Shen Wen put her hand on her forehead and rubbed it twice. Cui Shanggong looked on and felt distressed, and asked softly: "Is the empress feeling uncomfortable again? Wei Chen asked Chun'er to bring peppermint oil to rub it for you. ?”
Shen Huan raised his head and smiled at her, saying: "That's fine."
Without Cui Shanggong's signal, Chun'er had already gone in to get the peppermint oil.
Shen Huan personally took off the nine-tailed red gold phoenix hairpin on her head. The phoenix hairpin was exquisite and gorgeous, with pearls inlaid on each tail, and gold thread necklaces hanging from the pearls, all of which were luxurious and bright.
Putting it aside, Shen Huan said with a helpless smile: "I can't complain about my headache. This thing is so heavy, but I have to wear it every day. It's really boring."
Chun'er gently spread some peppermint oil on her hands, put it on both sides of Shen Huan's temples, and started rubbing it slowly while saying: "This nine-tailed phoenix hairpin can only be worn by the Queen. If others want it, why not?" no!"
Shen Huan closed her eyes and smiled: "Are you saying that I don't know how to be blessed despite being blessed?"
Chun'er stuck out her tongue and said hurriedly: "I don't dare,"
Shen Huan smiled and said nothing, Chun'er's technique was very gentle, and Shen Huan fell into a sleepy state. The hall was lit with Gannan incense, and it was ventilated on all sides. The fragrance was very light, and when it was blown by the wind, it spread out in all directions. Outside, there were lush trees. Shade, not too hot indoors, slightly shaded
"I made a mistake." After a long time, Shen Huan suddenly said
Everyone looked at her with low eyebrows and wide eyes, but she just closed her eyes and said nothing. After a while, she said: "I thought I had everything under control, but I didn't expect that a nobleman who had fallen out of favor for a long time would turn out to be a dormant poisonous snake. When the weather warms up, he starts swimming and delivers a fatal blow."
She slowly opened her eyes, raised her hand slightly, signaling Chun'er to stop what she was doing, and her eyes slowly passed across the faces of Cui Shanggong and Xiang Ming. Chun'er stood behind her, and they were the only two who were closer to her. The other palace maids They all stood far away and couldn't hear her whispering
"I didn't expect that during the days after I left the palace, no one was keeping an eye on what was going on in the palace. I just thought that Concubine Pei was grounded, the Queen Mother was ill, and the others were not afraid. I also wanted to be surrounded by reliable people. Those who are an eyesore None of them are around, so they won’t harm me. Who would have thought that a mere nobleman could be so perverse?"
Xiangming thought for a while and reminded: "Your Majesty, you might as well ask Bizhu to come over and ask if Bizhu is one of ours and was trained by the late Queen. Even if Your Majesty doesn't say it, she will naturally know to pay attention to the movements in the palace."
Shen Huan's eyes lit up and she said with a smile: "Yes, I was negligent. You are all people who have experienced under my sister. Naturally, you don't need me to give you instructions and reminders. It's just that she is doing things in Chuxiu Palace. You may not know what Concubine Pei and Concubine Pei are. Qi Guiren's movements are nothing special - it doesn't hurt to ask. You can call her over now, be careful not to let anyone notice."
"yes"
Xiangming only went there for a while, and then came with Bizhu. Bizhu bowed to Shen Huan and stood aside to listen.
Shen Huan asked Xiang Ming: "Has anyone seen it?"
Xiangming said: "Everyone is in their houses at this time, but there is no one on the road, except Concubine Ming..."
Bizhu said: "I was teaching Concubine Ming the rules. When the Empress summoned me, I said that I asked how my teaching was going. I thought no one would doubt it."
Shen Huan nodded: "That's good, but how well has Concubine Ming learned the rules?"
Bizhu couldn't laugh or cry, and said: "The teachings from the slave were very difficult at first. She kept talking about the rules she had when she was in Haidong. The slave emphasized several times that this was not Haidong but the Northern Dynasty, and she seemed to slowly wake up. It’s better now”
Shen Huan sneered and said: "There is no rush in this matter. You can teach her the rules slowly. Now that I have a noble lady blocking my way here, is it possible to add another Ming concubine?"
