Chapter 4 Chapter IV Punishment

Years go by, seasons reincarnate, two years have passed in the blink of an eye, and Jang Geum has never been able to visit his mother again.Whenever the mountain strawberries are ripe, Jang Geum will recall the distant and vague mountain ridge where his mother is buried, and repeatedly appreciate his mother's words before she died. "Mother's dream is to become the most noble palace in the imperial dining room." Although my mother was already unconscious when she said this, the last words were etched into Jang Geum's young heart forever .Maid, every time she mutters these two words, her heart is in a state of turmoil.If possible, Jang Geum really wants to go to the palace to fulfill her dream for her mother, and she also wants to see the cooking diary hidden in the dining room.However, if you think about it carefully, this is simply an unrealizable dream.She has never heard of how to become a court lady, and even if she knew, she would not be able to achieve it.

In addition to brewing wine, De Jiujia is also responsible for making tonics for the king.Dejiu's daughter-in-law is in charge of brewing wine, while making tonics is within Dejiu's business.Jang Jin learned from Deku that people like him who are in charge of this kind of work are called masters in waiting.Chang Jin thought that through De Jiu, he might be able to find out the way to become a court lady, but it is impossible for De Jiu's daughter-in-law to watch Chang Jin enter the palace to become a court lady. Every word Deok-gu's daughter-in-law said was disgusting, and she had a violent personality that no one could bear, but she still kept Jang Geum.Of course, she not only recovered the lost wine money, but also confiscated Jang Jin's money and silver hairpin, so Jang Jin's meal was not for free.At first she only looked at the clothes, and Deok-gu's daughter-in-law mistook Jang Geum for a boy. When she learned that Jang Geum was a girl, she handed over all the chores to Jang Geum.

Jang Geum is getting more and more capable.She is only ten years old, but no matter what she is asked to do, cleaning, running errands, or cooking, she can do everything almost perfectly.At such times, Deku's daughter-in-law would say to Jang Geum, you can't even repay my kindness to you, so don't think about running away.In this way, she tied Jang Geum firmly to her side. Dejiu is very nice and likes to drink. Although he is under strict supervision by his wife, none of his affairs are delayed.The chores at home are mainly done by his wife and Jang Geum. He only needs to move the brewed wine, but he spends a whole day when he goes out.At such times, he would always walk home slowly with his eyes closed.Despite being scolded by his wife, he never talked back.First of all, because he was not half as big as his wife, and she talked too fast for him.

Yidu is the same age as Jang Jin, and he was carved out of the same mold as his father. He is innocent and kind, but he can't do anything well.Jang Geum took the time to teach him how to read and understand characters, but he always learned and forgot. Every time Jang Geum wanted to catch his breath after finishing something, Deku's wife couldn't see it.If there is really no work to do in the wine shop, she will send Chang Jin out to deliver wine to others.This kind of work is done by Jang Geum and Deku together, except for lifting and carrying, the rest of the work is usually done by Jang Geum alone.

One day, Jang Geum and Deok Goo filled another cart full of alcohol and headed towards the brothel.While yelling in front of the brothel, De Jiu took out the king's tonic as a cover. "Jang Geum, I'm going to prepare the King's tonic, so I have to hurry up, you know? We'll meet there in Youshi!" That side refers to the entrance of Jinchuanqiao Market, west of Jinchuanqiao.Deok-gu and Jang-geum often meet at the entrance of the market, then pass Sungnyemun gate and return to the brewery. "Don't be late today." "Probably not, but it's not easy to prepare tonics for the king. Anyway, I'll go first."

De Jiu swaggered away.The doorman of the brothel walked over grumblingly. "Obviously I'm going to drink, but why are you preparing tonics for the king..." Jang Geum laughed. "By the way, all the big shots are here today, so don't cause any trouble." "yes." "How could such a sensible child cause trouble..." The guard rubbed his eyes and looked into the reception room of the brothel. Cui Panshu was standing guard at the door, while the five nobles were having a secret conversation in the reception room.Park Yuanzong, Cheng Xiyan, Wu Jianhu, Park Yongwen, Xin Yunwu, everyone had very serious expressions.

"Official Cao* (one of the Six Caos in Goryeo and Joseon Dynasty, mainly responsible for the selection and evaluation of officials, and its function is equivalent to the official department in the six ancient Chinese ministries—translator's note) Judgment Liu Shunting, Suwon Deputy Envoy Zhang Bing, Sibusa (Goryeo, the official office that managed the carriages and horses in the palace in the Joseon Dynasty——Translator's Note) Qizheng (the fourth-rank official position in the Joseon Dynasty, belonging to the third-rank official office such as halls, temples, prisons, etc.——Translator's Note ) Hong Jingzhou agreed."

Park Yuanzong followed Cheng Xiyan and said. "The treacherous official Shen Shouqin, brother Shen Shouying, Ren Shihong, and the lackeys around them who are stalking others, these people will all be killed. The plan has been made." "The most important thing is to enter the palace. How are you thinking about this issue?" "Training Dougam* (the military barracks responsible for the defense of the capital during the Joseon Dynasty - Translator's Note) and Habayashiwei* (one of the forbidden troops in the Joseon Dynasty - Translator's Note) have been controlled by us, but the kansibu* (the early Joseon Dynasty's The military system, mainly cavalry, is responsible for the king's guards, entourage, guards of honor and other matters—translator's note) and internal guards are still uncertain."

"Isn't that going to cause a big conflict?" "Although it is not the best policy, measures have been taken." Pu Yuanzong pouted at Wu Jianhu, and everyone's eyes were on him. "Cui Banshu, the sentinel at the gate, has helped us raise money and summoned warriors during this period of time. He is the nephew of the most noble palace in the imperial dining room. Through his aunt's relationship, food and water for the inner guards and servants Put a small amount of poison, and these people may not be able to do much by then." Cheng Xiyan clapped her legs and cheered.

