Huan Chun saw that his master's expression was different. He had been worried about her since just now. Now he couldn't help but said: "If you have something on your mind, why don't we go."
"Xiangyue has been talking about it for several days. The weather is so nice today, and I want to take a walk." Lan Qi calmed down, thinking that since Concubine Zhao could come with the emperor, Concubine Tong should not be able to pull off any tricks.
But all the way to the Imperial Garden, my heart was still heavy. Concubine Tong was clearly favored and had more to do than Concubine Zhao in the palace. Why did she have to do such a thing? Even if it was to deduct expenses, she would not do it like this.
Cruel, murdering the emperor's heir is a capital crime.
After entering the garden, the fragrance of flowers wafted far away, and combined with the cool air, it refreshed people's spirits. After all, Lan Qi was still at the age where she loved flowers and grass. When she was a palace maid, she didn't dare to come in casually. After that, she stayed with her all day long.
Xuan Ye also had no time to spare, and he was too busy reading books in the following days, and was unable to see the beautiful scenery season after season. He only saw the flowers in the palace changing with each season, but he was not in the mood to come here for a stroll.
"Let's fold a few and put them in bottles. The fragrance is so delicious." Xiangyue and Yukui said and were about to break the plum blossoms, but Lan Qi stopped them and coaxed them, "The fragrance of plum blossoms comes from the bitter cold.
She is so beautiful and fragrant in this world of ice and snow, but she was put in the house and baked in a charcoal stove, and some bright red window grilles were put up in the house. Such a good color and such a good taste are wasted."
Xiangyue pursed her lips towards Yukui and said, "Our master speaks in a formal manner now. In a few days, we won't be able to understand him."
Lan Qi grabbed a handful of snow from the stone and threw it at them. The two of them got brave enough to catch snowballs and throw them at Lan Qi. She was so scared that she screamed and laughed, and hid behind Huan Chun and asked for help:
"Scold them for going against the grain." At the same time, he grabbed the snowball and threw it back. The master and the servants went crazy for a while. Only Huan Chun said in a hurry, "Your clothes are going to get wet. Don't play so crazy and get sick if you go back."
."
But no one listened to her. Lan Qi fell into a snowdrift while playing. When she got up, her cloak got wet and her coat got wet. Even her shoes fell off and her socks and trousers were all wet. Huan Chun couldn't blame his master.
She could pinch Xiangyue and Yukui and scolded them, saying that they would go back and punish them by kneeling on the washboard. The two of them did not dare to talk back, so they hurriedly told their master to go back and change.
Wearing a cloak to hide her embarrassment, Lan Qi shivered with cold and was helped back by them. She thought she would miss the emperor and Concubine Zhao when she went back, but she didn't know that before she reached Zhongcui Palace, the emperor was there.
The warm sedan came over, and Lan Qi led the three attendants to stand in the corner, but the driver stopped in front of him.
Eunuch Li smiled and asked Lan Qi where she was from. Hearing that she was coming back from the Imperial Garden, he said, "The emperor is going to the garden to pick plum blossoms and send them to Cining Palace. Wu Changzai is willing to go with you. You are always there lately."
The Queen Mother is waiting at your side and knows best what the old man likes."
Lan Qi didn't dare not agree, she nodded and said yes, and the warm sedan was put down over there. Xuan Ye came out and waited for Eunuch Li to put on his cloak. He just glanced at Lan Qi, and then went straight to
Go forward.
Just as Lan Qi was about to follow, Huan Chun suddenly knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I have something to report."
Xuan Ye stopped when he heard the sound, turned around to look at her, but heard Huan Chun say: "Chang was playing in the snow just now, his shoes, socks and clothes were soaked through, and he was shivering from the cold. I'm afraid I won't be able to fold it with the emperor right now."
Mei, please ask the emperor to let Chang Zai go back quickly to change clothes and warm up by the fire."
Xuan Ye frowned deeply, walked over and lifted up Lan Qi's cloak. The cloak was already cold to the touch, and then touched the jacket on his waist. His hands were covered with snow water. He was angry and distressed. He couldn't bear it. He scolded her in a low voice: "Are you seeking death?"
Lan Qi was startled and looked up at the emperor. The sharp eyes frightened her heart, and then she was pushed forward. Xuan Ye said coldly from behind: "Go back and change your clothes immediately. Doctor Xuan will come to see you."
