trousers rolled up, wading in the mud amongst the rice paddies. Li Chen frowned and said: “A general’s daughter like you, instead of learning embroidery and needlework, what are you doing out here in...Chapter 514: Dividing the Land

Evidently, the contents of this petition were undoubtedly of great importance. Zhao Heshan either dared not act on his own accord or hoped to leverage Zhao Rui's position beside Li Chen to facilitate the approval of the petition's content.

Li Chen knows this well in his heart.

"It's freezing out here, what are you doing kneeling on the ground like that Get up."

Li Chen took the imperial decree and, in one swift movement, pulled Zhao Rui's wrist back onto the bed.

He put his arm around Zhao Rui, letting her lean against his chest. Li Chen smiled and said, "But she's quite pretty."

Zhao Rui's pretty face flushed slightly. She had been startled just now and then chilled by the cold wind, making her feel especially sensitive and delicate at this moment. All she wanted was to melt into Prince's body like a puddle of water.

Although Li Chen appeased Zhao Rui, his heart was not at ease.

As his team grew, so did everyone's individual ambitions and methods.

Whether Zhao Heshan's act of using Zhao Rui's hand to deliver the imperial edict is a major or minor matter depends on the situation.

He still thought it was necessary to give him a talking to.

"It is an ironclad law of this dynasty that the imperial harem must not interfere in politics. No one, not even the Emperor, can violate this rule, let alone you and I. Therefore, if such things happen again, please refrain from doing so."

"Your father has many ways to swiftly and securely deliver the petition to this palace. If he focused so much effort on important matters, this palace would be greatly pleased."

Li Chen's gentle words fell heavily on Zhao Rui's ears.

She immediately said, "This concubine understands and there will never be another time."

Knowing Li Chen's nature well, she now understood that as long as she didn't go against the Crown Prince and didn't touch certain red lines, life by his side would be comfortable and enjoyable. Even occasionally throwing a small tantrum wouldn't be a big deal, as the Crown Prince would still indulge her.

Now that she has severed ties with the Empress, if she were to lose the support of the Crown Prince, she would truly be left with nothing but death.

Therefore, Zhao Rui, no matter what, would not dare to anger or defy Li Chen.

Li Chen had already opened the imperial edict.

He glanced over it and understood Zhao Heshan's meaning.

He closed the scroll, stood up and said: "You rest first, I have something to attend to. I'll be back later to have dinner with you."

Zhao Rui did not dare to keep him, and said: "Then this concubine will get up and change clothes for Your Highness."

"No need, let Wan Jiaojiao attend to you. You rest first."

Li Chen said, getting up and putting on a piece of undergarment, he called Wan Jiaojiao in to help him change.

Dressed, Li Chen said to Wan Jiaojiao: "Go and call Zhou Ping'an, Xu Changqing and Guan Zhiwei to the Xizheng Hall."

After he finished speaking, Li Chen left without looking back.

After half an hour, the three most important figures in the East Palace gathered in the Xizheng Hall.

At present, most officials affiliated with the East Palace are led by these three.

In fact, it's mainly Xu Changqing and Guan Zhiwei.

Zhou Ping'an, being new to this place, naturally had no following. Moreover, whether out of a desire not to alarm Li Chen or simply because of his own personality, Zhou Ping'an showed no inclination to build his own support base.

But Zhou Ping'an's weight was in no way inferior to Xu Changqing and Guan Zhiwei.

"I called you here because I have something to discuss with you. What are your thoughts on this"

After Li Chen finished speaking, he signaled Wan Jiaojiao to pass the imperial edict from Zhao Heshan to the three of them for perusal.

Xu Changqing was the first to take the imperial decree. After carefully reading it, his expression became quite interesting, and he then passed the decree to Guan Zhiwei.

After Guan Zhiwei and Zhou Ping'an finished reading, Li Chen spoke: “The content is simple. Zhao He Shan, the Chief Secretary of Xishan Province, means that Xishan Province is suffering from severe disasters. Although the disaster situation has eased slightly, due to population decline, a large area of farmland has been abandoned. He plans to take back all these lands into state ownership and then distribute them to the disaster-stricken people below, so that the disaster victims can have land to cultivate.”perations and profit models of private money-lending establishments among the common people."I can feel that, under the leadership of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, the officials of the Ministry...