- A trace of bitterness slipped through Xiaoxing's heart, and the thought of leaving in her heart became even firmer.

And before leaving, she had to perfect the last step for the task he had given him three years ago.

Knowing that Wang Hong's mood fluctuated at this time, and he was afraid that he would not be able to hear the news that stimulated his nerves, Xiao Xing silently pondered for a moment, classified the news she had found in the north in the past three years, temporarily suppressed the bad news, picked a few things that should make him feel gratified, and said gently: "In the past three years, Xiao Xing has been staying in the north, although he has eaten a lot, but the harvest is not small. What His Highness wants to know most about that Mr. Lin, Xiaoxing has already ......"

Xiaoxing's words had just come to this, and before she reached the key point that she thought was worth rejoicing, she heard Wang Hong suddenly open her mouth and mutter: "It's all my fault, if it wasn't for my idea, you wouldn't have gone to the north, and you wouldn't have met the Northern Goose's rangers and been taken captive and suffered from a year in prison...... It's all my fault......"

Xiao Xing heard his muttering self-blame, and there was a pang of pain in her heart at first, but gradually, her eyes became firm, looking at Wang Hong's somewhat detached eyes, and said seriously: "Your Highness! Have you forgotten who you are? It seems that you have forgotten what you have been waiting for and holding on."

What she said, the first half of the sentence was asked, and the second half of the sentence was answered for Wang Hong without waiting for the question. The meaning in this half-questioning and half-self-understanding sentence is subtle, although it is quite rude, but it is more effective than any gentle words and persuasion, and immediately reminded Wang Hong of one thing.

Wang Hong's eyes were fixed, and then he struggled to get up.

Xiaoxing held him by the shoulder, made him sit up, and lifted the quilt to cover his lap. Then he pulled the two embroidered pillows from the corner of the couch behind him so that he could sit more comfortably, and then she got down from the couch and stood only on the side.

After straightening the corners of his hair and clothes, Xiao Xing continued: "Regarding the matter of that Mr. Lin, he went to the north for the first two years because the burn area on his back was too large. I have been in bed for more than a year to recuperate, and I have been writing to you about this until I was accidentally imprisoned. The letter was also broken. After escaping from prison, I lost contact with the messenger I had been in contact with, and it was extremely difficult to return to Kyoto from the north, so I simply did not think about the gradual communication. Instead, he patiently lived near the gentleman's recuperation quarters, and made observations once a day."

That's it. After a pause in his voice, Xiao Xing bent his arm and took out a booklet from his arms and handed it to Wang Hong with both hands.

Wang Hong took the booklet, and his fingertips seemed to be able to touch a little of Xiaoxing's body temperature from the cover of the booklet. He didn't immediately open the booklet, but asked slowly, "Can you briefly tell me how Lin Shan is doing now?"

Xiaoxing nodded. continued: "Mr. Lin's physical condition was the most dangerous in the first half of the year when he first arrived in the north, and it was only after half a year that he really entered the healing period of the burn. Once the wound was completely sealed, his recovery speed became faster. I was freed in October last year, when Mr. Lin was already taking care of things, and by the beginning of the year, my diet and outings were basically normal."

Hearing the news, a smile really appeared in Wang Hong's eyes, and he said with a sigh of relief: "Great. I knew that with Mr. Lin's ability, how could something happen lightly."

As soon as his words fell, there was a muffled sound of "bang" in the room, as if the sound of a fist hitting a wooden board.

Xiaoxing raised his eyebrows and said in a low voice: "Someone!"

After that, she was already keenly aware of the direction from which the sound was coming, and the stars were staggered under her feet, and the person had already flashed behind a screen at the end of the couch.

Wang Hong was about to block, but compared to Xiaoxing's agility, he was still a little slower. However, Xiao Xingdi sensed that the direction was right, and behind the screen of the four gentlemen splashing ink in the inner room of the dormitory, there was really a person hidden.

For this person, Wang Hong was not going to mention it to anyone, but now that Xiaoxing took the initiative to find out, he couldn't hide it.

Reveal this person's identity to Xiaoxing before everyone knows, this thing is not impossible, Xiaoxing's ability to do things and rigorous behavior he can trust, and the person behind this screen is still a little related to the things that Xiaoxing has investigated for three years when he went to the north.

