The Biography of Concubine Wen Xi in Qing Palace

Chapter 18 Congratulations
In a blink of an eye, it has been nearly half a month since he entered the palace, the emperor has not long been in charge, and the imperial gate is busy with government affairs every day. In addition, the drought in the north cannot be eased for a long time, so he seldom goes out of the harem at leisure.

It was only yesterday that the cleaning room sent a message saying that the emperor had turned over Rong Yue's signboard, which broke the embarrassing situation where newcomers entered the palace without a servant.

The next day, Rong Yue went to the Empress Dowager to pay her respects to the Empress Dowager at the Palace of Compassion and Ning, and thanked the Empress Dowager for her kindness.

Rong Yue thought in her heart to share this happy event with Wan Lai quickly, and regardless of the scorching sun, she hurried to the Palace of Yanxi Palace with her maid Lian Xin.

After searching around in the main hall of Yanxi Palace, there was no sign of Wanyan, but Shuang Ruo saw Rongyue entering and greeted her respectfully: "Servant maid, please concubine Xian."

Seeing her leaning forward to kneel down, Rong Yue raised her hands to help her up, then shook her head with a smile on her face and said no, and asked about Wanyu's whereabouts.

Shuang Ruo led Rong Yue all the way to the small kitchen, Rong Yue looked out of the window, Wan Yu was busy with Dong Wenyin and Yun Shan in front of the stove.

Dong Wenyin's face was covered with flour, her sleeves were half rolled up, and she was holding a shapeless square cake in her hand, which was decorated with red powder made from rose flowers.

She rubbed Wanyu with her shoulder, seeing that the square cakes made by Wanyu were well-proportioned in size and placed on the plate in an orderly manner, she said discouragedly: "Sister is a good handicraft, my wedding cake looks like the mud that wiped the red wall, why not?" It’s a good idea to take it out.”

Dong Wenyin was angry and crumpled the square cake and put it aside, Wanyu and Yunshan were amused when they saw her pouting.

Yunshan picked up the square cake to reshape her shape, while Wanyu comforted her softly: "It's always up to me whether I look good or not, and Rong Yue is happy to see it."

Yunshan's men neatly molded the shape of the square cake, sprinkled rose red powder on it again, and put the finished wedding cake back into Dong Wenyin's hands: "My concubine Xian has just received a holy family, and the six palaces sent gifts early in the morning. The little master is careful, thinking that gold, silver and jade are all small and exquisite, and how can they not compare to the friendship of the wedding cakes made by himself. Dong promised to calm down and be serious, so why not do it wrong?"

Dong Wenyin pretended to be old and let out a short sigh, dipped her hands into the washbasin filled with jasmine juice to wash: "My lady Xian is so blessed, I want to be happy for my lady in my heart, but I can't help but lament my poor fortune. It's been half a month since I entered the palace, and I haven't even seen the shadow of the emperor."

Rong Yue stepped lightly, tiptoed into the room, and suddenly said behind everyone: "I'm just lucky, how do you know that this luck won't be on my sister's head in the future?"

Several people turned their heads after hearing the sound, seeing Rong Yue, Li promised to salute quickly with Yunshan and ask the concubine Xian how well.

Wan Yu's face was filled with joy, she stepped forward to meet Rong Yue and stretched out her hand to hold Rong Yue, but seeing the dirt on her hand, she smiled at Rong Yue.

Yun Shan brought a washbasin to wait for Wan Lai to clean her hands, Wan Lai soaked her hands in it, turned her head to look at Rong Yue and said with a smile: "Why is sister here, the sun is scorching outside, let's dry it carefully."

"If I don't come, you won't be able to see your good intentions." Rong Yue picked up the wedding cake made by Wanyi, put it under the tip of her nose and sniffed it, and said it was delicious.

Wan Lai picked up the handkerchief to wipe off the water stains on her hands, and joked with Rong Yue: "Who said it was made for you?" She raised an eyebrow at Dong Wen Yin, and smiled cleverly: "It's just that Wen Yin and I have nothing to do. Just make some pastries for your own enjoyment."

Rong Yue looked at Dong Wenyin with a suppressed smile, Dong Wenyin interrupted and said: "Sister Wan is thinking about Concubine Xian in her heart, she got the news yesterday and came back from the Empress this morning, so she dragged me to make this wedding cake with her."