"What a clever plan! Now we can report our plan to Maharaja Jincheng!" Jincheng Maharaja, the second son of King Chengzong, and the half-brother of Yanshan Jun. "The traitor Ren Shihong sent arresters to surround the residence of the Maharaja under the guise of protecting the Maharaja of Jincheng." "Then, who can break in among them and report this matter to the Majesty?" "I have a way..." Wu Jianhu quickly picked up the words, but it became blurred at the end. "Oh, you are really suffocating. What can I do, tell me!" Several people formed a circle, staring at Wu Jianhu's face.But Wu Jianhu seemed to have a seal on his mouth, and he didn't speak for a long time.

The guard called by Cui Banshu ran to Jang Geum sullenly. "You also send bars to Maharaja Jincheng's house?" Jang Geum nodded. "I'll give you money for running errands, and you send this wine to Maharaja's house." "Today happens to be the day to deliver wine to Maharaja's house, no need for errand money." "Take it, this is the gift wine given by Supervisor Pu Yuanzong to celebrate the birthday of Jincheng Maharaja." "it is good." "But you have to pay attention, you must hand over the wine to Maharaja Jincheng. And don't forget to tell Majesty that the name of the wine is marked on each bottle. You must drink it in this order to really taste the taste." There are four wine bottles in total, and the labels affixed to each bottle are of different colors. "Can you memorize it by looking at the color?" "Jinxian wine...every day wine..." "Okay, don't talk about it, if someone asks you, just say that this wine is the same as usual, remember?" "remember." "If you don't do what I say, I'll send you to a brothel to be a prostitute." Hearing that he was going to be a prostitute, Jang Geum backed away in fright, bumping his waist against the flat cart containing wine.Regardless of the pain, she quickly pulled up the car and left.Wu Jianhu stood under the eaves of the brothel and watched Jang Geum's figure. Cui Panshu, who was standing beside him, gestured to a man with treacherous eyes.The man hurried to Cui Panshu, he was Bi Dou, the assassin who tried to kill Ming Yi. "It's this kid, don't miss this time!" Bute Doo glanced at Jang Geum, his gaze wavering with doubt.It was clearly a familiar face, but he couldn't remember it, so he let go of his doubts and followed Jang Geum first. In front of the gate of the Maharaja's Mansion in Jincheng, two police officers were guarding the gate.Chang Jin stopped the flat car, and a policeman came over and asked. "where did you go?" "I'm delivering wine to Maharaja Jincheng. "liquor?" The policeman looked into the flat car suspiciously.Another policeman came over and helped Chang Jin out of the siege, he didn't seem to take it as an important matter. "This child often delivers wine here, let her in." "How can such a small child deliver wine by himself?" "Her father is a lazy man. You see, he came here alone again today. Come in quickly." Jang Jin lowered his head and pulled up the flat cart again.Bute hid nearby and watched closely the movement here, he was looking for an opportunity to shoot an arrow to kill him. The dense Shang Palace in the palace of Queen Zhenxian is in the room of Jincheng Maharaja.Queen Jeonghyun was conferred the title of queen in November of the second year after Yoon was abolished, and she gave birth to King Jinseong and Princess Shinsook.Now, she is living a life of walking on eggshells beside Yanshan Jun, who even had the heart to kill her own grandmother.For many years, Mr. Yanshan always thought that she was his biological mother, and the reason why he spared her life was because of his love for many years. "The empress dowager ordered the servants to tell the majesty, be careful, be careful!" Whether it was the speaker, Mi Shanggong, or the listener, Jincheng Maharaja, the faces of both of them were tense, as if they had fallen on a huge rock.There was a thick silence between them.At this moment, a servant called the Maharaja outside. "My lord, Superintendent Park Yuanzong has brought you wine, saying it's for your birthday." "Supervisor Park Yuanzong gave me wine?" The Maharaja of Jincheng shook his head, thought for a while, and asked his servants to bring in the wine. The servants brought in the wine.Labels of different colors are hung on each bottle, which are clearly marked as Tiantian Wine, Jidang Wine, Death Wine and Jinxian Wine. "My lord, what is written on it, why are you so focused?" The dense Shang Palace asked.The Maharaja was still staring at the label on the wine bottle, as if trying to see through it, but no matter how hard he looked, he couldn't make a clue. "Is the wine delivery person still there?" "The servant asked her to wait for a while, but she was just a child." "Kid...let her in!" The servants withdrew, and Jang Geum walked in.Jang Jin didn't even look at the Jincheng Maharaja, but just stared at the dense Shang Palace.Suddenly, Chang Jin knelt down in front of Chi Mi Shang Gong with a plop and kowtowed repeatedly. "How can you be so rude in front of the Maharaja?" No matter what Chi Mi Shang Gong said, Chang Jin said what he wanted to say in one go. "I want to be a court lady, please