Qi Younian was fully responsible for the military farming matters and reported directly to Empress Dowager Han and Emperor Longqing.∮ As for King An Qin Zhen and King Su Qin Lin, they were both excluded from this matter. However, Empress Dowager Han still claimed that the two made contributions and awarded rewards, one person, one hu of pearls and a pair of jade Ruyi.

Qin Zhen and Qin Lin both thanked each other, and it was not surprising that such a result.

The two of them entered the cabinet, which was the biggest concession that Empress Dowager Han forced to make due to the situation. Empress Dowager Han would never let them participate in the military farming, thereby influencing military power.

In addition to them, Master Ji San was the first to win back foreign grains and seeds when he went to sea to bring back good food. Originally, Qin Zhen had already obtained a free job for Master Ji San, but now Empress Dowager Han and Emperor Longqing issued an order to commend Master Ji San.

Master Ji San was awarded the title of the third-rank inspector Zuo Deputy Chief Inspector, and was awarded 100 gold, 500 silver, 24 palace satin, and one gold and jade Ruyi each, and one mansion.

In addition to being named Master Ji San, Emperor Longqing knew that Master Ji San had his mother in the hall, and he also specially gave him favors and appointed Mrs. Ji as the official. He gave him a full pair of phoenix crowns and red robes, and was given a golden stick, jade Ruyi, coral beads, and musk strings.

Because Ji Xiaotang had also offered suggestions for the military farming and was also benefited from Master Ji San, although he had no title, he also got a pair of jade Ruyi.

Afterwards, everyone left one after another, and Emperor Longqing specially left Master Ji San to speak.

Ji Xiaotang and Qin Zhen also stayed. Emperor Longqing and Master Ji San and Qin Zhen talked in the imperial study room, and Empress Dowager Han brought Ji Xiaotang to Cining Palace.

Empress Dowager Han asked Ji Xiaotang how he prepared his dowry, and Ji Xiaotang answered briefly.

"... Time is tight after all. If there is anything that cannot be purchased, just tell me." Empress Dowager Han said with a smile.

This sentence is very friendly, as if she was the elder of Ji Xiaotang's mother's family. Queen Mother Han was indeed fulfilling her promise to Ji Xiaotang. Ji Xiaotang married Qin Zhen, and from now on, she will be Ji Xiaotang's backer.

"Thank you, the Empress Dowager. My family is very concerned about my marriage. There are people preparing for everything. If there is really something good, I will tell the Empress Dowager after all." Ji Xiaotang replied with a smile.

Empress Dowager Han was very satisfied with Ji Xiaotang's attitude.

"That's good, Xiaotang, I like you like this." As she said this, Empress Dowager Han suddenly sighed.

After Empress Dowager Han sighed, she stopped talking.

Ji Xiaotang waited for a while before tentatively asking: "What's the matter with the Queen Mother?"

With Empress Dowager Han's scheming, she could not express her emotions. She was obviously waiting for her to ask.

Sure enough, after Ji Xiaotang asked this, Empress Dowager Han spoke.

"Xiaotang, have you seen it? Ayou and King An seem to..."

When Empress Dowager Han said this, she looked at Ji Xiaotang and refused to continue talking.

Ji Xiaotang sneered in his heart.

Empress Dowager Han did this on purpose.

Don’t Empress Dowager Han know that Qi Younian and Qin Zhen have turned against each other. Moreover, Qi Younian just showed so obvious in the imperial study that even if he didn’t know the previous situation, he could see it.

Moreover, isn’t this the result that Empress Dowager Han hopes to see?

Qi Younian and Qin Lin approached, and Qin Zhen lost a strong arm from then on. The opposition and contradiction between Qin Lin and Qin Zhen will become more and more acute.

Ji Xiaotang knew what Empress Dowager Han wanted her to say, but she didn't want to say anything. She just sighed softly and then lowered her head.

