Chapter 142 - 122: The Harem’s Number One Special Assistant
The first thing Jiang Xian noticed was that Qingliu Hall kept no meeting minutes.
This was because keeping meeting minutes wasn’t yet a common practice in the Yan Chichao dynasty.
Detailed records were only kept for major occasions, such as when the Emperor decreed that scholars from different factions should gather to debate a specific topic. China’s history had such precedents—the famous "Discourses on Salt and Iron," for instance, later became an invaluable historical resource.
But for the discussions in Qingliu Hall, decisions were made and immediately carried out.
At first glance, this seemed fine. These were all top scholars; how could they possibly forget what was discussed in the last meeting? They remembered just fine, but the Emperor often got the details mixed up.
After all, the sheer volume of memorials he had to review each day was on a completely different scale from theirs.
So Jiang Xian requested a brush, ink, paper, and an inkstone. As the men spoke, she took notes just as she had at her old job, then organized them for the Emperor. This was more than a simple transcript of the meeting. She added her own interpretations, bolding and underlining key points. She also cut strips of colored paper to serve as makeshift sticky notes, providing them with a small dish of paste.
Each page was individual and could be easily detached, making it convenient to assign tasks.
At first, the Emperor thought it was just some little trinket she had devised out of boredom. But since she had made it, he used it as a sign of his favor.
Three days later, just like the Empress, he was completely hooked.
He couldn’t help it.
It was just too convenient and effective!
The discussions in Qingliu Hall were extra work—secret planning conducted behind the backs of the senior court officials. The Emperor still had his regular duties, so he often had to use his personal time at night for review. Before he had Gu Pin’s notes, he would have to mentally rehash every detail, which was incredibly draining. He couldn’t stand being interrupted and would fly into a rage if his train of thought was broken.
He found it deeply frustrating, but he would just think, ’Didn’t the late Emperor have to go through the same thing?’
’If you want to accomplish real things, you can’t expect an easy life. The easiest path is to lie back and be a puppet Emperor, but am I willing to live like that? No, I am not.’
In Jiang Xian’s eyes, all this frustration was unnecessary.
It was like dealing with an intern who didn’t know how to use Excel. Tasked with summing rows of data, he would manually add up each number in a row instead of using the auto-sum function.
But the problem was, Excel has an auto-sum function.
Knowing how to use tools, save effort, and focus one’s energy where it truly matters—that’s what the leader of a major enterprise ought to do.
He didn’t know how before, so Jiang Xian was showing him the way.
Once you get a taste of convenience, there’s no going back.
Jiang Xian had quietly taken on the role of a secretary. In the Ming Dynasty, this work would have belonged to a powerful eunuch. But the Yan Chichao dynasty didn’t encourage the heavy use of eunuchs; officially, they weren’t even permitted to be literate. With no one else suitable by his side, the Emperor let her fill the void.
Jiang Xian had made this move only after deep consideration.
Offering unsolicited opinions on political matters, even if they were truly insightful, could easily breed resentment in the Emperor.
First, she would act as a secretary to test the Emperor’s boundaries, and then she would smoothly integrate herself into the process.
If he turned out to be an Emperor who detested women meddling in politics, she could quickly retract her feelers. She’d just activate her Little Pitiful Halo and claim she only did it because she loved him so much and desperately wanted to ease his burdens. ’The loose-leaf notebook only recorded what everyone said,’ she would argue. ’I didn’t add any of my own opinions.’
—But of course, she had. The bolded and underlined sections were the information she had "curated."
If the Emperor resisted, she would play dumb.
If the Emperor didn’t resist, she would press her advantage.
Able to advance or retreat, a seasoned office veteran never makes a fatal error.
That night, the Emperor was in high spirits. Holding the loose-leaf notebook, he asked her, "Xian’er, how did you devise these unique symbols? This clever trick of making certain words bolder is also quite ingenious."
"I was just thinking that Your Majesty has so much to worry about each day. How tedious it must be to read such dense lines of text at night. With varied formatting, Your Majesty can spot the key points at a single glance."
The Emperor sighed. "It just seems like a lot of trouble to record it all."
It was indeed a lot of trouble.