accept me as a court lady!" "How can you be so rude? Why don't you hurry up and salute the Maharaja?" Chi Mi Shang Gong was terrified, not knowing what to do, his face suddenly turned livid.Jang Geum was full of regret, so he had no choice but to stand up and salute the majesty again. "The child is too ill-bred to be so rude in your presence. I am sorry, my lord." "It's okay, it seems that she really wants to be a court lady." Jincheng Maharaja looked at Jang Geum, his eyes were very soft. "You brought the wine here?" "Yes, my lord." "I heard it was sent by Supervisor Pu Yuanzong." "yes." "Didn't you say anything else?" "The superintendent said it was a birthday gift for the adults. There was a message of congratulations written on the bottle, and he also told you to drink it in order." "Really?" The Jincheng Maharaja's eyes sparkled, and he touched the label again. "Let me say it again first, see if the order is correct." With that said, the maharaja picked up the Tiantian wine first, and Jang Geum hurriedly stopped the maharaja. "No! The first is Jinxian Wine, the second is Tiantian Wine, the second is Dangjiu, and the last is Death for Wine." "Oh, you can read?" "I only know a little bit..." "Hehe, what a smart kid!" After finishing speaking, Maharaja Jincheng's eyes fell on the wine bottles arranged in order.After looking at it for a long time, Maharaja suddenly changed his face. "My lord, your complexion is very bad." "It's okay, there's nothing wrong, don't worry." Jang Jin could also see that Jincheng Maharaja's expression was almost frozen. "Since the sky is dead, Huang Tian should be. The year is Jiazi, and the world will be blessed." This is the slogan written by Zhang Jiao during the Yellow Turban Uprising at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, and the words on the wine bottle clearly changed the first word of the slogan on purpose.Today is the current world, referring to the current sage.Xiantian is the future world, referring to Jincheng Maharaja.And "Xian" is also the name of Jincheng Maharaja. "It turns out that Supervisor Park Yuanzong is preparing to embrace me as king, what should I do? If I succeed, I don't want to be called king or emperor; if I fail, I don't want to watch my subjects kill me..." Jincheng Dajun tried his best to conceal the contradiction in his heart, and looked at Jang Geum lightly. "What's your name?" "Jang Jin." "I want to ask you something, how do you plan to reply to the person who asked you to run errands when you go back?" Jang Geum didn't answer immediately, but swallowed back what he wanted to say. "It's okay, just say it." "The majesty accepted the wine happily, but seemed a little worried. I will say so." "Am I really like this?" Jang Geum nodded, and the Maharaja gave a wry smile. "Okay, that's all." Maharaja's voice was just like his laughter, loud and desolate. "This kid is really sensible." Jang Geum goes out, the door closes again, and the Maharaja is talking to himself. "It's a bit presumptuous, but I think it's not bad." "If you can, meet the child's request." The Maharaja said casually, then turned his gaze to the wine bottle, and it was difficult for the dense Shang Palace to say anything more. Ji Mi Shanggong walked out of the outer room, across the courtyard, and Jang Geum ran up to her and continued to pester her. "Please let me be a court lady." "Where is such a nasty child like you?" "I really want to be a court lady!" "Hey, get out of here before I hit you." "Nurse Shanggong..." "I'm too lazy to talk to you, but you're getting more and more presumptuous. If you don't get out, I'll send you to the government office!" Hearing the word "official office", Jang Geum immediately froze.Chi Mi Shang Gong stared at Jang Geum viciously, and then looked back at Maharaja Jincheng's room, her face was also full of sorrow. Things are moving faster than anyone expected.Even Jincheng Maharaja did not expect that Hong's family, a benevolent man, would be reduced to ruins overnight. "Ren Shihong suddenly flashed a sword in his hand." "And then, Dad?" "Who is your father? I think your father and I picked the gall of a wild bear with bare hands! Isn't it a piece of cake to avoid his sword?" "So you avoided Ren Shihong's sword?" "Stinky boy, of course I avoided it, otherwise can I still listen to you at this moment?" "So, it was father who killed the traitor Ren Shihong?" "Well, you can also say that. Your father and I have made great contributions to the enthronement of His Royal Highness. It shouldn't be a problem to be a first-class hero in the future, right? So..." Just as De Jiu was talking, the door opened suddenly, and a middle-aged woman walked in, who could be seen to be a noble woman at a glance. "Is this the familiar Jiang Dejiu's house?" "Yes, may I ask you..." "Is there a kid named Jang Geum living here?" "That child is Jang Geum." Deku pointed to Jang Geum who was scooping chili sauce out of the jar.Just at this time, Jang Jin also found an unusual guest at home.Song Yushanggong's eyes narrowed, she stared at Jang Geum and said. "I heard that you want to be a court lady?" Jang Geum was so taken aback that he almost dropped the bowl of chili sauce