Approaching the New Year, the palace is also full of lights and beaming.

Fengyi Palace has newly painted the palace gate in the past few days, and has also moved a few old plums to the courtyard.

It's a pity that the palace people of Fengyi Palace didn't have any joy on their faces, not only did they walk quietly, but they didn't even dare to say much, it was a bit of a "road to the eye" meaning. For no other reason, the owner of Fengyi Palace is in a bad mood these days, who dares to laugh and laugh at the bottom of the people?

Today is another day for the concubines of the Hegong Palace to come to Fengyi Palace to ask for peace. Nowadays, there are many concubines in the palace, and everyone is brightly dressed in recent years, sitting in a place full of flowers, and it is very lively to watch.

But all this is a hundred uncomfortable in the eyes of the queen. She came out in a bright yellow embroidered phoenix palace dress as usual today, but when she sat on the seat and looked down, she felt that there were a few colors that were more dazzling and dazzling than her bright yellow.

Concubine Yuan Shu has the most respectful position, so she naturally sits in the position closest to the queen. She was a year older than the queen, and because she had had two miscarriages, she still looked a little yellowish despite the doctor's best efforts to recuperate.

The queen looked at her from above, and only felt that the scarlet robe was extremely dazzling. Concubine Yuan Shu can only be regarded as middle-class in terms of appearance, but her temperament is gentle, which adds a little score to her, but she is still incomparable with those new young concubines. The queen looked at her from head to toe, and finally landed on the goose egg face.

Despite several miscarriages, Concubine Yuan Shu's face is still plump, just like when she was the prince Liangdi, coupled with the appearance of a gentle smile with her head hanging down slightly - the queen secretly took a sip in her heart, this slut is obviously learning from the Xia family!

Thinking of the Xia family, the queen was even more unhappy. Since she entered Fengyi Palace, there seems to be a shadow around her, always jumping out of a concubine when she is not aware of it. Yuan Shufei, Jiang Jieyu, Lu Baolin, one after another, seems to be endless.

The queen thought to herself, and looked at them one by one.

Jiang Meihua has not lost weight so far, and she is even more bloated when she wears a big sweater in winter. She now seems to have given up the idea of being thin, but her face is gradually becoming bloody, no longer the dull and yellow appearance of some time ago. The queen's eyes rolled around her waist and pursed her lips contemptuously - what if there was a sister at home who knew how to heal, and she hadn't been cured?

Thinking of Jiang Jieyu's "sister who knows medical skills", the queen's mood suddenly plummeted again. She couldn't help but move her gaze to the last seat.

There is Lu Baolin sitting on the left, although the cough has been cured, he still lives in the remote Tingyu Xuan, his face is plump again, but his complexion is still a little yellow, not as beautiful as before.

On the right is Jiang Yunu, who is the lowest in the palace in terms of position, but she is brightly dressed and has an excellent complexion, which is even more beautiful than a few Baolin.

The queen stared at the two of them coldly, and finally moved her gaze back to Zhao Chongyi.

Pregnant, Zhao Chongyi seems to be the focus of attention in the palace these days, but today she came to ask for peace but she was unusually low-key. Wearing a half-new lake blue scattered embroidered gold and silver long gown, a loose horse bun on his head, only two pairs of tooth hairpins, and a few rice beads Huadian, but a pair of droplet-like jade pendants on his ears reflected the earlobes like white jade.

The queen's eyes stared at her still flat lower abdomen for a long time, and she laughed: "Why is Zhao Chongyi just these few pieces of jewelry, but the copy hasn't been sent over yet?" Go and ask the Imperial Household Division, what are the envoys doing now, first the hospital can't diagnose the happy pulse, and then the head and face clothes can't be sent, and then if it goes on like this, don't say that they are lazy, but say that the palace can't manage the palace affairs. ”

Zhao Chongyi was pregnant, naturally it was not because the hospital did not diagnose the happy pulse, but because the imperial doctor she used after entering the palace was bought by the Zhao family, and on the grounds that Zhao Chongyi's menstrual affairs were out of tune, the news was concealed for a month, and she didn't say it until the fetal gas was stable.

This matter is actually against the rules, and the Zhao family understands it very well. can think about the fate of the pregnant palace concubines in the former palace, it is clear that as long as there is joy, they will prick the queen's eyes, but they are not afraid of a little more. Hengzhu is already pregnant, so he can't fight himself for the sake of scruples about the queen, right? Seeing that the queen can't be born, if Zhao Chongyi gives birth to a boy, the future will be ......

