Chapter 4: Concubines gather together, the strange Liu Baolin
Queen Meng glanced at the empty chair, and then said warmly: "Concubine Rong's morning sickness has not gone away, so I do not want to pay her respects."
Concubine Yu, who was sitting on the first chair on the right, said with a smile: "Sister Rong is already four months old, but she is still very happy. Maybe she is pregnant with a prince."
Queen Meng sighed: "The emperor has very few heirs. It would be great if he was really a prince."
Sitting next to the empty chair, Concubine Lan Gui made orchids with her hands, held up the exquisite colorful flower and bird tea cup, took a sip, and said softly: "The new sisters have never seen the face of Concubine Rong until now.
Woolen cloth."
Queen Meng glanced at the fresh-faced newcomers below and said, "We are both in the harem, so we will have many opportunities to meet in the future."
Fang Jieyu, who was sitting under Concubine Xiang's hand, said with a smile: "It's okay if I can't see Concubine Rong, but it's been more than half a month since the new sisters entered the palace, and they haven't even seen them by the emperor. If I tell them, I just want them."
I’m afraid no one outside will believe me.”
Yue Wangshu secretly noticed that the physical condition of the concubines in the harem seemed not to be very good. Although the queen wore heavy makeup and could not see her complexion, she obviously lacked energy and blood and was very weak. Concubine Xiang was not tall.
It is plump, but there are acne marks at the corners of her mouth, and she is obviously very moist and has a weak spleen and stomach. Lan Guibi is too thin and looks a little weak in blood. As for Fang Jieyu... I can't see anything wrong for the time being.
Yue Wangshu couldn't help but complain to himself: I'm not an imperial doctor!
Then he busily turned to look at everyone’s appearance——
Concubine Xiang has a round face and smiling eyebrows, but in terms of appearance, she can only be considered to have an average appearance.
Concubine Lan Gui has an extraordinary bearing, her hands are white, tender and slender, and she even looks elegant when drinking tea.
Fang Jieyu is younger, no more than 20 years old. She has a beautiful appearance and a soft and melodious voice. She is not inferior to the "new sisters".
Needless to say, the one who remained silent was Chen Cairen. Chen Cairen was not outstanding in appearance, but his eyebrows were more delicate.
The rest are the newcomers who entered the palace through this draft. Liu Baolin, who has the highest status among the newcomers, is a woman with a beautiful smile. When Liu Baolin saw this, he quickly smiled and said: "Although I am in the harem, I also know that the emperor is busy with government affairs.
It is inevitable that there will be some neglect of the harem."
Queen Meng nodded with satisfaction: "It's hard for you to be so sensible."
After praising Liu Baolin, Empress Meng added: "I will remind the emperor well when I turn around."
Yue Wangshu silently complained: Do you want to remind your husband to sleep with his little wife?
It's not easy to be a queen.
Liu Baolin couldn't help but look shy, and quickly picked up the tea cup and took a sip.
Yue Wangshu: Why do everyone just drink tea and not eat snacks!!
Queen Meng looked Liu Baolin up and down, and couldn't help but wonder, "How come Liu Baolin is dressed so plainly?"
Only then did Yue Wangshu notice that this Liu Baolin was wearing a moon-white poplin sleeveless coat and a light lake green pleated skirt. He had a low bun on his head. There were only a pair of sapphire hairpins and two budding magnolias on the bun.
Flowers, the whole body is extremely pure.
Look at all the concubines in the palace, which one is not surrounded by pearls and greenery? This Liu Baolin is simply a touch of green leaves among the flowers!
Liu Baolin was born young and pretty, so dressing up like this doesn't detract from his appearance, and he also has a certain elegance about him, but——
Queen Meng couldn't help but think of something, and her expression suddenly became solemn. She quickly asked: "But the Ministry of Internal Affairs withheld your dowry?"
The dowry is the dowry.
In ordinary families, parents are naturally responsible for financing the preparations, and relatives, friends and elders will also contribute.
