(a)

Guangping Royal Mansion is built close to the palace palace city, accounting for most of the Fuxing Fang, from the palace gate to the palace city Anfu Gate is only more than two miles of road. Like other royal palaces, it is divided into inner and outer palaces by an east-west partition wall. The outer house is mainly the meeting of the king of Guangping, the place where the government sets up the office of joining the army, the meeting is in the Yuande Palace, the hall is gathered by the front, the middle and the back three halls, the three halls are all seven rooms wide, the front hall enters three deep rooms, the middle and the back hall are about four deep rooms, there are two square pavilions around the middle hall, there are two floors in the north of the apse left and right, called the Yufeng Building, the Feiyun Building, the military office and the guard accommodation are all located in the Feiyun Building. From the building to the south, there is the overhead flying floor leading to the second pavilion, from the second pavilion to the inner side and each flying floor leads to the upper floor of the nave, the pavilion corridor sets off the three halls, the style is extraordinary. There is a door in the partition wall that leads to the inner house. The inner house is actually much larger than the outer house, mainly divided into three parts, the east side is the living place of the king of Guangping and the concubines, the largest Qingyi Pavilion is inhabited by Shen Zhuzhu, close to the study of the king of Guangping, followed by the glazed pavilion, Wenjin pavilion, embroidered cloud pavilion, etc., Cui Caiping lives in the glazed pavilion, and the rest are all vacant. Qingyi Pavilion and Liuli Pavilion are one south and one north, far apart; On the west side are the rooms for needles, handymen, maids, etc.; The middle side is the hall of dining, entertainment and leisure and the inner government meeting, from east to west, all connected by a corridor, the middle of the house is a large garden and pavilion, and there is a pond, the clear spring bubbling.

It was supposed to enter the palace on the second day of the wedding to pay homage to the emperor's concubine and the crown princess, who would have thought that the palace had passed down an edict in the early morning of the same day, and the emperor's concubine drove to Luoyang, Tokyo, accompanied by the crown prince and princess. Back and forth, it always takes more than a month.

Although Li Li is not in the mansion, there is always an endless stream of people who come to congratulate and visit, and all of them are received by the chief manager Liu Run, and Shen Pearl only rummags through the list of slaves and maids every day, reads books, and listens to the reports of Su Ci and Hongrui. Although Su Ci and Hongrui are newcomers, they are the princess's companions, and they are both smart and clever, who doesn't accompany some smiling faces in the palace? In less than two days, he mastered all kinds of situations in the palace. Liu Runnai, the head of the palace, was a eunuch, who originally followed the prince, and after the new Guangping palace was built a few years ago, he was transferred to the Guangping palace; Dugujing is the deputy chief manager, and he is the personal servant of King Guangping, very shrewd and capable, the guards and slaves up and down, there is no secret fear of her, but in the past year or two, she always goes out early and returns late, and there are fewer stewards.

Cui Caiping couldn't bear the loneliness, and went back to her parents' house three times in more than ten days, but she didn't ask Shen Pearl for leave as etiquette, and Shen Pearl didn't pay attention to her, but only wrote it down with the governor of the Inner Palace.

The weather was sunny that day, and after dinner in the morning, Shen Pearl was preparing to go to the garden to relax accompanied by Hongrui, and Su Porcelain came to report to Liu Run for a meeting. Out of the outer room, Liu Run was already waiting there, bowed, and said in a long voice with a sharp voice: "The old slave didn't dare to disturb the princess, but the matter is serious, so I can't ask the princess to show it." Shen Pearl saw that there was no panic on his relaxed face, so he sat on the soft couch unhurriedly and said with a smile: "What's the matter, Manager Liu will say it slowly." ”

"Back to the princess, Cui Ruren's personal maid Yin'e is missing! Cui Ruren is pointing at the old slave to ask for someone. ”

Shen Pearl took a look: "Such a trivial matter, can't Manager Liu deal with it by himself?" He took a cup of tea from Su Porcelain and took a sip slowly.

"The old slave doesn't dare, this maid is missing strangely."

