Transmigrated into an Ancient M-Preg Novel as the Scumbag Alpha (GL) - Chapter 25.2
At *sishi* (9-11 AM), various employment agencies arrived with people. Shen Liunian was busy selecting individuals, while Yun Chenghuai met with Manager Zhao.
Manager Zhao, Zhao Zhe, was a *jinshi* of the second class, who later passed the *shujishi* examination and then entered the Eastern Palace as a fifth-rank Grand Academician. Her future should have been bright, but she was later harmed by her family and almost exiled. It was Crown Princess Yun Chengji who intervened and arranged for her to be in Princess Chuxiang Manor as a fourth-rank Manager.
On the surface, it seemed like a promotion in rank, but a princess manor’s manager could not compare to a Grand Academician of the Eastern Palace.
Her once boundless future had become dim.
A promising princess manor manager, if they later went to their fiefdom, would be considered a high official there.
Unfortunately, following the original owner, who was courting death, and with the original owner confined for ten years, how could the manor officials fare any better?
Yun Chenghuai’s gaze lingered on Zhao Zhe. The other party was dressed in coarse plain clothes, looking travel-worn, less like an official and more like a farmer who toiled in the fields year-round.
“Your Highness.” Zhao Zhe saw her and quickly bowed.
“Manager Zhao, there’s no need for such formality.” Yun Chenghuai’s eyes held a smile as she gestured for Zhao Zhe to sit.
Xiao Bei, at the side, personally brewed tea. Ever since Yun Chenghuai dismissed her personal maids and together with Shen Liunian reorganized the manor, there were no maids in the front courtyard. Apart from the guards, there were only pages and attendants, none of whom knew how to brew tea.
Once Shen Liunian had chosen the new recruits and trained them for a couple of days, and the new maids were on duty, Xiao Bei wouldn’t have to bother with everything.
Zhao Zhe was surprised. When did the Princess become so gentle, not only smiling but also exceptionally cordial towards her?
Most of Princess Chuxiang Manor’s officials were arranged by the Eastern Palace, while the military generals were arranged by the old Duke Zhenguo. The Princess had always disliked these people, preferring instead the retainers she recruited herself—a group of useless scholars who only knew how to compose poems and couplets, consuming countless amounts of the manor’s wealth daily.
Zhao Zhe had left the capital three days after Yun Chenghuai’s wedding to handle affairs in Xiangzhou. She only knew the general outline of what happened during that time, not the details.
“Your Highness, the affairs in Xiangzhou are temporarily settled. This official received news of Your Highness’s confinement and rushed back. Is there any inside information regarding this?”
In the past, Zhao Zhe would directly ask others about such matters because even if she asked, the Princess wouldn’t tell her.
Seeing that the Princess was different today, she tentatively asked.
Yun Chenghuai recalled the reason, plunging the study into a brief silence.
Zhao Zhe hesitated, about to change the topic, when Yun Chenghuai said, “That day, I drank too much wine and stirred up some trouble, which was relayed by someone with ulterior motives to Her Majesty’s ears.”
The original owner usually looked down on people. Drunken babbling was common, and it often reached Her Majesty’s ears. Before, it was minor punishment, but this month-long confinement was considered a relatively severe punishment.
“Your Highness, Her Majesty is not as he once was. It is hoped that Your Highness will be cautious in your words and actions.”
All the court officials saw this clearly, especially the old ministers who had served since Her Majesty’s ascension. Most understood.
The Zhao family was once prominent in the capital, with five *hanlins* in one generation. If not for a misstep, their family’s standing would have been extremely distinguished.
Zhao Zhe came from a good family and had entered officialdom in the first year of Shenlong. Starting in the Hanlin Academy, she was a close minister to the Emperor and was familiar with the current Emperor.
Yun Chenghuai was not the original owner; she naturally understood Zhao Zhe’s meaning. Serving the ruler was like serving a tiger. The Emperor was not only a ruler but also a mother.
“Thank you for the reminder, Manager Zhao. This Princess understands.”
There were some things Zhao Zhe couldn’t elaborate on. Seeing her agree, she wondered if it was just perfunctory.
Well, in the past, the Princess wouldn’t even bother being perfunctory. After getting married, she had finally matured.
Yun Chenghuai saw the look on Zhao Zhe’s face and knew the other party didn’t believe her. She smiled. “My Princess Consort is pregnant. For nothing else but for the child, this Princess cannot act as recklessly as before.”
“Moreover, previously, this Princess disliked the Princess Consort for being a merchant’s daughter. Upon careful thought, she, like this Princess, is also powerless over her own fate. In the past, this Princess was mistaken. Now that she carries this Princess’s child, whether out of shared misfortune or for the child’s sake, this Princess should not implicate her.”
