Harem for a living

Chapter 74

"Ma'am, how about this dress?" Cup Ting was holding a pink dress in his hand, and asked Chen Manrou who was sitting next to the dressing table. Chen Manrou squinted her eyes and said, "It looks too thin, It’s a bit cold at night, change into something thicker.”

After the cup stopped, he took off another silver-red dress. The bottom was a pleated skirt, and the top was a slanted-breasted wide-sleeve jacket. The sleeves were embroidered with bright red pomegranate flowers, and the top of the skirt was embroidered with pomegranate flowers. The fruit, the meaning looks very good.

"It's about the same. Didn't I make a bijia a few days ago? The water-blue one, put that on it." Chen Manrou nodded, and said: "You don't need to hang the sachet, just hang that crabapple White jade pendant."

It's not the old-fashioned bijia. This bijia is short and just tucked in at the waist. After Chen Manrou puts it on, her waist looks even thinner and slender.Today, Qing Xing combed her hair in a flying bun, and the back was only partly tied up, and a lot of it was untied, hanging down to her waist, making her look even more refined.

Chen Manrou frowned and looked at it for a while, feeling that it was a bit different from her previous cute style. After thinking about it, she asked Bei Ting to get the fur from the warehouse, and found a white fox fur: "Cut this one out Embroidered on the cuff."

Fortunately, her bijia had half-sleeved sleeves, and she had to stop drinking and drink on one side, but within a short time, she added white fox fur to the two cuffs.In this way, it is a little more pretty and lively.

Chen Manrou nodded in satisfaction, then went to look in the mirror, pulled out two golden hairpins from her head, and replaced them with pearl strings, which made her look less old-fashioned, but not immature.After all, she was eighteen and was going to be nineteen soon.Keeping a little lively and simple, getting rid of a little innocence, and slowly starting to transform is the best way to survive in this harem.

Duiyue came in with a tray, and handed Chen Manrou a bowl of porridge with a smile: "Madam, if there is nothing good to eat at the banquet, you should fill your belly first."

Jin Huan followed him in: "Your Majesty, the servants have already tidied up the storeroom, and everything inside has been tidied up, what orders do you have?"

"No more, you should rest first. Today you stay and enter the wine to guard at Zhongcui Palace. I'll just bring the moon and the cup to stop there." Chen Manrou shook her head, holding the bowl and sipping the porridge. She doesn't want to use a spoon at the moment, and holding it with both hands can warm her hands.

Another half an hour later, Chen Manrou got up, took the moon and the cup, and the group went to Jiaotai Hall.Originally, reunion festivals like the Mid-Autumn Festival were held either in the Empress Dowager's Compassionate Palace or in the Empress' Yongshou Palace.It's a pity that there are two empress dowagers in this dynasty, so all the conventions have become decorations.

The Ci'an Palace is relative, and the Ci'Ning Palace is a direct relationship. If you go to either one, you will neglect the other, so you simply don't go.

When Chen Manrou entered the hall, she saw Concubine Liu and Concubine Cheng smiling and talking together. Chen Manrou went over and said with a smile: "What are you talking about? But what's the good thing? Everyone's smiles are brighter than flowers."

"Isn't there a good thing?" Concubine Liu got up to salute Chen Manrou, and Chen Manrou quickly supported her: "Sister, but we haven't seen each other for a few days, and you and I are so estranged? If you still treat me as a younger sister, what will happen between us?" There is no need for so many false courtesy."

"Sister Concubine Liu is also true. Concubine Hui doesn't care about it. Why should we do it again?" Concubine Cheng said with a smile, and gave Chen Manrou a so-so salute. Salute, I know the rules quite well.It's just that this ceremony is a bit too rough and casual.

"Concubine Cheng is too polite. I haven't seen you for a few days. Concubine Cheng is getting more and more beautiful, but what kind of makeup did you use?" Chen Manrou didn't care too much, she took the first seat on Concubine Liu and asked with a smile.

"Did you see it?" Concubine Cheng stretched out her hand to touch her face, smiling triumphantly, "I used the new rose rouge that came out this year. Let people collect the best rose flowers, and only take two or three in the middle of each flower." Then use a clean stone mortar to slowly pound the petals into a thick paste, then filter the juice with spun gauze, boil it three or five times, cut the newly reeled silk into the size of the mouth of a rouge jar, and put it in the flower juice Soak it, wait until it is completely soaked, take it out and dry it, then it will become the best rouge. Only one or two boxes of this kind of rouge can be made from one acre of rose flowers."

Concubine Liu was surprised: "Really? No wonder you look very good. But when did the Ministry of Internal Affairs send such rouge in?"

All the rouge they used was sent in by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.The rouge outside the palace is absolutely not allowed to be brought into the palace casually. It is a dream to send a little eunuch or a little palace lady outside to buy rouge powder.Even if family members visit the palace, they are absolutely not allowed to bring rouge and gouache, and even edible medicinal materials are not allowed to bring in.

No matter how good the rouge used by the concubine Cheng was, she had to go to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Of course, there is another way.That is, you assign a place, or describe the appearance, and let the Ministry of Internal Affairs send someone to buy it.But the premise is that you can command the Ministry of Internal Affairs and have enough money.Where is the Ministry of Internal Affairs?Can anyone command it casually?Even Concubine Yang Gui might not let the House of Internal Affairs buy things for her.