on the floor. "yes!" "Pack your bags now!" "What? Yes, Mammy." Bang!Contrary to his usual habit of winking and doing things, Jang Geum walked through the corridor and entered the room.After a while, De Jiu and his son also came in.De Jiu had tears in his eyes. "Jang Geum, do you have to go?" "Yes, I must be a court lady." "why?" Even Changjin herself didn't know why she did this. When she heard her mother Ming Yi mention the words "Yushanfang Shanggong", her young heart was moved, even though she didn't know what "Yushanfang Shanggong" was at all. Know.Perhaps from the very beginning, Mingyi's unrealized dream has been deeply rooted in Jang Geum's heart. "I heard it's a scary place, Jang Geum, don't go there, huh?" As soon as Yidu finished speaking in a crying voice, Shangyu Xunyu, who was standing outside, yelled sharply. "Hey, you dare to say anything at a young age. It's getting late, hurry up." Yidu was taken aback, so he lay down and whispered in Jang Jin's ear. "Look, isn't it scary?" Jang Jin looked at Yidu with a smile on his face. Xun Yushanggong walked in front, and Jang Geum followed closely behind with his head held high and his chest held high.Deku and Yidu followed to the gate, watching Jang Geum go away with tears in his eyes. At this moment, Bute ran out from the diagonally opposite road.He kept his eyes on Jang Geum, but looking at Shang Gong, who was walking in front, he could only watch Jang Geum go away anxiously and helplessly.Bute ran back to the brewery in the opposite direction to them, and ran right into Deok-gu's daughter-in-law who ran after him. "I want to inquire about something." "Say it." "Since when did you adopt that child?" De Jiu's daughter-in-law stared at Bi Dou, as if she didn't understand why he asked such a question. "Is it two years ago?" "Do you want to know?" "certainly……" "Bring the money first!" "..." "Since you want to know so eagerly, then give me a hundred taels first!" After De Jiu's daughter-in-law finished speaking arrogantly, she threw the stunned Bi Dou aside and went back to the yard by herself.Pil-doo stopped Deok-gu who came back after seeing off Jang-geum, and asked the same question. "The girl who followed Shang Gong just now, did you come here with a woman who hurt her ribs two years ago?" "No, she came with a man who hurt his calf!" De Jiu's tone was full of anger, and he almost bit his tongue. Just as De Jiu walked into the yard, a sudden bucket frightened him half to death. "No matter where I go, get me a bucket of spring water first!" "What, what do you want spring water for?" "What did I say? You can't keep two-legged beasts. Did I tell you? It's all right now, carrying water and steaming distiller's grains. Who will do these jobs? Who can wrap my waist?" "When did I tell you to raise her? You..." "What an enemy! Go get me spring water!" De Jiu's wife couldn't find a place to vent her anger, so she wandered around the yard.De Jiu picked up the bucket and fled in a hurry.Yi Du also went out with his father, only Bute stood there, smacking his lips helplessly. About thirty or so children sat in a row in the hall.There are ten children who are the same age as Jang Geum, ten children who are three or four years younger than Jang Geum, and a dozen children who are four or five years older than Jang Geum. The training wife and the medical lady serve behind the training palace. "Now check whether the gold wire is not broken, start immediately!" As soon as Xun Yushanggong issued the order, the medical girl hurried to the front. The gold thread is not broken, the so-called gold thread is the hymen; the unbroken means that it is not broken; the unbroken gold thread refers to the state of the hymen that has not been broken.Because the maid of honor is the king's woman, she must be a virgin.If you lose the election when the golden wire is not broken, it is impossible to enter the palace.A drop of parrot blood is put on the wrist. If the parrot blood clots and does not move, it means that it is still a virgin. If the parrot blood does not clot but flows, it is considered not a virgin.To become a court lady, this is the first procedure that must be passed. The nurse sat down, and in front of her was the parrot cage, as well as a tray containing needles and cloth.The grooming wife brought the first child to the doctor.The Unbroken Gold Thread is only suitable for children over the age of ten. the doctor asked. "What's your name?" "Han Guande." "Roll up your sleeves!" Guande rolled up his sleeves with a face full of fear, and the training wife grabbed her arm.A drop of blood dripped on the naked skin, which looked a little scary.The drops of blood seemed to be about to flow down, but suddenly congealed in one place.Needless to say, Guande, even the trainees watching from the sidelines were so frightened that their faces turned pale. "Okay! Next!" Repeatedly, the children sat in front of the doctor one by one for examination.During this period, Xun Yushanggong told them the reason why the golden thread was not broken. "A fairy who was in charge of guarding Mount Tai in China forgot the precepts she should obey and fell in love with a general. As punishment for her violation