Allure of a Country Maiden
Chapter 476 - 474

Chapter 476: 474

"Xiao’er, you truly have a knack for food. The head chef of the Imperial Dining Room in the palace pales in comparison to you!" Di Shaowei expressed as he stepped out of the room to find Xiao’er.

"Of course! By the way, how’s the case progressing?" News from the outside world was kept from the two pregnant women at home. Given that they were not yet three months into their pregnancies and their conditions weren’t stable, they did not venture out and thus were unaware of the happenings outside.

"Almost there. Now these ministers are like mad dogs, biting whoever they see. But what they don’t know is that the real culprit is just laughing at them," Di Shaowei laughed.

The Marquis Zhongyong Mansion hadn’t taken bribery or twisted the law; they had no evidence. They could only latch onto Di Zhiyuan, accusing him of leveraging the power of the mansion and the Empress, practicing bribery and lawlessness.

Di Zhiyuan was Di Shaowei’s second uncle. As the Empress’ close relative, wielding their power was simply part of the course. After all, whoever he encountered was likely to offer him respect due to his connections.

"I heard my father was implicated as well? They’re saying our top-quality food products are fraudulent, and we’re profiting excessively?"

"There’s nothing to worry about. The products in your shop are openly priced. It’s like fishing—everyone willingly takes the bait! With the quality on display, it’s only natural for people to be queuing up to buy, even if it’s expensive. These people are just green with envy!"

Thinking of the swarms of customers frequenting Xiao’er’s shop, Di Shaowei continued, "But your shops make too bold a show: the jewelry shop, the clothing shop, the restaurant, the inn, the blacksmith, the furniture store, the beauty salon. You squeeze out competitors the moment you enter a new industry! I would be envious, too. They can’t reproach you, so they nitpick just to annoy you!"

So, was he just here to stir up trouble? Was it their fault for having good business?

Xiao’er pointed in the direction of the door:

"Get out, and don’t you dare get jealous here."

He couldn’t leave; he had to stay and dine with his wife. "My dear, can’t you let me off the hook? If anyone dares make you uncomfortable, I’ll be the first to make them suffer a thousand times over!"

Xiao’er rolled her eyes at him, "Is the Empress alright?"

She had heard that all officials called for the Empress’s removal, filling the desk with memorials criticizing her. Accusations ranged from the Emperor’s favoritism leading to the Empress’s family overwhelming the court, to their exploitation and corruption, to their stealing of commoners’ daughters. They seemed to want to pin every possible crime on them.

They also claimed that, without other imperial consorts to rival the Empress, the Di family acted recklessly, endangering the nation’s stability. Even if the Emperor didn’t depose the Empress, he should distribute his affection evenly, resume the selection of consorts, and introduce new women into the harem annually, helping the imperial lineage to flourish.

Several voices claimed that the Empress was overdominant and lacked generosity. Despite being pregnant and unable to serve the Emperor, she hadn’t considered selecting consorts for him, and the Emperor neglected his illegitimate sons.

...

In summary, most argued that the Emperor should no longer favour the Empress exclusively, but should admit more consorts into the harem, sharing his favour to prevent the Empress’s family from becoming overly powerful and arrogant.

With countless memorials flooding in, the Emperor was furious.

Over the years, the Empress has been the favourite in the harem; besides the late Consort Yang, there was only one other woman, Chang Guiren. Chang Guiren, a maid turned concubine due to her bearing the Third Prince, was not a favoured consort. The two lived as though they were teetering on thin ice.

The Emperor’s harem was more peaceful than his backyard, and with so many vacancies, many people wanted to seize the opportunity to push their daughters in.

The inclusion of a single consort could bring many advantages to a family; the benefits to the son of Marquis Zhongyong were evident.

"She’ll be fine. The real purpose of these people is just to use this opportunity to get the Emperor to take in more consorts, preferably their own daughters! I’ve heard that favouring concubines over wives is the root of a family’s downfall, but I’ve never heard that favouring a wife is wrong. Besides, it’s the Emperor’s harem, he can favour whoever he wants. It’s none of their business. They can’t just intrude like that! There are plenty of ministers with messy affairs in their backyards, and the Emperor doesn’t meddle in them." Di Shaowei exclaimed angrily when asked about the incident.

"The Emperor is in his prime; who wouldn’t want to send their daughter into the palace? Perhaps someday there might be a grandson who ascends the throne, leading to their own rise to power, right?"

The Emperor was just over forty, and in this era, the average lifespan was slightly over fifty. In ten or so years, the Emperor would pass, which was also when a teenage prince would come of age and vie for the throne.

"That’s just wishful thinking! The Marquis Zhongyong Mansion maintains integrity and uprightness. Over generations, our family fought and bled to protect the Minze Dynasty! As long as we stand, we’ll be the Empress’s strongest defense!" Di Shaowei said firmly.

Their ancestors had also helped establish this dynasty.

"So my second uncle is okay then?" Xiao’er asked, recalling what Xu Zhongtian had said. This incident started because of him.

Di Zhiyuan was Di Shaowei’s blood-related uncle. He was the one most heavily accused in this corruption case, with solid evidence against him.

"Not a problem, there’s more to the case than it seems. Xuanyi is planning something. We’ll be able to counteract soon." Di Shaowei shook his head. It was only a temporary setback; the truth would soon come to light.

"No wonder I haven’t seen him for so many days."

Upon hearing this, Di Shaowei looked at her with a teasing smile: "You’ve missed him, haven’t you, girl? Don’t worry! When he returns, I’ll let him know you missed him and ensure he comes to see you immediately!"

Xiao’er retorted to Di Shaowei’s teasing, "You don’t need to tell him. He will come to see me the moment he returns!"

Ming Jingya walked over after waking up from her nap. Seeing this, Xiao’er stood up. "Look, Brother Di, Sister Ming is up. She rushed over the moment she woke up. Typically, she’d get something to eat first! And on days when you’re not here, she incessantly worries about whether you’re eating on time or kicking your quilt during your sleep..."

Upon hearing this, Di Shaowei looked at her with affectionate laughter.

Ming Jingya blushed. "Xiao’er, I’m not like that!"

She had only thought that in her heart; she never said it out loud. How did Xiao’er find out?

"No? Then do you miss Brother Di or not?"

With a red face, Ming Jingya struggled to respond to the question. Whether she admitted to missing him or not, she’d be embarrassed either way.

"You’re bullying your sister-in-law, girl. She’s thin-skinned!"

"But didn’t you tease me just now? Now all I can do is bully your thin-skinned wife!" Xiao’er replied unapologetically.

"Girl, okay! I surrender. Next time I promise not to tease you. Is that okay?"

"At least you know your place!" Xiao’er left them to their own devices after throwing these words, leaving the space for the lovers.

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