Huan Chun and others hurriedly came up to help her away. Lan Qi was stared at so much that she lost her soul. She walked a few steps and looked back to take a look, but Xuan Ye scolded her: "What are you looking at? Why don't you leave quickly?"
The four people left in a hurry. Eunuch Li couldn't laugh or cry. He came up and asked if he was going to pick plums, but the emperor scolded him: "When did I want to pick plums? You go and pick a few and give them to the emperor's grandmother."
After that, he got on the sedan chair angrily, and instead of going to the Imperial Garden, he returned to Qianqing Palace and rested in the Nuang Pavilion. He was still unsure, so he asked Eunuch Li to come to him again and said, "Send someone to ask if you are sick." After thinking about it, he said. , "She is not allowed to go out even if she is not sick. She is not allowed to leave the door of the east side hall. Let her stay in the house. She must have caught the cold. If she goes out to wander around, she will really fall ill."
Manager Li repeatedly agreed, and when he came out, he sent his men to inquire and convey the order. When the young eunuch arrived at Zhongcui Palace, he saw Yu Kui, Xiang Yue and the two girls kneeling in the corridor and spoke the emperor's words in front of the East Wing Hall. But I heard Wu Chang getting angry inside and saying, "What are you going to punish them for? Why don't I stop going out? Huanchun, come in quickly. If you don't give me shoes, I'll go out barefoot."
Huanchun was so embarrassed that he sent his young father-in-law away and said, "The people in front of the emperor have just arrived. Don't you want to pass on your words?"
Lan Qi stared blankly and asked what the people from Qianqing Palace were doing. When she heard that Xuan Ye would not allow her to go out again, she immediately pouted and huddled on the heated kang and got angry. After a long time, Huan Chun asked her what was wrong. He said sadly: "I always don't want to cause him trouble and make him upset, but it always makes me self-defeating and makes him see that I am not living up to my expectations."
It happened that Bu Chang came over, opened the curtain and came in to blame Huan Chun for what he did to punish the two girls to kneel outside, saying that she had already asked them to get up to warm themselves by the fire. He sat down and saw Lan Qi fuming. Hearing Huan Chun tell the story, he couldn't help but laugh. She said: "The emperor is just curious about you, so he sent people to arrest you. Isn't it because he is afraid that you will get sick? If you are not curious about someone, he will not pay attention to you at all."
He took the ginger soup from Huan Chun and coaxed her to drink it, and said: "Listen to Pan Xia, it was very lively in front of me when I just went to bed. The emperor and Concubine Zhao were both there. I don't know what happened, but I was very happy inside. Yes, it's really rare. I heard that Concubine Tong is in a much better mood, so we can breathe a sigh of relief."
This pricked Lan Qi's mind. She had always been worried that Hui Guiren's words would come true. If there really was such a fuss, no matter whether Concubine Zhao could get rid of the relationship in the end, it would be very ugly in the palace. Rumors spread that the concubines in the harem were fighting for favor. The emperor would not be able to show his face for murdering his heir.
Thinking back to the way she saw Xuan Ye just now, he looked calm and neither happy nor angry. It seemed that at least nothing unpleasant happened when the emperor and concubine got together just now. In her heart, as long as the emperor would not be unhappy with anything, then it would be fine. It's a good thing.
But the words she just lost her temper were conveyed to the emperor word for word. Manager Li couldn't help but laugh when he conveyed them to the emperor. Xuan Ye lost his temper and just blamed Eunuch Li and said: "You should find someone It's up to the powerful housekeeper to control her. Even if Huan Chun is capable, there are times when she can't control her. I don't know when she stumbles again. She has grown one year old after the New Year. I think she has grown in vain. ."
Eunuch Li said: "The Empress Dowager has been very fond of listening to Wu Changzai talking recently. She loves her naughty energy when she is joking. When she is serious, Wu Changzai can tell many great truths. Aunt Sumala was talking to the slave the day before yesterday.
Say, the emperor really didn’t give those books to you for nothing.”
Xuan Ye had a smile on his brows, and for a moment he started to think of bullying again. He pointed at a few books on the table and told Eunuch Li: "Just send these books to her and tell her whether she can read or understand them.
Memorize the words accurately, and then take back those few idle books. She just went to roll in the snowdrift because she was too idle."
Eunuch Li picked up the book diligently and said with a smile: "Isn't your Majesty afraid that Wu Changzai will shed tears in a hurry?"
Xuan Ye seemed to mean it, saying with love and hate: "If you don't let her know how powerful she is, she will become more and more mischievous."
