The little lady in the dining room

Chapter 117 Returning to the Palace
At noon, His Majesty didn't pass on the meal seriously, so he ordered a stew pot.

I ate it three or four times in more than ten days, and the imperial dining room was all cooked. Even Shang Shiju, who had never prepared this before, knew that His Majesty had made this dish recently.But it was ready after a while, Chen Jijiang thought about it, and said to Cui Wan: "Let's eat this too today, so as not to go to Shangshi Bureau to pass on the meal."

Cui Wan agreed.Anyway, this thing is ready, put the cut vegetables and meat in it, whoever wants to eat it can take it with the pot and the small stove, and add the sauce by himself.

In the small room at the back of the hall, Chen Jijiang was gnawing on a chicken wing that was thoroughly stewed in sauce. The young apprentice next to him brought him tea and said with a smile, "Both His Majesty and Master love this food. It seems to be good."

Chen Jijiang laughed and said nothing.He just eats whatever he wants, His Majesty that is...that is Ai Wu Ji Wu.

Thinking about it carefully, this Ruan family is becoming more and more unspeakable.

In the past, it was only thought that His Majesty spoiled her.Even Chen Jijiang once thought, what's so good about a girl who is eight years younger than His Majesty?In terms of talent and appearance in the harem, they are much better than her!

In the past few days, it is really not the case, the tone says that His Majesty is willing to spoil her, it is better to say that she and His Majesty have the same mind.

For several days, thinking about what happened that night, Chen Jijiang was still trembling in his heart—how precarious the situation was!His Majesty was obviously out of anger, no matter whether the fire was justified or unreasonable, the saying "the emperor lay down a million corpses in one rage" is not false.

At that time, he was listening to the movement outside the door, and heard Lady Ruan questioning in a crying voice whether the one His Majesty liked was her, so he knelt down for her without hanging outside the door!
——This is adding fuel to the fire!

Even if there was no fire in the first place, her words were disrespectful enough to light the fire.

As the saying goes, "Thunder, rain, and dew are all the grace of the king", how could she turn around and question His Majesty's thoughts?
But that day, nothing happened.What did the two of them talk about later? The voice was quieter and Chen Jijiang didn't listen. It's just that later His Majesty asked someone to clean up the people in the yard for her, and when he went to see her again...

Heh, Chen Jijiang almost dropped his eyeballs.

He thought, His Majesty had already apologized to Ruan Shi, and the Ninth Five-Year Lord did a good job in doing this.After five days, Mrs. Ruan should have calmed down. She should know that what she said that day was too much, why should she give a big gift to apologize?
In the end she didn't!He watched Ruan Shi move forward, then wrung His Majesty's sleeves with his fingers, said "Don't be angry" and it was over!
His Majesty is quite happy!He took her for a stroll around on horseback, and at night the two of them slept together again.His Majesty got up early in the morning, and Lady Ruan also got up, not rushing to work, but before His Majesty left, she hugged his waist from behind and lay on his back for a long time.

That kindness...

His eunuch looks like his teeth are sour!
So in the past few days, Chen Jijiang has been thinking whether his awe of Lady Ruan is not enough.She is really too close to His Majesty. He used to think that His Majesty regarded her as a "person", but now that he thinks about it, tsk, maybe in His Majesty's heart, she has long been a "person standing side by side"?

At the end of April, Sydney, who had lived at home for nearly a month, was packing up and preparing to return to the palace.

To be honest, I am very reluctant.

Sesame candies and other easy-to-store things were made for the nephews and nieces, and I taught the two sister-in-laws some simple cooking tips.On the day she left, her parents hugged her and cried for a long time. After her parents cried, her elder brothers cried, and after her elder brothers cried, Qingli also cried.These days, Qingli likes this sister very much, and Xueli also thinks that this sister is very good, so the two sisters hug each other to comfort each other.

Qingli said: "Sister, don't worry! I will take good care of my parents!"

Sydney said: "If there is a chance during Chinese New Year, let's go to the Lantern Festival together! I haven't been there yet!"

In this way, even though the salute had already been arranged, it still dragged on for a long time.Finally, Fugui came in and urged, "My lady, if you don't go through the palace, the gate will be closed." She had no choice but to get on the carriage, and waved to her family with tears in her eyes, which was the end of the family visit.

Alas, no matter how much she likes Xie Zhao, if you compare the palace with home, she still likes home more.After all, it is much more comfortable and there are not so many rules.

She hugged A Yao, and A Yao leaned against her limply, picking her fingers and muttering "I miss grandma".

