As soon as spring passed, the summer in Jinling came, and Xinyue finally didn't have to look in the mirror every day to see her belly, and she was wearing wide clothes, which were difficult to cover.

Today is the day of the draft, and after the position is sealed, the new ladies who enter the palace will say hello to the new moon for the first time.

Xi'er tidied up the dress for Xinyue, and when she saw that Xinyue was still looking at herself in the mirror, she asked, "Niangniang, do you want to add anything?" ”

Crescent shook her head, "I'm just looking, my face." ”

"What's wrong with Niangniang's face, there's nothing wrong with it" Xi Er saw that Xinyue's face, although there was not the slightest pink, it was still white and shiny, and even the scar on her forehead was so light that she could hardly see it.

"It's alright, are they all here?"

"Yes, the ladies are already here."

Crescent nodded, "Let's go." ”

Xi'er supported the new moon and slowly walked to the main hall of the Kun Palace.

In addition to Queen Chai, the first emperor had a total of three concubines and six concubines, and there were already some beauties. But in the last ten years, there has not been a single concubine, so there are only these people in the harem.

Rong Ying probably means the same thing, there are not too many people in the harem.

The draft was selected layer by layer, and in the palace selection, Rong Ying didn't go, just went through the motions, and ordered the decree to go according to the list prepared for him by the new moon.

Xinyue sat firmly on the phoenix chair, Chai Bijun and Mercy stood on the first place on both sides, and the other women all stood in the middle aisle with sincere fear, and when they saw Xinyue sitting down, they all knelt down to say goodbye.

There are a total of seven people selected this time, and there is Mu Wanwan, who Xinyue has taken a fancy to from the beginning, because she has the highest background, she was named Mu Meiren.

Luo Shangshu's eldest daughter, Roy, was named Luo Liangren.

As for the others, they are the granddaughter of Cheng'en, He Shi, who was named He Cairen.

Jiang, the daughter of the Sichuan Prefecture Assassin Historian, was named Jiang Liangren.

The daughter of Chengzhou Fu was named Fu Baolin.

As for Meng Yanqing, the daughter of Meng Yuanwai, she also entered the palace and was named Baolin.

The last one was the younger sister of Rong Ying's subordinate officials in Bingzhou, who was named Li Baolin.

It is not difficult to see that of these seven people, three are from the noble clan, and the other four even have daughters who are not official or positional. And here, although there are seven people, there are still too few in the face of the intertwined and intertwined interests of the imperial court.

Crescent Moon flattened up, and several people stood up, raising their heads, wanting to listen to Crescent's words.

Naturally, the reprimands are indispensable, and Xinyue has also prepared some, she cleared her throat and said, "Your Majesty has just ascended the throne for less than three years, and the affairs of the court and the central government are also chaotic. A few of you, after thousands of selections, have finally entered His Majesty's harem. This palace knows that your family and your own interests are connected to some things, and they are constantly being sorted out and messed up. However, this palace still wants to tell you again, and you should listen to this palace well, that is, the harem cannot interfere in politics. It is absolutely impossible for the interests of the family to hang above the interests of His Majesty and the people of the Great Holy Country. If you do these things and are found out by this palace, then this palace will never tolerate it, and Your Majesty will never shelter you, so from the first day you entered the palace, I will say it here. Second, everyone will be in the palace in the future, and this palace does not ask you to be sisters, but, at the very least, don't let your hands get bloody, the child is innocent, the woman is sent to this place that does not see the light of day, and it is even more innocent, there is no need to send others and yourself into it for the sake of a man. Your Majesty's children, absolutely can not appear again, the first emperor's sons, if there is one thing, whether you have done it or not, whether you know it or not, the palace implements joint sitting, you, the other concubines who are good friends with you, your future children, the family, and the palace will not let go of any of them, this is the only thing you have to abide by if you want to survive in this harem. Third, from today onwards, you will begin to sleep one after another, whether you are favored or not favored in the future, this palace will come in the spirit of fairness, and advise Your Majesty a lot on this point. After you enter the palace, one is to take care of yourself, but not to harm others, and the third is to take care of Your Majesty for the sake of the concubine. Do you all understand that? ”

Chai Bijun looked at the new moon with a raised voice, and the resentment in her heart that had existed since she saw the new moon couldn't be suppressed. She has everything, her sister-in-law, and there is another one in her belly, the queen's position, Your Majesty's favor, she already has everything, but she is just a chess piece that His Majesty clamps down on the Chai family, and the Chai family is close to His Majesty, and her love for His Majesty, he has never been able to see it, and her grievances are just insults one after another, "You have lost the face of the daughter of the Chai family".