"Of course you don't know. The House of Internal Affairs has just been here for a day or two. The imperial concubine got three boxes and gave me one box." Concubine Cheng raised her chin and said, before Chen Manrou and Concubine Liu had time to speak, I heard a laugh from the side, and then a very familiar voice sounded: "It's just a box of rose rouge, look at your frivolity. But I heard that the imperial concubine not only got two boxes of rose rouge, but also got a box of rose rouge." A box of lily rouge, that is the best rouge."

Chen Manrou looked up and saw Concubine De standing beside Concubine Cheng talking, Concubine Liu asked enthusiastically, "Ms. Concubine De, how did you say that? What's so special about that lily rouge?",

"Of course there are. There are ginseng, pearl powder and other things added in it. When applied on the face, it is not only delicate, but after a long time of use, it will make the complexion as beautiful as a flower and as tender as milk." Concubine De smiled. Said: "Such a big box."

Concubine De made a gesture, it was about the size of three copper plates placed in parallel, and then said: "It costs ten taels of silver, and there is an exclusive formula added in it. It is a time-honored rouge in the capital. The government bought two boxes for me, and later I heard that the House of Internal Affairs will also buy it for the imperial concubine, so he brought me two boxes by the way."

As he spoke, he smiled at Concubine Cheng: "Speaking of which, I have to thank Concubine Gui. If Concubine Gui hadn't said hello in advance, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to buy these two boxes of rouge."

Concubine Cheng bit her lip, and cast a hard look at Concubine De, but Concubine De didn't care, she turned around with a smile and sat down on the opposite side, her next head was Concubine Hu.It's just that Concubine Hu was having an abortion and couldn't come over today, so she was replaced by Han Wanyi.

Seeing Concubine De go by, Han Wanyi quickly stood up and saluted Concubine De: "Greetings to Concubine De, Empress De Concubine's dress today is really beautiful, the butterflies on it look like real ones, my concubine took a closer look and almost misread it." .”

"You have a sweet tongue." Concubine De said with a sideways glance at Han Wanyi, and Han Wanyi happily continued to flatter De Concubine.Chen Manrou raised her eyebrows, looked at the pink dress on Concubine De, and was very glad that she didn't choose the pink one.

After waiting for a long time, Concubine Yang came in. Concubine Cheng wanted to get up and talk to Concubine Yang.But then, the emperor, the empress, and the empress dowagers of the two palaces all came over, and Concubine Cheng had no choice but to salute with everyone, and missed the opportunity to find Concubine Yang.

The emperor's speech was very simple. He reviewed the past, looked forward to the future, and admonished the women below to listen to the queen, and it was over.The Empress Dowagers of the Two Palaces said almost the same thing, that is, to encourage everyone to have more children and less trouble.

"Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival. My sister usually stays in her own palace. We didn't have a good time to get together. Let's take advantage of this good day and have fun." The queen finished her speech , raised the glass first: "However, before that, we have to respect Empress Dowager Ci Ning and Empress Dowager Ci'an with a glass of wine. If the two Empress Dowagers were not in charge of the harem, we sisters probably would not have had such a leisurely life. "

No matter whether Empress Dowager Ci Ning and Empress Dowager Ci'an took care of things in the past, what the empress said was beautiful.The emperor also smiled cheerfully: "It should be so, the two queen mothers have been troubled in the past, and I would like to offer you a toast."

Concubine Yang took the lead, and all the concubines below also got up, raised their wine glasses in unison, and said together: "Regard Empress Dowager Ci Ning, Empress Dowager Ci'an."

Just talking is not enough, you have to kneel down.Chen Manrou lowered her head to look at the sloshing wine in the glass, reflecting the candlelight in the hall, and listening to the voices around her, she really felt that time and space were disordered for a moment.

"Your Majesty, I still have something good to announce." Halfway through the banquet, the Empress suddenly said shyly. The Emperor also knew what the Empress was planning, and was very cooperative at the moment: "What good thing? Say it, Make everyone happy."

"The concubine is pregnant, the imperial doctor said, it's only been three months." The queen's voice was brisk, with a bit of joy, the emperor laughed loudly, and repeatedly said rewards.The Empress Dowager Ci'an couldn't help being overjoyed: "Really? That's really great. My son's heirs are rare, and the empress has a body. That's a hero for the royal family."

"The empress dowager is serious. It is the concubine's responsibility to bear children for the emperor." The empress quickly declined, and then she looked a little embarrassed: "It's just that the concubine still needs the empress dowager's help."

"What's the matter?" Empress Dowager Ci'an asked with a smile.The queen also laughed: "I can't be too tired when I'm pregnant with a child. I want to hand over the affairs of the palace to the concubines below. The queen mother sees, who should I hand over to?"

Give it to the concubines below, and specify the range.It's not that if you want to hand it over, are you willing to take over, Queen Mother?

Empress Dowager Ci'an's complexion was a bit ugly, this empress is indeed very ungrateful!Empress Dowager Ci Ning glanced at Empress Dowager Ci An, raised her eyebrows and said with a smile: "Why do you need to leave it to the concubines below? Couldn't the Ai family and Ci An help you share your worries and solve your problems?"

(End of this chapter)