Yutai Bi

Chapter 204 Soup Bath
"Mrs. Jianguo Hou has heard that she has been raising her body in Lishan Bieyuan since the New Year. I see that Madam looks very good, and it must be due to the blessing of this hot spring." Wu Zhaoyi toasted Mrs. Li.

"What Lady Zhaoyi said is true. I heard that the late Emperor highly praised the hot springs in Tangquan Palace, and the hot springs in the palace are the best in the world. Good luck, ladies." Mrs. Li replied politely.

Mrs. Wu smiled sweetly and said, "Sisters, I'm tired all the way today, after drinking for three rounds, how about canceling the banquet and soaking in the hot spring to relieve fatigue?"

The concubines have long since lost interest in sitting and feasting.There is no objection to this proposal.Wu Zhaoyi got up and led everyone to the hot spring pool.

Wu Zhaoyi accompanied Li enthusiastically, the queen's sister-in-law should be more attentive.Looking past Cen Sanniang, she shook her head slightly.

Cen Sanniang understands that the Wu family is ready to be assassinated at any time, so she uses Mrs. Jianguohou as a shield, so she had better not follow.She slowed down.

"Mrs. Du!"

Cen Sanniang turned her head, seeing that it was an unfamiliar face, she became alert.

"My concubine is Wang Baolin. My grandmother mentioned you in a letter a few years ago. The Wang family and the Cen family in Longzhou are good friends. Your cousin grandmother and my grandmother are cousins. Speaking of which, we are also relatives. But today is the fate. Talk to Madam." Wang Baolin entered the mansion when he was the emperor or the king of Jin, and when he first ascended the throne and conferred the harem, it was Baolin.A few years later, Cen Siniang was promoted to beauties after being drafted into the palace, but Wang Baolin's status remained unchanged.She is only two years younger than Liu Jieyu, in her early twenties, and her eyes are full of vicissitudes.

Cen Sanniang naturally remembered.

During the Dragon Boat Festival that year, except for Xiao Xiao, he went to Juxian Tower with his grandmother for the first time.Sitting in the restaurant was the stepwife of the Fang family, the old lady of the Wang family.

The Wang family has a great reputation in Longzhou, and the business is doing well. There are empresses in the palace, and their descendants have entered official positions.Monopolized the business of Longzhou silk in the capital.The Fang family, the richest man, had to give in.

She bowed slightly to Wang Baolin: "My lord, you are being polite. I had the chance to meet Mrs. Wang when I was in Longzhou. The old lady is healthy and radiant. She is very kind to the juniors."

Wang Baolin's eyes lit up, he gently took Cen Sanniang on his arm and said, "I haven't seen my grandmother since I entered Beijing. I still remember that the winter in Longzhou is the coldest..."

Cen Sanniang didn't know whether Wang Baolin came forward to marry her because of her status as the wife of a first-rank princess, or if she had other purposes, so she was perfunctory, chatting with her about interesting things in Longzhou, and her heart became more and more vigilant.

There are large and small soup pools in the double courtyard of the back hall.

Wu Zhaoyi brought Mrs. Jianguo Hou and invited her to be with him.Li Shi did not object.Wang Baolin took the opportunity to ask Cen Sanniang to be with him.

The other concubines were either in groups or alone.Under the service of the maids in the palace, they undressed and entered the pool one after another.

In the spacious hall, the lights are bright, and the concubines are all young, and it is the time when they are lively, playing and laughing with each other as soon as they enter the pool, the scene is very lively.

I don't know who suggested drinking, so the maid in the palace brought wine and fruit.

Accompanied by Cen Sanniang, Wang Baolin reached out and took two glasses of wine from the maid.

The hot spring makes the body warm.Wine from the Western Regions was contained in glass wine cups and placed on an ice tray.Cen Sanniang wanted to take a sip when she saw it.She was holding the wine cup, her hands were cold, but she didn't dare to drink.

The fog was dense, the lights were dim, and the figures of Wu Zhaoyi and Li Shi could be vaguely seen behind the long curtain.

"Mrs. Du, are you interested in doing business?" Wang Baolin asked softly, seemingly casually.

Wang Baolin talked to him for business?Cen Sanniang smiled slightly: "The Duke's Mansion doesn't even have a shop, why does the young master ask about my concubine's identity like this?"

Wang Baolin sipped the wine lightly, with a hint of sadness hanging over his brows: "To tell you the truth, Ma'am, my family originally opened a shop in the capital, specializing in Longzhou silk. I used to have a tacit understanding with the Fang family, and the Fang family did not touch the business in the capital." But now the Fang family has opened a store in Chang'an... I am also disappointed. The younger sisters who entered the palace later have all been promoted, but I have lost my holy family and have no children. There are many beauties in the palace, the emperor still remembers me Baolin. I don’t have much hope, I just want to be rich and safe.”

She looked around, put the wine glass by the pool, and said softly: "When it comes to doing business, the Wang family is definitely not as good as the Fang family. It's just for my sake, let's give way. The Wang Cen family are relatives, why bother?" Help the Fang family?"

It turned out that it was for the Fang family to open a shop.It's a pity that the Fang family took [-]% of the dry shares as filial piety, and she found the Yuchi Mansion and the Li family as backers for the Fang family.Now Du Yansui has attacked the noble again.The Fang family broke the tacit understanding and opened a store in Chang'an. The Wang family could not be the only one, and naturally they earned less money.

Cen Sanniang's face was full of astonishment: "Young master, where did you start? The Cen family and the Fang family are considered good friends in Longzhou, but I have nothing to do with the Fang family."

