Don't help me, I can sit up by myself

Xiaowu was originally a first-class palace maid in Jingren Palace. In the Queen's words, Xiaowu, Guiyuan and the others all served her personally. Xiaowu's salary was the highest among the palace maids, but she was considerate, safe in her work, and good-mouthed. Yan Shi never likes to gossip about people, knows the rules and is neither humble nor arrogant. In Jingren Palace, besides Guiyuan, she is the one the Queen relies on the most.

With Xiao Wu around, everything in Jingren Palace was relatively organized. Those palace maids and eunuchs were also willing to listen to Xiao Wu.

When she learned that Du Jiyan had moved to Wanru Hall and entered the new hall, there were many trivial matters, so the queen specially rewarded Xiaowu for serving him.

After Xiaowu came to Wanru Hall, she consciously stayed on duty at Wanru Hall, serving tea. When she saw that the lights in Du Jiyan's room were dimmed, she was the first to add lamp oil. If Du Jiyan took a bath, she would always go first. She went to the flower room to ask for a basket of fresh flower petals to sprinkle in the bath water. When Du Jiyan was taking a bath, if she couldn't serve him personally, she would go ahead and make tea and prepare refreshments. Du Jiyan fell asleep at night, and Xiaowu, as a new slave, could have rested. She also had to inspect the small kitchen and check the lights of the entire Wanru Hall.

There was a time when Shi Jing came to Wanru Hall in the rain. The weather was suddenly warm but then cold. Before Du Jiyan could give him instructions, Xiao Wu had already gone to the kitchen to make ginger tea.

Such delicate service cannot be achieved without several years of experience.

So even Shi Jing praised her in front of Du Jiyan: "The Queen is so generous, giving you a capable person like Xiaowu. I think Xiaowu's style is as considerate as Aunt Zhao of Yongfu Palace." Very."

Therefore, the maids and eunuchs of Wanru Palace are willing to respect Xiaowu as sister and are willing to listen to her assignments.

Du Jiyan looked at the mist in the dim light, and felt more and more that her light brown hair color was different. He usually paid little attention to this mist, but now it seemed that the light brown color between her hair and eyebrows was a bit colder. Beautiful, like a sickly person, but not very resembling.

Xiaowu served Du Jiyan some date tea and replied: "I came to the palace at the age of eleven. I heard from my mother that I fell ill when I was four years old. I had a high fever for two days and two nights, and my whole body was hot and steamy. I went to the Gate of Hell and finally recovered after drinking the medicine, but the color of my hair and eyebrows faded a lot, but fortunately, other than this, there is no difference in other places."

"Xiaowu, you entered the palace at the age of eleven?"

"Yes, according to the rules of the palace, the maids and eunuchs who come to serve are usually seven or eight years old. They start learning the rules at the age of seven or eight, and it takes a year and a half before they can serve the master. The slaves are a little old when they enter the palace. It's just that. Because the slave’s family background is not bad, she has been somewhat decent since she was a child. Just because my mother believes that no matter how big the rules are in the world, they can’t be greater than those in the palace, and she also thinks it is good for women to learn more rules, so she let the slave enter the palace. .”

""Then you served the Queen? "

"The servants went to the House of Internal Affairs, and Jingren Palace happened to be selecting people to serve. The empress said that the other servants were small and looked like chickens, and they couldn't bear to do anything. Jingren Palace had a lot of affairs, and the servants were taller and stronger. The queen said The empress then selected the slave. Since then, she has been serving in Jingren Palace. Now she is transferred to Wanru Palace. She will work for a few more years. When she can leave the palace, the slave will leave."

When Xiaowu answered the question, she stood respectfully.

After answering Du Jiyan's words, she took the tea on the table and said, "This tea has been there for a while. I'm afraid it's cold. I'll give you another cup for the master."

This is life in the eyes.

What master could not like it.

Changle Palace.

After Shanzhu delivered the snacks, he saw Tian Lingyue accompanying Meng Yuzhu to pick out the jewelry sent by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, so he stepped aside voluntarily.

