Seeing this situation, the crown princess hurriedly diverted the topic and asked some other things, and after everyone discussed it, they handed over the inventory of the list of people who went to the banquet to the crown princess. This is a seemingly simple but very tedious job, when the time comes, the ranking of seats at the banquet must be in accordance with the roster drawn up by the crown princess, and the status of the guests is higher or lower, and those families have grievances to separate, which cannot be ignored.

"If there are any deficiencies in the sons, please teach them more." The crown princess received the errand and was about to leave, she guessed that the elders still had something to say, and she was a junior and the crown princess, so the pestle was not suitable here.

Not long after the crown princess left, Concubine Tong said: "The sisters in the palace know your temper Concubine Yi, and I also know that you used to be so straight even in front of the queen, but now everyone is a grandmother, so don't always do these disgusting things." You don't tell the truth to attract people's suspicion, but always tell the truth when it is inappropriate, and it is not that we dislike you, but we are afraid that others will misunderstand you. ”

If Concubine Rong and Concubine Hui talked about her like this, they would have fallen out a long time ago, but the two of them didn't say a word, and the concubine continued: "It's okay for the princess to live in the palace, if you let the elder brother Fujin know, how difficult should your family's five Fujin and Jiufujin be?" It's time to think about it for the kids. ”

Concubine Yi snorted, but Concubine Tong immediately said: "But Concubine Yi's words are not unreasonable, the expenses in the palace at the beginning of this year are amazingly large, and the emperor will inevitably allocate silver taels for the queen mother's birthday banquet, but we can't keep reaching out and asking the emperor for money, and the queen mother will be unhappy." This is just the beginning, and she repeatedly told not to spend too much to create evil, but the first time the crown princess participated in such a thing, she couldn't let her think that we were stingy, how to tune here, everyone had to discuss more. ”

Concubine Yi looked like she was about to speak, but she was accused just now, and she stopped talking, Concubine Hui and Concubine Rong turned a blind eye, but Lan Qi smiled and said, "If you have something to say, how many of us don't know your temper?" ”

"But isn't it, is there still a tucked away between us?" Concubine Yi cleared her throat and said, "Concubine Rong and Concubine De are both well-known iron roosters, Sister Concubine Hui is better, as for me with countless money, if Niang Niang can trust us, it is better to do this time, Concubine Hui and I will calculate the big accounts, and then hand them over to Concubine Rong and Concubine De to calculate carefully, and make unnecessary deletions and missing additions, Concubine Hui and I can't be angry, Concubine Rong and Concubine De can't care about us not being careful, after two hands, it won't be too shabby or too extravagant." ”

Concubine Tong Guifei had no idea for a while, and wanted to look at Concubine De for answers, but they said that they were not like that in front of people, only they weighed the pros and cons in their hearts, but this time Lan Qi spoke first: "This is good, the power of one person is limited, if the queen mother and the emperor know that we work together, they will also be happy." ”

Concubine Yi was complacent: "The harmony of the six palaces under the leadership of the noble concubine Niangniang is of course a good thing. ”

When Concubine Tong Guifei saw Concubine De say this, she didn't have any worries, and she followed Concubine Yi's instructions, anyway, it was good that the detailed matter didn't fall into her hands.

Chuxiu Palace was scattered, Rong and De went to the East Sixth Palace, Concubine Yi swaggered back to Yikun Palace, Concubine Hui caught up a few steps and said, "I didn't plan to care, why do you want to involve me." ”

Concubine Yi looked at her sharply: "Then Sister Hui went to resign by herself, what did you rely on me to do, why didn't you open your mouth just now?" ”

She left people and left, as soon as she went home, she yelled to drink tea, her spirit was dancing proudly, Taohong avoided others and asked the master why she was so happy, Yifei Niu drank a cup of tea, and said with a smile: "I got married to Brother Jiu, I only know how much oil and water I can get from doing these things, no wonder Yonghe Palace is so rich, and raising so many children under my knees is not stretched, this time to hold a birthday banquet for the Queen Mother, it is even more like running water, and we have no other income, do not seize this opportunity, and wait for the future?" Who knows how long the Queen Mother will live. ”

Taohong was helpless, but reminded: "Since you are with Concubine Hui, you can't keep Concubine Hui watching, where do you start." ”

Concubine Yi sneered: "Where is she clean, she is all a grandmother, and the expenses in their respective palaces are several times that of before, so she really has mountains of gold and silver to spend?" Nowadays, the Pearl Mansion is not much bigger. ”

But Concubine Yi didn't know whether she was smart and thought that others couldn't see through her thoughts, or she didn't care that others could see through her at all, and when such an arrangement spread in the palace, the queen mother and the emperor felt that it was not very appropriate.