of the precepts, she had to repeat what others had said. One day, she found out that someone was going to kill him. The general I longed for, and this person is the general's subordinate, when he wanted to murder, the general found out. The subordinate lied and said that the fairy wanted to have sex with him. The fairy had to repeat the same. The general became angry, In a fit of anger, he cut off the fairy's neck." At this point in the story, it's Jang Geum's turn to be checked.Her expression was a little nervous, but she still took steps forward.Jang Geum rolled up his sleeves without hesitation, and stretched out his arm to the nurse. "In the end, the ghost of the fairy turned into a parrot. So from a long time ago, the blood of parrots has been used in Chinese imperial palaces to judge whether the golden thread is not broken." After Kunyu Shanggong finished speaking, he glanced at Jang Geum's wrist.The seemingly congealed blood beads trembled slightly, and finally slid to the ground.In the originally silent hall, it became even more deathly silent now. "Sorry, the parrot made a sudden movement and I touched the kid's arm." The doctor admitted that it was her fault and suggested re-examination. "Check again." This has never happened before, so Hunyu Shanggong agrees to recheck.Fortunately, during the second inspection, the blood finally congealed quietly. Jang Geum breathed a sigh of relief.At this time, Xun Yushanggong stood in the center of the hall and shouted to the trainees. "Now you are about to enter the palace. But you all listen to me, not everyone who enters the palace will definitely be able to become a palace lady. Start studying as soon as you get up in the morning, and then select the ones you can create and distribute them to various departments. Semi The results will be announced in a month. From then on, you will share a room with my wife and receive her teachings. Alright, now everyone is ready to enter the palace." The trainees were relieved and full of anticipation, chirping and laughing.Jang Geum's black eyes gleamed like black grapes. Luanjia walked under the roof of Yujin Pavilion in Dunhua Gate. The guards holding umbrellas and waving fans looked mighty and gorgeous.The king sitting in the Luanjia was far away, so he couldn't see his expression clearly. Looking at the Luanzhang queue passing by, Jang Geum was almost fascinated, and was so surprised that he couldn't close his mouth from ear to ear.Of course she would not know that the king sitting in the Luanjia is the King of Jincheng. After the Luanzhan team had completely passed by, Shang Yu Shanggong led the children to the training ground.The training ground is located in the Andong Palace* where the needle room and the embroidery room are located (built in the 18th year of Gojong, it is the palace where the king and the prince married his concubines at the wedding, so named because it is located in Xiaoan-dong, Angukfang——Translator’s Note ) corner. Every trainee gets a set of decent court ladies clothes.The light green jacket and pink skirt are very suitable for matching.I heard that in winter, I can get another set of purple jacket and blue skirt. The children sat down in an orderly manner in front, back, left, and right sides, with one knee propped up, their hands folded on each knee, and they waited intently for the arrival of Ti Tiao Shang Gong. "stand up!" Seeing Titiao Shanggong come in, Xun Yushanggong shouted loudly.The trainee didn't know what was going on, and just dawdled in his seat, while the wife next to him gestured for everyone to stand up.So, the trainees stood up slowly and sat down again. The seats that were neat and tidy now looked a little chaotic. The promotion of the Shang Palace can be regarded as the head of the palace ladies.In the world of maids of honor, the power of promoting the palace is no less than that of the leader of the civil and military officials.Years of qualifications, majesty and personality, coupled with the knowledge enough to command the maids, enabled Titiao Shanggong to enjoy the same types of meals as the monarch, but the amount of each food was slightly smaller.Of all women who have a career, she is undoubtedly the highest.There is only one quota for the Titiao Shang Palace, who is responsible for managing various assets of the inner hall. "This is the royal palace. All the women who enter the palace are women of the Holy Majesty. There must be no slack or negligence in behavior, words and deeds. I hope everyone will study hard and become excellent court ladies." This is the end of the admonition to promote Shang Gong. After finishing speaking, Titiao Shanggong got up and left, and the formal education began.The slightly heavy wall chart is hung on the wall, and the first page is written in four large characters: "Ladies in the Palace". "What do these words read?" No one could answer, and finally Jang Geum spoke confidently. "The lady in the palace." "Do you know what it means?" "It is a woman in the palace who has an official position or position." "You are right. This is the original intention of a court lady. Even though she is born as a woman, she also has her own official position and