Xue Guiren was used to being in the palace. She knew the nature of the emperor, but she felt that her mother was too conceited. She said anxiously: "Mom, don't force yourself to come forward. I'm worried that if you know that you and I are cheating on the queen behind your back, the result may not be a good one."
.If you ask me, from now on you can just teach my brother not to gamble. There are rules in the palace, and I ended up losing money after betting three times."
Mrs. Zeng said, "Don't worry about this matter. Of course I know it well and I will do it without leaving any trace. You said you were in the wrong. Now that you are being taken to the palace, the Queen will not take the blame."
Xue Guiren sighed, "It's actually easier to live under the Empress Dowager. We can occasionally get the emperor to turn over green cards and sit here for a while. Although we don't talk, we can read for a while. We can also see people from a distance, which is pleasing to the eye."
.I have concluded that since Luo Changan entered the palace, the emperor has gradually become unable to deal with these matters."
"Daughter, are you saying that the emperor has never touched you?"
"I'm afraid I'm not the only one who hasn't touched me. Even if I'm not favored, so many people have nothing to do with it. Only Luo Chang'an has the second son. I also know that the emperor may have only touched Luo Chang'an." Xue Guiren has a few.
Extremely envious.
Mrs. Zeng was greatly shocked, "It's surprising that such a thing has happened, and the main palace has monopolized everything. This is something that is detrimental to women's morals. It's very embarrassing for the main palace to engage in quarrels with concubines."
When Mrs. Zeng left the palace, it happened that the Empress Dowager Jixiang ordered her to send some condolence gifts to the masters of the palace. It coincided with the heavy snow season, so she came to add charcoal to the stoves and subsidize winter clothes for everyone.
"Aunt Jixiang, I give you my regards. You look very good." Mrs. Zeng said and bowed deeply, almost to the ground.
Ji Xiang saw this person making such a great gift and said with a smile: "Isn't this Xue Guiren's mother? I must not do it. I will break my slave."
"Your Majesty, you are a celebrity close to the Queen Mother. How can you not do this?"
Ji Xiang pursed his lips and smiled, then ordered: "Send all the condolences to the palaces to comfort all the masters. Be sure to take good care of yourself in the cold weather. The Queen Mother said she will welcome you back to the palace in the near future. Don't get sick."
Seeing that Mrs. Zeng still didn't leave, he asked curiously: "Is something wrong?"
Mrs. Zeng immediately wiped her eyes as if she was crying, "I used to be taken care of by the Queen Mother. In the past year, because my husband was in mourning and was afraid of bumping into Feng Jia, I didn't dare to visit the Queen Mother. I really miss her."
Ji Xiang nodded, "The Queen Mother also asked you several times in the first half of the year. She said that she was going to the ground service, and it was good to talk to her to relieve her boredom. She was still asking why she didn't go there recently. In this case, I went back and asked the Queen Mother to see what she meant.
Come on. You just go home and wait for the words."
Mrs. Zeng stuffed two taels of silver into Jixiang's hands. Jixiang was rich in silver, and the Queen Mother didn't notice the two taels. She just pushed it back and said with a smile, "If it's a bribe, I won't spread the word."
Zeng quickly retracted her hand and stuffed the money into her lapel in embarrassment.
Jixiang returned to Kunning Palace. The Queen Mother was reading Buddhist scriptures with her phoenix eyes squinting freely, and she was also reciting. Jixiang went over and whispered: "All the condolences have been sent to the palace. Everyone in the palace is well, and no one is sick.
.”
The Queen Mother felt relieved and put the Buddhist scriptures on the table. "After all, these concubines are all from famous families. How many of their natal families have come one after another? I asked the Ai family if their daughter had done something wrong and was driven away.
The Ai family was tired of dealing with it, and they felt they had been wronged. They usually gathered around the Ai family, and the little girl was sweet-mouthed, chatting and watching the theater lively. But now it is very deserted, with only Chang An accompanying her.
Aijia, Chang'an is not in good health and soon became tired. Aijia only feels depressed."
"Today I met Xue Guiren's mother, Mrs. Zeng, in the palace." Ji Xiang made a cup of the Queen Mother's newly made Luoshen tea and handed it to her, "She was thinking of the Queen Mother and wanted to come to say hello to the Queen Mother."
The Queen Mother took the tea and said, "It must be about her daughter. Oh, that's all. You can teach her to come here."
"Yes." Jixiang went out of the house and ordered his servants: "Go and send a message to Mrs. Zeng to say hello."
Mrs. Zeng arrived at about midnight. The Queen Mother was taking a nap when she arrived, so she stayed outside the house for half an hour. It was snowing and freezing and she stamped her feet until Jixiang opened the door curtain and said, "Come in."
Mrs. Zeng hurriedly entered the house, and when she got close, she knelt down at the Queen Mother's feet and said angrily: "Ms. Zeng will visit the Queen Mother in the next few days, and she feels really guilty. She really doesn't dare to confront the Queen Mother because she has something to do at home.
My husband has been here for a year now, so he will come immediately."
