The day after she was conferred the title of concubine, Ji Ling was in Kunning Palace. After greeting the queen with all the concubines, by the afternoon, the gate of Chengqian Palace was almost broken through - there was an endless stream of concubines who came to congratulate her.
After all, the Ji family is now a concubine, is favored by the emperor, and has given birth to a prince. Needless to say, no matter what her status is, there is no harm in fawning over her.
Even Concubine Yu was ignored by everyone.
Ji Ling knew very well: from now on, even if she saw Concubine Yu, she would only have to give a flat salute - touching each other with her hands and bending her knees slightly.
In this Forbidden City, the only woman who needs her respectful greetings is Empress Ulanara.
This is probably the advantage of having fewer people.
If she traveled through the harem of Kangxi or Qianlong, things would not be so simple.
In the warehouse, two special rooms were set up specifically for the congratulatory gifts for the third princess and the little brother. The shelves were filled with silks and brocades, the Four Treasures of the Study, jewelry and rare furnishings.
Among them, those given by the Yangxin Palace and those sent by the concubines were stored separately according to the instructions of Concubine Chen.
In the main hall, everyone was laughing and chatting endlessly. As the sun set, they finally dispersed in groups of twos and threes.
Zhang Guiren was the last one to leave - when he left, it was already dark.
Ji Ling took her hand and walked her out of the door personally. Seeing that it was getting late, she asked Bixue to arrange a personal lantern to send Zhang Guiren back.
Bixue directly ordered Yiquan.
"It's dark, go back and watch on the way." Ji Ling told Zhang Guiren.
Yiquan was beside him, quietly waiting with an octagonal painted palace lantern, the corners of his clothes slightly blown by the wind.
Zhang Guiren patted the back of her hand and stopped her from sending her any more: "Sister, go back quickly to accompany your elder brother and the third princess."
Ji Ling nodded and watched her gradually walk away until the figure turned around the corner and disappeared. Then he turned around and entered the Chengqian Palace Gate.
After dinner, Qixi and Evian took her to take a bath. Outside, in the palace maid's room, Bixue was sitting at the long table eating - the slaves' meals would be separated from the master's. If it weren't for Qixi and Evian
If she was served inside, she would have to wait half an hour for her meal to be served.
The two second-class maids helped her pack the soup bowl and brought it to her, saying flatteringly: "Sister Bixue."
Bixue reached for the soup bowl and drank it up without haste. She raised her head and glanced at the two palace maids before saying, "Sit down and eat too."
She paused and said, "Eat more."
…
When Yiquan returned to Chengqian Palace, it was already the time when the key to the palace gate was about to be handed down. When he went there, it was okay because he was sending Zhang Guiren away.
When she came back, she was the only one on the palace road. There might be a storm tomorrow. The sky was as dark as ink, and not a single star or moonlight could be seen. Across the long palace road, she could faintly hear the sound of someone patrolling over there, but she couldn't.
It just passed by and was no longer heard.
There were jackdaws flapping their wings and flying overhead. It was obviously December weather, and there was also a night owl who came from nowhere, croaking like a baby crying and neighing a few times.
Yiquan felt goosebumps rising all over his body, and his hair stood on end. He couldn't help but walk faster and faster, and the light of the palace lantern became weaker and weaker.
It was as if God was deliberately against her - just as she turned a corner, the palace lantern's light went out.
Yiquan quickened the pace on his feet, almost running in small steps.
Fortunately, she was not far from Chengqian Palace at this time, and she was familiar with the terrain. She didn't stop until she saw the gate of Chengqian Palace.
After rushing into the palace gate, Xiao Fenzi was walking out and almost bumped into her.
He stretched out his hand to support Yiquan, thinking something had happened, and immediately said: "You are so panicked, what happened?"
Yiquan shook his head and said out of breath: "No...it's okay. I'll come back after seeing Zhang Guiren off."
Xiao Fenzi glanced at her hand and saw the extinguished palace lantern. She immediately understood and said with a smile: "So you are so afraid of the dark."
Seeing that she was still breathing, Xiao Fenzi sighed softly and said: "Since you are afraid of the dark, next time I talk to your sister Qixi, let's go with someone else."
Yiquan whispered: "Sister Qixi now...has no time to care about such trivial matters. I and the other two second-class maids are all following Sister Bixue's orders."
Xiao Fenzi nodded, patted her shoulder gently and said, "Go back."
Yiquan carried the palace lantern back to the palace maid's room, lifted up the coarse curtain, and saw a charcoal fire burning in the center of the room, and the long table in the room was neatly tidied.
The two second-class maids were working under the lamp, but when they saw her coming back, they all raised their heads.
Yiquan put the palace lantern on the table next to him and panted: "I will need to add more oil next time. It went out halfway on the way back. I was so scared that my back went cold!"
As she spoke, she bent down, flicked the charcoal fire in the basin, and roasted her cold and hard hands beside it. After a while, she felt a warm current spreading all over her body.
Then he stood up.
The two second-class maids just looked at her quietly and did not speak.
Yiquan rested for a while and then heard her stomach growling with hunger. She took the bowl and chopsticks and went to the small dining bucket in the southeast corner of the room as usual.
Unexpectedly, when he reached out and opened the lid of the bucket, he saw that there was nothing in the bucket, not even a grain of rice.
Usually among the second-class palace maids, no matter who comes back from duty at the end, there will always be some food left in the dining bucket.
Yiquan looked back at the two second-class maids, who were ironing clothes. When they saw Yiquan's gaze, they immediately lowered their heads.
Yiquan put down the bowls and chopsticks in silence, stood beside the dining bucket for a moment, then turned back and cleared away the bowls and chopsticks.
She carried the small dining pail to the dining room. The dining room was brightly lit, and Xiao Dazi was preparing breakfast for tomorrow morning. When he turned around and saw her, he smiled and said, "Bring Xiao Dazi
Just put the dining bucket in the corner of the room."
Yiquan responded, lingering but not leaving, looking around at the corner of the table next to the dining room.
There was a plate of pastries that the master had taken away in the evening.
Xiao Dazi was busy working. When he turned around and saw that Yiquan hadn't left, he felt a little strange. He also saw her looking at the cake and said, "That was a gift from the master. If you are hungry, take it and eat it."
Yiquan smiled brightly and immediately reached out and took out a piece of pastry with a handkerchief. He quickly put it into his mouth and chewed it. He mumbled and said with gratitude: "Thank you so much, Eunuch Da! Thank you so much, Eunuch Da!"
Seeing her like this, Xiao Dazi felt a little strange in his heart. He walked to the small dining bucket and saw that the bucket was already clean. He thought of the recent series of explicit or covert interactions between Bixue and Yiquan.
As soon as my heart moved, I came to some understanding.
He poured a cup of crude tea for Yiquan, glanced at the pastry in her hand, and asked in a low voice: "You have nothing to eat?"
Yiquan looked up at Xiao Dazi, swallowed a mouthful of cake with difficulty, took a big sip of tea, and nodded slowly.