But Jiang Xian put on a gentle, docile smile, her Little Pitiful Halo practically glowing. She took the Emperor’s hand and murmured, "However much trouble it is, it’s nothing compared to the hardship Your Majesty endures to govern the realm."
Jiang Xian attributed all her anachronistically clever ideas to her overwhelming love for the Emperor.
For the Emperor, this reason was more than sufficient.
’I really am just that charming!’
Being head-over-heels for the Emperor was the number one driver of productivity in the harem.
"Things will be better once this period is over. It is only natural that I consolidate my power. They rendered meritorious service by assisting me in the past, but clinging to power and refusing to let go is their failing now." The Emperor paused, pulling her into his embrace. "With you, Xian’er, I can speak my mind. Forget what should be forgotten, but take to heart what needs to be remembered. This realm ultimately belongs to the Xie family. As long as you understand that, I will not forget our connection. You may visit with the Noble Consort more in the future, but you must not tell her everything."
With frequent wars on the borders, the Emperor would have need of the Rong Family for a long time to come. They wouldn’t be toppled in just a few years.
As long as the Noble Consort remained without a son, the Rong Family would remain secure.
Jiang Xian nodded in understanding. "I only wish to ease Your Majesty’s burdens. How could I be so foolish as to cause more trouble? My entire fate depends on Your Majesty’s will. If I were to spread rumors, I might end up harming them and bringing disaster upon myself for no reason. Besides," she added softly, "my heart isn’t very large. It only has room for Your Majesty."
’The CEO versus the senior executives.’ Jiang Xian knew exactly whose side to be on.
The Emperor had his own calculations. If she tried to butt in and play the hero, she would only lose his trust and end up harming others.
"It’s always so comforting to talk with you, Xian’er."
As the Emperor savored this moment of emotional connection, his thoughts drifted to the other women in the harem.
He had so many frustrations, yet he had to keep them all bottled up.
The other concubines wouldn’t necessarily understand him, and getting someone to truly understand you was an exhausting endeavor.
True soulmates were rare, but a "sweet-hearted subordinate" knew how to be accommodating and was an expert at catering to her superior.
"There are many things I can’t discuss with Hui Pin and the others. Lu Ronghua has her own schemes. The Chu Family is docile enough, but the Empress is busy, and I’d rather not trouble her with other matters."
"They may not understand Your Majesty, but I love to listen. Even if I don’t understand at first, I’m willing to learn... Would Your Majesty fault me for being presumptuous?"
"Xian’er, you are utterly devoted to me. I would never fail you, let alone blame you."
Bathed in the soft-focus filter of his perception, Gu Pin looked exquisitely beautiful. Her gaze was tender and gentle, creating the illusion of deep, unspoken affection. She perfectly fulfilled a workaholic’s wildest fantasy: an office assistant with a romantic-partner feature.
They had shared a moment of intimacy, but Jiang Xian felt it wasn’t enough. She needed to reinforce the impression that ’no one else understands him’ to solidify his favor. An idea struck her, and she thought of her neighbor. "Chen Daying is a very peaceful person. Perhaps Your Majesty could pay her a visit next time."
’Perhaps he’ll discover something new among the minor, unassuming concubines.’
The Emperor didn’t realize his soulmate was setting a trap for him. He actually thought it was a fine suggestion. The next day after court, he went to the side hall of Yizhu Pavilion and sat for a while. He asked Chen Daying what she would do if the attendants under her were disobedient.
"How could any Palace Attendants be disobedient?"
Chen Daying looked incredulous. "The palace maids in my hall trust me completely. They believe I am exceptionally brilliant and would never question a single one of my decisions."
The Emperor: ...
Liang Yuyin, who was listening in: ...
With just two sentences, she had utterly killed the conversation.
The fact that the old ministers at court didn’t trust him was his biggest sore spot.
The Emperor was magnanimous and didn’t bicker with his concubines. He just silently nursed his emotional wounds and decided not to stay long. However, he recalled that Gu Pin and Chen Daying were friends. He had summoned Chen Daying twice now without sleeping with her and worried it might make her life difficult. So, he bestowed some silver upon her and hinted that he would raise her rank during the New Year’s celebrations.
Seeing this, Liang Yuyin sighed to himself.
’Look at that response, that utter lack of tact... and she still gets rewards and a promotion. Chen Daying really backed the right horse!’