Phoenix Fight: The First Concubine

Chapter 94

She was eating the icy pears, while Yuegu said on the side: "Princess, it will be Qixi Festival soon, and the mansion should get ready."

Murong Wei slapped her head, she almost forgot about it.

"You turn around and prepare for others. I'm afraid the empress will not be able to preside over the moon worship this year. It is estimated that Concubine Liu Gui will take the lead. I will also enter the palace that day."

This Qixi Festival is Girl's Day, Qiqiao Festival, which is always valued by women in ancient times.

If someone hadn't mentioned it, Murong Wei would have almost forgotten about it.

"That will have to wait for the princess to come back to preside over the ceremony."

"Should be back sooner by then."

Murong Wei finished eating the stewed pears, and said with a smile: "Guy Yue, you are also tired, go down and rest, there are too many people serving in this room, why do you serve things, what do those little maids do?"

Yuegu waved her hand and said, "It's not a big deal, I'd better hand it to Wangfei to rest assured."

Murong Wei's heart warmed up, knowing that she was afraid that something would happen to her again, so she said that.

Murong Wei looked down at the words on the paper, thinking of Xiao Mingrui who was far away in the south of the Yangtze River, she was filled with thoughts.

The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl are about to meet on the magpie bridge, when will they be able to meet each other?
She picked up a pen and wrote Liu Yong's "Magpie Bridge Fairy" on the paper.

Jiangnan.

The stretching blue tiles and white walls stand after the rain in the south of the Yangtze River.

The green daisy in the distant mountains, the stretch of blue tiles and white walls, and the deep bluestone lanes seem to stand tall in the rain and fog in the south of the Yangtze River.

Looking far away, you can see that the distant mountains and houses are continuous into a distant view in the ink painting, and there are small bridges and flowing water houses nearby.

The courtyards in the south of the Yangtze River are small and exquisite, not as grand and magnificent as those in the north, but they do not have a winding path leading to secluded scenery.

Step into it and change the scenery step by step, as if everything is a scenery.

The house with blue bricks and openwork carvings wrapped with flowers is cool and pleasant, but it doesn't make people feel stuffy in this summer.

The furnishings in the house are all elegant, showing the owner's ingenuity everywhere.

Official documents are thrown on a huanghuali cursive book table at the moment, high-quality wolf hair and lake brushes of different sizes are placed in the sea of ​​red sandalwood openwork brushes, and the snow-white Chengxintang paper is pressed by the purple bamboo paperweight of Suanni and auspicious beasts.

Xiao Mingrui wrote something at his desk, sometimes frowning, sometimes showing off his face.

Looking out from the window, it happens to be a lotus pond. In summer, the lotus blooms leisurely in the rain, and a few frogs jumped onto the lotus leaves in the rain, croaking.

Xiao Luzi ran in and asked in front of the door: "My lord, I have sent you a letter from home."

Xiao Mingrui paused, "Let it go."

He looked up at the sky outside, seeing that the rain was still falling, he couldn't help frowning.

The official document just received, the water volume along the way is high, and the dam is dangerous. He always feels that if the rain continues like this, it will be bad.

Xiao Luzi waited on him, and after a while, Xiao Mingrui closed an official document: "Call Chen Jianlang over immediately."

Xiaolu immediately turned around and went to invite Chen Jianlang, the prefect of Yingtian Prefecture.

There are quite a few guards and eunuchs waiting at the gate, Xiaoluzi asked someone to invite Master Chen, looked at the sky, and thought that it was getting late now, and the rain continued like this, the prince might not be able to personally Go up the embankment and check it out.

He had checked it several times before, but it was very dangerous to go up the embankment under such heavy rain.

Xiaoluzi was very worried.

Xiao Mingrui took the letter and opened it. In addition to the letter from Su De and Li Jishan explaining the situation in the capital, there was also the letter from Murong Wei.

Seeing what the capital was doing, Xiao Mingrui frowned, his eyes darkened, and he thought for a moment.

He hid in the south of the Yangtze River, but there were still some things that he couldn't escape.

How could his good elder brother give up such a great opportunity, how could he just let it go now.

After looking at Li Jishan's method, Xiao Mingrui nodded, thought for a while, and wrote a letter.

After briefly explaining some things, he read the letter from Murong Wei again.

Xiao Mingrui smiled slightly, sweeping away his previously suffocated mood.

