Forbidden Autumn, Summer, Winter and Spring Rebirth

Chapter 18 18. Chinese New Year
  After changing clothes, Xia Dongchun never touched the food on the table. However, he had to continue eating the two dishes given by the emperor. .

Xia Dongchun felt a little dizzy and rested her head with her eyes closed. Shen Meizhuang next to her knew that she had drunk too much and ordered someone to pour tea to sober up.

A little maid came over with tea. Xia Dongchun picked up the filled tea cup and saw that the maid pouring the tea in front of her looked familiar. Xia Dongchun shook her head and looked at it a few more times, feeling that this maid looked more and more familiar.

This was the palace maid who was entrusted by Xia Wei in her previous life and secretly brought the imperial physician to take care of Xia Dongchun after she was tortured. Xia Dongchun naturally remembered that her name was Yueshan, and she was the palace maid of Sasao of Yonghe Palace.

Yonghe Palace is the palace where the Queen Mother lived when she was a concubine. It has been vacant since the Emperor ascended the throne, so it is relatively free. It seems that this time there is not enough manpower for the banquet, so it was temporarily transferred here.

Xia Dongchun hesitated for a moment, then her hand suddenly shook and she lost her grip on the tea cup she was holding. All the tea in the cup spilled on Yue Shan and Xia Dongchun.

"My slave deserves to die. Please forgive me, my mistress." Yue Shan hurriedly apologized.

Seeing that no one else was paying attention, Xia Dongchun hurriedly held down her hand and whispered, "It doesn't matter, I was drunk and my hands were unsteady. Your clothes are also wet. Come with me to change."

After saying that, he motioned to Ging Guo and walked towards the inner hall together.

When they arrived at the inner palace, Xia Dongchun found a place with few people and said, "Which palace are you a maid?"

Yue Shan only thought that she was asking for guilt, and hurriedly knelt down and said, "Go back to the little master, I belong to the Yonghe Palace. Please calm down, the little master, I didn't mean it."

"Get up quickly. I don't want to ask you any questions. I just see how smart you are and I like you." Xia Dongchun said with a smile.

Yue Shan was born well, and her appearance was outstanding among the palace maids. Xia Dongchun said so.

Yue Shan was a little hesitant, but she stood up respectfully and lowered her head to reply.

"The young master is the noble Xia of Yanxi Palace?"

"Exactly, do you recognize me?"

"Back to the young master, my name is Wang Yueshan. Xia Zuoling was kind to my parents a few years ago. I have always kept it in my heart and dare not forget it."

"In this way, we are destined to be together. No wonder I like you when I see you. Are you willing to work in my palace?"

"Of course I am willing, but I am afraid that my master will be in trouble."

"You can go back and wait. Just wait peacefully in Yonghe Palace." Xia Dongchun patted her hand and said.

Yue Shan retreated as she was told, and Xia Dongchun asked Bai Guo to reply to the queen, saying that she was drunk and had returned to the palace first.

Xia Dongchun was sitting in the inner hall of Qianqing Palace, and her consciousness was somewhat clear. She was considered favored now, and it was not difficult to get a palace maid, so she was not worried about it.

But her encounter with Yueshan reminded her of all the things she had done before her death in her previous life, and she felt a little melancholy for a while.

Knowing that Xia Dongchun was drunk, the queen specially gave her a sedan chair to drive her back.

"Little Master, why did you think of asking that palace maid to serve in our palace? There is no shortage of manpower in our palace. Besides, Yue Shan is so beautiful. I always feel uneasy." Xia Dongchun sat on the sedan chair and held the hand stove. Eyes nourishing.

"It's nothing, I just like her. I'll write to my brother tomorrow and ask about the palace maid."

When they arrived at Rouyue Hall, Xia Dongchun asked Mo Shuang to reward some of the father-in-laws who had driven them away with their sedan chairs. It was New Year's Eve and they had good intentions, so they thanked them and left.