So Eunuch Li came to Zhongcui Palace again at dusk. Recently, because the Empress Dowager loved Wu Changzai, he no longer had to be secretive when coming and going here. He entered the door openly. Lan Qi happened to be writing on the Kang.
When Huan Chun was asked to serve tea, his father-in-law said he was not busy. When he put down the books, Xiao Chang Zai asked excitedly: "Are they new books? Are they the same as last time? Those are really interesting."
But Eunuch Li said the emperor's words in embarrassment, watching helplessly as Wu Changzai's flowery smile gradually tightened, his watery eyes darkened, and all the excitement in his body disappeared. He sat back softly, looking up from time to time.
Looking at those profound new books, it took a long time to call Huan Chun: "Take those previous books back to father-in-law."
When Huanchun came with the book, Eunuch Li saw Lan Qi's eyes full of reluctance and his heart softened. However, the emperor's order could not be violated and he could only cruelly take away Wu Changzai's beloved thing. When he was about to leave, Lan Qi asked again
He said: "If I memorize all these books, can they be returned to me?"
Eunuch Li did not dare to agree on behalf of the emperor. He only said that he would go back and report. After he took the trouble to return to Xuan Ye, he vividly described Wu Changzai's reaction. Xuan Ye was leisurely eating a bowl of red bean soup, feeling very happy.
He said nicely: "This is enough for her to reflect on. It is better to shed a few tears than to go out and get sick."
Lan Qi felt extremely aggrieved by this incident and couldn't help but shed tears, but to others, it was a great favor. Everyone knew, openly or secretly, that the emperor had sent a letter to Wu Yashi.
It had never stopped since she was reprimanded by the Empress Dowager. Although the Emperor did not invite her to sleep with her and did not go to Zhongcui Palace to see her. On the surface, he abandoned her and ignored her. But didn't this book represent the divine grace?
Has it continued? Moreover, the Empress Dowager allowed her to walk in Cining Palace again. Adding up this incident, when everyone woke up, they discovered that Wu Ya had never fallen out of favor, and she might be able to return to the palace one day.
The emperor's side is also unknown.
On this day, everyone gathered in Yikun Palace. Concubine Zhao gradually began to get close to the concubines after the first lunar month. Although there were occasional people coming in the past, most of them just asked for greetings and bowed, and then left. It was rare to stay for a meal or two.
Who are you looking for? Ronggui and Huigui are here today, a few faceless people are here, and Yao is also here. Concubine Zhao actually said that her family has sent good mutton in, and she has honored the Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager and the Emperor.
There, the palace left some for a few days and asked the imperial kitchen to send a copper stove. Everyone sat around the stove and ate hot pot.
Everyone sat at different tables according to their positions, and Mr. Angui sat down by himself. Seeing that Bu Changzai had one person go to the table because there was an extra person, Nala agreed to sit at that table. Both of them became pregnant after a night of favor, and Nala agreed.
It seemed that the emperor liked him, and An Guiren certainly felt bad. Thinking of what happened in the palace these days, Yi Guiren sneered: "Seeing Bu Changzai coming alone, I remembered that Wu Changzai was playing in the snow in the imperial garden that day.
After seeing through her clothes, she met the emperor again. Maybe Wu Changzai met her by chance, but later Zhang agreed to follow suit, covered herself in snow and waited for the emperor to pass by, but the emperor didn't even look at her.
I caught cold and fever, and I haven’t gotten up yet.”
Everyone in the audience was sighing. Yigui was an upright person and said carelessly: "How long has Wu Chang been away from the emperor? What should I do to imitate her? Zhang promised to make a mistake."
An Guiren laughed hurriedly: "Isn't that right? When it comes to how to please the emperor, Bu Changzai and Nala agree best. They even gave birth to the princess."
Bu Chang's face turned red and white, and Nala next to her agreed to pull her arm and said: "Forget it, she is always like that, let's cook the meat and eat it."
But Bu Chang is in a weak body and rarely eats meat. Today, for fear of being called hypocritical again, he ate a lot of mutton. Shortly after returning home, he vomited and vomited. His stomach was so turbulent that he almost died. Lan Qi
I didn’t understand why she had to eat meat reluctantly, but when I asked her why, she just cried silently.
Pan Xia, who followed later, told the story, but Lan Qi said cheerfully: "Isn't An Gui just a talker? In fact, she's not that bad. As soon as she's distracted by other things, she will stop talking about what she said before."
I forgot all about it. Oops...I really envy my sister. It would be great if I could go today. Just hearing you talk about that meat makes me greedy."
