King Xiang of the Red Chamber

Chapter 620 The women of the palace
"A female official from the Shang Palace Bureau was also present at the mansion together. I guess she has an agenda!"

Lin Hongyu continued speaking while quietly observing Baochai's reaction.

As she expected, the princess didn't show anything strange.

Although her expression remained calm, Baochai's heart was already filled with turmoil. She didn't expect this to happen so quickly.

Now that someone from the Shang Palace Bureau is here, Baochai must go back as soon as possible, so she said to everyone in the hall: "I have to go back first if there is something in the house. You can think about the things here!"

"Your thirteenth brother also likes polo. If you two really make it exciting, maybe he will join in!"

Zhu Jinghong had already made his intentions clear to Baochai, so Baochai only said this before leaving, which could be regarded as an encouragement to Zhu Jingchun and Zhu Jingchun.

Yes, just the fact that Zhu Jinghong may participate is enough to encourage people.

Not long after Baochai left, Zhu Jinghao returned to the palace and found that Zhu Jinghong and his wife had left.

He was in charge of organizing outside just now and didn't know what happened, so he asked Zhu Jingchun about his situation.

After he understood it, he was stunned and didn't know what to say for a while.

"This... how come the third sister..."

His wife, Mrs. Zhao, looked at Zhu Jingchun and asked, "Brother Fourteen, can our two families hold a polo match?"

Princess Xu of Qingyang smiled and replied: "I think it's better to do it...otherwise, as Sister Thirteen said, if we gather people and then disperse, it will really become a joke!"

Zhu Jingchun nodded, and then said: "Both and right have to do something, so let's just do it properly. It's also a good thing for us two brothers to do!"

"Fifteen...what do you think?"

After all, it is the man who makes the decision. Zhu Jinghao nodded and said: "It just costs some money. If you can have fun, then let's do it!"

The lives of the princes of the Zhu family are very boring, and they will die of boredom if they don't have fun by themselves.

Now that the two brothers had made up their minds, the matter was officially settled.

Let's talk about the palace of Prince Xiang. Yang Jingting is wearing casual clothes and staying in her yard at the moment.

No one has lived in it for a year. Although it is cleaned every day, Yiheyuan still has a somewhat desolate scene.

At this moment, more than a dozen maids and eunuchs were cleaning and decorating the garden. Yang Jingting only stayed for a while and then left.

It was a joy to be able to come back today, but just touching it quietly like this made this joy disappear without a trace.

Even her aunt didn't notify the family in advance that she was going back to the family, so she didn't even see Zhu Jinghong when she arrived.

Fortunately, Yang Jingting has grown a lot during the one-year retreat, allowing her to easily suppress her resentment.

After only staying in the courtyard for two minutes, she walked out of the courtyard. Outside the courtyard gate, all the daughters of Prince Xiang's Mansion had arrived.

Yang Jingting has always been the concubine, second only to Baochai in the palace, so when she said she wanted to be quiet, everyone could only wait outside.

When she came to the courtyard gate and saw the people waiting outside, Yang Jingting said with a smile: "Everyone, I just felt agitated, so I neglected you. I hope you won't blame me!"

Yang Jingting's tone and demeanor made everyone feel the difference, but they couldn't tell what was different at the moment.

"Sister Ting, you are finally back... How are you doing in the palace?"

While Ke Qing was still thinking about how to answer, Zhen Qin had already spoken first, directly hitting Yang Jingting's sore spot.

Yang Jingting didn't want to mention the matter of practicing in the Jade Emperor Palace anymore, but she had to respond with a smile at this time.

"With the Queen's care, I will naturally live in peace!"

At this moment, Ke Qing answered: "Sister Ting, the prince went to Qingyang Palace today, and we have ordered people to spread the news!"

This is completely nonsense, but Keqing must say it, after all, she is one of the three selected attendants.

After nodding slightly, Yang Jingting looked at Yinglian, stepped forward and asked: "Yinglian... you have given birth to a princess, congratulations!"

Although the words were congratulatory, they made Yinglian extremely nervous, and she hurriedly replied: "Thank you, empress!"

At this time, Yinglian just wanted to stay away. She always felt that Yang Jingting was in danger.

After her, Nuo Minqiqifang came forward to greet her, while Yang Jingting returned the gift humbly.

Next, with her as the center, everyone walked along the alley in the palace, talking while walking.

Because they were preparing to meet Zhu Jinghong and his wife, Yang Jingting and her party went to Yin'an Hall.

While chatting on the road, Yang Jingting learned that a new person had entered the palace.

"The princess's sister?"

"Where are you now?" Yang Jingting asked curiously.

Ke Qing replied: "Arrange to live in Guixiangyuan!"

Yang Jingting calmly replied: "The princes on your left and right are not back either. I'm going to meet this sister and take a look around this mansion!"

