Cheng Yue pondered for a long time and said: "Cui Bin, you have to send someone to keep an eye on him, don't let him be killed, if necessary, you can steal him, just say it's my order, and he will probably obey it." ”

Yang Ting sighed: "If Cui Bin knew that the Metropolitan Governor had been secretly protecting him, how could he not be grateful? The subordinates must do their best, hoping to save his life. ”

Cheng Yue signaled: "This matter must be handled well." Now you have to go and investigate all the beggars that Lilac usually gives alms, and the places where she occasionally buys, even if you only buy them once, you have to check them out. Once you have the clues, follow the vine and see how big a net they have formed, so as not to alarm them. ”

Yang Ting said: "Yes, my subordinates will do it." "Turn around and take your leave.

Cheng Yue sat alone in the study and thought about it, picked up a pen and wrote a secret letter, sealed the wax seal, and ordered someone to send it to the palace.

Concubine Yang Shu and the concubines returned to the palace and immediately reported to Cining Palace. When Xie Daoqing and Quan Jiu heard Cheng Yue's disposition, they looked at each other and felt a little ridiculous. It is not uncommon for harem concubines to work, but they are all secretly done during the war in order to stimulate morale or the concubines who were beaten into the cold palace in the palace in order to improve their lives. It has been unheard of since ancient times to let the concubines really work, but it is much better than driving the concubines out of the palace, it may not be a good solution, and it seems that it is still the only way. Cheng Yue said very clearly, if you don't want to do it and if you don't do it well, you will be thrown out of the palace, he doesn't raise idlers.

Quan Jiu was suspicious: "Could this be a plan set up by the Metropolitan Governor?" He wanted to rectify the harem, but it was not easy to say it directly, and he was even more afraid that others would say that he was disrespectful to the official family, so he acted in a play for us to see? In this way, not only will the palace not resent him. Will you be grateful to him instead? ”

Xie Daoqing was silent in thought. Yang Shufei said: "It's not impossible for Niangniang to say this. However, in the opinion of Yinu, although the Governor was silent on the surface when he heard the news, he was shocked in his heart, and it did not seem to be a fake. If the Metropolitan Governor really wants to rectify the harem, wouldn't it be easier to move people out directly? Is he still short of workers? The Metropolitan Governor came up with this idea, which was already the best of both worlds. Anyway, it's boring in the palace, so it's good to find something to do. Most of the governors want the palace to make clothes and fabrics, and many concubines usually do this. It might be more fun to make something new, and there are a few people along the way who are eager to try it. ”

When Xie Daoqing heard this, he said, "What Concubine Shu said is true." This article appeared in a very strange way, just after the Metropolitan Governor was tough on foreign envoys. If the Metropolitan Governor ignores it, the people will definitely think that the Metropolitan Governor is unfair, and the standards of rewards and punishments are different. No matter what the Metropolitan Governor declares in the future, there will naturally be voices of doubt, which is extremely unfavorable to the Metropolitan Governor. In order not to move the concubines out of the palace, it was not easy for the Metropolitan Governor to come up with this idea. He can no longer be harsh. Alas, tomorrow we will see the performance of the Grand Duke. The reduction of the palace expenses is certain, and any other requirements are also approved, and the Metropolitan Governor cannot be embarrassed anymore. ”

Quan Jiu nodded yes, at this time, a large number of concubines came to Cining Palace again, not as flustered as before, as long as they can stay in the palace, they don't have to go to the nunnery to spend their lives, and doing some work is actually nothing.

Of course, Xie Daoqing and Quan Jiu didn't care about these specific things, Yang Shufei stood up, said Cheng Yue's conditions again, and then asked the concubines to sign up, and they should be divided into two groups: those who make clothes and those who weave.

The concubines had no way to calculate, so they had to divide them according to their interests and relationships, some were uneasy, some were excited, and some were in a dilemma, and it took a long time to divide them. Yang Shufei then divided them into groups, every group of ten people, each pushed a team leader, and after it was determined, she ordered the four ladies of spring, summer, autumn and winter to write down the list, and they would arrange work according to this list in the future.

The concubines reported to the group list one by one with complicated feelings, and some of the concubines were still aggrieved and burst into tears, but no one dared to complain. Cheng Yue said first, they could only obey.

In the midst of the busyness, Chen Baohe held a secret piece in his hand and quietly handed it to Xie Daoqing. Xie Daoqing saw that it was written by Cheng Yue, so he quickly opened it and read it carefully.

Quan Jiu saw that Xie Daoqing's face was serious, and he also watched Cheng Yue's secret recital, and was surprised after reading it, and whispered to Xie Daoqing: "Sage, judging from the things that the Dadu Inspector has discovered, this matter is likely to be done by the spies of the Yuan Dynasty, trying to separate the relationship between the palace and the Dadu Governor, and the concubine was almost fooled just now and wronged the Dadu Governor." ”

Xie Daoqing nodded slightly, and said, "The Metropolitan Governor has done his best for us orphans and widows, and we really have to thank him." The affairs of the harem are up to him, and the mourning family doesn't want to take care of it.?"

Seeing that Xie Daoqing's mood was not high, Quan Jiu said with a smile: "The Governor of the Metropolitan said in his excerpt that he would enter the palace tomorrow to offer treasures to the saint, I don't know what he got out?" ”

Xie Daoqing showed a smile and said, "Let's see tomorrow, in the end, it's a young man, but he can't hold his breath, and there is a month to mourn his family's birthday, isn't it better to sacrifice at that time?" ”

Quan Jiu said: "The concubines must have deep meaning when they see the governor, and they may not be able to say if they have something to say." ”

Xie Daoqing sighed, didn't want to pay attention to the chaos in front of him anymore, and said: "The mourning family has gone to rest, you and Concubine Shu will do things well, let the concubines do things with peace of mind, don't regain right and wrong, otherwise no one will be able to protect them at that time, and it will be useless to come to Cining Palace to cry again." ”

Quan Jiu said: "Yes, congratulations to the saint." All the concubines saluted together, and Xie Daoqing went back to the dormitory to rest.