For this, Zhao Chongyi plans to be low-key and low-key today, so as not to poke the queen's eyes. Who knew that with such a simple dress, the queen could also cause trouble, and used the topic to play the finger and scold Huai, talking about clothes and jewelry, and then to the diagnosis pulse.

Zhao Chongyi had to stand up and ask for guilt: "The palace secretary has already sent all the examples, but the concubine feels a little lazy these days, so she didn't wear those heavy things." lost his honor in front of his mother, and asked his mother to condemn him. "When she first entered the palace, the queen called her sister, and now it was changed to Chongyi.

The queen grinned without smiling: "Quickly help you Chongyi up, you are pregnant with a dragon fetus in your belly, how can you say kneel and kneel." I said that the Imperial Household Division didn't dare to be so impulsive, it turned out that the jewelry was too heavy - hey, this is still their lack of consideration, go, bring the peony bead flower in my box. ”

The personal palace maid went immediately, turned back after a while, and held a small box, which was a peony flower made of pearls, the beads were not large, but they were rare to be pink, and the luster was good.

As soon as Zhao Chongyi stood up, she had to kneel down again: "The concubine doesn't dare to be a mother and reward ...... like this" This string of peony flowers, except for the queen in the palace, who dares to compare himself with peonies? This time it's really kneeling, not like when I asked for sin just now.

The queen saw that Zhao Chongyi's knees really fell to the ground, and the corners of her mouth showed a smile: "You are pregnant with a dragon fetus, and it is a great credit to the emperor to spread the branches and leaves, what is a pearl flower." Come here, I'll put it on for you. ”

Zhao Chongyi had no choice but to stand up, walked in front of the queen in the eyes of the concubines, and stood bent down. The queen sat there, first plucked the beads on Zhao Chongyi's head, and then compared the peony beads left to right, until Zhao Chongyi bent over and soured down, and said with a smile: "This is looking at Yongrong and luxury." It's almost the New Year, dress up brightly, and the emperor likes it in his heart. ”

All the concubines laughed at the occasion, but the thoughts hidden under the smile were really different.

Wu Cairen sat under Jiang Meihua. In this hall today, except for Zhao Chongyi's deliberate low-key dress, her clothes and jewelry are the most shabby. Although she is a talented person with a higher position than the Baolin Imperial Lady, the things that are really distributed in her hands are not as good as their benefits, not to mention that there are still private rewards from the emperor, and she has never served the emperor except for the time after grinding ink for the emperor in Nanyuan, she has never served the emperor, but she has attracted the queen's jealousy, and it is really a failure at both ends.

This kind of invitation is a formality, the queen does not wait to see these concubines, and everyone can disperse after saying a few words after saluting. But today's queen is unusual, she doesn't serve tea as soon as she says three sentences in the past, but instead called the palace people around Zhao Chongyi to come and ask Zhao Chongyi about her food, clothing, housing and transportation.

Zhao Chongyi already felt that her back was sore, as if she was about to break, and she knew in her heart that this was the queen tossing her, but she didn't dare to be angry, so she had to go out and call a warm sedan chair.

The position of the nine concubines can take a sedan chair or a chariot when they go out, but Zhao Chongyi never takes a sedan chair when he comes to Fengyi Palace to show his respect for the queen. It's just that today it has come to this point, and I can't care about anything, I didn't even greet Wu Cairen in my palace, I got on the sedan chair and left.

Wu Cairen was thrown in place, and a few Baolin who entered the palace with her had a sneer in their eyes. Obviously, everyone entered the palace together, Wu Cairen was not necessarily younger and more beautiful than them, but he was promoted to a different position by the queen, naturally some people were uncomfortable, and now seeing her fall into such a situation, I don't know how happy I am, I handed each other a look, and left together with a smile.

"Sister Lu-" Wu Cairen could see everyone's eyes clearly, smiled reluctantly, and greeted Lu Ying beside him, "It's suddenly cold these days, do you still have a cough?" Look at your face is not very good. ”

"Thank you." Lu Ying bent her knees slightly, "I didn't cough, I just didn't sleep well last night when I listened to the wind." ”

"Listen to Yuxuan's bamboo, the wind is louder." Wu Cairen wanted to say a few more words, but Lu Ying had already made a gesture to ask her to go first, obviously not wanting to say more.

"Sister-" Wu Cairen only said two words, seeing Lu Ying standing with his head down, he really couldn't say the words behind him, so he had to smile awkwardly and move first.

