The palace wall reflects the moon

Chapter 5 Maps give each other a gift
After returning to Yong'an Palace, Xin Wei could not rest, and was immediately brought to kneel in front of Concubine Meng Hui to reply.

Concubine Meng Hui cleaned up the jade-gilt armor on her fingers, covered her mouth and yawned, and said lazily: "What did the queen ask you to do?"

"The Queen asked me if I would like to serve the Emperor."

Saying that, Xin Wei blushed with embarrassment.

She had thought on her way back that if she was summoned by the Queen for no reason, she would have to tell Concubine Hui why she came here.But you can't tell Concubine Hui that the queen wants her to do something?
Don't pick yourself too clearly.What can make Concubine Hui angry will surely make her gullible.

Sure enough, Concubine Meng Hui made a movement in her hands and looked her up and down with cold eyes.

Aunt Qin was a cautious person, so she asked more thoroughly: "If the Queen really wants you to serve the Emperor, why doesn't she give you a position?"

Xin Wei hurriedly shouted: "Your Majesty, I am aware of myself. How can I dare to follow the dragon and the phoenix when I am self-aware? It was the slave who rejected the queen's kindness and invited herself to stay in Yong'an Palace!"

"You dare to refuse the queen?" Concubine Meng Hui mocked: "I'm afraid you didn't ask the queen to give you a clear path, but the queen didn't answer you!"

Xin Wei's eyes filled with tears and she kowtowed: "I dare not hide this from your Majesty. My servant girl is so damaged that she is really not worthy of serving the Emperor, so she rejected the Queen's kindness."

After that, she lifted up her plain sleeves, revealing her scar-covered arms.

Confirming that Concubine Meng Hui had seen clearly, she showed another arm that was equally hideous and ugly.

Xin Wei said in a low voice: "I have been a slave since I was a child and have been beaten many times. There is no good place on my body. A woman who serves the emperor must have a flawless body. If I dare to show this body to the emperor, I am afraid I will die." happy."

Concubine Meng Hui had never seen such a body, and she was slightly shaken in her heart. The coldness in her eyes dissipated unconsciously, and she moved her eyes away: "This is the truth, this body cannot serve the emperor."

Xin Wei knelt and took two steps forward, pleading humbly: "I have arrived at Yong'an Palace. It is the first time that I have not been beaten for so long, and I finally live such a good life. Please don't drive me away. I am willing to do everything for you." horse……"

Concubine Meng Hui moved her legs, fearing that she would touch her dirty.

"Get away, don't get close to me."

Xin Wei tightened her body and raised her face, "Can you please not drive away this slave..."

"When will I drive you away?" Concubine Meng Hui waved her hand and said, "You are just a maid, there is nothing I can do for you."

Xin Wei thanked her with tears in her eyes, and then stepped back step by step to the entrance of the palace. When she crossed the threshold, she heard Concubine Meng Hui talking to Aunt Qin.

"This fake is quite bad. But how could it be beaten like that? It's so pitiful..."

Concubine Meng Hui said she was pitiful, but she laughed out loud.
-
As the eighteenth day of the twelfth lunar month approaches, a grand banquet will be held in the palace, and all the princes who have been entrusted abroad are allowed to return to the imperial city to celebrate the birthday of the eldest princess.

Concubine Meng Hui was choosing among many rare treasures and had no choice.

So he summoned all the eunuchs and maids in Yong'an Palace and asked everyone to come up with an idea. Whoever came up with the best idea would be rewarded heavily.

Some people in the palace said they would send jade as a wish, while others said they would send rouge, gouache, calligraphy and painting by famous artists, glazed gold hairpins...

Concubine Meng Hui got tired of hearing this and said impatiently: "It's just this every year, nothing new at all. What I want is a way to surprise the eldest princess and get the emperor's approval!"

Aunt Qin was also helpless.

