Zhichun interjected: "Not only blood swallows, snow clams, ginseng, and even silver and lamp oil are all missing, so the master is tied up in his work and cannot use anything smoothly. The master has no choice but to withhold the money."
The cost of Yanxi Palace is used to fill other places."
The word "lamp oil" reminded Hongli of what happened in the imperial garden just now. At that time, he felt that the lights in the palace were dim and different from the past. Xianyue said it was for the sake of economy, but now it seems that it is different.
Inside story.
"So, Concubine Zhe is the one who caused all this?" Hongli had a clear mind. Since it was already like this when Xianyue took over, the problem can only be with Concubine Zhe who was responsible for taking care of the Sixth Palace before.
"My concubine doesn't know. Your Majesty, let's leave the matter as it was before. There's no point in pursuing it any further." Seeing that Hongli was unmoved, Xianyue said again: "After a while, new tributes will be sent.
, then nothing will happen. Your Majesty, please forget it, okay?"
Hongli glanced at her and said coldly: "Okay, I know this matter well. You don't have to think too much. The most important thing right now is the family dinner tomorrow night. We must arrange it properly without making any mistakes."
"I know." Xianyue responded and said, "Your Majesty, it's getting late. Can I serve you and take a rest?"
Hongli thought for a moment, shook his head and said: "No need, I remembered that there are still some things that have not been dealt with, so you can rest on your own."
After Hongli strode away, Xianyue showed a cold smile. Zhichun came over and said, "Master, what did you say just now?"
Xianyue glanced at her and said with a smile: "It's very good. It allows the emperor to know what Concubine Zhe has done without appearing too deliberate."
Zhichun wrinkled his nose and said, "This slave has been holding in this breath very hard. Now I can finally let it out. If I continue to hold it in, I might get some kind of disease."
Xianyue pointed at her forehead, smiled and cursed: "You girl, if you do what you say, will I still have to compensate you for the soup and medicine?"
Zhichun chuckled and said: "How dare you, slave? I want you to tell me, master is the one who has worked the hardest. He has been taking Baiyan for so long."
Xianyue picked up Hongli's untouched bird's nest lamp and said softly: "How many people ask for such a high-quality official bird, but they can't get it. Just putting it in this palace makes it seem a bit ordinary."
At this time, Qi Kuan and A Luo also walked in. They all knew Xianyue's plan. They pursed their lips and said with a smile: "Master, judging from the emperor's appearance, Concubine Zhe is probably going to be unlucky tonight."
Xianyue scooped up a spoonful of white swallow and put it into her mouth. After swallowing it, she said in a cold voice: "If you want to blame her, blame her for being too greedy. She took advantage of the queen not doing anything and she was in charge of the Sixth Palace, so she took all the good things away.
Even if you want to take him into your own palace, you don't even think about whether you can afford it."
A Luo said coldly: "She is not only greedy, she also has many other motives. During the time when the master is re-creating the register, she has caused many obstacles for us."
Xianyue smiled and said: "Okay, let's not talk about her anymore. While there is still time now, Ah Luo, you two will accompany me to familiarize ourselves with what we will do tomorrow. I am still a little unsure.
.”
Not to mention what happened here in Xianyue, after Hongli left Yanxi Palace, he went to Changchun. When Concubine Zhe learned that Hongli had come, she was surprised and happy. She greeted Hongli diligently and said, "Your Majesty, why are you so late?
come over?"
Hongli said calmly: "I thought that I had not been to Changchun Palace for a long time, so I came to take a look. After walking all the way, I felt a little hungry. Is there anything I can use here to fill my belly? Bird's nests are also good."
Concubine Zhe said quickly: "My concubine just ate the bird's nest, but there are still soaked bird's nests in the small kitchen. I will let people stew them now, and they will be ready for use in half an hour."
Before she could tell the palace people to go down, Hongli said: "I have been eating bird's nests for so long, but I have never seen them soaked and uncooked. How about Concubine Zhe accompany me to the small kitchen?"
Faced with Hongli's request, Concubine Zhe certainly would not refuse and accompanied him all the way to the small kitchen. Hongli noticed that the lamps in the Changchun Palace were very bright, especially the lampstands lighting up the roadside, which were much brighter than those in the Imperial Garden.
times.
When he arrived at the small kitchen, he saw that the bird's nest was soaked in the jade spring mountain water. The color was bright red and translucent. It was the finest blood swallow. Hongli's eyes flashed slightly and he said, "Are these blood swallows the only ones available here, Concubine Zhe?"
Concubine Zhe didn't think of anything else. She just assumed that Hongli had never entered the kitchen and knew nothing about it. "I still have some, but after the blood swallow is soaked, it cannot be kept too much, so I usually soak as much as needed."
.”
Hongli immediately answered: "Since you're here, why don't you show me how your hair looks like before it's soaked."
"Yes." Concubine Zhe immediately ordered the palace servants to open the cabinet where the blood swallows were placed, so that Hongli could clearly see that in addition to the blood swallows, there were some snow clams, Ganoderma lucidum and other things in the cabinet. "This is just a part of it.
There are still some in the warehouse."
"Okay! That's great!" Hongli nodded slowly, his expression gradually becoming colder in the process. Concubine Zhe stared at the palace servants taking the soaked blood swallows into the stew pot, and said: "Your Majesty, here
It's very smokey and very cold, so I'd better accompany you back."
Hongli stared at her and said coldly: "Concubine Zhe, you are so kind."
At this moment, Concubine Zhe finally saw that something was wrong and said in shock: "Your Majesty, what's wrong with you?"
"After the imperial concubine's accident, I saw that you had been accompanying her for many years and had given birth to Yonghuang, so I asked you to take charge of the harem. What did you do?"
Concubine Zhe was puzzled when she heard this and said: "Ever since the emperor asked me to take care of the Sixth Palace, I have been very cautious and have never dared to be careless. Why did the emperor suddenly ask this question?"
Her appearance made Hongli angrier and angrier. He suppressed his anger and said, "I have just been to Concubine Xian's palace. There were no blood swallows there, only white swallows. Concubine Zhe, do you know why?"
Concubine Zhe's heart skipped a beat, and she vaguely understood the reason why Hongli asked so suddenly. She secretly regretted bringing Hongli to the small kitchen and saw these blood swallows in the kitchen. She then said cautiously: "I don't know, maybe... Concubine Xian likes Bai Yan."
Maybe, although blood swallows are more expensive, not everyone likes them."
Hongli sneered and said: "It's not that Concubine Xian doesn't like it, it's just that there is no blood swallow available."
There was a slight sweat on Concubine Zhe's forehead, and she whispered: "If this is the case, I will ask someone to send the blood swallow." At this point, she forced a smile and said: "Sister Xian Concubine, it is true, without the blood swallow
It's time to tell me that we are all my sisters, why are you being so polite?"
"When Concubine Xian told me at that time, I thought it was incredible, because I knew that there would be a lot of blood swallow tributes this year. It was only now when I saw the blood swallows here that I understood Concubine Zhe; Concubine Zhe, you took care of this harem.
It's great that all the good things are concentrated in your Changchun Palace. This ability is really impressive.
I am impressed." The last few words popped out from between her teeth, making Concubine Zhe uneasy and said nervously: "Your Majesty, I am unjust. How could I have ever done what you said? Blood Swallow...I pressed the button.
What I took from the salary quota has just not been used much before, so there is so much left, so I definitely didn’t take more."