Xiao Mingrui was silent for a moment when he saw the matter of Nanny Ling mentioned in the letter she sent.

Murong Wei didn't slander Nanny Ling much, but simply mentioned the matter of Wei Bin and Han Lin.

But she didn't say anything, Xiao Mingrui knew exactly what would happen.

Nanny Ling was his nanny, who took care of him since he was a child, so Xiao Mingrui's feelings for her were naturally not like that of an ordinary servant.

It's not that he doesn't know many things, but it's just that this matter has obviously been mixed into the dispute in the backyard.

He won't interfere in this kind of thing.

"Everything is up to you." He wrote with a pen and wrote another letter.

Seeing that it was getting late, Xiao Luzi was planning to ask someone to prepare dinner, but the magistrate Ying Tian hadn't come yet.

Instead, a jock came over.

Xiao Mingrui also lives in the mansion in Yingtian, Jinling also has countless princes and relatives, and the palace also has it, but he is not qualified to live there.

On the contrary, he, the prince and prince who is on official business, once he arrived in Yingtian, many people came up to fawn on him.

Some beauties were also sent to this mansion.

Xiao Mingrui didn't refuse either, his attitude was very strange and confusing.

Some officials in charge of the river embankment project were relieved to see his friendly attitude and cooperated with him very much.

They thought he, Xiao Mingrui, would not thoroughly investigate the embezzlement of the embankment.

Man, there's nothing romantic about it.

On the surface, Xiao Mingrui was kind to them, and he didn't seem to be serious about the investigation. He just urged them to patrol the embankment and strengthen the river defense, and went up to check many times in person.

The Jiangnan officials saw that the prince was in charge, but he didn't seem to have any intention of finding fault. After contacting the situation in the capital, he thought that he came to Jiangnan to hide.

Otherwise, how can it be so easy?
Xiaoluzi looked up and saw two pretty girls of fifteen or sixteen years old coming, holding oil-paper umbrellas in their hands, changing from light to green in the misty rain in the south of the Yangtze River, like girls with lilacs coming leisurely from a deep rain alley.

The corners of Xiaoluzi's eyes twitched, and he curled his lips when he saw the woman next to one of the girls holding a food box in her hand.

Two girls approached and stopped in the corridor.

Xiao Luzi stopped him, and said with a smile: "You two girls, the prince is busy with business, and ordered no one to disturb you, you two girls should go back."

The girl on the left looks the most beautiful. She is wearing a dress embroidered with lotus flowers in heaven and water, as beautiful as a blooming lotus flower. There is a gentleness and tranquility in the water town between her eyebrows and eyes. At this moment, the girl smiled, shaking the white silk gauze embroidered lotus veil in her hand. , the aroma is lingering.

"Elder-in-law, please inform me that this servant just wants to send the prince some food that he made himself. The prince has been busy for a long time, and I'm afraid he is tired."

Xiaoluzi didn't even lift his eyelids, drooping his eyes, and said with a half-smile, "I don't dare to go in and report back, but the master said that there is an urgent business at this moment. Please go back, two girls, don't make things difficult for our family."

The girl saw that there was no movement inside, obviously the prince was still working inside and couldn't come out.

The girl smiled: "I'm really bothering my father-in-law, so the slaves will go back first. Please ask my father-in-law to accept this food box."

Xiao Luzi shook his head and said: "The little one doesn't dare to forward it to the lord, the lord has a fixed cook, and the daily food list is not random, how can he use it casually?"

He almost said that he suspected that the quality of the dishes she cooked was too poor.

A girl in red next to her seemed a little unhappy, and was about to speak when she was held back by the girl in green.

The girl said apologetically, "I'm being rude and bothering you."

Seeing them leave, Xiaoluzi snorted and opened the food box to have a look.

This Jiangnan food box is exquisitely made. The lacquer ware inlaid with mahogany and mother-of-pearl is divided into several parts, all of which are small pieces.

There are Dongpo pork, stir-fried vegetarian dishes, green rice porridge, snow-white buns with shiitake mushrooms and crab roe, and even desserts.

Xiao Luzi took the silver needle and tried it, and saw that it was not poisonous, so he picked up a few chopsticks with chopsticks and tried to eat it, and there was no problem.

He just went in with the food box.

Just as Xiao Mingrui finished writing the letter, the palace lanterns were already lit in the room.

"Does the prince want to pass on the meal?"

