Lihoumen

Chapter 10 He Wants to Take Her into the Palace
After the old lady went out sighing, Qingqing took out the medicine powder she had prepared from under her pillow. This medicine powder was specially prepared by Qingqing for herself to deal with the pain of breast binding in summer.

She closed the inner door and got on the bed. When she untied her bathrobe, the two snow-white balls slid out like happy little rabbits. Qingqing half leaned against the head of the bed, dipped a cotton ball in the medicine powder, and applied it to the rash little by little.

She was well versed in pharmacology and knew that purslane, raw rehmannia root and gentian were the most effective in treating this type of heat rash, but these two herbs had strong tastes, so Qingqing thought about replacing them with peony bark, mint, red peony root and lithospermum officinale, grinding them into fine powder. When applied, they not only relieved itching and rashes, but also left a light fragrance on the body.

Qingqing had been applying the powder for less than half an hour when the red rashes disappeared. She stayed in her room without a bra binder. She just put on a loose bathrobe and leaned on the bed to rest.

Perhaps because she had been too exhausted in the past two days, Qingqing fell into a drowsy sleep without realizing it. She did not open her eyes until she heard the creaking sound of the door opening.

Seeing that it was Grandma Sun, Qingqing was too lazy to get up and just asked in a daze, "Grandma, what time is it?"

"It's almost three o'clock in the morning." The old lady sighed and said regretfully: "It seems that the son-in-law will not come tonight."

The old lady was looking forward to Shen Han's arrival, so she was waiting in the side room above the door.

"I told you long ago that he won't come. Grandma is still waiting in vain. Go to bed quickly. Grandma's cough hasn't healed yet. She needs to rest well." As she said this, she lifted the thin blanket and covered herself with it. When Grandma was about to leave, Qingqing remembered that when she went to serve tea to the old lady today, she asked the etiquette nanny to come and teach her the rules. So she told Grandma, "Tomorrow, Nanny Yu will come to teach me etiquette. Grandma, make some preparations tomorrow morning."

The next morning, Qingqing got up early as usual. When she followed her father to work as a doctor, she had to get up early every day to go to the mountains to collect medicinal herbs. This schedule had become a habit.

After breakfast, Nanny Yu, who taught etiquette, came over with two maids.

This Nanny Yu was an etiquette nanny from the palace. She was a very strict person. Ever since Qingqing got married, the old lady assigned her to teach Qingqing the rules of etiquette.

Nanny Yu is in her early fifties and always has a sullen face. Qingqing has never seen her smile in all the years she has been with her.

Anyone who sees such a person will be scared.

Qingqing was somewhat afraid of Nanny Yu, but she was there to teach her on the orders of the old lady, so even if she disliked her, she had to be patient.

When Nanny Yu arrived, she didn't say much and started teaching directly.

These etiquettes were extremely boring to learn, and were so strict that they were almost nitpicking. Even though Qingqing had studied them for three whole years, she was still scolded by Nanny Yu every time.

Qingqing had just taken a few steps according to what Nanny Yu had taught her when she was stopped.

I only heard Nanny Yu scolding in a cold voice: "I have taught you many times that when you walk, you should 'hold your head straight, look straight, keep your shoulders straight, hold your arms like you are holding a drum, keep your feet two inches apart, and don't shake your elbows.' Your steps are too light and not steady enough. Also, you just took five steps, one of which was obviously less than two inches, and the last step was too far."

Seeing that Nanny Yu's words were sharp and merciless, Lingzhi couldn't help but defend her master, "Nanny, this is too demanding. When a woman walks, she is covered by her skirt. If she takes a step a little more or a little less, who can see it?"

Before Yu Mama could speak, the maid she brought with her began to lecture Lingzhi, "The master is here to learn etiquette, so it is not right for a servant to interrupt. You, little girl, really don't know the rules."

Even though she had been in the mansion for three years, Qingqing was still not used to treating servants as human beings like other noble ladies. In her eyes, Lanzhi was just like her sister. After hearing the old woman scolding Lingzhi, Qingqing said with a gloomy face, "Lingzhi is still young and she is mine. Even if she made a mistake, the nanny shouldn't scold her so harshly."

As soon as Qingqing said this, Nanny Yu corrected her in a cold voice: "When Madam said this just now, your expression was not right, and your tone was not appropriate. You are the master, and it is right for you to be dignified, but no matter how angry you are in your heart, you must not show your anger. As the saying goes, 'Don't show your anger on your face, and don't let your thoughts know.' This is the demeanor of a noble lady, Madam, do you understand?"

After hearing what Nanny Yu said, Qingqing's mind suddenly appeared the image of her elder sister-in-law Li.

Qingqing just felt so powerless inside, but there was nothing she could do. She could only mechanically follow the rules taught by Nanny Yu over and over again.

These seemingly simple things were actually very torturous. In less than half an hour, Qingqing felt her limbs were stiff and numb, and sweat gradually appeared on her forehead.

It was even harder than climbing mountains to collect herbs before.

Nanny Yu kept scolding her for not doing a good job. Although Qingqing was tired, she couldn't ask for a rest. She was just getting tired when Ajiang, the servant beside Shen Han, came in and reported, "Madam, the young master asked me to tell him that there will be a banquet in the palace tonight, and the young master asked you to accompany him to the palace for the banquet."

Going to the palace for a banquet?
Once upon a time, Qingqing lived with her father in a small town in the south. The highest official she had ever seen was only the county magistrate in the county town. Later, she married into the marquis's mansion. Although she gained a lot of experience, she was never allowed to leave the mansion and had no idea what was going on outside, let alone see the imperial city that sounded unattainable.

"Why did he ask me to accompany him?"

Qingqing frowned and spoke in a low voice. Because she was scared, there was reluctance in her tone.

Ajiang saw through Qingqing's thoughts, and he explained with a smile: "The Third Young Master has pacified the Three Feudatories and made great contributions. Today, the Empress Dowager and the Emperor specially held a celebration banquet for the Young Master in the palace. All the nobles and princes in the capital will bring their wives to the banquet. On this occasion, the wife will naturally accompany the Young Master."

Qingqing understood what Ajiang meant.

She is his wife, and she must be with him on certain occasions.

Nanny Yu heard this and said with a little worry: "Madam's etiquette is not yet complete. It is not appropriate for her to enter the palace like this."

This is also what Qingqing is worried about.

Ajiang saw Qingqing's hesitation, so he smiled and persuaded her, "This is what the young master meant. Since the young master arranged it this way, he must have his reasons."

"Madam, don't worry too much. The banquets in this palace are different from those in other places. For celebration banquets like this, there is no distinction between men and women in the palace. All the adults who are qualified to attend the banquet bring their wives with them. They say that the ladies accompany the young masters, but the young masters also accompany the ladies. So, with the young masters here, you don't have to worry about anything, madam."

Because we have to prepare to enter the palace for a banquet, the etiquette class naturally cannot continue.

When Qingqing politely sent Nanny Yu out, she glanced at Qingqing with a worried look and muttered, "The palace is not like the mansion, Madam, please be more careful."

(End of this chapter)