On the first night of Ruyi's return to the palace, the emperor did not stay in her palace, but only summoned the newly sealed Shu Concubine as usual, which made many people breathe a sigh of relief. On the second day, Ruyi did not dare to be negligent, and went to the Changchun Palace early to see the queen, the queen instructed a few words, asked her if she was used to eating, and then also instructed everyone to disperse. Concubine Chun was naturally happy to see her come out. However, Concubine Jia and Concubine Hui have always been indifferent to her, and they are not affectionate. And Ah Ji even avoided her and turned a blind eye.

Perhaps, that's good, too.

Three days after Ruyi left the cold palace, the emperor often went to see her, but he did not summon luck or stay overnight, but others could not understand how this grace was. This day coincided with the beginning of winter, and the palace prepared a family banquet to eat dumplings, except for the queen mother's refusal to leave Cining Palace due to the cold, the concubines in the palace were complete.

The so-called family banquet to eat dumplings was originally because the beginning of winter was the time of autumn and winter, and the concubines in the palace were bored for a long time, so each palace made dumplings by themselves, and made a banquet to please the emperor. The emperor went to the suburbs of Beijing to inspect Nongsang during the day, and when he came back to listen to the queen, he was also happy, so he gave a banquet in Changchun Palace. The concubines are naturally ingenious, in addition to the ordinary vegetable stuffing and meat filling, they also made seafood stuffing and sauerkraut filling. Queen Dudu and Concubine Shu are the most thoughtful, the queen's dumplings are made of the skin of the tender cabbage leaves just picked in winter, in order that everyone in Beijing is accustomed to hoarding cabbage in winter for the winter, and it is also a thrifty and fresh food. The emperor was naturally full of praise for such thoughts. And Shu Concubine's part, only forced the emperor to bite that bite, so spicy that the emperor's tears came out, and he gave a glass of wine and poured it into his head, so he smiled and said: "After eating such dumplings, the emperor will not forget the concubine if he eats any dumplings in the future." ”

The emperor couldn't stop laughing, and high-fived: "Empress, you look at her hypocritical appearance, how is it better than Concubine Hui in the past?" ”

The queen smiled gently, but was silent. Concubine Hui said with jealousy: "Doesn't the emperor just like Concubine Shu's hypocrisy?" Why compare yourself to a concubine? ”

When she arrived at Ruyi, she only took out a pot of vinegar, and said with a smile: "The concubines can't compare to the craftsmanship of the sisters, and they can't make dumplings well, so they specially stuffed a pot of vinegar with red rose petals." Eating dumplings is not vinegar, and the concubines should be slightly decorated. ”

The emperor's thin smile was unusually gentle: "If I want to eat dumplings, I must be vinegared, otherwise it will be unpleasant." Your things are not the most important, but they are the most indispensable. ”

The queen looked at her and said with a smile: "Your little embellishment, but it is indispensable." Concubine Xian, no wonder the emperor is so concerned about you, even in the cold palace, he wants to let you out. ”

Ruyi is neither humble nor arrogant, but has a faint smile: "There is the queen's mother who cares about her day and night, and the emperor and the queen husband and wife are united, so they are naturally also worried about the concubines." She turned her head and looked at Shen Gui, who was dressed up but looked gloomy: "Ah Zhen, you are the same, aren't you?" ”

At this time, Ah Zhen was already the emperor's concubine, and Ruyi still used the old name as the opposite, obviously not taking her very seriously. A trace of annoyance flashed in Shen Guiren's eyes, and he didn't dare to attack, but he just poured a glass of wine on his head.

The emperor looked at Ah Zhen and said with a pleasant smile: "Shen nobles should drink to their heart's content." Ruyi is the old master of the Shen nobles, Ruyi got rid of her grievances, and finally let me know that she was not the one who murdered the heirs of Concubine Yi and Concubine Mei, and she was wronged. Shen noble people are Ruyi's old servants, and they should celebrate together. ”

The emperor called Ah Zhen "a prudent nobleman" word by word, and only called Ruyi by name, and the intimacy was already very obvious. Ah Ji hated others to mention her as Ruyi's old maid the most, and she was already embarrassed and red, and her hand holding the wine cup trembled slightly. The emperor changed his words and only smiled: "In order to show that your master and servant are celebrating together, I plan to make you a concubine, what do you think?" ”

Such a sudden concubine is even more unexpected than Shu Concubine's grace and illustrious background. And the concubine is the main position of a palace, the status is precious, there are already concubines, Shu concubines and concubines in the palace, either children, or prominent family backgrounds, and have been favored for many years, second only to the pure concubine who raised two sons and the concubine Ruyi who is the side of the blessing in the palace, and the status is not precious. In this way, even the queen couldn't help but change color, or Jia Concubine couldn't help but say: "Does the emperor like Sister Shen so much?" Sister Shen lives with her concubines, doesn't Qixiang Palace have two lords? ”

The emperor raised the wine cup in his hand, and a handsome smile appeared on his lips: "Naturally." If I don't like it, I won't personally take the word 'Shen' as the title of Shen Concubine. Jia Concubine bit her lip slightly, holding back her anger. The emperor's eyes rolled, but he chuckled and said: "Just like your title of Jia Concubine, Jia is a beautiful meaning, and I also like it very much." Therefore, even if Shen Guiren seals the concubine position, you are the only one in the main position of Qixiang Palace. ”

In this way, Jia Concubine calmed down her jealousy a little, but she glanced at Ah Zhen deeply. Ah Ji should have been happy to meet such a reward, but that happiness was also a loss to the soldiers, so she had to stand up and salute in a cold sweat: "Thank you for the emperor's love, concubine." ”

The queen wore a yellow dress of Tianshui goose, and a pair of coral red pendants swayed in her ears, smiled very softly, and said: "The person who has just paid tribute to the ministry is here, waiting outside." It seems that the emperor is going to accompany Shen Concubine tonight, and there is no need to turn over the cards. ”

The emperor shook the queen's hand and said, "Sure enough, the queen knows my intentions." ”

The queen said gently to Ah Zhen: "Then Shen Concubine, you go back first and prepare to go to the Heart Cultivation Hall to sleep." ”

This sentence just rightly relieved Ah Zhen's embarrassment, and she got up, and Jia Concubine said that she wanted to go back to see the fourth elder brother, and also got up to say goodbye. Hailan was inconvenient to be pregnant, so Ruyi also accompanied her to go back first, leaving only Concubine Shu and Concubine Mei by her side, and the emperor was also very comfortable.