Xiao Mingrui responded, "Why hasn't Chen Jianlang come yet?"

"The villain will send someone to take a look. Just now the two girls brought food."

Xiao Mingrui looked up at him, "I reward you."

Xiao Luzi said with a smile: "My servant thanked the lord. This servant is called someone to pass on the meal."

"Make a few dishes that the princess usually cooks, and make them lighter."

Now Xiao Mingrui suddenly misses the dishes that Murong Wei asked the small kitchen to cook. It's not that he doesn't have good cooks around him, but for some reason, it just doesn't feel like cooking.

Xiaoluzi agreed, and went down with the food box.

After a while Chen Jianlang came, Xiao Mingrui discussed with him for a long time, and when dinner was served, he was allowed to eat.

When the dishes came, Chen Jianlang looked at the dishes on the table, a little surprised that his life as a prince was so simple.

"Master Chen?"

Chen Jianlang cupped his hands and said, "I didn't expect the prince to be so thrifty, and I really appreciate it."

Xiao Mingrui coughed lightly, and said with a smile: "My lord, you are being polite. The emperor has always called on his subjects to be diligent and thrifty. As a son of the emperor, how can I not lead by example?"

Chen Jianlang nodded and praised my emperor's sageness.

Xiao Mingrui ate the food, but he didn't think it tasted that way.

After eating, we discussed some official business, nothing more than flood control.

After Chen Jianlang left, Xiao Mingrui sighed.

Murong Wei misses him, so why doesn't he miss her?

Why haven't you come back?
He didn't know how long he would stay, and with the current situation in the capital, he might have to do something again.

His Weir will definitely be able to do well.

He suddenly missed Luo Wang Mansion very much. When he returned to that place, there would be lights and his gentle wife would prepare the meals. Sometimes he didn't need to do anything, just read books and talk together, and he felt happy.

It turned out that this is the feeling of home.

It dawned on him.

For that family, for her, he will do what he can.

A man should protect his wife from the wind and rain when he is away.

A short separation is for a long reunion.

Although there is tenderness in his heart, he is even more passionate and has his own ideals.

"Princess, Aunt Zhang and the others are waiting outside to greet you."

Murong Wei hummed, got up in the morning and practiced yoga for a while, and was combing her hair and dressing under the service of a maid.

Xiang Tao curled her lips: "It's too early. Aunt Zhang has been grounded?"

Murong Wei said indifferently: "It's the prince's intention that you can't stop your feet. It's still necessary to calm down sooner or later."

Xiangtao snickered.

There was also a smile on the corner of Lu'er's mouth.

Aichun has brought several aunts and concubines here.

Today they were all dressed very neatly, they just got up when they saw Murong Wei, and they hadn't eaten yet, so they all stepped forward to salute.

Murong Wei said indifferently: "Yesterday, did you send some foster mothers over? How have you learned the rules? Now you have learned the rules of being a concubine?"

Zhang Yuqian bowed her head and said: "The concubine knows, the servants are here to serve the princess."

Su Mei said obediently: "The concubines have learned it all, the nanny taught it very well."

Murong Wei saw that their eyes were still a little tired. As far as she knew, those nuns were not good at teaching, and learning the rules was not as simple as imagined.

Practicing how to pay respects, how to perform concubine ceremony, how to serve the master over and over again will drive people crazy.

What's more, if you don't know how to learn, you will be punished.

Xiangyu and the servant girl brought breakfast, Murong Wei sat on the seat, and several concubines stood up to serve her meal.

Zhang Yuqian prepared dishes for Murong Wei, and when she saw where her eyes were staring, she took the serving chopsticks and picked them up for Murong Wei.

The maid's job was robbed by her.

Murong Wei lazily drank milk and ate breakfast, she felt very at ease, she didn't feel at all uneasy when the concubine was working as a maid beside her.

Since some people just toast and don't eat fine wine, and forget who they are, she doesn't mind reminding them.

She is a regular wife, so as long as she occupies the word "li", it is only natural to teach the concubine a lesson.

After Murong Wei finished her breakfast, the maid removed the dishes and placed some snacks.

The weather was sweltering, and it looked like it was going to rain but it wouldn't come.

Murong Wei frowned, this kind of weather is the most annoying.

Su Mei was fanning on the side, Liu Yue took the wrung handkerchief and said: "Princess, wipe your face, it's hot today."

