Chapter 60 Section sixtieth

After Princess Rongshou left, the two sisters were in a bad mood again. They couldn't tell whether it was loneliness, depression, bleakness, or boredom? "What are we supposed to do?" Pin Jin couldn't answer what her sister said, because she didn't know what to do? Don't even know who you are?Whose day is it? "Let's just sit like this?" Concubine Zhen asked, "What are you waiting for?" Are you waiting to meet the Empress Dowager?no!Even the empress had to go to the Palace of Compassion and Peace for the first time until the second day of February.I don't know who made the rules?A big wedding is not like marrying a daughter-in-law in the folks. You first pay homage to Weng Gu at the beginning, and it takes six days for the queen to see her "mother-in-law".The concubines in the West Palace naturally lag behind.

Are you waiting for the emperor to be lucky?I'm afraid not.On the first day, of course, the queen must be allowed. But on the first day when the big event in life is settled, there is no "bridal chamber" night that a girl doesn't pay attention to, and it just goes by like this?Concubine Jin sighed silently, got up and went back to her room. Concubine Zhen didn't think as much as her sister, she just felt cramped.With nowhere to go, nothing to do, and no one to talk to, he was restless and had to pretend to be dignified, sitting there.If this continues, don't you want to drive people crazy?

no!She told herself that she had to find a way out.At least you can find someone to ask questions.Thinking of this, he waved to the maid standing outside the window with a smile on his face. Two court ladies came in, greeted each other, stood up and stood with hands down, waiting for her to ask questions. "What's your name?" she asked the older one. "The slave's name is Zhen'er." "And you?" "The slave's name is Fu San." The young maid answered. "How many years have you been in the palace?" "The slave has been in the palace for six years." Zhen'er pointed at Fu San, "She was selected last year."

"After six years in the palace, I have learned a lot." Concubine Zhen asked, "Do you also see the emperor often?" "No!" Zhen'er replied, "If you don't pass it on, you are not allowed to come to the Long Live Lord." "You were already in Yikun Palace?" "No. The servant was originally in the Ruyi Pavilion, and this time he was specially selected to serve the master." Zhen'er then said hello, "The servant is clumsy in hands, feet, and mouth, please forgive me." "You're welcome." Concubine Zhen became more cheerful, "I don't understand the rules of the palace, you have to teach me."

At this moment, Concubine Zhen noticed that there was a mess of people in the courtyard, running in a hurry, as if she was on guard, her heart moved, thinking that the emperor was coming, she immediately raised her heart, feeling a little shy and uncomfortable. She was only half right, someone was coming, but it was not the emperor, but Li Lianying. "Master, please come out of the hall to listen to the announcement. The Lafayette will reward you." Wang Deshou said very attentively, "It is really a matter of face to send Director Li to deliver the decree. Master, please go out quickly!"

Concubine Zhen's heart was settled, but she didn't pay much attention to Wang Deshou's words, thinking in her heart: Li Lianying was said to be so arrogant that even King Li called him brother and brother in private.The big deal is the mind of an eunuch, what a big deal! With this childlike innocence still in her mind, she ignored Wang Deshou's words, stepped out of the moral hall slowly, entered the main hall, and found that the scene changed, and at the east end of the steps, her sister Jin concubine stood at the head, followed by the maids and eunuchs, Standing in a row, everyone was silent.Standing on the steps was a tall eunuch in a third-rank suit, with his face raised slightly, his posture was not arrogant, but it looked like he was holding his head high above the sky.It goes without saying that this is Li Lianying.

Li Lianying, Concubine Jin, and everyone's eyes turned to Concubine Zhen.Obviously, the decree can be announced only after she arrives.Such a scene is enough to make people feel timid, and the anxiety of being late makes them even more embarrassed.But Concubine Zhen immediately thought that although she was only thirteen years old, her current status was second only to the empress, and she didn't need to be humble to anyone except her own sister.The first time in everything is the most important thing, I only abide by the etiquette and status, I can do whatever I want!There is no need to accommodate, lest people look down upon you.

