Zhongcui Palace, the main hall of Concubine Li Shu.

Concubine Li Shu sat on the main seat, and Lu sat on the guest seat, followed by Ma Hui. Concubine Li Shufei is about thirty years old, but she is very well maintained, and the years have hardly left any traces on her body. She was wearing the regular clothes of a concubine, without any jewelry, her skin was fair, her face was as smooth as jade, her nose was straight, her eyes were clear, and her expression was full of feminine charm and softness, which made people involuntarily feel close.

Concubine Li Shu took Ma Hui's hand, admired it, looked back and said to the Lu family: "Crown princess, you really found a good daughter-in-law, although I saw it in the palace when I chose the concubine, I was amazed at the time, but now it seems to be even more peugeot." ”

Lu Shi smiled and said: "Niangniang likes Liu'er, it is Liu'er's blessing, it's just that she is young and knowledgeable, she has just entered the palace, and there are still many things she doesn't understand, and I hope Niangniang can teach more!" ”

Before Concubine Li Shu could answer, Ma Hui had already knelt on the ground: "Niangniang is above, Liu Er has just entered the palace, although His Royal Highness and the mother concubine are very good to Liu Er, but when I see Niang Niang today, I feel very close, I hope to see Niang Niang often, please have mercy on Niangniang." ”

Concubine Li Shu couldn't help laughing: "Hahaha, princess, you are really a blessed person, you have a good son and a good daughter-in-law." Liu'er, there are not many things in this palace on weekdays, you can come and go often, it's too late for this palace to be happy, come, come, sit down next to this palace, this palace wants to take a good look at you. ”

Ma Hui sat next to Concubine Li Shu, Concubine Li looked at Ma Hui's skin, and said with a smile: "Princess, you see how good Liu'er's skin is, unlike this palace, it is not as good as a few years ago, it is much worse." ”

Lu Shi said: "Niangniang is naturally beautiful and has good skin, but her daughter-in-law is really a little old, not as good as a few years ago." ”

Ma Hui hurriedly said: "Niangniang and the mother concubine are not old at all, their skin and appearance are like fairies, but the mother serves the emperor and the mother takes care of His Royal Highness, so she is a little tired. ”

Concubine Li Shu glanced at the Lu family and said with a smile: "Child, you child Bengong likes it very much, since you are here today, Bengong will tell you some things in the palace, I hope it will be of some use to you." ”

"The concubines listened attentively."

Concubine Li Shuping retreated left and right, and said: "The emperor admires and misses the former queen very much, so all the actions of this palace are modeled by the first queen, and Liu Er will also be the queen in the future, so you have to be the same as this palace, learn the frugality, simplicity and generosity and kindness of the first queen, these are the things that the emperor values most." ”

"Well, the concubine understands that the first empress is compared to the Empress Mingde of the Eastern Han Dynasty."

"Yes, when the first queen died, the palace had just entered the palace, so what the palace said was what the palace saw with her own eyes. The queen personally handles the emperor's meals every day, and even the meals and clothes of the prince's children and grandchildren are personally taken care of. The palace people may be fortunate to be pregnant, the queen is doubly compassionate, the concubines may be resentful, and the queen tries to mediate. ”

"The emperor is thrifty and leads by example, and the clothes he usually wears have been washed many times, but they are already worn, and he is not willing to change them into new ones. He also set up a loom and weaved cloth in the harem, and gave it to those lonely and widowed old people, and the remaining cloth was made into clothes and given to the princess and princess, reminding them that although they were born rich and noble, they should also cherish their property. ”

"This palace also participated in this matter back then, but since the death of the queen, the former concubine Li Shu and Concubine Guo Ning, who presided over the harem, did not have enough prestige to do this thing, and this palace is even worse, thinking about it like this, it is really ashamed of the queen."

"There is also the queen's compassion for her subordinates, and she is reluctant to take medicine when she is sick, this kind of style is still fascinated when I think about it today."

Speaking of this, Concubine Li Shu picked up two books from the table, handed them to Ma Hui, and said: "This is the "Testament of Empress Xiaoci Gao" given to you by the emperor and the "Biography of the Virtuous Queen" compiled by the queen according to the deeds of the virtuous queens of the past dynasties. ”

Ma Hui hurriedly knelt down to accept it.

After a while, Concubine Li Shu seemed to mention it unintentionally, and said: "Princess Yan is the eldest daughter of the King of Zhongshan, she is chaste and quiet, erudite and talented, she came to visit the palace the day before yesterday, and the content in the "Legacy of Empress Xiaoci Gao" can be listed word for word, which is deeply appreciated by the emperor; At the same time, Princess Yan also knows the content of "The Legend of the Virtuous Queen" well, Liu Er, you have to do this, otherwise it will not be good once the emperor asks. ”

"The concubine understands, and she must follow the instructions of her mother." Ma Hui knelt down to express his gratitude.