position. This is our court lady. If you have a career, you must cultivate yourself; since you accept the rank, you must cultivate yourself. Be open-minded; be courteous to superiors, and respectful to inferiors." Shang Gong was explaining the meaning of a court lady, perhaps because of his overconfidence, the training of Shang Gong seemed to be intoxicated by his own explanation, and his voice trembled slightly.The trainees seem to be more interested in Jang Geum who can pronounce these rare Chinese characters. "Although you are young now, you are all likely to become the fifth-rank Shanggong in the future. You are at least middle-class children, so your status is far from those who do odd jobs, such as servants and maidservants. There are also strict distinctions among the selected female doctors, so you must maintain dignity in front of them." The education continued endlessly, and some of the young trainees were already so sleepy that they couldn't keep their eyes open, and Jang Geum, with his wide-eyed eyes, stood out among them. A difficult day passed, and the trainees ushered in their first night in the palace.In the late night of the Jiuzhong palace, in the infinitely vast palace, even though he doesn’t know where the king is, Jang Geum’s heart swells like a lantern fruit when he thinks of living in the same big family as the king. This is also the place where my mother once stayed, and my mother also experienced such harsh years before finally becoming a wife.Thinking of this, Jang Geum secretly made up his mind to face and overcome no matter how many difficulties and obstacles he encounters. Once the spirit is lifted, even the brass urine can in the hand seems much lighter.When Jang Geum opened the door of the dormitory with the urine can, all the trainees rushed out and pushed her aside. "You still dare to come in?" The trainee named Ling Lu seemed to have a face that was already stingy, and she was staring at Jang Geum viciously. "Did I do something wrong, why are you doing this to me?" "Hmph! A guy of unknown origin!" "How come I don't know where I came from?" "I heard that you are an orphan adopted by the brewery? My uncle told me that. My uncle's name is Yin Mojie. He is the other prisoner of the main hall and is also in charge of the brothel. Have you heard of it?" Mo Jie is the guy from the brothel who often buys wine for the Maharaja of Jincheng. "I can't imagine that a bitch like you can enter the palace. I absolutely can't live in the same room as someone who lacks a tutor like you!" After scolding Jang Geum, Ling Lu hurried back to the room and slid the latch on the door.Jang Geum didn't even have a chance to defend or stop him. "Open the door, don't do this, let me in." Jang Geum begged earnestly, but what came from inside was harsh words. "You bitch, just watch us sleep outside!" "I'm not a bitch." "Really? Then who are your parents?" "My father is..." Having said that, Jang Geum had to keep his mouth shut.The word officer rushed into her throat, but it was because of these two words that her father was beaten and dragged away.To this day, the figure of my father is still vivid in my mind.Suddenly, the corners of Jang Jin's eyes became hot.In addition, the mother also said that when she was a wife, she was framed and expelled from the palace.Although Jang Geum didn't know the truth of the matter, just like her slipping the tongue and killing her father, if she betrayed her mother now, I'm afraid her life would be in danger.Chang Jin's heart is as clear as water.Therefore, the names of the father who was an officer and the mother who was a concubine in the imperial dining room cannot be revealed until death. This is a sad taboo.She absolutely had to say this. "I will never be humble!" Giggling, there was a burst of laughter in the room.There is nothing in the world more unbearable than this. "Have you all heard what Grandma Shang said today? The maids of the palace must at least be the children of middle-aged people. How can a bitch enter the palace?" Another burst of laughter shook the door frame. Jang Geum wiped his tears with the back of his hand and left alone.No matter how long she waited, no one would open the door for her.Jang Geum wants to take this opportunity to look for his mother's cooking diary in the dining room. At the end of the night, the palace was dark.Jang Geum didn't know the way in the palace, he was groping around, and suddenly heard a clear voice coming from the opposite pavilion. "Little turtle, don't make my mother sick, okay?" It is Liansheng.A pair of gentle eyes, a little dark lips, Jang Geum noticed her when they first met.When Lian Sheng saw Jang Geum, he immediately ran over. "where did you go?" "The dining room." "Where's the dining room?" "Beside the main hall where His Highness lives." "Hall? No, we can't leave here..." "You go back first." "Ling Lu saw my little turtle and told me to throw it away quickly, and I don't want to go back to the dormitory. Besides, I can't go alone, I want to go back with you. If it is discovered, Shang Gong will take it Our lives." No matter what Lian Sheng said, Jang Geum just walked forward silently.Liansheng stopped Jang Jin in a low