Biography of Concubine Shujia

Chapter 94

In April, all kinds of flowers in the imperial garden compete for splendor. They stretch their waists, raise their heads, and rush to bloom in full bloom.These precious flowers and plants adorn the cheeks of spring with their own little colors, blooming with unique charm.

These days, the Royal Garden often sees concubines meeting to enjoy flowers and drink tea.The little palace maids in charge of sweeping and sanitation in the imperial garden often get together and chatter at this opportunity.

No, right now, these two little maids are pruning flowers and branches while chatting and gossiping.

"Have you heard?" the green-clothed maid whispered to the pink-clothed maid, "Jia Zhaoyi is going to be favored again."

"How do you say that? Didn't you say a while ago that Lady Zhaoyi was punished by the emperor? Just after she was released, she could be favored again? You're fooling me, I don't believe it."

"Don't say you don't believe it, actually I don't believe it either. I think there are not many people in the palace who believe that she can immediately regain their favor."

"Didn't the concubine Defei, Xi Fangyi, and Fenyi and Zhang Changzai get the favor these days?" The pink-clothed palace maid shook her head, "These few are not easy-going masters. Take food from your hands?"

"Empress Concubine De and Zhang Changzai used to have feuds with Jia Zhaoyi, so I don't need to think about it to know that they will definitely guard against Jia Zhaoyi."

"Then you still say that Jia Zhaoyi can be favored successfully?" The lady in pink was puzzled, "Where did you get the news? Is it true or not?"

"I overheard what my aunt said, and I'll tell you secretly, you can keep your voice down." The Luyi woman warned.

"Understood, I promise." The pink-clothed palace lady was aroused, and kept urging, "Stop being a secret, tell me!"

"Come here with your ears, and I'll tell you." The green-clothed palace maid thought it better to be more cautious after thinking about it.

"I'm afraid of you, tell me." The maid in pink got ready.

The next moment, she cried out in shock, "What did you say?!"

"Whisper, hello, do you want to invite everyone else?" The green-clothed maid covered the pink-clothed maid's mouth, "I know you find it unbelievable, we will see the outcome in a few days."

"Really?" The lady in pink broke away from the hand of the lady in green, "Are you sure you want to do that with the flowers?"

"Looking at the situation in the past years, it is probably true. The Flower Emperor took care of the imperial garden every year and left it to the Yaohua Palace. This year, it is normal to change the tricks to please Zhaoyi. I guess my aunt will give up this task in a few days. Give it to us."

"Jia Zhaoyi is so happy." The maid in pink said enviously, "The emperor is so kind to her, in order to make her smile, he tried different ways to please her."

"Someone misses spring." The woman in green joked, "Let's think about it, someone must be thinking: If this person treats me like this, I will definitely follow him without hesitation."

"You!" The maid in pink blushed, "Don't talk nonsense."

The woman in green was just making a joke, but seeing the woman in pink's expression was wrong, she immediately suppressed the smile on her face, and said solemnly, "Don't think too much about him! He's not something you can think too much about."

"Why not?" The woman in pink heard what her friends said, but forgot to be shy, and retorted, "The Miao noble in the palace was also born as a court lady. She can think why I can't?"

"Confused!" The green-clothed maid was anxious, "Miaogui, how can you compare with her? She was in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, and she was the court lady serving tea by the emperor's side. She has seen the emperor too many times. You are seen by the emperor every year." several times?"

"I……"

"Besides, Mrs. Miao was favored in three years. In the past ten years, with the backing of the second emperor and empress, she has only been promoted to noble. Just like this, I heard that the queen begged for her. What do you think?" Can you struggle up and down in the harem for more than ten years without relying on anyone?"

"I……"

"Come on, do what you dare to do. I have said what should be said and what should not be said, sister. Think about it carefully, anyway, I plan to protect myself before leaving the palace, and leave the palace at the age of 25 to seek a new life .I’ve fixed it here, and I’m off to work with my aunt. Be quicker, and you’ll have nothing to eat after a while.”

"Understood, you go first." The maid in pink was hit by the maid in green, and her interest suddenly disappeared.

"Go, find out the identity of the little maid. If you can use it, you can train her well. If you can use it, then find a suitable time to transfer her to the Little Nalan's Palace."

After the maid in pink pruned the last bit of flowers and leaves, a woman in court dress came out from the bushes not far away, and she was the object of discussion all the time, Jia Zhaoyi.

"I didn't expect to hear a lot of inside information when I went to the garden." The person who came sneered, "It's pear blossoms again! Apart from this, he probably can't think of anything else."

"Your Majesty, you have collected enough peach blossoms." Si Jin reminded that this imperial garden is not their Yaohua Palace, so you can say anything with confidence.

She looked at it coldly, Jia Zhaoyi seems to be acting in a chaotic way these days, but in fact, every step of the way is interlocking.

It's like she went to meet the queen for the first time after opening the palace door, she was dressed in plain clothes, but looked fresher and more natural than other concubines who were dressed in thicker clothes.She doesn't fight or grab, and doesn't care about all kinds of provocations and temptations, but it can even arouse the empress and her better concubines to complain about her.What's more, her seventh imperial daughter's speaking level is no worse than that of ordinary concubines.There were many people who helped her overtly and secretly, but those who saw her jokes were severely slapped in the face.

That was the case that day, but she probably has a plan for today's matter.

"Since we have picked enough flowers, let's go back. We need to make the peach blossom cake before Yao'er and Han'er leave get out of class."

"The slaves will help Baoxia when they get back, and they won't delay the little masters taking it." Si Jin promised.

"It's ready, remember to pick up a few yuan and send it to the Hall of Mental Cultivation." Shi Niang confessed, "If Xiao Luzi asks, he will say that the sweet-scented osmanthus chestnut cake is gone, and there will be no more in the future. His last time, take it if you want it, don't drag it down."