Ruyi helped Hailan to turn the long street, but saw Concubine Jia standing in front of Concubine Shen, and sneered: "Don't think that if you seal the concubine position, there is no one in your eyes, there is only one main position in Qixiang Palace, and that is the main palace." Even if it is a concubine, there is a distinction between high and low. Your Suo Yulun clan is just a small surname, and no matter how good your Ama is in controlling the water, you are just an errand boy under Concubine Hui's father, a little prefect. ”

Ah Zhen helped the maid's hand, but he didn't back down, just smiled and said: "My sister is a concubine, I am also a concubine, I am younger than you, so I should naturally respect you as a sister." As for the rest, everyone is the emperor's concubine, just on an equal footing, who is more noble than whom. ”

Concubine Jia's expression changed dramatically, but she also thought about her identity: "On an equal footing? Not to mention that this palace is the biological mother of the fourth son of the emperor, although Concubine Mei was born in Nanfu, she has given birth to a child, and her qualifications are higher than yours. Not to mention Concubine Shu, the daughter of the Yehenala clan was personally selected by the Queen Mother to give it to the emperor. If you want to talk about seniority, this palace is naturally the first among the concubines, and Concubine Mei and Concubine Shu again, you are just Qu Moliu. ”

Jia Concubine's maid Lixin is also a clever tongue, and immediately said: "I haven't congratulated Concubine Shen Niangniang, for your old lord Concubine Xian Niangniang came out of the cold palace, the emperor rewarded you with this concubine, and kept mentioning the relationship between you and Concubine Xian's master and servant." In fact, it's not right to think about it, it was you who exposed Concubine Xian Niangniang's poisoning of Concubine Mei and Concubine Yi's heir, but today the emperor said that Concubine Xian Niangniang was wronged. According to the slave maid, this reward is actually slapping your ear. ”

Ah Zhen helped the handmaid Xinyan's hand, couldn't help but tremble, and reached out to Lixin's cheek is a palm, she was wearing a sterling silver tortoiseshell armor on her hand, and the palm was extremely strong, leaving two blood marks on Lixin's white and tender cheeks.

Lixin was a little scared, even though her eyes were full of tears, she could only cover her face and dare not make a sound. Ruyi looked at it coldly and said with a smile: "It's windy here, do you want to go back first?" ”

Hailan stroked her stomach and said, "Such a good-looking show, the child in my belly should watch it more." When you grow up, you won't suffer too much from others. ”

Ruyi straightened her hood, and the two looked at each other and smiled, and then stood still in the dark.

Jia Concubine watched Lixin being beaten, but changed her smile to a pleasant face, and said coquettishly: "Oh, Mei Xiang worships the son - they are all slaves, why bother your own people to fight your own people." Lixin, the bad guy has become a little master, you will be taught by her, and learn how she climbed the emperor's dragon bed day and night. ”

Li Xin covered her face and said: "The slave and maid don't dare to secretly seduce the emperor behind their master's back, and they don't dare to turn their backs on the master and frame the master." No matter how much they are slapped by Shen Niangniang, slaves and maids will not be able to learn these indiscriminate skills. ”

Jia Concubine smiled again and again, and suddenly stretched out her hand and slapped Ah Jiu. This palm went fast and ruthlessly, to Ah Zhen's surprise, she couldn't resist it at all. Jia Concubine smiled leisurely on her face: "This palm is to teach you to learn to be obedient and humble in the hearts of the people." Don't think that if you get the position and get the favor of the emperor, others will forget how you used all your means to seduce the emperor. Even the minions don't look down on it! ”

Jia Concubine's smug chuckle fell into the wind and was particularly loud, and she was surrounded by the palace people and swayed away. Ah Zhen slowly stroked his cheeks and smiled self-deprecatingly: "Xinyan, look, everyone looks down on me. Even if I am a concubine, in their eyes, I am just a slave, and I can only be a slave who can't get on the stage. ”

Xinyan hurriedly helped her, and said in a good voice: "Little master, don't take it to heart, Concubine Jia just gave birth to a prince by herself." She herself is just a tribute-like tribute girl of different races, the little lord is pure Manchurian blood, if she gives birth to a son and a half daughter in the future, wouldn't it be more noble than her. Originally, you didn't have a child, and the emperor loved you so much. ”

Ah Jiu's laughter was a little crying: "You also think that the emperor loves me?" ”

Xin Yanqi said: "Little master, what's wrong with you?" The emperor often turns over your brand, and the reward is also the most. Even if Concubine Shu is favored, the emperor has not forgotten you. You see, no matter how arrogant and mean Jia Concubine is, she is just jealous of you. ”

Ah Zhen looked sad, nodded again and again: "Yes, they are all jealous of me, they are all jealous of the palace." But who brought me to such a place where everyone is jealous and mean? Over the years, I have been favored, except for the queen and Hui Guifei, I have hardly seen the good faces of others, and even Hui Guifei is occasionally sneering. Who the hell arched me into such a place where everyone is the enemy? ”