Shi Chong and the others were startled when they heard this, and they didn't know what was going on, so they hurriedly welcomed the eunuch in. It turned out that this person was not sent by the emperor, but from the queen's palace. Shi Chong and the man sat down opposite each other and asked someone to offer tea, while Xiahoumen and Xun Bao stood on both sides.

Even Shi Mu, Zhixin and the others in the study were quiet and no longer noisy. Because Shi Chong is arrogant on weekdays, he loves to fight with the scholars, and he loves to kill innocents indiscriminately, and he has a lot of ill-gotten gains, Mrs. Shi is always worried about this, and today I heard that someone came to the palace, and I was worried that Shi Chong was bad, how could there be no reason not to be afraid? But she listened carefully to the tone of the eunuch's speech through the window, it was very polite, and it didn't seem like there was anything, so she put a little bit of heart.

The eunuch was not verbose, only exchanged two words, and then went straight to the point: "I am here for nothing else, but to follow the queen's instructions to ask the daughter of the stone servant to enter the palace immediately." ”

Shi Chong was stunned, he didn't know why, and asked with a smile: "I don't know why the queen ordered my daughter to enter the palace?" ”

The eunuch smiled: "You will know when you go." ”

Shi Chong didn't dare to slack off, and hurriedly went to the back to inform Zhixin and his wife. Old Madam Shi was anxious, and she was also surprised to hear the news. Zhixin, when she heard that she was allowed to enter the palace, she felt confused at first, but then she thought about it carefully: she had just been forced to marry by the old lady, and she was called every day, and she was called unlucky, and she was already exhausted, and she didn't know what to do. Now the queen asked me to enter the palace, although for some reason, it seemed to be a stalemate here. Thinking about it this way, her heart became more and more calm.

Shi Mu was not at ease, so she asked someone to prepare the car, and ordered Zhixin's two personal maids, Chunlan and Peony, to also go to inquire about the news. Shi Chong agreed to half of the Shi family's courtship, but suddenly there was a variable, and the two matchmakers, Xiahoumen and Xun Bao, could only wait for the news helplessly.

Zhixin was brought into the palace, the palace was huge, and the palace maids and eunuchs came and went, shuttling endlessly, but they were all looking sideways at this new face in different costumes. After walking for a while, she didn't know where she went, and suddenly saw the seventeenth princess coming over, and when she saw Zhixin coming, she shouted happily: "Dr. Xin! ”

In the palace full of fresh faces, Zhixin suddenly saw an acquaintance, Zhixin felt very kind, but she didn't understand what the seventeenth princess said, so she smiled and said: "What new doctor, old doctor, where is there any doctor?" ”

"You, you are Dr. Xin, our Master."

"Me? - How did you become your master? How did you become a new doctor? So who is the old doctor? ”

"Oh, it's hard to say, when I see Her Royal Highness the Queen, she will naturally tell you."

Zhixin didn't understand, while walking with the seventeenth princess, she wanted to ask again, and suddenly walked to a very large palace with three big characters written on it: "Mingguang Palace". The seventeenth princess whispered, "This is Queen Yang's bedroom." ”

"The Queen's bedchamber? Is the emperor also here? Zhixin asked uneasily.

The seventeenth princess smiled: "No, the emperor goes to which concubine's womb, he doesn't even count what he says." ”

"You're lying to me again, the emperor doesn't go to whichever palace he wants, who can still influence the emperor's intentions?"

"Sheep."

"Sheep?"

Seeing Zhixin's stunned face, the people next to her laughed when they heard it. At this time, a female official came over and briefly taught Zhixin the etiquette of the court, and after only saying it once, Zhixin kept it in mind. Accompanied by the palace maid and the seventeenth princess, Zhixin entered the Mingguang Hall and met Queen Yang according to etiquette. Yang Zhi saw that although Zhixin was young, she was not flustered when she first entered the palace, her every move was very decent, she was very happy, she smiled and let her get up, and asked: "You speak decently, behave elegantly, you are a famous lady at a glance, you must have read a lot of books, right?" ”

"Back to the queen, the concubine is only slightly familiar with the "Book of Songs" and "Women's Training", and the "Analects" and "Book of Rites" also know a little, and I have not read the rest of the books."

"It's very modest, but after reading these books, it's good for a girl. On the day of the silkworm, I saw that you were so familiar with the Book of Songs, who taught you? ”

"Oh-" Zhixin's "Book of Songs" was originally taught by her father Han Ning, but her love for the "Book of Songs" originated from Shu Yan, and the two of them have studied and recited the verses together since they were young, so Shu Yan's influence on her was greater than that of her father. But at this moment, Zhixin couldn't tell the truth, so she could only tell a lie: "When I was a child, I was taught by a master invited by my family." ”

"Presumably your master must be a famous Confucian."

