Everyone sat for a long time before the queen came out.
After everyone stood up and bowed, Uranala called out.
She looked around the crowd, her inspecting eyes passing over the faces of the concubines one by one, and then she said calmly: "I specially asked everyone to come here today just to say one thing next month.
On the 27th, I have already drawn up the list of people who will accompany the Emperor to the Old Summer Palace, and the Emperor has also seen it for the first time. As for the drawings of the style houses submitted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs where each person lives, I have also seen them.
This is something for later, let’s not mention it for now.
At the moment, I will pass this list on to all the sisters for a look. If there is anyone who can’t go, I will bring it to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to prepare a lot of things! If you come to see me again after today, then
It will be useless."
She paused, glanced at everyone again, and said with a somewhat comforting tone: "If you can't go, there is no need to worry. The emperor has spent a lot of effort on the Old Summer Palace, and it is not possible to go to the Old Summer Palace this year.
, I won’t go there again next year. There will be opportunities in the future!
If anyone sees that their name is not on the list, don't be like a black-eyed chicken surrounding me. I'll say it first. Who will go and who won't go? The emperor has his own considerations in his mind! I'm drafting this in the first place.
When I made this list, I put everyone on the list! There are naturally reasons for those who were not selected. If you follow my instructions, you might as well just stay in the Forbidden City! Just calm down and think about the reasons.
, for you, it might not be a bad thing."
After she said this, she turned to look at Hua Rong and ordered: "Pass it on."
Hua Rong took five or six maids with him. At this time, he turned around and went to the long table inside, picking up the silver tray that had been prepared long ago.
The tray is covered with a layer of bright yellow brocade, and inside is a thin sheet of light yellow paper with extremely delicate hairpin flowers in regular script. The ink penetrates the back of the paper.
The atmosphere in the palace suddenly became quiet.
The expressions on everyone's faces became tense, with infinite anticipation and hope amidst the tension.
The maids walked up to the concubines, curtsied, bowed their heads, and raised the trays high.
The personal maid next to the concubines took a few steps forward and bowed in return. Then she took the list of papers from the tray and presented it to her master. Since there was not much paper, each person read one sheet together.
Qixi took it from the tray and held it to Ji Ling with both hands. Ji Ling lowered his head and saw that the names and surnames on the paper were arranged according to their positions.
The number of people is not small, but not large either.
Naturally, the queen would not write on this piece of paper to show off her identity.
But there is no royal concubine in the palace.
So this list starts with the concubine and goes down:
Concubine Qian? Guiren Li? Ji Ling raised her head and found that there were indeed a few unfamiliar faces in the crowd, but she had never noticed them before. No wonder Queen Uranala said just now that "everyone comes together"!
Looking at this list again, there are many concubines and concubines, but starting from the noble level, the number gradually increases.
When you reach the first level of Chang Zai, the names become even more densely packed. Just Chang Zai, there are eight of them, and I promise... Ji Ling counted them and found that there are also three of them!
Overall, it looks like a pyramid triangle, with fewer people in high positions and more people in low positions.
Then Ji Ling discovered another thing: she looked up and down several times, but there was no Concubine Qi!
At first she thought she had missed it, but she kept her eyes open and looked at each one several times, but she couldn't find Concubine Qi.
This is too...
After all, together with Chang Zai and Zheng Zhi, there are already eleven of them!
Seeing the joyful expressions of the nobles, Ji Ling turned around and looked at Concubine Qi again.
In fact, not only did she look at Concubine Qi, many people also raised their heads and glanced at Concubine Qi's face vaguely, all looking like they were laughing.
Concubine Qi's face was gloomy, with a mixture of embarrassment, anger, unwillingness and grievance.
She just stared at Uranala with sharp eyes.
Mao Bi saw that there were too many marks on her, so she quietly tugged on the corner of Concubine Qi's sleeve.
After all, Concubine Qi couldn't hold back. She stood up, walked forward, knelt down, and asked Uranala politely: "I dare to ask the Queen: Is this list... the emperor's intention, or the Queen's?"
What do you mean, empress?"
This question is very straightforward.
Everyone looked at Ulanara.
Ulanara's eyes flickered, and he looked at Concubine Qi and said: "Concubine Qi probably didn't pay attention to what I said just now. I have already made it very clear. The emperor has also read it. If anyone looks at the list,
Come on, if you don’t have your own name, don’t hang around me.”
As she spoke the last word, there was already a hint of sullenness in her voice. After all, Concubine Qi Li stood up and asked her in public, which was already a bit of a cross-examination.
Concubine Qi's face was filled with deep displeasure. Although she still managed to maintain a smile, the smile seemed to have been forced out of a crack in the stone.
She looked at the queen and said slowly and aggrievedly: "My dear queen, I am stupid, could you please tell me clearly what I have done wrong in recent days, which has annoyed the emperor so much that I am not even on this list.
"
Ulanara shook his head slightly and said: "Concubine Qi! You have always been straightforward and generous, why have you accepted death now? Don't think about it: you are not on this list, and those children are not on this list.
Can the reasons on the list be the same? This is the emperor's wish. Even if I want the sisters to be considerate, I have to listen to the emperor! Don't waste your words anymore. "
The "children" she refers to refer to low-ranking nobles, such as Chang Zai.
What the queen means is that some low-ranking nobles, such as Chang Zai, did not go there because the emperor did not like it, but Concubine Qi did not go there because of another reason.
After Uranara finished speaking, he picked up the tea cup and glanced at everyone in the hall like lightning. Seeing that the chosen person was full of joy, even though he was sitting in his seat, he could no longer hold back and was about to jump for joy, and he was talking all over again.
He praised the queen for her very appropriate arrangement.
The people who were not selected lowered their heads with a look of dejection on their faces. Some of them had red eyes and turned their backs.
A meaningful smile appeared on Ulanara's lips, and she enjoyed the feeling at the moment.
She lowered her head and took a few sips of tea gracefully.
Concubine Qi looked at Uranala with complicated eyes. Although she wanted to ask the reason clearly, she also knew that this was not the place to talk at this time, so she had no choice but to endure the grievance and embarrassment.
She sat back down in her seat with a bitter look on her face. Because she was about to go out, everyone in the hall couldn't hide their excitement, and for a while there was a low buzz.
Concubine Qi sat dumbly, listening to the young nobles behind her who had begun to discuss in low voices what clothes and jewelry to bring.
Yes, dress up and compete for favors! These little foxes!
Concubine Qi bit her lip tightly. Although she could not compare with the young and beautiful newcomers, over the years, when she was in the dormitory, she was the one who had the most blessings for her children. After the emperor ascended the throne, her status was second only to the queen.
Concubine He Nian can be regarded as the third concubine in the harem.
She never expected that even her elder brother Hong Zhou's mother, Concubine Yu, could go, but she couldn't go.
If Hong Zhou were to be ranked first, he would still be ranked behind his own son!