On that day, Xuan Ye took the thirteenth and fourteenth elder brother to Yonghe Palace for dinner, the two boys couldn't sit still, and left after eating, Xuan Ye comforted Lan Qi and said that the boy didn't know what to be ashamed of at this age, but he was not very willing to be close to the female family, but when he mentioned the birthday banquet, he was not very satisfied and said: "Why let them mix blindly? ”

The two sat down to play chess, Lan Qi hollowed out his mind to put a piece, but he felt that it was inappropriate, and he stretched out his hand to regret the chess, but was caught by the emperor, but said: "I asked you seriously." ”

Lan Qi begged her to take a step of repentance, but Xuan Ye impatiently took the initiative to put her chess pieces in another place, and said with disdain: "After studying for so many years, I am still stupid." But when she was about to talk to someone, Lan Qi stared at the chessboard with wide eyes, although she felt that Xuan Ye was in a great position, but she didn't see any doorway, she didn't know what to do next, she stretched out her hand and hesitated to move the chess pieces back, and Xuan Ye slapped her head heavily and scolded, "Did you hear what I said?" ”

Lan Qi took the opportunity to put the chess pieces back, and said casually with a smile: "The silver taels that the concubine and Sister Rong have saved for you over the years are more than enough for a birthday banquet. Now I think, the Queen Mother's birthday, you have amnesty for the world, why not be lively in the palace, as long as everyone is happy. The emperor can rest assured that Concubine Yi is now making up for the days of the fifth elder brother and the ninth elder brother, and the fifth elder brother has received favors from the queen mother, she always does not want to be looked down upon by her son, and the expenses in Yikun Palace are not small, and it is strange that it is hard. The emperor just let her get a little, how much can she have? This is not the same as the corruption of ministers, she is your woman, and your brothers are your children, this money is just a circle, or use it for your own family. ”

Xuan Ye sounded reasonable, but Lan Qi took care of these things for him, lowered his head and put down a chess piece, originally he had just moved Lan Qi's white chess pieces and wanted to put them in this place, but the chess pieces were all lost, only to find that Lan Qi didn't know when to move the chess pieces away, and suddenly had the intention of regretting chess, but how could he do this kind of thing, but the look on his face was caught inadvertently, and the person in front of him held the chess box and said proudly: "Does the emperor also want to regret chess?" It's better for the concubine to let you take a step, otherwise it doesn't make sense for your chess piece to be placed there, and it will be difficult to go next. ”

Xuan Ye looked at her deeply, Lan Qi's face was stunned, thinking that he still had a trick? As a result, the person in front of him waved his hand, only to hear the sound of the chess pieces falling, he actually overturned the whole game of chess, and then leisurely separated the black and white chess, and said: "I accidentally touched it, it's a pity, let's do it again." ”

Lan Qi was holding the white chess box in her hand, as if she was holding some rare treasure, she didn't move in a daze, Xuan Ye separated the chess pieces, and wanted to put the white chess box back for her, but seeing her puffing out cheeks and daring to be angry and dare not speak, she couldn't help laughing, leaned over and took the chess box and put it on the white child, and said: "I don't understand, what do you have to do to supplement them, their money is more than my ministers, is it that my officials in the Qing Dynasty are starving to death, and I can't support them?" ”

Lan Qi hung her head and didn't say a word, and Xuan Ye was slightly annoyed: "Let's talk about serious things, it's just a game of chess, I accidentally touched it, it's good to compensate you for another game." Seeing that there was no reaction to what he said, he didn't have a clue, so he came around and sat behind her back and hugged her, "Are you really angry?" Who called you too proud. ”

Lan Qi did say seriously: "Don't let this happen next time, I'll just forget it, can we still play chess if we all play tricks?" ”

But neither of them has the mind to play chess, Lan Qi is just a coquette, when it comes to the expenses of the brothers' respective houses, Lan Qi said that it is not easy to support a family, she once asked Yuxi what expenses are in the family, Yuxi is shrewd, and it is really a lot of money.