Therefore, she straightened her back, looked straight at her eyes, approached the steps calmly, then stopped, raised her right arm, and looked back slightly.This action is done calmly and just right, so the meaning is obvious: someone needs to help. So Zhen'er behind her took a step forward, raised her right arm with both hands, looked at the ground, and carefully helped her down the steps until she stood beside Jinpin. Li Lianying looked at her with admiration when she put on the concubine's airs like this. She lowered her hands and said first: "Follow Yi's decree." Then she stopped and waited for the two concubines Jinzhen to kneel down before she raised her voice and said, "Lafayette's face to face : Concubine Jin and Concubine Zhen enjoy a meal together.

thanks! " When Concubine Jin and Concubine Zhen kowtowed to the north, Li Lianying had already descended the steps and stood on the west side, waiting for their sisters to get up together, and then asked for a double security. "Slave Li Lianying, congratulations to the two masters!" He got up and said to Wang Deshou, "Give me a prayer mat!" This is to kowtow to congratulate.Concubine Jin doesn't know the rules in the palace. If a eunuch kowtows to his master, does he have to find a mat first? I just feel that the rules of aristocratic families are to respect the superior and respect the inferior. Since Li Lianying is the favored person in front of the Empress Dowager Cixi, she should be extra polite.

"Don't dare to be, don't dare to be. No need to kowtow!" "Yes!" Li Lianying had no intention of saluting the two sisters, so she immediately said, "Being respectful is worse than obedience." "Wait!" Jinpin's natal family had already prepared rewards for their sisters. The most important one, two hundred taels of silver, was specially prepared for Li Lianying. rewarded. "The two masters have rewarded you too much." Li Lianying greeted her again. Li Lianying's task of passing on the edict of Xuan Yi has come to an end, and she could have resigned here. Besides, the Empress Dowager Cixi, who was listening to the opera in Shufangzhai, had already reached the time of passing on the dinner, so she should be there to take care of her, and he should not be allowed to do more here. stay.But he left everything behind and stayed on, volunteering to serve as a caterer.

