The number nine cold days are the coldest days of the year, dripping into ice, but the main hall of the East Palace is warm as if in spring because of the burning of the earth dragon and the charcoal basin, in the lingering aroma of the princess Shi Shi half-closed her eyes lying on the chaise longue, two little palace maids while holding the jade wheel on her legs massage, very silent.

After a while, the curtain was opened, and a palace maid about forty years old came in, she glanced at Shi Shi in the fake sleep, waved her hand to signal the two little palace maids to step back, and took the jade wheel and rolled it gently on Shi's lap.

"How? Where has Prince Zhidao been these days? Shi asked with his eyes closed.

"Back to Niangniang's words, the slave maid inquired, the prince recently fell in love with a Qing man in Ning Yuexuan, and went to support her every day, looking at the prince's appearance, it seems that he intends to redeem her." Yingxiang replied cautiously.

"He dares!" Shi Shi suddenly opened his eyes and slapped his hand on the couch fiercely, obviously extremely angry in his heart.

"Mother's hand hurts carefully." Yingxiang hurriedly persuaded: "Actually, the prince is just acting on the spot, and he doesn't really like it, the most important thing in the prince's heart is you, Niangniang, otherwise why have you never accepted a concubine over the years." ”

"Hmph, you don't have to say good things for him, what kind of person he is is this palace knows very well in his heart." Having said that, but his expression eased a little, he got up with Yingxiang's hand and came to the light smoke of the Boshan incense burner, scooped a spoonful of incense powder and slowly pulled it into the furnace with transparent nails, and the aroma wrapped around the tip of his nose suddenly became a little stronger.

"If it weren't for the fear that he would blindly indulge in women and miss state affairs, the palace would not bother to pay attention to him, in recent years, the emperor Ama has been dissatisfied with him, but he still doesn't know how to restrain himself." Speaking of Yinren, Shi looked like he hated iron but not steel, "Go, let that Qingren leave the capital, lest he can't take it back outside." ”

Seeing that Yingxiang agreed, Shi asked again, "How was the matter that asked you to inquire yesterday?" ”

"The slave maid went to ask the aunt in charge of Zhong Cui Palace, Ling Zhu did have a daughter who entered the palace for the draft, named Ling Ruo was fifteen years old, the slave maid had stolen her eyes, she was very beautiful, and the most important thing was that she looked like a person."

"Who?" Shi asked casually, but when he heard Yingxiang's answer, his face suddenly changed, and he exclaimed in a low voice, "What? Empress Hyo Seong-in? ”

"Yes, the slave saw the shadow of Empress Xiaochengren from her. Although the slave maid was only fifteen or sixteen years old when Empress Xiaochengren died, and more than twenty years had passed, the slave maid would never be mistaken. "Yingxiang was originally a palace maid who served Concubine Rong, and she was the most stable, but later when the Shi family entered the palace, Concubine Rong Guifei was worried that the palace people would not serve her well, so she sent her over, and her words Shi would not doubt it.

Shi's pretty face sank slightly, and he said after a long time: "Huang Ama has never forgotten Empress Xiaochengren, if he sees Niu Hulu Ling Ruo......"

"It's inevitable to keep a sign." Yingxiang took her words and continued, "And with the emperor's thoughts about Empress Xiaochengren, she must be a holy family, and it may not be long before she can be crowned a concubine and a concubine, and she will be crowned with six palaces." ”

Shi raised his eyebrows, which were obliquely long into his sideburns, and said: "When Ama came to talk to the palace yesterday, the palace thought that he was too careful, but now it seems that it is nothing at all, this person must not stay in the palace." She stroked the tourmaline bracelet in her hand and said slowly: "Go and ask the small kitchen to make a few good snacks, and the palace will personally take them to Concubine Rong later." ”

"Niangniang wants to tell this to the concubine Niangniang?" Yingxiang asked softly,

The corners of Shi's lips were slightly raised, and there were deep laugh lines in them, "Bengong didn't say it, Bengong just hasn't asked my aunt for some days, and I want to go and ask Anshun to talk about family life." ”

Yingxiang smiled knowingly and didn't say anything more. She has served Concubine Rong for many years, and she is very clear about Concubine Rong's likes and dislikes, she may be fair or reasonable, but that is only applicable to situations that will not threaten her status, once it is related to her own interests, the word justice has become a joke.

She believed that Concubine Rong would never want to return to the shadow of Empress Xiaochengren, even if it was just a stand-in.

Ling Ruo, who was far away in Zhongcui Palace, didn't know that the Lu Dao crisis was coming towards her step by step, she had kept Qiu Ci's words in mind these days, Ren Muyue didn't argue with her no matter how provocative she was, she only seriously learned the rules with her grandmother, she knew that the rules in the Lu Dao Palace were cumbersome, but she didn't want to be cumbersome like this, and even how high the handkerchief was thrown when she walked, every word and deed, every smile and smile were all learned from scratch.

