Chapter 1126: Busy

ezing temperatures outside, Xi Zheng Hall was warm as spring.The hearth fire was burning brightly. A palace maid carefully added premium charcoal, then adjusted the angle to ensure that the well-order...Chapter 1126: Busy

"The East Palace has almost a hundred people, including eunuchs and maids serving the palace. Although you are my personal attendant, in name, you oversee all the servants, but with so many people, how could you possibly keep an eye on each and every one of them"

"Prevention is better than cure. It's impossible to keep a close eye on every palace maid and eunuch, so it's better to let them be free."

Li Chen pulled Wan Jiaojiao up and comforted her: "So, you don't have to worry about these things. In the future, this table of mine is not allowed to be touched by anyone. Just remember that."

Wan Jiaojiao nodded vigorously and said, "Your Highness, please rest assured, the servant girl will definitely take good care of it and won't allow anyone to touch this imperial desk."

Li Chen chuckled lightly and waved his hand. "You attend to it, Your Highness. This palace has some official business to handle."

As the de facto ruler of the entire Qin Empire, Li Chen bore an ever-increasing burden. The number of official duties he had to personally oversee and handle was also growing day by day.

Now Li Chen understands why emperors throughout history have had such short lifespans and high mortality rates. It's because any person working at such a high intensity for ten or more hours continuously, with no days off throughout the year, simply can't withstand it in the long run.

But there's nothing we can do about it.

Li Chen now has no one on hand who can help share the burden of government affairs, so he can only shoulder everything himself.

Wan Jiaojiao came quietly to Li Chen's back. She couldn't help Li Chen much, so she could only pour tea and water when he needed it, and massage his shoulders to help him relax.

In the side hall of Xizheng Palace, Li Chen was attending to official business. Wan Jiaojiao stood quietly behind him, ready to offer tea and incense at any time.

In the grand hall, only Li Chen occasionally flipped through official documents and imperial edicts, interspersed with the occasional sound of candle flames bursting. Apart from that, there was utter silence.

Li Chen handled his official duties in this way for almost two hours.

Feeling a twinge of eye strain, Li Chen rubbed his temples. Looking up, he saw that the sky had darkened completely. He raised his teacup and took a sip before asking, “What time is it”

Wàn Jiāojiāo replied, “Your Highness, it is past midnight.”

Between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m.

"Your Highness, why don't you go back to rest It's quite late already," Wan Jiajiao said at the right moment.

"Wait a while longer."

Li Chen took a large gulp of strong tea, feeling the scalding bitterness flow down his throat. After his spirits lifted slightly, he said, "Go and summon Xu Junlou."

Wan Jiaojiao had no choice but to respond with a sigh, then turned around to send someone to call Xu Junlou.

As the chief steward of the Prince's Mansion, Xu Junlou could be understood as the head manager of the Eastern Palace. Ordinarily, he was not allowed to leave the Eastern Palace unless on vacation. Within the Eastern Palace, there was a dedicated courtyard for his daily life.

When the message arrived, Xu Junlou was already asleep.

Upon hearing that it was the Crown Prince's summons, he threw on his clothes, running and dressing at the same time, rushing towards the side hall of the Hall of Political Affairs, not daring to be even slightly negligent.

A moment later, Li Chen saw Xu Junlou.

Li Chen saw at a glance that Xu Junlou had been woken up from his sleep, and smiled: "I disturbed your dream."

Xu Junlou hurriedly bowed and said, "Your Highness summoned me, I dare not neglect."

Li Chen nodded upon hearing this, and there was no need for politeness. After all, these were just Xu Junlou's job responsibilities.

Leaning back in his chair, Li Chen spoke, “Recently, we've arrested quite a few officials. This has caused a shortage of manpower in various institutions and departments of the court. You know this, right”ut a sound.Li Chen's words were extremely serious. Even on the way here, Zheng Bao Rong, who believed he was innocent of corruption and had used all his gains for local development, realized that he h...