Xinyue glanced at Chai Bijun, saw her eyes forward, looking straight ahead, and her hand was also tightly grasped on the back of the chair on the side, Xinyue lowered her head, coughed lightly twice, and said, "Chai Guifei"

"Yes, yes, Niangniang" Chai Bijun heard Xinyue calling her, subconsciously glanced at Xinyue, and saw that she didn't look at herself anymore, so she immediately restrained her expression, stood up, and stood in front of Xinyue.

"As you can see, there are more concubines in the harem now, and the palace is also pregnant, and there are two princes to take care of in the heart, you are in this palace, serving Your Majesty for the longest time, and your position is also the highest, and the palace has also returned to Your Majesty, so that you can take care of the affairs of the harem from today until the child in the womb of the palace turns one year old. If you perform well, this palace will give you the right to associate in the future, how about it? ”

"Yes, the concubine will live up to the trust of His Majesty and Niangniang" As she spoke, Chai Bijun bowed lower, and from the corner of her eye, she saw a scratch in the corner of the phoenix chair where Xinyue was sitting.

This scratch was accidentally left by her aunt Queen Chai when she was there. Chai Bijun looked at the scratch with some distraction, and his aunt also found the scratch, and said with a smile, "You see this mark, it's inside the chair, unless you lower your head and stand in the front, no one can see it." I, I won't preach it to anyone, but when you sit in this position, you can fix it yourself. ”

"Concubine?" Xinyue said for a long time, but Chai Bijun still bowed, and when she heard Xinyue call her, she suddenly came back to her senses, "Yes, thank you Niangniang." ”

"Okay, this palace has prepared some gifts for you, and it's not too early, so you can take these gifts and go back to your palace." As she spoke, the crescent moon waved her hand and let everyone disperse.

Mercy didn't leave, but just stood up and waited for everyone to be almost done before walking in front of the new moon.

Crescent Moon looked at Pity and asked, "What's wrong?" ”

"Niangniang, the concubine is a little frightened." I haven't seen her for the past few days, and her compassion seems to be a lot haggard, in her big eyes, her eyes are a little distracted, and her eyes are also dark and green, and her face is a little dull yellow, Xinyue immediately asked Xi'er to bring her a chair and sit next to Xinyue, "You, what's wrong?" ”

"Concubine..."Mercy glanced at Xinyue, Xinyue frowned, because Mercy was in a very bad state, "Mercy, have you encountered something?" ”

"The concubine body just thinks that there are so many concubines in the palace now, and the concubine body has just given birth to a child, so naturally it is not as good as these young concubines, and the concubine body is old and yellow, what if Your Majesty no longer likes the concubine body, Po'er is still so young, what can I do without His Majesty's love?"

Xinyue looked at this concubine who had only entered the palace for a day, and she was haggard into such a pity, Xinyue stretched out her hand and took the hand of pity, "Pity, you don't know what else you have, your family, your Po'er, are all your confidence, I thought that in this palace, the person who will not feel the crisis is the most." ”

"Niangniang, the concubine really has no bottom in her body and mind. Originally, the concubine never thought that she would enter the palace, I, I am not as generous and decent as my eldest sister was educated, and I am not as smart as you, I, how can I live in this palace. As he spoke, tears of compassion fell, like pearls with broken threads.

The new moon looked at Pity, let her finish crying, vent the anguish in her heart, and then asked, "Pity, I ask you, if you could be favored again, what would you do?" ”

"I..."Although she was a little impulsive, she was not stupid, Xinyue had just finished speaking, if she said that she would do something under the table, wouldn't she be throwing herself into the net?

Seeing that she didn't speak, Xinyue smiled, "I don't mean to take your words, but to ask you, you can also ask yourself, for the favor of Your Majesty, how far will you go?" Compassion, if it is because you love Your Majesty and want to get some of Your Majesty's love, then you have to do more of these things by Your Majesty's side. If it's for Pur'er, you have to cheer up, your family and your children are all on your back," said Crescent, wiping tears from her eyes as she gave mercy.