She picked up the wedding cake that was reshaped by Yunshan just now and shook it in front of Wanyu: "Young lady, look, Miss Yunshan helped me to change this chaotic appearance. I was originally a clumsy person. It’s not as careful as Sister Wan’s. Those who did it one by one seem to have set a mold.”

Rong Yue took the wedding cake from Dong Wenyin's hands without any hassle: "Wanna made it ingeniously, and I like yours too. The two of you have the most serious intentions, and the gifts sent by others are more or less filled with resentment. Wake up in the morning at the Queen's Palace When I greeted you, the Kunning Palace seemed to have overturned a jar of vinegar, and there was a sour smell."

"My sister cares about those things, as long as the emperor likes it." Wannai put the wedding cakes made at the side into the cage, ordered Yunshan to light a fire, and then entered the main hall with Rongyue and Dong Wenyin to talk.

The three of them sat around the mahogany round table in the main hall, and Shuang Ruo and Lian Xin ordered the court ladies and eunuchs to carry the hollowed-out jade urn in front of the table, adding new ice, and the hall was instantly chilled.

Wan Lai lowered her eyebrows and glanced at the red cloth dragon pattern and agate-made sachet tied around Rong Yue's waist and asked with a smile: "I saw you wearing it early in the morning, but it was given by the emperor?"

Rong Yue nodded shyly, and said in a low voice: "It was the emperor's praise. I heard from Eunuch Liang that the dragon pattern on the sachet was embroidered by Empress Dowager Cihe herself, and it can be regarded as the emperor's favorite thing."

Dong Wenyin lowered her eyebrows and looked jealous: "My sister also told us whether the emperor Long Yan is really as handsome as the rumors. We can't see each other, so we will point at my sister to look at the plum blossoms to quench our thirst."

"For the first time, I was so nervous when I went to bed, and I was thinking about the serving rules taught by my mother, so I didn't even bother to see the truth." Rong Yue's face turned red, and she glanced slightly to the right, recalling: "The emperor's eyes are slender, with sword eyebrows. Xingmu, with a broad nose, fairer complexion than ordinary men, and a good temper, he even joked with me when he saw me nervous, he is very gentle."

Seeing that Rong Yue's cheeks were getting redder as she talked, she burst out laughing with a 'puchi': "Wen Yin, hurry up and persuade my sister, if she continues talking, her complexion will be as red as the sun."

Rong Yue coquettishly patted Wan Yu's arm: "You like to make fun of me." After another pause, she said in a deep voice: "I was afraid that you would be unhappy, but now it seems that I am worrying too much. You and I are Gong Bian has a good relationship with you, and I don't want to create a estrangement with you."

"Sister, Wen Yin and I are the first joy to hear about this." Wan Lai shook Rong Yue's hand, and Dong Wen Yin echoed a few times even though she was jealous.

Yunshan brought some freshly made plum soup from the small kitchen for the three little masters, Wanlu tasted the sweet and sour, and asked her to put some more for Li Xu, who was in the side hall.

Rong Yueben was holding the soup bowl in his hand, and after listening to Wanyu's words, he put the bowl aside: "Li promised to hide in the palace every day since she became pregnant, and never went to pay her respects to the queen in the morning. But she complained hard, saying that just because she had an heir, she became as disrespectful as Ma Jiachang was here. The queen instructed you to take care of her, but you see her as a difficult master?"

"It's okay, she sleeps too much during pregnancy, Wen Yin and I often go to chat with her in our free time on weekdays to relieve boredom."

"That's because my sister has a good temper." Dong Wenyin glanced towards the side hall outside the door: "My sister kindly sent some snacks the day before yesterday, and she thanked me with joy, but as soon as you and I went out, she ordered the maid to throw the snacks away. After going out, Li'er saw the truth, the dim sum was buried in the waste pile together with the plate without even touching it. Elder sister, just stare at her side hall, if you can't guarantee it, she will send it to you later. The plum soup is lost."

"Wen Yin, don't lose your sense of propriety." Seeing Dong Wenyin talking endlessly, Rong Yue's face darkened, and she interrupted her: "Li promises to be pregnant, so she should be more cautious."

(End of this chapter)