Ke Bu often felt sick when he heard the word "meat", so he beat Lan Qi and said he was bullying her. Lan Qi told her other jokes to make her feel better. After that, he made japonica rice porridge himself and warmed it with the rice oil.
After eating it, Bu Chang finally settled down in his cramped and vomiting stomach.
Let's say that Bu Chang wasted the good mutton served to Concubine Zhao. In fact, Concubine Zhao herself was not feeling well here. She was made noisy by the concubines all day long. She still liked the clean days in the past. I don't know if she disliked everyone, etc.
After the guests left, Dongyun led the little palace maid to clean the main hall inside and outside. After that, when he rested on the heated kang, he said suspiciously: "Where did the rouge and gouache they used come from? It smells so good."
It’s so vulgar, I always feel like there’s still a smell in this house.”
Dongyun had no choice but to have people come to clean and ventilate them, and smoked them with his master's favorite incense sticks. He still listened to Concubine Zhao saying in disgust: "I'd better not get close to them. The closer they get, the more annoying they will be.
"
Dongyun persuaded: "If you don't get close, you will really let Concubine Tong pull you away. Concubine Tong doesn't care whether others like her or not, as long as she says she is close to someone, no one can escape. But we
It can't be like this. Your Majesty persuades people with your virtues. It would be better if the nobles below really admire you and are willing to stand on your side. The master doesn't have to entertain guests like this every day. Let's start today and get together occasionally later.
We share something with each other on weekdays, it’s all out of affection.”
Concubine Zhao closed her eyes and sighed. After a long time, she opened her eyes and said, "That's all. When I become the queen, I won't have to worry about it anymore. Then I won't be polite if Concubine Tong dares to be arrogant."
In the West Wing Hall, Yiguiren stood in front of the door and watched the scene for a while. Taohong went to wash a plate of green dates and actually ate them all. Taohong advised her to be careful about her food, but Yiguiren laughed: "I didn't do anything just now.
Move the chopsticks. If I were elsewhere, I would eat with all my heart. You know, if anyone sees me eating poorly, I don’t know what to say. Look, people leave and the stools are cleaned before they are cold.
, you are so disgusted with us. If you don’t like us, just don’t associate with us, why bother.”
Taohong went to close the door, and came back to remind Yigui: "Next time Angui asks you to say something, you just have to be perfunctory. Today, you can't say those words. Angui has never been in tune. He offends everyone, but he doesn't."
You can't be like this if you consciously get close to everyone. In the future, it would be better to get closer to Ronggui people and Huigui people."
Palace maids like Taohong, who have been in the palace for many years, have to find a future for themselves. The status of the palace maids has increased along with their masters. Of course, everyone hopes that the master will do well. Now that Yigui is favored, she does not want to let the master fail to make friends. Be careful, ruining your future.
Yigui is also smart. He nodded repeatedly and said, "I understand in my heart."
However, in Qianqing Palace, Xuan Ye heard that Concubine Zhao had begun to get close to Liu Gong and thought it was a good thing. What he said to Lan Qi that day has always been on his mind. If there must be someone between Concubine Zhao and Concubine Tong, If he wants to be a queen in the future, he would of course prefer the former. In his eyes, Concubine Tong is just a little cousin who has not grown up. In terms of the motherly etiquette of the Sixth Palace, if Concubine Zhao did not look down on the aloofness and arrogance of others who came from a low background, she would almost It is perfect. Naturally, no one can compare to Queen Hesheli. Therefore, unless forced by the court, Xuan Ye would never want to stand in the palace again in his life.
Later, he heard Eunuch Li say that except for a few sick people who promised to go out today, only Wu Changzai, who was ordered by the emperor not to go out, Xuan Ye immediately laughed: "She has no part in such a lively meat-boiled meal. But it would make her sad if you snatched those books. But this girl won't grow any better after eating the meat, and it's so thin that it can fall over if the wind blows."
Although he was so angry, Xuan Ye turned around and asked Eunuch Li to send someone from the royal kitchen to deliver a whole leg of lamb. He said with a smile: "Let Huan Chun cook it in the small kitchen. She can eat whatever she likes, but don't eat it." My stomach hurts too much."
There is no shortage of meat for Lan Qi here. The meat in the daily meal is enough to satisfy her craving. But boiling meat around the stove is troublesome. If you want to do it in the dining room, all the palaces must have it. It's not easy. After such tossing, Lan Qi became very greedy after listening to what Bu Chang was saying.