The sky that had been clear for a long time on this day was snowing again, and the show girls thought that they could be exempted from practicing for a day, at least they could practice in the house, but they didn't talk about the slightest affection, not only to practice, but also to practice in the courtyard as usual, and provoked a group of show girls who dared to be angry and dare not speak, and stood in the courtyard with their necks shrunk one by one, the tip of their noses was frozen red.

"Please follow me again, get up!" Mama Gui demonstrated in front of her expressionlessly, the snow was falling heavier and heavier, and it was all over the sky, like flying goose feathers, blurring everyone's eyes, and they could only see endless white.

"Don't practice, don't practice!" Finally, a show girl couldn't help but throw the handkerchief on the ground, and shouted: "How can you practice when your hands and feet are frozen on such a cold day." ”

Ling Ruo recognized the show girl, Xu Jia Linyu, the daughter of the first-class duke of the dynasty, and one of the most noble among all the show girls, the real proud daughter of the sky.

Mama Gui swept her eyes, walked up to her and said lightly: "Please pick up the handkerchief and continue practicing." ”

Lin Yu glared at her and shouted: "Are you deaf or what's wrong, I can't even say I can't practice, just teach these rules, I don't bother me if you don't bother." ”

"Please Linyu Xiaoyu pick up the handkerchief and continue practicing." Mama Gui only replied to her words, but her face was a little unsightly.

Seeing that what he said was ignored like this, Linyu, who had never been disobeyed, came up as soon as she was angry, not only did not pick it up, but also stepped on the handkerchief with her foot, raised her chin and said proudly: "I won't pick you up, don't forget that you are just a minion, when will it be your turn to order me." ”

Qiu Ci said to Ling Ruo in an inaudible voice behind him: "This Xu Jia Linyu is too arrogant, I am afraid that this kind of character will suffer." ”

Ling Ruo nodded and didn't speak, at this time Hongling had already received a report and rushed here, she first comforted Mama Gui, and then walked up to Xu Jia Linyu, who was embarrassed, looked at her deeply, leaned over and picked up the wet silk handkerchief from the ground, and handed it to her. Lin Yu snorted coldly and said don't look over, she didn't mean to take it at all.

Hongling withdrew her hand, turned her face to look at the nearly 100 show girls in the courtyard, and her voice clearly entered the ears of everyone present, "The slave and maid know that all the little masters are more or less dissatisfied in their hearts, thinking that I am good, and several grandmothers are just slaves, so I don't care about you." Yes, we are slaves, but the little masters are not serious masters, only through the draft ceremony three days later, and the emperor left a sign to canonize promises, choose servants and even nobles are eligible to be called masters by the slaves, otherwise they are not even qualified to stay in the palace. ”

"The reason why Mama Gui is so strict is also for the good of the little masters, as a palace concubine, her words and deeds are a model for the world, and no matter when and where there is no etiquette. If the little masters want to participate in the draft ceremony safely, then please listen to the words of a few teachers and grandmothers in these three days, and don't embarrass the slaves, this is not for the slaves but for the little masters themselves. ”

"Auntie is polite." After a period of silence, I don't know who said it first, and the others followed, obviously Hongling's words calmed the originally dissatisfied show girls.

Hongling once again handed the handkerchief to Linyu, who had a tense face, "Does the little master continue to practice or does the slave maid go and truthfully return to the concubine Niangniang, saying that the little master does not follow the education and ignores the palace rules?" ”

Lin Yu didn't expect her to dare to threaten herself, but she couldn't do it again, if she really went back to Rong Guifei, then she would definitely be reprimanded, and maybe she would even lose her qualification for the draft. After thinking about it again and again, he finally endured this breath, hatefully took the wet and dirty veil, and prepared to settle today's account with her when he entered the palace and became the master in the future.

Hongling couldn't see what she was thinking, so she just smiled and left.

"This aunt in charge is so profitable." Ling Ruo said in a low voice, Qiu Ci stared at Hongling's departing figure and flashed a hint of discoloration, "How can you sit in this position if you don't have some ability, but this person does have some ability." ”

After that, no one dared to object, and all the rules and regulations followed Gui Mama to practice, letting it be cold and snowy, without a trace of wavering.

It's not that they are mentally firm, but that they know that in order to fly up the branches and become human beings, they must first pass this hurdle.

At the end of such a day, it is needless to say that I am tired, my hands and feet are frozen and numb, but fortunately, there is ginger tea to warm the stomach and drive away the cold, otherwise I have to get sick.

Ling Ruo saw that it was still early after eating, and she didn't want to face Mu Yue, so she simply took an umbrella and a wind lantern to go outside, although this harem was big, but she didn't know many places, except for Zhong Cui Palace, there was only Merlin who had been back to the palace.