On February 15th, after several snowfalls, the sky cleared up in the capital, and spring gradually arrived despite the cold weather.
As soon as Chen Shiba Niang's carriage stopped at the second gate, two servant girls rushed over to greet it.
"Eighteenth Mother, hurry up, my wife is going to the palace and I want you to accompany her," they said.
Enter the palace?
Mrs. Chen was granted the title of Lady of the State later in the year. Although her rank and status were not low, she was not a relative of the emperor. She could not go to the imperial palace at will except for paying homage on major festivals.
"Why did you enter the palace?" Chen Shiba Niang was surprised, but she got out of the car faster.
The two maids looked a little strange, but they didn't dare to say anything.
Mrs. Chen had already come over there and had already changed into her official uniform. Chen Shiba Niang hurriedly greeted her.
My sister-in-law is pregnant and raising a fetus, and now it is difficult to raise a child. Five out of ten will give birth successfully, and two out of five will die in infancy. Therefore, the family is careful, and the daughters accompany them when going out to meet guests.
Mrs. Chen looked at her daughter and nodded when she saw that she was still wearing the long-sleeved straight gown that Cheng Jiaoniang had made for the New Year that day.
"There's no need to change clothes," she said.
Chen Shiba Niang responded, followed her mother in the car and went out.
"What's going on?" She asked after getting in the car.
Mrs. Chen smiled.
"The Concubine Xian is pregnant." She whispered.
It is not unusual for a concubine in the palace to be pregnant, but it is a happy event. After all, it is well known that the emperor's heirs are in trouble. Now he has been ill for some time, which made people in the court panic. Then he got better. It was also reported that a concubine was pregnant.
What a great joy.
"Then, are you asking the ladies to congratulate you?" Chen Shiba Niang asked in confusion.
This is completely impossible, it's not like the queen gave birth to a son.
The smile on Mrs. Chen's face was as weird as the two maids.
"The Concubine Xian was not eating well, and she suddenly wanted to eat oriole. The palace cooked the royal meal, but she didn't like the result. The Queen Mother simply told me to take the cook to cook it myself," she said.
Chen Shiba Niang's face also became a little weird. She wanted to laugh but didn't dare.
"The Concubine Xian is really a deep favorite." She pursed her lips and said with a smile.
Naturally, the emperor agreed to this kind of thing, but as the emperor, he could not personally send ministers to send cooks, otherwise he would be discussed by the imperial censor.
"Why did you come back so early today?" Mrs. Chen thought of something and asked.
When Chen Shiba Niang came back that day, she told her parents that she wanted to study with Mrs. Cheng.
Cheng Jiaoniang likes to listen to people read, and both Chen Shao and his wife know this, so they automatically assume that Chen Shiba is accompanying her and reading to Cheng Jiaoniang.
The couple naturally agreed.
"She has been like this since she was a child. She must not have been close to her brothers and sisters in Beijing. It's rare that she is willing to get close to you, so go ahead." Mrs. Chen warned.
Chen Shiba Niang did not explain her parents' misunderstanding and responded vaguely.
"Ms. Cheng went out today and left a message asking me to go back tomorrow," said Chen Shiba.
"Where can she go?" Mrs. Chen asked curiously.
Chen Shiba Niang shook her head, Mrs. Chen stopped asking, and the car had already entered the palace.
In order to have a safe pregnancy, Concubine Xian was taken to live in the Queen Mother's palace. After hearing the news, the Queen Mother got up from her seat, and the young man who was kneeling with his head down got up first.
"Wei Lang, please go back first," the Queen Mother said, calling to the young man with a smile.
The young man salutes.
"Also, don't mention the matter of leaving the palace again." The Queen Mother said, "You are mourning for your father. Your father is also a member of our Fang family royal family. How can you avoid this? You can live in the palace with peace of mind until the eldest prince and you are together next year.
Leave the palace."
After saying that, he looked at the palace people next to him.
"Anyone who dares to discuss the matter of Prince Jin'an leaving the palace will be beaten out." She raised her eyebrows and said.
The people in the palace responded one after another, and the young man saluted again and left.
