Exile with Storage Space: Family Fortunes in the Barren Lands-Chapter 782 - 0735 Princess Consort Yu Wen (1)

"Granted, granted!" Li Can was very happy, "Pei Aiqing, you may go back and inform the Prime Minister, the Emperor has granted it."

"Thank you, Emperor." Pei Shenyan saluted and then took his leave.

As he walked out of the palace, Pei Shenyan encountered Yu Wen Zan.

Yu Wen Zan’s complexion was noticeably worse than a month ago.

Pei Shenyan heard that he has been taking medicine recently, perhaps it’s taken a toll on his body?

"Second Young Master Yu Wen." Pei Shenyan was not familiar with Yu Wen Zan and didn’t want to get involved with this scheming person. He always greeted him superficially.

Yu Wen Zan saw him and enthusiastically struck up a conversation, "Ah, it’s Fifth Young Master Pei? Came to see the Emperor?"

"There were some unclear matters, I came to consult the Emperor." Pei Shenyan replied perfunctorily.

"By the way, at the Hundred Beauty Building in the East Market, a singing actor has choreographed new dances. When do you have time? I’ll invite you to hear the songs." Yu Wen Zan invited enthusiastically.

Pei Shenyan shook his head, "No, I don’t care much for lively scenes, but I appreciate your kind offer."

He excused himself, claiming urgent matters, and left hastily.

Yu Wen Zan glanced at the departing Pei Shenyan, then looked toward the not far away Tianming Palace, squinting his eyes in thought.

His attendant beside him said, "Second Young Master, Pei Shenyan just went to the Emperor’s Tianming Palace, didn’t he?"

"It must be, if he went to another palace, he wouldn’t need to take this path." Yu Wen Zan sneered.

"Being so proactive in seeking out the Emperor, be careful that the Emperor doesn’t become overly reliant on him, it would be unfair for Second Young Master’s years of painstaking efforts to be overshadowed." The attendant reminded.

"A bookworm, what skills could he possibly have?" Yu Wen Zan sneered.

However, despite his dismissive words, he still secretly investigated.

Yu Wen Zan bribed a few palace people and discovered that Pei Shenyan recently entered the palace and delivered a secret letter written by Prime Minister Pei to the Emperor.

But he didn’t know what the letter contained.

Yu Wen Zan was secretly shocked, could Prime Minister Pei write? Could it mean he had recovered from his illness?

If Prime Minister Pei was indeed well, would his own position still be secure?

Yu Wen Zan’s eyes slightly darkened, and with his hands behind his back, he glanced towards a palace courtyard in the west, and then turned and walked in that direction.

After walking for the time it takes to drink half a bowl of tea, Yu Wen Zan arrived in front of the main hall of Qingyuan Palace.

The gatekeeping eunuch saw him approach, saluted, and went inside to report.

Moments later, the eunuch came out smiling, "The Imperial Concubine invites Assistant Minister to enter the hall for a conversation."

"Thank you." Yu Wen Zan glanced at his attendant.

The attendant cleverly took a small pouch from his bosom and handed it to the eunuch.

Yu Wen Zan entered the main hall.

A little palace maid then led him to the garden behind the hall.

In the summer garden, flowers were blooming brilliantly in a riot of colors.

A young woman dressed in a willow yellow gown stood under the eaves, teasing a caged red-beaked parrot with a peacock feather.

Seeing Yu Wen Zan, a maid bowed and saluted, "Honorable Assistant Minister."

"I wish the Imperial Concubine peace and health." Yu Wen Zan stepped forward, performing a grand salute to the Imperial Concubine.

The Imperial Concubine turned to look, handed the peacock feather to a palace maid beside her, and raised a hand to Yu Wen Zan with a smile, "Second Brother, no need for such formalities, please rise."

A palace maid brought over some tea.

Yu Wen Zan glanced around without speaking.

The Imperial Concubine looked at him and dismissed the little palace maids and eunuchs, leaving only a Chief Palace Maid to accompany her, "Sit, Second Brother, the weather is hot this afternoon. Why haven’t you gone back to rest?"

Because of the heat, Little Emperor Li Can was not healthy, often suffering from diarrhea, vomiting, and poor appetite. The early morning court sessions were not as frequent; they only occurred once every five days.

After the Dragon Boat Festival, the morning courts ended even earlier.

After court dispersed, officials would either go to their offices or return home to rest.

In the later afternoon, as the weather cooled, everyone came to their offices to handle urgent matters.

Yu Wen Zan frowned slightly, "There’s something I need Fourth Sister to investigate, the matter is urgent, leaving me no time to worry about the weather."

"Speak, Second Brother, there’s no need for formality between siblings." The Imperial Concubine smiled.

Imperial Concubine Yu Wen was the daughter of one of Yu Wen Zan’s cousins.

In an effort to restore the family’s prestige, Yu Wen Zan and his father not only relied on currying favor with Prime Minister Pei but also sent several marriageable women from their family into the palace through connections.

Li Can had a fondness for beauty, suiting his tastes exactly.

