Wang's hesitant expression, Pan Yun smiled and said, "There are precedents for redeeming slaves. Emperor Taizu Gaozu used money and grain to redeem slaves and release them to return to their original land more than once."
Empress Wang then looked at the female official standing to the side.
The female official bowed and said, "The Imperial Preceptor is right. In the fifth year of Hongwu, Emperor Taizu issued an edict that the court would pay for the redemption of poor people who were forced to sell their children due to famine and restore them to good citizens. In the nineteenth year of Hongwu, the Henan Provincial Administration Commission used more than 1,960 ingots of paper money to redeem 274 people and release them to good citizens."
Don't look down on the female officials in the palace; they are all well-versed in poetry and literature and are the empress's assistants.
They want to know what the Empress knows, and they also want to know what the Empress doesn't know.
She was practically a walking textbook for empresses, equivalent to a Hanlin scholar by the emperor's side.
As soon as the lady-in-waiting recited the precedent, Empress Wang couldn't help but be pleased. She looked at Empress Qian, raised an eyebrow, and said, "This is something we can do!"
Empress Qian smiled slightly and nodded gently at her.
The two of them agreed on this.
Pan Yun stayed with the two empresses until evening, promising to help them find suitable locations to build workshops and even to provide them with design plans.
As the sun began to set and the emperor was about to return, Empress Wang had a female official escort Pan Yun out, while she personally saw Empress Qian out after Pan Yun left.
Seeing that Empress Qian still had a slight limp, she took her hand and asked, "Sister-in-law, can you use the medicine I gave you? It's a spiritual medicine that came from Pan Yun. Although she said she was good at crafting weapons but not alchemy, Sanqing Mountain is a Taoist medical school, so the spiritual medicine she has is definitely not bad."
Empress Qian said softly, "I'm using it. My injury is to the bone, so it's healing a bit slower, but it doesn't hurt anymore. I think it will be fine in a few more days."
The female official standing nearby added, "The imperial physician examined Her Majesty and said that Her Majesty is recovering very well. Two more jars of medicine will be enough."
Empress Wang immediately said, "I'll ask Pan Yun for two more jars next time."
Empress Qian opened her mouth, but hesitated to speak.
Empress Wang shook her hand and said, "Sister-in-law, please speak freely. There's no need for such formalities between us."
Empress Qian sighed and said, "She is, after all, the Imperial Advisor. It's not appropriate for you to always call her by her name."
He added, “She is, after all, a Taoist priest. Appointing a Taoist priest as the Imperial Preceptor is not advisable now that the court has just been stabilized, and the officials are not in a position to speak out. But as time goes on, I fear it will damage His Majesty’s reputation. If you can advise His Majesty, you should do so. Also, keep some distance from her.”
Empress Wang pursed her lips and said, "I initially shared the same view as my sister-in-law, thinking that His Majesty was bewitched by a sorcerer. However, after meeting her a few times, I realized that she was not that kind of person."
Empress Wang said, "I think she is right. Right and wrong should not be judged by status, but by actions. Right and wrong are judged by people's hearts, and future generations will judge merits and demerits. As long as you act in the present moment and have a clear conscience, that is enough."
Empress Qian stared blankly at Empress Wang.
Empress Wang felt embarrassed by her gaze and lowered her head shyly, saying, "Sister-in-law, these are all just my own wild thoughts. My family never taught me how to be an empress. The Empress Dowager... Empress Dowager Wu doesn't manage affairs, and Empress Dowager Sun is now focused on praying to the gods. No one taught me, so I just thought what she said was very true."
Empress Qian's lips moved slightly, and after a long while she murmured, "I... she might be right."
Empress Qian turned and left in a daze, while Empress Wang watched her go with concern.
The lady-in-waiting supported Empress Qian, her face full of worry: "Your Majesty..."
Empress Qian walked all the way back to the West Palace and stopped when she saw the plaque at the entrance. She looked up and stared blankly at the plaque.
"My lady..."