Her heartfelt words made Zhao Zhe restless.
Yun Chenghuai stood up, bowed, and changed her address. “This Princess knows your talent, and also knows that you are Her Highness the Crown Princess’s person. But the Crown Princess is this Princess’s older sister. Although this Princess dislikes her constant interference, this Princess also trusts her. Since you have entered the princess manor, you and this Princess share prosperity and ruin. Therefore, this Princess dares to speak to you from the heart.”
Zhao Zhe stood up with a start, tears welling in her eyes, dodging Yun Chenghuai’s bow. Then she gave a deep bow herself, saying, “Your Highness, this official swears to serve Your Highness until death.”
“Please rise quickly.” Yun Chenghuai helped Zhao Zhe up while internally scoffing at herself.
She certainly recognized Zhao Zhe’s talent. Someone who could pass the *jinshi* examination was much harder than the modern college entrance exam. That was a civil service exam, a national exam. To pass the *shujishi* exam meant passing the national exam and then two more selections; the pass rate was far more than one in ten thousand.
Such a person’s talent was undoubtedly exceptional. Coupled with the Crown Princess’s regard and her ability to manage affairs in Xiangzhou so well, she was not only talented but also highly capable.
Yesterday, Yun Chenghuai sat in the study, listing all the princess manor officials and scrutinizing their usual performance and backgrounds one by one.
The officials of Princess Chuxiang Manor, while not necessarily outstanding, could all fulfill their respective duties. Being able to perform their duties well was already not easy. If asked to do other things, they would probably do well.
And among them, Zhao Zhe was the most calculating. Originally, she planned to meet Manager Zhao after meeting the Royal Tutor, but today she met her first.
Her words to Zhao Zhe were also what she wanted to say to all the princess manor officials.
From now on, they would meet frequently, and her changes needed to be known by the princess manor officials first.
Another point: among the officials were people from the Emperor and the Eastern Palace. Some things needed to be conveyed to the Emperor and the Eastern Palace through their mouths.
What happened in the princess manor these two days had, more or less, spread out. Not just the Emperor and the Eastern Palace, but the imperial princesses must have also received the news. Her changes were spreading through various channels.
It would only be a few more days. Once Shen Liunian controlled the entire princess manor, it would become like an iron barrel. They would only know what she wanted them to know.
The inner courtyard and the manor guards were entrusted to Shen Liunian. The manor officials were civil officials, loyal to her as the Princess.
Manager Zhao, the Grand Historian, was the most important among the officials. She had to be appeased first.
Yun Chenghuai felt that she was adapting too quickly. For the sake of her future, she had to do too many things, and inevitably had to plan several steps, or even ten steps, ahead.
Zhao Zhe sat back down, her eyes red, and after hesitating for a moment, said, “Your Highness, Her Highness the Crown Princess did not intend to interfere with the manor’s affairs. Rather, too many people were plotting against the manor, and Her Highness the Crown Princess wanted to protect you.”
Protecting her? Yun Chenghuai was startled. In the original owner’s memory, she had no good impression of this Crown Princess.
The other party was too controlling, filling her princess manor with her own people. Every word and action of hers would be met with someone sent to admonish her. The original owner was utterly annoyed by the Crown Princess.
The two couldn’t meet often, relying mostly on palace servants to relay messages. With constant messages and endless reprimands, the original owner’s feelings for her Crown Princess sister turned from annoyance to hatred.
Yun Chenghuai chuckled softly. “This Princess was young then, and regarded Her Highness the Crown Princess’s painstaking efforts as restraint, when in reality, it was a betrayal of Her Highness the Crown Princess’s care.”
The original owner was in her rebellious phase. After moving into the princess manor, she wanted to establish her own career. Facing the Crown Princess’s constant arrangements, she naturally felt restrained.
Zhao Zhe smiled and said, “Your Highness speaks truly. If Your Highness can resolve the discord with Her Highness the Crown Princess, that would naturally be good.”
Enough has been said for today. To delve deeper would likely lead to discussions of succession.
Zhao Zhe had intended to explain the benefits of Yun Chenghuai resolving her discord with the Crown Princess, but after thinking it over, she felt it was too soon and kept the rest to herself.
“Actually, there’s something I’d like you to do” Yun Chenghuai was currently facing both internal and external troubles. She had just stabilized Shen Liunian, and their cooperation was not entirely reliable. For external matters, she had no one to use apart from An Yuan.
This matter was not suitable for An Yuan, so she thought of Zhao Zhe.
Zhao Zhe stood up and bowed again. “Your Highness, please command. This official will do her utmost.”
The ancients had too many formalities. After a few words, one had to bow again. Yun Chenghuai was helpless and could only return the bow.
“The Princess Consort’s pregnancy should already be known outside. I want you to spread some rumors.”