But if you enter the palace and become a concubine, it's a different story.
After all, not every family can afford to have a head full of pearls and emeralds and a body covered with silk fabrics. In order not to damage the royal face, the royal family will finance any concubine who enters the palace, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs is responsible for the preparation.
There are also differences in dowry, but no matter how low your status is, you still have at least two decent sets of hair, face, and clothes.
Therefore, when Liu Baolin was dressed so "simplely", Empress Meng first doubted whether the Ministry of Internal Affairs was lining its own pockets.
Liu Baolin waved his hand quickly: "The Queen has misunderstood. The Ministry of Internal Affairs did not deduct the dowry from the concubine. It is the concubine herself who does not like luxury."
Queen Meng's expression softened a lot, "It is good to be frugal, but now that the world is rich, the world is at peace, and the emperor treats the Sixth Palace favorably, if you are too frugal and put the royal dowry in a high cabinet, you will be betraying the emperor's wishes."
Liu Baolin's expression suddenly changed, and he quickly knelt down and said, "I was negligent. I must remember the Queen's teachings!"
Queen Meng sighed, "I don't blame you. At a young age, you stayed away from your parents and family and entered the palace as a concubine. It's possible that you got distracted for a while."
Queen Meng smiled as she said this: "What's more, since you have such a beautiful face, you should dress up well to live up to your expectations."
Liu Baolin lowered his head and said "yes" slowly.
Yue Wangshu saw it and couldn't help but think to himself that this Empress Meng was not like a big wife, but more like a close sister...even...a bit too much of a mother, eh - this must be
My misconception!
But this Liu Baolin is really strange. As far as she knows, Mrs. Liu is the one with the best family status among the newcomers. Of course, she is not from a high family. She is just the daughter of a doctor who was trained from the fifth rank. Logically speaking, on weekdays,
You must also wear gold and silver? Why do you like to be sober after entering the palace?
What is she planning?
Yue Wangshu thought Liu Baolin was weird.
But forget it, is it none of my business?
She doesn't want to be the number two mother in the harem.
Meng·Mother No.1·Queen:......
At this time, Concubine Xiang said with a smile: "Sister Queen, don't be impatient. Liu Baolin is still young, so just teach him slowly."
Empress Meng sighed slowly, then smiled again and said: "Zhou Yu had a bad temper a few days ago, but is she feeling better now?"
Concubine Xiang smiled: "What's wrong with her spleen and stomach? She's just a picky eater."
Empress Meng couldn't help but laugh: "As a royal princess, what's wrong with being picky? Even if she wants to eat dragon liver and phoenix gallbladder, that's up to her."
Concubine Xiang couldn't help laughing: "Sister, please don't spoil her. This child is getting more and more squeamish. I'm really worried about what kind of husband's family can tolerate her in the future."
Empress Meng covered her lips and smiled: "Rao Yu is only seven years old, and you are already worrying about her marriage."
Concubine Xiang sighed: "If you raise a child for one hundred years, you will have to worry about ninety-nine."
Yue Wangshu saw this and couldn't help but wonder. The relationship between the Queen and Concubine Xiang didn't look like the eldest wife and the young wife, but like sisters from an ordinary family. Yes, Queen Meng's mother was the cousin of the Queen Mother, the Queen Mother of Xiang.
The concubine's father is the biological brother of the Queen Mother, and they have known each other since childhood.
Moreover, Concubine Xiang only has one daughter at her knees, so she does not pose a threat to the Queen.
Even so, the queen can be considered virtuous and tolerant.
But, why don’t you eat some snacks! If you don’t eat, it will get cold!
Forget it, never mind, the Queen and Concubine Xiang were chattering about the eldest princess's future marriage, and obviously no longer paid attention to their concubines who were sitting far away.
Phew, Yue Wangshu, with his quick eyes and quick hands, has already pinched a piece of crabapple cake and stuffed it into his mouth!
Woo!
So fragrant, sweet and delicious!!!
Yue Wangshu’s eyes lit up!
