With the gossip about Young Master Yuan and Chaoyun County Mistress, the focus of the hunting trip to the imperial hunting ground shifted quietly.
Yuan Zishi was pinned on the bench, and as the thick cudgel fell on him, at first his pained cries could be heard, but gradually, there was not a single sound. It seemed that even the birds in the forest dared not make a peep. At this moment, the imperial majesty was fully displayed.
Regardless of whether there were any "tricks" in the caning secretly, the bright - red blood under Yuan Zishi seemed to warn everyone: Look, this is the end for those who disrespect the royal family. Not to mention that Old Lady Yuan fainted on the spot when she heard that her grandson was half - dead. Anyway, neither the participants nor the spectators of the originally scheduled hunting competition were in the mood. The autumn hunting ended hastily, and the emperor ordered to return to the palace.
It was said that after this autumn hunting, many timid female relatives fell ill as soon as they got back. For a while, the price of medicine in the capital increased a bit. But that's a story for later.
After the short "autumn outing", back in the palace, Qi Daiyu returned to her daily routine of going between two places. Although the days were boring, they were peaceful.
When the concubines returned to the palace, they originally wanted to see Concubine Shu's joke. Unfortunately, Concubine Shu was well - prepared. She pleaded that the Eldest Prince was unwell and asked for another month's leave, hiding in the Chengan Palace and not going out.
The Empress took advantage of the victory and ordered the Chamberlain's Office to remove Concubine Shu's name from the list of concubines to serve the emperor after the month - long confinement. Under the pretext that since the Eldest Prince was ill, Concubine Shu taking care of him closely might catch the illness and was not suitable to serve the emperor.
The Empress was open - handed in her actions. Although she removed Concubine Shu's name from the list, she ordered the imperial physicians to take good care of the Eldest Prince and rewarded a lot of good medicinal materials. Concubine Shu not only couldn't be angry but also had to smile and bow to express her gratitude.
For a while, the wind in the palace all blew towards the Kunning Palace.
In the Kunning Palace, Mei Yi and the others had a lighter step recently. In the past, although the Empress's status was stable, Concubine Shu, relying on the emperor's favor, occasionally dared to defy the Kunning Palace. The Empress, in order to show the dignity of the central palace, had to tolerate it. As a result, some people with muddled minds actually thought that the Chengan Palace was powerful and flattered Concubine Shu one after another.
Now they finally knew who the real mistress of the harem was!
"Those snobs! Sister, did you see how obsequious Xu Jilai was just now? Humph, in the past, when we asked him to do something, he would procrastinate. We had to go several times before he could get it done. But today, he was so efficient!" Ju Yi said as she walked with the woolen materials in her hands.
Xu Jilai was the chief eunuch of the Imperial Household Department. He had quite a bit of power, was smooth - talking, and only cared about profit. Maybe because he saw that Concubine Shu had given birth to the Eldest Prince, he had some ulterior motives and secretly contacted the people in the Chengan Palace. He thought the Empress didn't know, but actually, the Empress had seen it all.
Just now, the Empress sent Mei Yi and Ju Yi to the Imperial Household Department to get some samples of winter woolen materials, fabric samples, and palace dress designs to decide on the styles of palace dresses to be distributed in winter. As soon as Xu Jilai saw the two of them, he greeted them with a smiling face. After hearing their request, he was busy running around. In less than a quarter of an hour, he had prepared all the things.
Although Mei Yi also had the same feeling in her heart, she was a steady - tempered person. She looked around and said, "Don't say such things outside. We can't damage the Empress's reputation and let people think that the people in the Kunning Palace are arrogant."
Ju Yi stuck out her tongue: "Sister Mei Yi, I know!"
The two turned a corner and entered the front - hall study. The Empress was sitting at the table, looking at the account book of the palace's expenses last month.
Mei Yi said, "Your Majesty, we've brought the things."
"Um," the Empress put down the account book. "These are this year's materials? The colors don't look very bright."
