Suqin still clearly remembers that when she first met him, she was twenty-five years old.

It was the seventh day of the eighth month of Yongshou.

A few days before the Mid-Autumn Festival, the eunuch outside said hello, saying that today there would be a gardener bringing a batch of newly bred chrysanthemums into the palace.

This is a custom in the palace. Before each season, a gardener will bring flowers into the palace and warm them up in the palace for a while. When the flowers bloom, the emperor will reward them with decorations and arrangements in the palace.

Nowadays, because there are more chrysanthemum concubines in the palace, there are a lot of chrysanthemums every year. Although some of them are cultivated in the palace, some special varieties are not planted well in the climate of the capital. They must be paid tribute from various places.

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This made Su Qin, who had been in charge of the Qiuhuayuan for five years, dare not neglect it. Before the fifth day of the day, she got up early, packed up and went to the palace gate to welcome her.

Before dawn, there were ink purple blue everywhere.

The grass leaves were still stained with crystal dew, and the clear air was awakened. A layer of white mist floated on the lotus pond, gradually dissipating in the dawn bit by bit.

Taking a breath of fresh air, Suqin knew that after the season of this year, she could leave the palace.

The 25-year-old old palace maid is neither outspoken nor has she made any big mistakes. She has not even registered her master in the eyes of any noble man. As long as she handles her superiors and reports a weak disease, she can be in the year.

In the grace of the past, leave the palace and return home.

This is the ambition that Suqin set when she entered the palace at the age of eight. It took her seventeen years to realize it. So this last time she was working on the job, so she can’t make any mistakes.

As the palace gate slowly opened, the imperial kitchen gardeners who worked in the palace tested the waist cards and entered one after another, and followed the commanders from all over the place to their respective positions.

Although there are many people, except for the occasional whisper, it is always silent.

But suddenly, the guards pulled out someone from the gardener's team, "You, raise your head!"

Suqin looked back in surprise and ran into her eyes without warning.

Qingming. Translucent,

It is like the clear sky after the rain, or the well in the palace that is occasionally shining directly by the sun.

The feeling was like a door in my heart, slammed open by someone, and it was like my mind was suddenly pulled away. Su Qin, who had always been calm and cautious, suddenly couldn't control herself.

"You are not Hong An, who are you?" Even though it was still dark, the guards' eyes were still sharp. When they found that the handsome young man was not the gardener on the waist card, they immediately drew out their spear.

The young man was not panicked, and he still held the pot of flowers in his hand and answered honestly. "I am Hong An's apprentice. He suddenly fell ill before going to Beijing. He asked me to come temporarily."

According to Suqin's past temper, she would never talk too much about such things, but today, she didn't know why, but before she could figure it out, she came forward to speak.

"Mr. Zhou said hello to me yesterday, so let's make some peace. After all, the flowers of noble people are important."

A ingot of silver was quietly stuffed over. The guard's cold face eased, "Since Aunt Suqin pleads for mercy, then let's not take the example. But what's your name? You still have to re-register."

Suqin laughed and asked the young man to register his name.

Yang Xi.

It's ordinary and rustic, and at first glance it's fake.

Suqin said nothing and brought people in. Along the way, she closed her heart, filled her empty mind, and arranged the matter as usual.

But what's the difference?

But I couldn't help but secretly looked at Yang Xi.

Although he was frigid and rough in his face, he was also very scheming when doing gardener work, but Suqin knew that he was fake. This young man should have an extraordinary background.

Fortunately, there are not such people in the palace. Some of the convicted officials and their children have been castrated as castrations, so it is not too conspicuous to be a gardener.

But Suqin was a little strange. He tried every means to sneak into the palace. Why didn’t he go to the few places that were easier to stand out? Instead, he wanted to be a gardener in the flower house and become a gardener this season?

Soon, Suqin will find out.

Because this little gardener actually took advantage of the opportunity to send flowers to the chrysanthemum hall and started arguing with Concubine Ju.

Or more importantly, he scolded Concubine Ju cry.

"...What's the point of living a shameless woman like you? She has the face to admire the chrysanthemums, which is simply a shame to the nobleness of the chrysanthemums!"

Su Qin really didn't mean to eavesdrop on the corner of the two, but she was cautious by nature and was used to controlling everything that shouldn't have happened in her name.

Yang Xi was led into the palace by her. If he caused any trouble, she would definitely be implicated.

So, even if she would offend someone, she still walked out from behind the rockery with her teeth and lowered her voice and said, "Stop talking! This is really not a place to talk."

If you really want to argue, I'll find a place for you.

Fortunately, the beloved Empress Ju is a person who understands the truth. She quickly stopped her tears and left in a hurry.

Suqin took Yang Xi back to the flower room, hesitated for a long time, and didn't know how to persuade him.

But Yang Xi, who scolded others, obviously had a hard time. She sat there blankly and suddenly asked her if she had any alcohol to drink.