Yu Wen Zan’s only biological sister is of average appearance and got married early, but he has several cousin sisters with exceptional beauty.

He sent five cousin sisters to the palace in one go, and ultimately, it was this fourth cousin sister who stood out.

Princess Consort Yu Wen knows that her current glory and wealth are due to the efforts of this cousin brother and his son, and she does her utmost to repay them.

This Princess Consort Yu Wen, despite her young age, is quite shrewd, even the Empress Cui fears her a little.

With internal and external cooperation, the Yu Wen Family of the Duke Zhongyi Mansion managed to regain power over the court.

Now Yu Wen Zan, besides serving as Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, also works in the Central Secretariat, acting in the capacity of Right Minister.

Yu Wen Zan said, "Pei Shenyan sent a secret letter from Prime Minister Pei to the Emperor today. I want to know what’s written in that letter. Can Fourth Sister help to investigate?"

Princess Consort Yu Wen smiled and said, "What’s so difficult about that? I’ll go see the Emperor and get the letter for you."

Yu Wen Zan was delighted and said, "Thank you very much, Fourth Sister."

After sending off Yu Wen Zan, Princess Consort Yu Wen took the appetizing porridge she had prepared and went to Tianming Palace.

Li Can, in earlier years, was in good health, but since ascending the throne, his health has deteriorated year by year.

The imperial physicians have examined him repeatedly but have not found any major illness.

Everyone knows in their hearts that it’s mainly because Li Can indulged excessively in women, exhausting his body early.

With poor health, minor illnesses on others became major illnesses on him.

For instance, when afflicted with a cold, an ordinary young man would just need some ginger broth, at most some medicine for two days, but he would need to stay in bed for half a month to recover.

And during the change of seasons, where young people might occasionally have a runny nose or cough, Li Can would be bedridden and need ten days to half a month of medicine just to have the strength to walk.

Yet, even so, Li Can often asks the imperial physicians to prescribe aphrodisiacs to entertain himself at night. Furthermore, the Empress Dowager, having only him as a son, dotes on him and never restrains him.

Prince Luling once advised Li Can face-to-face, but instead of listening, Li Can demoted Prince Luling to Zhen An Prefecture.

The Empress earnestly advised him, but Li Can simply ignored her.

These days, with the heat, it’s unclear whether it’s sunstroke or excessive nightly activities on the ground, but Li Can has been experiencing low-grade fever, nausea, and loss of appetite for over half a month.

This morning, after speaking with Pei Shenyan for an extended period, Li Can felt exhausted and called for a small concubine to accompany him, taking an early afternoon nap.

When Princess Consort Yu Wen walked into the main hall of Tianming Palace, the Chief Eunuch told her that Li Can was resting in the inner hall.

Princess Consort Yu Wen nodded and asked if anyone was with him.

The eunuch said Beauty Hu was accompanying him.

Princess Consort Yu Wen smiled and said, "Thank you, Beauty Hu, for your hard work."

Empress Cui cherishes Li Can’s health, thus despises it when the young concubines cling to him while he is ill, and would punish them for it.

Empress Cui manages strictly, and none of the concubines like her.

Princess Consort Yu Wen’s conduct is quite the opposite; she even gives up her own nights to others.

She also teaches the other concubines how to please Li Can.

She has even saved a few punished young concubines from Empress Cui’s hands.

Princess Consort Yu Wen’s righteousness has earned her much good rapport in the palace.

Upon hearing that a concubine was accompanying Li Can in the inner hall, she was not at all angry; instead, she smiled gently and advised the eunuch not to disturb them.

"I’ll wait outside, don’t disturb the Emperor." Princess Consort Yu Wen signaled to the palace maid accompanying her, "Put the appetizing porridge on the table, let’s go look at the camellias."

She walked away with the palace maid.

The eunuch thought, Princess Consort Yu Wen is indeed considerate; if it were Empress Cui, she would have stormed in, disregarding Li Can’s face.

Princess Consort Yu Wen stayed in the outer hall, playing three rounds of chess with the palace maid before Li Can came out from the inner hall.

He was delighted to see Princess Consort Yu Wen and walked over with a smile, "My beloved concubine is here? Why didn’t you let someone inform me?"

"The Emperor was resting; I dared not disturb." Princess Consort Yu Wen stepped forward and saluted Li Can.

Beauty Hu, who followed behind Li Can with a flushed face, knelt and said, "Blessings, Imperial Concubine. Emperor, Your Imperial Highness, I shall take my leave now."

Beauty Hu tactfully withdrew.

Princess Consort Yu Wen stepped forward, took Li Can’s hand, and they walked together into the inner hall.

Having just been intimate with a palace maid, Li Can was already physically exhausted; Princess Consort Yu Wen used her wiles to make him fall asleep gently.

The palace maid who came with Princess Consort Yu Wen seized the opportunity to search the inner hall.

Princess Consort Yu Wen was well aware of Li Can’s habit of where he liked to place documents and letters.

After some searching, the palace maid indeed found what she was looking for.

However, taking the secret letter would arouse Li Can’s suspicion.