She flipped through them. Among these materials, there were both furs and various silk brocade samples.
Mei Yi said, "These are the colors we usually choose. After all, it's winter. Making winter clothes is troublesome, so there aren't many colors to choose from."
The Empress shook her head. "This year is different. Before, His Majesty was in mourning for the late emperor, so the palace's expenses naturally had to be simple and frugal. But now, the emperor has been on the throne for three years. The palace should add some bright colors. Especially since there will be a draft after the new year. We can't have the young ladies in the draft looking like a riot of colors while the concubines in the harem are all in light blue and light green, right?"
"Send them back and tell them to hurry up and change to some materials with better colors."
Mei Yi replied, "Yes."
Then they looked at the palace dress designs. The Empress was still not satisfied. "They are too plain. Tell them to redraw. In addition, for each concubine, besides the regular four sets, make four more sets according to one rank higher than their current position."
Mei Yi and Ju Yi looked at each other in surprise. Palace dresses one rank higher than their current position? Could it be...
The Empress pressed her tired eyes and looked out of the window. The leaves on the trees in the yard were flying everywhere. Winter had really come.
A little maid came in to report, "Your Majesty, Imperial Concubine Qi is here."
"Um, bring her in. Mei Yi, go to the small kitchen and bring a plate of chestnut cakes and a pot of hot milk."
Winter had really come. Qi Daiyu stood in the yard of the Kunning Palace, shrinking her neck. The cold wind was blowing into the back of her neck, making her shiver.
The Empress suddenly sent someone to invite her to the Kunning Palace for a chat. Qi Daiyu was very nervous, feeling like being called in by the boss for a talk.
Led by the little maid, she entered the front - hall study. The Empress was holding a small spray bottle, watering a pot of asparagus fern in the corner of the study. Although the weather was getting colder, the charcoal fire in the Kunning Palace was burning vigorously, and the asparagus fern was still lush and green.
"Greetings to Your Majesty," Qi Daiyu bowed.
"Come, sit down," the Empress motioned for someone to bring a stool and spread a soft cushion on it.
Qi Daiyu sat down meekly.
"I called you here for just a casual chat. I remember that the people serving you were assigned to you when you first moved into the harem. Have they taken good care of you in these years? If there is any negligence, just tell me."
Qi Daiyu thought for a while. In the Yanqing Residence, the two senior maids serving her closely were Shiliu and Putao. She was most familiar with them and found them very useful. She didn't think there was anything wrong with them. There were also four little maids: Pingguo, who was in charge of hair - dressing; Xiangli, who was in charge of needlework; Hongtao, who was in charge of tea; and Lianwu, who was in charge of food. Among them, she was more familiar with Pingguo and Lianwu and didn't have much contact with Xiangli and Hongtao.
There were also two cleaning maids in the Yanqing Residence, Little Zhuo and Xiaohuan'er, who were only eleven or twelve - year - old girls and usually never saw Qi Daiyu.
Then there were two eunuchs, Xiao Li and Little Cheng.
Xiao Li was more slippery and liked to scheme but was also considerate. Little Cheng was more honest and dull and was still learning his skills.
In her opinion, all these servants were quite good.
Not to mention anything else, just looking at the fact that in the past three years, the previous owner of her body was bed - ridden and out of favor, and these people didn't choose to serve others but served her whole - heartedly. That was good enough.
As for whether there were any people with ulterior motives or spies sent by others among these servants, Qi Daiyu thought there was no need to think too much about it. Instead of being suspicious and exhausting herself mentally, it was better to just go with the flow.
So, she replied to the Empress, "They may be a bit clumsy, but they are quite dedicated, and I'm used to having them around."
This was obviously a modest reply, and the Empress understood it. She didn't dwell on this issue anymore. Instead, she revealed the real purpose of summoning Qi Daiyu this time.
