The little lady in the palace

Chapter 53
After the supper was served, Meng Junhuai hesitated for a while, but didn't ask Yucheng to come.

When she is very sleepy, she won't be in the mood to eat, but only wants to sleep well, so let her sleep well first.

He continued to wait for the letter from Qi County Prince's Mansion with peace of mind, and after about two minutes, the letter really arrived.It was the leader of the guards in the fourth elder brother's mansion who came to spread the message, saying that they don't need their help, and asked the other mansions to stop walking with him recently, so as not to let Dongchang catch the talk and slap his father's ears in front of him.

Meng Junhuai let out a sigh and let the guard retreat, he didn't know whether he should feel sorry for the fourth brother or be angry with him.

It is true that Dongchang is taking advantage of the situation to challenge them, but the mistake that the fourth brother was caught was not made up by Dongchang.

The year before last, when the fourth brother was about to become king of Qi County, he went to the south to play around.Clan relatives have no real power in their hands, so it's normal to travel around.

But before and after the fourth brother went, there was a flood in the south.Three or two months later, when the fourth brother came back from playing, the local officials were dismissed and investigated for misappropriating disaster relief funds.

It's just that this matter has not been investigated.Because of where the misappropriated silver was spent, the officials involved have been vague and uncertain.

It wasn't until Dongchang revealed the evidence that the Manchao knew that it was spent on pleasing the king of Qi County. Those officials were afraid that offending the prince would cause more trouble for themselves, so they kept telling the truth. There was an uproar in the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

What can people say about this?After being shocked, Meng Junhuai wanted to say, fourth brother, are you short-hearted? !

It doesn't matter whether he knows that the money the officials are using to please him is disaster relief money or not.There is a disaster in the local area, and tens of thousands of people are living in dire straits. It's fine for you, a prince, to travel around the mountains and rivers, and spend a lot of local money.Besides, even if he really didn't know it at the time, the fourth brother didn't suspect that the money might be disaster relief silver taels afterwards?This is impossible!
Then you should hurry up and plead guilty!Explain the matter clearly, saying that I really don't know, and at most I will receive a few reprimands; if I pay for the money from my own pocket, maybe I can get a better name, but it's just that the family is struggling...

It's better than being captured by Dongchang and poking it out in public!
Meng Junhuai felt a headache when he thought about it carefully, he shook his head, knowing that there is nothing he can do now except to bear the breath.Forget it, after all, it was the fourth brother's own fault.

He breathed a sigh of relief and was about to go to bed. He turned his head to see that Yuyin was still asleep at the desk next to him.

He pushed her: "Hey, Yuyin."

Yu Yin didn't move, but a confused voice came out: "Hmm...?"

Meng Junhuai laughed: "You can go back to your room to sleep. Are you going back to the main courtyard or to my room? Or you can sleep in the study, there is a couch over there."

She replied again in a daze: "It's all right..."

Meng Junhuai: "..." Anything is fine!Whichever you choose, you have to get up!
He saw that she fell asleep again after answering this sentence, it can be seen that she was very tired today and gradually slowed down.After thinking about it, she could only sleep in the study first.

The study room is divided into two rooms by multi-treasure shelves, and there is a bed in the inner room, where he occasionally sleeps.It's just that the bed is too narrow to sleep two people.

He clicked his lips and said to himself, "It's not that I leave you alone." Then he lifted her up and moved into the room.

Yuyin finally woke up at this moment, looked at him dazedly, let him help him to walk in, with a confused expression: "What's wrong?"

"...It's nothing, sleep." He simply hugged her horizontally, walked a few steps to the side of the couch and put her down, Yu Yin frowned, and calmed down a little: "How about King Qi?"

"Don't worry about it for now, you can continue to sleep." As he said, his hands covered her eyes, and Yu Yin fell asleep again unconsciously in the dark environment.Meng Junhuai smiled at her sleepy look, and carefully removed a few larger pearl hairpins for her, then blew on the lamp, and left the study by himself.

"Go to the main courtyard and ask someone to wait on you. Something happened to the Prince's Mansion of Qi County. We won't be seeing anyone tomorrow, and all the New Year's greetings will be blocked." He ordered, and said, "There is no need to urge the princess to get up early, let her sleep enough. .”

