Yin Lihua and Xu Xiling each picked up a candied fruit. The latter took a bite, frowned slightly, and looked up at Yin Lihua.
Seeing that the latter was eating with gusto, she was about to speak when Xi Cheying picked up a candied fruit, handed it to Xu Xiling's mouth, and said with a smile: "Beauty Xu, try this one again!"
Xu Xiling glanced at Xi Cheying and swallowed back the words that came to her lips. There was nothing wrong with the candied fruit itself, but the making process obviously soaked it in wine, which also made the candied fruit taste better, but eating too much would
It's easy to get intoxicated. Xu Xiling knew that Yin Lihua had an average drinking capacity and wanted to remind her to eat less, but Xi Cheying interrupted her. Xu Xiling thought about it again and felt that it was inappropriate for her to try to dissuade her, so Guo Shengtong brought out the candied fruit for them.
, if she reminds Yin Lihua to eat less, it will definitely arouse Guo Shengtong's dissatisfaction. The relationship between her and Guo Shengtong is already very tense, and there is no need to continue to add fuel to the fire over such trivial matters.
Yin Lihua prefers sweets, and Guo Shengtong also liked her this time. Not only did she prepare candied fruits and desserts, but also tea, including some sweet scented tea.
Seeing Yin Lihua eating several candied fruits in a row, Guo Shengtong asked with a smile: "What do you think of these candied fruits, Lord Yin?"
Yin Lihua smiled and said: "It's delicious! The queen has to worry about it again today."
"What are you talking about, Lord Yin? If Lord Yin likes it, I can ask the kitchen to make more."
"The Queen is too polite." Yin Lihua wiped her hands, stood up, and said, "Queen, I, my concubine, go and clean your hands."
Guo Shengtong originally wanted to ask the palace maid to accompany Yin Lihua, but Yin Lihua politely refused.
There are several clean rooms in Changqiu Palace, some are used exclusively by the master, and some are used exclusively by palace maids and chamberlains. Accompanied by Li Xiu'e, Yin Lihua went to the clean room used by the master.
As soon as I walked nearby, I heard a muffled sound and saw a young palace maid falling out of the clean room, and then two more palace maids in their twenties came out.
Two palace maids walked up to the little palace maid. One of them stepped on the little palace maid's hand and said harshly: "I asked you to clean up the clean room, but you are lazy in the clean room. If I don't teach you a lesson today, you will be in trouble in the future."
Wouldn’t it make you upset?”
While the palace maid was talking, she used her feet to rub the little palace maid's hand left and right.
The little palace maid shivered in pain, but she bit her lip tightly and did not dare to scream. She knew very well that if she yelled, it would only lead to more fierce and vicious torture.
Seeing this, Li Xiu'e's face turned red with anger, and without even saying hello to Yin Lihua, she took three steps into two steps, rushed forward, and pushed the palace maid away who was stepping on the little palace maid's hand.
The palace maid was not well prepared, and because of Li Xiu'e's strength, she couldn't stand, so she took several steps back and sat down on the ground.
The two palace maids were furious and looked at the visitor angrily. When they saw Yin Lihua standing not far away, their bodies were shocked. The palace maid sitting on the ground quickly got up and joined her companion.
They both blessed themselves and bowed, saying, "My maid has seen Mr. Yin!"
Li Xiu'e glared at the two of them fiercely, helped the little palace maid lying on the ground to sit up, and after taking a closer look, she recognized that the little palace maid turned out to be Luo You. Li Xiu'e couldn't believe her eyes.
A few days ago, when I met Luo You in Yutang Palace, she was a girl as beautiful as a delicate flower. In just a few days, Luo You looked almost out of shape.
He has deep sunken eyes, a bruised nose and a swollen face. Although he is not skinny and skinny, he is still much thinner than before.
After looking at it, Li Xiu'e was stunned for a while before she came back to her senses. She turned back to look at Yin Lihua and said, "My lord, she is...she is Luo You!"
Yin Lihua looked carefully and finally recognized Luo You. She did not expect that Luo You would be tortured into this state in just a few days.
