Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Abuse
As soon as Sanbao finished speaking, several charcoal flowers exploded in the charcoal basin, and there were several crackling sounds, which seemed to startle people.
Ruyi was startled, but her voice was calm, "What's wrong? Speak up."
A Ruo curled her lips and said, "Three Treasures are getting worse and worse. They are babbling and can't speak clearly. If something happens to Concubine Hui, I'll go and set off two firecrackers for fun. If Hai Chang is here, it doesn't matter. Speak slowly."
Ruyi frowned, "If it were Concubine Hui, would Sanbao be so indiscriminate?"
Sanbao wiped the sweat from his forehead, and immediately said: "It's Haichang. Something happened. Two hours ago, there was a commotion in Concubine Hui's palace, saying that the red bamboo charcoal used by Concubine Hui was exhausted. But it's only a month and a half today, so it stands to reason It won't be used up. The imperial concubine is afraid of the cold, and she refuses to use inferior black charcoal. She got cold for a while, and finally developed a cold syndrome."
Ruyi was quite surprised, "Cold syndrome? Have you seen the imperial doctor?"
"The imperial doctor was invited. This matter is fine, but Mo Xin, who is next to the imperial concubine, thought that the amount of red bamboo charcoal used was wrong, so she carefully checked the palace. It turned out that there was something wrong in the charcoal ash poured out by Haichang in the room." That's right. The charcoal ash of the black charcoal is black. The charcoal ash of the red basket charcoal is grayish white, so Mo Xin made a fuss, pointing out that Haichang stole the red basket charcoal used by the noble concubine in the room."
Ruyi stared at Three Treasures, and asked solemnly: "I remember that when I ordered you to deliver charcoal quietly, I ordered you to deliver charcoal quietly. You are not allowed to use red bamboo charcoal, it would be troublesome. You honestly only deliver black charcoal every time." ?”
Sanbao hurriedly kowtowed and said: "Yes, yes, the young master's foresight, the servant dare not miss it even once."
Ruyi was worried, and became more and more worried about Hailan, "That's good. I don't dare to say otherwise, Hailan is not the kind of presumptuous person, she would not dare to steal. Ah Ruo, change my clothes for me, we Just go and see."
Ruyi hurriedly stood up, and A Ruo grabbed Ruyi's cuff anxiously, "My lord can't go!" She put on a tiger's face and shouted to Sanbao, "Xianfu Palace is just a puddle of muddy water, and the status of a noble concubine is even higher than that of a noble concubine." The little master is high, how can the little master control it! If we don't go, it's the empress's business to go!"
Ruyi calmed down, and immediately asked, "Where's the queen?"
Three Treasures pouted at the Hall of Mental Cultivation, "Tonight, the emperor turned over the empress's sign. At this time, the empress is afraid that she will rest in the Hall of Mental Cultivation."
Ruyi gasped, "The emperor has been busy with government affairs for so many days, and now the empress is attending bedtime, who dares to disturb you!" She only felt a chill in her wet palm, "If you don't alarm the empress, The imperial concubine has the highest status in the palace, and this matter may be drowned."
A Ruo hastily persuaded: "Something happened in Xianfu Palace, the young master hastily rushed there, even if he got to the gate, he couldn't help much!"
Sanbao panicked and said: "But when the servant heard the news, he said that Hai Changzai was going to be executed soon, if he didn't go, if something happened..."
Ruyi was taken aback, "Punishment? What kind of punishment?"
"Sticking!" Seeing that Ruyi didn't react for a while, Sanbao hurriedly explained: "It's not hitting the thigh with a board. Instead, take off your shoes and beat the sole of the foot with a stick, which is much more painful than hitting the leg."
Ruyi lost her voice and said, "Hit the sole of the foot?"
Sanbao nodded and said: "Isn't it? Who of us slaves don't know that the hit on the leg is just a pain in the flesh, it can't hurt the muscles or bones. But the feet are so delicate, a few hits will hurt the body."
Ruyi made up her mind, "Apart from the queen and concubine, I have the highest status in the palace. If I don't go, if Hailan is sentenced to death, how will she be hurt? It's not too late, Ah Ruo , change clothes for me quickly. Sambo, go pass the sedan chair."