Zhang Yuqian was beating the beauty, and said in a low voice: "Maidservant, let me beat the princess' legs, it's still early, do you want the princess to sleep for a while?"

Murong Wei wiped her face nonchalantly, "I still have to deal with government affairs, how can I have so much free time."

Qi Yan stood on the side with sore legs, and suddenly asked tentatively: "I heard that there is a maid who can make female red jewelry next to the princess, why haven't I seen her? I just want to ask her for advice..."

Murong Wei looked at her with deep eyes with some sarcasm: "Really, sister Qi has a really good memory, she knows so much."

Qi Yan was suffocated, although she usually looked very cold, but facing Murong Wei's current momentum and unintentional but naturally diffused elegant posture, she only felt that she was inferior, and her momentum could not help but drop.

"The servant girl just wants to learn how to make some purses and give them to the princess, so that the princess can reward others."

Murong Wei smiled slightly: "Sister is really smart."

Qi Yan didn't dare to continue on this issue, so she bowed her head and remained silent.

She heard yesterday that the servant girl next to the princess had committed a crime, saying that she used witchcraft to curse the princess.

Qi Yan immediately wondered whether this maid did what happened before.

In this case, the matter of harming the princess has nothing to do with them.

That's why she came here today with a little thought, hoping that Murong Wei would let them go.

It's a pity that Murong Wei would never make such a plan now.

After a while, people from the palace came to report the government affairs, and Murong Wei went to deal with the government affairs again. At this time, she neither told them to go back, nor said anything else. pile.

When Murong Wei finished processing the matter, Zhang Yuqian's maid sent an embroidered Buddhist scripture to Murong Wei: "This is embroidered by my concubine these days, please appreciate it."

Murong Wei picked up the pear with a small silver skewer and ate it, looking at Zhang Yuqian's embroidery.

In good conscience, this embroidery is much more skilled than Murong Wei's.

Murong Wei praised: "The embroidery is not bad, it seems that Aunt Zhang has really thought about it these days."

Zhang Yuqian lowered her eyes and said respectfully: "The concubine has been thinking about her mistakes behind closed doors these days, sincerely confessing her sins to the Buddha, she really put her heart into it."

"That's good. Aunt Zhang is also very good. I think the prince wants to see you like this."

Zhang Yuqian nodded in agreement.

Is she like this, a woman from the Qingdeng Ancient Buddha?
Zhang Yuqian felt sore in her heart.

The other women also felt at a loss when they saw this scene.

Looking at the aloof princess and seeing her expression that is always unpredictable, I always feel unpredictable.

Thinking about her methods, it really made them stand up high.

Murong Wei didn't bother to pay attention to their sadness.

When she was free, she would spend some time looking at them. No matter what, these women were very serious and respectful on the surface, and I couldn't see any dissatisfaction with them.

There must be many masks in this world, and they are probably wearing masks too.

It was a bit of a game of find-and-find, seeing what she could figure out in the end.

If she was patient, she teased them, but if she was impatient, she just cleaned up.

Life is boring, you have to find something to do, don't you?

Aichun was waiting on the side, seeing the obedient looks of these aunts in front of her, either beating their legs, rubbing their shoulders, or playing a fan, just like a maid.

He didn't even dare to show his air in front of his wife.

She stood on the porch and fed the green snow parrot.

Qingqiu glanced into the room, and said with emotion in a low voice: "The concubine is really powerful when she shows off her power. See if these aunts are all well-groomed. I see, this person is just a little more powerful than usual. , so that others don't dare to take their ideas on you. It also saves a lot of trouble."

Ai Chun reprimanded: "Speak less, this is something we can discuss?"

Qingqiu blinked and muttered something, but no one heard it clearly.

No matter what, I can't be a concubine...

Qingqiu used to be very envious of these aunts, thinking that their backgrounds were low, but now they are very beautiful.

Enjoy endless prosperity and wealth, and don't have to worry about living without plans.

But now that she is sober, being a concubine is all about being a concubine, and there is no hope for a master who is not good at women like the prince.

The concubine looks good, and her methods are also powerful.

No matter what, she felt that it would be better to marry a steward, who was more famous in the palace than some little masters.

The little parrot in the porch had anklets tied to its feet, and it was flying at the moment. When it saw someone coming, it shouted, "Hello, sister, hello, sister!"

Qingqiu burst out laughing, it seems that Lu'er came over and also smiled and shouted: "Sister, this parrot is calling you."