Only after returning to the palace did Sydney realize that the queen mother had been away for four or five days.The bad news is that the Empress Dowager left Concubine Li, who was previously sent to serve her in the palace, to stay in the palace, but at least so far Concubine Li has calmed down.

Xueli went back to the residence to change clothes first, Ayao was making out with Yuxiang whom he hadn't seen in a month, Xingren came in and said, "Master Chen is here, tell Fugui and Dousha to go out."

Fugui and Dou Sha were startled, and went out to meet Chen Jijiang.After a while, the two came back with blushing faces, still holding two clothes in their hands.

Xue Li glanced at the clothes they were holding in their hands, and was also taken aback: "Are you promoted?"

Dou Sha looked awkward: "Miss, what is the matter... When you call out, you will say that the two of us will be consuls in the yard in the future, and the monthly payment will be increased by three yuan, and you will be asked to serve the lady well. We, what did we do?" ?”

Sydney thinks this is pretty good.

Because she still has the status of "Imperial Catering Lady", although these people in the small courtyard are actually hers, their identities are still in front of the imperial court.That is to say, if Chen Jijiang doesn't make the decision to promote them, she can't go beyond her authority to make the decision—even if she asks, Chen Jijiang won't refuse, but if it makes him feel uncomfortable, isn't it just looking for trouble?He is a superintendent!
So she used to use "you two live in the main house" to promote Dousha and Fugui's identities, but now Chen Jijiang is willing to lift them up the rank directly, which is simpler and more straightforward!

So Sydney first said "Congratulations" to the two of them comfortably, and then took a jade bracelet from the makeup box for Dou Sha, and some broken silver from her savings for Fugui.After thinking about it, I added five taels of silver bills to each of them.

Dou Sha had just picked up the bracelet, when she saw the banknote being handed over, she walked away to the side, waved her hands and said repeatedly: "No, no, no... how can I want so many things from my lady!"

Not to mention that her jade bracelets must be good things, just say that the banknotes, five taels of silver, are enough for ordinary people to live comfortably for two years.

Xueli still gave them the banknotes, smiled, and said, "We've known each other for how long, and you're still being polite to me? Take it. According to the rules, you have to thank Lord Chen with a gift. This banknote is for you." That’s all in the past, so you don’t have to spend your own money.”

When the cooking was finished here, Xue Li coaxed A Yao to sleep for a while, and then took her to see the emperor.

In this month, she had seen the emperor twice, but Ah Yao had never seen him once, and she kept bouncing and saying "I miss my father, I miss my father" all the way, so that the emperor just walked in the door of the palace. Hearing the movement, they came out from the inner hall, hugged A Yao, and said with a smile, "I think Father will not come back until evening? Father heard that the imperial guards were preparing to leave early in the morning."

A Yao stuck out her tongue and pointed at Sydney: "Mother, don't go!"

Xue Lixin said that you are a little bad girl, so you sold your mother? !

Xie Zhao frowned slightly: "You don't want to come back?"

Sydney: "..." No!
Afterwards, the father and daughter went away happily, and Xueli was a follower by the side bitterly, smiling and courteous, trying to prove to His Majesty that she was not unwilling to come back.

She looks so cute.Xie Zhao originally wanted to tease her, but seeing how guilty she was, he simply continued teasing her and ignored her with a straight face.

Sydney sat beside her and was about to cry.

Especially after the supper was served, the emperor fed Ayao with bean paste buns, and Ayao said it was delicious after eating; the emperor fed Ayao with yogurt, and Ayao said it was delicious; The shortbread was given to Ah Yao, and Ah Yao hugged it and said it was delicious.

Xueli had nothing to say next to her, saying that she wanted to eat the Sunit mutton buns that she ate outside that day, but no one paid any attention to her.

Finally, when A Yao was sleepy from eating and playing, Qi Shi hugged A Yao and went back to sleep, Xue Li hesitated beside her, ran behind Xie Zhao, and squeezed his shoulders.

While squeezing, he said: "I don't want to come back, it's just...it's rare to spend so long with my family, so I'm a little bit reluctant."

Xie Zhao continued to read the memorial calmly with her hands supporting her chest, and she said softly behind her: "I actually miss Your Majesty! If you don't believe me, ask Ah Yao...I tell her every day, 'If your father is here Enough'!"

Xie Zhao: "Puchi..."

He pinched her hand and pulled her to sit beside him. Hearing a sound of relief, he couldn't help knocking her forehead again with the memorial: "You're kidding, I don't know you yet?"