voice, but in the end she left with Jang Jin. Passing through the gate of benevolence and crossing the hall of benevolence, Jang Geum has already come to the palace of the great king——near the hall of Xuanzheng, but she doesn't know it at all, and continues to move forward boldly.The side hall is the place where the king talks about state affairs with his ministers on weekdays. There are three rooms on the left and three rooms on the left. The building of the Xuanzheng Hall is exquisite and elegant. The green glaze painted on the roof and the sculptures are all immersed in darkness. Xuanzheng Hall is guarded by propagandists, palace officials, servants, and insiders. There are two pairs of shoes on the steps, one pair of royal shoes and the other pair of scholar-bureaucrat shoes. Seeing the gatekeeper in front of the hall, Jang Geum hurriedly got up, fidgeting and crying all over his face, but he had to follow Jang Geum. They crawled forward with their elbows, and when they reached the gate of the opposite palace, they unexpectedly met another maid, who folded her hands on her chest, and looked towards the side hall, her eyes were so eager. Jang Jin and Lian Sheng stopped, almost choking.The court lady was kowtowing towards the hall, her buttocks happened to touch Lian Sheng's face. "oops!" The voice came from Liansheng's mouth, and the other two were also startled, and the three of them crawled down the palace at the same time.One of Liansheng's rubber shoes slipped off, but he didn't have time to pick it up.The lights in front of the hall were flickering, and the voice of the servant came through the darkness. "who?" The servants looked forward nervously, and walked towards this side with a lantern.All three were terrified by each other's breathing. The servants are already approaching directly below the palace.Lian Sheng couldn't bear it anymore, he let out a trembling moan, like water leaking from a broken gourd.Jang Jin and the maid covered Lian Sheng's mouth at the same time, and subconsciously looked at each other.From a close look, the court lady seemed to be two or three years older than Chang Nian. At this time, the servant had arrived in front of the palace.To make matters worse, they were about to step on the dropped rubber shoe.Liansheng went into convulsions and was almost unconscious. However, the more this happened, the harder Jang Geum and the maid squeezed Liansheng's mouth. "Meow..." At this moment, a cat jumped out from under the palace, let out a long cry, and drew a parabola in the air. "It turned out to be a cat." One of the servants relieved the tension and muttered softly.Fortunately, the servants left without stepping on the rubber shoe. Changjin and the court lady took their hands away from Liansheng's mouth at the same time.Liansheng coughed a few times and groaned in pain. "This is in front of the door of the side hall, what should we do?" Jang Geum asked, and the maid's eyes seemed to say, "I still want to ask you?" and let out a long sigh. "You ruined my good deed." "What's up?" "Final farewell." "A final goodbye?" "Did you see two pairs of shoes on the steps of Xuanzheng Hall? They are not the royal shoes of the Holy Majesty, but the pair next to them. That person passed the Imperial College Examination* at the age of sixteen Those who pass the examination are judged as Jinshi, so it is also called the Jinshi Examination——Translator's Note), and today they won the number one scholar. So the Holy One personally entertained him with tea." "The Imperial College Examination? You mean he passed the imperial examination?" Lian Sheng asked bluffing. "No. This is the procedure for taking the liberal arts examination. You must first become a student or Jinshi." "Why did you say goodbye to him for the last time?" "I liked him very much when I was at home, but the adults in the family forced me to be a palace maid. You have heard, right? The palace maids are all women of the Holy Majesty, so I wanted to come here to say my last farewell to him, but I couldn't think of letting the two of you give it to him." Mixed up." Liansheng was unhappy, but Jang Geum said it seriously. "Then you go to salute again, the two of us will watch for you." "Are you crazy?" "Do you really want to do this?" The two cried out at the same time and looked at Jang Geum together.Jang Geum nodded and stood beside the maid. "Crazy, both of you are crazy." Lian Sheng was full of worry and muttered non-stop. The maid saluted with palms together towards the Xuanzheng Hall, her expression was extremely serious, and she looked a little bleak.Liansheng kept complaining, but Changjin saw that the palace maid dared to take such a big risk in order to say goodbye to the person he admired, so he felt that this person must be kind-hearted. "Thank you!" After the maid saluted, she looked at Jang Geum tenderly. "Today's affairs must be kept secret, remember?" "of course!" 宫女以隐约的微笑代替语言，转过身匆匆离开了。 “应该问问名字才是啊……” 此时，宫女敏捷的身体已经消失在夜幕中了。 从那以后，每天夜里令路都把长今驱逐出去，然后把门反锁。即使找人诉苦，结果只会招来令路的恶语中伤，长今索性不予理睬，并且放心地做起了自己的事情。所谓“自己的事情”，就是寻找退膳间，在宫中四处游荡。每当这时，连生总是傻乎乎地紧随其后。 有一天，长今终于忍不住问连生了。那天她又被令路赶了出来，两人正结伴往仁政殿走去。 “你那么害怕，为什么每天夜里都要跟我出来？” “这个嘛，我不能让你自己到危险的地方去。” “其实，你是害怕令路……” “不是的！