It's just that this person has a special identity, and he thinks it is necessary for him to go there in person. In Xiaoxing's style, if he found a servant in his dormitory who was not in the palace, he had to give that person some flesh and skin pain first.

Wang Hong silently considered these subtle incidents, and quickly turned over and got off the house, and walked towards the screen with his shoes on.

However, he had only just reached the corner of the screen, and before he could see what was going on, things changed again!

This time, the accident came from outside the dormitory.

Concubine De is here!

According to the royal rules, although the second prince Wang Hong is not the biological son of Concubine De, Wang Hong also wants to serve Concubine De as his mother. What's more, in general, he was actually raised by Concubine De.

I still remember his poor physique when he was a child, and sleep at night was the most prone to illness and trouble. Concubine De grew up to take care of him, how many nights did she survive.

At that time, Concubine De was also in her early twenties, and a woman's most energetic youth was pasted to an adopted son, for Wang Hong, in a sense, Concubine De's kindness to raise him was even heavier than the hardships of his biological mother's pregnancy in October.

Because of what happened during the day, and for several reasons that only she knew in her heart, Concubine De obviously couldn't sleep tonight. In the eyes of others, it is normal for her to worry about her injured husband and her son who has not recovered from his injuries.

Wang Hong came over at night for Concubine De. [,！ Visitation, of course, would not have been dissenting either, and he should have expected it. During the day, while riding a horse, his hand was torn open for the second time, and when he was re-bandaged at the imperial doctor's place, the gentleman kept his face tense from beginning to end, to show his concern for the second prince's hand, and to faintly reproach.

On the surface, it was just a cut in the palm of the hand that was cut by a sharp object, but in fact, this wound was too deep and hurt the periosteum of the hand. When bandaging for the first time, the imperial doctor opened the crack and cleaned it, and the white joints inside could be seen. Such an injury. It is easy for malignant diseases to occur inside, and the skin wounds on the outside have healed, but the cracks under the skin are suppurating, and the poisonous blood erodes the bones, and it is difficult to heal.

For this superficially simple but secretly sinister external injury, the imperial doctor will never dare to be sloppy, and at the same time he is also afraid of taking responsibility. Because of the poor status, the imperial doctors were unable to say much to His Royal Highness. But also because of an identity reason. They will inevitably report this matter to Concubine De, because it is difficult for His Royal Highness the Prince to listen to what Concubine De said.

It's just that Concubine De came at this time, and the second prince Wang Hong was unhindered. But it's a big taboo for those two people outside the palace!

Xiaoxing and the person hiding behind the screen, no matter which one is seen by Concubine De, I am afraid that they will not be able to escape the disaster. Even the incident that I have been watching for many years will probably be implicated.

It would put these two people at risk. It's all caused by my own carelessness, and I suddenly saw a personal maid who hadn't returned for three years. But when he found out that she had suffered a terrible encounter on her appearance, he was so angry that he forgot to guard against the outdoors.

Fortunately, after a few years of operation, I am in the Huayang Palace where I live. There are a few clever people.

The eunuch outside the gate suddenly shouted: "Concubine De Niangniang has arrived."

His voice was loud enough to pass through two walls for the people inside to hear. In order to give the people inside precious preparation time. He also took a certain risk and was not jealous of Concubine De's suspicions. It's because he is loyal, it is the master in the palace behind him, not the exquisite makeup and gorgeous dress of the concubine in front of him.

――The matter of Xiaoxing's return to Huayang Palace must have been known in advance by a few old people in this palace.

Facing the emperor's favorite concubine, the closest adoptive mother of the prince in the palace, and the concubine Niangniang, who faintly has the momentum of the queen, the palace people who are despicable and slaves have no right to speak, let alone find an excuse to stop it. The eunuch just shouted, and his voice was suddenly too high, and he inevitably received ten slaps.

"In the dead of night, there is such noise, disturbing the prince's rest, how did you behave?" The door of the outer hall has been opened, and there is only one door separated from the inner room of the dormitory, and Concubine De's slightly annoyed voice came in a little, "The female official wrote down, and during the day, she will be punished by this inferior slave, and she will be confined for three days, and she will copy the rules of the palace pavilion at night again!" "

In the inner room of the dormitory, Wang Hong had already walked quickly behind the long screen, and saw Xiaoxing, who was also shocked. As for the man he had hidden behind the screen a few days earlier, he was nowhere to be seen.

