The next morning, the atmosphere inside the Imperial Palace was unusually busy.
In the Emperor’s study, several officials were already waiting outside, carrying docunts and reports.
Inside the chamber, the Emperor sat behind his desk while the Dowager Empress sat nearby drinking tea.
A servant entered and bowed.
"Your Majesty, Prince Liang has arrived."
The Emperor nodded.
"Let them enter."
A mont later, the doors opened.
Prince Liang walked inside.
Beside him was the rchant who had recently approached him regarding the large amount of unsold goods stored in warehouses throughout the capital.
Both n bowed.
"This subject greets Your Majesty."
"This humble rchant greets Your Majesty and Dowager Empress."
The Emperor gestured.
"Rise."
The rchant stood carefully, visibly nervous.
This was the first ti he had entered the imperial study.
The Dowager Empress observed him quietly.
Prince Liang stepped forward.
"Your Majesty, the rchant has brought samples."
The Emperor nodded.
"Show them."
Imdiately several servants entered carrying large wooden boxes.
The boxes were opened one after another.
The rchant began introducing the products.
"These are embroidered silk robes."
"These are leather shoes."
"These are decorative lamps."
"These are hairpins and jewelry."
"These are ho decorations."
The items were carefully placed on display.
The Dowager Empress picked up a jade hairpin.
The carving was beautiful.
The workmanship was excellent.
Only one small defect could be noticed upon close inspection.
The Dowager Empress raised an eyebrow.
"This is the defective item?"
The rchant bowed.
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Most defects are very minor."
The Emperor examined a silk robe.
The stitching was nearly perfect.
Only a tiny flaw near the sleeve could be seen.
Ordinary people would never notice.
The Dowager Empress looked surprised.
"This is still usable."
The rchant nodded imdiately.
"That is why it pains us to throw them away."
"However, nobles refuse to purchase imperfect goods."
The Emperor remained silent for a mont.
Then he picked up several reports.
"I have reviewed your inventory."
The rchant straightened.
The Emperor continued.
"Thousands of items remain unsold."
"Warehouses are overflowing."
The rchant sighed.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"We are losing money every month."
The Dowager Empress placed down the hairpin.
"It is wasteful."
Prince Liang nodded.
"Exactly."
The Emperor finally spoke.
"We will create a special market."
The rchant’s eyes widened.
The Dowager Empress looked interested.
"A market?"
The Emperor nodded.
"These goods will be sold separately."
"Clearly labeled."
"Custors will know they contain minor defects."
The rchant quickly agreed.
"That is acceptable."
The Emperor continued.
"As for pricing."
Everyone beca attentive.
The Emperor looked at the rchant.
"The products will be sold between one and fifty copper cents."
The rchant calculated quickly.
Normally these items sold for much more.
But now—
The choice was simple.
Sell cheaply.
Or continue losing money.
Finally he bowed deeply.
"I agree."
The Emperor nodded.
"It is better than throwing them away."
The rchant smiled bitterly.
"Much better, Your Majesty."
The Dowager Empress examined another decorative lantern.
"This will help ordinary families."
Prince Liang nodded.
"Many people cannot afford luxury goods."
The Emperor agreed.
"And rchants recover part of their losses."
"A benefit for both sides."
The rchant’s face brightened.
For the first ti in months, he could see hope.
The Emperor leaned back.
"Within ten days."
"The market will be organized."
Prince Liang imdiately nodded.
"I will oversee preparations."
The Emperor continued.
"I will also announce the plan during court."
"The officials must be inford."
The rchant looked overwheld.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
The Emperor waved his hand.
"Do not thank yet."
"The market must succeed first."
Everyone smiled slightly.
The tension in the room eased.
The Dowager Empress looked around at the displayed products once more.
"If this succeeds..."
She said thoughtfully.
"Many other rchants may join."
Prince Liang nodded.
"That is my expectation."
The Emperor’s eyes sharpened slightly.
"And if it succeeds..."
"We may establish permanent markets in other cities."
The rchant almost couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
A solution that had started as a desperate attempt to clear warehouses might beco an entirely new business model for the empire.
The Dowager Empress smiled faintly.
"It seems this empire may soon have a market where even ordinary people can purchase beautiful things."
The Emperor nodded.
"That is the goal."
Outside the palace windows, the capital continued its daily bustle.
But inside the study—
A new idea had just taken its first step.
One that might change the lives of rchants and commoners alike.
The rchant representatives had finally left the palace.
The doors of the Dowager Empress’s courtyard hall closed behind them.
For the first ti that afternoon—
Silence returned.
Outside, servants moved quietly between the lantern-lit pathways.
Inside, only three people remained.
The Dowager Empress.
The Emperor.
And Prince Liang.
A large map of the capital rested on the table.
Several scrolls listing rchant stalls, entertainers, food vendors, and security arrangents were spread before them.
The Dowager Empress slowly sipped her tea.
For a while, nobody spoke.
Then she sighed.
A long, tired sigh.
"The capital has beco restless."
Prince Liang nodded.
"It is worse than before."
The Emperor’s expression darkened slightly.
He already knew.
His spies reported everything.
Every rumor.
Every whisper.
Every accusation.
The Dowager Empress placed her teacup down.
"The people are still talking about the Empress."
