Su Mi leaned against the wall and put the bucket aside in his hand. Gently sighed into the red and swollen palm. This damn weather, it's just cold like this in winter.

Yesterday it had just fallen the first snow of the winter, but today it was a sunny day, the sun was shining brightly, but there was no trace of warmth, it had been sunbathing for a day, and the snow on the branches of the trees still showed no signs of melting. But the cold wind was stronger and stronger, like a knife cutting, and it blew until people's bones hurt.

Luckily, she put on the cotton clothes she had just made yesterday, she thought as she stomped her feet.

It's not too early to see that the water has to be brought back quickly, and the master of the house is still waiting to use it.

She bent down and lifted the bucket and just took a step, but she heard someone behind her shouting: "Sister Su, Sister Su......"

When I looked back, it turned out to be Xiao Luzi, the little eunuch in the east backyard of Caiwei Palace, who was busy running over.

"Why did my sister come out to fetch water today? It's so cold, and there's snow and ice on the road, so give it to me. Xiao Luzi reached out and grabbed the bucket in Su Mi's hand and asked.

"Yesterday's heavy snowfall froze the well in the yard, and when I got up early this morning to fetch water, the bucket was thrown into the well and smashed with a loud noise, which frightened me and Master Wei." Seeing that he insisted on mentioning it, Su Mi no longer pushed back.

"This sister doesn't know, I have to seal the wellhead at night when it snows, just find a cover or something, it's best to cover it with another layer of straw, and it's okay to open it in the morning." The two of them walked forward, talking as they spoke.

"Look at the weather, I'm afraid I'm going to come out to fetch water in the next few days" Su Mi gently stroked his unconscious hands that were about to freeze, and said, "I don't know when the weather will warm up." ”

"I'm afraid it's still early," Xiao Luzi shook his head, "By the way, Sister Su came from the south, so she must have never had such a cold day, right?" It's just winter, I'm afraid it's going to be even colder in a few days, isn't Master Wei's illness cured yet? He asked the master of Su Mi's service, Wei Qing'er, a talented person in the courtyard on the east side of Caiwei Palace.

"It's not improving, I'll have to get medicine for my master in a while." Su Mi shook her head. Wei Cairen entered the palace with him this spring, and he fell ill not long after entering the palace, and he has been lazy and lazy, and his menstrual affairs are not in tune.

"Why is my sister's work there all the work being done by my sister, isn't there still that girl from Hui'er? She's the laziest. has always hurt my sister. Xiao Luzi said angrily

According to the example in the palace, in addition to the rough servants such as sweeping and washing, there are also two girls who serve closely, and it is Hui'er who serves the guards with Su Mi.

"Hui'er's girl has always been like this, and you don't know it." Su Mi said.

Xiao Luzi is also the little eunuch of Caiwei Palace, who serves in the east backyard, and there has been no master living in the east backyard, or an empty yard, only Xiao Luzi and a little girl are responsible for the daily guarding and cleaning work, because they live closely, it didn't take long to enter the palace and a few people became acquainted, he is a diligent man, and he comes over from time to time to help Su Mi and them do some work.

Not long ago, Xiao Luzi's brother outside was seriously ill, and he was about to die, and the family was so anxious that they couldn't do it, and their family had these two sons, because they were too poor, they sold their younger brother into the palace to become a eunuch, and they were counting on their brother to inherit the lineage. Su Mi knew about it, and after asking about the condition, he prescribed a prescription and secretly grabbed a few handfuls of medicine from Wei Qing'er's prescription and handed them to Xiao Luzi, and he asked someone to take them home and let his brother take them according to the prescription, and he was cured in a few days. After that, Xiao Luzi completely regarded Su Mi as a life-saving benefactor, and often came over to help Su Mi work.

"I see that she is not only lazy, but also bent on climbing a high branch," Xiao Luzi looked disdainful, looked at no one around, and said in a low voice: "Sister, you don't know, I went to my master a few days ago, do you know what I saw in him?" ”

Su Mi looked at him with a mysterious look, couldn't help but feel funny, and asked, "What did you see?" ”

"That white hosta, the one that Hui'er said was an heirloom that she kept as a treasure, in my master's cabinet."