Concubine De came, Xiaoxing had already heard the sound outside, and before she could say more, Wang Hong grabbed her wrist, pulled her to a row of wardrobes, swept her eyes, opened one of the cabinet doors, and pushed her in.

Tearing up two sets of robes hanging in a one-person closet, Wang Hong closed the cabinet door, and walked back to the screen quickly.

Although the outer hall is dozens of steps deep, the horizontal distance from the inner room is only about ten steps, when Concubine De has already walked to the door of the inner room, Wang Hong in the room has just sat on the edge of the couch, and it is too late to take off his shoes and pretend to be asleep.

Looking at the door of the inner room slowly opening, Wang Hong's eyebrows jumped, and he suddenly remembered the booklet that Xiao Xing had just handed him to record the affairs of the north. The booklet categorically couldn't be seen by Concubine De, but when he got up and went behind the screen just now, he didn't put it away, I'm afraid it was spread out in a conspicuous place on the couch.

The faint light of the lamp in the dormitory was forced by the palace lamp that was getting closer and brighter outside the door, and the two kinds of light and dark contrasts were intertwined, and everything in the room became blurred, like a painting that had been immersed in water.

Wang Hong was anxious, turned around and grabbed it on the couch, but fortunately his luck was good, and soon his fingers touched the edge of the booklet, and he hurriedly grabbed it and stuffed it under the brocade quilt.

There was no more time for him to have a chance to hide the booklet in a more secret place, the door of the inner room of the dormitory had been opened, and under the light of the Huanghuang Palace lamp, Xiao Wanting, a richly dressed concubine, stepped lightly and walked in.

With the entry of a group of palace maids and eunuchs, the seat lamps and corner lights in the dormitory were lit, and the room was suddenly illuminated, and the second prince sitting on the edge of the couch squinted slightly.

When Concubine De walked into the inner room of the dormitory, she saw that the second prince Wang Hong was not lying on the couch, but sitting on the edge of the couch, and her feet had been put into her shoes, as if she was about to get up.

Wang Hong didn't seem to have just been woken up by the shouts of the eunuch outside the door, but seemed to have woken up a long time ago, but the palace maid who stayed in the inner room to keep vigil was at the gate outside the hall, so what happened in this inner room just now?

"Mother." Wang Hong saw that Concubine De had already come in, so he called first, and then got up to greet him, "Erchen to meet the concubine ......."

Don't wait for Wang Hong to bow down. Concubine De walked a little hurriedly, raised her hand to support his forearm, and said with a smile: "It's almost free, you are still polite to the concubine, sit down."

Concubine De wanted to help Wang Hong back to lean on the couch, but Wang Hong was afraid that as soon as she lifted the quilt, she would see the booklet he hastily hid under the brocade quilt, so she just sat back on the couch. Then immediately called the palace maid to wait for Concubine De to sit down.

Although Concubine De had doubts. But she didn't show anything immediately, just followed Wang Hong's wishes first, but she instructed the palace maid to move the chair to the side of the couch. She sat down.

When she saw Wang Hong's forehead clearly, Concubine De's face was suddenly . [,！ Worried, she took a silk handkerchief from her waist and dried it for him. At the same time, he said compassionately: "Why do you sweat so much? Wasn't it okay when you just came back from outside the palace?"

Wang Hong just smiled lightly at this and overshadowed it with the old words: "Erchen has been like this since he was a child, and it is easy to drag down other people's physique. Actually, it's nothing, and it will ease up after a night's rest."

"That's why you dare to treat yourself like this." Concubine De couldn't help but reproach, "Mother Concubine watched you go from just learning to walk staggeringly to growing into the current handsome descendant, and she has paid half a lifetime of hard work. You owe me, and you need to take care of yourself, you know?"

"The retainers obeyed." Wang Hong lowered his head slightly.

Concubine De sighed faintly. Then he said slowly: "The mother concubine just heard from the imperial doctor of the Imperial Medical Bureau, and the injury in your palm has just healed. It was broken again, and the imperial doctor said that this time it must be taken care of, and the mother concubine was worried, so she came to see you. You're used to getting sick at night, how are you feeling now? If there's something uncomfortable, you can't hide it, you have to call someone to serve it in time, you know?"

