The concubine is extremely cautious

Chapter 257 Her intelligence is outstanding everywhere

Helian Qi nodded slightly, "Wanwan, what suggestions do you have for the armaments in the southwest?"

He really just asked casually.

It was really difficult for Ning Wanyin, who had just started to learn about military affairs, to make any suggestions for national policies...

"Your Majesty's Qilin Guard gave Wanwan an inspiration. The Qilin Guard was originally just an ordinary soldier, no different from those soldiers guarding the border."

"It's just that the Qilin Guards are lucky enough to be able to appreciate your majesty's kindness, so they are loyal to your majesty. I wonder if we can make other people appreciate your majesty's kindness as well."

"Your Majesty is far away in the capital and has no time to go to the southwest often. Can you send some people to give lessons to the soldiers after training on weekdays, teach them to be loyal to the emperor and patriotic, and also teach them how to deploy troops..."

"I heard that when Your Majesty went to the southwest, many soldiers surrendered. They were just ignorant people who were coerced. If someone could teach them to distinguish right from wrong, it would also be Your Majesty's contribution to educating the people."

Teaching them to be loyal to the emperor and patriotic is a way to win their hearts and minds, leaving the rebellious generals with no troops to use.

If we teach them the art of war, there will be more generals rising from the bottom than before, which will accelerate the division of military power among the nobles.

Helian Qi stared at Ning Wanyin in shock.

He knew that Ning Wanyin was very smart and talented, and she managed the harem in good order.

But for the first time I knew...

Her intelligence is also outstanding when used in other areas.

"Your Majesty, I spoke nonsense. Please forgive me." Seeing that he didn't say anything, Ning Wanyin immediately stood up and apologized.

Helian Qi held her hand and sat down, his eyes filled with ardent tenderness: "You said it very well, write a proposal for me to see in the next two days."

As long as he was alive, he would never allow her to interfere in government affairs or keep her in the harem.

But as he was about to die, he was even more satisfied with Wanwan's intelligence.

"Yes." Ning Wanyin nodded obediently.

……

Ning Wanyin came out of Qianxin Palace. It was already very late at night.

Return to Yonghe Palace.

"Master, why are your eyes swollen..." Lian Rui walked forward with a towel and applied it carefully.

Ning Wanyin sat on the coffee table by the window, closed her eyes, and said softly, "It's okay."

She was thinking about what His Majesty had said to her today.

A situation of internal and external troubles.

Young monarch.

She still needs to study harder.

"Your Majesty has ordered me to serve the pens and ink tomorrow and to find some more good ink from the storehouse for future use."

"Yes." Lian Rui obeyed the order.

Early the next morning, Ning Wanyin went to Qianxin Palace.

"Can I see the rosters of the Hanlin Academy, the Ministry of Rites, and the Ministry of War..." Ning Wanyin asked.

Helian Qi had no objection to this and directly ordered: "I will let Wang Degui move it for you."

Dusk.

Based on the current personnel arrangement lists of the Hanlin Academy and the Ministry of Rites, Ning Wanyin wrote a plan for transferring teachers to the southwest to teach.

The people from the Ministry of War are responsible for teaching military tactics.

People from the Ministry of Rites/Hanlin Academy mainly talk about loyalty to the emperor.

The specific number of people to be sent to the southwest will be arranged according to the situation of each government office.

Time flies, and another month has passed in a blink of an eye.

Because His Majesty had just returned from the war and had not arranged a summer hunt, this matter did not cause much commotion.

But there is still no news about this year's draft...

There was a lot of criticism during the previous dynasty.

Minister Ye of the Ministry of Works is now highly valued by the Emperor. He has been waiting for this year's selection to send another daughter into the palace.

Now that the Wen family is gone, he has implicitly replaced Wen Qian's position.

Among the civil officials under Song Gu, he was the most useful. He felt that his daughter could also give birth to a prince like the daughter of the Wen family.

Why don't you choose it?

Dongchuan Hou, who was far away in the southwest, was also very concerned about the selection. Jingpin died of illness, but there was still the third prince in the palace...

Naturally, he hoped that the third prince could be raised by Dong's daughter, and prepared to let Jingpin's sister enter the palace early.

Nanyang Hou Shi Jia, whose daughter was not selected last year, was also very anxious.

His family didn’t have a chance to participate in the last round, so they are planning to make a big move this time!

His Majesty doesn't like him very much usually, so it would be nice to have a daughter to whisper in his ear.

Civil officials, military generals, Beijing officials, and local officials.