"Oh," Shen Pearl still smiled, "What's going on, let's hear it." When did you go missing, did you check it carefully? ”

"I just found out this morning. Last night, Yin'e went to rest after waiting for Cui Ruren, and the maid in the same room slept to death, and I don't know if she went back to the room. This morning, Cui Ruren sent her to wait, but she couldn't be found left and right. Seeing that her bed was neatly made, she didn't sleep at all last night. At first, the old slave didn't pay attention, thinking that it was a little girl who loved to play, where to hide and be lazy, and then Cui Ruren came to urge again, and the old slave led people to find all the places in the house, but there was nothing! When I asked the guards on duty at the front and back doors, they all said that they didn't see anyone, and they checked her belongings, oops, clothes, jewelry, and coins, all the same. Princess, do you think this is strange? "Liu Run is colorful.

"No matter how strange things are, it won't be difficult for Mr. Liu to take care of you." Shen Pearl said lightly. The disappearance of the maid can be big or small, Yin'e is Cui Caiping's maid to marry, it is a big trouble, Guangping Wangfu was accused of abusing and killing the maid and throwing the corpse to destroy the traces, and it is not a joke, but Shen Pearl looked at Liu Run's unhurried look, and knew that he already knew it in his heart, and he couldn't help but secretly scold Liu Run for being a treacherous and slippery, there must be a follow-up. Sure enough, Liu Run continued: "The old slave is afraid, it was originally a very small matter, but Cui Ruren's maid Yushu said that Yin'e was afraid that she was murdered!" ”

"For no reason, a little maid, who is going to murder her!"

Liu Run seemed to be cautious and said: "She said that it was the princess's maid Hongrui who harmed her!" As soon as the words fell, Hongrui, who was beside her, couldn't bear it anymore, and said loudly: "She is talking nonsense, so decent, what am I doing to harm Yin'e!" ”

"Hehe", Liu Runpi pulled the muscles of his face without smiling, and approached Hongrui: "Miss Hongrui, yesterday afternoon, you had an argument with Yin'e in the Huanyi room, didn't you?" You're still threatening to kill Yin'e, aren't you? ”

Hongrui was stunned and replied, "What's the matter, she deliberately splashed my dress with water, and sneered at me with obscenities; As for killing her, it's just angry talk, my Hongrui has a straightforward personality, and if I want to kill someone for such a reason, then I have already entered the prison of the Criminal Department, and I won't stay in the palace! She spoke quickly and quickly, but Liu Run still maintained a very slow speed of speech, and said with a smile: "Miss Hongrui said this, the old slave believes it, and the princess must also believe it, but I don't know if Cui Ruren believes it or not." ”

(b)

"Oh my God, how could my girl be gone?" As he was talking, Cui Caiping had already broken in crying and shouting, and when he saw Shen Zhuzhu, he grabbed her sleeve and shouted: "Sister is going to be the master for me, Yin'e beats me and me, it is the most intimate to my heart, don't be used to it and murder her!" Who is so ruthless! As he spoke, he took out a handkerchief to wipe his face, and looked at Hongrui viciously. Shen Pearl watched coldly and didn't speak at first, but when she saw that Cui Caiping really shed a few tears, she couldn't help but secretly wonder.

Cui Caiping spoke without concealment, but the maid Yushu who was supporting her next to her saw that the situation was wrong, and hurriedly said: "Madam, don't say that!" ”

With a "snap", Yushu had already taken a slap in the face, "Stop!" Shen Pearl put the tea cup in his hand on the soft couch table, making a crisp sound, Cui Caiping saw that Shen Pearl's face was awe-inspiring as it had never been, and unconsciously stopped, and also let go of the jade book, and the room was suddenly silent.

"Sister, since this incident has happened and my handmaid is involved, I will deal with it impartially and give you an explanation." Liu Run and Cui Caiping, one knows that he is in the middle but intends to watch the excitement, and the other is playing right and wrong for fear that the world will not be chaotic, how many people are watching the new princess's family skills. After a moment's silence, he said to Cui Caiping: "My sister has always been decent in charge of the maids, and today's matter is not a big deal, and I will understand the discussion here, okay?" "It means not to make a big fuss and move it to the council chamber to make it known to the whole house.

