Traveling through the harem: the favorite concubine

Chapter 74

Deng first sent three young eunuchs to run errands, while he waited in front of the imperial study.

In less than half an hour, Deng Xian saw the three concubines Xian, De, and Li who came together. The three concubines were all dressed in gorgeous palace attire, and the hairpins and rings on their hair were obviously tidied up. Come here.Among them, although the second concubine Xiande has carefully dressed up, she does look dignified and soft, while Concubine Li is more outstanding and eye-catching, and she looks very glamorous.

The palaces of these three concubines are not in the same place, and they are far and near, and now they will come together together, it seems that it has been discussed.

Deng Xian murmured to himself for a while, but he raised a smile, greeted him and went up to say hello.

"The three ladies are well, the emperor is waiting for you ladies in the study, please follow the servants."

"Trouble Eunuch Deng!"

Concubine Xian had a smile on her face, and the people around her immediately handed over a purse with understanding glances.

Deng Xian took the purse and hid it under his sleeve and squeezed it. A smile appeared on his face. It looked like a bank note inside. Feeling a thick stack, he was afraid it was worth a lot.

"Your Majesty is being polite!"

Deng Xian narrowed his eyes with a smile, and he looked greedy and villainous, making Concubine Xian and the others secretly despise Deng Xian as an old man, of course he could see it, but he didn't Care, bow and lead the way in front.

On the way, after Concubine Xian and Concubine De and Li looked into each other's eyes, she suddenly asked softly, "Eunuch Deng, do you know why the Emperor called me to wait here?"

When Deng Xian heard the words, the smile on his face remained unchanged, but his answer was watertight: "This servant really doesn't know. The emperor only asked the servant to summon three empresses!"

Concubine Xian didn't get the answer she wanted, her face was slightly unsightly, but she still smiled tactfully, and continued to ask: "Then Eunuch Deng knows the emperor's current mood..."

"Three empresses, here we come!"

Deng Xian raised a smile, bowed and stood by the door.

Concubine Li couldn't help but glared at Deng Xian, but Deng Xian acted as if he hadn't seen him, and whispered to the door: "Your Majesty, the three ladies are here!"

After a while of silence, Zhao Qingze's low voice came from the room: "Come in!"

Deng took a step forward, respectfully pushed open the door of the imperial study, stood outside the door, and sent the three concubines in.Then, as soon as they walked in, the door behind them was closed by Mr. Deng again.

After the concubine Xian and the three walked into the imperial study room, their hearts skipped a beat, and they couldn't help feeling a little nervous. They looked at Zhao Qingze who was sitting behind the desk and was reading with something subconsciously. Showing a soft smile, she walked to the middle of the study and knelt down: "The concubine pays homage to the emperor!"

Before they raised their heads, suddenly, something like a book fell in front of them.

"emperor!"

The three of them were taken aback, and couldn't help looking at Zhao Qingze with a bit of horror, but Zhao Qingze said in a cold voice: "I was wondering if I was dazzled just now, or if the people below were sloppy and used the things used by my ex-father and queen's palace. The expense account book has been sent to me!"

Concubine Xian had a bad feeling in her heart, while Concubine De and Concubine Li seemed to be a little confused and did not understand what Zhao Qingze said.

Zhao Qingze stood up suddenly, and slowly walked down from behind the desk, and walked in front of the three kneeling, the black boots embroidered with golden dragons slowly landed in front of the account book that was thrown down, and said softly: "You guys also pick it up and have a look to see if the people below have made a mistake!"

"emperor……"

Concubine Xian lowered her head and said nothing.However, Concubine Li reached out to pick up the account book, just flipped through it hastily, but didn't see anything.

"At the beginning, the three of you told me that you wanted to save money in the harem and save the money to support the earthquake-stricken areas. I thought you were sincerely concerned about the country and the people, and entrusted the three of you to take charge of this matter, but I Looking at the account book today, I was really surprised. It is only the expenditure of my harem, which is not as good as the harem when the Supreme Emperor was in power. There are only a few concubines in my harem, not even half of the concubines of the Supreme Empress Palace. How many times, noble concubines don't have to go to the harem, and there are only a few people above concubines, you really opened my eyes!"

Every word Zhao Qingze uttered made Concubine Xian and the others bow down an inch.

After a long time, Concubine Xian leaned over and kowtowed heavily, and said: "This concubine is guilty, and this concubine is ineffective in doing things!"