Lu'er smiled and said: "This little thing has always been good-looking, I'm afraid it will be greedy again."

The little maid closed the curtain, Lu'er entered the room, and said to Murong Weibing: "His Royal Highness Qin Wang is here, Mr. Su please go and see him."

Murong Wei suddenly realized: "Well, I forgot if I didn't say anything, the gift that the prince brought to the fifth brother."

She got up and said, "Oh, sisters, go back too."

"Princess first please."

Murong Wei also ignored them, then turned and left.

Nanny Zheng followed Murong Wei for a few steps, then turned back to look at the aunts, and said with a smile: "The princess said that the aunts have worked hard, and they just plan to make clothes. The aunts who have good materials will bring them to the princess. Let the people from Qiansifang make a few sets of clothes."

Several people were a little surprised, wondering why Murong Wei suddenly thought of making clothes.

Zhang Yuqian's mind turned, and she suddenly thought of the matter of Niu Hong.

Her eyes lit up, and she seemed to think she was right, she nodded and said: "I still have the snow satin from the princess, which has not been touched, and I just took it to make clothes, thank you, the princess, and I will give it to the concubine later." Do something small to show your appreciation."

Madam Zheng glanced at her and smiled pleasantly: "Aunt Zhang is being polite."

Su Mei has been very silent, now she heard Zhang Yuqian talking about the snow satin, and said: "I gave some of my snow satin to Sister Qi and Sister Wu. I'm afraid it's not enough to make clothes."

Liu Yue also said: "That's right, I also gave some of my snow satin to make skirts for the sewing room, and the rest is not much for the maids in the house, but there are still other fabrics."

Madam Zheng's eyes flickered, she didn't expect them to give away the fabric to others, and even to the sewing room.

In this case, it is not easy to determine whether they did it.

The scope determined before has to be changed.

Madam Zheng said calmly: "It's good to have snow satin, and it's okay if you don't have it."

After a while, Madam Zheng sent the aunts away, shaking her head and thinking about it.

"Now it's interesting, it's not sure..."

When Murong Wei went to the Hall of Cunxin, she saw Xiao Mingchen wearing a straight dress with dark patterns of celestial water, green twigs and lotus, a piece of warm jade tied around his waist, and only a six-in-one hat on his head. The little eunuch next to him was holding a fan for him. Fanning.

Xiao Mingchen was eating watermelon, and Li Jishan sat beside him leisurely.

Seeing Murong Wei, Xiao Mingchen and Li Jishan both got up to salute.

Murong Wei was accompanied by Lu'er Xiangtao and other maidservants, and said with a smile: "Fifth Brother is only here now, it's getting hot."

Xiao Mingchen said with a bitter face: "No, if it wasn't for the mister not letting go, I would have wanted to come out sooner, and I would have to report to Concubine Huimu. I really want to open the house sooner."

"Didn't Father choose the address, it's not far from our residence."

Xiao Mingchen nodded: "Second Brother, why did someone give me something, sister-in-law invited me here like this?"

Murong Wei looked around, "Go into the study and have a look."

Xiao Mingchen entered the study room, and saw Murong Wei bring a gift box: "This is from the prince from the south."

Xiao Mingchen opened it and saw that they were some antique swords, or they could only be called daggers.

These short swords are inlaid with precious stones, very beautiful, not suitable for chopping.

Of course, no one would use this kind of thing as a hatchet, that would be a waste of money.

Xiao Mingchen's eyes lit up when he saw it, "Okay, second brother knows what I like."

Li Jishan looked around and coughed lightly.

Lu'er said obediently: "Servant, go prepare some snacks."

"Slave to help Sister Lu'er."

Xiangtao also retreated cleverly.

Soon, only Xiao Mingchen's confidant eunuch was guarding outside the study, and there were only three people left in the room.

"Second sister-in-law is not that simple today, is she?"

Murong Wei nodded, "Mr. Li, tell me."

Li Jishan told the story again, Xiao Mingchen was stunned, pinched his jaw and said in thought: "No wonder, I said why I feel a little weird these two days."

"Why, what did the second brother notice in the palace?"

"Yeah, I always feel like I'm being watched recently, and I'm leaving the palace today..."

He looked around: "Will the people from the General Administration be watching?"

Li Jishan shook his head: "They still can't break into the palace without being noticed."

(End of this chapter)