Hustle Queen in the Harem: My Consort Won't Stop Grinding

Chapter 51: Chapter 43: Got a Job

She saw admiration brimming in the Emperor’s eyes.

It was as if they were saying, ’How can such a thoughtful subordinate exist? Other bosses certainly don’t have one!’

"It’s no trouble at all. I want to do even more for Your Majesty," Jiang Xian said. "Has there been anything Your Majesty wants, or wishes to see? I can try to find a way to make it happen. It would also help me pass the time in the palace."

’I hope the Emperor has a task for me.’

This actually stumped the Emperor. The women of the harem vied for his favor mostly by dressing up in splendid attire or by making sachets and soups to show their affection. Speaking of sachets, his storehouse held dozens of them after the Longevity Festival, all gifts from his Concubines. If he were to wear them all at his waist, he wouldn’t need eunuchs to clear a path for him—his fragrance would be detectable for miles. Thus, he accepted the kind gestures in spirit, but wearing the gifts was another matter entirely.

As for the sachets, the Emperor only wore the ones gifted by the Empress and the Noble Consort.

The first was to give face to his primary wife; the second was because she’d cause a scene if he didn’t. Wearing it meant less trouble, which was fine by him.

As for the others...

The Emperor did wish he could magically produce a Great General from a poor family, someone with no powerful backing, to help him wage war and bring peace to the realm. He also wanted to solve the problem of failing crops. But these were hardly issues a woman of the harem could resolve.

"Xian’er,"

The Emperor took her hand and sighed softly. "You are my woman. I remember you now; your name has a place in my heart. You don’t need to struggle so desperately for my attention. I will make sure to visit you every month. My only wish is for you to live a comfortable and happy life in the palace. If you’re short on anything, or if there’s something you want to see or enjoy, just go to the Imperial Household. If they can’t provide it, send someone to my Qiankun Palace, and I’ll have Liang Yuyin sort it out for you."

Liang Yuyin, who was standing guard outside the door, was deeply moved.

’His Majesty even thinks to make use of me while comforting one of his ladies. I’m just so happy.’

When he said this, the Emperor was completely sincere, and the large hands holding her small ones were warm and strong.

Jiang Xian’s gaze wavered, like a candle flame flickering in her eyes.

The Emperor was sincere.

An Emperor’s love had little to do with faithfulness; it was more an expression of responsibility. He had a duty to bring peace to the realm and ensure the prosperity of his people, to keep the harem’s storehouses full, and to let his favored concubines live comfortable, leisurely lives. The Emperor was born never having to worry about food, education, or shelter.

But that wasn’t true for Jiang Xian.

She had spent many nights with the Emperor and interacted with him often, but this was the first time the handsome, young Emperor had touched upon a hidden wound. Back when she was hustling so hard, her classmates often couldn’t understand. They thought her efforts were worthless. ’Life is about the journey, not the destination,’ they’d say. ’What’s the point of working yourself to death if you aren’t happy?’

But for an orphaned girl from a poor peasant family, struggling just to get by, what right did she have *not* to try her hardest?

Even though she now had so much, Jiang Xian still feared that precarious, day-to-day existence.

The man before her was clearly one of the lucky ones, having never known such fear. The candlelight flickered in the quiet intimacy of the bedchamber. He embraced her, yet his warmth felt almost scalding. The Emperor painted a beautiful picture of a leisurely life for his beloved concubine, but she was in no position to enjoy such a luxury.

"I want..."

Jiang Xian didn’t push him away. Nestling her face against his chest, she murmured, "Your Majesty wakes so early for morning court and reviews memorials piled as high as mountains. It must be exhausting."

"It is my duty."

"I only wish that while Your Majesty is busy, I can be busy as well, working for you."

Anxious, she clutched his robes tightly.

’I don’t want to lose my job, I don’t want to retire! I want to work overtime every single day, and it would still never be enough!’

The Emperor was moved. ’She must love me so much,’ he thought. ’So much that she can never get enough.’

In all the Six Palaces, she was the only one whose devotion seemed so genuine.

He held her by the wrist, pondering for a moment before finally devising a task for her. "There is a garden in Xihua Garden that has gone unchanged for many years. Could you think of what flowers to plant there for me? When summer comes, I’ll take you there to escape the heat. Also, I have a private treasury filled with objects from the Western World, gifts from barbarian tributary states, that hasn’t been organized in ages. Why don’t you go through it and pick out whatever you like?"

The flowers and trees in the harem were all tended to by dedicated staff.

The Concubines rarely put any thought into such matters; at most, they would give an order for the servants to handle it.

Although the Emperor didn’t know the source of Jiang Xian’s anxiety, he had given her two tasks. The first was intended to encourage her to enjoy the flowers and trees, sweetened with a promise of a trip. The second was to let her pick out some new trinkets to amuse herself and pass the time.

’Since she can’t stand being idle and doesn’t know how to relax, I’ll just have to teach her how to enjoy herself on the public purse.’

Because she hadn’t activated the Blame Template, Jiang Xian completely missed the tender affection from her "boss." Instead, she was simply overjoyed—

’Yes! I got a project!’