我并不害怕令路，我是怕她会睬死我的小乌龟。” “哧！那还不是一样！” 正当长今嘲笑连生的时候，差点撞上了前面的墙。无意中抬头看去，竟发现上面赫然写着“退膳间”三个大字。长今不顾一切地推开了退膳间的房门。 房间里没有一丝光线，漆黑一片。连生跟着走进来，免不了又是一顿抱怨。 “什么都看不见，你找什么呀？” “你等着，一会儿就能看见了。” “还是看不见啊！” “哎呀，我说过，等一会儿嘛！” 长今伸出手来在黑暗中探路，不小心碰到了锅台上的桌腿。长今吓得慌忙后退，后脑勺撞上了胡乱摆动双手的连生的额头。恰在这时，门口豁然大亮，两个人躲避不及，人们冲了进来。长今和连生抱成一团，最后干脆趴在桌子上。 "What are you doing?" 为首的是韩尚宫。灯光照耀之下，退膳间的地面显得十分凌乱，桌子倒在了地上，碗碟扔得到处都是，洒落的食物更是溅了满地，几乎没有落脚之地。长今和连生蜷缩在地，狼狈不堪的模样就像那些乱七八糟的食物。 “嬷嬷，殿下的夜宵……” “这件事情该怎么办？要是让最高尚宫知道了……” “这倒没什么。麻烦的内侍府的人马上就来，接着还有尚膳大人和提调尚宫……嬷嬷，这下我们是不是死定了？” “提调尚宫绝对不会轻易放过我们的！” 内人们你一言，我一语，每一句话都把长今和连生吓得够戗，她们就像两只被猎获的小兽，瑟瑟发抖。 “还有更要命的呢，今天的夜宵是贵重的驼酪粥……” “你能不能闭嘴不说？” 韩尚宫一边呵斥，一边低头察看打碎的粥碗。所谓驼酪粥，就是把米磨碎，然后加入牛奶，煮熟以后就成了驼酪色的滋补粥。根据内医院指示，每年十月初一到正月都要做驼酪粥进献大王。朝鲜时代把牛奶叫做驼酪，并有专门负责供应牛奶的部门。 韩尚宫正专心致志地寻思对策，突然间若有所思地轻轻动了动。 “到御膳房看看门是不是还开着，把所有的材料都拿过来。” “可是嬷嬷，这个时候御膳房根本不可能开门，再说退膳间也不是做饭的地方。” “现在没时间考虑这么多了，到那边看看，有什么材料都给我拿过来！” “是，嬷嬷。” 内人们离开了退膳间。这时，韩尚宫才把目光投向两个小罪人，但她也只是狠狠地瞪了她们一眼，随后就打开食柜翻找起来。退膳间不是烹饪场所，除了盐、胡椒等调料以外，几乎什么都没有。 这时候，出去寻找材料的闵内人回来了。 "Did you find it?" “御膳房的门锁着，只在丫头们干活的地方找到这点儿东西。” “生姜和藕……” “大概是谁正在剥皮，没剥完就走了。” “应该是这样……” “这么点材料怎么能给殿下做夜宵呢？我们就住在旁边，竟然没发现有人闯进来，这次我们都惨了。” “赶快剥皮！” "what?" “赶快剥皮，怎么这么罗嗦？” "yes." 闵内人只得拿来了勺子。生姜和藕数量很多，闵内人递给长今和连生每人一把勺子，她们一起加快了速度。韩尚宫把刚刚剥完皮的姜和藕放在菜板上磨碎。 磨碎的藕放进水里煮，铁锅里的水沸腾了，盖上盖子，使水汽蒸发。水蒸发掉之后，剩下的就是白色藕粉了。然后以同样的方法制作出姜粉，放入蜂蜜搅拌。韩尚宫精湛的手艺令人叹为观止。 准备好的食物盛在小碟子里，盖上台布。直到这时，韩尚宫才稍稍松了口气。她拿起食物去了大殿，致密尚宫和提调尚宫好像是故意找茬，看见韩尚宫开口便问。 “每天都做的事情，怎么还不能按时完成？” "Sorry." 提调尚宫掩饰不住心底的不满，掀开台布看了看。 “内医院没有通知你们夜宵要做驼酪粥吗？” “通知是通知了，可是从御膳房往退膳间拿的时候，一不小心……” “怎么可以这样做事呢？” 提调尚宫把两只眼睛瞪得溜圆。 “拿什么来了，怎么这么吵啊？” 猛然听见殿下的声音，尚宫们吓得不知所措。 “殿下，奴婢斗胆……” “行了，你进去吧。” 提调尚宫打断了韩尚宫，又瞪了她一眼，目光尖利深邃，几乎穿透了脊梁骨。 “好，带什么来了？” 中宗把书卷合上，推到一边。韩尚宫把托盘放在一旁，食物摆放在鸭子形状的木制容器里，以大枣和花叶做装饰。 “这是藕团和姜粉茶。” “姜粉茶？是生姜粉吗？” "yes." 中宗的表情骤然变得难看了。 “我不爱吃姜，哪怕喉咙肿了，我也不愿意吃。现在竟然用姜做鸭子！” 提调尚宫的脸色顿时阴沉下来，而韩尚宫全身的血液几乎凝固了。 中宗瞟了几眼，却是碰也不碰。中宗看了看面如死灰的韩尚宫，不得不拿起一块放进嘴里。略微嚼了一下，中宗摇了摇头。再嚼一口，中宗还是眉头紧缩。 “哦，这个味道很特别嘛。” 面对中宗意外的反应，提调尚宫比韩尚宫更为惊讶。 “殿下，您喜欢这样的食物吗？” “是啊，寡人从来都不喜欢姜的味道，不过这件食物没有异味，味道很好。” 嚼在嘴里的食物尚未咽下，中宗迫不及待地又夹一块。这时候，韩尚宫的脸上才算有了点儿血色。 回来以后，韩尚宫下令把长今和连生关进仓库。黑暗之中，两人彼此依靠着对方的肩膀，睁着眼睛熬了整整一夜，直等到太阳当空才被放出来。然而事情并未结束，等待她们的是训育尚宫的毒打，尤其是长今，挨打更严重。 “你没有资格做宫女，不用再学习了，以后就负责打扫卫生吧。” 长今的小腿差点没裂开花。打完以后，训育尚宫对长今说了这样一句，这对长今来说无异于青天霹雳，比起责打小腿来，更让长今痛苦百倍。 “嬷嬷，请您原谅我这一次吧，以后再也不会发生这种事了。” 长今跪在地上苦苦哀求，无奈训育尚宫眼睛眨也不眨。 “烦死了！快给我滚出去！” 挨打时忍住没流的眼泪终于势不可挡地涌出了眼眶。训练时间为期十五天，如果没有机会接受训练，那就等于断绝了宫女之路。 长今坐在训育场的院子里放声痛哭。训育尚宫正在给训练生们上有关内命妇*（朝鲜时代在宫中任职的嫔、贵人、昭仪、淑仪等女官的总称——译者注）称谓的课，她的声音传进了长今的耳朵。 “婢、嫔、贵人、昭仪、淑仪、昭容、淑容、昭媛、淑媛……” “婢……嫔……贵人……昭仪……” 长今停止哭泣，情不自禁地跟着念诵起来。 “尚宫、尚仪、尚服、尚食、尚寝、尚功、尚正、尚记……” “尚宫……尚仪……尚服……尚食……” 两串泪珠顺着脸颊流下，但是长今仍然神采飞扬地背诵着女官品阶。然后长今拍拍屁股站起来，去找笤帚扫地了。 从第二天开始，长今不仅负责打扫训育场，还要打扫尚宫和内人的住所。为了赶在训练时间打扫训育场，长今弯着腰勤勤恳恳地干活。紧咬牙关把所有事情都做完后，只要一站到训育场的院子里，她的心就总是七上八下地跳个不停。 “接下来是弘文馆*（朝鲜王朝的三司之一，主管内府的经书、史籍、文墨，并负责解答君王疑问——译者注）！” “……领事……大提学……提学……副提学……” 长今一边打扫庭院，一边跟着背诵，忙得不亦乐乎。 “直提学、典翰、应教、副应教、校理、副校理、修撰、副修撰……” 每背诵一句，长今就挥舞一下笤帚做为伴奏，她一遍又一遍地打扫着早已扫过的地方。此时的训练场庭院里只有一个孩子，还有一轮太阳在天空中慢吞吞地游走。 眼看着进宫已经十四天了。长今正在打扫走廊，突然听见里面说道。 “明天各个部门的尚宫嬷嬷会来我们这里，检查这段时间你们的学习情况。这样做的目的就是亲手选拔称心如意的孩子，未被选中的孩子呢，就只好立刻出宫了。所以说，如果你们想做宫女，那就应该仔细想想该怎么办。” 长今耳朵紧贴门缝，甚至没有来得及放下手里的拖把，便推开了训育场的门。 "What's your business?" 看着突然闯入的长今，训育尚宫不禁厉声怒喝。长今什么都顾不上了，扑嗵一声便跪在了训育尚宫面前。 “嬷嬷，奴婢再也不会违反纪律了。请您允许我参加考试吧。” "Shut up!" “您让我做什么都行，只求您能允许我参加考试。” “我饶你一你，你倒不识好歹了。非要我把你小腿打开花，你才能清醒吗？” “只要您允许我参加考试，挨多少打我都心甘情愿。请允许我留在宫里，我一定要留在宫里！” 听到这里，训育尚宫不屑地哼了一声。 “你以为你是什么，还一定要留在宫里？” "me……" 长今当然不能吐露帮助母亲实现夙愿的心里话，差点儿出口的话又被她强行咽了回去。咽进喉咙的话语却不肯消化掉，化做泪水喷涌而出。 “……我……我无家可归……” 训练生们全都支起耳朵听长今说话，听到这里，她们再也忍不住了，径直爆发出阵阵哄堂大笑。令路撇嘴呻笑，连生哪里还忍心观望下去，无奈之下也只好紧紧地闭上了眼睛。 “无家可归？好！你去把那边的水桶装满水举起来，一直举到明天考试，如果滴水不洒，我就让你参加考试。” 尽管这条件苛刻得匪夷所思，长今听完还是高兴得差点跳了起来。 “是，嬷嬷！我会按您说的去做，我一定会的！” 训练生们笑得更厉害了，连生把脸深埋在两膝之间。 “如果流出一滴水，你知道是什么后果吗？” 负责监视的考选人员在吓唬长今。长今把水桶举过头顶，毫不气馁地回答道。 “我当然知道，请您不必担心。” “哼！我看你能坚持多久！” 因为夜里不能睡觉，陪着长今熬夜的考选人员气急败坏。 咬紧的嘴唇、手臂、腿、腰和肩膀，浑身上下，无不剧烈颤抖。长今仍然不肯放下水桶。实在坚持不下去，她就先坐一会儿，然后再站起来。这时候，考选人员就会翻着白眼诘难长今。 “谁让你坐下了？” “尚宫嬷嬷只说让我举水桶，没说不许坐下。” 尽管有些强词夺理，考选人员却也无话可说，只能瞪大了眼睛怒视长今。 后来长今实在受不了，干脆放声大哭。正在瞌睡的考选不无烦躁地问。 “你到底哭什么？” “又没说不许哭。” “别哭了，赶快放下吧。困死我了。” “不行，绝对不能放下！” 说完，长今嘤嘤而哭。 “看你那狼狈样！” 刚刚走进考场，令路便幸灾乐祸地朝长今吐了吐舌头。长今几近半死，哪里还有力气去应付她呀。 “这个贱人，应该受到更严重的惩罚。癞蛤蟆还想吃天鹅肉！” “我不是贱人！” “听说你是太后殿的致密尚宫推荐的？贱人从哪儿找到这么硬的后台呢？” “我说过了，我不是贱人！” “举了一夜水桶……真有你的！贱人还真能撑。要是流出一滴，你就完蛋了，知道吗？” 光过嘴瘾还嫌不够，令路竟然用手去戳水桶。但是最让长今难以忍受的，是令路张口闭口的“贱人”。 “我不是说过吗，我不是贱人！” “哼！没有父母，寄人篱下，嘴还这么硬，你父母也像你这么贱吗？难怪呀，龙生龙，凤生凤，老鼠天生会打洞嘛。” 听到这里，长今气得两眼喷火，全然忘记了自己为什么要举水桶，抬手就把水泼向令路。转眼之间，令路变成了落汤鸡。 这时，正好训育尚宫和提调尚宫正赶往训育场，韩尚宫也看到了刚才的一幕。 "What... what's going on here?" 令路哭着喊着指了指长今。 “我也不知道为什么，长今把水桶里的水泼到了我身上。” "is this real?" 长今仍然愤怒地瞪着令路。 “我问你话呢，还不赶快回答？” 长今理直气壮，不想解释什么，反倒是站在旁边的连生急了。心急如焚的连生闭着眼睛走到训育尚宫面前。 “其实，是令路先碰了长今的水桶。” 好朋友的一句话，使得长今一忍再忍的泪腺终于爆发了。 “我已经坚持到了最后！所以，嬷嬷，请允许我参加考试！” 令路和长今好像是在打赌，看谁的哭声更响亮。事情发展到这等地步，最尴尬的反倒是训育尚宫了，站在她面前的正是提调尚宫。 “这孩子说什么呀，这么奇怪？” “嬷嬷不必操心。” “呵，到底发生什么事了，赶快详细说给我听！” “对不起。这个孩子在成为宫女之前做了不该做的事，所以我没让她参加考试。但她苦苦哀求，所以我就惩罚她举水桶。” “水桶和考试，这有什么关系？” “如果她能够一直举着水桶，我就允许她参加考试。这是我的承诺。” “那从什么时候开始举的？” “从昨天晚上……” “什么？从昨天晚上直到现在，足够吃三四顿饭了，不是吗？” 训育尚宫无言以对，提调尚宫连连咋舌。 “虽然我不知道她究竟犯了什么错误，不过这样的惩罚也足够她反省了。就让这个孩子参加考试吧。” 提调尚宫说完，便朝考场走去。 "follow me!" 提调尚宫走在最前面，其余各位尚宫紧随其后，整齐地排成一列。 “任何宫女都不能自食其言，既然训育尚宫答应你了，我就允许你参加考试。” 提调尚宫严肃地说。 “你听清楚了！同为正三品，可以分为堂上官和堂下官两种。堂上官称为令监，堂下官称为大人。这个你知道吗？” “是，嬷嬷……” “那么你把正三品堂上官的官职都说出来。” “您是让我说出所有的官职吗？” “不要让我重复第二遍！” "yes." 长今使劲咽了口唾沫。所有人的眼睛和耳朵都转向了长今。 “宗亲府有都正，仪宾府有副尉，敦宁府有都正，各曹有参议，承政院有都承旨、左右承旨、左右副承旨、同副承旨，司谏院有大司谏，经筵有参赞官……” 长今回答得流畅无比，毫无犹豫。 “内侍府有尚酝，户曹则没有，礼曹有弘文馆副提学、春秋馆修撰官，成均馆有大司成，刑曹有判决事，医官有大都护府使