When the hotpot was brought to the table, Lu Wanning smiled and said to Luo Chengjing, "I suddenly wanted to eat hotpot at noon today, so I asked the kitchen to make it. May the emperor have a taste?"

Luo Chengjing nodded, with a hint of joking in his tone, "My concubine has always been good at eating. I am lucky enough to come to your Linglong Pavilion with my concubine today."

Lu Wanning smiled sheepishly, but said: "Actually, eating hot pot like this is not that satisfying."

Luo Chengjing was curious, "Oh, how can I eat it to be satisfied?"

Lu Wanning said with a longing look on her face: "It's best to have a heavy snow day, and the snow has already fallen a thick layer on the ground. At this time, put a burning charcoal pot in the pavilion and put a steaming warm pot on the table.

pot"

"A curtain was hung around the pavilion to block the wind. The curtain was half rolled up. Sitting in the pavilion, one could just see the red plum blossoms covered with snow on the trees outside the pavilion."

"Heat a pot of wine and enjoy the hot pot while drinking wine and appreciating the plum blossoms. Thinking about it, I think it is one of the great enjoyments in life."

Luo Chengjing imagined the scene Lu Wanning described, and he had to say that it was indeed quite beautiful.

So, he said: "When it snows heavily next time, I will help my concubine realize this wish."

In addition to the Imperial Garden, there is also a plum grove in the southeast corner of the palace. All the plum groves are red plums. There is an octagonal pavilion in the middle of the plum grove.

In the Ruyi Pavilion, after knowing that the emperor had gone to Linglong Pavilion for dinner, Zheng Meiren paused with her fingers on the pipa strings before continuing to play half of the music she had just played.

But she didn't know if it was because she was confused, but she made several mistakes in the second half of the piece that she was very familiar with.

The masters of other palaces in the harem also found out from different places that the emperor was appreciating plum blossoms with Zheng Meiren, but unexpectedly they met Lu Meiren on the way. In the end, Zheng Meiren returned to her palace alone, while Lu Meiren accompanied the emperor to enjoy the plum blossoms.

Mei, the emperor even went to Linglong Pavilion with her for dinner.

After dinner, if nothing unexpected happens, the emperor will definitely stay at Linglong Pavilion.

In Qingren Palace, after Concubine Jing heard the news, she took a sip of tea in her cup and said lightly: "Beautiful Lu is a good trick."

Zheng Meiren actually suffered a loss at her hands so easily.

Su Juan, the eldest maid next to Concubine Jing, carefully observed Concubine Jing's face before speaking out her own opinion, "Mother, it seems that Zheng Meiren is no match for Lu Meiren. You have spent so much thought on her."

I’m afraid it’s not worth it.”

Concubine Jing smiled and said, "Do you think I helped Zheng Meiren intentionally or unintentionally and brought Zheng Meiren to my side just to compete with Lu Meiren in the ring?"

Sujuan blinked, with a puzzled expression on her face.

Isn't it like this? If my mother-in-law and the imperial concubine don't deal with each other, and the imperial concubine brings her cousin into the palace, then my mother-in-law will naturally have to find a reliable helper.

And Zheng Meiren, who is the most favored among the newcomers and has little support in the court and harem, is obviously the most suitable candidate.

Su Juan had always thought so, but she didn't expect that Zheng Meiren would lose to Lu Meiren when she faced her for the first time today.

Concubine Jing shook her head, "You are wrong. I help Zheng Meiren everywhere not just so that Zheng Meiren can compete with Lu Meiren in the ring, but for the sake of my family."

It was her father's intention to make her befriend Zheng Meiren and to draw Zheng Meiren into their camp, and her father's intention was not for Zheng Meiren herself, but for the Zheng family behind Zheng Meiren.

It's true that her father is a general, but raising an army costs the most money. Even if the soldiers' salaries and the pensions of the fallen sergeants are paid by the court, there are still many places for the army and the army to spend money, not to mention the exchange of favors that also require money.

.

Their family is not like the Zhongyong Hou Mansion, which has meritorious service from generation to generation, and has the foundation accumulated by their ancestors to support it.

Her father rose from a small soldier to a general, and his family did not have much permanent property. The Zheng family is a wealthy family in the south of the Yangtze River. If the Zheng family can become their family's purse, then her father will not have to worry about money in the future.

Annoyed.

In Feiyu Palace, when Wen Zhaoyi heard this, a touch of regret flashed across her face. It had been more than two months since the emperor's birthday party that day, but the emperor had never been to her Feiyu Palace again.

Thinking of the culprit who caused all this, Wen Zhaoyi's voice was full of hatred, "Is there no letter from outside the palace yet?"

It had been so long since she sent the letter. Counting the time spent on the road and the time her aunt sent people to inquire about it, the reply should have arrived by now.

Han Lu shook her head and said, "I will go to Eunuch Huang tomorrow and ask."

Wen Zhaoyi nodded, "Give him more money."

The next day, Han Lu walked out of the door with her stuffed purse, and soon came back with a letter.

Handing the letter to Wen Zhaoyi, Han Lu complained to Wen Zhaoyi with some dissatisfaction: "It's a coincidence. After the slave gave the money, Eunuch Huang happened to bring the letter into the palace."

"These eunuchs are all greedy for money." Wen Zhaoyi snorted and opened the reply letter.

After reading the letter, Wen Zhaoyi felt a little unbelievable. The embroiderer hiding needles in her shoes was really her own behavior and had nothing to do with anyone else?

Wen Zhaoyi read the letter again. The handwriting was indeed her aunt's handwriting, and it was her aunt's personal reply.

So what was said in the letter was indeed true? The reason why she was cut off from her favor was actually the sin her aunt had committed before.

Knowing this, Wen Zhaoyi's resentment towards her aunt deepened. Because of her, she had been looked down upon and bullied by others since she was a child. Now, with her own ability, she has finally climbed to a place where she will not be easily bullied.

position, but her future was ruined because of the romantic debts she incurred in the past.

When Wen Zhaoyi's aunt was not redeemed by Wen Zhaoyi's father, she made a lifelong promise to one person. This person was the embroiderer's brother. The embroiderer's brother was a scholar whose family was somewhat poor. For Wen Zhaoyi's aunt,

It was considered that the family wealth had been dissipated, but Wen Zhaoyi's aunt later met Wen Zhaoyi's father.

In order to live a better life, Wen Zhaoyi's aunt betrayed the agreement she made with her brother, and in order to prevent her from entangled with her and ruining her prosperity, she also spent money to have her and her brother taken away.

Far from where they originally lived.

But what she didn't expect was that Xiu Niang and her brother were robbed after they were driven out of the city. Xiu Niang and her brother broke his leg trying to protect Xiu Niang, and the only money he had on him was even taken away.
Chapter completed!