The rewarded meal is prepared by the Imperial Dining Room, which is located south of the Hall of Mental Cultivation and north of the Military Aircraft Office.It's called a table, but it's actually more than one table. There are seven tables in total, plus a dozen red lacquer food boxes. They are carried and held by a team of neatly dressed eunuchs. Kunmen is located in the main hall of Yikun Palace.Li Lianying put on the white cloth sleeves, arranged the dishes by herself, and waited until everything was in place before she came to invite Concubine Jin and Concubine Zhen to sit down. After entering the hall, I realized that the so-called "heavenly family is rich and honored", and it is still superficial to say "food front abbot".There are at least 50 or 60 dishes on the two large rectangular tables. The tableware is a sea bowl with a vermilion character and a fine porcelain cover, or a large plate with a diameter of nearly a foot.There is a silver medal in the plate and bowl, which is designed for anti-virus. If the food is poisoned, the silver medal will turn black when it touches the food. In addition, there are four small dining tables, where dim sum, side dishes, hot pot and porridge are placed.Meals are not allowed to be called rice but called "din", and eating is not allowed to be called "eating" but called "jin", so eating is called "jinshan". "The two masters are invited to eat the wedding meal!" Li Lianying then shouted: "Put the lid on the bowl!" So Wang Deshou took the lead, and four or five eunuchs quickly took off the bowl cover together, put them in a large wooden box, and took them away. The Jinzhen sisters were sitting side by side, and then a palace lady handed over heavy gold-inlaid chopsticks, and at the same time, looked at where the two sisters looked, and reported the name of the dish. Sister Jinzhen couldn't dream of this way of eating.Especially Concubine Zhen, under the gaze of so many people, was really hesitant to raise her chopsticks and couldn't eat.And thinking of the situation of offering offerings in the temple, he couldn't help laughing, and almost laughed out loud. "A reward from Lafayette," said the cautious Concubine Jin to her sister, "Eat more." As a result, Concubine Zhen had to work hard to add food, but the food was too rich, even if she tasted it lightly, she would not eat a third of it, and she felt extremely full, but it took a full hour to eat. After they rinsed their mouths and left their seats, Li Lianying bid farewell, and then the palace gate was unlocked. "The door is closed and locked so early," Concubine Zhen asked Wang Deshou, "why can't I hang out there at night?" "Yes! The rules are like this." Wang Deshou replied, "The palace is different from the outside. They get up in the middle of the night, so they go to bed early." "What if, what if something unexpected happens?" Concubine Zhen asked, "Like last month, the Supreme Harmony Sect broke out?" "Then..." Wang Deshou was very honest, he didn't know what to answer, he hesitated for a long time before he said, "At that time, the head of the respect room will come to inform what to do!" "Is the head of the respect room Li Lianying?" "No. But he has a lot of authority, and the head of the respect room has to listen to him." "Oh, what else?" Concubine Zhen asked, "Who else is in power?" The "those people" refer to the eunuchs, so Wang Deshou bent his fingers and said: "When Li Lianying comes down, he has to count Cui Yugui, the second chief supervisor, and the next one is Hard Liu..." "Why is it called Hard Liu?" "His temper is very tough. Sometimes even Lafayette gave him a point or two, so he was called Hard Liu. Only Li Lianying called him Xiao Liu. He was very young, but he had studied and often read "Shen Bao". Buddha sometimes wants to talk about current affairs with people, only hard Liu can handle it." "So that's how it is." Concubine Zhen asked again: "Where is the emperor in front of you? Who is favored?" "Long Live Lord, there is nothing special to be favored. However," Wang Deshou looked back and lowered his voice, "there is a man, the master should pay attention to it." Concubine Zhen was taken aback by seeing his guarded demeanor, fearing that the wall would have ears, and asked with wide eyes, "Who is it?" "It's the chief eunuch of Qianqing Palace. His surname is Wang, and his name is Wang Xiang. Everyone calls him Xiang Wang. He is..." Wang Deshou stopped suddenly, with a strange expression on his face, mixed with fear and regret, obviously realizing that he had slipped his words, and dared not speak any more. Of course Concubine Zhen refused to keep quiet, "Why didn't you finish?" she asked. "The slave is talking nonsense." Wang Deshou laughed along, "Master, don't take the slave's words to heart." "It doesn't matter, just say it." "There is really nothing to say! The slave is talking nonsense, and the master just acts as a slave and doesn't say anything." It's so clean!Concubine Zhen felt insulted and was very unhappy.But just entered the palace, it seems inconvenient to really show the style of "master" and pursue the truth.And just ignore it, but feel unwilling.Then what should be done?she asked herself. I was stunned for a while, and suddenly came up with a plan, and then sneered, "You don't say it, it's up to you! But if you want me to forget it, it's impossible." She said, "I will ask Wang Xiang about it in a few days. You are yourself. Go down!" After finishing speaking, Concubine Zhen got up immediately, not even looking at Wang Deshou, and planned to go back.At this moment, Wang Deshou was terrified, and hurriedly shouted: "Master, master, the slave is sympathetic." Concubine Zhen stood still, turned around and said, "I don't want to listen to your hesitation." "The slave said everything. However, the slave has said, the master has to forgive the slave. Otherwise, the slave's life will be lost." Speaking so seriously, Concubine Zhen felt sympathetic, and forgave him for not daring to reveal the truth easily, so she slowed down and said, "You are from here, so I will forgive you. But, you have to show your sincerity." Just do it." "Yes! The servant dare not bully the master." Wang Deshou said in a low voice: "Master, beware of Wang Xiang, he is Lafayette's spy in front of Long Live Lord." "Take a spy?" Concubine Zhen asked perplexedly, "What are you looking for?" "Then I don't know." Wang Deshou said with difficulty, "Anyway, the master will see Wang Xiang in the future, so just be careful." "En, um!" Concubine Zhen thought for a while, figured out what was going on, nodded and said, "Thank you for telling me. I will pay attention, and I will not tell you.You are faithful and good!It will be like this from now on, if you hear something relevant, come and tell me quickly. " "Yes!" Wang Deshou felt that this "master" was very experienced in speech and actions despite his young age, so he gained confidence and respect, and replied sincerely: "Master Wanan! A slave does not help the master, but he can help the master." Who is it?"