The women of the palace were all languishing in boredom, their days filled with gossip. The Empress was easygoing and did not discourage their chatter, since she herself was rather partial to it.
"Ah, I heard that the Emperor has been frequenting the Siyuan Bureau lately, does anyone know why?" Chen Daying asked.
Ning Liangpin had been left seething by Lady Nan Feng's earlier remarks, and was now harboring a deep-seated resentment towards her. But the ladies of the palace were all experts in the art of spoken word; their faces were always innocent, yet their words were razor-sharp. "You're referring to the Siyuan Bureau? General Nangong Ye's wife is in charge there now. Perhaps the Emperor is visiting frequently to express his concern for General Nangong Ye's tireless efforts in the field. It demonstrates how the Emperor cares for his subjects as if they were his children."
