The number of boxes brought back from the Old Summer Palace was frightening. At first, they were placed at the entrance of the main hall. Later, they gradually became too crowded and spread out.
Xiao Fenzi, Xiao Yangzi and several other eunuchs kept going back and forth without stopping. They went from being very energetic at the beginning, to panting later, to feeling weak at the end...
Ji Ling was sitting in the main hall, looking at the treasures in the hall with her own eyes - some boxes were opened by Qixi to take inventory, and when she glanced at them, she saw that the boxes were full of gold and jade, which was dizzying for the eyes.
The word "luxury" came to Ji Ling's own mind.
It was noon when the concubine Chen moved into the Chengqian Palace. In the afternoon, when the sun had just set, Su Peisheng personally sent the official order to move into the palace.
Ji Ling knelt and crouched after listening to the imperial edict and thanking him.
Su Peisheng bowed and handed the bright yellow imperial edict to Ji Ling, and said with a smile: "Congratulations, Concubine Chen! Your Majesty has granted your concubine the honor of living in Chengqian Palace. This honor alone is unique in the palace!"
The Emperor has another message: I have just returned to the Forbidden City today, and I would like to ask the Empress to take a break and have a good rest. Early tomorrow morning, people from the Ministry of Internal Affairs will come over - if it is the layout of the courtyard and cloisters, where should they be modified according to the Empress's wishes?
Yes, it doesn’t matter if you give me your instructions tomorrow, concubine Chen.”
Ji Ling's heart felt warm after hearing this, and she quickly said: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your love!"
She paused and then said: "The Emperor has returned to the Forbidden City for the first time. I'm afraid there are many things to worry about and there are many affairs. You don't have to be anxious about the affairs of Chengqian Palace. Please ask Eunuch Su to thank the Emperor on my behalf! Eunuch Su, thank you for your hard work.
Got it!"
Su Peisheng bowed repeatedly, saying he didn't dare, and added a few festive words with witty remarks. Finally, he glanced around and left with a smile.
When the chief steward and his men exited calmly, Ji Ling handed the imperial edict to Qixi and felt a little tired.
Qixi helped her into the Dongnuan Pavilion in the front hall.
There is also a imperial concubine's couch under the window in the Nuan Pavilion. The cushions on the back are all newly replaced by Bixue and her people.
She originally moved from the west courtyard of Jingyang Palace to the east courtyard, and then from the east courtyard to the natural paintings in the Old Summer Palace.
The slaves around her have moved twice with her, and naturally they are becoming more and more proficient in everything.
Ji Ling lay down, Qixi covered her with a quilt, and brought her a silk eye mask to put on. Ji Ling felt sleepy coming over her like a tide.
There was still a ding-dong going on outside - Qixi was taking care of the moving and organizing matters for her, so she, the master, didn't have to do everything personally.
Ji Ling closed her eyes and soon fell asleep.
…
In her dream, she dreamed that it was May, the fourth year of Yongzheng's reign, and in early summer, she gave birth to a cute baby who was fat and white with two dimples on her face.
In the dream, it didn't seem to hurt much and the baby had already fallen to the ground.
The grandma held the child and congratulated her happily. A group of servants knelt down and shouted loudly: "Congratulations, Concubine Chen! Congratulations, Concubine Chen!"
Yinzhen sat beside her bed, holding her hand, beaming with joy.
She had never seen him look so excited - the past gloominess and faint violence were all gone from his brows.
He held her fingertips, brought them to his lips and kissed them one by one, and just kept saying: "Lingling, you have worked hard!"
Yinzhen's beard pricked her fingertips slightly, which was itchy and a little painful. She smiled and drew back her hands. She was still a little weak and couldn't exert herself.
She reached out to hold the baby, but suddenly she woke up from her dream.
Ji Ling trembled on the imperial concubine's couch and opened her eyes.
She stretched out her hand to rub her eyes and looked at the pear trees outside the window. For a moment, she thought she was still in the natural paintings in the Old Summer Palace.
