In the afternoon, the warm sunlight shines softly into the house through the window paper. Under the window, green smoke rises from the incense burner, and the kettle sitting on the stove is steaming. Everything is so quiet and peaceful.
Xi Qian lay on the soft couch and fell asleep deeply. Fan Tao lifted up a corner of the quilt, stuffed a small hand stove in, and covered the corners of the quilt tightly.
Xuechun poured out the cold tea, made another cup with newly boiled water, and brought it to the bed to wait for Xi Qian to wake up.
Fan Tao smiled and glanced at her, then said softly, "You are really stubborn. Why don't you just wait until the queen wakes up before making tea? You have been going back and forth this morning, and you have poured out so many cups of tea."
"Just throw it away! As long as the princess wakes up, she can drink hot tea immediately."
Fan Tao looked at the door cautiously and said, "This is Mengxin Residence, not our Sumeng Pavilion. What if the emperor asks one day why there are so few tea leaves? Let's see what you do!"
Xue Chun pinched her nose and smiled and said, "Sister, you are just trying to scare me. The emperor won't care about such trivial matters. Besides, in this palace, if anyone's things are short, the emperor's will not be short."
"You girl are getting better and better!"
"Of course, the princess is so smart. If I watch her every day, she will naturally become smarter!"
Fantao covered her mouth and smiled and said, "You are really immodest. I can praise you for a few words and you will go to heaven."
"Who has become smarter?" Xi Xian woke up faintly and looked at them with a smile.
"Sister Fantao praised me for being smart!" Xuechun quickly raised her up with one arm and handed the tea cup over with the other hand, "Is the princess thirsty from sleeping? Take a sip of tea quickly, it's hot!"
After Xiqian finished drinking, she handed the empty teacup back to Xuechun, "Why are you all here? Who told you I was here?"
Fan Taofushen replied, "It was Eunuch Liu who told the slaves. Eunuch Liu said that the empress rested in Mengxinju early in the morning and asked the slaves to come and serve her."
"Empress? Which empress?" Xi Qian looked around the room in confusion, but found no one else there.
Xuechun stood up excitedly, "Don't you know, princess? Eunuch Liu went to the palaces early in the morning to deliver the message, saying that the emperor canonizes you as Empress Zhaorong and asks you to take over Wanyun Palace!"
Fan Tao pulled Xuechun and knelt down, "My queen, please sit down quickly and let the slaves give you a big gift!"
Xi Xian stared blankly at them as they bowed three times and bowed nine times to her. She didn't know what it was like. If she had been another concubine, she would have cried with joy, but she couldn't be happy at all. Yu Wenhao
Could it be that Xuan's sudden canonization was to comfort her for the neglect he had given her these past few days?
Seeing her expression was different, Fan Tao stood up and asked, "What's going on, Madam? It's a happy event for me to be granted the title of Jin! I see why you are a little unhappy."
"What's there to be happy about? It's just a status, nothing more than the emperor's words. It looks good to outsiders, but only you know what it's like."
"My Lady, don't say that. I know that you have a high spirit. Although it is just a title, not everyone has it! Besides, the emperor's affection for you is already extraordinary. But there are so many women in the palace, and the emperor will inevitably do so.
Focus on one and lose on the other.”
Xi Qian smiled bitterly, "Yes, there are so many people in the palace, and if someone laughs, someone must feel uncomfortable."
"It's better for the empress to be more open-minded, but this high status has great benefits. Now that you and Wang Zhaoyi are on equal terms, she will not dare to use her status to overwhelm you in the future. Our Wanyun Palace has the empress in charge again. Palace people
I can now hold my head up and hold my chest high when walking outside.”
Xi Qian frowned and asked, "What? Do our palace maids still have to be angry outside?"
When this was mentioned, Xuechun became very angry, "Princess, you don't know, the people in our house are better, but when those palace people guarding the main hall are outside, they are worse than dogs. Anyone can
If you catch me, you will give whatever instructions you want, and if you don’t do well, you will be beaten and scolded.”
"Xuechun!" Fan Tao interrupted her, "Why are you talking to your empress about this?"
Xiqian waved her hand, "Fantao, I know you're afraid that I'm too thoughtful, but you don't have to hide these words from me in the future. If Xuechun hadn't said it today, I thought I'd be able to sit back and relax after getting a monthly increase in silver for everyone, but
Unexpectedly???, even though I grew up in the palace, I didn’t even consider this level."
"Your Majesty, you don't have to blame yourself. Jiang Guo's harem is so big. It's understandable that you don't think things through. You can think of the palace people, and they will be grateful. The master of this palace, who has not done something wrong beforehand?"
Get rid of your own palace servants, who can protect your shortcomings like you?"
"What they do is their business, but as long as they follow me, I will do my best to protect them."
"But the empress???"
Xiqian raised her hand to interrupt her, "You don't have to persuade me, that's just the way I am."
Fantao smiled helplessly, "Since the empress said so, I would like to advise you that some people are not worthy of your sincere treatment."
Xi Qian nodded silently, while Xue Chun pouted and said, "Princess, is this slave worthy of your true love?"
"That goes without saying." Xi Qian looked at them with a smile, "You two are the closest people to me in the palace. If I don't treat you sincerely, then who should I treat sincerely?"
Xuechun leaned against her with a smile on her face, while Fantao lowered his head as if he was ashamed.
Xi Qian took her hand and said with a clear smile, "What happened in the past is over. From now on we will be like a family."
"Yes!" Fan Tao nodded vigorously and hugged them.
A young eunuch at the door lowered his head and cleared his throat. Fan Tao and Xuechun immediately stepped aside and stood upright.
Xi Qian calmed down and asked, "What can I do for you, father-in-law?"
"When you return to your Majesty, someone from your palace will come and say that you have something to report to your Majesty."
Xi Qian nodded, and Fan Tao said to the little eunuch at the door, "Let her come in."
Not long after the little eunuch left, Chunxi walked in.
Fantao helped Chunxi who was kneeling on the ground to salute and asked, "What happened in the palace?"
"Nothing happened. It's just that everyone in the palace knew about the Queen's promotion. The people giving gifts almost filled the Queen's Sumeng Pavilion. The Queen was not here, and the palace people didn't dare to accept the gifts, so the slaves went to the errand.
, come and ask your Majesty what you mean."
After hearing this, Xuechun cursed angrily, "Where did these little people go when the emperor didn't come a few days ago? They just came to curry favor now. The princess ignored them and returned all their gifts."
!”
"Shut up!" Xi Qian shouted sternly, "Are these words what you should say? If someone with a heart listens to it, I don't know how much trouble it will cause."
Xuechun knew that he had said the wrong thing recklessly again, so he stood aside in silence.
Xiqian calmed down and said to Chunxi, "Go back and tell them that I will be back right away."
After Chunxi exited the door, Xiqian looked at Xuechun with a cold expression, "Why don't you speak through your head first? You've been in the palace for so long, and you still don't know what to say and what not to say?"
"I know I was wrong. I will not dare to do it next time." Xuechun knelt beside the couch and lowered his head to admit his mistake. Seeing her pitiful look, Xiqian sighed and couldn't bear to say anything about her anymore.