Unexpectedly, a whole leg of lamb was delivered to the imperial kitchen in the evening. It was said that the emperor had asked Wu Chang to recuperate, so he kindly sent a copper stove. Chun said: "Let's eat hot pot around the fire. We sit and eat together with the door closed in the evening. This food is not delicious when there are not many people. Go and see if there are any dishes in the small kitchen. Finally, the vegetables are cooked with mutton soup, which is very delicious. I When I was at home, I would eat like this with my grandmother, it was very lively."
Huan Chun saw that her master had been depressed since the emperor confiscated the Xianshu. It was the first time she was so happy. She probably didn't care about the origin of the mutton leg. Her eyes lit up when she saw the meat. She really didn't understand Jiao Qiao. How could such a petite person like to eat meat so much? He had no choice but to agree and dive into the kitchen to get busy. Over there, Pan Xia said, "The master said you shouldn't go there tonight. She won't be able to do it when she smells the smell of meat." , we have to close the door and take a rest."
Lan Qi smiled and teased Panxia: "You and Jinhe will come over to eat at night. Daosui doesn't like meat either, so just let her accompany her sister."
But Panxia said, "I don't dare to do that. How can I sit down at the same table with you? Moreover, the master has given us all the dishes today. Our bellies are full, so we don't care about it at all."
Lan Qi ignored her, so she hurried back and waited outside the small kitchen. After wandering for a long time, she suddenly remembered and asked: "Who did you think the leg of lamb was from just now?"
Yu Kui said in surprise: "I've been working on it for a long time, but master, you only know how to eat?"
Xiangyue giggled: "Long live the Lord, he must be very angry when he knows about it. He bothered to feel sorry for our master for not eating the mutton from Concubine Zhao's place today, but in the end, they didn't care. Only now did he think of asking."
Hearing that it was sent by the emperor, Lan Qi, who had been so happy, suddenly calmed down. The cheerful smile on her face gradually showed a shy look. She stopped wandering in front of the small kitchen and ran back to the bedroom to sit down.
Huan Chun sent Xiangyue to take a look, and not long after that she came back and said with a smile: "I am holding the book seriously and reading it. I almost shed tears while reciting it a few days ago, but today I am laughing."
In the evening, the east side hall was bustling with people cooking meat around the stove. Afraid that the aroma would drift away and Bu Chang would be there to make her feel uncomfortable, the door was tightly closed, and the master and slave sat at the same table together without any respect. They talked about their respective times at home, and
They all couldn't help but sigh, but Lan Qi was happy when there was meat to eat, and it became more lively when there were more people rushing to eat it. There was laughter from time to time in the room, but like this, there was no movement outside. Even Pan Xia from the West Side Hall heard the movement and came out to see it.
The emperor and Eunuch Li appeared in the courtyard, but the people in the east side hall were just enjoying themselves and didn't notice anything.
"Let Huan Chun and the others come out. Don't let Wu Chang Zai know that I'm here." Xuan Ye stood there and ordered Pan Xia when he saw her. Pan Xia could only bite the bullet and call Huan Chun out first.
, Huan Chun was scared to death, and called out Xiangyue and Yukui on the pretext of asking for food and hot wine. The three of them knew they were violating the palace rules and knelt at the foot of the steps, but Xuan Ye asked them to get up, but they still
Praise: "It's good to make her happy every day. Go and have a rest. You are not needed here."
After saying this, Xuan Ye took off his cloak and threw it to Mr. Li and told him to stay. He went in alone with the curtain open. When he entered, he saw Lan Qi sitting with her back to the door. There must have been a cold wind blowing in, thinking that Huan Chun and the others were back.
He laughed and shouted: "If you don't come back, you'll get old. I'll eat it first."
After saying that, there was no movement. She turned around while eating meat with a bowl in hand. She saw the emperor standing behind her. Before she could panic, Xuan Ye had already sat on the edge. Since the bowls and chopsticks were all used by the maids, he stretched out his hand to
Lan Qi snatched the chopsticks from her hand, took her bowl with her, and said, "I came here when I smelled the aroma." Then she started eating.
Lan Qi slowly swallowed the food in her mouth, pursed her lips, and when Xuan Ye looked up at her, she couldn't help but ask: "You are just here to eat, right?"
Xuan Ye was puzzled and burned a few more pieces of meat and asked her what she meant. Lan Qi said slightly nervously: "Those books...haven't been memorized yet."