Waiting for Wu Cairen to walk out of a section, Lu Ying left. The cherry holding her sneered: "Now that there is no backer, and I want to come to get close to us, Baolin don't believe her." ”

Lu Ying smiled slightly: "I'm not stupid. "Since that time when Wu Cairen sold Taohua to the Queen Mother, she has already broken with Wu Cairen. I thought that I would enter the palace to run for election together, and the fate of renting a house outside the palace, and I could have one more friend when I entered the palace, but who knows that people's calculations are not enough.

At this time, the other concubines had already left, and Cherry looked around at no one, then looked at Lu Ying's face, pursed her lips and smiled: "This yellow powder is used like the real thing, not to mention Wu Cairen, even the slaves and maids look at it, and they all feel as if their faces are not very good." ”

Lu Ying reached out and touched her face, and said in a low voice, "Don't say this outside." "This yellow fat powder was sent by Du Neijian, although he didn't say anything when he sent it, Lu Ying quickly understood what the emperor meant - pretending to be sick. As long as she is sick, she can always live in Tingyuxuan, and she will not be hated by the queen.

Thinking about Wu Cairen's chin that seemed to be a little sharper just now, although Lu Ying hated this person, he also felt a little pitiful - not pity Wu Cairen, but the sadness of the rabbit and fox who was also a harem concubine. Without the emperor's grace, how can people gain a foothold in this turbulent harem?

On the question of how to gain a foothold, Wu Cairen naturally thought about it more deeply and urgently than Lu Ying. She walked very slowly, until the laughter of the concubines gradually faded away, and then suddenly stopped: "Go back to Fengyi Palace." ”

Lu Qi, who was holding her, was stunned: "Back to the Middle Palace?" "There was a snow last night, and there is still some thin ice left on the bluestone road today, and a pair of thin-soled shoes of Lu Qi are already wet, and the cold is drilled up from under the feet, and now I just want to go back to the Chunhua Hall to roast my feet.

"Yes." Wu Cairen resolutely turned around and walked back, "I have to go see the queen mother." ”

Lu Qi was still confused: "What are you doing when you see the queen?" "The Queen Mother doesn't want to see you now.

Speaking of this, Lu Qi also felt aggrieved. Wu Cairen just accompanied the emperor in the Nanyuan camp once more, but he was snubbed by the queen, and those who watched people put down dishes in the palace also stepped up, and their lives were even more sad than when they were Baolin in the past. But what's wrong with Wu Cairen in this matter? Isn't it to enter the palace to be a concubine to serve the emperor?

Fengyi Palace was still quiet, the queen was sitting on the chair sulking, hearing the palace people say that Wu Cairen turned around again, and said impatiently: "What is she doing again?" Missing! ”

The people of Xiaogong didn't dare to say more, so they hurriedly went out to spread the word. The queen was irritable when suddenly someone crept up and gently pinched her shoulder and neck behind her back.

These days, the queen has to read the New Year's expenditure account every day, although she doesn't have to write it herself, and she feels stiff sitting in front of a few cases. At this moment, he was pinched by these hands and his muscles and bones relaxed, and he didn't care to reprimand this person and stepped forward without permission.

The man behind him first loosened the muscles of the queen's shoulders and neck, and then moved up to rub her temples for her. The queen felt that her aching head was also a little relieved, and she couldn't help but sigh: "Okay." ”

The man let go of his hand and knelt down: "The slave is bold. ”

The queen glanced sideways: "Why are you?" I didn't think you still had this craft. "This is her Chen Neijian here. A few days ago, when Eunuch Li was shrinking up, Eunuch Chen was able to come in from the outer hall to serve, and when Eunuch Li came back, he squeezed him out again.

In the past few days, because Cheng Enbo's matter could not be done, Eunuch Li was a little guilty in front of the queen, and today the concubines asked for peace, and I don't know where he went, so I had to vacate the place for Chen Neijian to vacate it.

Eunuch Chen also had the courage to come up to serve, and seeing that the queen was not angry at this moment, he hurriedly said: "The slave maid has learned a little at home. Niangniang has been working really hard these days, and the slaves and maids are distressed when they look at it. Niangniang must take care of the phoenix body, these things in the harem are all pointed to you. ”

As he spoke, his heart pounding. In fact, what he said was a lie, when he was a child, his family was farming, because of the locust plague before he entered the palace, where will there be any massage skills. After he entered the palace, he specially learned to serve the great eunuch who brought him.

The queen did feel that she was working hard, but it was not interesting to say this in front of a chamberlain, so she only said lazily: "This skill is good, and you also have eyesight." ”

Chen Neijian said with a smile: "The slave maid is serving in Fengyi Palace, so naturally you have to take your mother to heart in everything. ”

The queen couldn't help laughing: "You can talk." I came in to serve a few days ago, why didn't I see you talking like that? ”

A few days ago, Eunuch Li fell out of favor, and Eunuch Chen wanted to take the opportunity to take the position, but he had not served the queen closely, but he was afraid that he would say the wrong thing and be rejected by the queen. But since he came back from beating Eunuch Li, the first one has a grudge against him, if he is so restrained again, he is afraid that he will be killed by Eunuch Li one day.