"Your Majesty?" Si Jin wondered, "Is this appropriate?"

As we all know, Xiao Luzi belongs to the emperor, if the emperor doesn't speak up, why should Xiao Luzi ask them to ask for cakes in Yaohua Palace, the emperor will continue to find desserts under the steps.However, their stubborn master was unwilling to give face to the emperor, so he was very reserved.

"Why isn't it suitable? I eat too much delicacies from mountains and seas. It's not bad to change it to a simple meal once in a while." Ten Niang pointed out.

"I hope Xiaoluzi understands your heart." I hope today understands that you are playing hard to get.

"Let's go back to the palace."

On the sixth day of April, Yaohua Palace.

When the emperor arrived suddenly, Shi Niang was wiping the strings.

Seeing the emperor coming in, Shi Niang hurriedly put down the Yueqin in her hand and put it together with the pipa.These two plucked instruments are put together, and the body of the piano is illuminated by the sun, giving off a golden light.

"The courtiers and concubines see the emperor." Ten Niang saluted, her movements were done in one go, flowing.

The emperor didn't call out immediately, and let her hold the handkerchief and maintain a half-squat position.

Ten Niang wanted to keep her posture unchanged.After a while, I felt a little tired.These years, the emperor always refused to allow her to salute, her etiquette is indeed quite rusty.It seems that you have to practice again.

"Get up." The emperor saw that Shi Niang was on the verge of falling, so he spoke.

"You are in a good mood today. Why, are you going to play another song?" The emperor plucked the strings of the yueqin with his fingers, making a "bang" sound.

"It's just not used for a long time, take it out and tidy it up." Shi Niang got up and sat on the lower seat of the emperor.Continue to wipe her yueqin.

"It's been a long time since I heard you play music."

"Yeah, I haven't played the piano for a long time. Does the emperor want to hear it?" Ten Niang asked the emperor without waiting for his answer, and reached out for the pipa herself.

"I would like to hear the details." The emperor folded his arms and took a rest.

"The concubine will show her shame. I haven't played for many years, and my skills are unfamiliar. You just listen to it."

Ten Niang held the pipa, tuned it a few times, and then began to play.

This is a song that is emotionally sad but not tragic. It is different from the famous yueqin song "Reindeer" she has played in the past, and it is also different from the famous pipa song "Ambush on Ten Sides" that she thought she had played before.

It looks more engraved and tactful, in line with the state of mind of the women in the palace.

"Last night, the cold crocodile couldn't stop singing. I was startled back to Qianlimeng, and it was already three o'clock. I got up and walked around the steps alone. People were quiet, and the moon was dim outside the curtain.

The white head is for the king.The old pine and bamboo in the old mountain hinder the return journey.I want to give Yaoqin my concern..."

"Is this a revised song?" the emperor couldn't help asking after listening to Xiao Banque.

"The lyrics were written by a previous master. He wrote them for the loss of land. The courtiers made some minor adjustments, and then laid out the tune."

After Shi Niang answered the emperor's words, she played the tune in reverse,
"I want to pay Yaoqin what's on my mind!" The emperor was fascinated and sang along unconsciously.

Ten Niang finally rushed to the end of the climax.The emperor and everyone held their breaths and prepared to witness the high pitch of the pipa.

There was only a "bang", and the strings were neatly disconnected in her hands.The sharp string cut her finger, and a drop of blood was about to fall.

Before the blood fell down, Shi Niang was grabbed by the finger of the emperor, and then the emperor stuffed Shi Niang's finger directly into his own mouth.Lick and suck on the wound on the finger to stop the bleeding quickly.

Shi Niang's fingers were wrapped in the warm mouth, and she wanted to pull her hands back uncomfortably.The emperor put away his tongue in time, and laughed when he saw Shi Niang's displeasure.

"What are you laughing at, Your Majesty?" Ten Niang asked.

"Laughing at yourself and how stupid you are."

"Indeed." Ten Niang agreed.

"It's been a long time since I had a good conversation with you." The emperor rubbed his brows, "I owed you mother and son too much, but I don't know where to start. Girl, come first, if you have anything to say to me."

"Your Majesty, do you still remember the question you asked Shi Niang when she first entered the palace?"

"Do you still remember your promise?" the emperor asked without answering.

"Remember, there is something that I have been holding back in my heart, I don't understand, and I want to tell you."

"Tell me." The emperor patted Shi Niang's head.

Ten Niang's hair looked messy under the emperor's big palm.

This is not the scariest thing, the scariest thing is that the emperor loved to touch her head before, but now that the emperor touches her again, she unconsciously wants to rub her head under the emperor's palm.

Shiniang kept a certain distance from the emperor before she whispered, "I don't ask you to protect me, I only hope you can understand me; I don't want you to understand me, I only hope you can be fair; I don't hope you can be fair, I just hope I am afraid that you will be biased; I am not afraid that you will be biased, I just hate you for harming me. What is the point of my original oath of allegiance?"

"I will learn to treat all affairs fairly, and I will also learn to understand you." The emperor paused, "It's just that song, don't sing it anymore."

"Why? It's just a song."

"There is nowhere to express the enthusiasm for serving the country, who to tell, and tell it with the strings, but the strings are broken, so there is no one to talk to. This is the profound meaning of the music you play."

"I see."

"I know the last line of the song." The emperor said abruptly, "'If you have few friends, who will listen to the broken strings?!' Don't worry, I won't let your strings break again."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your promise."

That night, Emperor Rui stayed overnight in Yaohua Palace.Shu Zhaoyi fell asleep amidst the sweet fragrance of pear blossoms.

(End of this chapter)