"Previously, you were in poor health, and I thought it would be enough for you to live a peaceful life. But now that you've recovered and are in the prime of your youth and beauty, isn't it a waste of good time to live in a state of unease?" The Empress put down the kettle, wiped her hands with a handkerchief, and then sat down.
"Concubine Qi, what's your opinion?"
Goodness, this was really like a leadership talk! Qi Daiyu couldn't help but recall the scene from her past life when the kindergarten principal asked her about the teaching plan for the next semester, emphasizing the need to recruit more students and improve the kindergarten's KPI.
What the Empress was saying now was no different. It was an implication for her not to be a slacker anymore and to work hard to get promoted and gain more benefits while she was young!
Qi Daiyu lowered her head and said, "I'm of low status and my words carry little weight..."
Sorry, Your Majesty the Empress. She just wanted to take it easy and didn't want to strive for more. For her, the position of Concubine Jie was quite good. It was neither too high nor too low.
Those of higher status looked down on her, and those of lower status didn't dare to cause trouble. She could live a happy life with the monthly allowance.
It was much more leisurely than in modern times.
Being ambitious? She was too ambitious in her past life, which was why she was reborn here.
Seeing that Qi Daiyu didn't clearly state her stance, the Empress said directly, "You know that there will be a draft next year. A group of new concubines will enter the palace at that time. Although it's necessary to enrich the harem, more people also mean more troubles. Concubine Qi, people all say that concubines lead a glorious life, but they don't know that even the writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones in the palace, as well as the ice in summer and charcoal in winter, are all limited in quantity. The quantity of these things remains the same. When there are fewer people, everyone gets more; when there are more people, everyone gets less."
"And what determines how much one gets depends first on one's position, and second, on what His Majesty decides."
"Concubine Qi, I'll be straightforward with you. Considering our past friendship, if you're willing to strive for more, I can give you a helping hand." The Empress looked into Qi Daiyu's eyes. "But if you're not... I can, of course, secretly take care of you out of personal friendship, but publicly, you'll just remain Concubine Jie."
An isolated and unfavored Concubine Jie with a humble position.
It was only then that Qi Daiyu understood the Empress's intention.
The Empress was asking her to make a choice: to be content with the status quo or to pursue glory and wealth.
If it was the latter, given their past relationship, they would naturally become allies, and the Empress wouldn't mind helping her rise to a higher position. After all, the Empress knew very well that she couldn't stop the Emperor from doting on concubines. So, it was better to support a concubine she was on good terms with to gain power and strengthen her own influence.
If Qi Daiyu chose the former, the Empress would have to give up cultivating her and choose someone else instead. As the Empress had said, there would be new concubines entering the palace next year.
Qi Daiyu was really in a dilemma at this moment.
Before coming to the Kunning Palace, her mind was made up, but the Empress's words had shaken her resolve.
All the resources in the palace were limited. The concubines' struggles were not only for the Emperor's favor but also, to a greater extent, for resources.
In fact, it was no different from office workers in the modern world. It's just that concubines had fewer ways to get promoted and gain more benefits, and winning the Emperor's favor was the fastest and most effective way. That's why it seemed like they were constantly fighting over a man.
Qi Daiyu was somewhat speechless. Did she still have to keep competing even after being reborn?
Was she doomed to be a working - bee in both lives?
No, no, no. This life was still different. Qi Daiyu shook her head in her heart. She had already become part of the privileged class, surpassing many others.
She still had a choice.
So, she frankly expressed her thoughts, "Your Majesty the Empress, I don't know what the future holds. I was ill for three years, and during those years, I was accompanied by medicine every day. I looked haggard, and life was really boring. Now that I'm well, I don't want to think about the future. I just want to live a relaxed and care - free life for a while."
If she was really bullied in the future, then she would fight back!
With these words, Qi Daiyu had clearly shown her ambition. Although the Empress felt sorry in her heart, she didn't try to persuade her anymore.
"Since you've made your decision, I won't say anything more."