A Ruo wanted to persuade her again, but seeing that Ruyi was determined in her haste, she had no choice but to agree.
It was snowing lightly like flocculents outside.Ruyi was sitting in the warm sedan chair, and the eunuchs who carried the sedan chair walked steadily and hurriedly, they could only hear the soft sound of the soles of their boots rubbing against the stone bricks, and they flew towards the Xianfu Palace.
Ruyi was holding the stove, which usually felt warm, but holding it in her hands now, it was as hot as a burning heart.From time to time, she raised the curtain to look outside, and Sanbao trotted along, panting, "Don't worry, my lord. Yanxi Palace and Xianfu Palace are already far apart, and we're already here very quickly."
Ruyi lowered the curtain helplessly, and was worrying, but she heard Triple Treasure saying from outside: "We're here, we're here!"
At night, the Xianfu Palace was brightly lit, Ruyi helped A Ruo's hand get off the sedan chair, and walked quickly into the courtyard.The eunuch announced in a high-pitched voice, "Concubine Xian is here——"
The thin ending sound was still floating in the air, and Ruyi had already arrived at the corridor.I saw the carved red lacquer and gold-filled gate of the main hall of Xianfu Palace suddenly opened, and the two rows of palace people standing on the left and right from the steps under the corridor were full of palace people, each of them kept silent, only looking at a kneeling woman in palace costume under the corridor.
Concubine Hui was wearing a double-breasted gown with embroidered flower and bird patterns in Jinqian colors, and a sable wind-collared black fox with a large inlaid and rolled over her shoulders. She was sitting on a peony carved sandalwood chair in the center of the main hall, with seven or eight fireplaces beside her. It was warming like a charcoal basin with stars arching the moon, as soon as Ruyi approached the main hall, she felt warm like spring, and she really stretched out.But Concubine Hui's complexion was not good. She was originally a small and slender willow-leaf figure. She was probably out of anger, and she was sick again. Watery ripples.She brushed her crescent eyebrows lightly and applied rouge as usual, but her face was snow-white during her illness, and strands of fine rose-like rouge floated on her face, as if she couldn't bear it.Ruyi saw that her complexion was unkind, so she hurriedly bowed her body to pay her respects and said, "Greetings to the imperial concubine, my concubine is blessed and safe."
Concubine Hui sat motionless on the chair, she just sneered and said, "Concubine Xian has never set foot in Xianfu Palace since the emperor divided the six palaces, why did the wind startle you today, and broke into my palace late at night ?”
Ruyi saw that there were two dark plasters pasted on her left and right temples, and a smear of dark purple otter skin inlaid with pearls on her forehead, she was so haggard that I felt sorry for her.
Ruyi hurriedly lowered her head and said, "I heard that the imperial concubine has a cold, so I came here late at night to visit."
Concubine Hui raised the corners of her lips, "Is there anything in this palace that you should worry about, Concubine Xian, but there are thieves in Xianfu Palace. Concubine Xian, you have heard the news very well, so hurry up to watch the excitement."
Ruyi lowered her head even more, "I dare not."
Hailan behind her whispered, "Imperial concubine, concubine...concubines are not thieves!"
Concubine Hui suppressed her smile abruptly, and said coldly: "You still dare to quibble, but you still have to be stubborn when you get all the stolen goods. Double Happiness, beat me hard again!"
Ruyi just entered the palace in a hurry, not daring to look closely at Hailan.Looking back at this moment, Hailan was forcibly stripped of her shoes and socks and was kneeling on the cold stone bricks in the corridor. Thin pieces of ice had formed on the bricks near the steps, and it was chilly to look at.A pair of blue satin embroidered magpie and plum blossom pot-soled shoes were randomly thrown in the snow under the steps, gradually soaked by the falling snow, as devoid of dignity as her master.
Ruyi looked carefully at her feet, there were fine drops of blood oozing from the bare feet that were red from the cold.Seeing Ruyi's attention, Hai Lan tried her best to shrink her feet and hide it under her skirt in shame, but without saying a word, Mo Xin immediately lifted the corner of her skirt with her hand, and said coldly: "Chang Zai won't make a good confession, Don't blame the servants for being merciless and lifting up the corners of your skirt. It is already shameful to show your feet in front of the servants. If you want people to see your calves again, this kind of shameful thing is your own responsibility. gone."