As he said that, he walked towards his residence, and when he walked halfway, he thought of He Jing again.He Jing should be in Yuyin House now, right?Then tomorrow morning, when He Jing wakes up and finds that the concubine mother is not with her, he will probably be angry with Yu Yin.

He calmly went to sleep in the main courtyard.Early the next morning, He Jing opened her eyes and was startled: Father? !
She bit her finger and looked at him for a moment in amazement.Meng Junhuai went to bed much later than her yesterday and didn't respond at all. As a result, He Jing couldn't lie down after watching for a while.

If she got up by herself, she would definitely wake up her father; but lying down like this is so boring.

He Jing struggled for a while, then got into his father's quilt, looked closely at his face, trying to see if his father was going to wake up?Are you going to wake up?Are you going to wake up?

She tossed and turned in anxiety, after a while, Meng Junhuai finally woke her up.

He frowned and opened his eyes, He Jing looked surprised: "Father, you are awake!"

Meng Junhuai held her down, she kicked her legs and asked, "Where is the concubine mother!"

"Your mother and concubine were too tired yesterday, so she fell asleep in the study." He yawned and sat up, then stretched He Jing up, "Get up. You don't need to study during the Chinese New Year, maybe you will be crazy for a few days."

He Jing was so happy!Most of the time when she gets along with her father, there is a certain concubine next to her. This kind of "father takes her to wake up" and "father takes her to have breakfast" is even rarer. This morning is very difficult for her. It's so fresh!
The father and daughter had a good time, and sat down to breakfast together after washing.But after a while, the two side concubines came to greet the princess, and they were dumbfounded when they saw them.

Everyone in the main courtyard of the front house was exhausted yesterday, the princess slept in the study, and no one thought of going to the east courtyard and west courtyard to pass a message.Today Yang Enlu was off duty again, and the one on duty was a bit stupid, so he didn't ask Mrs. You and Mrs. He to go back directly, but went into the house to report to Meng Junhuai.

Meng Junhuai thinks about it, let's see each other, Lan Jing and A Qi are still sick, so I have to ask how they are doing.

So when Yuyin woke up, after changing clothes, she took off the bun that had rolled on the bed all night in vain, combed it again, and finished her breakfast. When she rushed back to the main courtyard, she saw that the atmosphere in the main room seemed to be haunted. .

The two side concubines sat on both sides, staring at each other with big eyes and small eyes.Meng Junhuai sat in her usual seat and took a sip of tea.

Still, He Jing reacted the fastest!Just as He Jing sat down on the chair separated from Meng Junhuai's case, she jumped down again as soon as she saw her, and called loudly: "Mother Concubine!"

Yuyin grabbed He Jing who rushed over, and the two side concubines hurriedly got up to salute, Meng Junhuai also came to greet her, and when she was about to ask He Jing, "How did you sleep?", he asked her, "How did you sleep?" Sample?"

"...It's okay." Facing the two side concubines, Yu Yin felt a little awkward talking to him like this, thought for a while, and said, "Your Highness is... drinking tea with the side concubines?"

"I want to ask about Lan Jing and Ah Qi... just sat down!" He subconsciously tensed up for a moment, then coughed dryly after explaining, "Let's talk together."

Yuyin then entered the room, and the four of them sat down together.Originally planning to take advantage of Ah Qi's illness and cry twice, You Shi, who was wronged and wronged, looked at the prince and princess, and endured it.

The palace was in chaos because of King Qi being grounded.King Qi County is the only second son born to the prince, but he is the only son of the current empress.

Early in the morning, all the palaces heard that the queen put aside all other matters and rushed to Qianqing Palace to seek an audience.But how busy is New Year's Day?She can let go of her wife's affairs, but the emperor cannot leave his courtiers alone.

In Yongning Palace, Concubine Ding took the tremella soup from Nanny Chi, scooped it up and down, blowing on the hot air while listening to Nanny Chi's words.

After Madam Chi finished talking about the situation, she closed her mouth and did not make a comment. Concubine Ding sighed: "Actually, everyone understands, and it's not just because the emperor is busy, Zuo just doesn't want to see him."

If not, I can always spare some time to say a few words.

She took a sip of the white fungus soup, then changed the subject: "What does the concubine say?"

Nanny Chi lowered her eyes and said calmly: "Early this morning, Gu Meiren seemed to have broken something important. The concubine punished all the palace servants around her, and deducted Gu Meiren's salary for three months."