In this way, Empress Dowager Han was busy and got the topic back. ()

"It's just a young man. He's just a gamble for a while and it will get better slowly. We don't have to worry about this little thing." Empress Dowager Han was trying to downplay the matter as much as possible.

"The Empress Dowager is right." Ji Xiaotang said then. Her attitude obviously did not want to continue to discuss this issue.

Empress Dowager Han glanced at Ji Xiaotang and turned the topic away.

Empress Dowager Han talked about Qin Lin, and she started with Qin Lin’s childhood. When it comes to Qin Lin’s childhood, she inevitably mentioned the imperial concubine back then.

"I'm fine, after all, I'm the queen of the central palace, poor Zhen'er's mother..." Empress Dowager Han told Ji Xiaotang implicitly that the imperial concubine relied on the emperor's favor and rampant in the harem, causing Qin Zhen's mother to be the mother. At that time, Concubine Shu was very angry.

Even when Qin Zhen was born later, he was completely suppressed by Qin Lin.

Empress Dowager Han’s words were very subtle and obscure, but this did not prevent Ji Xiaotang from understanding the meaning of her words. If she hadn’t taken care of Qin Zhen and Qin Zhen’s mother in the palace, she would have been bullied to death by the imperial concubine and Qin Lin.

In the narrative of Queen Mother Han, Qin Lin is Qin Zhen’s childhood shadow.

Ji Xiaotang listened silently, this was actually a bit different from Qin Zhen’s own narrative. He and Qin Lin have been competing since childhood, which is correct. However, when it comes to shadows...

It seems that there is no shadow between brothers who want to compete for their father's favor. If Qin Zhen's childhood really has a shadow, it seems that it is not the Imperial Concubine or Qin Lin.

Ji Xiaotang didn't say anything when she heard Empress Dowager Han's words. She just became the most attentive listener.

Empress Dowager Han skipped the death of the imperial concubine and directly talked about the present. Now, Qin Lin and Qin Zhen are still rivals.

There is nothing wrong with this.

"Now Ayou seems to be standing on his side again, I'm worried about shaking..."

Ji Xiaotang smiled.

"What is the Empress Dowager going to worry about? No matter what, whether it is Ayou, King Su, or King An, they are all ministers of the Great Qin, and the Empress Dowager and Your Majesty. As long as King An is loyal to the Great Qin and works for the Empress Dowager and Your Majesty, what else can you worry about for him? The Empress Dowager and Your Majesty will never let him suffer."

Empress Dowager Han also smiled, this time she was really happy. She couldn't help but sigh again, Ji Xiaotang is such a likable girl.

"Xiaotang, you are right. I wonder if Zhen'er can think so."

"According to my understanding of Prince An, Prince An must have the same idea as me. Moreover, if the Queen Mother thinks about it, Prince An, the Queen Mother and His Majesty are the closest people in the world."

The birth of Empress Dowager Han and Qin Zhen is from the Han family and is the cousin of the legitimate relatives. If we talk about it from there, Qin Zhen should also call Empress Dowager Han an aunt. In the palace, Empress Dowager Han is Qin Zhen's legitimate mother.

"That's right, that's right." Empress Dowager Han nodded repeatedly with a smile.

This is also one of the reasons why she chose Qin Zhen among Qin Zhen and Qin Lin.

In fact, if she really takes a closer look, she could only choose Qin Zhen.

Again, considering Qi Younian's factors, she also has to choose Qin Zhen. Qi Younian and Qin Zhen have a deep relationship, but it is not the same as Qin Lin.

Between Qin Lin and himself and Emperor Longqing, Qi Younian would prefer to be loyal to her and Emperor Longqing.

Empress Dowager Han was talking to Ji Xiaotang, and someone came in outside to report that it was Princess Changning who was here.

"Let her come in." Empress Dowager Han ordered casually.