Although the emperor said that the third concubine was in charge of this matter, and no one could escape at this time, Concubine Xian knew that the emperor had given her the power of the harem first, and she was mainly responsible at this time. Now that something happened, she is the main responsible person.

Concubine De didn't speak, just leaned over and pleaded guilty together with Concubine Xian.Concubine Li opened her mouth and opened her mouth to defend: "Your Majesty, the concubine is guilty, but the concubine was lazy and didn't really take care of this matter, the concubine didn't know."

Zhao Qingze glanced at Concubine Li with a sneer: "It's a good thing I don't know, if I hadn't asked someone to check your expenses, I really think you are innocent. This time, you are the one who proposed to reduce the expenses. Since then, you are the one who spends the most!"

"Concubine..."

Concubine Li didn't know that Zhao Qingze would investigate so clearly, but she was speechless for a while.

"You two, do you want to give up because you are not doing enough? I see, you are simply daring and deceiving!"

Zhao Qingze looked disgusted, and what he said made Concubine Xian and Concubine De turn pale.

"Damn the concubine!"

Concubine Xian kowtowed heavily again, and Concubine De kowtowed in silence.

"A few days ago, the three of you asked me for credit and told me how much money I saved in the harem. If it wasn't for the report from the subordinates, I wouldn't have known that when my harem was full of extravagance, you would dare to be so bold as to deceive others. Undertaking the concubines' expenses to fill in the loopholes for myself. Concubine Jin is pregnant with my emperor's younger brother. If she doesn't find out in time, the child in her womb may die. At that time, people all over the world will know that I disrespect elders and treat them harshly. own brother."

"Chen and concubine dare not!"

Concubine Xian, Concubine De, and Concubine Li were already trembling with fright at this moment. They had no idea that such a small incident would cause the Emperor to be so furious. If they were convicted, they would be thrown into limbo. .

"Don't dare, why don't you dare!"

Zhao Qingze slapped the table hard, with a sneer on his face: "You all dare to do this kind of thing, don't you just watch the concubines fall down? One day, when I fall down, you dare to do the same!"

"Your Majesty, don't all my concubines dare to do such a thing!"

The three of them just didn't bend over to the ground. If they said how much they had hoped to see Zhao Qingze when they came, they would be so afraid of seeing Zhao Qingze at this moment, and wished they could faint now, but they didn't dare Dizzy, I'm afraid that if he faints at this time and wakes up later, he will be in limbo.

"Why don't you dare!"

Zhao Qingze just snorted coldly, but suddenly fell silent.

Concubine Li was bold, and secretly raised her head to take a look. Seeing that the emperor's expression was not as terrifying as she imagined, she took a deep breath and said, "Your majesty, this concubine knows I'm wrong. The concubine knows that the emperor still cares about the concubine and others, otherwise he wouldn't have called the three concubines into the imperial study..."

"You're smart!"

Zhao Qingze pulled the corner of his mouth slightly, with a hint of mockery in his eyes.

"The concubine knows that the emperor has always been generous and kind..."

Concubine Li spoke softly, but she also gave Zhao Qingze a high hat.

Zhao Qingze just smiled lightly, but said: "Get up!"

"Yes!"

Concubine Li answered the loudest, while Concubine Xian and Concubine De hadn't recovered from the panic just now, they barely stood up with their hands on the ground.

But Zhao Qingze said again: "I didn't punish you this time, it's not because I don't care about it."

"Yes!"

"You are all old people who have been with me for many years. I don't want to make things difficult. However, it doesn't mean that I can tolerate you making a second mistake."

Hearing this, the three of them raised their hearts that had been relaxed just now.

"If you let me find out again, I think, no need to say more, you should know how to do it yourself!"

The three of them didn't answer, but Zhao Qingze could see their fear from their lowered heads.He didn't slow down his tone, but continued: "Take the account book I threw to you, take it back and study hard, it's okay if you don't understand, I will send two old palace people to each of you to help you, so as not to mess up the harem again." It's a miasma!"

"The concubine understands!"

When Concubine Xian heard the last sentence, she understood that the emperor wanted to take her power away, she was only responsible for managing the harem for the emperor, don't think about anything else.

In the end, when Concubine Xian and the others stepped out of the imperial study, Zhao Qingze suddenly said, "In a few days, it will be the crown prince's hundred days. You should take care of this matter. If you make another mistake, don't blame me for not giving you face."