"That's natural, do you want others to say that I'm useless Cui Caiping, just a concubine, I've only been married for a few days, and I can't even keep my personal maid!" Cui Caiping chattered endlessly, she was rectal and straight, and her scheming was not deep, so she failed to understand the mystery of Shen Pearl's words.

Only then did Shen Pearl turn his head to Liu Run and said, "Okay, Mr. Liu, let me ask you, the guards on duty at the palace gate this morning are still the same as last night?" ”

Liu Run nodded and said, "Exactly, there is still half an hour before the changing of the guard!" ”

"Okay, fast pass left back rate!"

After a while, the left guard rate was strict, about thirty, Kong Wu spirit, he took turns off yesterday, and was rumored to the princess as soon as he returned to the palace.

Zuo Wei led the official residence of Liupin, responsible for all the guards and guards of the palace, Shen Pearl was quite polite to him: "General Yan has worked hard, please personally lead two guards to wait secretly at the side door of the palace, if anyone comes in, they will all be arrested and brought to me." Yan Ming didn't dare to make a mistake, and hurriedly took the order.

Sure enough, within a quarter of an hour, Yan Ming and two guards brought in a person, and Cui Caiping saw that it was Yin'e! His face suddenly couldn't hold back, and he rushed up and raised his hand to slap him, scolding: ", where did you die!" Stretched out his hand to hold Yin'e's arm and dragged him out of the room, "I have to teach you a good lesson when I go back!" ”

"Wait!" Shen Pearl stopped talking, and said: "Sister, Yin'e has violated the rules of the government, and she must ask for the reason and deal with it according to the rules!" ”

Yan Ming waved his hand outside, and several guards pushed two guards dressed up to come in and kneel, and Yan Ming also knelt down: "A certain army is unconscious, ask the princess to punish him." ”

"The way to govern the army is to gain strictly, and to lose it leniently. General Yan, I have been in the house for less than half a month, but I have occasionally seen you train your attendants a few times, you shouldn't be too talkative, it is a good thing to be kind, but when it comes to managing the army, if you are too benevolent, it is not enough to follow suit. Shen Pearl Liao Liao said a few words and signaled Liu Run to help Yan Ming, and asked, "I understand everything." ”

Yan Ming bowed his head and replied: "Back to the princess, I understand, last night the guards on duty Wang Ping and Wang You's brothers accepted the coins privately given by Yin'e and let her go out of the house secretly." ”

"If I'm not mistaken, the average guard in the palace is 3,000 yuan a month?" Shen Pearl nodded and asked Liu Run.

Liu Run replied yes again and again.

"Manager Liu, you know better than me, at the market price of Chang'an, how many rice and how many horses of silk can be bought for 3,000 yuan?"

"Back to the princess, you can buy 15 pieces of rice and more than 20 pieces of silk."

"Is it enough for a medium-sized family to eat, wear, and live for a month?"

"Back to the princess, it's more than enough."

Shen Pearl asked Yin'e again: "Tell me, how much money did you give to those two guards?" ”

Yin'e was so frightened that she trembled, her head was like pounding garlic, and she replied tremblingly: "Return, back to the princess, yes...... Twenty dollars for one person......"

Shen Pearl slapped a few cases, the tea cup "dangdang" fell to the ground, shattered, and even Cui Caiping was bluffed, seeing that Shen Pearl was not angry and arrogant, he said: "The palace treats these guards well, so small profits, you can buy them to ignore their duties, what is the use?" General Yan, you are the left guard rate, what do you say should be done? ”

Yan Ming hesitated for a moment and replied aloud: "According to the rules of the government, Wang Ping and Wang You should each be beaten with forty rods, deduct one month's salary, and immediately drive them out of the house; As for the following, they should be struck with forty rods and fined for one month. ”

"General Yan doesn't have to impose penalties on himself, according to the law, you only need to receive twenty rods." Shen Pearl was slightly relieved.