Hailan was shocked, and tried her best to lower her head and use her loose hair to cover her face, which was purple with shame and anger. She endured the pain to argue, "I am sorry for your sin, the concubine really did not steal the red basket of charcoal from the empress. !"
Ruyi hurriedly apologized with a smile: "The imperial concubine has a cold, and her complexion is not very good. I don't know why the empress punished Hai Changzai and beat Hai Changzai's feet with a stick?"
Concubine Hui turned her face away and coughed a few times, Caiyue and Caizhu hurriedly stepped forward to hand over tea and beat their shoulders.Mo Xin cleared her throat and said: "Hai Chang was stealing the red bamboo charcoal used by the imperial concubine and empress, committing a crime of overstepping, causing the empress to suffer from the lack of charcoal fire and suffering from cold and damage the body of the phoenix. Isn't such a crime worthy of being punished with a stick!"
Ruyi hurriedly said: "Hai Changzai has always kept himself safe, and red bamboo charcoal is not allowed to be used below the nobles. It's not the first day Hai Changzai knows about it. How could it be like this?"
Mo Xin said contemptuously: "Then I have to ask Haichang Zai himself. The servant found the grayish-white charcoal burned by the red basket of charcoal in the ashes that Haichang dumped in the house. And Haichang was also in the place of several slaves. I’ve asked, Xiangyun, the palace maid serving Hai Changzai, has already recruited, and it was Hai Chang who ordered her to steal the red bamboo charcoal.”
Ruyi looked at Xiangyun who was kneeling on the steps trembling, got up and walked to her, "Xiangyun, is what Moxin said true?"
Xiang Yun's face turned pale, "The slaves have already been recruited just now, Hai Chang is instigating the slaves to steal red bamboo charcoal, one is not convinced that the noble concubine uses good things, and the other is jealous that the noble concubine favors the emperor and wants to harm the noble concubine." She desperately He kowtowed twice and begged: "Your concubine, please forgive me. This servant has already realized his mistake, so he will never dare again."
Hailan endured the pain, turned her head away to look at Xiangyun and said, "Xiangyun, you have been with me for two or three years, I think I treat you well..."
Xiangyun was not afraid, met Hai Lan's gaze, and said firmly: "My lord, no matter how you treat me, I will never dare to do such unconscionable things again. I also advise you, people steal And won, you still admit it."
"If you make mistakes, you can correct them. There is nothing good. Therefore, Xiangyun, I will not punish you. But if you know your mistakes and do not correct them, and you refuse to admit them, then you will be punished." Concubine Hui Hui sneered slightly, "Who in this palace doesn't know that I'm afraid of the cold and weak, and I can't bear the cold the most. Hai Chang has such vicious intentions! Double Happiness, hit me again!"
As Concubine Hui's voice fell sharply, Shuangxi had already taken the thorn stick at the side, said "offend the young master", and was about to hit it down immediately.Ruyi looked carefully, only to realize that it was not an ordinary stick, but a thick twig, which had not been peeled or pricked.Sharp thorns protruded from the two-finger-thick thorns, stained with bright red blood spots.Presumably, the blood drops on Hai Lan's feet were caused by this thing.
Without saying a word, Shuangxi raised the stick and hit Hailan's feet hard several times. Hailan screamed and almost fell to the ground, her feet were dripping with blood, which was unbearable.Ruyi was startled and worried, although she knew that the pain in her foot was far more painful than other places, but seeing Hai Lan in such pain, she also knew it was not good.In desperation, she had no choice but to stretch out her arms to stop the thorn stick in Shuangxi's hand, and shouted, "Wait!"
Hai Lan fell on the ground in pain, Concubine Hui gracefully raised her slender eyes and called out, "Mo Xin—"
Ruyi hurriedly stepped forward to support Hailan, Moxin sneered and said, "Concubine Xian didn't care about our lady when she came, but she was busy helping Hai Changzai first, it really doesn't matter right from wrong. Chang Zai received a few sticks and was fine, why is he so weak now, isn't it because he saw someone coming, so he just acted like this."
