The news of Xu Jieyu's pregnancy spread all over the harem for a while. Whether it is a concubine or a palace person, this is what they talk about after dinner.

These palace people, in addition to envying Xu Jieyu's good fortune, also circulated a saying, that is, He Xuan put forward in the main hall that raising a boy by his side will help to conceive a baby. It's just that the fetus is still small, and it is not clear whether it is male or female.

When the emperor learned the news of Xu Jieyu's pregnancy, he immediately rewarded Xu Jieyu with a lot of silk and silk and gold and silver jewelry. Not only that, Empress Zhao also proposed to celebrate Xu Jieyu's pregnancy and hold a small family banquet in the harem to show the importance of this child and Xu Jieyu.

The emperor not only agreed to Empress Zhao's request, but also couldn't help but praise Empress Zhao's virtuous and virtuous virtues.

Since Concubine Lian was deposed, Xu Jieyu has become the concubine who sleeps the most. Now that she is pregnant again, she is in the limelight. This time, the emperor specially held a family banquet for Xu Jieyu, and I don't know how many harem concubines were jealous.

Although the palace people chewed their tongues and said that it was all because Mi Xian was there, they gave Xu Jieyu the vigor of the man. However, He Xuan knew very well in his heart that this kind of thing was difficult to prove. After all, Xu Jieyu has slept the most, and she is in her prime, so it is logical that she is pregnant.

It's just that what is Empress Zhao's idea? She's never been a big-hearted person!

Qing'er was talking with him in the room, mentioning tomorrow's family banquet, and asked if he wanted to postpone it.

He Xuan didn't like to be lively, but he felt that he couldn't help it. As soon as I came, I was almost cured, and there was no excuse not to go. Second, in this life, because she wanted Xu Jieyu to raise Mi Xian on her behalf, the fortune of many things is very different from the previous life, and she always wants to see it for herself.

In the memory of the previous life, Xu Jieyu only had such a princess Wenying, and she had died before the princess got married. After her death, except for entering the concubine's mausoleum, she had no other clansmen to worship with her humble status. It's also a poor woman.

"Princess, why did you say that Princess Tianwei and Princess Wen Ying are very close to Gongzixian?" Qing'er asked coldly.

He Xuan said with great interest: "Oh? Are there any gossips in this palace? ”

"Not really. The mouths of the people in Zhao's harem have always been the strictest, and where to ask something. Over there in Ningxian Palace, the most popular thing is Xu Jieyu's pregnancy, and who will pay attention to Princess Wen Ying! The slave just remembered that on the day of the Shangsi Festival, didn't Princess Tianwei and Princess Wenying buy gifts for Gongzixian? It looks like the three of them have a good relationship! Qing'er explained.

He Xuan was a little displeased, raised his eyes to look at Qing'er, and said, "You girl, you are not a big person, and you love to care about these." Just know what you saw that day, and don't tell anyone else. lest others think that we are deliberately spreading rumors, lest the world be in chaos. ”

"The slave didn't dare. The slave is just curious, so naturally she won't say it to anyone else. The princess is reassured. Qing'er saw that Hexuan's face was not good, so she said respectfully.

Qing'er accompanied He Xuan to gossip, but He Xuan's mood did not stop for a moment.

"Qing'er, you find a palace maid in our palace who can count and write, preferably someone who knows the roots." And Xuandao.

Qing'er was a little stunned and said, "Huh? The princess will be able to count and write? ”

"Yes. I wanted to find someone to count my treasury, but I was afraid that the low-ranking palace maids would not be able to count or write, and that they would make a mistake in the numbers or not be able to keep accounts in the account books, and finally I would have to do it again myself. He Xuan thought about explaining a few more words to Qing'er, and let Qing'er understand more.

When Qing'er heard this, she nodded heavily and said, "I remember that there is a palace maid named Ruolan in Zhaohua Palace who is about the same age as a slave maid, and she can write and count. ”

Qing'er is a little palace maid of the ninth grade. The grades of palace maids in the Great Zhou Dynasty are generally from six to nine, and the grades of concubines are from one to five.

However, there are a few old women with higher prestige and deeper qualifications who are of the fifth grade. Of course, there are many low-level palace maids who have no grade, engaged in low-level manual labor.

"Oh? Why, then, did she keep doing heavy physical work? He Xuan was quite puzzled.

Qing'er blinked and said, "Princess, I heard that she is the daughter of a housekeeper in a high-ranking official's family. The big housekeeper also has some money, so he asked Mr. to teach Ruolan to read and write or something. It's a pity that later this big official didn't know what he had done, and he was beheaded all over the house, and his slaves were confiscated. Therefore, the young Ruolan also entered the palace as a maid. ”

Qing'er glanced at He Xuan, and then said a little indescribably, "The slave maid and Ruolan have chatted a few words, she is a somewhat introverted person, and people with such a temperament are not pleasant in the palace." Coupled with her status as a criminal slave, she had to be the last palace maid all the time. ”

He Xuan seemed to understand Qing'er's words, nodded and said, "You call Ruolan over in a while, and I'll have a few words with her." If it's really someone available, then let her take stock of the treasury for me. If she does well, I will let her be a nine-grade palace maid in charge of the treasury in the future. ”

"The princess is really a good man, willing to consider us slaves. The slave went to Ruolan. Qing'er's face was filled with a girl's sweet smile again, and she went out happily.