The two times she went out to see her, she was extremely clingy, and he knew she missed him without telling him.

Then he briefly explained recent events.

On the Queen Mother's side, it was thanks to the kid from Nangong's family who went to beat Sydney's father when he was drunk.This person made the queen mother very angry, and he felt that he had lost all face, so of course he was not in the mood to save him.It is a very marginal branch of the Nangong family, and the family didn't pay much attention to him. A few days ago, he was sentenced to three years in prison. I went back to the palace.

But the emperor said: "Although the empress dowager did not instigate this matter, at least it shows that the empress dowager gave the Nangong family this intention, so the Nangong family dared to express their dissatisfaction with you, and their people dared to beat your father while drunk."

Sydney thinks about it, and basically understands it.The palace and court each have their own forces, and if there is any matter between the same forces, they will communicate with each other, so the Nangong family learned from the Queen Mother that the Queen Mother is dissatisfied with her, and the family is bullying others without a clear mind. It's not surprising that she vented her anger on behalf of the queen mother.

But hearing him take the initiative to explain this, she felt that there might be something else going on.After thinking about it, I asked him, "Is there anything else your majesty wants to tell me?"

"Yeah." Xie Zhao nodded, "This is not the only thing about the aristocratic family's bullying. It's because of being drunk. Others..."

He looked at her: "I have to go to the south again, you can come together, take A Yao."

Sydney was dumbfounded.

Another, another tour to the south...

Most of the time is on the water, the humidity is heavy, and there are many and poisonous mosquitoes.When she thought about this, she didn't want to go. Rubbing his shoulder, he raised his hand and pressed her forehead: "I've been there once, and it's not as bad as you think. Moxa will be smoked several times a day on the boat, and the mosquitoes can't survive." .”

I see!
Without the pain of being annoyed by mosquitoes, Sydney felt much more relaxed. Xie Zhao said that he had promised to take Ayao to ride a horse when the weather was warmer. Although she was young, what if she remembered?It made her feel that it was not good for adults to lie to her, and there happened to be a good place to take her to ride a horse during the southern tour.

In short, Xie Zhao analyzed it with her from all aspects, and soon felt that they should go this trip.Soon she readily nodded and agreed, and when she returned to the small courtyard, she gave her orders up and down, and was ready to drive away...

Then she realized that it might be too early.

There was no movement in front of the imperial court.In other words, there is movement but very slowly, not in a hurry.

The morning court continued every day, and the emperor continued to approve memorials every day. During the period, he ordered to cut down two greedy magistrates, and copied several families related to them. He even held this fief but actually had no real power. The vassal kings were all trained.

Sydney thought for a while, and ran to find Chen Jijiang.She said: "I don't ask for details. Sir, can you tell me that these officials...are from the south?"

Chen Jijiang nodded and gave her a word: "Yes."

Oh, so it seems that this is a pavement for the southern tour?Then she is not in a hurry, anyway, when it is time to leave, someone will definitely come and tell her, it is better to live with peace of mind at this moment.

After all, it was hot, and she didn't want to worry about it.How happy it is to play Yuxiang with Ayao every day!

Besides, she also wanted to find out what was going on with Concubine Li's return this time, whether it was the Queen Mother who left her or she wanted to keep her—competing for favor is a trivial matter, in case Concubine Li wants to trouble her Woolen cloth?She can't be foolish and defenseless!
Harem, Yilan Palace.

Concubine Li was so angry that she threw the plate again, and the two accompanying concubines were so frightened that they knelt on the ground and did not dare to say anything.

"I have never been wronged like this in the palace!" Concubine Li gritted her teeth, her originally charming voice became cold, and said to the palace servant next to her, "Who is the person you called Shangshi Bureau! Have you gone yet? If you haven't come back for so long, those from Shangshi Bureau dare to violate the palace, don't you!"

What can the maid next to her say, she has nothing to do if no one comes!I had to rush out to have a look.

Fortunately, I just ran to the gate of Yilan Palace and saw my companion come back.

"Huaye." She pulled her companion's hand, saw that there was no one behind her, and became anxious, "Your Majesty is so angry that she asked you to go to the Shangshi Bureau to ask someone to ask questions. Where is the person? How do you answer when you go in like this? "

"I can't help it!" Huaye stomped her feet angrily, "Cuisi, what can you do? I went to the Shangshi Bureau to call for someone, but I couldn't even see the female official of Shangshi. Well, I said that everyone was busy up and down, and there was no idle person to come and answer, so let me go later. Besides... You also know that the Shangshi Bureau prepares meals for the palaces, and it is difficult to send them everywhere The ones are all hot, and not many can be kept warm in the stove, and it is an unwritten rule to step on the red top and white one..."

