Xichao carefully wiped Shen Huan's hands clean, smiled at her, folded the handkerchief, and placed it close to her chest.
Shen Wen was still silent on the news that "Nika is gone" and murmured: "Will she come back?"
Xi Chao seemed to be relieved of some burden and said easily: "No, she should find a life that belongs to her, instead of following me and living so unhappy." After saying that, he smiled at Shen Huan and said : "Don't worry, she will leave me without any disadvantages no matter where she goes. It's not a bad thing for her."
Shen Wen sighed and said, "I hope!" After thinking about it, he asked again, "Is there anything you want to do when you enter the palace at this time?"
Xichao looked solemn and said: "Fourth brother is going to use troops against the Western Kingdom and is raising a large amount of military pay. A plague broke out in Tongzhou a while ago. Fortunately, the epidemic is not serious. Even so, it still cost a lot of money. Now the national treasury can use it to do it." There aren’t many people with military pay.”
Shen Huan frowned and said: "Xiao Wumian went to Jiangnan a few days ago. Jiangnan has always been a prosperous place, so he can come up with ideas."
Xichao also nodded and said: "Exactly, Zhennanhou must have had this plan when he went this time, but the navy also needs money! On the west side, Chao Zhong is still trying to find a way."
Shen Huan smiled and said: "I have been in Jiangnan for a long time, so I naturally know how rich it is there. Not only money, but also rice and food are not a problem. Since he wants to attack the Western Kingdom, he will not be stingy."
Xi Chaodao: "This is the best."
Shen Huan asked again: "Did the emperor say when the war will begin?"
Xi Chao said: "If it's July, if it's September, if it's September, if it's October, it must be beaten. Fourth brother said, after finishing this one, I'll celebrate the New Year happily."
Shen Huan wondered: "Is he sure of winning?"
Xichao shook his head: "I don't know."
Shen Huan was deep in thought, when Chun'er ran over and said out of breath: "Oh, Madam, I finally found you, it's time to have dinner!" After saying that, he saw Xi Chao and hurriedly walked towards him. salute
Xichao smiled, raised his hand to let her get up, and said to Shen Huan: "Go back quickly, I have to go to Fourth Brother's place."
The two of them turned around and walked away. Shen Huan returned to the palace. Seeing a table full of dishes, she couldn't help but frowned. Before she could sit down, she asked Cui Shanggong to draft a decree: "From tomorrow onwards, all the people in the harem will be served." Items are halved, concubines’ monthly routines are halved, including these dishes, clothing materials, and jewelry are all halved! The same goes for Chen Palace!”
Cui Shanggong was startled and asked quickly: "What happened?"
Shen Huan said calmly: "Nothing happened. I just remembered that we in the North have always been diligent and thrifty. However, the good times in the past few years have been too smooth, so we have begun to become arrogant and extravagant, so as to prevent the development of excessive luxury. What’s wrong, I’ll do as I say from tomorrow on.”
Cui Shanggong was confused and replied: "Yes." Alas, if this decree continues, I don't know how many people will go to the emperor to cry!
There was no crying, but someone stole the news in front of Ruo Bi, and when Ruo Bi and Xi Chen were together, she told the matter. That's it, Ruo Bi looked innocent and indifferent, and Xichen gave her many extra rewards, so she was overjoyed.
Xichen then called Xiao Shizi and asked, "Does the Queen know that the treasury can no longer provide so much military pay?"
Xiaoshizilou said in a naive manner: "I don't even know." Thinking that he couldn't miss this opportunity to buy the queen, he added: "Perhaps the Marquis of Zhennan told the queen before he left? Didn't the Marquis of Zhennan tell the truth? You said Nanbian got a lot of tax money?"
Xichen said: "There is indeed such a trick. He left part of it for the Navy and sent the rest back to the capital."
Xiao Shizi sneered and said: "That's right, the queen probably didn't know yet, so she issued that edict."
Xichen was silent and didn't say anything more. Seeing him like this, Xiaoshi didn't dare to say anything and quietly left.
The coupon Xiao Wumian handed over was not only about salary, but also a box. Inside the box were two pearl necklaces, one was a purple pearl, and the other was a pink pearl. Pearls of this color are really rare. He sent the pearl back to the capital just because he wanted Xichen to transfer it to Shen Huan.
He is a very bold person!
Xichen caressed the two pearls, but for a long time he had no intention of sending them to the palace.
He knows that Huanwan likes pink, not to mention that pink pearls are rarer than purple ones. Presumably, Xiao Wumian also means the same.
With a "pop" sound, he closed the box tightly and shouted: "Pebble, put it on the table!"
Xiao Shizi hurriedly came over and asked: "Which palace is the emperor going to?" Chen Palace, Chen Palace, it must be the Queen of Chen Palace!
Xichen was stunned for a moment, then said: "Go to Shen Mengxuan"
Xiao Shizi almost sat down on the ground and said with a sad face: "Yes, I will go and deliver the message right now."
In the early morning of the next day, Shen Huan had just finished dressing when she heard someone say that Duanbi was asking to see her. She smiled and asked people to come in. She looked in the mirror and went out. Xiangming hesitated and said, "Your Majesty, she looks like this..."
Shen Huan smiled and said: "The concubine is one of our own, it doesn't matter." She just wore a long white dress embroidered with gold and silver threads and floral flowers, and her hair was only pulled into the simplest pony bun, with golden steps on the bun, nothing more. side modifications
After walking out, Duan Concubine happened to come in. Seeing Shen Huan's simple attire, she was surprised at first, and then fell to the ground.
Shen Huan helped her up and said with a smile: "Why do you need to give such a big gift? You haven't seen me for a long time."
Duan Concubine blushed and muttered: "I have no face to see the empress..."
Shen Huan smiled and said: "I don't blame you. Your coming today is not in vain for us to be sisters."
Duan Concubine's eyes turned red and she hurriedly said: "I came here today specifically to thank you! I received a letter from my father and learned that my father was rescued and is now living quite comfortably in his old house in Yangzhou. "
Shen Wen smiled and said, "It's just a small effort. Don't take it too seriously. If you want to thank Zhennan Marquis when he comes back another day, just thank him properly."
Duan Concubine nodded and said: "The Marquis is going to write it, but the one who deserves the most thanks is the empress." She looked at the person behind Shen Huan and asked: "Is the empress going out?"
Shen Huan said: "Take advantage of the good weather in the morning and go for a walk by the lake."
Duan concubine said hurriedly: "Then I will accompany my concubine?"
"Okay." Shen Huan agreed with a smile. She only took Chun'er and Qingyue with her, and then went out with Duan Concubine.
The two of them walked to the lake, and before they could say a few words, they saw a group of women in palace attire coming from a distance on the other side. The women in palace attire were surrounded by one person and slowly came towards them.
Duan Bin's sharp eyes saw that it was Ruo Bin who had been favored recently. She glanced at Shen Huan and saw that she was in high spirits, so she didn't say much.