When the concubine Xian and the three turned their heads to look at Zhao Qingze, he was looking down at the memorial, as if the words just suddenly came to mind and said casually.But the three of them suddenly felt a cold feeling in their hearts.

When they stepped out of the imperial study room, the sun was shining on them from the top, which made them seem to have regained a little sense of their bodies, and they felt that their backs were covered in cold sweat, all of them felt There is a sense of sympathy in my heart.

Deng Xian stood outside the door of the imperial study room, with the same expression on his face. When he saw the three concubines walking out, he smiled and bowed, and said, "Are the three ladies going back to the palace? This servant will send you respectfully." Three ladies!"

The three of them moved their mouths reluctantly, and couldn't help saying that they were old foxes in their hearts, but they smiled and said: "Eunuch Deng is so polite!"

Then he walked a few steps quickly, and the smile on his face fell.

Concubine Xian walked in the front, and when she walked out of Zhaoyang Hall and arrived in front of the cloth chariot she was riding in, Concubine Xian stopped, turned her head to look at Concubine De and Concubine Li, and said with a smile on her face : "His Royal Highness's hundred-day banquet will be held in a few days. Since the emperor entrusted it to me, whether the two younger sisters will go to the elder sister's palace to have a good discussion, don't make any mistakes!"

"This……"

Concubine De hesitated, with a troubled expression on her face.

But Concubine Li said directly: "Sister Xianfei, you are the one in charge of the palace affairs now, so my sister won't make any trouble!"

Concubine De nodded her head when she heard the words, obviously wanting to respond to Concubine Li's words.

Concubine Xian felt depressed when she heard the words, but the expression on her face was softer, and she said in a gentle tone: "Sister, don't say that, the emperor just asked me to take care of the palace affairs, and the emperor just said in the imperial study Yes, but let me wait for three people to be in charge of hosting the prince's hundred-day banquet, sisters, don't refuse to be modest!"

"..." Concubine Li was a little speechless, she really didn't want to take care of this matter, but when she thought about what the emperor said just now when she was sophistrying that she didn't take care of things, she knew that if she really didn't care, something would happen. Neither can escape responsibility.

Thinking of this, she couldn't help feeling depressed.

Concubine De obviously wanted to go with Concubine Li, so in the end she just said in a flat tone: "Since Concubine Xian invites you, I dare not refuse."

After saying this, he got on his chariot.

Concubine Li didn't speak, but expressed her agreement with actions.However, at this time, the moods of the three of them were all blocked by a gloom.

It's not their sons, but let them bother to hold the hundred-day banquet. If it can't be done well, it's their fault; if it's done well, it's the noble concubine...

How can there be such a cheap thing in this world that the imperial concubine can take over!

However, they could only hold back all these words in their chests, not daring to spit them out.Not only did they not dare to spit it out, but they also had to hold back their anger and host the hundred-day banquet for the imperial concubine and her prince, striving to achieve perfection without any mistakes.

Otherwise, the emperor might make a good calculation with them together with the account of the previous matter!
The three cloth chariots landed in front of Concubine Xian's Qingfu Palace, and all three of them got out of the sedan chair with smiles on their faces, and walked to a place without any gloomy look on their faces.

Concubine De and Concubine Li smiled and followed Concubine Xian into the main hall of Qingfu Palace, immediately a maid served tea.

Concubine Xian was not in a hurry, took a sip of the tea, and then wiped off the water stains on the corners of her lips with a handkerchief, before she said, "How about the Hundred Days Banquet of His Highness the Crown Prince?" Do it, let's discuss a charter first!"

"Since the emperor has solemnly confessed to us, he naturally hopes to hold the crown prince's hundred-day banquet more grandly. However, we can't decide what to arrange."

Concubine De's words were sound and stable, but what she meant, Concubine Li immediately said it for her: "That's right, let's say this is good, if the imperial concubine doesn't like it, I'm afraid I'll ruin this job too!"

Concubine Li's words were a bit yin and yang, but Concubine Xian and Concubine De both agreed and fell into deep thought.

"What the two younger sisters said is that since this is the case, why don't we discuss a few regulations first, and let the imperial concubine decide which one is better, and we will continue to do it!"

"Isn't this going to see the imperial concubine? Will the emperor agree?"

Concubine Li was full of resentment when she heard the words, the emperor guarded her tightly, even when they went to pay her respects to the concubine, she was afraid that they would hurt the concubine, so she insisted not to let her see.WTF!