"I watched you ask people to deliver things to Wanru Palace?" Meng Yuzhu fiddled with the pearls in his hand. The pearls were shining brightly. Each one was as big as an eyeball. There were at least six in that box, which was worth a lot of money. . She was a noble concubine, and with her status as a noble concubine, jewelry and fabrics were often delivered, and Meng Yuzhu's box could no longer hold them.

"Back to the imperial concubine, I asked Mangzhu to deliver a box of snacks to Nectarine."

"Send snacks to that little hoof? That damn little hoof has been in Changle Palace for many years. He has eaten two bowls of rice too much and has no real sense. What's the use of giving her something? It's a waste of time."

"Have you ever heard of the divorce plan?"

Meng Yuzhu, who was born in Nanfu, was certainly aware of the divorce plan.

She acted the divisive plot in the play with ease. But she didn't have much confidence in the stupid slave Nectarine and the uncontrollable Du Jiyan: "Even if the estrangement succeeds, even if Du Jiyan doesn't like Nectarine, this slave, what good will it do to us? "

"Divorce tactics are of no use, but some people may not be able to withstand serial tactics and attacks in the east and west." Tian Lingyue picked a pearl hairpin inlaid with yellow treasures from the box and handed it to Meng Yuzhu, and then whispered to Meng Yuzhu. Yuzhu said a few words. After hearing this, Meng Yuzhu's face suddenly became joyful. She immediately inserted the pearl hairpin inlaid with yellow treasures into Tian Lingyue's temples, then stroked her hand and said, "I saw it right." Man, among the beautiful ladies who enter the palace, you are the one who has the best strategy. Don’t worry, you will arrange the affairs in the palace, and I will arrange the affairs outside the palace."

Because Meng Yuzhu was happy, she even kept Tian Lingyue to have dinner with her.

At the dinner table, Meng Yuzhu personally gave Tian Lingyue a big chicken drumstick: "You should eat more, you have lost weight these days."

Tian Lingyue was flattered.

Meng Yuzhu filled another bowl of tomato beef soup and handed it to Tian Lingyue: "This beef soup is very soft. I always like to drink it. You should try it too."

After Tian Lingyue drank the beef soup, Meng Yuzhu asked her: "It's decided to do it on the Lantern Festival? Is it accurate? Will she really leave the palace with the emperor that day?"

"It's true. When I copied the sutra for the Queen Mother and sent it over, I happened to meet the Emperor and the Queen Mother talking. Talking about the Lantern Festival, the Emperor said that he would go outside the palace to see the people of the capital that day and pay a private visit incognito. The Queen Mother asked the Emperor who he was. If it is inconvenient for the queen to accompany her, it is the same as taking the noble guard with her."

"The Queen Mother is thinking about the two daughters of the Wei family." Meng Yuzhu snorted: "What did the Emperor say?"

"The emperor said that the imperial doctor said that the two empresses in Jingren Palace have been recuperating recently. There are many people in the city during the Lantern Festival, and they were afraid of bumping into the empress, so they decided to take Du Changzai there."

Meng Yuzhu put down her chopsticks: "Is the Queen Mother sure?"

"The Queen Mother has always pampered the Emperor. She is usually right about whatever the Emperor wants to do. The Emperor told the Queen Mother that Du Changyu runs a small kitchen in the palace and walks in the wind and rain every day. He is strong and strong, so he can be taken out. , How can the Queen Mother be inaccurate?"

The news that the emperor wanted to take Du Jiyan out of the palace spread a lot.

When greeting the emperor in Jingren Palace, the queen mentioned that she needed to purchase things in the palace during the Lantern Festival, and asked the Ministry of Internal Affairs to prepare some lanterns like the common people, and put a few boats in the lake, so that they could put out lanterns at the same time. While setting off fireworks, you can also take a boat trip on the lake, wouldn't it be fun?

The concubines were all talking.