The Queen Mother couldn't help but be moved after hearing this, and ordered Jixiang to help him up, and said with a smile: "I don't blame you. It's very pitiful for a man to die and leave you orphans and widowed mothers. But the Ai family knows how difficult it is to have no man to support the family. The late emperor
The emperor was only fifteen when he left, and it is not easy for women."
Mrs. Zeng sat down and sighed, "It's a pity that Lady Xue can't serve you in the palace. She should be a filial piety and accompany you to relieve your boredom."
When the Queen Mother saw that it was indeed because of Mr.
Now, when a suitable day comes, I will ask the queen to bring everyone back, and arrange a few banquets to compensate everyone. The Ai family will also give more rewards as appropriate."
When Mrs. Zeng heard the word "empress", she immediately became frightened. Deep down in her heart, she was really eager for the reward the empress dowager said.
Seeing that her expression was very frightened, the Queen Mother asked puzzledly: "How?"
Mrs. Zeng leaned forward, but stopped talking.
The Queen Mother ordered everyone on her left and right to go down, leaving only her and Mrs. Zeng in the house, and said: "There is no one around, so just tell me."
Mrs. Zeng nodded, "It turns out that saying this is a capital offense, but fortunately we have the Queen Mother to uphold justice for us. Xue Guiren has been in the palace for five or six years, and it is still... perfect. Some people do not allow concubines to be favored. The one above, in charge
Be strict."
The Queen Mother was displeased and said: "Is this happening? The Queen is actually an intolerant person?"
Mrs. Zeng nodded and said: "Not only Mr. Xue, I'm afraid the other concubines are also... perfect. Otherwise, how could you have only two grandsons in these years?
Kneel down."
The Queen Mother's face did not look very good, and she had always felt strange that Ao'er had obviously been walking around, but no one could see her.
Mrs. Zeng continued: "It is said that the master is a child of a merchant family. He is very smart. He entered the palace disguised as a little servant. As soon as he entered, he worked in the dragon's bed, which whetted my appetite. I will take her to the palace.
She was promoted to a higher-ranking female official, to a noble person, to a concubine, to a concubine, and then to an imperial concubine, and finally to be included in the royal family, and she was married to the queen through three matchmakers and six betrothals. Every step she took was not tugging at the heart of the emperor. You sir
The most taboo thing about Jin Shang is to teach women. Because Jin Shang had some ambiguity with young Nalanjiao, she went back to her parents' home in anger for more than a month. In order to coax her to go home, Jin Shang almost brought the harem to death. He was afraid that he was dismissed from the draft because of her.
From now on, I'm afraid we will have to divorce all our poor concubines and leave her alone. This will really chill the hearts of all the ministers, who wouldn't send their own daughter here to express their sincerity."
"That's unreasonable!" The Empress Dowager clenched her hands tightly, "The Ai family saw that she was caring for her husband and raising her children. She was a kind-hearted person. She came to serve tea at midnight every day. She was really devoted to her two children, and she was also gentle and gentle to the emperor. Who would have thought that she would be like this?
Jealous and intolerant of dissenters. If you hadn't told me, I would still have been kept in the dark by her. Don't worry, with Ai Jia here, there will not be such a scandal in the Papal Palace of abandoning concubines and neglecting ministers."
Mrs. Zeng touched her eyes with her sleeve, "My daughter has a pitiful and cute appearance. In recent years, she has been..."
"It is said that Lord Xue should come to the Ai family to take care of their daily life." The Queen Mother passed the order, "Your livelihood has been difficult, and this time it makes you feel even more chilled. Ji Xiang, please give some money to Mrs. Zeng."
Immediately, the servants welcomed Guiren Xue in. The Queen Mother held her hand and looked at her carefully. Her appearance was okay, but there was indeed a big gap between her and the Queen. But what if the Queen Mother took control of Ao'er? Beauty has been a disaster since ancient times.
I'm afraid it will affect Ao'er's political affairs.
Ji Xiang took Mrs. Zeng out and only said: "Recently, all expenses have been high. The war is ahead, and the expenses in the harem have been reduced. The money that Qianer planned to add flowers in the yard for the Queen Mother has not been spent yet. I will never spend it."
I’ll give you fifteen taels from it.”
Mrs. Zeng took the silver and got fifteen taels for free. After all, her daughter was not worth anything. If she were valuable, how could the Queen Mother just teach the palace maids to send her away casually and lose money? The Queen got twenty taels and the Queen Mother got fifteen taels.
If you send two taels, you only get thirty-five taels.
***
In the dragon's dormitory, Luo Changan was sewing new clothes for Bai Ze that day. She asked softly: "Aunt Mei, have you heard where the soldiers and horses from the army have returned to the court?"
Aunt Mei was holding Di Jinfeng in her arms and teasing her. She was eight months old and was very funny. She giggled from time to time. When she heard the Queen's question, she said: "I just went to ask Haiyin and he said that he had arrived at Diaoyutai.
There are still two hundred miles to Beijing, and it is said that we will arrive in the evening."