The room grew quiet.
Prince Liang glanced at the Emperor.
The Emperor remained silent.
The Dowager Empress continued.
"They say she tried to take her own life because she wasn’t loved."
"They say she was isolated."
"They say the palace pushed her to the edge."
Her voice beca heavier with every sentence.
Prince Liang rubbed his forehead.
"The storytellers in the tea houses have made it even worse."
The Emperor’s jaw tightened.
He hated those rumors.
Not because they insulted him.
But because they reminded him of how close he had co to losing her.
The Dowager Empress continued.
"And then there was the kidnapping attempt."
Prince Liang nodded.
"Everyone knows about the ambush now."
"Half the capital believes assassins are hiding around every corner."
The Emperor looked toward the capital map.
The attack bothered him.
More than he admitted.
Soone had planned it carefully.
Soone was moving in the shadows.
And they still didn’t know who.
The Dowager Empress sighed again.
"Then Princess Zhi."
The room beca even quieter.
Everyone rembered.
The nights Princess Zhi spent crying.
The servants hearing her sobs through the corridors.
The palace won whispering.
The rumors spreading.
Soon the entire capital knew.
Prince Liang shook his head.
"People still talk about hearing crying from the palace at night."
The Dowager Empress looked exhausted.
"One incident after another."
The Emperor finally spoke.
"Which is why the festival must succeed."
Both of them nodded.
That was the reason for this eting.
The festival market wasn’t just entertainnt.
It was strategy.
The kingdom needed sothing else to talk about.
Sothing brighter.
Sothing happier.
Sothing stronger than rumors.
Prince Liang unfolded another scroll.
"The lantern festival alone won’t be enough."
"We need performances."
"Competitions."
"rchant stalls."
The Dowager Empress nodded.
"And food."
Prince Liang smiled slightly.
"People forgive many things when they’re eating."
The Emperor actually chuckled.
A rare sight.
The Dowager Empress looked surprised.
Then she laughed softly too.
"That is true."
The atmosphere beca lighter.
For a mont.
Then the Emperor reached for one of the docunts.
"As for the food stalls..."
Prince Liang imdiately looked up.
The Dowager Empress followed.
The Emperor placed the scroll on the table.
"There is only one choice."
The Dowager Empress already knew.
"The Whisper Bowl."
The Emperor nodded.
"Yes."
Prince Liang smiled.
"I agree."
The Dowager Empress raised an eyebrow.
"So certain?"
Prince Liang shrugged.
"It is practical."
The Emperor leaned slightly forward.
"No restaurant in the kingdom can produce fresh food in large quantities as efficiently as they can."
Prince Liang imdiately added,
"Most vendors prepare food hours before serving."
"They leave it sitting."
"By evening, it becos cold."
The Dowager Empress frowned.
"And potentially dangerous."
The Emperor nodded.
"Food poisoning."
The room beca serious again.
A festival ant thousands of visitors.
Nobles.
Officials.
rchants.
Commoners.
One mistake could ruin everything.
Prince Liang tapped the table.
"We cannot risk that."
"The entire purpose of this event is to improve public morale."
The Dowager Empress agreed.
"The last thing we need is hundreds of people becoming sick."
The Emperor continued.
"The Whisper Bowl prepares food continuously."
"Their kitchens are organized."
"Their ingredients are fresh."
"Their staff are trained."
Prince Liang nodded.
"And they can serve large crowds faster than anyone."
The Dowager Empress rembered reports she had read.
Even nobles praised the restaurant.
Its popularity had spread throughout multiple towns.
Its reputation was excellent.
She nodded slowly.
"The Empress built sothing impressive."
The Emperor’s expression softened slightly.
Almost unconsciously.
Prince Liang noticed.
The Dowager Empress noticed too.
Neither ntioned it.
The Emperor continued calmly.
"They should receive the central food area."
Prince Liang smiled.
"People will line up before sunrise."
The Dowager Empress laughed softly.
"Probably."
Prince Liang pointed toward the map.
"If the food succeeds, people will talk about the festival."
"If the festival succeeds, people will stop talking about palace scandals."
The Emperor nodded.
That was exactly the point.
The Dowager Empress folded her hands.
"No more discussions about suicide."
"No more stories about kidnappings."
"No more gossip about Princess Zhi crying."
Prince Liang added,
"No more tea-house storytellers inventing nonsense."
The Emperor looked toward the palace window.
Outside—
The evening lanterns glowed softly.
Sowhere in the Duke residence—
The Empress was probably helping her family prepare for the wedding.
Laughing with her sister.
Arguing with her cousin.
Living peacefully.
The thought eased sothing in his heart.
The Dowager Empress noticed his distant expression.
A knowing smile appeared briefly.
Then disappeared.
She stood.
"The festival proceeds as planned."
Prince Liang nodded.
"I’ll handle security."
The Emperor nodded.
"I’ll approve the rchant permits."
The Dowager Empress looked at both n.
For the first ti in weeks—
The palace was planning sothing hopeful.
Not reacting to disaster.
Not investigating tragedy.
But building sothing joyful.
Sothing bright.
Sothing that would fill the capital with music, food, laughter, and light.
And perhaps—
For a little while—
The kingdom would forget its fears.
At least until the shadows moved again.
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