The next morning, Cheng Yue did not go to the court, hugged Zhang Shufang and Ye Yiyi, Ye Qian'er, Hu Xiuxiu, Gillian and Wan'er for a long time, got up and finished breakfast and studied the furniture with Ye Feng and Zhang Shirong, who came to see him, for a long time.

Along the way, many people gave a thumbs up when they saw Cheng Yue, and some people thanked Cheng Yue loudly for stopping the extravagance in the palace and making decisions for the people. It seems that as Cheng Yue expected, the propaganda of "China Daily" has worked, and the vast majority of the people will not necessarily move all the concubines in the palace out, and Cheng Yue's approach has won their support.

Xie Dao was waiting for Cheng Yue to come early in the morning, and the news that Cheng Yue wanted to see would be spread as soon as it arrived. Cheng Yue carried the box and soon came to Cining Palace.

Xie Daoqing saw Cheng Yue come in to give a salute, and said with a smile: "The Metropolitan Governor is exempt, I heard that the Metropolitan Governor has a treasure to show the mourning family, and the mourning family was looking forward to it yesterday, what is it?" "There was no mention of concubines.

Cheng Yue smiled, this Xie Daoqing is really interesting, and said: "The minister entered the palace today to specially come to match glasses for the saint." ”

"Glasses?"

In the Song Dynasty, there were prototypes of glasses, but they were not called this name, and they could not regulate their vision well.

"Yes." Cheng Yue said: "The last time the minister entered the palace, he noticed that the saint seemed to have presbyopia, and he couldn't see people and things clearly, right?" ”

Xie Daoqing was overjoyed and said eagerly: "Is there a way for the Metropolitan Governor to let the mourning family see clearly?" ”

Cheng Yue said: "Of course you can, otherwise dare to call it a treasure?" Please remove the curtain from the saint. ”

Xie Daoqing will be sixty-six years old soon, and he is not afraid of men looking at him, so he immediately ordered Chen Baohe to open the curtain.

Cheng Yue looked up and saw Xie Daoqing's kind eyebrows, Yongrong and luxury, there were not many wrinkles on his face, his skin was white, except for being a little haggard, he looked only in his early fifties, and his still delicate facial features showed that he must have been a rare beauty when he was young.

Cheng Yue measured the distance, took out an eye chart from the box, and asked Chen Baohe to hold it without moving. Then he walked to Xie Daoqing's side with the box, and used the lenses that Ye Qian'er had sharpened in advance to make a magnifying glass-like lens to test Xie Daoqing's prescription.

Xie Daoqing tried the lenses with joy, and the things in front of his left and right eyes became clearer and clearer, and he had not seen things so clearly for decades, but, how to wear them?

Cheng Yue carefully tried for Xie Daoqing for a long time before determining the degree, and then took out a ruler and a mold of glasses frames, asked Xie Daoqing to put them on, and began to measure between Xie Daoqing's eyebrows and eyes.

Because you have to look closely, Cheng Yue and Xie Daoqing are very close, Xie Daoqing has not been so close to the opposite sex for decades, Cheng Yue's breathing is unscrupulous on her face, her lips are also circling in front of her, and occasionally you have to touch Xie Daoqing's ears and nose a few times, if it weren't for Cheng Yue's age, Xie Daoqing would have pushed him away early in the morning and reprimanded.

Chen Baohe wanted to remind Cheng Yue not to get too close, but it was difficult to speak, no matter how much Cheng Yue liked women, it was impossible for him to be interested in the Empress Dowager, disturbing the work of the Metropolitan Governor, if he started a temper, he couldn't afford it, so he simply blocked the eye chart in front of him and pretended not to see it, and he didn't care if he needed it now.

Cheng Yue finished the measurement without distraction, took a pen and wrote it down in detail, packed up everything and said: "Sage, the glasses are made by Ye Qian'er, the minister's concubine, and they are about to go on the market, and the minister wants to be the first to use for the sage." But not now, the minister has to tailor a suitable frame for the saint, and it should be ready by the time the saint celebrates his birthday, so please endure it for a few more days. ”

Xie Daoqing said with a smile: "Governor, is this going to be an advertisement for the mourning family?" ”

Cheng Yue nodded his head and said: "Yes, the minister has any good things for the saint to enjoy first, in return, of course the saint has to advertise for the minister, the two benefits of things, why not?" ”

Xie Daoqing smiled helplessly: "Then the mourning family also wants to thank the Metropolitan Governor, I haven't forgotten the mourning family." ”

Cheng Yue took out a fold from the box and said, "This is a fold drawn up by the minister about the harem concubines, please read it by the sage." ”

Xie Daoqing sighed and said, "What else to read, isn't it all written very clearly in today's newspaper?" The mourning family is approved. The Metropolitan Governor deliberately didn't go to court, and waited for the outside to spread before going up, right? ”

Cheng Yue also sighed and said, "The minister did it on purpose. First, it is inevitable that the palace will be embarrassed in public, and the minister will not dare to be so arrogant. Second, the minister wants to create a momentum outside, forcing the minister who disagrees to agree, the minister is bold, and the saint should not be surprised. (To be continued......)