Zhao agreed: "The Queen is so considerate. Speaking of which, the Lantern Festival is very lively among the people, and it should be even more lively in the harem."

Bao Guiren: "My favorite thing is to take a boat trip on the lake. Sitting on the boat and watching the fireworks will be a unique experience."

Meng Yuzhu calmly stroked the pearl-encrusted gold hairpin in her hair. Seeing the concubines looking forward to the Lantern Festival, she wanted to laugh: "The Queen's intention is very good, but if the Emperor is not here, we sisters will do it." Who are these for?"

"The Emperor is not here? The Emperor will stay in the palace to offer incense to the ancestors during the Shangyuan Festival. I have never heard of a year when the Emperor was not in the palace to celebrate the Shangyuan Festival." The queen expressed disbelief. The key is that she did not receive the emperor's message. Letter about going on a business trip. In previous years, during the Lantern Festival, people would go to temples to offer incense and kowtow to their ancestors. Now that the New Year has passed, from this day on, one has to work conscientiously for the welfare of the people. The emperor has always abided by these old rules.

Zhao promised to agree with the queen's words: "Last year during the Lantern Festival, I stood near the front during the sacrifice, and the emperor rewarded me with a bowl of dumplings." Bao Guiren: "The year before last, I was sick and could not participate in the Lantern Festival. The Queen took pity on me and sent me two kinds of exquisite fruits and two kinds of lanterns, and the Emperor also sent an imperial doctor to take my pulse."

Zhao promised that Bao Guiren was not a popular person in the palace and was not very favored, so the news was delayed.

Meng Yuzhu always looked down on those people: "It seems that you are really not favored. You don't know the emperor's whereabouts at all. How can you please the emperor?"

"Who knows my whereabouts?" The emperor came with his hands tied. Gao Rang didn't even have time to pick up the bead curtain. The emperor raised his feet and entered the palace. The shaking bead curtain swayed. The swaying bead curtain was bright and dark, reflecting Jingren's eyes. The palace also alternates between light and dark. The concubines are dressed in red and green, and their hair is full of hairpins. For a moment, it feels like they are in a fairy palace.

The queen quickly stood up to greet him.

The emperor sat in the queen's seat and asked the queen to sit down again.

In front of the concubines, the emperor was right next to the queen. The queen could even hear his breathing. His breath was full of avocado scent. The queen was a little distracted. She reached out and took out a bright yellow orange from the plate and peeled it: "This These are the new oranges sent by the Ministry of Internal Affairs today. They are small and thin-skinned. They are called sugar oranges. I will peel one for the emperor."

The emperor nodded.

The queen happily peeled the orange, raised her hand and put it into her mouth: "Sure enough, these sugar oranges are very sweet. What do you think, the emperor?"

emperor

Meng Yuzhu secretly lamented that the queen was mentally retarded.

Such a mentally retarded queen can actually sit firmly in the middle palace.

The emperor did not blame him, and even cared about the queen: "If you like to eat, I will ask the Ministry of Internal Affairs to send it to you another day. You can eat these sugar oranges if you want to."

The concubines, especially Zhao Guiren and others, were looking forward to the emperor every day but could not get it. Now that the emperor and the queen are intimate and have sugar oranges to eat, they all said with joy: "The emperor and the queen are so kind to our sisters."

Meng Yuzhu held a sugar orange and felt a little uneasy.

The emperor asked Meng Yuzhu: "What the noble concubine said just now, does it sound like she knows my whereabouts?"

The orange in Tian Lingyue's hand fell to the ground, which was disrespectful to the emperor. Tian Lingyue knelt down quickly, and Meng Yuzhu also knelt down: "I mean, I am afraid that the emperor is busy with the Lantern Festival sacrifices."

"Afraid of what?"

"I'm afraid." Meng Yuzhu fell on the ground: "I am a talkative concubine who has made random speculations. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."

