After beckoning Sun He to go down, Xia Qing said with a smile: "I have already heard about your matter. You are truly a hero from a young age. You have won a lot of respect for the emperor and your empress."
Yong Cang said respectfully: "Your Majesty, you are overly praised. Yong Cang just did what he should do. If it were Brother Eleven, I believe he would do better than Yong Cang."
Mentioning Yongxuan, Xia Qing's face changed slightly, and she murmured: "It's a pity that Yongxuan didn't have much luck and left early."
Yong Cang stepped forward and said: "Although Brother Eleven has been gone for many years, Yong Cang has never forgotten him for a moment, let alone that it was Brother Eleven who gave Yong Cang a second life. As early as that time, Yong Cang
Cang then swore that he would live a good life and serve the empress with filial piety on his behalf."
A strange color flashed across Xia Qing's eyes, and she said with a kind smile: "I know you are a good boy. By the way, how is your empress? I have been busy dealing with various matters in the palace these days and have not taken time off.
I have no time to go and visit.”
Yongxun said respectfully: "Thank you for your concern, Qi Kuan and the others said that Huang'e Niang suffers from liver qi stagnation. As long as she is in a good mood, she will be fine."
Xia Qing sighed after hearing this and said: "I understand that the Queen is unhappy because of the emperor's rebuke a month ago. I also persuaded the Emperor to visit the Queen, but the Emperor refused to listen. Now that you are back,
, just help to persuade the emperor, he has always loved you the most, I think he will listen to you."
"Yongxun understands. Thank you for reminding me." After saying this, Yongxun said again: "Your Majesty, I am with Jia Ke in the palace. I want to see her."
Xia Qing smiled and said, "Go ahead. Ever since you went off to war with the army, that girl has been counting on her fingers every day for your return."
"Yongxun excuses himself." When he walked out of the main hall, he unexpectedly met Zhichun who came in to serve tea, and nodded to him. A few years ago, Zhichun, who was originally working as an errand in Zhongcui Palace, came to Yonghe Palace for some unknown reason.
Serve Xia Qing.
The Bi Luochun that Zhichun had just brewed was handed to Xia Qing's hand, and he said casually: "Master, what are you doing with the twelfth elder brother?"
Xia Qing blew the foam on the tea and said, "It's nothing. He returned to Beijing today to pay his respects to me." After taking a sip of tea, she said, "How are the qualifications of these beautiful girls this year?"
August of this year will be the triennial draft. As early as the beginning of the year, the show girls have all moved into Zhongcui Palace. Before the official draft, there will be special tutors to teach them the rules of the palace.
"Master, there are a total of 109 showgirls this year, but there are not many of them with excellent looks and skin. From a cursory look, I see that there are only ten at most."
Xia Qing took a sip of tea and said with a half-smile: "In other words, at least ten beautiful ladies will be selected into the palace this year, right?"
"This..." Zhichun said hesitantly: "The emperor just accepted the maids recommended by your master a month ago. Will it be too much to choose ten more beautiful ladies?"
Xia Qing said disapprovingly: "It is normal for an emperor to have three thousand beauties in his harem. All the emperor's concubines add up to only a hundred people, so that's not a lot."
"That's what I said, but I'm worried that the Emperor's dragon body will be wasted. When the time comes..." Halfway through the words, Cuizhu on the side said: "I don't know how good the Emperor's dragon body is, how can it be said to be wasted? Besides, it won't be there anymore.
Are the imperial doctors here? They will help the emperor recuperate his dragon body."
"Cuizhu is right. Your Majesty is in good health. Nothing could happen." While talking, Xiao Shouzi walked in and whispered a few words in Xia Qing's ear. The latter nodded slightly and said to Zhichun who was waiting aside: "
Go to the flower room and have a look, why haven't you seen the flowers I asked them to cultivate last time?"
After learning that Chun Yiyan had withdrawn, Xia Qing ordered someone to close the palace door, and then said: "Didn't I just give him five hundred taels of silver last month, and it's gone so quickly?"
"He said that it has been a critical time recently and the losses have been a bit large, so he has to buy more equipment to keep it, at least one thousand taels."
Cuizhu pouted at the side and said: "What kind of loss? I think his appetite is getting bigger and bigger. His pile of scrap copper and iron is not worth a thousand taels, let alone a hundred taels. The remaining silver is not worth it."
It must have gone into his own pocket."
Xiao Shouzi spread his hands and said, "I know what you said, but this man does have some abilities, at least..." He lowered his voice and said, "Everything is as we thought."
Cuizhu said disgustedly: "But you can't be so greedy. This time it's one thousand taels. Who knows whether he will ask for ten thousand taels next time. According to his request, no matter how much money the master has, it won't be enough."
"
Xia Qing said: "Xiao Shouzi, give him a thousand taels tomorrow, and tell him that I will not miss a penny of the money that should be given to him, but he should not go too far, and everything should be done in moderation."
"I understand." After saying that, Xiao Shouzi glanced at the closed palace door and said softly: "Master, Zhichun..."
Before he could continue, Xia Qing raised her hand and said: "This person has his own arrangements, you don't have to worry about it." Seeing her say this, Xiao Shouzi responded and said nothing.
On the other hand, Yongzhen took Li Qi to where He Jia lived. Unexpectedly, after entering, he did not see He Jia. He asked doubtfully: "Strange, where have you gone?"
Before he finished speaking, a pair of cold hands covered his eyes, and a rough voice came from his ears, "Guess who I am?"
A smile appeared on Yongxun's lips, "She is our third princess, right?"
It was He Jia who had Yongxun's eyes covered. Seeing that his identity was revealed, he pouted and put down his hand, "You guessed it again, it's not fun."
Yongxun pinched her round cheeks and said, "Besides you, the third princess, who else would do such a thing."
"You are the only one who is smart." He Jia made a face, then stretched out his hand and said: "Bring it here!"
Yongxun knew what she was referring to, and said with a wry smile: "A lot of things happened this time, and I forgot about them for a while. How about I make up for you next time?!"
Upon hearing this, Hejia suddenly puffed up his cheeks with anger, "Brother Twelve, how come you have become like Fourth Brother, Eighth Brother and others, and they ignore you and ignore you!"
"It's Brother Twelve's fault this time. Brother Twelve apologizes to you. Don't be angry, okay?" No matter how much Ren Yongxun said nice things, He Jia just ignored them and sat there sulking until Yongxun said he would double the compensation next time.
, finally turned his anger into joy, and pestered Yong Cang to ask him to tell him what happened in Jinan City. Hearing Yong Cang’s experiences, he was so surprised that he couldn’t open his mouth for a long time.
After coming back to her senses, He Jia patted her chest and said fearfully: "I didn't expect that going out with the army would be so dangerous. Fortunately, Brother Twelve, you came back safely." After saying that, she pulled Yong Cang's arm and said, "Brother Twelve,
You should not go out with the army again in the future. If anything happens to you, Huang Ama, Huang A Niang, and myself and A Niang will be sad."