The two of them chatted about some trivial matters. Seeing that it was getting late, Qi Daiyu voluntarily asked to leave.
After she left, Ju Yi added tea to the Empress's cup and said, "This Concubine Qi is really ungrateful. It's her good fortune that Your Majesty the Empress is promoting her, yet she dares to decline."
Hearing this, the Empress looked at her, and a look of sternness appeared in her eyes.
Ju Yi's hand trembled. Regardless of the red - hot hand from the scald, she quickly knelt down and said, "I spoke out of turn, Your Majesty."
Mei Yi took over from her and continued to pour tea. "You're becoming more and more reckless. You dare to gossip about anyone." She glanced at the Empress's expression. "When you went to the Inner Treasury today, even Xu Jilai had to look at your face!"
She wasn't snitching on Ju Yi but was hinting to the Empress that although Ju Yi was careless with her words, she was very loyal.
Ju Yi's eyes turned red.
The Empress gently blew on the tea and took a slow sip. "Go and kneel in the corridor for an hour. This is the last time."
Ju Yi quickly kowtowed and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty the Empress, for your mercy!" Then she quickly retreated.
The Empress still frowned. "When I have some free time, let Lanyi discipline the servants in the Kunning Palace. As the New Year is approaching, I don't want anything to go wrong."
"Yes, Your Majesty. I understand. But Your Majesty, although Ju Yi's words were unpleasant, if you think about it carefully, there's some truth in them. You value Concubine Qi, but if she's of no use, why bother wasting your energy on her?"
"Although she's not favored, in my opinion, she still knows how to conduct herself in the world and has a sharp mind. If she were taught properly, she might be able to share my worries. Concubine Miao is just too impatient. There are some things that I wouldn't even dare to let her do. It's a pity that Concubine Qi doesn't want to strive for progress. I can't force her."
The Empress, who was constantly scheming, also felt tired. She wanted to find someone with a good mind to share the pressure. After observing for these days, she thought Qi Daiyu was quite suitable, but unexpectedly, Qi Daiyu was not willing to be ambitious.
"All I can do is wait for the new concubines." The Empress sighed. "Bring the account books here. While it's still early, I'll take another look."
On the other side, as soon as Qi Daiyu stepped out of the main hall, she found Lanyi waiting for her.
"Your family has sent a letter. Since you happened to come to the Kunning Palace, I'll hand it to you personally."
Another letter from her family?
Qi Daiyu was puzzled. She took the letter and didn't start reading it until she returned to the Yanqing Residence.
After reading it, she was quite surprised.
Had her cheap father changed his ways?
She still clearly remembered that in the previous letter, Qi Caishang had asked her for money to marry off her elder brother. At that time, Qi Daiyu had replied, refusing and saying that she had no money and that he should figure out a way on his own to arrange the marriage.
As a result, her father really let her eldest brother figure things out on his own, and her eldest brother really managed to marry a wife by himself!
It was just this new sister - in - law... Qi Daiyu felt a bit vexed.
Speaking of which, this new sister - in - law's family background was much better than the Qi family's.
The new sister - in - law was named Lang Tianyu. Her father was a fifth - rank commanding assistant officer and served as the garrison commander in Yunnan. Then why did such a family take a fancy to Qi Chuchu?
Because Lang Tianyu was also a woman who had remarried. To be precise, Lang Tianyu was a widow.
The letter didn't say how Lang Tianyu's ex - husband died. It only said that after her ex - husband's death, she returned to live with her maternal grandparents in the capital. Her maternal grandfather was the supervisor of the Imperial College, the direct superior of Qi Caishang...
Hearing that Qi Caishang's son had divorced, the old gentleman thought that his granddaughter in the family had just become a widow, so he had the idea of matchmaking.