Hailan collapsed into Ruyi's arms, her hair covered with wet and greasy cold sweat, she still muttered in embarrassment: "Sister Xian, concubine... I didn't steal it. Really..." She Before he could finish speaking, he fainted from the pain.
Ruyi hugged Hailan distressedly, covered her feet with her skirt, felt so much pain in her heart, she could only hold back her anger and said, "The imperial concubine decided that Hailan stole the red bamboo charcoal from the confession of charcoal ashes and Xiangyun. Harm the empress. But the empress thinks carefully, today is the twentieth of the twelfth lunar month, and the red bamboo charcoal of the empress is given by the Ministry of Internal Affairs according to the monthly quota. It is fifteen catties a day, and it is four hundred and fifty catties a month. Hai If Lan really stole all the red bamboo charcoal and left the empress with no red bamboo charcoal to use, then she would have to steal at least ten days' worth of red bamboo charcoal, a total of 150 catties of red bamboo charcoal. Her palace is so big, where can I find it? Go? The empress will know as soon as she checks."
Concubine Hui's face changed slightly, and she raised her face towards Mo Xin.Mo Xin snatched Hai Lan from Ruyi's arms, and passed the copper basin with ice water under the veranda, and splashed it all over Hai Lan with a loud splash.Ruyi was startled and angry, and shouted: "Mo Xin, what are you doing?"
Mo Xin smiled and said, "Hai Changzai fainted from the pain, if he didn't wake up with water, why would he ask her where the rest of the red bamboo charcoal is hidden!"
Ruyi glared at her and said, "In such a cold weather, if you poured cold water on her, wouldn't it kill her!"
Seeing Hai Lan groan in pain, Mo Xin said with a smile, "As long as Hai Chang is awake, everything will be fine. Look, isn't this going to work?"
Ruyi hurriedly took off the silk to wipe it for her, while Ah Ruo was also stunned as she stood aside, hurriedly took off the silk and wiped it with Ruyi.Concubine Hui narrowed her eyes slightly, and raised her chin, Mo Xin immediately understood, turned around and scooped up a basin from the large water tank under the corridor, and poured Ruyi like a drowned rat regardless of the splash.Ruyi just felt shivering, her whole body was drenched with ice water, chills came out from the cracks in her bones, coupled with the cold wind pouring in from the corridor in the courtyard, she immediately seemed to be piled up in ice and snow, her whole body was so cold tremble.
Mo Xin let out an "Aiya" and hurriedly said, "I'm really sorry, Concubine Xian. Who let you get so close to Hai Chang Zai? The slave girl originally thought that a basin of water would not wake Hai Chang Zai up, so I added a pot of water. Basin. How good is this..."
Concubine Hui sat up straight slightly, and said in a gentle voice: "Mo Xin, you are too careless." She pouted her cherry lips, "Caizhu, Caiyue, don't move a few charcoal basins over here, for Concubine Xian and The sea is always warm."
Caiyue and Caizhu agreed, but they only picked a few charcoal basins that were about to extinguish and put them next to Ruyi and Hailan. The light of the fire was so weak that it was really useless.
Ruyi clenched her fist tightly, and the pain of touching her palm with her fingertips reminded herself to be patient, and hugged Hailan tightly, hoping to warm up with each other's body temperature.In the freezing season, the drenched and bone-chilling chills force the upper body, what else can I do except endure it?The imperial concubine and imperial concubine are only one rank behind, but the status is thousands of miles apart.Xiyue, she is the rightful concubine.As for myself, I am just a concubine who hasn't seen your face for a long time.She had no other choice but to be patient, hoping to rescue Hailan and give her a hand.
Ruyi lowered her head, and the icy cold water droplets slid across her cold and numb face. She only felt that her head was getting heavier and heavier, and her voice was a little ethereal: "Imperial Concubine, Hai Changzai has already been punished, and now his whole body is also soaked." Can you allow me to take her to change clothes? Otherwise, her body will not be able to bear it if it is frozen like this."