When Ji Xiaotang heard that Changning was coming, she wanted to get up and say goodbye, but was stopped by Empress Dowager Han.∏∈,

"You should meet Changning, and the two sisters are close together. Unless you are still thinking about the misunderstandings in the past."

Ji Xiaotang had to stay.

Soon, a palace servant brought Princess Changning in.

Changning walked in with apricot red blouse dress, with a light steps and a spring breeze on her face. She almost didn't notice Ji Xiaotang, and gave a salute to Empress Dowager Han, so she happily asked Empress Dowager Han if it was true that the matter of being the second-ranked leader of the Tongzhi was signed by Qi Younian.

"Of course it's true." Empress Dowager Han angrily said to Changning, "Your information is very informative. Who told you?"

Changning smiled and refused to say anything.

Almost everyone in the palace knew what Changning thought about Qi Younian. When they knew about Qi Younian's promotion, they would tell Changning to please Changning. This was not a rare thing in the palace.

"Thank you, my mother." Changning said with red cheeks as she shook Empress Han's hand.

The news of Qi Younian's promotion spread. Not only Changning, but many people also believe that giving Qi Younian such grace, farming was just a name. Empress Dowager Han and Emperor Longqing were before marrying Changning to Qi Younian. They specially raised Qi Younian's identity.

That's why Changning said thank you to the queen of her seemingly dazed.

Empress Dowager Han gave Changning another look.

"What a random thank you has nothing to do with you, that's what Ah You deserves."

At the age of Qi Younian, no one has been able to reach the second rank of official positions except for the prince and grandson being awarded the title of Prince.

Although Empress Dowager Han said this, Changning did not believe it. She insisted that Empress Dowager Han was for her.

"Anyway, thank you for your mother." Changning was so happy that he almost forgot that he saw Ji Xiaotang also present at this time. Changning's smile froze.

Although he was persuaded by Empress Dowager Han several times, Changning would still have a bad face whenever he heard people talking about Ji Xiaotang. If he met him head-on, he would not have any good face.

Empress Dowager Han naturally saw Changning's expression change, so she deliberately coughed to remind Changning.

Last time, Empress Dowager Han said very harshly, and, no matter what, Ayou was still hers in the end. Thinking of this, Ji Xiaotang was just her defeated man, but a chess piece in her mother's hand.

Changning's mood calmed down a little, and the smile on his face was no longer so stiff.

Ji Xiaotang and Changning greeted each other, and Changning even congratulated Ji Xiaotang.

"From now, I will call you a fourth sister-in-law." Changning said with a slight smile.

"You don't have to be polite princess. In fact, just call it the same name as before." Ji Xiaotang pretended not to hear the sarcastic spirit in Changning's tone and said calmly.

"It's good to call me anyway. As long as you know, you should get closer in the future." Empress Dowager Han said with a smile.

"Mother, when I got married, I asked my fourth sister-in-law to make the bed for me." Changning said suddenly.

The custom of marrying a daughter in Beijing is that the woman’s dowry must come in one day in advance, and the woman goes to the man’s house to lay the bed tent for the new house for the bride. Such errands are usually handed over to the young and very close daughter-in-law among the woman’s relatives.

As a sister-in-law, Ji Xiaotang went to make a bed for Princess Changning, which is reasonable and quite decent.

However, if we consider the relationship between her and Qi Younian and Changning, things would be a bit subtle.

Changning wanted to torture Ji Xiaotang.

But if Ji Xiaotang could be tortured by this, she would not be Ji Xiaotang.

"As long as the queen mother and the princess don't dislike it..." Ji Xiaotang replied with a smile.

"I will discuss this matter later." Empress Dowager Han did not respond, but stopped the conversation, "You are an unmarried girl and have not yet been engaged. Although you are in front of your closest relatives, you should be more reserved."

At this time, someone came outside, saying that King An Qinzhen was beating someone to pick up Ji Xiaotang. It seemed that Emperor Longqing finally finished talking to Master Ji San, and everyone was going home.
To be continued...