"The slave has been clumsy since she was a child, so she was sold by her father, but when she came to her mother, she only told the truth."

This is obviously a pat on the horse, but the queen listened comfortably and said with a smile: "It's better to have a clumsy tongue, it's better than the sharp tooth, worry-free." It was said casually, but as soon as the words came out, I couldn't help but think of these unconscious people in the palace - up to the pregnant Zhao Chongyi, and down to the Jiang Imperial Girl who just entered the palace, all of them were heart-blocking goods.

From inside the palace to outside the palace, there is a particularly sharp-toothed Jiang outside, and even the Queen Mother was dismissed by her softly and hard, which made her disappointed. Speaking of which, it was also useless for Li Neijian to say that it was a thousand good ideas, but in the end it didn't work!

Because she was in her own palace, the palace was full of confidants, and the queen didn't have any scruples, so she casually complained about Eunuch Li: "...... It can't be done! I didn't see anyone this morning, and I don't know where I went! ”

Eunuch Chen knew in his heart that Eunuch Li expected that the queen would be in a bad mood when she saw Zhao Chongyi today, and was afraid that the queen would be angry with him, so he pointed to the palace secretary to count the accounts under the festival and hid out, but pushed him in to make a punching bag.

However, if it weren't for that, he wouldn't have had a chance to get in. When Eunuch Chen thought of listening to the private discussions of a few little chamberlains a few days ago, his heart felt like a fire was burning, and he didn't care about taking the opportunity to say bad things about Eunuch Li: "Actually, according to the slave's shallow opinion, this matter is not considered by Gonggong Li. Cheng Enbo's status is precious, how can he take risks? It's better to find someone else. ”

"Looking for someone else?" The queen said irritably, "Where to find someone else?" The Jiang family came from a humble background, if I married her to that big family, wouldn't people complain about me? If you randomly point to a poor match, it will be too revealing. "She wanted to eliminate a threat to herself, not for the emperor to take her handle.

Chen Neijian lowered his voice and said: "The slave has a confused idea, isn't this ready-made candidate right in front of you?" ”

"What ready-made candidates?" The queen was confused.

"It's just—King Anjun." Chen Neijian's voice was lowered, "The Cui family's daughter is newly mourned, and now everyone outside says that Anjun Wang Ke's wife, and the daughters of those high-ranking families refuse to marry her." Although Jiang's background is a little cheaper, since King Anjun has this reputation, she is not too different from marrying. Besides, I heard that King Anjun's eye disease has not been cured, since Jiang has good medical skills, he can still treat King Anjun's eye disease when he marries, this is also a kind heart for his sake, isn't it? ”

The queen's eyes lit up when she heard this: "You are right! "Why didn't she think of it before? What do you mention Cheng Enbo, that is the queen mother's own nephew, in case the Jiang family marries and the husband and wife are not harmonious, shouldn't the queen mother hate her? But marrying Shen Shu doesn't have so many scruples, if the two of them are not having a good time, the Queen Mother is happy to see it. If the Jiang family really had the courage to harm Shen Shu, then the Queen Mother would be even happier!

Eunuch Chen breathed a sigh of relief and lowered his head: "The slave maid is just a little shallow, and she also wants to share her worries for her mother." ”

"If only you had this faithfulness." The queen's mood instantly improved a lot, "Reward!" ”

Chen Neijian hurriedly kowtowed: "The slave maid just said casually, how can she be a reward for the mother." ”

The queen smiled and said, "If this thing is done, I will reward you heavily." The more I thought about it, the more I felt that this idea was good, and I couldn't wait for three days or two, so I immediately said, "Bei Yuan, this palace will go to Shouxian Palace to ask the queen mother for peace!" ”

The queen mother knew that the concubines had gone to the queen's palace to ask for peace today, and she had already called someone to inquire, and when she heard that the queen really tossed Zhao Chongyi, she couldn't help but be annoyed and worried, and couldn't help but say to Qingyu, the person in the palace: "I reminded her, and she is so disproportionate!" In case there is anything wrong with this birth-is she like the Zhao family and the Jiang family? ”

Qingyu is a palace person sent in by the Yu family, so naturally everything is for the sake of the Yu family, and she said in a low voice: "Although the queen's move is a little inappropriate, but - if Zhao Chongyi really gives birth to the prince, it will be the emperor's eldest son......"