The Queen Mother sighed lightly with some joy and supported the arm of the old palace man next to her.
"Let's just say that this child is a lucky star. He just came back. Your Majesty is well and the concubine is pregnant. Some people dare to suggest that he leave the palace and go to the fiefdom." She hummed and said, "What are the thoughts of those who are suggesting this?
Don’t you know? Let Concubine Hui’s family give me some peace of mind.”
The palace attendant responded yes.
The Queen Mother described herself as relaxed.
"Then the Chen family's oriole is really delicious? I want to try it too."
They laughed and went out to the back hall.
Prince Jin'an, who was walking out of the front door of the palace, stopped and looked at the side door with a slightly surprised expression. Just now, two palace maids led the two women in.
The dress of the married woman in front is very conspicuous, and the girl walking next to the married woman... is also very conspicuous.
Although it was just a back view, it was the second time he had seen those clothes in his adult life.
The first time I saw her was by a campfire, surrounded by wolves howling, the night wind blew the girl's cloak, and her plain black clothes stood out in the firelight.
"Prince?" the palace man asked in a low voice.
Prince Jin'an retracted his eyes and took a step forward.
"Who is he? A family member of the Concubine Xian?" he asked with a smile.
"No, they are the family of Mr. Chen Shao and Prime Minister Chen Shao of the Ministry of Civil Affairs." The palace man also said with a smile.
Looking at the young prince's smile, which was hearty and bright, the chill in his eyes was much lessened.
"Oh, the Chen family." Prince Jin'an nodded with a smile, looked back, and raised his long eyebrows inadvertently.
Are we so destined? We met again.
It doesn't matter if you dress casually when walking in the wild, but it is really strange to wear such a plain color when you enter the palace to meet a noble person.
Prince Jin'an smiled slightly.
A handful of bamboo tubes were thrown into the lit bonfire, and there were crackling sounds. Children covered their ears and jumped around. Onlookers rushed forward, talking and joking to the men standing in front of the door.
You couldn't hear it if you were too far away. After all these people poured into the restaurant, you couldn't see any movements or expressions.
Only the flag banner on the flagpole was blown by the sharp spring breeze in February, and the three characters Taipingju were billowing in the wind, which could be seen clearly from several feet away.
"Madam, why don't we go over there?" The maid turned to look at Cheng Jiaoniang who was standing aside and asked, with a bit of joy, "Madam's shop is open."
"Here and there are different," Cheng Jiaoniang said.
The maid smiled and said nothing. She looked down at the withered grass on the ground and couldn't help but sigh.
"It's sprouted." She said with a bit of joy, "Look, madam."
Cheng Jiaoniang looked down, half of her face covered by her hood.
"Well," she said, "spring is here."
The hustle and bustle in front of the Taiping Residence has dispersed. Except for the villagers who came to see the commotion in the first place, no one else enters. There are many cars and horses on the road, but they either rush along without looking away, or they look over and move on.
"Banqin." Cheng Jiaoniang suddenly shouted.
The maid who was still looking at the grass around her quickly stood up and responded.
"Go and see if your old man is back?" Cheng Jiaoniang said.
The maid was shocked.
When she first arrived in front of this lady, she felt that she was weird and unpredictable. Later, through observing her words and expressions, she found that although this lady basically had no sex to look at, fortunately, she could always guess the right words and thought she knew her thoughts.
Probably, but after entering Beijing, she became more and more in tune with this lady's words, but her thoughts became increasingly unclear.
For example, when the lady first said that she would not be cured, who would have thought that it was for the current treatment? For example, when the lady asked her husbands to buy this restaurant, was it for herself, for the husbands, or for the cook, or to fulfill that?
Han Langjun’s kindness?
When she says this now, what will be fulfilled in the future?
It has always been simple to talk less and the maid feels that this is really wrong. The less words you talk, the less simple it is.
The lady has never mentioned anyone and has been walking steadily on her own. Now she suddenly mentioned the old man. Could it be that she has encountered something that she cannot solve?
What is it?
The maid was a little nervous and a little scared.
"Yes." She lowered her head and responded. (To be continued)