Phew - I pinched another piece of glutinous rice roll and put it into my mouth in seconds! So soft and glutinous, with red bean paste filling! It's a bit like mochi, but also a bit like glutinous rice cakes! It's soft and glutinous but not sticky to the teeth, sweet but not greasy.
people!
The queen was still chatting with Concubine Xiang with great interest, but didn't notice her side.
Yue Wangshu moved quickly and glanced around from time to time.
However, her actions could not be hidden from others, but they could not be hidden from Chen Cairen, who was only separated from her by a mahogany table - after all, the snacks were placed on the mahogany coffee table.
Chen Cairen was drinking tea and was about to grab a snack when he suddenly discovered that there were only two pieces of crab apple cake and a glutinous rice roll left in the two pastel high-foot plates.
Chen Cairen:???
There is a mahogany square table between every two seats, which is used to place tea and snacks. Chen Cairen has not touched these snacks, so it goes without saying that Lady Yue ate them!
Chen Cairen couldn't help but look at Yue Shunv's beautiful little face, which looked well-behaved - but the snack dregs at the corner of her mouth had not been wiped clean yet.
Being looked at by Chen Cairen made Yue Wangshu feel embarrassed. Was she caught?
Chen Cairen saw this and didn't say anything. Instead, he generously pinched a piece of crabapple cake and stuffed it into his mouth.
Yue Wangshu:...Isn’t it necessary for her to eat snacks like a thief???
She quickly glanced around and suddenly found that Qin Xuan, sitting at the end, was also looking at her!
Oops!
Above her is Chen Cairen, and below her is Qin Xuanshi! Others may not notice her actions, but those around her cannot be blind!
Embarrassed, Yue Wangshu’s face was filled with embarrassment.
Fortunately, Qin Xuanshi also quickly looked away, as if he had no intention of revealing the truth.
Yue Wangshu breathed a sigh of relief.
At this moment, the Queen and Concubine Xiang finally finished chatting, and then asked Chen Cairen below: "Do you want Sister Chen to stay?"
Chen Cairen stood up hurriedly: "No, I have made an appointment with Lady Yue to have tea with her."
Yue Wangshu:???When did I have an appointment with you?!
The queen nodded and told the concubines to disperse.
Queen Meng was helped back to the inner room by the palace maid, and she sighed repeatedly: "Why should she avoid Zhen'er like this!" - The second prince Yan Chengzhen has been raised at Meng Hou's knees since he was a full moon, and he is now six years old.
The beautiful female Shi Caiyuan, wearing a flower crown on her head, came in holding ginseng tea and said: "Maybe it's because today is the fifteenth day." No matter how busy the emperor is, he always comes to Fengyi Palace every fifteenth day.
, if Chen Cairen were present during the introduction, the Holy Master might not be happy.
Empress Meng was startled, "The emperor is busy with the drought in the northwest, so he may not come here." Even if he came, he would ask someone to send a message in advance.
At this time, Zhang Ji, the chief steward of the Imperial Palace, arrived and sent a message: Your Majesty will come to have lunch with you at noon.
Empress Meng was slightly overjoyed and hurriedly ordered: "Caiyuan, go to Qinxuezhai quickly and tell me that the second prince will come over for lunch at noon. This child has not seen his father for some time." - The second prince passed away.
So he went to Qinxuezhai to study. He was not very talented, but he was diligent and sensible.
"Yes, empress!"
At the same time, Yue Wangshu had been "invited" by Chen Cairen to her Cuihua Palace - with Chen Cairen's status, it was of course impossible for him to live in the main palace, Cuihua Palace, but the Jicui Pavilion in the east side palace was also very popular.
It is bright and spacious, and the furnishings in the pavilion are much better than those in her Chang Le Hall.
After all, he is a talented person of the fifth grade, and she is only a lady of the sixth grade. Moreover, Chen Cairen can be regarded as an "old man" in the harem, and she has only been in the palace for half a month. This chapter has been completed!