"Okay." Concubine Ding nodded, and said, "But you also know that this matter is not entirely Gu Meiren's fault, she only said a few words to Bengong yesterday."

"Yes." Nanny Chi bowed her body, "But that Tao Quancai has been in our Yongning Palace for some time now, my lady, if you send him off like this..."

Concubine Ding's eyes moved to her face calmly: "Do you want to intercede for him?"

"That's not true." Chi Mama sighed, "The servant is thinking that if you send someone down like this, everyone will think that you are too merciless. See if you have done a more thorough job, such as looking for Do it individually, or let him 'sick' for a while?"

"No need, whatever the crime should be." Concubine Ding smiled coldly, "I treat Mrs. Xie harshly, because I am afraid that she will be like Mrs. Guo, who never tolerates people and hurts others. It is not for them to arrest me. Go ahead, send him off, let everyone in Yongning Palace watch, no matter what they see our mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, in the eyes of this palace, the daughter-in-law is still my family, and it’s not that others just say no to her, this palace Just believe it."

After several encounters, Concubine Ding also figured out the importance of some of them.

Her daughter-in-law is just a bit stupid.For example, Mr. Shang Huihui was soliciting truth from her. When she asked, Mr. Xie couldn't even explain. She asked her to think clearly before getting up to answer. She knelt for so long and didn't know how to defend herself.

But people are obviously not bad, otherwise He Jing wouldn't be able to like her that much.

Concubine Ding has been secretly watching this little granddaughter for a long time, yesterday she was pestering this concubine mother almost everything, and if she told someone who didn't know that it was her own, they would probably believe it.This had never happened before. When He brought He Jing, she also met He twice. At that time, He Jing was more willing to stay by her grandmother's side as soon as He Jing entered the palace.Asked her if Mother Concubine He treated her well, she said yes, but no matter how she looked, she couldn't see her getting close.

"After the fifth day of the lunar new year, let Zixi go to the palace and ask her to obey the princess' orders." Concubine Ding smiled lightly, "The princess is still young, and it is not easy to manage the mansion and take care of He Jing." thing."

In the middle of the capital, the matter of King Qi was shocking for a while, but in the next few days, it cooled down quickly like boiling water in the severe winter.

Everyone seemed to have reached a tacit understanding invisibly, and no one mentioned a word, as if the uproar in the Hall of Supreme Harmony on New Year's Eve had never happened.

In the blink of an eye, we arrived at Shangyuan.

On the day of Shangyuan, the garden of Yijun Prince's Mansion had already been tidied up, and the lanterns made by craftsmen were also hung in there. There were two or three hundred lanterns, and the branches, corridors, and roads were decorated with colorful colors.

This is when the lights have not been turned on during the day, and when they are turned on at night...

Yang Enlu stood by the moon gate and imagined it, knowing that it must be beautiful!

"Hey, you, come here." He called one of his men over, "Take people and guard everywhere. Before the princes and concubines come to watch the lanterns, no one is allowed to enter. If you break one, I will kill you." ; If it is done, I will reward you with two taels of silver for drinking and eating meat."

The eunuch quickly responded, bowing again and again, "Don't worry, Mr. Yang! Please do well, Mr. Yang!" Then he sent Yang Enlu away respectfully.

In the north courtyard a few feet away, everyone looked slumped.

Jiang shi leaned against the door with folded arms, looked at the empty courtyard and shook his head, feeling that this year's Shangyuan was really boring.

On this day in previous years, there would be a banquet held in the mansion, and everyone from the main concubine to the side concubine could go, and the prince would naturally be present.This day will be extraordinarily lively, everyone will dress up carefully, and everyone thinks that maybe tonight will be lucky?

But this year I don't even have to think about it.There was a word from the front that the prince and concubine wanted to watch the lights ahead, and the concubine gave two tables of banquets for them to eat by themselves.

Who lacks her few dishes!
Jiang Shi was not happy, after all, she came in with Guo Shi and You Shi. Needless to say, Guo Shi was directly the main concubine, and You Shi also promoted a side concubine later, so she was here to guard the north.

What made her even more unhappy was that at the lantern festival tonight, the princess asked Su Shi, who had just become Liangdi a while ago, to also go, and didn't mention a single word about her, the "old Liangdi".

Alas, it's true that the emperor and the courtier...

Jiang's heart was sour, he yawned suddenly, and went back to the room feeling bored.