Countless people are eagerly waiting for the new round of talent shows, vying for power and fortune.

But there is still no news about this year's draft.

Since the emperor returned to Beijing after his personal expedition, except for occasionally visiting a few princes and princesses, he mostly went to Yonghe Palace.

There was a rumor in the former dynasty and the harem that started at some point.

In order to monopolize the emperor's favor and prevent newcomers from competing for favor, Ning Wanyin deliberately delayed the selection.

……

On the first day of June, all the concubines gathered at Tingyu Pavilion as usual and then went to the Cining Palace to pay their respects.

The concubines paid their respects to the queen.

Yao Zhaoyi suddenly stepped forward and said, "Empress Dowager, this year is the year of the general election, but the Ministry of Internal Affairs has been slow to prepare for the selection. Selecting concubines to fill the harem and expand the royal family and continue the lineage is of vital importance and cannot be neglected!"

The Yao family didn't plan to send anyone in this year. She was so active because...

After the Wen family fell, her father took refuge with the Ye family.

Song Gu, who is the regent together with Duke Xue, is the first choice. However, the father and son of the Song family are just like Ning Wanyin, and are unyielding.

The Yao family has been looking for a backer.

Although Shangshu Yao and Shangshu Ye are both Shangshu, the other one really has the ability to control floods, so he is valued by the current emperor and is not worried about his official position. He also wants to make further progress.

However, Shangshu Yao himself had mediocre qualifications and average abilities, and he was worried that the emperor would replace him if he found a suitable candidate.

So I've always wanted to find a backer.

From the Ning family to the Wen family, and then from the Song family to the Ye family, he would replace one after rejecting one, and replace one after rejecting one.

As long as you hug the thigh fast enough, you can keep hugging the thigh.

Now that Minister Ye wants to send his daughter into the palace, Zhaoyi Yao has also accepted the family's mission and mentioned the selection matter in front of the Empress Dowager to put pressure on the Imperial Concubine.

"What Yao Zhaoyi said is true." He Jieyu took over the conversation: "There are some bad rumors now. If the Royal Concubine can prepare for the selection as soon as possible, the rumors can be dispelled by themselves."

She changed her perspective and suggested the draft from the perspective of protecting Ning Wanyin's reputation.

He Jieyu is a concubine of Xue's party. This is not at the behest of Empress Dowager Xue, but the Shi family is in the same party as hers.

He Jieyu was unwilling to wade into the muddy waters. But the network of relationships behind it was connected, and you had no choice but to help.

Two other concubines also expressed their agreement.

It was the families outside the palace who wanted to send their daughters into the palace who were secretly pushing for this.

Empress Dowager Xue looked calm and composed as she looked at Ning Wanyin, "What do you think, Imperial Concubine?"

"He Jieyu has already said that it is a rumor, and rumors stop at wise people." Ning Wanyin said lightly, neither hurriedly nor slowly;

"I was just about to report to the Queen Mother that I discussed the selection of concubines with Your Majesty, and Your Majesty ordered the suspension of the selection of concubines, and it will resume after three years."

When these words were spoken, several concubines were stunned.

Yao Zhaoyi questioned one, “Why is there a pause?”

"Your Majesty has been personally on the expedition for a year, and the treasury is empty. Please cut down on spending and suspend the campaign for one round," said Ning Wanyin.

"Daliang clearly paid so much silver and grain as compensation! How could there not be enough money?" Yao Zhaoyi thought Ning Wanyin was just making excuses.

The treasury was emptied by the war.

But we won the war! The compensation was enough to cover the loss, and maybe even a little bit left over.

"Yao Zhaoyi doesn't know anything about government affairs, so don't speak nonsense. Your Majesty takes state affairs as the most important thing, and the money should naturally be used for people's livelihood. If the money is insufficient, our harem cannot cause trouble for Your Majesty at this time." Ning Wanyin said lightly:

"There are still many concubines in the palace. A three-year suspension won't affect anything."

Yao Zhaoyi couldn't find any words to refute for a moment.

Queen Mother Xue seemed to be thinking about something. It was difficult to determine whether there was enough money to spend.

You think the emperor is short of money?

He had just formulated a new Southwest Armaments Plan, and whether it was to build the Qilin Guard or to send teachers to give lectures, he needed money to do it.

Every aspect of the imperial court requires money.

But at the same time, with the generous compensation sent by Daliang, the emperor was not so short of money that he was not so poor that he could not afford to hold a beauty contest.

It is impossible for the emperor to suspend the selection just because he is obsessed with a woman.

He must have his own considerations.