An Emperor had many troubles.
The Emperor had been on the throne for several years, and things were much better than when he first ascended. However, many of the old court officials had also served the late Emperor, and they were inclined to compare father and son. As a result, not every imperial edict could be carried out smoothly.
"They never refute my orders to my face. Sometimes they even humor me, telling me how brilliant my ideas are. But when it comes to implementation, they either put on a hollow performance or take things to such an extreme that it stirs up a storm of resentment from below. If I then rescind my order, they lose even more faith in my word."
The Emperor didn't expect Jiang Xian, a young woman who had never even managed a household, to understand any of this.
All she had to manage were the palace maids and eunuchs in Yizhu Pavilion, which was far too simple by comparison.