In the main courtyard, Yu Yin thought about the excitement tonight and had to spend her brain trying to guess lantern riddles, so she let herself lie in bed all afternoon.

Meng Junhuai was also there, and he laughed at her as if she was about to take root on the bed: "Usually you don't let her sleep in bed with Jing, but now that you're like this, how do you deal with her in the future?"

"Isn't she here?" Yu Yin lay on the bed, feeling the comfort of her limp body, and called Hu Po again, "Go to Su Liang Di's place and keep an eye on it. If you see that Second Miss is not in good spirits, bring He Jing back."

Ah Qi's illness was cured a few days ago, but Lan Jing's recovery was complete today.As soon as He Jing heard this, she excitedly went to find her younger sister, and she had already stayed with Su Liangdi for more than an hour.

Meng Junhuai sat down on the side of the couch with a smile: "You really can't get up? Let me tell you, children are very good at guessing lantern riddles. Do you want to go to the garden in advance to see a few and guess first? Don't lose to He Jing."

"Hey, who's going to steal the light from her..." Yuyin yawned, gave him a sideways look, and still didn't bother to move.

Ever since he told her he liked her, she seemed to be getting more and more relaxed.Many times before when she was with him, she would be nervous, and most of the time she would "hold it", remembering that she was "Princess Yijun".But after he said those words, she couldn't help but break down.

——She herself couldn't explain why, anyway, she just became so comfortable.Sometimes when I think about it and compare it, I am also a little surprised, and feel that living like this is very shameless?

But he didn't say anything all the time, but she seemed to be at ease and he was also at ease.Yuyin continued to be ashamed and shameless again with peace of mind - after all, she lived comfortably in this way!When conditions permit, people of course want to make their lives more comfortable, so why bother?
After getting tired from lying down, Yuyin turned over and sat up to reach the tea on the small table beside the couch.

Meng Junhuai casually took it over and handed it to her, she took a couple of sips of it and was satisfied, then he took it back and put it down.

She planted back on the couch and continued to take root...

The result of watching Yu Yin lazy all afternoon, Meng Junhuai was made sleepy by her.In the garden after nightfall, He Jing and Ah Li took care of Lan Jing and played together. Occasionally, they ran back to the small hall to see the adults "dropped" by them, and then found that they could see their father yawning every time!
He Jing found Yang Enlu and asked Yang Enlu to brew a cup of "thick tea" to refresh his father, and Ah Li added a specific concentration: "Ten times the tea!"

After a while, Meng Junhuai's face turned green after receiving the strong tea: "Hiss...Yang Enlu, I said you are sick?"

Yang Enlu bowed: "This is... the filial piety of the eldest lady and the eldest son."

Yu Yin tried her best not to smile as she ate the glutinous rice balls with her head sullen.

In the other small hall not far away, there are separate seats for the two side concubines and Su Liangdi.The three of them ate their dishes and looked out of the window from time to time, not having anything to say.

From where they sat, they could see the lanterns around them, as well as the small hall beside the prince and princess.And because the window over there was also open, they vaguely saw the picture of the prince serving food for the princess and grabbing glutinous rice balls from the princess's bowl.

You Shi finally sighed, and said a long and authentic sentence: "This is not what it used to be..."

Mrs. He agreed with a smile, Mrs. Su bowed her head and ate the food without saying a word.

Su Shi is a little lucky, fortunately, he is not too stupid, and he became honest in a timely manner, otherwise, he might really end up in the same misery as Gu Shi... Isn't it?Even Concubine You didn't dare to do anything, at most she could only say a few sour words.

Three or two zhang away, Yuyin blushed when she saw Nanny Rui coming in with something.

Nanny Rui was sent by Concubine Ding to help her. She was very kind to others and knew a lot of things, even... she knew about that, because she was in bed before going to Yongning Palace.

Yuyin then heard Nanny Rui say a lot of things and reasoned a lot, most of which she felt made sense.

Even... a little ashamed.

Nanny Rui put the small white porcelain wine cup in front of her, turned around, and walked aside respectfully.

The wine cup was still steaming, Yuyin stretched out his hand to pour a cup, Meng Junhuai looked up and saw it, startled: "Yuyin?"

"I want...I want to drink a little." She said to him with flushed cheeks, "This wine is not strong, so I'll just drink a little."

(End of this chapter)