She looked at the two palace maids and said word by word: "This palace is not a place where you are lawless!"
The two palace maids were shaking violently. Although they were both from Changqiu Palace, they were just junior palace maids at the bottom. Compared with Yin Lihua's status, they were very different. The two palace maids did not dare to breathe and said in a hurry.
: "My maid knows my mistake! My maid knows my mistake!"
This is Changqiu Palace after all, and Yin Lihua could not rebuke the maids of Changqiu Palace too harshly. She frowned and said in a deep voice: "Don't do it again in the future!"
"Yes! Yes! Yes! Thank you for your kindness! I will resign!" The two maids shrank their necks and ran away in a hurry.
Yin Lihua walked up to Luo You and reached out to help her up from the ground.
Seeing Luo You's little face clearly, Yin Lihua was also shocked. She was obviously very thin, but her face was extremely swollen. It was from being beaten. The old wounds were not healed yet, and new ones were filled in, one layer after another.
layer, it became what it is now.
She took out her handkerchief and tried to wipe the corners of Luo You's bleeding mouth. Luo You shivered and subconsciously dodged back.
Li Xiu'e knelt down, took out a small bottle from her arms, opened it, and found that it was full of black ointment. As she applied the ointment to Luo You's face, she comforted her softly: "Don't be afraid! Our noble man is
It won’t hurt you!”
The ointment is ugly, but it feels very comfortable and cool when applied to the face, and the originally numb cheeks also become slightly tingling.
Luo You's eyes turned red, and there was a layer of mist in her eyes. Yin Lihua lowered her head and looked at Luo You's hands. The small hands that were originally white and tender were now as swollen as carrots.
Yin Lihua really couldn't understand how a person's heart could be so cruel?!
She applied Li Xiu'e's ointment on Luo You's hand, and then wrapped Luo You's hand with a handkerchief. At this time, Li Xiu'e also finished applying the ointment on Luo You's face.
Li Xiu'e sympathized with Luo You from the bottom of her heart. She was a military prostitute, and Luo You was a dancer. Speaking of which, their backgrounds were very similar. By chance, they both entered the palace.
It's just that she was lucky enough to have a good master like Yin Guiren, while Luo You was much unluckier than her. She was favored by the queen and became a member of the Changqiu Palace, where she was tortured.
Luo You got up from the ground, knelt down to Yin Lihua and Li Xiu'e, and kowtowed three times in a row.
From beginning to end, she didn't say a word, like a little mute, but this silent behavior made people even more sad and distressed.
Li Xiu'e supported Luo You, who was kneeling and kowtowing, and said: "Don't... don't do this!" As she spoke, she looked at Yin Lihua and whispered: "My lord, if this continues, Luo You will definitely die in Changqiu.
Your Majesty, please save her!"
Yin Lihua's eyes darkened. The only way she could save Luo You was to take Luo You from the Changqiu Palace to the West Palace, but this was too difficult.
Asking Guo Shengtong for someone, if Guo Shengtong doesn't nod, there will be no room for maneuver. Let alone her, even if His Majesty comes forward, it will be difficult to force Guo Shengtong to submit in this matter.
After Li Xiu'e finished speaking, she realized that she had posed a big problem for the noble man, but she really couldn't bear to see this little girl who was bound by her fate continue to stay in Changqiu Palace and suffer.
She suddenly remembered something, took out a small pouch from her sleeve, opened it, and found a few gold leaves inside. This was given to her by Yin Lihua.
She took out a few gold leaves from the brocade bag, put them into Luo You's hand, and said: "Take these, and if you have a chance, give them to the eldest maid in the Changqiu Palace to seek the eldest maid's protection!
"
Luo You hurriedly pushed Jin Ye back, and Li Xiu'e pressed her hand and said sternly: "Hurry up and take it! If you establish a good relationship with the eldest palace maid, your life will be easier in the future!"
Looking at the palace maid in front of him who had only met him twice, tears rolled down Luo You's cheeks and fell on the floor.
She kowtowed to Yin Lihua and Li Xiu'e again, then stood up and walked away quickly with small steps.