Of course, people have to be coaxed and put up with it first, otherwise wouldn't they be courting death?So even if it is useless to ask someone to ask questions, this meal will be perfunctory, and the next meal will still be served cold.If you want to leave other concubines alone, you can bear it, and it's the same if you take a small stove to heat it up, it's nothing more than poor quality.It's too bad, I just finished making up two dishes in the small kitchen in the palace. The ingredients may be poor, but they are still hot, aren't they?

But Empress Li is not one who can endure such grievances.It's okay for her to look good to others, but it's never okay for others to look good to her.Isn't that killing people?As long as the problem of hot and cold meals is not resolved, the people below will have to continue to suffer!
Chusi's eyes turned red: "Then I'll go and beg Mrs. Concubine Hui..."

"Do you think I didn't go just now?" Huaye smiled helplessly, "Roujia Palace said that Mrs. Hui Concubine has been ill recently and has not seen anyone. Oh... I told Lan Xin over there about it, but Lan Xin said maybe Madam can bring some hot dishes over, but I can only deal with this meal, and there is still...no way to do it in the future."

The two maids were crying anxiously at the gate of the palace, and they dared not go in until the food was delivered from Roujia Palace.Concubine Li saw that Roujia Palace had brought something, her complexion softened a bit, she calmed down, served a bowl of soup, and said while drinking: "After lunch, go and talk to Mrs. Chen about this matter, my lord. You can’t let people bully you to this point.”

After more than two years in the palace, she dared not go directly to make trouble with His Majesty.But the palace people got a headache when they heard it, and they also knew that Master Chen was too lazy to dip into this muddy water, and he would not look good if he went there.

So Huaye and Chuisi gave each other a wink, and the latter stepped forward and said: "Your Majesty, the Imperial Palace... has been very nervous recently, Your Majesty has been angry about the southern affairs, and you have to prepare for the Southern Tour, servant girl feel……"

"South tour?" Concubine Li's eyes froze, and she swept her up and down, "Why didn't I hear anything about it?"

Huaye's feet softened and she knelt down, stammering: "This is the same for my servant, I just heard about it when I went to Roujia Palace just now. Sister Lan Xin warned this servant not to go to His Majesty or Concubine Hui all the time. Ma'am, I'm all busy with this matter, I really don't have time..."

"Does this mean that Mrs. Hui is going to accompany you?" Concubine Li raised her eyebrows slightly, and let out a sigh of relief with a light smile, "It's not easy. After all these years, does she have a time when His Majesty wants her?"

But Concubine Li was not angry anymore.A few years ago, if she knew that Concubine Hui was more favored than her, she would have to cry a lot, but after all, after two years, she was in the palace and Concubine Hui was always in the palace. Quite normal.

Huaye kowtowed, and put back the words "Madam Hui does not accompany the driver".

Although telling the empress, maybe she can be happier, but letting her know who is driving is definitely not a good thing.

So Huaye got up silently and retreated to the side. Concubine Li stared coldly at the dishes on the table, before letting out a breath for a long time: "I don't have any appetite. Leave the soup and rice to Ben Gong, and leave the rest."

After she finished speaking, she closed her eyes, and the indescribable anger in her heart kept rushing upwards.Even when she fell out of favor two years ago, no one in the palace dared to bully her so clearly, even if she had stayed in the palace for two years.

But she also knew that she didn't know many things in the palace now, so she had to find out as soon as possible.

After a long silence, Concubine Li slowly opened her eyes, and called Chuishi to come over: "Go to the imperial court, don't need to say anything else, just ask Chen Jijiang when he is free, I want to see him in person."

"Niang Niang..." As soon as Chusi heard this, she wanted to dissuade her, but she was caught by Concubine Li's beautiful eyes, and she swallowed her words again.

Concubine Li gritted her teeth, and said coldly: "Just go. I don't believe it anymore. I just went to the palace for a while. Didn't I even see a eunuch? This palace is still sealed by His Majesty." It's from Yipin Concubine!"

Cui Si was silent, Fushen resigned, feeling extremely embarrassed.

Mr. Chen might not be able to save face like this...

After all, everything from a first-class concubine...now it's all fiction.The real person beside His Majesty is that one right now.Others, Mrs. Hui has always been respected, and Empress Li is...

Chusi sighed and left, she had to go up the mountain of swords and down into the sea of ​​fire if she was sent on an errand.

(End of this chapter)