Chapter 179

The Empress of the Yang family, who was so highly praised by Empress Dowager Wei, was not as glorious as she appeared on the surface.

The weather in the three counties was bitterly cold, and the so-called imperial palace was merely an expansion of the original princely residence.

Nobles from Luo’an found it difficult to adapt to the dry and biting cold winds of the three counties.

In a room heated by charcoal, Yang Ruxu carefully observed the concubines before her.

Those currently favored by Feng Wu were naturally charming, but they exuded a seductive aura.

Upon closer inspection, their eyes and brows bore a slight resemblance to Jiang Xiurun, the Empress of Qi.

Although Yang Ruxu had once been swayed by Feng Wu’s gentle affection during her time in Luo’an, after marrying him, she discovered that Feng Wu already had a Hu princess by his side.

Although the Hu princess had stepped aside to make way for her as the Empress, Feng Wu’s attention was clearly not on her after their marriage.

To secure his favor, her mother advised her to select several beautiful concubines for Feng Wu, all from the Yang clan.

Feng Wu accepted them gladly, treating them equally and rotating his nights with them, but it was evident that he was not particularly fond of any.

It wasn’t until Yang Ruxu accidentally saw a rolled-up portrait in Feng Wu’s study that she began to understand.

The woman in the portrait was slender, with lively eyes and brows, holding a small bow and drawing the string—clearly Jiang Xiurun, the current Empress of Qi.

Yang Ruxu couldn’t describe the feeling of frustration that welled up in her heart upon seeing the portrait.

But through it, she came to understand her husband’s taste—he had a fondness for his own sister-in-law.

Just as she had done in Luo’an, she spent money to carefully select several women with Bo bloodlines, whose features resembled Jiang Xiurun, and presented them to Feng Wu.

Only then did she see a hint of satisfaction in his eyes.

One of them, who bore the closest resemblance, was favored by Feng Wu for three consecutive nights.

Watching the once-arrogant Hu princess lose her favor, Yang Ruxu felt a slight relief, but she couldn’t help but compare herself to Jiang Xiurun.

When she left Luo’an, Jiang Xiurun was heavily pregnant and unable to serve the Emperor.

Yet, the other concubines in the palace remained untouched by Feng Liwu.

It seemed that not all emperors were the same, with their harems and countless beauties.

Although Jiang Xiurun had the Emperor’s heart, she was not a woman of great fortune.

If her husband Feng Wu could seize the throne, then the tale of Feng Liwu and Jiang Xiurun’s exclusive love would become a cautionary story of a bewitching woman leading to the loss of a nation.

With this in mind, Yang Ruxu knew she could not afford to be consumed by romantic entanglements.

Assisting Feng Wu in conquering the world and unifying the Qi Empire was the duty of a virtuous empress who would be remembered in history.

In comparison, the Empress of Qi was not as thoughtful as the Northern Qi’s Empress Yang, who had no intention of filling her husband’s harem to ease his mind.

The war at the front was intense, and provisions were of utmost importance.

In previous years, the Qi Dynasty had faced shortages in military supplies.

Even when the army had sufficient provisions, the burden on the common people increased, and food became scarce.

However, the prolonged war did not deplete Qi’s granaries, thanks to the irrigation projects Jiang Xiurun had overseen during her tenure at the Ministry of Agriculture.

Although she had only completed half of the project before leaving, the detailed blueprints she left behind allowed those who followed to continue the work.

Now, as Jiang Xiurun inspected the irrigation channels she had once directed, she saw water snakes glistening in the sunlight, winding their way in all directions.

With these water channels regulating the water supply, most counties could ensure good harvests despite droughts or floods.

Even areas that had once been disaster zones had become fertile lands, rich in fish and rice.

Baoli, her son, ran swiftly through the fields during the spring season.

The green mountains and white rivers, the young rice shoots, and the yellow rapeseed flowers made the child as lively as a young lamb frolicking in the fields.