Su Mi's heart moved, and he suddenly understood, the eunuchs in important positions in the palace were all very rich, for example, when they were on an errand in the Qianqing Palace, although it is often said that the companion is like a tiger, but it is the object of people competing for bribes, where is the Ninety-Five Supreme going recently? What do you like to eat? What color of clothes does the favored Concubine Yun like recently...... In the complex environment of the harem, these are all news that can be worth a thousand dollars. Xiao Luzi's master, Wei Fulong, was the steward eunuch who served tea in the Qianqing Palace, and occasionally there was some gossip.

"Your master has made another small fortune, right?" Su Mi asked jokingly.

"That old turtle, if you make so much money, you have to deduct our share, so keep it to buy a coffin." Xiao Luzi spat at the ground and said angrily.

The decent eunuchs in the palace all accept apprentices, ranging from a few to hundreds. Clearly saying that he is an apprentice, in fact, he is cultivating his own power, like Xiao Luzi, half of the silver in a month has to be honored to this master. In the east backyard, although it is not as beautiful as the master who serves the favor, it is easier to win, and it is not many times stronger than the tiring work in those miscellaneous rooms and the clothes bureau.

"Be careful to let your master hear and send you to the cold palace." Su Mi couldn't help but tease him.

"I'm not afraid to let him hear me." Xiao Luzi's mouth said easily, but he couldn't help but shrink his neck and look around: "But Sister Su, according to me, with Hui'er's posture, hey, even if you really see the emperor's face, it's a hemp rope to mention tofu - don't mention it, but change my sister, maybe I really have this opportunity." ”

"What nonsense." Su Mi gave him a blank look.

"What I said is true, sister, don't believe it, according to me, my sister usually doesn't dress up, and she is much better than Hui'er's little girl who wears grease and powder all day long, if you really dress up, I'm afraid it's not bad compared to the most favored Yun Concubine Niangniang now." Xiao Luzi was a little anxious and argued.

Su Mi's face turned straight, and he shouted in a low voice, "Don't say it, is this kind of thing that we should say as slaves?" If it falls into the ears of others, it may cause a lot of trouble. In the future, it will never be mentioned. ”

Xiao Luzi also knew that he was speechless, and he looked around vigilantly and didn't dare to say more.

After a while, he had already arrived at the east corner gate of Caiwei Palace, Su Mi took the bucket from Xiao Luzi and sent him back into the courtyard.

Although the east courtyard of Caiwei Palace where they live is only a side courtyard of the palace, it is also a sparrow, although it is small, it has all kinds of organs. The main hall and two warm pavilions, plus the corner houses between the corridors where the servants lived, had a total of seven or eight rooms. Originally, it was for two low-ranking concubines to live. The current reigning emperor has only been on the throne for three years, and the harem is not full, so only one Wei Cairen lives. It is the entire Caiwei Palace, and there are only four masters, including the main seat Zheng Guifei and Wei Cairen.

Su Mi was about to enter the house with a bucket, when she bumped into a figure and walked out quickly, she stepped back slightly and looked up to see that it was Hui'er.

Hui'er was dressed in a green palace skirt, with two newly cut silk flowers pinned to the side bun, two drops of jade ears hanging down to her ears, and a thin grease powder on her face, which made her skin fair and delicate.

Take a closer look, in fact, this girl is really a little delicate and moving, and she can't complain that she wants to climb up. Thinking of Xiao Luzi's words just now, Su Mi couldn't help but think to himself.

Hui'er was about to go out, not wanting to bump into Su Mi, and when she saw the bucket in her hand, she also blushed slightly. was about to say a few words, but when he saw Su Mi looking at himself carefully, his expression seemed to be smiling, and he couldn't help but feel a little annoyed and angry, and immediately said, "Why did my sister go out to fetch water?" Those minions are truly hateful. ”

Energetic work such as fetching water was originally undertaken by the rough servants and servants of each palace, but since the master of their house, Wei Qing'er, fell ill, at first these people were quite loyal, and when Wei Qing'er was sick for a long time, they began to be lazy and exploit loopholes, and did not come to the door to instruct three or five times without any movement. After being sick for more than half a year now, no matter how they instructed the order, they only prevaricated and delayed, and ordered them to carry a bucket of water in the first half of the month, but they were afraid that they would not see a single bead of water in the second half of the month, and Su Mi and Hui'er had nothing to do, and they were tired of scolding too much, so they had to do it themselves. It's just that this Hui'er is very lazy, so almost all the work falls on Su Mi.