Looking at Luo You's hurried away figure, Yin Lihua and Li Xiu'e sighed in unison, feeling deep pity for the little girl Luo You in their hearts.
When Yin Lihua came out of the clean room, on the way back to the garden, Li Xiu'e asked in a low voice: "If the noble lady opens her mouth, will the queen give Luo You to the West Palace?"
Yin Lihua was silent for a long time and slowly shook her head. Her shaking head seemed to mean that she didn't know, but also seemed to say that Guo Shengtong would not give up anyone to Xi Gong.
Li Xiu'e smiled bitterly and murmured: "Yes, if someone else had spoken, maybe she would have agreed when the queen was in a good mood, but if a noble person spoke, the queen would not have agreed anyway."
In the entire palace, the one who was most hostile to Yin Lihua was Empress Guo.
This was just a small episode. After Yin Lihua and Li Xiu'e returned to the pavilion, they continued to enjoy tea and snacks.
At this time, a palace maid hurriedly came to the pavilion, bowed and said: "Queen Guo, Yin Guiren, Xu Meiren, Xi Meiren!"
Everyone took a closer look and saw that this maid was from the Phoenix Palace. Xu Xiling frowned and asked, "Xiaozhu, why are you here?"
Xiaozhu Fushen said: "Beauty, a wild cat came from nowhere just now, broke into the palace, frightened the princess, and found that the princess couldn't stop crying."
When Xu Xiling heard this, his whole heart twisted into a ball. He stood up involuntarily and said to Guo Shengtong: "Queen, I have to go back to the palace immediately to have a look!"
Guo Shengtong nodded solemnly, looked at Xiaozhu, frowned and asked, "Where did the wild cat come from? How did you protect the eldest princess? How could you let the wild cat run into the hall?"
Xiaozhu hurriedly knelt down and said: "My servant deserves to die! Please forgive me, Queen! Please forgive me, beauty!"
Xu Xiling was very anxious now and didn't want to listen to these nonsense. He bowed to Guo Shengtong and walked out quickly. Xi Cheying picked up the tea cup and took a slow sip of tea. He glanced at Guo Shengtong from the corner of his eye and twitched the corner of his mouth.
Then, she put down the teacup, stood up, and said: "Queen, I'm going to the Phoenix Palace to have a look. If the eldest princess is really frightened, she should call the imperial doctor in time!"
Guo Shengtong nodded and said, "Ximei, go quickly!"
Xi Cheying responded and walked out of the pavilion. Seeing that Xu Xiling and Xi Cheying had left, Yin Lihua did not want to stay in Changqiu Palace anymore and said: "Queen, I also want to see the eldest princess!"
Guo Shengtong smiled at Yin Lihua and said, "With Xu Mei and Xi Mei here, why should Yin Gui be worried?!"
As she spoke, she waved to the maid on the side. One of the maids walked into the pavilion with a pot of tea and poured a cup for Yin Lihua.
Guo Shengtong said with a smile: "I heard that Lord Yin has always liked scented tea. I have also prepared some fine scented tea today for Lord Yin to try."
Yin Lihua couldn't refuse, so she picked up the teacup and took a sip.
The floral fragrance is very strong, and it is sweeter than ordinary flower tea. There is a faint aroma of wine, but the taste of wine is not noticeable at all.
Yin Lihua found it very delicious and drank the whole cup of tea. The maid on the side quickly poured another cup.
Guo Shengtong smiled and said: "Two days ago, I recruited several chefs. Their skills are well-known in Luoyang. These candied fruits, snacks, and scented tea are exactly what they made. If they are still in line with the taste of noble Yin,
, I can give these chefs to Mr. Yin!"
After hearing Guo Shengtong's words, Li Xiu'e couldn't help but murmured in a low voice: "Let's give up Luo You to Xi Gong..."
Guo Shengtong didn't hear what she was mumbling clearly, so he raised his head and looked at Li Xiu'e. Yin Lihua quickly picked up the teacup, saluted Guo Shengtong, and said with a smile: "Thank you, my concubine, for your kindness!"