"Your Majesty, the eldest princess has never seen such rare treasures. Every year, the eldest princess is the first to select the tributes, followed by the queen and my queen. Are there any other rare objects that can make the eldest princess happy?"

"I don't care, you all need to think about it for me! Even if it's in heaven or on earth, I have to figure it out for you!"

This gift-giving was wonderful, and it was a great success in front of the civil and military officials of the court and the royal family. Moreover, if the eldest princess is happy, the emperor is happy.

Every year there are a few people who give wonderful gifts, but Concubine Meng Hui always gets upset afterwards because she never thought of it.

So this year, she forced everyone in the palace to rack their brains and come up with a brilliant idea.

An inconspicuous figure in the corner made a sound.

"Your Majesty, I have an idea that I don't know whether to talk about or not." Concubine Meng Hui glanced at her and said, "Say."

Xin Wei said: "Mother, this can only be said to you and Aunt Qin, not to others."

Concubine Meng Hui let out a light chirp, raised her hand and ordered the people to retreat.

It doesn't hurt to listen, she will weigh it if it is a good idea.

She leaned lazily on the large sandalwood chair, staring at Xin Wei with a pair of charming red phoenix eyes.

"Say."

Xin Wei said: "The eldest princess once recruited businessmen from all over the country, just to draw a map, but it couldn't be completed. If the empress draws this map and presents it on the eighteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, the eldest princess will definitely be happy."

Concubine Meng Hui narrowed her eyes, "Is the news reliable?"

Xin Wei said: "The reward given by the eldest princess is extremely heavy, and many people are eager to try it. This is not a secret among the people."

Aunt Qin said in Concubine Meng Hui's ear: "Even if it is true, the eldest princess can't draw a map even if she offers a huge reward. We only have one month to complete it. How can we complete it?"

Concubine Meng Hui raised her eyes slightly, "Although merchants travel all over the place, they always choose the wide and easy roads. They don't know the dangerous terrain, the geometry of the city's defenses, and where it is easy to defend but difficult to attack. It's natural that they can't give the eldest princess the information she wants."

"Your Majesty is so smart." Xin Wei pursed her lips with a complimentary and solemn expression.

"What map does she want?" Meng Huifei asked.

Xin Wei shook her head: "I don't know."

Concubine Meng Hui believed her words.

The eldest princess is indeed not interested in those dazzling things. It seems that she has never been seen wearing rouge and pink. She is always dressed in light plain clothes, and she treats the palace as if it were covered with sky and earth.

If she is interested, the word power will bear the brunt.Not only did she want to keep the Xia Dynasty in her pocket, but she also wanted to encroach on the surrounding countries to expand the Xia Dynasty's territory.

Wanting to draw a map is indeed like what the eldest princess wants to do.

It must be something hard-won to stand out in front of the powerful.

"Go and find out where the eldest princess wants the map." Concubine Meng Hui said.

Aunt Qin felt something was wrong, but couldn't explain it. After thinking about it, she glanced at Xin Wei and said, "I'll go find out."

Xin Wei said respectfully: "Auntie will find out."
-
The eighteenth day of the twelfth lunar month.

Shen Shuning is not very interested in celebrating birthdays. He always arrived late in the past, but today he was waiting early in the Yangxin Hall.

When Shen Xiao entered, she was teasing Brother Ying.

She wore a slim-fitting pale blue dress with no accessories, a refreshing single-snail bun, and a wishful hairpin inserted at an angle, which made her look energetic but too simple.

In the past, Shen Xiao would persuade her to dress up, but she was unwilling to spend time on it no matter what time of day she was.

Light and easy is the best.If others force her to wear complicated clothes, she will scold her.

As time passed, Shen Xiao no longer tried to persuade her, as long as the imperial sister felt comfortable.

"This bird has a temper. If the emperor is so funny, it should go on a hunger strike."

Shen Shuning turned around, his eyebrows lightly swept, and he looked heroic.

"Your beloved concubine has been very busy recently. Do you know what she is busy with?"

(End of this chapter)