"If we don't do it ourselves, are there still minions for us to call?" Su Mi said angrily, "Who let us not be the master." ”

Hui'er's face changed slightly, as if her heart was exposed, and she hurriedly changed the topic and said: "Why do you have to be a master, as long as there is a creation that allows us to be a good master, it will be a great blessing. Last time, I heard that Concubine Yun was understaffed, and I, a clumsy man, didn't dare to think about it, my sister is such a clever person......"

"What about the master, is it for us to discuss?" Su Mi was bored, interrupted her lightly, turned around and put down the bucket, and entered the house.

Hui'er was choked and didn't feel happy, so she went out by herself, and just walked to the door and turned around as if she remembered something, "Sister Xiangluo from Concubine Zheng came over just now, saying that this month's quota has come down, and I bother my sister to go and get it." Then he turned and left.

Su Mi entered the house to stir up the fire, boiled the water, picked up the warm medicine, lifted the curtain and entered the warm pavilion in the inner room.

Wei Qing'er was reclining on the head of the bed, and the first thing anyone who saw her must have thought of a withered flower. Her face was pale, her originally plump and beautiful cheeks were very thin, and her eyes were even more dull.

"The master has woken up?" Su Mi put the medicine on the head of the bed,

"Don't call me any master, Mi, just call me like you used to." Wei Qing'er spoke, only her voice was still as clear as before.

"Okay, Qing'er, it's time to get up and take medicine." Knowing that he couldn't resist her, Su Mi hesitated a little and changed her name according to her words, while helping her sit up.

"I'm afraid that my illness will not be cured, no matter how much medicine I take, I will be splashed in the sand," Wei Qing'er shook his head and said: "It's a blessing to be able to leave a day earlier, but it will cause you to suffer this sin with me." ”

Su Mi couldn't help but be stunned, and immediately understood that Hui'er's words just now were afraid that she would hear them.

"Don't listen to Hui'er's little hooves, it's just because the water and soil are not adapted, and it will be fine after this winter." Su Mi comforted her.

Wei Qing'er still shook her head and was silent. Looking at Wei Qing'er's gray face, Su Mi was upset for a while, so she simply put down the medicine bowl and said, "Qing'er, the left and right are just a word from the slave, why bother to go to your heart." As long as you can let go of your heart, this illness will not be today, although you and my sister are lonely in the palace now, but they can also have a ...... to take care of" Su Mi kept talking, but seeing Wei Qing'er's expression was dull, knowing that she didn't listen at all.

Su Mi couldn't do anything about it, so she simply stopped. She knew where Wei Qing'er's heart knot was, and how many times she persuaded her on weekdays didn't get any effect, and she asked herself if she had the ability to untie it. What's more, no one has anyone to untie her own knot.

"Drink the medicine first." Su Mi picked up the bowl and served Wei Qing'er to drink the medicine, then asked her to lie down and tuck the quilt.

Looking at Wei Qing'er's gray face, Su Mi was in a trance, she vaguely remembered the first time she saw the girl in front of her.

It was four years ago, when she was twelve years old, she took her father-in-law's hand and walked into the palace of the Patriotic Kingdom. The father-in-law came to treat the emperor's concubine, the beautiful and sick concubine Rou Niangniang. Walking in the long corridor, she marveled at how beautiful the palace was, and at the same time asked her father-in-law that Ah Mi wanted to live here.

The stepfather scratched her little nose amusefully and helplessly. At this time, she heard a burst of laughter behind her, she turned her head, and saw that in the tender green grass not far away, several girls of her size were kicking shuttlecocks, and she saw at a glance that one of them was a man in red, with a few drops of crystal sweat hanging on her delicate and pretty face, laughing loudly and counting them. Under the early spring March sunshine shaded by green trees, it is even more vivid. The father-in-law took her hand and walked on, and in a blink of an eye the branches of the trees obscured their lively figures. Su Mi was slightly stunned and a little envious, that shuttlecock was so beautiful, and the brocade chicken called by his father-in-law did not have such bright feathers.