Soon, his little tiger-embroidered boots were soaked with water.

The maid accompanying him grew anxious, wanting to change his shoes, but Jiang Xiurun smiled and said, “No need to change his shoes. Children need to connect with the earth. Let him play… but Baoli, remember not to step on the newly planted seedlings, or I’ll spank you.”

Baoli took off his little hat, revealing a sweaty forehead, and smiled at his mother, “Mother, I’ll pick flowers for you and Yanyan!”

With that, he toddled off to pick wild flowers.

The local officials and gentry accompanied the Empress as she inspected the waterways.

Farmers working in the fields bowed deeply upon seeing her.

Jiang Xiurun had personally led the Ministry of Agriculture in constructing water conservancy projects in Hanyang, earning her an excellent reputation among the people.

The year after she had overseen the construction of reservoirs and dams, a heavy rainstorm hit.

Without these projects, Hanyang would have been submerged, resulting in countless deaths.

Many people, upon learning that the former Minister Jiang was actually the current Empress in disguise, brought gifts of fruits, pigs, and game to express their gratitude.

Jiang Xiurun accepted their offerings with a smile, thanking them for their kindness.

Hanyang was the third county she had visited in the past two months.

Feng Liwu was engaged in a stalemate with rebel forces along the river.

The side with a stable rear and timely provisions would have the upper hand in maintaining morale and endurance.

In this regard, Feng Liwu was slightly better prepared than Feng Wu.

He had long planned to consolidate internal affairs and defend the borders.

When the Ministry of Agriculture proposed the irrigation projects, he had pushed them through despite opposition.

With ample food, the farmers were at ease.

Jiang Xiurun personally calculated the surplus from each county, ensuring that the provisions sent to the front lines would not leave the people hungry.

Her visits to the countryside were not only to reassure the people on behalf of the Emperor, who was buried in military affairs, but also to personally inspect for any hidden issues.

During her tour, she noticed that land encroachment was severe around the capital, especially on lands left behind by the Yang and Meng families when they fled.

Although Feng Liwu had ordered these lands to be converted into public fields, there were signs of tampering.

The remaining major families eyed these unclaimed lands greedily, each fearing they would not get their share.

Jiang Xiurun had someone retrieve the old land deeds for comparison, and the results were astonishing.

Some boundaries had shifted so much that they crossed two mountains and extended into neighboring counties.

The family responsible for these unauthorized boundary changes was none other than the Wei family, Feng Liwu’s maternal relatives.

With the Meng family no longer in power, the Wei family was thriving.

Wei Zhong, the head of the family, was not worried about his grandson turning against the Wei family.

However, he was concerned about maintaining the family’s influence through marriage alliances.

Although the position of Empress was occupied by a foreign woman, Wei Zhong believed that the Emperor’s harem should include women from the Wei family.

With the Emperor away at war and the Empress often traveling outside the palace, Wei Zhong saw an opportunity to place suitable women by the Emperor’s side.

He selected a couple of young women from the family and had them disguised as men to serve in the military camp.

However, upon arrival, they found that the Emperor’s attendants were all arranged by the Empress, making it impossible for outsiders to get close.

Wei Zhong had not anticipated the new Empress’s jealousy.

When he visited the camp, he noticed that not a single woman served the Emperor.

The empress of Bo was so domineering—did she expect the Emperor to remain faithful to her alone?

Wei Zhong was not in a hurry.

Unlike his daughter, Empress Dowager Wei, he preferred a more natural approach.

He believed that with careful arrangement, things would unfold on their own.

After learning that Feng Liwu periodically visited a nearby hot spring, he sent one of the chosen women there to bathe, planning for her to “accidentally” encounter the Emperor.

The young woman, Wei Shan, knew that as a member of the family’s lesser branch, she had to seize this opportunity.

She undressed and entered the water, ready to play her part.

At sixteen, she was in the prime of her youth, confident that her beauty surpassed that of the Empress, who had already borne two children and likely had a less appealing figure.