The Emperor's tone relaxed. He had drunk a fair amount of wine today and, feeling its warmth, was not as cold as usual. Instead, he seemed more casual and at ease. "You've worked hard this time, Empress. If the Noble Consort can behave herself through the New Year, I will restore her palace authority so she can help share your burdens."
"Actually, dealing with the Noble Consort is quite exhausting..."
At this, the Empress paused and found a more pleasant way to put it. "The Noble Consort has always loved to vie for favor and come out on top. If you give her sole authority over palace affairs, she will likely forget the lesson she just learned. She'll think the Emperor is happy to indulge her nature and will revert to her old ways. It would be better to entrust some matters to Princess Consort Zhang. She is also one of the old-timers from the imperial mansion, and in all these years, I have observed that she knows her place and understands when to advance or retreat."