Suqin sighed in her heart, "The people in the palace are not qualified to get drunk just by wanting to. Even the Empress Jufei is no exception."

Do women who are so fond of adorable on the surface really have a glorious and happy life?

She enjoys the treatment of a queen, but the old people in the palace know that Mu is actually a concubine without a serious title.

Isn't it ridiculous?

Because of her entry into the palace that year, the emperor and the empress caused a dispute between the emperor and the empress. Empress Meng could not stop Emperor Cheng from bringing a girl who could be a granddaughter into the palace, but as the empress, she had the power to refuse to enthrone the concubines.

Therefore, during the dynasty of the late emperor, although Concubine Ju had already had the emperor's emperor's imperial edict and gave the concubine the title and treatment, it was only unilaterally recognized by the emperor and could not be recorded in the history of the harem.

As for the arrival of this dynasty—

Suqin smiled bitterly. Is the son who has occupied his father and concubine, so he is embarrassed to give this stepmother a big fanfare?

Therefore, the most prominent and humble existence in the harem of Concubine Ju, also the most prominent existence.

Sometimes when I think about it, Suqin feels that she is not as good as me. Even if she is a slave, she is justified, but she...

Suqin had no choice but to say something, she could only tell the sad Yang Xi.

"I have never heard of the chrysanthemum concubine taking the initiative to live a pot of chrysanthemums every year. Every year, these flowers are rewarded by the emperor. She will collect whatever she gives. The same is true for other things..."

The grace of yours is so great that it is naturally happy for those who are willing to accept it. But for those who are unwilling to accept it, it is a painful steel knife. No matter how deep the injury is, it can only endure it.

Suqin didn't know if her words had any effect. But Yang Xi at least stopped targeting Concubine Ju like that. But there was a hint of pain in her eyes, which made people feel sad.

The folk chrysanthemums gradually withered after the Double Ninth Festival.

However, because the palace needs flowers all year round, even if it is November and the snow falls, fresh chrysanthemums must be kept in the flower room.

However, the number at this time has gradually decreased. After all, manpower cannot beat heaven.

Suqin knew that as long as she could last until the plum blossoms and daffodils in the Winter Flower Garden bloomed, she could retire and leave the palace. Although the world outside is not peaceful now, after all, she could live a comfortable life after leaving the palace.

.

It is enough for people who have no ambitions and just want to eat and sleep with peace of mind.

On this day, another heavy snow fell. When I went to the Donghuayuan to see that the early plum blossoms had already buddies, Suqin was so happy.

When I returned to the flower room, I even saw the joy of others. I kept joking, "Aunt Yue is leaving, I'm afraid she's going to get married and have children right away? Is there a brother who is good at home waiting for you?"

Suqin smiled and scolded, but her lips were so tilted that she couldn't hold it back.

The brother who has no good looks is waiting for her, but she can find an honest and kind man to live. After staying in the palace for so long, her character is somewhat more open-minded than that of ordinary people. As long as the family is together, she is not afraid of being hard or tired.

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As for that person, Suqin looked over quietly, feeling a little sad.

Even if the man is now in a down-and-out gardener who is worse than her, she is not something she can think of.

Perhaps, it is already a blessing to meet such a person in this life.

Suqin is not a little girl who is sixteen or seventeen years old and full of longing. She knows what she can and can't.

But Suqin didn't expect that when she heard that she was leaving, Yang Xi took the initiative to find her. After hesitating for a while, he begged her for the first time, "Can you help me see her again?"

If it were before, Suqin would never agree to such a request. But looking at his eyes, she still agreed by a silence.

But she didn't expect that her soft heart would cause a disaster.

Emperor Jing’s Empress Wen is no better than Emperor Cheng’s Empress Meng. She hates Concubine Ju, and this woman who is about the same age as her daughter and attracts all her husband’s attention.

So, when her minions found that Jufei met a gardener in private, even though they did nothing and didn't even have time to say anything, they were quickly seized by Empress Wen as a crime, not only beat Yang Xi to death

If the skin is blooming, the flesh and blood will be broken, and the Jufei will be punished.

Suqin can no longer protect herself.

These are two lives. If the emperor cannot come, they will all die here today.

"The Empress, it's all my fault. It's because I'm thinking about leaving the palace and wanting to save more money, so I asked Xiao Yang to urge him to bloom a few pots of flowers and make a trick, and I want to make Empress Ju happy so that I can cheat some rewards.

It's all my fault."

Empress Wen still wanted to have an attack, but the clever palace maid under Concubine Ju also shouted loudly. She said that Suqin had persuaded her and asked her to invite Concubine Ju to come and have a walk, but she didn't know that this happened.

After delaying for a while, the emperor arrived.

Queen Wen had no choice but to hate Su Qin for this.

Of course, if Suqin wanted to leave at that time, it would be impossible. But after thinking about it again and again, she still stayed.
To be continued...