"Erchen knows." Wang Hong raised his head slowly, "Thank you, Mother Princess, for your advice."

"Now that you have grown up, it is no longer possible for your mother to watch you to sleep every night like when you were a child, so she can only tell you from time to time and teach you to pay more attention to yourself. Fortunately, in recent years, you have been less sick again, which makes the mother feel much more at ease." While Concubine De was talking, she reached out and touched Wang Hong's forehead, only to feel a little cold when she touched it, and she couldn't help but say again: "It's so cold, hurry up and get into the quilt to cover it."

Seeing that Concubine De hadn't gotten up yet, Wang Hong hurriedly moved, and sure enough, he "drilled" into the brocade quilt. He didn't dare to open it, still afraid that the booklet would be revealed. After getting into the quilt, he moved his body very slightly, pressing the book under his legs, and then secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Concubine De was actually about to stand up and help Wang Hong tuck the quilt just now, and the reason why she didn't act was because she was used to glancing at the ground before getting up, and then she saw the burned fire stalk on the ground at her feet.

She didn't drop her hand to pick it up, but her eyes fixed on the fire fold for a moment, and then she said with a little annoyance, "What's going on?" The palace is heavy, how many times do you have to be admonished to be careful about the fire candle? Which rough slave left this behind? If you stand up and confess your guilt, you can also ask for some forgiveness, don't wait for the palace to interrogate them one by one! "

Among the several palace maids and eunuchs in Huayang Palace who were in charge of keeping vigil today, none of them made a sound.

Wang Hong, who was already nestled in the quilt, leaned over when he heard the sound and glanced down at Concubine De's gaze, and he quickly understood what was happening. His eyes changed for a moment, and there must be one thing that cannot be bypassed today, and he couldn't help but sigh silently.

The fire fold stalk was also left by the cloth skirt woman Xiaoxing who suddenly appeared in the inner room of the dormitory just now, which was a small accident, but fortunately, this kind of fire fold was very ordinary, and it was not possible to see the traces left by someone's personality from above. However, in order to hide this doubt, there must be a palace slave who has to suffer some grievances tonight.

In the face of everyone's silence, on the couch shrouded in silk tents, the second prince Wang Hong, who was sitting quietly leaning on two soft pillows, suddenly spoke: "It was probably accidentally dropped by the palace maid who held the lamp just now, it's just a trivial matter, it's not worth the mother's annoyance."

Although he said it lightly, as long as these words came out of his mouth, Concubine De would never spare the fault of the palace maid who held the lamp.

There is no need for anyone to identify it, and the arrangement of the palace slaves who keep vigil every night in the dormitory has long been scheduled. The second prince was only halfway through his words, and among the palace maids standing on both sides, one of them knelt down with a "bang" and begged for mercy and cried for mercy. She was guarding the inner room of the dormitory just now, and she got the call of the second prince, so she went to light the palace maid who lit the triangular glass lamp.

The second prince, Wang Hong, didn't say anything more, in order to hide the traces of Xiaoxing, he had to do this. As for this lady who seems to have just been elected to Huayang Palace, she has been wronged today, and she wants him to compensate for the grievances she has suffered today. We'll have to talk about it another day.

Seeing that the palace maid kept kowtowing and begging for mercy, as if she had really been wronged, among the several slaves of Huayang Palace present, there was an older eunuch who vaguely grasped the intention of the second highness, not only did not help the palace maid speak, but also said a little meaningfully: "Don't argue anymore, you can review it yourself. When did His Royal Highness wronged which palace servant? It's all about yourself doing things crudely. Do you want to throw the responsibility back on Your Highness?"

Concubine De's last hesitation was also removed by the eunuch's words, and anger gradually appeared on her face.

The eunuch was right. The second prince Wang Hong, perhaps because of his poor physique, has developed a gentle temperament since he was a child, and rarely gets angry, so naturally he rarely gets angry with the servants in the palace. And so on. He also gradually became a rare good master in the hearts of most palace slaves in the harem.

And as a prince, the wisdom of a gentleman learned from him. Those who have cultivated are clean, and the character is generous and virtuous. It is completely unimaginable that he should do the thing of framing a little palace maid, and at this time, if the palace maid denies it again. It's a bit like I'm throwing dirt on His Royal Highness the Second Prince.