Lan Qi persuaded Xuan Ye to look away: "It is inevitable that the emperor will be corrupt in the court, and you must not let those rice worms empty the treasury, you should be selfless to your brothers, they are also ministers after all." But the matter of the subsidy between the mother and son in the palace, you just turn a blind eye, it's not that the concubines themselves do this, so it's not easy for everyone to excuse themselves. Even the concubines and nobles, one of them saved the New Year's money to the seventh elder brother, such a long way, and always saved some good materials to ask the concubines to send them to the grassland to Princess Duanjing, pity the parents of the world, when the emperor felt that it was inappropriate, he came to ask me, and I would restrain them. Don't go to them for trouble, especially if Concubine Yi is so straightforward, it will be chilling. ”

Xuan Ye responded: "Didn't I just come to ask you, I never mentioned these things in front of any of them, this family is you and mine." ”

Lan Qi ignored his sweet words, and set up chess pieces to continue, Xuan Ye saw that she was addicted to chess, and was willing to accompany her, and asked a lot of things about the expenses in his sons' house while dropping down, similar to the fourth elder brother, he couldn't get used to digging a stream at home, but when he heard about some things that cost money, he also felt that it was not unreasonable, after all, Xuan Ye was rich in the world, and he really didn't understand these trivial things.

But inadvertently, he mentioned it: "In this way, the subsidies in Yuqing Palace are all from the Hesheli family?" Are they all subsidizing and making offerings? ”

Lan Qi shook her head: "How do the concubines know." ”

Xuan Ye frowned and said: "I have been to Yuqing Palace before, and there are overwhelming scrolls of words and paintings in the study, don't look at all the pieces of paper, some famous teachers are from everyone, but they are more valuable than pearls and gemstones." ”

Lan Qi sighed, not wanting to be too greedy, but the emperor said: "Suo Etu has long been restrained, who do you say to give him so many calligraphy and paintings." ”

Concubine Rong's previous words rang in Lan Qi's ears, saying that the third elder brother had a send, but she didn't necessarily have to sue the emperor now.

But Xuan Ye pinched a sunspot, stared at the chessboard with a leisurely gaze, and his words were light and light, but he was obviously very concerned: "You said that between their brothers, who is supporting the prince?" ”

Lan Qi's heart jumped suddenly, and she became uneasy for some reason, Xuan Ye put down a chess piece, raised his eyes to her, and smiled indifferently: "You have to be optimistic about Yinzhen and them, don't do stupid things, there is no brotherhood in family and country affairs." I value the harmony of their brothers, but I don't distinguish between good and evil. ”

Lan Qi nodded again and again, somehow as if she was frightened, but Xuan Ye took her hand and placed a white piece under the chessboard, and said with a smile: "This is the best." ”

But after a whole game of chess, Lan Qi had no thoughts, and when she was halfway through her life, she suddenly said: "Now in the eyes of the emperor, are they not only sons, but also chess pieces?" ”

Xuan Ye sighed without thinking, and then unfolded unhurriedly: "If I say that this is what the imperial grandmother explained, do you believe it or not?" ”

Lan Qi's eyes flickered, and Xuan Ye continued: "The imperial grandmother told me a long time ago that you can't do such a rebellious thing as killing a child, although I am more or less involved, but in the end I still did it according to the words of the imperial grandmother. But the imperial grandmother also said that the emperor can't take the children too seriously, once they enter the court, they are more able to subvert some things than ordinary ministers, from then on, they are no longer sons but chess pieces, family affection is not able to support the country, as the emperor is destined to be lonely, you can't force perfection, what I want is the stability of the world, is the inheritance of future generations, not the relationship between father and son. ”

Lan Qi said: "But the emperor still cared about it in the past, and even lost it because of it. ”

A cold smile flashed across Xuan Ye's eyes: "That's because I haven't been hurt by them at that time." Now I understand that there are no parents in the world who don't want children, but there are many things that don't want parents' children. ”

"The Emperor's ......"

"Thirteen and Fourteen don't like to stay in front of you now, and you're sad, aren't you? Have you done anything to make them sad, you mothers, looking at the rich and decently living in the palace, but secretly saving money and worrying about them, why don't they think about you? Xuan Ye snorted lightly, "In the past, or now, we are thinking about them, and if I treat them as children, the country will be passed on." I think about the whole country, but they only think about themselves. ”

Lan Qi didn't understand how Xuan Ye was good, where did he have so much resentment, but these words touched her heart very much, and she didn't know how to answer his words for a while, but was urged by Xuan Ye: "Hurry up, I can't finish a game of chess in the middle of the night if I go on like this." ”

Lan Qi pinched the chess pieces and hesitated, and Emperor Leng Buding said: "After all, we can accompany us until we grow old." ”

...

...