The Fourth Master was evidently pleased to hear Su Peisheng praise Ye Zao and responded with great interest: "Over the years, your Lady hasn't been keen on getting involved in many affairs. She's left most to others. But even the few suggestions she makes are far superior to those of others."
Take the matter of allowing servants some rest, for instance; it was unheard of before.
The Fourth Master, like all those in power before him, thought that servants were there to serve their masters; rest? Impossible.
But Ye Zao proposed it. At that time, she wasn't managing the imperial harem, but even within her Yuxiu Palace, this was the practice.
Later, when she took charge of the harem, she wanted to implement it there, and the Fourth Master, thinking to himself to let her have her way, agreed.
He didn't see the merit in it.
But over the years, hearing feedback, he realized that once servants had rest time, it didn't lead to laziness.
On the contrary, the work was done better.