The palace maid who was kneeling on the ground didn't dare to speak out anymore, and after listening to the eunuch's accusation, she had some hatred in her heart. But at the same time, I also wonder myself, is it really my negligence just now? The eunuch's words were not all wrong. How could His Royal Highness wronged himself as a little palace maid?

"If you do things so crudely, and you don't want to take any mistakes you make, how can the emperor's bedroom be left with such a bad servant." Concubine De, who was silent for a moment, spoke coldly, and at the same time flicked her sleeves, "Let's go to the Huanyi Bureau tonight, you will be more diligent there in the future, and you will not even live up to this last master's expectations."

As soon as Concubine De's words were finished, she was surrounded by a few palace maids who came here. [,！ Two people stood up, stretched out their hands on the shoulders of the kneeling palace maid, and quickly carried her out.

After saying the words that could almost change the fate of a palace maid just now, Wang Hong, the second prince who was sitting in the brocade quilt, kept lowering his eyes slightly. He also heard the words of the eunuch, and in fact he was exactly that kind of man, who was accustomed to treating all those around him gently, and did not like to treat these people who served him carefully as cattle, horses, and livestock, and he would not feel the slightest pleasure in his heart when he saw these people being punished.

What's more, the punishment that this palace maid received at this time was indeed planted by herself. But of course he could also understand that the eunuch suddenly spoke, and it was very appropriate to help, although it would cause the palace maid to be punished more severely, but he still had to firmly protect Xiaoxing's original intention.

It's just that this practice of needing to hurt one person in order to protect another person makes him feel a little sorry after all.

After disposing of the palace maid, Concubine De let out a long breath, as if she hadn't completely relieved her hatred. After calming down a little, Concubine De turned her gaze and looked at Wang Hong through a layer of foggy silk tent, and said in a somewhat helpless tone: "When the concubine first came over, she was still wondering, why did all the people in your palace stand at the gate, and now it can be seen that these palace slaves did not serve well and were driven out by you. But why don't you know that slaves are not useful, and it is useless to just drive them away, so they have to be replaced. The concubine has told you this many times, and it's all for your good, why don't you want to do it?"

Wang Hong was silent for a moment, it was really not good to help Concubine De to be angry anymore, and the servants in his palace suffered a lot, so he said softly: "The slaves and maids in Huayang Palace are usually very conscientious in serving their sons, and occasionally there are some negligence, and it is not a big deal, just teach a few words, they will always remember."

"Teach them to abide by the rules of the palace, and naturally there are women and officials in the palace doing it. You are a dignified son, and you must not be entangled in these trivial matters, and you should really take on the big things. If you have to worry about these things, will those grandmothers and female officials who are full-time discipline the new palace maids and eunuchs have a good meal?" The more Concubine De spoke, the more angry the anger on her face became, and after a slight pause in the middle of the conversation, her eyes were slightly sharp, and she said sentence by sentence: "No, the mother concubine still doesn't worry about you, change Ming'er, the mother concubine will call a few more grandmothers over, and check your servants in Huayang Palace to see who is not careful enough. Slaves who are not qualified to stay here will all have to be changed in this palace! "

As soon as Concubine De's words were finished, all the palace maids and eunuchs present were so frightened that their hearts trembled, including the few servants of Xiaohuai Palace who served Concubine De who came here, and their eyes couldn't help but flash a trace of panic. Today's check is Huayang Palace, maybe tomorrow it will be the turn of your own Xiaohuai Palace. And Xiaohuai Palace is not protected by such a good-natured master as His Royal Highness, if it is really investigated. I'm afraid that the situation of the palace slaves in Xiaohuai Palace will be even more bleak.

And the second prince Wang Hong was suddenly taken aback after listening to Concubine De's words. If Concubine De wants to check his palace maids on the grounds of eliminating bad slaves, her father will definitely agree. He didn't know what Concubine De's review criteria for palace maids and eunuchs were, but depending on the two people she disposed of today, once she really started to investigate, the palace servants who were already familiar with each other in her bedroom would definitely be excluded. And then fill in some new people in.

