Harem for a living

Chapter 41

Chen Manrou finally smoothed out the folds of her clothes, and then she watched the emperor go out. After taking two steps, the emperor suddenly turned to Chen Manrou and said, "Send the clothes to Qianqing Palace, and make a pair of shoes for me later."

Chen Manrou quickly complied, and simply followed to the gate of Zhongcui Palace, and turned back after watching the emperor get on the dragon chariot.According to the usual practice, she can still sleep in the cage before paying her respects, but today's situation is quite special. Today is August [-]th, and she has to go to pay her respects to the queen early.

Arriving at Yongshou Palace, as soon as I entered the door to salute the queen, Concubine De smiled and said: "The lanterns that my sister sent yesterday are very beautiful, and my sister admires my sister's ingenuity very much. Is there any, and if so, can you give some more to my sister? My sister is worrying about having nothing to reward, and my sister’s lantern is just for emergency.”

Concubine Chen's rank is lower than that of Concubine De, it is normal for Concubine Chen to ask Concubine Chen to do something, and she can even directly order Concubine Chen to do it.However, if Concubine Chen really gave the lantern to Concubine De and asked her to reward others, then her status as Chen Manrou would be about the same as that of Concubine De's first maid.

Chen Manrou blinked, and then smiled: "Ingenuity is not as good as my sister's eloquence. But what does my sister want this for? My sister doesn't do much, so I gave it to Empress Dowager Ci Ning and Empress Dowager Ci'an. One, twelve for the emperor, ten for the queen, six for the noble concubine, four for the concubine Shu and you, the elder sister, and there are not many left."

The implication is that your status is the same as that of concubine Shu, ranking second rank. Concubine Shu still dominates you. There are only four of them. How many do you plan to have?Who are you going to be with?

The smile on Concubine De's face froze for a moment, then she covered her mouth with a handkerchief and smiled: "Sister is really stingy, she doesn't say to make more than once, just a few paper lanterns, it's not worth it What kind of money, my sister even gave it away..."

"Empress Defei, my concubine does not agree with what you say." Chen Manrou said seriously: "As the saying goes, courtesy is light and affection is heavy. Is it possible that they are all just for money? Although those lanterns are not worth a lot of money, they are all made by my own hands. They are not just a few pieces of paper, but they represent my heart."

No matter how sincere Chen Manrou said, Concubine De felt so sick to her stomach.

"Empress Defei, if you feel that my concubine's intentions are worthless, turn around and ask someone to go to your empress's Yanxi Palace and bring back the lantern. I will choose another gift for Defei Empress." A slap is enough to slap the face, if Concubine De really dares to do something with that lantern, she will become a representative figure who cares about money later.

"No need, I like it very much." Concubine De was annoyed for a moment, and she didn't think carefully when she spoke. : "I really like it. It was just a joke with Concubine Chen's sister before. If I really underestimated the friendship between Concubine Chen and sister there, I would have thrown away the lantern long ago."

"Sister De Concubine likes it as long as she likes it. I'll make some more for Sister De Concubine on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month next year. Sister De Concubine needs to hang it in the house every day." It's because I'm going to kill you!Chen Manrou snorted coldly in her heart, Concubine De's face froze for a moment, and she responded casually.

Concubine Cheng has probably been re-educated by Concubine Yang Guifei since the last time she got into trouble with her tongue.At this moment, she only kept quiet, and she turned her head to take a look when there was an announcement at the door.

It happened that Chen Manrou also turned her head and saw the unwillingness flashing in Concubine Cheng's eyes. After Concubine Yang walked in, Concubine Cheng also lowered her head slightly, not smiling like before. It seems that, The alliance between the two is by no means unbreakable.

"Is the imperial concubine in good health?" Ma Jieyu suddenly asked after Concubine Yang greeted the queen. Chen Manrou was very curious. Ma Jieyu and the others seldom open their mouths when greeting the queen. Today The sun is coming out from the west.

"I'm worried about Ma Jieyu." Concubine Yang Guifei said without even turning her head, she glanced at Ma Jieyu out of the corner of her eyes.Ma Jieyu was still smiling, and said nonchalantly: "I see that the face of the imperial concubine is much better, and she is a bit more radiant than before."

Concubine Yang's expression softened, and she didn't answer, Wang Xiuyi smiled and said, "That's right, the imperial concubine has been in cultivation for more than a month, if it's still not well-trained, then it will be a bad thing."

The only people who have been poorly cultivated are the terminally ill.

Concubine Yang's face immediately turned a little ugly, Wang Xiuyi pretended not to see it, and continued: "The imperial concubine is deeply loved by the emperor, so it is naturally favored by heaven."

Concubine Yang Guifei has had a miscarriage for a month!If it’s anything else, you can still say it’s God’s blessing, but without a child, can you also say it’s God’s blessing?Concubine Yang's eyes were on fire, she glanced at Concubine Cheng, Concubine Cheng only showed a look of sluggishness and bewilderment.

Concubine Yang Gui is very unwilling to argue with these women without image, but she doesn't refute, and it seems a little too weak, even a Xiu Yi can climb on her head.So I was a little hesitant. Eight out of ten women in this room wanted to see Concubine Yang's jokes, so no one would come out to make a rescue.

After a while, when Concubine Yang couldn't hold her breath and wanted to speak, Concubine Cheng suddenly said: "The imperial concubine is naturally favored by the heavens, otherwise, why are you Xiuyi, and the empress is a noble concubine? "

Concubine Yang Guifei chuckled, and only glanced sideways at the queen. The queen held a teacup and nodded with a smile: "Don't talk nonsense, Concubine Cheng. What kind of status is this woman in the harem? It depends on how hard you serve the emperor." Don't worry, God's favor, this is not clear. Come on, it's getting late, we should go to the Compassionate Ning Palace."