The three of them chatted for half an hour, and they talked very happily, Lu and Ma Hui left gifts to leave, and Concubine Li Shu personally sent them out, took Ma Hui's hand, and told her to come to see her often, Ma Hui nodded and agreed, and the three of them said goodbye.

Looking at the backs of the two, Concubine Li Shufei seemed to be in a much better mood, and the personal palace maid Cuilian next to her said in a low voice: "Niangniang, you are so good to Concubine Taisun that you personally sent it out." Princess Yan is here, and you haven't sent it out in person. ”

Concubine Li Shu's face sank, she glared at Cuilian, turned around and walked into Zhong Cui Palace, and Cuilian hurriedly followed. Concubine Li Shufei's face sank like water, and said, "Cuilian, kneel down, who told you to say today's words?" ”

"Mother? What words? Cuilian knelt on the ground and wondered.

"The matter of Princess Yan."

"Niangniang, Princess Yan is kind, generous, and very good to Cuilian, so Cuilian is a little resentful, and the princess only gave some ordinary gifts, far less than Princess Yan. Why did the mother lower her figure and send her out in person? ”

"Go on."

"Niangniang, Cuilian is for the good of Niangniang, even if the imperial grandson ascends the throne in the future, he will not dare to be rude to Niangniang, you are the empress dowager, why bother to slap him?"

Concubine Li Shu's face became more and more cold: "What else?" ”

Cuilian thought for a while and said: "The imperial grandson is mean and unkind, treats the imperial uncle harshly, King Yan has great military achievements, and is the most prince, listening to the sacred voice of the ancestors, representing the recognition of the ancestors." The imperial grandson said that he would go to the ancestral tomb to pray for the forgiveness of the ancestors, but he has not made the trip to this day, indicating that there is a ghost in his heart, so Cuilian feels that the imperial grandson may not be able to be a few days away, and King Yan will not inherit the unification. ”

"Cuilian, who told you this?" Concubine Li Shu's body trembled, and she pointed at Cuilian, but asked in a low voice.

Cuilian was also a little scared when she heard Concubine Li Shufei's words, but she still mustered up the courage to say: "Niangniang, these things are spread in the palace, and many people know about them. ”

"A lot of people know?" Concubine Li Shufei slapped her hand on the table with a "snap": "Then the palace asks you, who asked you to say good things for King Yan?" ”

Cuilian was finally a little scared, and said: "Niangniang, Cuilian just accepted one hundred taels of silver from Ma Sanbao, the eunuch of Yanwangfu, he asked me to say good things for King Yan, Cuilian didn't dare to say it, but when she heard the rumors in the palace in the past two days, she thought that Niangniang would also approve of it, so she dared to say it today, and asked Niangniang to forgive her sins." ”

"Rumors in the palace? Who's going on? ”

"This, the little Fuzi of Chuxiu Palace, the palace maid Chun Tao of Changchun Palace, and ......"

Before Cuilian could finish speaking, Concubine Li Shu shouted: "Someone." ”

A eunuch immediately came in outside the door, it was Du Shixing, the head of Zhongcui Palace, who knelt down to Concubine Li Shu: "What do you command?" ”

Concubine Li Shufei pointed at Cuilian and said: "This girl is talking nonsense, disturbing the palace ban, and dragging it out and beating her to death." ”

"Yes." Du Shixing clapped his hands, and two eunuchs came in at the door, pulling Cuilian and walking out.

Cuilian was shocked and said: "Niang Niang spare her life, Niang Niang spare her life, Cuilian knows that she is wrong, Cuilian knows that she is wrong, they are all ..... of Yanwangfu" As soon as he said this, Du Shixing rushed over with an arrow and removed Cuilian's jaw. Then he looked back at Concubine Li Shufei, but Concubine Li Shufei closed her eyes and just waved her hand.

After a while, Du Shixing walked in and knelt on the ground: "Niangniang, Cuilian has been killed with a cane." ”

Concubine Li raised her hand tiredly and said, "You get up." ”

"Yes." Du Shixing stood up and lowered his head.

"Shixing, this palace asks you, have you heard some rumors in the palace recently?"

"What kind of rumor is Niangniang referring to?"

"About King Yan and the emperor's grandson."

"There are some, but the minister has ordered the eunuchs and palace maids of Zhongcui Palace not to spread these rumors."

"Now that you know, why don't you tell the palace?"

"Niangniang," Du Shixing bowed and said in a low voice: "Weichen thinks that Niangniang still doesn't know." ”

Concubine Li Shufei smiled bitterly: "Yes, I don't know the best, there are no heirs in this palace, how dare you get involved in these things?" Forget it, you go down, take care of the people of Zhong Cui Palace, don't spread the matter of Cuilian, do you understand? ”

"The minister understands, and the minister retires."

Waiting for Du Shixing to retreat, Concubine Li Shu looked at the Yulian who was serving beside her, and sighed softly, King Yan has been living in the palace for three months, and there is no sign of moving out. Or did he have other plans?