This would greatly disrupt his camp in the palace. No one knows if Concubine De arranged for new palace servants to serve by his side, and whether these newcomers would be her confidants. From now on, if you want to quietly leave the palace. I'm afraid it's even more difficult. And if you want to check the reason for the death of the Ye family's concubine, it will also take more time because it is not easy to get out of the palace.

In addition, once there are newcomers like zài among the servants of Huayang Palace. Xiaoxing's chances of coming back will become even slimmer, and the person he hides behind the long screen in the dormitory. I can't stay here anymore.

But I coincidentally can't refuse to Concubine De at this time.

In the past, when Xiaoxing was still a maid in Huayang Palace, Wang Hong sent her to secretly supervise the palace where Concubine De lived, and at that time he had already discovered that Concubine De was not a simple-minded woman. She has trained several powerful personal maids. Usually, there is no revealing at all, just an ordinary palace maid. Wang Hong believes that Concubine De's nurturing and loving love for him can contain true feelings. But that doesn't mean she doesn't have anything else on her mind.

Could it be that she had also noticed something strange in Huayang Palace?

If so, he refuses at this time. No matter how tactful the wording is, it will arouse her greater suspicion.

Can...... Is that acceptable?

After frowning slightly and thinking for a while, Wang Hong still did not refute Concubine De's decision, he slowly opened his mouth and just instructed the pair of eunuchs who were in charge of the lantern palace maid just now: "Ajia, this palace is thirsty."

"Your Highness, wait a minute." The eunuch who was called Aja hurriedly answered and went out with a palace maid.

The main hall of Huayang Palace inside and outside is equipped with a small water room, the fire is continuous all night, and boiling water is available at any time. Aja soon came in with a crane beak kettle, and when the palace maid he brought out came back, she already had an extra tray in her hand, and on the tray was a set of bone china tea sets, a teapot, and only a tea cup.

Seeing this scene, Concubine De suddenly remembered something, and immediately questioned: "It's time to fall asleep, and you are still preparing to serve tea?"

The eunuch Ajia has been in Huayang Palace for several years, and he has long qualifications and experience, and he is more able to calm his mind in the face of Concubine De's questioning. After a little consideration, he explained: "Niangniang is angry, please listen to the cheap slave explain, this is the habit of His Royal Highness the Second Prince, and the water must be warm before entering the mouth."

"Oh?" Concubine De was surprised.

The eunuch Aja ordered the maid to put the tray on the table, and then only the teapot was removed, and the nine teacups were still placed in the tray in two rows. Then he carried the big iron kettle in his hand, and moved it up and down, and half of the nine teacups in the tray were gone. [,！ Boiling water.

This pouring of water is fast and smooth, and there is hardly a drop of excess hot water spilled outside the tray.

Immediately afterwards, the palace maid lifted the porcelain lid of the teapot that had been removed from the tray before, and then she shook the boiling water in the nine teacups in turn, poured it into the teapot, and then put the nine bone china teacups that had been scalded with boiling water back into the tray, still in two rows up and down.

The eunuch Aja once again carried the large boiling kettle with the crane beak in his hand, and this time he did not move it up and down, but only filled it with a cup.

The maid approached the table again, and did not shake the cup of boiling water again, but poured it into the teapot beside her, but started with the cup of boiling water, and poured it through the nine bone china cups in turn.

When it was her turn to pour into the last bone china cup, she picked up the cup of boiling water, which was no longer steaming, paused lightly on a soft velvet handkerchief in the tray, wiped off the starry water stains at the bottom of the cup, and finally walked to the couch with the cup of water.

There were already two astute palace maids, one left and one right, who reached out to lift a corner of the silk tent.

"Your Highness, the water is warm, you can moisten your mouth." The palace maid with the cup stood on the edge of the couch and did not dare to sit on it, but leaned her upper body and handed the cup over with both hands.

As soon as the second prince Wang Hong took the cup, he heard the eunuch Ajia ask softly: "Your Highness, do you need a wheat pipe?"

Wang Hong shook his head slightly, raised his hand holding the teacup higher, and took a shallow sip first. Then take three or two sips and drink all the warm water in the cup. He exhaled comfortably as he handed back the empty cup.

Concubine De had been watching this scene silently, and several doubts had already risen in her heart, and only then did she look at the eunuch Ajia and ask, "What is the 'wheat pipe' you just said?"