Zhixin nodded.

Although I don't know why Empress Yang summoned her, after having a brief contact with her that day, I feel that Empress Yang is not bad. Although noble, but he seems to be a very easy-going person, and listening to today's words, he is very kind, so Zhixin has no more nervousness when she just entered the palace, and has become more relaxed.

She raised her lowered head slightly, and saw that Empress Yang's dress today was completely different from the headdress dress at the first silkworm ceremony, and she was only wearing simple clothes, although simple but luxurious. Looking at her face again, although she is a little old, she still has no charm, and when she was young, she was definitely a rare beauty.

"It's better to say that. Today's edict is not for anything else, just because there is a lack of a female doctor in the palace, and these princesses in the harem are uneducated. Although the daughter's family does not have to read a lot of books, the royal daughter, unlike the folk women, should read more books while learning from female workers. Because the harem has been a place of deceit and intrigue since ancient times. If they don't study and do nothing all day long, they will definitely be contaminated with this habit, and if they marry out of the palace in the future, they will be ridiculed and ruin the royal face. Yang Zhi said while looking at Zhixin, although her head was lowered, but she had an unyielding aura, although she was respectful and polite, she was not flattering, and continued, "Since I saw you the day before yesterday, this palace felt that you had an extraordinary bearing, and then I saw you secretly helping the seventeenth princess to recite the "Book of Songs" behind your back, not only the poems are very familiar, but also the artistic conception of the choice is also the most appropriate, which shows your skills, this palace likes it very much, so I want to invite you to come to the palace to be a female doctor who teaches, are you willing?" ”

"You want me to be a female doctor?" Zhixin was a little surprised.

"Yes, I want you to be a female doctor. Men have doctors of the Five Classics in their studies, and we can naturally have female doctors in our harem. ”

"Back to the queen, I'm afraid the slave family won't be able to do it."

"Why?"

"Because I don't know the other four classics except for the Book of Songs."

After hearing this, Yang Zhi laughed and said, "Who wants you to know all the five classics?" Although the doctors of the Five Classics in Nataixue are all familiar with the Five Classics, they are all taught separately, and each person only teaches one Classic. Besides, what is the use of learning those "I Ching" and "Spring and Autumn" in our women's family? So, you just have to teach the Book of Songs. ”

"But ......" Although Zhixin is very proficient in the "Book of Songs", she is still a little apprehensive about letting her be a female doctor in the palace, after all, she is a teacher for the princess.

Seeing that Zhixin was a little hesitant, the seventeenth princess hurriedly said beside her: "What's the 'but'?" I've discussed this matter with the queen. After all, she is a few years younger, and everything she thinks that others who like it must also like it. Because Zhixin had helped her at the silkworm ceremony, solved her predicament, and made her a little beautiful, she liked this "talented female sister" who was a few years older than herself.

Empress Yang's majestic and kind face and the longing eyes of the seventeenth princess, one could not be disobeyed, the other was gracious, and neither of them allowed herself not to agree.

"Okay, since Her Royal Highness the Queen and the Seventeenth Princess don't think the slave family is stupid, then I can only obey my fate."

"That's right." The seventeenth princess said happily, "I have even found your residence, which is right next to mine." Let's go, I'll take you right away. ”

Empress Yang said: "Seventeenth princess, you are messing around again, although they promised to stay in the palace, they have to let her go back and explain to the family." ”

"I beg Her Royal Highness not to let her go back, what if she regrets it after she goes back? Her home is so close, what is there to explain? Wouldn't it be okay to send someone to give you a notice? ”

Empress Yang smiled: "If you say something, it will count, do you think everyone is like you to play a child's temper?" ”

Zhixin saw that the seventeenth princess said this, and she was in her own mind. Thinking about being forced to marry by Mrs. Shi just now, although the old lady was kind, but against her will, recalling that scene, I was very apprehensive, and I didn't know how to get rid of it, but now I have such an absolutely high-sounding reason, it is really a wish. She knew that neither the Shi family nor the Shi family dared to disobey the queen's will, but she was still reluctant to go back to face the old lady for the time being.

"It's okay, I don't have anything to explain at home, just obey the seventeenth princess, and I won't go back. There are people in my house, so I will wait outside the palace to listen to the letter, and let them go back and tell the family. ”

Although Empress Yang was surprised, she was even more pleased, so she ordered her to follow the seventeenth princess to withdraw.