After returning to the inner room, he drank the sobering soup and prepared to go to sleep. Ging Guo and Mo Shuang were waiting for Xia Dongchun to wash up.

"My young master, when I went to the banquet to reply to the Queen, the Emperor and the Queen were going to Shoukang Palace to pay their respects to the Queen Mother," Bai Guo said.

"It's cold and the Queen Mother should not be overworked when she is ill. Naturally, the Emperor and Queen want Shoukang Palace to accompany the Queen Mother. The banquet must be about to break up." Xia Dongchun answered the words one after another and yawned, feeling a little sleepy. .

"The little master said, will the emperor turn over the cards tonight? Which empress's palace will he go to? Will he come to our palace?"

"You're a very brave girl. You dare to speculate on the Holy Will. You have to let Aunt Mo Shuang teach you the rules."

"Oh, little master, I know you're wrong. Little master, let's take a guess." Bai Guo didn't take it seriously and said with a smile.

Mo Shuang looked at the two of them with a smile, and Xia Dongchun said, "Aunt Mo Shuang, please tell me."

Mo Shuang was stunned for a moment, then answered with a smile.

"I think the emperor will go to Concubine Hua's Yikun Palace."

"I guess the emperor will go to Broken Yuxuan to stay up late with Wangui." Xia Dongchun said with a smile.

"Oh, it's a sin, it's a sin. You were talking about the master behind his back. It was me who led you in this nonsense. But Ging Guo, let's take a guess and let's see who guesses correctly tomorrow." Xia Dongchun also became playful.

Bai Guo said, "I think this is the queen. The emperor and the queen are deeply in love, so they should go to Jingren Palace."

Xia Dongchun chuckled, secretly sighing at Bai Guo's naivety. "Okay, we will know tomorrow who among the three of us guesses correctly. Mo Shuang, tomorrow morning everyone in Rouyue Hall will be rewarded with a three-month report. The maids will be rewarded with a plain silver hairpin and a plain silver bracelet. The father-in-law will be rewarded with a snuff bottle. That's it. This young master will give you lucky money." Xia Dongchun said proudly.

Mo Shuang and Bai Guo happily thanked them.

Xia Dongchun put his slippers on the bed, and the inner room was not cold at all. The bed was warmed by a hand stove. Xia Dongchun covered himself with the quilt and felt physically and mentally comfortable.

She still had an uneasy sleep tonight, and Xia Dongchun had nightmares as soon as she fell asleep. One moment it was Concubine Hua who wanted something from her, another moment there was a raging fire, another moment it was Xia Wei and Ye Jiashi calling for help in the empty darkness. Xia Dongchun was struggling in nightmares, trying to wake up but couldn't.

In the middle of the night, Xia Dongchun started talking in her sleep. Bai Guo was horrified and shook her awake. Xia Dongchun woke up screaming and found that she was covered in cold sweat.

"My lord, what's wrong with you? Are you having another nightmare? I'll go and fetch you a doctor." Ging Guo was about to cry out of fear.

"Don't go," Xia Dongchun stopped her. Such unlucky things were taboo in the palace during the New Year. "Don't panic, I have nothing to do. Go and make me a bowl of soothing soup."

Mo Shuang was also looking at Xia Dongchun worriedly.

"My mistress broke out in a cold sweat. I'll give you a scrub and change into your pajamas."

"Okay, what time is it now?"

"It's the end of the day, but it's still early."

After drinking the soothing soup, she changed into her pajamas and lay down again. Xia Dongchun closed her eyes, but still couldn't fall asleep.

Finally, when it got dark, Xia Dongchun got up, packed up and sat down in the main hall.

Mo Shuang and the others had gotten up early and were busy. Seeing Xia Dongchun get up, they all gathered in the main hall and saluted Xia Dongchun in unison to wish her new year.

Xia Dongchun was a little haggard, but now he felt energetic and handed out all the rewards ordered last night. Everyone thanked them with joy.

At this point, Xia Dongchun passed their first year in the Forbidden City.