"It's a small tube." The eunuch Aja said, reaching for a small long box that had been resting in the tray a long time ago. Open the lid of the box. He bent down and put his hands over his forehead so that Concubine De could see the contents of the box, and then he explained: "This is taken from the stalk of ripe wheat. Each one was carefully inspected and cleaned by the lowly slaves, and sometimes when His Highness was thirsty at night, he used this straw so that he could drink water without having to sit up. I won't choke either."

Concubine De listened to his explanation, and a hint of novelty appeared in her eyes.

In the early years, she lived in the north with Wang Chi. Wheat is the longest-sown crop for farmers there. Wheat in the north resists the windy climate, and because of some geographical and soil reasons, it generally grows with thick stems and large ears. But at this time, Concubine De saw that the box held by the eunuch Ajia was indeed a wheat straw. But it's clearly like southern wheat.

"How did you get this thing?" Concubine De stretched out her fingers and picked up a wheat pipe, looked up and down at the section of the nozzle at both ends, and said, "Is this thing safe?"

The eunuch Aja lowered his eyebrows and said, "This kind of straw has been refined by a special process designed by the merchants of Kyoto. And it is used in many teahouses. However, the batch of purchases into the palace was made by the Hu Workshop to open a work area system. It shouldn't be a problem."

"Hu's Workshop?" Concubine De raised her eyebrows slightly, "That's a big factory ranked fourth among the five major workshops in Kyoto, how could they make such a gadget?"

"Because this batch of wheat pipes is for the use of His Royal Highness the Second Prince, in addition, the palace people on the eldest princess's side also have to purchase some, so they appointed the Hu Workshop to make the processing technology. When Aja said this, he seemed to remember another thing, and after a slight pause, he hurriedly added: "However, the Hu family's workshop is not without any income when it comes to this errand. Every time the palace finishes purchasing these fine items, the owner of the Hu Fang will sell the remaining part to several teahouses in Kyoto at a high price, because the quality and honor rely on the afterglow of His Royal Highness the Prince, the owner of the Hu Fang will naturally collect a good price."

Concubine De couldn't help but smile when she heard Aja's words come to this point: "It's just something made from wheat straw, how high can it be sold for?" Besides, Kyoto residents are used to borrowing such small items to drink tea?"

"The mother calmed her anger and let the cheap slave say something disrespectful. In fact, this is also the holy decree of His Majesty, the people of the family, must not rely on the royal status to bear the interests of the people, no matter what, you must not let the merchants who do things for the palace specialize in loss-making business. With this errand, the owner of Hu Fang borrowed the glory of His Royal Highness to earn back the capital, which was barely counted within the rules." Eunuch Aja said this, couldn't help but raise his eyelids slightly, and quietly glanced at Concubine De's face at this time. Seeing that her face was still calm, he added: "As for whether the residents of Kyoto are used to using this wheat pipe, the cheap slave also asked the owner of Hu Fang curiously, and explained in his words that the sales of this small thing in Kyoto are not bad, otherwise there would not be so many small workshops in mass production. Presumably...... I guess the people of Kyoto are used to it."

"Oh......" Concubine De groaned and said leisurely: "Listen to what you just said, Huayang Palace, and the princess are all using this kind of thing, it seems that only this palace has not known about it?"

The eunuch Ajia was slightly stunned when he heard this, but soon he came back to his senses and hurriedly explained: "Niangniang is angry, because this kind of thing is ...... When I used it, I more or less damaged Yayi, so ......"

Aja was extremely careful at the beginning of his speech, for fear of giving Concubine De the slightest reason for anger, but unconsciously, he still said it to a dead end. Is it indecent to use a straw? Concubine De can't lose her posture, so His Royal Highness the Second Prince doesn't need posture? Princesses don't need it anymore?

Her eyes stopped on the backs of the pair of eunuchs and palace maids going out, and Concubine De turned her face to look at Wang Hong, and said with a slight smile: "The slaves in Huayang Palace also have a place of love, even if there are some places that are messing around.".

[,！ Wang Hong smiled lightly and said: "What the concubine said about nonsense refers to the matter of her son's ministers using wheat pipes to make water?"

"What's more...... Concubine De pointed to the position where the cups were just released on the table next to her, and said with a slightly surprised face: "Let's just talk about the nine cups of water, and the mother concubine is also the first time to see it." ――

(To be continued)