"If something happens to you, just go back and go your own way. You don't have to stay with me all the time!"

Although Yang Jingting behaved very kindly, no one present had any intention of leaving, and no one wanted to offend her for nothing.

After all, this is not only a concubine, but also the queen's niece.

Everyone left Yin'an Gate and walked to Guixiang Courtyard, chatting and laughing all the way. As soon as they got closer, they heard the sound of silk and bamboo orchestra.

"I remember...musicians and handymen live on the east side of the palace. What's wrong with that?"

"Sister Ting, in front of you is Hanhuiyuan. Inside are the dancers that the prince brought back from North Korea. These people are always practicing at this hour!"

"I see!"

While they were talking, everyone came to the outside of Guixiang Courtyard. The maid had entered the hospital to announce that Baoqin happened to arrive at the door of the courtyard.

What a beautiful girl... When she first saw her, Yang Jingting couldn't help but praise her.

She knew that Zhu Jinghong was so beautiful, how could she not be tempted by such a beautiful woman? She was afraid that her status would be high in the future...

The position of the concubine is still vacant, and Yang Jingting thinks it is very possible for Baochai to move his sister to the position.

Seeing Yang Jingting arriving, Bao Qin quickly stepped forward to salute and said respectfully: "Greetings to the empress!"

Baoqin has been introduced by the maid and knows that this is the concubine of the palace and the niece of the current queen.

While Baoqin was saluting, he was also quietly sizing up the concubine. After all, she almost became a princess.

To be more precise, this is who the princess should be.

Thinking of how his cousin had squeezed this one out, Bao Qin admired Baochai even more.

If Yang Jingting knew what Bao Qin was thinking, no matter how well she practiced in the city, she would probably be able to break her guard and go berserk on the spot.

"As expected of the princess's younger sister, her agility alone...is better than countless women in the world!" Yang Jingting praised her as she looked around.

"Yeah yeah!"

There were several people present, but only Zhen Qin was cheering. Ke Qing and Ying Lian were just laughing, while Qi Qige and Nuo Min were further behind.

"Your Majesty is too praised. This little girl is too stupid to deserve such praise!" Baoqin was extremely humble.

Yang Jingting smiled and continued: "I'm just telling the truth...I'm not praising you!"

"When did my sister come to the house?"

"A month ago..."

"Are you still in the habit of living here now?"

"Everything is fine..."

"Let's move around more in the future. Sisters can chat and laugh together so that we don't..."

The girls were talking outside the courtyard gate, but at this time in the Hanhui courtyard next door, two girls were standing behind the pillars of the courtyard gate, looking at Yang Jingting and the others. "So this is the concubine!" Li Huizhen murmured.

"See you, we should go in, it's too cold outside!"

Hearing what Park Jinying muttered, Li Huizhen turned around and smiled, then pulled her good sisters into the courtyard.

Could it be that seeing her so happy, Park Zhenying couldn't help but ask: "What's the happy event for sister?"

Li Huizhen didn't speak in a hurry. After pulling Pu Zhenying into her room and closing the door, she said, "Sister... our opportunity has come!"

"Chance?"

"Yes... chance!"

Pulling Park Jinying closer, Li Huizhen lowered her voice and said, "Sister... our supporter is here!"

After a few seconds of silence, Park Zhenying asked tentatively: "You mean... this Miss Yang?"

"This person suddenly returned home and there is no one around him who can be used. This is a good opportunity for us to curry favor with him!" Li Huizhen calculated.

Li Huizhen's eyes moved, and then said: "She is a concubine and the queen's niece. If she can gain her trust, she will have a chance to be promoted to a selected attendant!"

"But why should we let her take notice of us?" Park Zhenying refused.

The status gap between the two parties is too big, and in Park Zhenying's opinion, there is no relationship at all.

"Of course I'm helping her win favor..."

"She has been quiet in the palace for a long time. The most urgent thing now when she returns home is to regain His Highness's favor. With our ability... we can certainly help her!"

Regarding the future route, Li Huizhen has a clearer plan, and it is still being refined. She is indeed a very enterprising woman.

It's just that Park Jinying doesn't have this childlike heart, and now she just wants to live a quiet life.

"Sister...we have to join hands!" Li Huizhen grabbed Park Jinying's hand.

Facing the fiery gaze of her good sister, Park Zhenying nodded reluctantly, because she didn't want to lose her only good sister in this foreign country.

Besides, in Hanhui Courtyard, everyone went into the main room to talk, and they were talking about Zhu Jinghong's trip to North Korea.

Zhen Qin appeared to be the most active, telling everything she had seen and heard, adding insult to injury. During this period, Nuo Min had to expose the truth, which brought a lot of laughter to the scene.

However, within less than a moment of everyone chatting, someone came to report that the princess had returned to the palace.

"The prince hasn't come back?" Yang Jingting asked quickly.