After all, although remarriage was not prohibited in this dynasty, the reputation of a widow was always a bit unpleasant. Lang Tianyu's marriage had always been a knot in the old gentleman's heart. It was difficult for his granddaughter to remarry a man who had never been married before, but there were not so many restrictions for a second - marriage. Moreover, marrying into the Qi family was considered a "marrying down", and the Qi family had no reason to refuse.
Qi Caishang, this subordinate, was well - known to the old gentleman. He had also met the old gentleman's son and was quite satisfied in his heart, so he mentioned this matter to Qi Caishang.
If he agreed, the betrothal gifts and other things could be easily negotiated.
Qi Caishang didn't agree right away. Instead, he went home and asked his son.
As a result, Qi Chuchu only asked two questions: Was Lang Tianyu prettier than his previous sister - in - law? Was Lang Tianyu gentler than his previous sister - in - law?
Qi Caishang replied: Yes.
Qi Chuchu immediately agreed.
The engagement between the two families was settled extremely quickly. The letter said that the wedding would be held in a month. They had to hurry before the new year because after the new year, Qi Chuchu would go to Yunnan with his new wife to join his father - in - law...
This was not enough to surprise Qi Daiyu.
What surprised her even more was that Qi Caishang was going to get a promotion!
It was unknown whether it was stimulated by her previous letter, but Qi Caishang suddenly burst into motivation in middle age and wanted to create a better future for his children.
He was quite good at scheming. Knowing that the Imperial College was a poor - pay department with little real power, he resolutely decided to "change jobs". Qi Caishang didn't think about currying favor with his superiors. Instead, he set his sights on Prince Xiang. Prince Xiang was an established noble. Among the declining nobles, he was still prominent and held the position of the head of the Clan Court, responsible for the affairs of the imperial clan.
A skinny camel is still bigger than a horse. Prince Xiang still had great influence.
Coincidentally, Prince Xiang had a well - known hobby: he liked raising birds.
It was rumored that the back garden of Prince Xiang's mansion was occupied by various parrots, canaries, etc.
Qi Caishang catered to his preference. He searched through all his family's property and found a pair of lovebirds. He also fabricated a touching and sentimental love story for them, and successfully won Prince Xiang's favor.
Coincidentally, Qi Caishang's superior, the supervisor, wanted to matchmake for his granddaughter. Since his subordinate was going to be his granddaughter's future father - in - law, could the Ministry of Personnel not give an "excellent" rating in the year - end assessment?
Qi Caishang took the assessment paper with an "excellent" rating to Prince Xiang and tactfully put forward his idea of changing to another department.
Prince Xiang was playing with the lovebirds and waved his hand to agree.
"The prince said that he would let your father report to the Construction Office of the Ministry of Works after the new year."
The director of the Construction Office of the Ministry of Works was a seventh - rank official.
Not only was he transferred out of the Imperial College, but he was also promoted by one rank.
Qi Daiyu admired her step - father's planning.
However, the success of this plan was not only because he grasped Prince Xiang's preference but also because Prince Xiang's brother - in - law was the left assistant minister of the Ministry of Works... It was a piece of cake for the brother - in - law to transfer an official.
Moreover, when transferring an eighth - rank official to a seventh - rank official, the emperor simply wouldn't notice such a thing.
Qi Daiyu sighed at the great changes in her family. As a result, when she saw the end of the letter, her face darkened again.
Her step - father wrote: "My daughter, for the sake of you three, what does it matter if your father, a man half - buried in the soil, works hard for another half of his life! But the family's money is all used up, and there isn't even a single grain of rice left. It's almost the new year, and your grandma wants to drink some meat porridge..."
In the end, he still asked her for money!
Qi Daiyu angrily slapped the letter back on the table, but calmed down after a while.
This time, her step - father should not be lying. The family was probably really out of money.
The officials' salaries were paid once a year, and the rent from the family's small fields would only be delivered at the end of the year.
Thinking of this, Qi Daiyu went to the inner room, took out fifty taels of silver, and then called Putao.
