Chapter 21 Threading a needle and embroidering a purse
Xue Hengzhao and Chi Su then went to the Baochao Department to work as paper-cutting maids.
Except for the trivial nature of this work, everything else is fine.
The papyrus in the palace is also divided into three, six or nine grades, and the top grade is reserved for the emperor, empress and concubine Rong.
Concubine Rong is the emperor's biological aunt, so her treatment is naturally not comparable to that of ordinary concubines.
Besides, now that the Queen Mother is gone, the Emperor regards her as his mother.
They select these fine papers every day, and then send them to various palaces by the eunuchs who deliver them, and hand them over to the attendants.
Chi Su raised his head, rubbed his sore neck, and said to Xue Hengzhao: "Isn't your neck sore after you have lowered your head for half a day?"
"You were in a hurry," Xue Hengzhao said, turning over the paper slowly. "After a long time, your neck will not only be sore, but you will also feel dizzy."
"No wonder they say that a country is easy to change, but nature is hard to change." Chi Su said with a self-deprecating smile, "I am so impatient that I can't slow down even if I do anything."
Xue Hengzhao raised his eyebrows at her, shook his head slightly and said, "Just pay for the rest, don't be too hasty."
When Chi Su heard the words, he immediately covered his mouth and looked around. Although there were a few eunuchs, luckily they were all far away, so they probably didn't hear them.
Just now she said, "A country can be easily changed." This sentence was taboo in the palace.
"I'm really lost," Chi Su slapped himself in annoyance, "Sooner or later I'm going to get into trouble if I don't have a long memory."
Xue Hengzhao smiled and said nothing. Although Chi Su was not shrewd, he was able to correct his mistakes after realizing them. This was rare.
Chi Su added: "I forgot to tell you when I got up early. I had a dream at night. I dreamed that I was picking flowers. It was such a big garden..."
Just as he was talking, Shi Dianjin ran over happily. He was so busy these days that his feet never touched the ground.
He came to the two of them and said: "Someone from above said that because the New Year is approaching, the needlework bureau is short of manpower, so the managers discussed transferring some maids from various places.
I told you it was a loan, but after I finished my work before and after the New Year, I gave it back to its original location.
I specially ordered all of you to enter the palace together. Except for the two who go to Tong'an Palace and the one who is in charge of the Xinxing Department, everyone else must go there."
"Do you want us to go over and do needlework?" Chi Su asked.
"Of course, yes, you people are of high birth, and you must be good at needlework." Shi Dianjin said, "Although it is a bit tiring, the reward for the work is also high, so it is not a disadvantage."
The customs of Daxia have always been like this. No matter how high the family status is, the female relatives should always practice nvhong, just like the men should practice martial arts and study as their official duties.
When going on a blind date, you have to look at the needle and thread. This rule has never changed.
If any girl is poor at needlework, she will be ridiculed.
Therefore, even with Chi Su's temperament, she has to spend twenty days a month sewing at home.
Her mother would check on her embroidery work every few days.
The Needlework Bureau belongs to the Eighth Bureau, and among the fifty people who entered the palace together, some of them were assigned here from the beginning, such as Qu Linglong.
When Xue Hengzhao and others arrived, the person in charge of them was a palace maid in her forties, known as Aunt Ma, who was usually responsible for supervising the work.
Their room only houses an embroidered purse, which was used by the concubines and concubines of the emperors from the first to the fifteenth day of the Lunar New Year to reward people.
There are several palace banquets in the past half month, and all courtiers and family members with sufficient rank and title will enter the palace to attend the banquet.
The masters in the palace will give these people purses, and the people who serve around them will also receive them.
Therefore, these purses are also called blessing purses. They are equipped with various kinds of small gold and silver pins made by the Bank at the end of the year, and each can contain up to four.
The purse is not big, and the gold and silver coins are only one or two, just for the sake of luck.
Just above Aunt Ma is Aunt Hu. She was originally an embroiderer in the palace. As she got older, her eyesight became blurred and she couldn't hold a needle and thread. Fortunately, the road was paved in the past few decades, so she became the steward here.
Mammy.
Aunt Ma recognized her as her godmother, which was common in the palace.
"Don't think that this thing is just a plaything, let me tell you, no matter how small it is, it cannot be careless." Aunt Hu's eyes were dull and she always squinted, "Don't think so.
If you are not from here, you feel that it is normal. Even if you work under my hand for a day, you have to be under my control.
If this job is done well, you will be rewarded. If something goes wrong, carefully count how many layers of skin you have to peel off!"
After Aunt Hu finished her lecture, she couldn't help coughing a few times, and Aunt Ma quickly handed her the water jug next to her.
Grandma Hu often has a dry mouth, so she always carries a water pitcher with her. The tea bowl is not enough.
Aunt Hu took a sip of water and raised her chin towards Aunt Ma.
Aunt Ma understood and said to everyone: "From now on, everyone will make at least six purses every day. If you make more, you will be rewarded. If you don't make enough or if you make something bad, you will not be allowed to eat, and you will have to pay compensation.
Each of you has a sample of the shape of the purse in front of you. As for the pattern embroidered on it, there is no prescribed style.
But they all have to have auspicious meanings, such as harmony, peace, wealth, and longevity. The more styles, the better."
Although each purse is no larger than the size of a palm, it requires embroidery and sewing, which is actually quite labor-intensive.
In the past, when they did sewing at home, it usually took about three days to complete such a bag.
Now that I have to do six of them in one day, I really can’t think of having any time to spare.
"Don't rush to do it yet. Burn your hands with hot water. Wash them well with pea flour, and then apply hand grease." Aunt Ma stopped when she saw someone reaching out, "How many months have you been doing this?" For rough work, the skin of my hands is very rough, and it would be bad if the silk is scratched."
After hearing this, everyone hurriedly washed their hands.
Aunt Ma lowered her body again and said to Aunt Hu: "You should go back and have a rest first! I can just watch these hairy girls. It will be the same if you come over and take a look after you have rested enough."
When Aunt Hu heard the phlegm in her throat made two sounds, she helped the little palace maid next to her stand up and said: "It's time for me to go back and take medicine. These people have just arrived and are like foals. You have to treat them." Take a good look.
People are bitter insects and cannot survive without being beaten. If anyone dares to bite the group, he must be punished and punished."
"You are right, I remember it." Aunt Ma smiled broadly at Aunt Hu, then turned to face everyone. Her face was like an ice skate hanging upside down under the eaves of Sanjiutian, long and cold. .
"Stop being naughty and naughty in front of me. This job will be completed well and everyone will be happy. If not, I will discipline your bitch and lighten your bones by two pounds!"
Aunt Hu returned to her room and was about to take medicine when someone called outside the door: "Are you here, Aunt Hu? Manager Zhou invites you to come over and have a word."
After hearing this, Aunt Hu didn't even bother to take the medicine, and quickly responded: "Easy to say, let's get over it."
Manager Zhou is Zhou Hong, the eunuch in charge of the Eighth Bureau. He was out of the palace on business two months ago and has just returned to the palace.
Aunt Hu only manages one workshop of the Acupuncture Bureau, and Zhou Hong can be regarded as a giant Buddha to her.
It just so happens that Zhou Hong’s nickname is the Smiling Buddha.