"I was a failed empress, and so was the late emperor..." Empress Qian murmured, "So, she shouldn't have followed my example. Perhaps the Imperial Advisor was the right one." Meanwhile, on Empress Wang's side, the female official was also advising her, "When Empress Qian was alive, she followed the established practices. If Your Majesty wants to learn from Empress Qian, you can also follow the established practices, and you will never make a mistake."
Empress Wang glared at the female official: "Following precedent will naturally prevent mistakes, but what if there is no precedent? For example, is there any precedent in the palace for releasing so many palace maids at once? Have any tragedies occurred in precedents?"
The female official lowered her head.
Empress Wang: "Moreover, I invited my sister-in-law not only to learn from her how to be a good empress."
She paused for a moment and then sighed, "She's only a year older than me. Does she have to spend the rest of her life locked up in the West Palace, praying for blessings, just like Empress Dowager Sun?"
The ladies-in-waiting had served the Empress for three months and had long since discerned that she was a kind-hearted, resolute, and upright woman, yet she was also naive and lacked cunning.
Fortunately, the new emperor was gentle and, being newly enthroned, was overwhelmed and focused entirely on state affairs. Had it been a different emperor, this empress might have…
Empress Wang genuinely sympathized with Empress Qian and harbored goodwill towards her.
Previously, when the late emperor was captured, Empress Dowager Sun issued an edict to establish Prince Cheng as emperor, but also required the court officials to agree to establish the late emperor's non-existent eldest son as crown prince. At that time, Empress Qian was raising money everywhere to ransom the emperor. All the meritorious and powerful people in the capital avoided Empress Qian, and only Empress Wang gave part of her dowry to Empress Qian.
After the late emperor's death, Empress Qian moved to the West Palace. Empress Wang was afraid that the palace servants would flatter and bully Empress Qian, so she would visit her from time to time, bringing her medicine and money.
If Empress Wang wanted to improve her reputation, she could have easily tried to please Empress Dowager Sun. However, she was so upright that she became stubborn. She believed that Empress Dowager Sun was doing well, so she only paid her respects to her daily greetings and did not show any other concern. She only felt sorry for Empress Qian, who was suffering even more.
The shrewd and sophisticated female officials were often rendered speechless by this upright empress.
Empress Dowager Sun disliked Empress Qian.
I used to like it.
However, after the late emperor's death, Empress Dowager Sun could not see Empress Qian. Every time she saw her, she would stare at her with a gloomy gaze.
Unfortunately, this Empress Qian was also a stubborn woman. Even though Empress Dowager Sun disliked her, she still had to go and pay her respects to her every day.
Every morning, she would be made to stand outside the door for an hour, and finally a female official would come out and let her go back.
Finally, Empress Wang couldn't stand it anymore and rolled up her sleeves to get to work. Pan Xiaohei, who had been watching the commotion for half a month, couldn't help but give Pan Yun a slap. Only then did Pan Yun appear on Empress Wang's way to the West Palace without making a sound. Then she said to the two empresses, "Empress Dowager Sun is so pitiful. She is forced to hear the voices of people she hates every day. She can't avoid them, and she can't openly tell them not to come."
Empress Qian's face turned deathly pale instantly.
Pan Jun's expression remained unchanged as he continued, "Your Majesties, even silver is regarded as dirt by some people, and they feel disgusted by it, let alone people? It is normal not to be liked by others. Don't look at those who don't like you, but look more at those who like you and care about you. For example, look at Empress Wang to your left."
Empress Qian turned her head blankly to look at Empress Wang.
Empress Wang's expression instantly changed from anger to shyness.
From that day on, the three of them began to get together and talk from time to time. Empress Qian finally stopped going to pay her respects to Empress Dowager Sun every day. She only went to pay her respects on the first and fifteenth of each month. The rest of the time, she either made embroidery or went to talk to Empress Wang. The gloom on her face had faded a lot.
Indeed, people should be with those who like them.
Perhaps it was because Pan Yun's words were so philosophical that they won over Empress Wang, who was eager to be a good empress. From then on, Empress Wang preferred to consult Pan Yun.
The couple enjoyed chatting with Pan Yun whenever they had a spare moment, and they found themselves in sync, having more to talk about when they tucked in at night. Their relationship had surprisingly improved considerably. (End of Chapter)