Wang Baolin also knew that it was impossible for Cen Sanniang to let Cen Sanniang give up and help the Wang family with just a few words of his own and his relatives several generations away.He said softly: "A letter came from home, as long as Madam nods, the Wang Family Silk Shop will send [-]% dry stock to Madam."

"You don't get paid for nothing, you are too polite." Cen Sanniang pushed.

Wang Baolin was not angry, and smiled again: "I'm being reckless. This business is just a matter of Madam's intentions. People in the Western Regions love silk tea and porcelain from China. The Wang family has built a business and plans to go west. I don't know if Madam intends to buy shares. No? Madam, don’t be in a hurry to answer. Business is the same as any other. It’s serious to make money to make yourself comfortable. The Wang family does business honestly. If Madam is willing, the Wang family will sell [-]% of the shares. It’s not bad to earn some money. .”

Seeing that she was polite and thoughtful, Cen Sanniang nodded and said, "This matter needs to be discussed with my husband."

Wang Baolin was overjoyed without saying no, "It's not good to soak in the hot spring for too long. I want to get up and rest on the porch. Where's Madam?"

It's really uncomfortable to soak again, and I saw some concubines coming out of the pool.There are several tables and chairs at the bottom of the corridor outside the hall, which can be seen through the curtain.Cen Sanniang nodded in agreement.

At this time, the curtain was lifted slightly, and Cen Meiren looked at the two of them with a smile in her spacious robes: "Sister Wang, third cousin, you two were hiding here talking, so I can find it easily."

The two stood up and put on spacious robes.Wang Baolin shot her a look: "I have been talking with Mrs. Du, after the banquet, I searched for you and didn't see you."

Cen Meiren took Cen Sanniang's arm and said with a smile: "I'm here, aren't I? Let's sit over there and chat!"

Through the curtain, seeing the concubines leaving the soup pond in twos and threes, it would be awkward to stand up again.Wu Zhaoyi sighed secretly, there was no movement at all, when will the queen make a move?She smiled and said to Mrs. Jianguo Hou: "My sisters are all up, let's go out too."

Li's mouth was already dry and tongue-tied, but Wu Zhaoyi couldn't get away from her body. Hearing these words was like hearing the sound of heaven, she stretched out her hand to be supported by the female officer, and was about to stand up.

At this moment, she suddenly saw several water lines moving in the mist, and a snake head appeared on the water surface instantly.

"Snake!" Li shrieked in fright, and pulled the female officer off.

Wu Zhaoyi was stepping out of the steps, when she heard the shout, she burst into a cold sweat, her hands and feet were more sensitive than usual, she quickly got out of the pool, and shouted: "Help me!"

Looking back, Mrs. Li and the female officer were screaming and thrashing in the mist, and the snakes swam towards them.

The two female officers waiting by the pool were bold, grabbed Li Shi's hair and forcefully dragged her out. Then they heard the female officer's screams in the pool, and after splashing a few times in the water, she became silent.

Li Shi was limp and passed out.

The three of Cen Sanniang, who were walking outside, turned their heads together, only to see the figures behind the curtain swaying into a mess.The sound of screaming and crying and falling into the water became a sound.

"Come on! There are assassins!"

I don't know who yelled, and a team of Qianniuwei rushed in from outside.The concubines screamed and shrank aside.After a while, the servants brought out the female officer and Mrs. Jianguo Hou. Wu Zhaoyi was surrounded by female officials in a toga, with a panicked expression on his face.

The curtain reflected the figure of Qianniuwei holding a spear and fishing for snakes in the water.Cen Sanniang's heart sank, Wu Zhaoyi and Li's Tangchi were only separated from her by a curtain.Who would have put the poisonous snake in it?
She quietly observed the concubines around, most women are afraid of snakes, let alone put live poisonous snakes into the pool.It wasn't the concubines who did it, could it be the female officials and servants serving here?
Emperor Gaozong, who was having a banquet in Feishuang Palace, also got the news and brought people here in a hurry.

Because a foreigner entered, the concubines only wore toga, and no one dared to leave and change at this time.The servants moved several large screens to separate the view.

Cen Meiren held Cen Sanniang's hand tightly.Wang Baolin's face turned pale, and the three of them hid behind the screen.

The screen is made of thin plain silk embroidered with flowers and birds, and the emperor can be vaguely seen appearing in the hall with a large group of people.

"Your majesty, it is a silver ring snake, and there are three of them!"

The snake was dead, thrown on the torn curtain.

Gaozong looked at Wu Zhaoyi distressedly, and hated him: "Check!"

Wu Zhaoyi's face was full of tears, she looked at the corner separated by the screen and said, "Fortunately, Madam Jianguo found out early. I don't know what happened to Madam?"

The female officer came out from behind the screen and said: "Mrs. Jianguo Hou was not bitten by a snake, she fainted from fright. The female official died."

"No one in the hall is allowed to leave tonight! Check them one by one!" Gaozong felt that it was too dangerous, and the snake didn't recognize anyone, so it bit Wu Zhaoyi without paying attention, and gave the order loudly.

Du Yansui's gaze met Wu Zhaoyi's.He had doubts in his heart, snakes do not recognize people, unless Wu Zhaoyi set the snake himself, otherwise it would be too dangerous for her to use her body as bait.

Wu Zhaoyi also regretted it deeply.She really didn't expect the opponent to attack so viciously.No matter how guarded she was, she never expected such danger.Seeing Du Yansui's gaze, she gritted her teeth and shook her head gently.

(End of this chapter)