"The princess is returning to the palace alone, and now she has entered the corner gate!" the maid warned carefully, and at the same time reminded Yang Jingting that she should go and greet her.

Zhu Jinghong didn't come back together, which made Yang Jingting very disappointed and felt like a knife cutting her heart.

Could it be that Brother Thirteen no longer has any affection for me? Yang Jingting felt increasingly uncomfortable.

She looked up in a trance and found that everyone was looking at her. Yang Jingting quickly stopped crying because she didn't want others to laugh at her.

"Everyone...let's go meet the princess!"

Knowing that she had to adjust her mentality, Yang Jingting took a few deep breaths, because the next meeting was very important.

After what happened before, she knew very well that the princess who looked kind on the surface was actually very deep and sophisticated.

If she could not get this person to put down her hostility towards her, Yang Jingting would know that her life in the palace would not be easy.

They hadn't seen each other for a year, and now they suddenly wanted to see Baochai. Yang Jingting suddenly felt panic in her heart. This was a feeling she had never felt before.

Obviously, she was frightened!

Yang Jingting just walked out of Hanhui Courtyard and found that Baochai and his party had arrived outside the door, but they came directly to her.

Before returning home, Yang Jingting envisioned meeting Baochai.

I saw her walking down the steps quickly, kneeling down directly when she was three steps away from Baochai, and then kowtowed: "Meet the princess!"

Yang Jingting's move caught Baochai a little off guard.

She stepped forward subconsciously, quickly helped Yang Jingting up, and then said: "Sister, what are you doing? Why do you need to give such a big gift? You are trying to offend me!"

"We are all from the same family, and such a great gift would go unnoticed. If the prince knew about it... he would think that I was playing tricks on the princess!"

Of course Zhu Jinghong would not think so, so Baochai said this to the queen. She believed that someone would report the situation to the queen.

Sure enough, the female official of the Shang Palace Bureau walked out of the crowd, greeted Baochai and said, "Princess, the Queen said that Yang Yang is well after her illness and can go back to her home to rest!"

"Fang Shanggong, please go back to the palace and report to your mother, and tell her that your daughter-in-law will take good care of sister Ting, so that she can rest assured!"

"Yes... this slave is going back to the palace now!"

"Walk slowly!"

Someone went to see Fang Shanggong out of the house, but Baochai took Yang Jingting with him and cared about the latter's diet and daily life in the Jade Emperor Palace.

Although it was a polite inquiry, Yang Jingting still answered in detail, especially talking about her insights on spiritual practice and her regrets about her impetuous behavior in the past.

To put it simply, Yang Jingting was showing Baochai that she had changed her ways.

Baochai was not a gullible person. He comforted Yang Jingting on the surface, but in his heart he did not relax his guard against her at all.

While everyone was talking, they came all the way to Tongxin Hall, and then everyone sat down and continued talking.

Baochai and Yang Jingting were mainly talking, with others adding a word or two from time to time.

Soon half an hour passed, and seeing that Yang Jingting had no intention of leaving, Baochai asked the others to leave first. She knew how boring everyone was staying here.

There is no doubt that in this small consideration, Baochai gained another favor.

After everyone left, Baochai talked to Yang Jingting for a while. Seeing people coming to report on the official affairs of the palace, Yang Jingting knew that she should leave.

Just a few steps out of Tongxin Hall, Yang Jingting suddenly turned back.

"Sister Bao, I want to tell you from the bottom of my heart!"

Baochai was about to get up and leave when Yang Jingting's words stunned her, and then she said: "Sister, if you have something to say... just say it!"

Yang Jingting looked around, and Baochai understood and asked the maid to leave.

Then Yang Jingting came to Baochai, gritted her teeth and said, "Sister Bao, I can come out this time because Sixth Sister-in-law helped me a lot!"

"Oh?" Baochai remained calm, but in fact, her guard was already extremely high.

Yang Jingting continued: "She still wants to use me, but my sister really knows her mistake and has woken up... she will never have anything to do with her!"

She wanted to tell Baochai honestly and let her guard down so that she could reintegrate into the palace.

After a few seconds of silence, Baochai said: "That's very good!"

"As a family, the most important thing is to live a stable life!"

"That's right!" Yang Jingting responded.

"In the past, my sister was still childish. She was taken advantage of at the slightest instigation and brought countless troubles to her... I hope Sister Bao will forgive me!"

"Sister, I will change my past mistakes in the future and work together with Sister Bao to serve the good prince!"

"So...that's great!" Baochai said with a smile.

At this moment, someone outside the door reported: "Princess Qi, Jinling Liu Xiang returned to Beijing and submitted one year's account books!"

Seeing that there was another important matter coming up, Baochai said helplessly to Yang Jingting: "Sister... there are too many things to do, let's talk about it later!"

"Sister is affected, I'll take my leave first!" Yang Jingting saluted humbly.

(End of this chapter)