The emperor personally peeled off a sugar orange and handed it to the queen. He raised his eyebrows and flung up his robe: "The queen can arrange the Lantern Festival activities. I will celebrate the Lantern Festival in the palace."

The queen was naturally very happy: "I must make more lanterns. I heard that this year's rabbit lanterns are beautiful. I would like to send them to the emperor."

Zhao agreed: "The Emperor really celebrates the Lantern Festival with us sisters, so I still want to stand in front, just in case the Emperor rewards me with dumplings again."

Bao Guiren: "The emperor just rewarded you with sugar oranges, and you want to eat dumplings again. You are so greedy."

Only Meng Yuzhu and Tian Lingyue were kneeling on the ground, and the emperor did not say anything to get them up.

Everyone sat and ate another round of oranges. Seeing that the basket was empty, the queen remembered that Meng Yuzhu was still kneeling on the ground, and straightened her robes and said, "Concubine, please agree with Tian. You can eat more oranges in the future, but you can't say anything." Talking nonsense, you see, almost made the emperor angry."

Only Wei Guiren sat calmly in the back row, holding her newly made piano in her arms and still tuning.

Although she was puzzled, she didn't show it.

During the conversation between the Emperor and the Queen Mother that day, except Tian promised to be present, she went to deliver soup to the Queen Mother, and she was also there.

The emperor wanted to take Du Jiyan out of the palace, and Guiren Wei also heard it with his own ears. And after the emperor left, she stayed for a while. The queen mother also held her hand to comfort her, saying that there would be many opportunities to get along with the emperor in the future. Du Chang had earned tens of thousands of taels of military expenses by providing ideas for the emperor a while ago. Filling the inner treasury, the emperor has been loving her a little lately. Besides, during the Lantern Festival, the city was crowded and bustling with people, and there was nothing to see. There were also fireworks and lanterns in the palace.

Wei Guiren was as obedient as a cat.

Now the emperor said that the Lantern Festival will be celebrated in the palace?

The changes are so fast.

Guiren Wei secretly took a look at Du Jiyan's expression.

She originally thought that Du Jiyan would be disappointed and sad, but she didn't expect that Du Jiyan was as happy as the Chinese New Year. Not only did he chat and laugh with Shi Jing, he also showed off three or five oranges, eating them until his hands were all yellow, and he didn't look at all sad.

Wei Guiren secretly sighed that Du Jiyan had a good attitude. Is this woman really so unfazed by favors and humiliations? The emperor originally wanted to go out with her to enjoy the lanterns, but now he didn't ask her out. She shouldn't have such an expression.

Du Jiyan felt like a mirror in his heart.

Before coming to Jingren Palace, the emperor went to Wanru Palace first, saying that he wanted to drink the corn egg flower rock sugar porridge in Wanru Palace.

After finishing the corn egg popsicle rock sugar porridge, Du Jianyan advised him: "The emperor's dragon body is the most important thing. Although there is a lot of excitement outside the palace, there is danger hidden in the noise. The safety of the people of Chen State is all tied to you, the emperor. So, please go to the emperor." Your Majesty, for the sake of safety, cannot go to festivals like the Yuan Festival."

"Can you go?"

"My concubine. My concubine doesn't want to go either."

"Haha, woman." The emperor put down the porridge bowl, pulled Du Jiyan and put it on his lap: "You obviously want to go, but you say you don't want to, and you speak hesitantly, pretending that I can't hear it."

Du Jiyan

Your Majesty, you are truly a wise and powerful emperor through the ages.

The concubine was so suffocated in the palace that she wished she could leave the palace to have some fun.

The emperor clearly saw Du Jiyan's thoughts: "Today, Aunt Guan from the Queen Mother's Palace came to send a message, saying that the Queen Mother was infected with the wind and cold. On the night of the Lantern Festival, I had to offer sacrifices in the palace and visit Cining Palace. The Queen Mother still has to discuss matters with the three auxiliary ministers, so I’m afraid I won’t be able to go with you to enjoy the lanterns outside the palace.”