Bizhu said: "I understand."
Shen Huan then asked, "Have you ever heard anything about Lady Qi while you were in the palace?"
Bizhu calmly said: "Although the servants are in Chuxiu Palace, there are no beautiful girls at this time, so they are free. As for this noble Qi, he is safe and sound, without any trouble. He goes to the Queen Mother every day to ask for her attendants. Ji, the Queen Mother seems to value her very much."
Shen Huan understood immediately and sneered: "Not only her, but Concubine Pei must also be called by the Queen Mother from time to time?"
Bizhu nodded and said: "Yes, the empress is very smart. She guessed that although Concubine Pei was banned, both the emperor and the empress left the palace and came to the western suburbs, so the queen mother ordered her to copy Buddhist scriptures in Shou'an Palace. Although Ruizhu The people in the palace were ordered to watch Concubine Pei and not allow her to go out, but after all, the emperor and the empress are not here, so the queen mother has the final say in everything."
Shen Huan smiled and said: "I finally understand why this noble Qi suddenly stood out! It turned out to be the plan of the Queen Mother and Concubine Pei! Why, just a noble man dares to compete with me for favor and fight with me? I don't think so. That’s good! ”
Chun'er asked enthusiastically: "How are you going to deal with this noble man?"
Shen Huan glanced at her and said with a smile: "I remember that I have a string of agate necklaces with excellent water color, and a string of eighteen-child tourmaline bracelets, plus a red gold Pan Chi and Chaoyang Five Phoenix Necklace to combine these three. Send these things to Qi Guiren and tell her that the weather is hot and that she has done a good job in serving Long Live, so she can rest in the room and don't have to come over to thank her."
Chun'er was stunned for a moment, and then said angrily: "The Queen would give such a precious reward to such a person!"
Shen Huan smiled leisurely and said: "Not only do I want to reward her, I also want to promote her! Cui Shanggong has drafted an edict. For her meritorious service, noble Qi will be promoted to two levels and given the title of "Qi Concubine"." The emperor knew it and went to declare it!"
Chun'er was so angry that she almost fell off her feet and said bitterly: "She robbed the queen of the throne, and the queen was actually rewarded and conferred by the Jin Dynasty..."
Shen Huan didn't even look at her, and only whispered in a voice that he could only hear: "Fool, the higher you climb, the harder you fall!"
Xiang Ming personally sent these gifts first. Cui Shanggong drafted the decree and asked the emperor. The emperor was discussing the battle in the western border and had no intention of understanding these things. Hearing that it was the queen's decree, he agreed on it.
In this way, Cui Shanggong went to "Yishan Pavilion" to announce his decree, and came back to return his orders to Shen Huan.
Shen Huan thought for a while and asked, "How did the others react?"
Cui Shanggong said: "I'm afraid the pot will explode soon!"
Shen Huan smiled faintly, had lunch like this, took a nap, and ordered someone to send a bowl of iced mung bean soup to He Xichen without going there himself. In the evening, he asked Cui Shanggong again: "How is it?"
Cui Shanggong shook his head and said: "There are many people talking about it, but no one goes to congratulate them."
Shen Huan asked in surprise: "Not even Concubine Pei?"
"No"
Shen Wen smiled: "It seems that Concubine Pei doesn't want people to know their relationship! Since they don't want to congratulate them, let's prepare some more gifts!" He turned back to Xiangming and said: "Go and prepare eight pieces of fine tribute satin. , Su embroidery, and water silk are sent, and a pair of golden silk, sandalwood, purple jade, and Ruyi are sent over."
Xiangming responded and went to open the box. Chun'er rolled her eyes angrily when she saw all kinds of treasures being given away.
Shen Huan ignored her and just sat quietly and waited.
Sure enough, soon came the news that Concubine Pei, Concubine Shungui, Yao Ronghua, etc. were sending congratulatory gifts.