Concubine Xian was also a little silent, and in the end she just said softly: "This matter is also for the success of His Royal Highness's hundred-day banquet. The imperial concubine and the emperor will understand."

Concubine De nodded her head silently, the two looked at each other with a bit of sympathy, now they just think of themselves as a wooden person who has no emotions and doesn't understand jealousy and grievances.

Ruyi didn't know that Aman's hundred-day banquet would cause such a disturbance in the hearts of three concubines Xian, De, and Li. After she woke up from a nap, she was served by Fangcao, and then someone went to inform the general. Come over with a full hug.

Aman seemed to have just woken up from a nap, and he yawned with his little mouth, and his mouth started to growl again.Ruyi couldn't help but shook her head with a smile, but suddenly thought of something, and while wiping Aman's small mouth, she asked the nanny, "Aman is drooling all day, is he about to grow teeth?"

She remembered that a colleague said before that when a baby starts to grow teeth, he will drool and like to put things in his mouth to grind his teeth. Aman also liked to chew his little hands before.

"Imperial Concubine, His Highness the Crown Prince is only three months old now, and children who usually teethe early will take four months."

"That's it!"

Ruyi was a little disappointed when she heard the words. She touched Aman's little head, and couldn't help asking some things about children, such as how big a baby is, how easy it is to get up and crawl...

Seeing that Ruyi was interested, the nanny quickly told Ruyi everything she knew, and from time to time said some words of praise for Aman to flatter Ruyi.

While talking about being happy, a voice suddenly came from outside the house, Ruyi raised her head, and Fangcao went to the door smartly.Not long after that, she came back and told Ruyi: "Miss Shaoyao wanted to come in to serve the empress, but the empress told her to let Miss Shaoyao think about it and stop serving her in the next few days. Outsiders stopped Miss Shaoyao."

Fangcao didn't mention Shaoyao's arguing to come in, but Ruyi probably also heard the meaning.

She sighed silently in her heart, but she became ruthless and said to Fangcao: "Go out and tell Shaoyao that it's my intention, let her go back and think about it, and come back to serve me in three days!"

"Yes, madam!"

Fangcao bowed slightly and retreated outside the house.

Ruyi heard the voice outside the door gradually weakening, she squeezed Aman's little hand, and suddenly her heart began to feel a little depressed.To be honest, she really didn't want to treat Shaoyao like this, but since returning to the palace, Shaoyao has become more and more arrogant and inappropriate in doing things, and she can't indulge her any longer.

I only hope that Shao Yao can figure it out, otherwise, she can only beg the emperor to let her out of the palace to marry.

Zhao Qingze came back early in the afternoon, but luckily when he came back, Fangcao had persuaded Shaoyao to go away, and Ruyi was holding Aman in her arms and talking with the old palace man Zhao Qingze gave her.

If he realized that he was back, he asked the old palace servants to retreat, and let the nanny carry Aman away, and walked to Zhao Qingze with a few books, with a flattering tone, he said with a smile: "Your Majesty, now But when you have time to listen to the courtiers and concubines to tell you about the Zhaoyang Palace, by the way, guide the ministers and concubines!"

Hearing Ruyi's slightly playful words, Zhao Qingze couldn't help laughing, stretched out his hand and scratched Ruyi's nose, and said, "Isn't the imperial concubine the decision of Zhaoyang Palace? Why bother to ask me about this?" emperor!"

"The emperor is the biggest, besides, don't the concubines still ask the emperor to clarify their doubts?"

Zhao Qingze shook his head and took the few books that Ruyi handed over, but he didn't open them and threw them to the side. He reached out and hugged Ruyi suddenly and said, "You don't need to report these things to me. If you don't understand, let me know." Let your old palace man handle it!"

"All right!"

Ruyi didn't know whether to be happy for Zhao Qingze's trust in her, or feel sad for Zhao Qingze's underestimation of her abilities, but she heard the other party say again: "I don't want to hear about Zhaoyang Palace, but you give it to me." I am very concerned about the progress of the clothes I do!"

Ruyi couldn't help laughing when she heard the words, she broke free from his arms, stood up, went to a cabinet next to the bed and opened it, took out a set of underwear from inside, handed it to Zhao Qingze and said with a smile: "Why is your majesty?" Know that I just finished it today!"

"I know it!"

Zhao Qingze did not take the suit, but hugged Ruyi back into his arms, and sighed softly: "Ruyi, it's great that you are like this now!"

(End of this chapter)