"Go to the warehouse and see what things I have, like cloth and silk, that can be taken out of the palace." These were under Putao's management.
Her elder brother was getting married. Although it was a remarriage, she still had to give a gift.
Many items in Yanqing Residence were in the quota of a concubine. They were stamped, and those couldn't be taken out of the palace. Only cloth was okay.
Putao quickly reported back, "There are still four bolts of satin and two bolts of silk that are in good condition and can be used. But the colors are a bit old." There were so many left because her mistress had been in bed for the past few years and basically hadn't made any new clothes.
Qi Daiyu wanted the old ones. Old cloth showed that she was also living an ordinary life in the palace. She couldn't let the Qi family get used to asking for things whenever they wanted. She had to let them know that what she had was also saved by living frugally.
"It doesn't matter if they are old. Anyway, they are still palace items. It's not a disgrace." Qi Daiyu said, "You take these cloths and this fifty taels of silver and find someone to send them to my natal family." Qi Daiyu gave Putao another five taels of silver.
Yes, you had to pay someone to do a favor.
Putao took the things and left. With the sudden loss of fifty taels of silver and six bolts of cloth, Qi Daiyu felt a sharp pain in her heart.
She suddenly regretted rejecting the empress's proposal. The quota for a concubine was really not enough to spend...
One night, there was a violent storm. The leaves were flying everywhere, and the branches were bare, announcing the official arrival of winter.
In the palace, the palace servants all changed into thick clothes. The on - duty servants put their hands in their sleeves, shrank their necks, and stomped their feet from time to time.
Thick warm curtains were also hung at the doors of each palace. Putao and Little Cheng carried the charcoal into the room.
Putao wiped the sweat off her face. "This damned weather is getting colder and colder. Those lazybones in the Inner Treasury are so slow in distributing the charcoal. If it weren't for Little Cheng, we don't know how long we would have to wait!"
Little Cheng grinned shyly. "I've made some friends in the Inner Crafts Workshop these days. Coincidentally, the eunuch in charge of distributing the charcoal today has a bit of a relationship with me, so he distributed it to us first."
Qi Daiyu praised him, "Not bad, Little Cheng. You know how to make friends! By the way, did you give the gift to your master as I told you last time?" Since he was going to learn things in the Inner Crafts Workshop, if you didn't give the master some benefits, why would he teach you whole - heartedly? So Qi Daiyu gave Little Cheng a few taels of silver to give as a gift.
Little Cheng nodded. "I remember everything the mistress told me. Thanks to the mistress's thoughtfulness, my master treats me the same as the other apprentices."
"That's good. When you've learned your skills, I have many things for you to make."
Little Cheng's face was full of excitement. He was truly grateful to his mistress for giving him this opportunity. You know, in the palace, a servant with a special skill had a brighter future than other palace servants. If there came a day when he could no longer serve his mistress, it wouldn't be difficult for him to get a job in the Inner Crafts Institute to spend his old age.
Qi Daiyu didn't think that much. She was just happy that all her "babies" could be fired! Just imagine, when the room was filled with all kinds of peripheral products, wouldn't it be like heaven?
It started to snow in the capital.
In just half a month, there had been several snowfalls. However, the snow was not heavy and often melted before dawn. As a result, the palace roads were always slippery. Concerned that people might slip and fall, the Empress cancelled the morning greetings. This gave Qi Daiyu an even better reason not to go out, so she stayed in her room all day, eating and drinking well without moving, and actually put on some weight.
However, compared with her original slender figure, the extra few taels of weight didn't make her look fat. Instead, it made her look much healthier. At least Shiliu and the others were very happy about it.
One day, there was a charcoal fire burning in Yanqing Hall. Occasionally, the smell of roasted sweet potatoes wafted from the charcoal pile, or there were the sounds of chestnut shells cracking.
There was warm milk on the small table.
Qi Daiyu was curled up on the couch, covered with a blanket made of white mink fur.