After about half a pillar of incense, Qing'er took Ruolan to Hexuan. Ruolan immediately stepped forward and saluted.

He Xuan looked at this little palace maid, with a melon seed face, willow eyebrows and apricot eyes, looking thin and small. So, she opened her mouth and asked, "You are Ruolan?" How old are you this year? ”

The palace maid said in a very small voice, "The slave maid is fourteen years old this year. ”

"Well, I heard Qing'er say, you are born as a slave?"

When Ruolan heard this, her body trembled slightly, her head lowered, and she said, "Yes." Doctor Shangguan was beheaded by the whole house for embezzling military salaries, and the slave's father was the chief administrator of the house, and he was suspected of plotting this matter, and he also died. All the slaves in the Shangguan Mansion were confiscated, and the slave maid was only eight years old and became a palace maid in the palace. ”

Ruolan's voice seemed to be infinitely painful, and her voice was a little choked.

He Xuan cut to the chase and said, "I heard Qing'er say, you can write and count?" ”

Ruolan didn't know why she was suddenly summoned by He Xuan at this time, and replied a little resignedly: "Yes, Your Royal Highness Princess." ”

So, He Xuan took a few arithmetic problems for Ruolan, and took an account book to teach her to read, this little palace maid is very smart and learned it at once.

He Xuan thought in his heart, it is indeed a pity for a girl with such qualifications to be a rough palace maid. It's just that such a little girl who Chechenono can be a warehouse manager? Thinking about it, she didn't have a more suitable candidate.

"You don't have to do the rough work anymore, I have an errand for you, but you need to learn by heart, are you willing?" He Xuan said to the thin palace maid in a gentle tone.

Ruolan looked so weak, and after hearing Hexuan's words, she plucked up her courage and nodded heavily: "The slave is willing." ”

Hearing this, the corners of Hexuan's mouth also raised slightly, and he took Ruolan to the treasury and instructed her how to count the gold, silver and jewelry, and how to keep the account books clearly. Managing the harem and training the palace people is something that Hexuan is used to doing in the previous life, so he is also familiar with it.

Ruolan followed He Xuan's footsteps closely, her eyes widened, and she took He Xuan's words in her mind very seriously.

He Xuan looked at her studious appearance, and half of his hanging heart was relaxed. Finally, he said to Ruolan: "You can count this warehouse in the next few days!" Come and report back to me when you're done. If she does a good job this time, this princess will be rewarded. ”

Ruolan said: "No, the slave has thanked the princess for her appreciation." ”

The front foot left the warehouse, Qing'er was overjoyed, and whispered to Hexuan: "Princess, is this girl okay?" ”

"It looks like she has some qualifications, and let's see her performance!" He Xuan glanced lightly at the somewhat smug Qing'er and said.

The treasury has already begun to be done, and He Xuan has to think of a way to make money outside the palace. She remembered the scene when she went to Yuefu Lou that day and the guests were full, and she thought that it would be good to open a restaurant. She thought that this restaurant could make some creative and healthy dishes, and the ingredients should be the best, and the price could only be higher than Yuefu Restaurant, not lower than them.

Naturally, only high-ranking officials, family lords, and wealthy businessmen can afford such things. Therefore, it is better to set up a private room, and it is better to keep it private.

She is a dignified princess of Zhou, so naturally she can't come forward to do any business, and she can't let people know that she is the boss.

Therefore, in the business outside the palace, in addition to finding a good steward, it is also necessary to find a reliable person to be the boss of the business.

But where did she go to find a reliable boss and steward outside the palace?

She spends her days in this palace, and the number of people she knows is indeed very limited. These harem women, the low-level ones will only chew the root of their tongues behind their backs, and the higher-level ones will use some dirty methods to harm people. Not only do these not know anything about doing business, I'm afraid they still disdain.

And such a hidden matter, she is really afraid that it will be entrusted to no one, or this matter will reach the ears of her father and mother Madame Cai.

Thinking about it, He Xuan felt that his cousin Cai Wenxuan was quite reliable. So she planned to wait for tomorrow's family banquet to find an opportunity to let her cousin enter the palace and talk to him in detail. If my cousin has the right person in hand, Hexuan's money-making business can be opened.

So, she instructed Qing'er to bring silk and write a letter to Xuan, asking Qing'er to hand it over to her cousin Cai Wenxuan.

He Xuan has just recovered from a serious illness, and he has done a lot of things this day, not to mention that his brain has been thinking, so he is extremely tired.

The palace maids put hot water into the bronze bathtub, put many rose petals in it, and lay quietly in the bathtub with their eyes closed.

Soaking in the hot water, smelling the scent of roses, He Xuan felt a rare sense of peace and tranquility.