Speaking of this, the Queen Mother couldn't help but worry: "Yes, the emperor still wants to promote her, and then she will be the fourth concubine." Back then—"

She stopped halfway through her speech, but Qingyu understood very well that the Queen Mother was thinking of the virtuous concubine back then.

This scene is indeed familiar. is also childless in the middle palace, and the same high-ranking concubine has a child, and the queen's situation is even worse than that of the queen mother, because she has not let the concubines in the palace give birth to a prince until now, so she doesn't even have a little bargaining chip in her hand.

"The queen mother has arrived-" The voice of the little palace man interrupted the queen mother's thoughts, and when she saw that the queen still had a smile on her face when she came in, she was a little surprised: "You are busy with palace affairs these days, why did you come here again?" "Originally, after the concubines went to the middle palace to ask the queen for peace, the queen led them to the Shouxian Palace to ask the queen mother. At this time, when it was the end of the year, the queen mother's body was also a little weak, so she was simply exempted from asking for peace here, and the queen didn't have to come over.

The queen smiled: "The queen mother is considerate of me, but I can't help but come." And there is also something to discuss with the queen mother. ”

Since the last time Taohua said those words in the Shouxian Palace, the queen mother's hatred for her has been unconcealed, but it also made the queen save those twists and turns, and tell Chen Neijian's idea straight to the point.

"Oh-" The Queen Mother groaned, her heart already moving.

The idea of Chen Neijian sounds above board on the surface, but in fact it is extremely destructive. Thinking that back then, Concubine Xian died after giving birth because Jiang Fanghui accidentally used medicine, and in detail, this is a revenge for killing her mother, you can imagine how Jiang's daughter would feel if she married Shen Shu.

"It's just that Jiang's background is too low...... The Anjun Mansion is still married to the concubine. "Although the Cui family has a marriage contract, after all, there is no door, so the one who remarries later is not considered a stepfamily, let Jiang Taohua be the princess of the county, the queen mother is still a little unwilling in her heart, "Where is she worthy of ......" The princess of the county is a first-class position.

The queen was afraid that the queen mother would not agree, so she hurriedly said: "But it is said outside that the wife of the king of Anjun, if she marries a famous lady, if she enters the door, will it hurt others?" Jiang Shi is not afraid of medical skills, and maybe he can treat Anjun Wang's eye disease. ”

The Queen Mother also felt that this idea was very pleasing to her heart, but she didn't know how to mention it to the emperor so that she didn't tell the truth, and at this point, she was glad that she hadn't mentioned Yu Sirui at that time and was dismissed by Taohua's words.

Chen Neijian moved forward half a step slightly, raised his head slightly, and put on a look of wanting to speak and stopping. Eunuch Li returned to Fengyi Palace after the concubines were all dispersed, but the queen didn't bother to pay attention to him, so she took Eunuch Chen to Shouxian Palace.

"What's your idea?" The queen saw him like this out of the corner of her eye, and asked casually.

"The slave maid is foolish, although King Anjun is sincere to keep the Cui family girl for a year, but the first emperor knows about it, how can he not worry about his family affairs? Now that the first emperor is gone, only the queen mother can be the master of the king of Anjun, if the first emperor has this thought, he will give the queen mother a dream......"

Saying this, even the Queen Mother couldn't help but look at him more: "You slave is clever......" actually came up with the words of a dream. If this is spread out, no one can say anything, the first emperor entrusted a dream, in order to understand the life of his son's wife, specially chose a wife for him who matched the eight characters, wouldn't he see the love of the first emperor?

"But the emperor will not believe." These words are high-sounding, but even if the unbeliever cannot refute it with his mouth, he understands it in his heart.

Chen Neijian said softly: "The slave maid heard that a few days ago, the king of Anjun purchased the medicinal materials used in the army, and he used the Jiang family. entered the palace several times to greet the Queen Mother, and often met the Jiang family's girls. Although the slave maid is a disabled person, she has also heard that my fair lady and gentleman are good, and the girl of the Jiang family is beautiful, and the prince may not be tempted...... Even if the emperor knows, he will have to fulfill his brothers. ”

The Queen Mother glanced at him again. I didn't expect the queen to have such a capable person by her side. Externally, he made up the nonsense of the first emperor to dream, and internally, he also knew that the black cauldron was detained on Shen Shu's head. Speaking of which, the emperor and Shen Shu seem to be a little closer these days, which is not something that the Yu family wants to see. At this time, it doesn't seem bad to use a beauty trick......