When she arrived at Concubine Rou's palace, she saw this Concubine Rou Niangniang, who was said to be a close friend of her mother. She is a gentle woman like water, born very beautiful, she secretly compared the mother in front of her and her mother and stepmother, and felt that her mother was more beautiful, in fact, she had never seen such a beautiful woman as her mother, and her stepmother was also very beautiful, but it was still slightly worse than her mother, but it was still a little stronger than the concubine in front of her.

She was pondering and comparing, and a small pink carved face leaned out from behind Concubine Rou, and a pair of big bright eyes looked at her curiously. It was the little girl in red I had just seen in the garden. Later, Su Mi learned that she was the daughter of Concubine Rou, Emperor Ji Wei Qing'er of Yiqing.

Concubine Rou's stubborn illness was a disease left over from the early years, which recurred from time to time, and her father-in-law also felt that it was quite tricky, so in order to facilitate treatment, Concubine Rou found a house for them to live in the palace hospital temporarily.

Soon Su Mi became familiar with Wei Qing'er, although Wei Qing'er was an emperor, she never had the temper of being delicate and arrogant and looking down on people, she was innocent, naughty and active, and Wei Guo was only a small country, and there were not so many rules in the palace. The two often play games together. When Concubine Rou's illness was cured and Su Mi was about to leave, the two of them, who had become friends, were a little reluctant.

Seeing this, Concubine Rou suggested that Su Mi stay, it just so happened that Emperor Yiqing had just turned twelve years old this year, and according to the rules of the palace, it was time to find a companion to read. So Su Mi stayed in the palace and was accompanied by this round-faced and lively girl.

Until four years later, the elite soldiers of Daqi broke the city and destroyed the country, and drove straight in, as one of the many small countries in the south, Wei Guo perished, including Wei Qing'er, many emperors and concubines, and noble women were escorted into the capital of Daqi as trophies.

Overnight, the world of these women was turned upside down, and they didn't even have time to make any choice, in fact they had no chance to choose, either to reward meritorious soldiers or to fill the king's harem, and all they could do was wait quietly for fate or cruelty or relatively mild arrangements.

Wei Qing'er and several other girls with the most outstanding appearance were selected into the harem, and Su Mi was also brought into the palace as Wei Qing'er's personal maid.

They entered the palace of Daqi in March this year, and Wei Qing'er fell ill as soon as she entered the palace, Su Mi understood that the pain from a golden branch and jade leaf ignorant emperor to the country's ruin had crushed her, especially her mother Concubine Rou died of unbearable torture on the way to Beijing, which made Wei Qing'er lose the last reason to live.

Su Mi often thinks that if it weren't for this illness, I'm afraid Wei Qing'er might not have survived until now.

In this harem where the strength of all parties is intertwined, as the women of the dead country, they are the most helpless group of people. Several women who entered the palace together, a few of them were more favored, Emperor Yi'an, who was one year older than Wei Qing'er, fell into the water and died in July this year, Emperor Yiyu died in childbirth, and a Zong Ji was sent to the cold palace because of his careless words and angered the queen, and soon died. The rest of the people are living in caution, caution and panic. For them, the emperor's favor was not so much kindness as a talisman.

is still the case as a master, let alone a slave like Su Mi who was brought into the palace as an accessory. At least she knew one, the pendant next to Emperor Yiyu, the girl who often came to play with them when she was in the Weiguo Palace, because she was inadvertently lucky by the emperor, and was soon beaten to death by finding a wrong place.

Su Mi unconsciously used a hook to flick the ashes of the furnace, she studied medicine with her father-in-law since she was a child, and her father-in-law's medical skills were unparalleled in the world, Wei Qing'er's illness She had already seen it, I am afraid that she would not be able to survive this winter. That's fine, sometimes she can't help but think like this, when Wei Qing'er goes, she has one less concern in this world. No...... It should be said that there is nothing to worry about anymore.

She couldn't help but sneer, half self-deprecating, half bitter, Su Mi, Su Mi, aren't you waiting for this day?

She threw away the fire hook in her hand, went to the cupboard, took out the towel soap beans, picked up the hot water, and went into the back room. All she could do now was make her as comfortable as possible for the rest of her days.