Empress Dowager Ci Ning probably couldn't smile anymore, when she saw the empress and the others coming in, she just glanced at them with the corner of her eyes, and then waved them all out.The Empress Dowager Ci'an didn't say too much, there is a family banquet tonight, so it's the same if you keep a message to say at the dinner.

Immediately, the queen sent them back in a hurry, and it was time for the wives to enter the palace to pay their respects, and the queen's natal family was naturally also in the ranks.Chen Manrou was a little melancholy, seeing other people happily seeing their relatives, she was really a little deserted.

"Your Majesty, the Empress sent someone to bring over five catties of snowskin mooncakes." Chen Manrou was about to go to the study to sit and sit, when she saw Jin Huan coming in with a box, Chen Manrou opened the box, and reached out to take a snowskin mooncake After scrutinizing it for a while, he pursed his lips and said, "Let Xiao Xizi send three catties to Chen's residence, Xiao Lezi to send three catties to Zhao's residence, and the remaining four catties to my two uncles' family."

Her grandfather's surname is Zhao, and the uncles also separated, so they had to be sent off separately.

"A few other things, you can give them together." After finishing speaking, Chen Manrou thought for a while, and then said: "Didn't I grow taller a while ago? You also packed up the clothes that couldn't be worn and let them bring them to the house." The Chen family, let the old lady use it to do good deeds."

Although the country is prosperous and the people are safe at the moment, not everyone is well fed and warmly dressed. No matter which society it is, there is a dark side.

Jin Huan nodded in agreement. They were used to donating clothes and so on in Zhending Mansion. Except for the close-fitting clothes, the rest were to be given away.However, due to reputation or something, the women's clothes are not given away for free, but they have opened a special shop and sold a piece of clothing for a penny.

Poor people are mostly willing to buy one for their wives and daughters, but they avoid being ruined by beggars.

After sending Jinhuan and the others to work, Chen Manrou found a few blank sheets of paper, calmed down and began to paint. Now there are paintings on the wall of Zhongcui Palace that I don’t know where I found them. Although they look good, but Inevitably some dissatisfaction.

What route she took, and the decorations in the palace, had better be in line with her personality.Details determine success or failure, and she doesn't want to be stepped on halfway.After thinking about it for a while, I drew a picture of a small river. The whole picture is full of cheerfulness, and it looks clear when I look at it.

Satisfied, she laid it out on the table to dry, and was about to make two more paintings, when she suddenly heard a voice in her ear: "Aifei, this painting is not bad."

Chen Manrou was startled, her hands trembled, and a big blotch of ink smeared on the paper. Chen Manrou picked up the paper in a hurry, and at the same time turned around to salute the emperor. The busier and more chaotic she was, her left foot tripped over her right foot. , and fell forward, the brush in his hand poked the emperor's chest.

The emperor raised his eyebrows, and looked down at the little beauty in his arms with a panicked expression. Next, the little beauty forgot to remove the writing brush in her right hand, and the tip of the writing brush was still stuck on his clothes. What should he do? Fortunately, did I come here after changing into casual clothes?

"Emperor, Your Majesty, this concubine didn't do it on purpose..." Chen Manrou hurriedly left the Emperor's embrace, pleading guilty pitifully, almost crying in her heart, sister, is it a serious crime to destroy the Emperor's clothes?Is there any predecessors to pass on the experience?
"I know that Aifei didn't do it on purpose." The emperor reached out and took the brush from Chen Manrou's hand, turned to look at Chen Manrou's painting, and said, "The overall layout is good, and it's comfortable to look at, but The handling here is a bit stiff."

As he said that, he tapped the brush, and sure enough, the whole painting looked more harmonious.Chen Manrou blinked, did she not pursue her responsibility?

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your guidance. It's a good thing I'm proud of myself. Fortunately, I didn't show it off." Chen Manrou calmed down a little, looked at the Emperor's clothes guiltily, and said embarrassingly, scratching her cheek.

"Your Majesty knows a lot, and this concubine is willing to bow down. In the future, I will learn more from the Emperor." Chen Manrou looked at the Emperor with adoring eyes, and the Emperor raised his eyebrows and said with a smile: "Don't think that I will forget the past."

"Ah, what should I do? I asked Manager Ming to send the clothes to Qianqing Palace, otherwise, I will ask someone to get them again?" Chen Manrou said bitterly, and the emperor stretched out his hand to pinch her and wrinkled her. nose, smiled and nodded.

As soon as Chen Manrou saw that the crisis was over, she immediately got up, beat the emperor's back and squeezed her shoulders, and was busy serving tea and water.Halfway through the beating, I suddenly remembered the matter of the clothes, thinking that no matter what, I had to make a confession first, so I said again: "Your Majesty, I have something I want to tell you."

The emperor glanced at her and motioned her to continue.Chen Manrou fully explained the "one article store" opened by their family, whether it was a big deal or a small thing.When she is young, it means the Chen family is doing good deeds; when she grows up, the Chen family is buying people's hearts.

Therefore, before being taken advantage of by others, Chen Manrou explained the matter clearly: "The shop is managed by others, and the money earned is bought rice and sent to Fahua Temple every year. Outsiders don't know It's the Chen family's shop."

"That's it?" The emperor asked casually, and Chen Manrou squeezed his arms with a smile: "Well, that's it." Then, she leaned towards the emperor's face in a ghostly manner: "If the government of this shop comes forward to take care of it That’s good, more people can be called on to donate clothes.”

The emperor glanced at Chen Manrou, then turned his head and took the teacup on the Kang table to his lips and took a sip.

(End of this chapter)