Yin'e heard that the seven souls went to the six spirits, and she just snorted her head with tears in her eyes: "The princess is gracious, the princess is gracious, please don't drive the slaves out of the house!" "The guards drove out of the mansion just to lose their position, she was bought by the Cui family since she was a child, and she has no way to live when she is driven out of the mansion. Cui Caiping was so anxious that she secretly rubbed her hands, sparing her usually talking more than anyone else, but now she didn't know how to speak.

Shen Pearl glanced at Yin'e coldly: "As for you, I don't ask why you left the mansion without permission, what did you do when you left the mansion." However, the government rules were unforgivable, and for the sake of Cui Ruren's face, he was fined 20 canes and went to the Shangshu room to work for three months. "Shang Shifang has to take care of the diet of nearly 1,000 people in the mansion every day, which is extremely hard, Yin'e is still like a gift from God, and she is grateful and goes to receive the punishment.

(c)

Everyone dispersed for a while, and Shen Pearl saw that only Liu Run was still standing on the ground, with a smile on his face, so he said, "Manager Liu, you are also tired, go and rest." ”

Liu Run grinned, his face was full of wrinkles, his appearance was shrive, his smile was very ugly, he hit the ground, and said to Shen Zhuzhu: "The old slave really admires the princess. ”

Shen Pearl said lightly: "You have seen enough of this excitement." ”

Liu Run still smiled: "The old slave just doesn't understand, why didn't the princess torture Yin'e for a night?" ”

The maid went out all night without permission, and she didn't elope with anyone, she was just a private lover, what is there to ask, she has to save some face for Cui Caiping. Shen Pearl didn't answer and asked Liu Run: "Where is the Dugu girl, why can't you see anyone all day long?" ”

Liu Run was stunned, and then replied: "This ——, princess has to ask His Highness, Dugu girl has been specially ordered by His Highness, and it is not under the jurisdiction of the old slave." Coughing dryly, he continued: "Concubine Wei really has huge eyes, and the princess really has the talent of the world." ”

"Concubine Wei?" Shen Pearl was shocked, but the expression on her face did not change, and she glanced at Hongrui who was standing at the door, and Hongrui went out and invited a few maidservants who were waiting outside the door to leave.

Liu Run burst into tears in an instant, and knelt on the ground: "When Concubine Wei was the crown princess, she had a generous kindness to the old slave, and she repeatedly paid the old slave to serve the princess with all her heart. The old slave dared to try the princess today, and hoped that the princess would forgive her sins. As he spoke, he took out an object from his sleeve and handed it to Shen Pearl, the ingenious golden crow, and a thin seal on the inner wall "Wei", Shen Pearl believed a little, got up and helped Liu Run up, and thought in his heart: "I haven't seen Concubine Wei for a long time, and the last time I saw her, I was a little thinner than before." ”

Liu Run immediately gritted his teeth: "The enmity of Concubine Wei's family, if the old slave has a breath, he will definitely want to revenge." ”

This was a year ago, Li Linfu played the emperor, saying that Wei Jian, the brother of the crown princess Wei, and the emperor Wei Ming of Hexi Jiedu conspired with Huangfu Weiming, and the emperor then gave Wei firm the charge of "doing intent", and demoted him from the Shangshu of the Criminal Department to the Taishou of Jinyun County, and Huangfu Weiming was dismissed from the post of envoy of Hexi and Longyou Jiedu on the charge of "dividing the monarch and ministers", and was demoted to the Taishou of Banchuan County, and his family was confiscated. The crown prince abolished the concubine on the grounds of "discord" with Concubine Wei, and Concubine Wei cut her hair as a nun in the Forbidden Buddhist Temple from then on. Wei Jian's case implicated many official eunuchs who interacted with him, but only the Shen family was low-key and outsiders did not know, and fortunately they were not implicated. Liu Run knows the bottom and has Concubine Wei's token, so it seems that he can be trusted, but Shen Pearl saw that he was so angry about this matter, and he felt unspeakably uneasy in his heart.

Although Yindi's matter was not widely publicized, within half a day, all the people in the Guangping palace knew it clearly, and they didn't know that the princess was a good housekeeper, shrewd and intelligent, and she was in awe, mentions, and cautious.