Concubine Hui coughed a few times, looked lazily at the gold-plated enamel armor on her hand, and smiled slightly.However, there was no smile in her eyes at all. The cold light, like a point of golden armor on her little finger, was sharp and cold: "Fairly Concubine Xian said very well. As for the bamboo charcoal, it can't be burnt out all at once, so it's not sure where it's hidden. In this case, I have to search carefully." She called out in a manly voice, "Double Happiness!"
Shuangxi agreed and stepped forward: "The servant is here."
Concubine Hui lazily said: "Go to Haichang and search those rooms carefully, even the bedroom where Haichang lives, carefully and carefully, don't miss anywhere. Find out where those red baskets of charcoal are placed. , so that they can die."
Ruyi heard her biting the word "they" tightly, knowing that it would be difficult.I don't know how long this search will end. I and Hailan are frozen here, and I really can't survive or die.
Ruyi heard her biting the word "they" tightly, knowing that it would be difficult.I don't know how long this search will end. I and Hailan are frozen here, and I really can't survive or die.
Hailan had already woken up faintly, but upon hearing these words, she couldn't help turning pale, and begged, "It's good that the empress wants to search, but do you want to search the concubine's bedroom as well? Concubine..."
Ruyi's face changed suddenly, and anger rose between her brows, so she had to suppress her anger and said, "The imperial concubine means to search the palace? That's not the slightest bit of face and I won't let Hai Changzai save it! If this matter gets out, what will Hai Changzai do?" How about a foothold in the harem?"
Mo Xin smiled, stretched out her hand to Hai Lan, and made a gesture to flip her wet robe, saying: "Not only is Hai Chang's bedroom, even if Hai Chang is on her body, slaves have to take a look. "
Seeing her reaching out her hand, Hai Lan was angry and angry, but she didn't dare to resist, so she had to shrink into Ruyi's arms desperately.Ruyi couldn't bear it anymore, protected Hai Lan with one hand, slapped Mo Xin on the face, and said angrily: "Presumptuous! You can't touch the young master!"
Mo Xin received a heavy slap, and was stunned for a while.She is the most proud maid by Xiyue's side, and she has served her for many years. She thinks she is very face-saving, and she has never received a harsh word from Xiyue. How has she ever been wronged like this?Before she woke up from that slap, Concubine Hui couldn't hold back any longer, she suddenly stood up from the seat, the three-inch long armor clanging on the hand stove, it sounded like her in the quiet night The voice is generally shrill and uncomfortable.
Concubine Hui sternly said: "Come here, let me search the bedroom of Keliyet, the box and cage clothes, and don't let them go! Concubine Xian roared at the Xianfu Palace late at night, and knelt in the courtyard for me to think about it. According to the order of the palace, don't get up."
Hailan's face was miserable, she glanced at Ruyi, and finally kowtowed and said, "The imperial concubine, it's all the concubine's fault. The concubine didn't intend to steal."
Ruyi held her hand tightly, and shook her head resolutely: "Don't misrepresent what you haven't done!"
Hailan's face was full of tears, white hot air rose on her icy face: "Sister Xianfei, I have already implicated you, I can't make you kneel in the snow soaked through..."
Her desolate cry sounded particularly bleak in the night when the snow was falling.Ruyi hugged her helplessly, feeling the huge drag behind her to drag her down the corridor.A Ruo's anxious crying sounded in my ears, begging to the imperial concubine: "Your imperial concubine, your imperial concubine, I beg you, even if you have to kneel, let our young master change clothes first. She will freeze to death Ah, the imperial concubine!"
Concubine Hui stood condescendingly in the hall and looked down at everyone, her eyes were as cold as ice under the eaves that could pierce the heart and lungs.Hailan lay on the ground like a humble ant. Concubine Hui's tone was not warm at all: "Mo Xin, take off Keliette's outer clothes for this palace, search carefully inch by inch, and don't allow her to hide for a while. !"
Mo Xin resoundingly agreed, gritted her teeth resentfully, and stretched out her hand to pull.Hailan protected her skirt and struggled desperately, her helpless cries floating in the night sky sadly, like a ray of lost soul, buried by the snow.
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