She lowered her head and touched her belly. Her belly was still swollen, and the baby was sitting quietly in her mother's belly.
Hey! Ji Ling sighed sadly: It would be great if I woke up and had the baby just like in the dream...
Qixi heard the commotion and opened the curtain to come in. Ji Ling saw that her face was flushed, a layer of sweat appeared on her forehead, her sleeves were rolled up a little, and there were still drops of water dripping between her fingers.
She wiped her sweat, made a gesture to the outside, and whispered to Ji Ling: "Master is awake? Empress Qian, Li Guiren, and Ma Changzai have been here for a while and are sitting outside waiting!"
Ji Ling was startled, so fast?
Since she had just moved to the Chengqian Palace, the three of them were probably here to congratulate her - but there is no need to be in such a hurry to congratulate you. You have just traveled back to the Forbidden City from the Old Summer Palace, aren't you tired?
Ji Ling sat up, raised her hand to hold the broken hair on her temples, and asked Qixi smoothly: "How long have I been sleepy?"
Qixi concentrated her mind, calculated in her mind, and said: "Return to the master, it won't be long, there is still only a quarter to an hour."
That means it didn't arrive for two hours.
Ji Ling looked at the sun outside the window. It was still afternoon.
Qixi knelt down and put on the shoes of Ji Ling, who was serving her, while panting slightly: "Master didn't sleep for a long time today. The slave took them with him, and he didn't even pack half of the luggage!"
Ji Ling stood up, held Qixi's hand, and walked to the door of Nuange.
At the entrance of the Nuan Pavilion, there were already two palace maids guarding the curtain. When they saw the concubine coming out, they immediately bowed to the left and the right to open the curtain, and said in unison: "Concubine the concubine!"
Ji Ling walked into the main hall.
Concubine Qian was sitting there, Li Gui and Ma Chang were sitting under her, all three of them were dressed up.
Hearing the movement behind him, Ma Changzai was the first to turn his head. Seeing Ji Ling's outfit, he couldn't help but be dazzled, and then he immediately jumped up from the chair as if it was loaded with springs, with a flattering look on his face.
Smiling, he knelt down and said, "My concubine, please give my regards to the concubine Chen. May the concubine Chen be blessed with peace of mind!"
Li Guiren and Concubine Qian's reaction was a beat slower than Ma Changzai's.
Concubine Qian stood up holding Li Guiren's hand. Li Guiren came forward and saluted Ji Ling respectfully: "Concubine Qian, please give your regards to Concubine Chen!"
Ji Ling smiled kindly at her: "Li Guiren, please get up and sit down."
She turned around and looked at Ma Changzai, and said in a gentle voice: "Ma Changzai is also getting up."
Both of them responded several times before walking backwards to the chair - Li Guiren could sit down, but Ma Changzai had to sit according to his position, but it was difficult for him to sit down, so he could only stand next to Concubine Qian.
Concubine Qian stepped forward and stretched out her hand to touch Ji Ling's hand in salute. Ji Ling smiled and waved her hand and said, "Concubine Qian, there is no need to be polite."
The humble concubine retracted her hand.
Ji Ling held Qixi's hand and walked to the main chair.
Bixue immediately put the cushion up, and placed another cushion behind Ji Ling. With sharp eyes, Concubine Qian saw the lotus-colored cushion placed behind Concubine Chen at a glance. It was rare to see in the Qing palace.
Eight groups of twenty-four flower baskets are painted with flat gold embroidered cushions and decorated with miscellaneous treasures.
This kind of mat usually appears more often in the Yangxin Hall, and it was obviously given to her by the emperor.
She just pressed it behind her back so casually!
Ji Ling sat down and saw that the three of them were staring at her. Even the concubine Qian did not dare to sit down.
Seeing that she had sat down, Concubine Qian turned aside, sat on the chair next to her, leaned forward, and said with a sly smile: "I haven't seen Sister Chen Concubine again for a while!"