Mingguang Hall is in a prominent position in the palace, and the residence of the seventeenth princess is very remote, Zhixin followed the seventeenth princess and her attendants through the corridor and stairs, walking through many palaces. It will be late, and the palace will be lit up everywhere, shining on the majestic palace and gorgeous crowds, like a fairyland in the sky. Along the way, Zhixin found a strange phenomenon outside the doors of many palaces, that is, some bamboo leaves were inserted in front of the doors. She was a little puzzled, so she asked the seventeenth princess: "Princess, along the way, I saw many bamboo leaves in front of the palace doors, is there anything exquisite?" ”

The seventeenth princess smiled: "Of course there is a special one. ”

"What's so important? Is it a custom peculiar to the palace? The people have never heard of the saying of planting bamboo in front of the window? ”

"Of course, it is unique to the palace, not only the people, but also the palaces of all dynasties, let me tell you, this is a great creation of my father."

"Your Majesty's original?"

"Yes."

"But why?"

"Because ......" Before the seventeenth princess could speak, she suddenly made a silent gesture and whispered, "My father is here." ”

Zhixin turned her head and saw that under the umbrella cover, a small car with a person gently and slowly drove over. She didn't have time to take a closer look, so she bowed down with everyone.

The emperor is the Son of Heaven, but not everyone is lucky enough to be able to see the holy face. Even those county guards and county magistrates who are high up and are regarded by the people as parents and officials are not necessarily qualified. Something that ordinary people can't think of actually happened to themselves.

Hearing the car passing by her, Zhixin secretly raised her head. She had long heard that the current emperor had a peculiar appearance, especially two parts that were much longer than ordinary people: one was hair, it is said that Sima Yan's hair was so long that it could touch the ground; The second is the arms, the legs stand naturally, and the hands can hang below the knees.

However, Zhixin didn't pay serious attention to Shengyan at this moment, because she saw something that surprised her even more - the small car that the emperor was riding in was actually driven by sheep. The small sheep cart carried the emperor, and the emperor did not seem to interfere, allowing him to roam freely in front of the various palace gates. The sheep looked east and smelled west, and finally stopped in front of the window of a palace, nibbled on the bamboo leaves inserted in the window, and licked something on the ground. Sima Yan happily got out of the car, and at the same time, a beautiful concubine walked out of this palace and happily welcomed the emperor in.

After the emperor entered, everyone stood up. Zhixin was puzzled: "It turns out that the palace is different from the folk everywhere, not only is there bamboo in front of the window, but also such a strange little sheep cart." ”

The seventeenth princess smirked and said mysteriously: "Actually, it is easy to understand if you connect the two strange phenomena of bamboo leaves and sheep carts. ”

Zhixin smiled: "How to contact?" The way to feed the sheep in the palace is also special, the sheep love to eat bamboo leaves, so they put the bamboo leaves in the sheepfold and let the sheep eat it, why do you want to be stocked like this? ”

"Well, if you don't understand, I'll tell you. This matter has to start from the year of Ping Wu. After my father, the emperor pacified Wu, he took the five thousand concubines of Wu into the palace. Before that, my father's original queen, Yang Yan, the current queen's sister, was extremely jealous, resulting in my father's queen palace concubines, but there were few outstanding beauties. After the death of the previous empress, this cousin of hers took her place. The queen was not so jealous and accepted the five thousand concubines of Wu into the palace. These 5,000 concubines are all beauties, since they entered the palace, my father was very happy, all of them liked it very much, and he didn't know which one was good, so he thought of a strange way - ordered someone to make a small car, small enough to walk in the palace at will, let the sheep drive, my father sat on it, let the sheep walk freely through the palace, and finally stopped in front of the door of the concubine, where my father stayed for the night. Of course, due to the large number of concubines, my father and the emperor couldn't favor them at all, and the smart concubines came up with a way to compete for favor - since where the emperor stays depends on the will of the sheep, it is better to vote for the sheep. They knew that the sheep loved to eat bamboo leaves and lick salt, so they got bamboo leaves and put them in front of their windows, and sprinkled salt on the ground in front of the door to attract the sheep to come and eat. Other concubines saw that this method was good, so they all followed suit. So, as you can see, bamboos were planted everywhere in the palace, and salt was sprinkled everywhere. ”

"Huh?" Zhixin heard the seventeenth princess say this, she was amused and felt ridiculous, "So, tonight, the emperor spent the night at the concubine who stopped in the sheep cart?" ”

"Of course."