"Pur... Rely on me? Pity seemed to have been awakened, and he looked at the crescent moon in a daze, repeating this sentence.

Xinyue smiled, "Now, you are not only Your Majesty's concubine, you are also the mother of a child, you have to do everything you can to protect your child." ”

"I..." Pity fell on Xinyue's knees, Xinyue looked at the back of Mercy's head, like this, I was really afraid that others would not know that she was Lian'er's aunt, and the two of them looked very similar.

Xinyue touched the back of her pitiful head, "Mercy, you have to be good, I promised Mrs. Li that I would take good care of you in this harem, this is the only request she agreed for me to raise Lian'er, you don't have to be afraid for your mother and child." ”

Sending away the pity, Xinyue looked at her skirt, this piece of tears, couldn't help sighing, Xi'er came over, and said to Xinyue, "Niangniang, didn't the imperial doctor say, let you not sigh and worry, it's not good for the child in your womb." ”

"Forget it, but they're all poor people. What about Your Majesty? Didn't you say that you would come over after the next court? ”

"Just now, someone came to the front and said that the court meeting had just dispersed, and His Majesty was pulled by two adults to discuss the matter of river work after entering the summer, and His Majesty said that he would come over before lunch."

Crescent asked, "Didn't you tell him what day it was?" ”

"Someone came to report that if Niangniang is busy with this matter, she can go to His Royal Highness Lian first." Today is Lian'er's birthday, and even if it's a birthday, Lian'er has to go to morning class first, Xinyue looked at the time, and he did get out of class.

"Alright, let's go." With that, Xinyue stepped forward and walked out of the main hall of Kun Palace.

"Mother, don't you want to change your skirt?"

Xinyue looked down and said, "No need, this woman's tears are the cleanest thing in the world." ”

Walking slowly towards Lian'er's study, Xinyue thought about the appearance of Master Xiao, and was really a little unsure whether Master Xiao would let Lian'er out.

"Mother, why are you walking slower and slower." Xi'er saw the abnormality of Xinyue, they were already at the gate of the palace where the study was located, but Xinyue stopped.

"I'm thinking, Lian'er's master, that's a one-eyed person, I, I'm afraid he won't let Lian'er out."

"Niangniang mean Master Xiao?"

Crescent nodded.

Xi'er smiled and said, "Niangniang thinks that Master Xiao is straightforward, but the little palace maids in this palace don't think so." The little palace maids who served in the upper study and the library were all very fond of this Master Xiao, but this Master Xiao, who was not close to women, said a few more words to the woman, and blushed with shame, so ah, although nothing happened that exceeded the rules, every little palace maid in this palace loved to come to this place to see this Master Xiao. ”

This Master Xiao is a young, delicate-looking scholar, most of the palace maids in the palace entered the palace at a young age, and they were lonely in the palace, and they would only be released out of the palace when they were in their twenties.

Xinyue didn't think of anything funny in this matter, but said to Xi'er very seriously, "You say, these palace maids are all changing their ways to talk to Master Xiao?" ”

"It's not all, it's just that there are some daring ones." As soon as Xi Er saw Xinyue's expression, she knew that she had said the wrong thing, Xinyue has always liked this kind of interesting thing in the palace, but this is not only an interesting thing, if it is not good, it is very likely that it will be an ugly thing in the palace.

"After a while, I saw the housekeeper of the study and the library called me, and asked them to bring the list of palace maids who were waiting, and then go and tell the concubine, there are new people in this palace, and it is time to go out a group of old people, this time don't let them out until they are in their twenties, ask those palace maids who have been serving in the palace for ten years, if they meet the rules, there are people outside the palace to take care of them, and if they are willing to go out, they will also release a batch."

"Niangniang, the palace maids start from the little palace maids, if they become palace maids who can serve the master, at least they must be by the side of the big palace maids, and study for three to four years, this palace maid who has served for ten years is just a skilled hand, and she is the most powerful among the palace maids in each palace, if you let them out, in this palace, I am afraid that there will not be so many replacements for a while." Xi'er felt a little guilty, she brought it up herself.

"It's because they are familiar with the service, they feel that they have no fear and will start to cheat and slip, let the concubine choose well, she should be measured."

"Yes" Xinyue said so, and Xi'er could only do it.