Mo Shuang and the others had prepared the gifts for each palace the day before yesterday. After breakfast, they started sending them to each palace.

Except for the ceremonial gifts sent to the palaces of a few high-ranking concubines, which are particularly expensive, the rest are similar and not degrading.

Only Mo Shuang, Ging Guo and Meng Shaobo, who was on duty last night, knew about the nightmares of summer, winter and spring. During the holidays, these diseases and disasters were especially taboo in the palace.

Bai Guo was worried about her and thought about secretly asking an imperial doctor to come and take a look. Xia Dongchun felt that it was nothing serious but was afraid of causing unnecessary trouble, so she stopped her.

I have been busy collecting the gifts from various palaces all morning, and I just got free time when I was passing the lunch. I wrote a letter and ordered Bai Guo to go back to Xia Mansion and hand it over to Xia Wei in person. He can come back with Yu Xin tomorrow.

Naturally, he wanted to inquire about Wang Yueshan.

Xia Dongchun was free in the afternoon, sitting aside and watching Mo Shuang count the gifts from each palace.

"Look, little master, this red agate bead string is really beautiful. It goes well with the flag outfit of the little master, and it also has a refreshing fragrance."

Xia Dongchun raised her eyes and saw Mo Shuang holding a red agate bead string for her to see. She picked up the bead string and felt that the object looked familiar. After thinking about it carefully, she realized it and sneered secretly.

"It's really beautiful. Which palace did it send it to?"

"It was sent from Jingren Palace. This red agate bead is really valuable. In the many years that I have been in the palace, I have rarely seen agates of such good quality."

"It turns out it was sent by the Queen. Take it out quickly. There is no need to put it in the warehouse. I will always carry it with me in the future." Xia Dongchun said happily.

Mo Shuang followed her words and put the red agate bead string into the box, placed it on Xia Dongchun's dressing table, and then went about her business.

Xia Dongchun stared at the mahogany box containing the beads, thinking a lot. She naturally knew what the beads were, and the queen couldn't hold it back anymore.

Fortunately, Xia Dongchun didn't want to get pregnant at this juncture, and she didn't want to make the queen suspicious, so she decided to only wear it for a while when greeting her in the future, and let Yu Xin carefully put it away at other times.

When Yu Xin comes back, it would be better to let her check again. Xia Dongchun stared at the pile of gifts from various palaces on the table and thought to himself.

Festival gifts are not sent to every palace. For example, concubines Li and nobles Fucha are not given gifts in summer, winter and spring. This was originally a festive gift given to the concubines who had a good relationship with each other during the annual holidays. There was no reason to exchange gifts for someone's cold face. Xia Dongchun didn't think there was anything wrong with it.

Today is the first day of the Lunar New Year, and all the palace masters have finished collecting their gifts. In the next few days, there will be gifts sent to the palace by the princes, nobles, and the female relatives of the emperor's ministers, but most of them are only for the favored concubines. Xia Dongchun is a little doting on her, but her status is not enough, so she doesn't think she will be too busy in the next few days.

In addition to receiving and delivering holiday gifts, there were also big and small banquets during the New Year. She didn't go to everyone's banquets in summer, winter and spring. Except for the Queen and Concubine Hua, she declined all the others.

Mo Shuang also noticed that her master didn't want to interact with others too much, and she tried to persuade her to make more friends with other masters, which would naturally be beneficial. However, Xia Dongchun didn't think so, and only said that she was lazy and didn't want to move around much. , as time went by, Mo Shuang stopped trying to persuade him.

The months of summer, winter, spring and winter have also been cold and cold for several months. Qiulian and the other little girls couldn't easily wait close to her, but Mo Shuang seemed to be on the safe side. Thinking about it carefully, Mo Shuang entered the palace to serve during the late emperor's time. If it was really said that she had another master behind her, it could only be the Queen Mother. Xia Dongchun immediately rejected this speculation.

(End of this chapter)