Her life couldn't have been more wonderful.
She stared intently at the mid - air with her eyes unblinking, while her hands kept moving.
Recently, she was addicted to knitting a blanket while watching dramas.
Yes, she was going to knit a blanket! She was going to use gray wool to knit a big blanket. It was a huge project, and she would have something to do throughout the winter.
Just then, Shiliu walked in. "Mistress, Noble Lady Qin sent someone to say that it's snowing heavily today, and it's a perfect time for a cozy gathering around the stove. She invites you to Qixiang Palace for wine and roasted meat."
Qi Daiyu's eyes lit up. "Has it already reached the Great Snow (a solar term) today?" Qi Chuchu seemed to be getting married today.
It was a happy occasion for the family, worth celebrating. Qi Daiyu paused the TV drama on the screen, got up, and said, "Since Noble Lady Qin has invited me, I can't decline. Shiliu, help me change my clothes!"
She changed into a thick yellowish - brown cross - collared and waist - nipped ru skirt and put on a cape over it. She also hugged a hot soup warmer. The cover of the soup warmer was made of gray rabbit fur, which was very soft.
Qi Daiyu, accompanied by Shiliu, headed towards Qixiang Palace.
After going out, she found that it was actually snowing. The snow was not heavy and melted as soon as it hit the ground.
The red walls and yellow tiles of the palace, with some unmelted snow on the yellow tiles, presented what was probably the most beautiful sight of the imperial palace.
Noble Lady Qin's place was also warm. She came up with an ingenious idea and moved a small stove to the door, with a grill on it and warming wine.
"Let's sit here at the door, sipping wine and enjoying the snow. How about it? It'll be quite an elegant thing to do," she said.
Qi Daiyu smiled. "If you collect a jar of snow from the plum blossom branches to make tea, it'll be even more elegant."
Noble Lady Qin suddenly burst into laughter. Qi Daiyu was puzzled.
Laughing until tears were almost streaming down her face, Noble Lady Qin finally stopped. "Do you know that there really was someone who used melted snow to make tea?"
Really? Could there be a world similar to that in "A Dream of Red Mansions" in this world?
Noble Lady Qin said with a big smile on her face, "Well, you weren't in the Eastern Palace at that time."
Noble Lady Qin invited her to sit down and poured the warmed wine into the cups. Shiliu and Puying helped them roast the meat on the side.
Qi Daiyu took a sip of the wine. It was a bit spicy, but maybe because it was warmed, it wasn't as hard to drink as she had imagined. She could accept it when having it with the roasted meat, so she sipped it little by little. Soon, the cold she had caught on the way dissipated, and her whole body became warm.
Noble Lady Qin talked about the past while drinking.
"Speaking of which, it's quite an interesting story. You know Consort Ning. She loves elegance and is well - read, with a natural air of refinement. We can't compare with her. I wouldn't say I'm extremely envious, though. After all, if I were asked to read those poems and essays, I'd get a headache. I'm not cut out for it, so I don't even want to make progress. But there was someone who went crazy about it."
"There was a Consort Wu in the Eastern Palace. She used to serve the Emperor. Thanks to the grace of the Empress Dowager, she was allowed to have her hair styled and was given the title of a lady. After the Crown Princess, who is now the Empress, married into the Eastern Palace, she treated Consort Wu quite well. Consort Wu came from a humble background and was illiterate. Maybe the more you lack something, the more you want it. She often held a book of poems and recited them by the window, not even realizing that she was mispronouncing the words. Such a person who was just trying to be elegant met someone who was truly elegant."
A plate of roasted meat was ready, and they each took a chopstick - full and clinked their glasses.
"After Consort Ning was made the Crown Prince's side consort and entered the Eastern Palace, Consort Wu imitated her in everything, from her dressing style to her speech and behavior. One winter, when there was a heavy snowfall, Consort Ning asked the maids to pick some red plum blossoms after the snow. Consort Wu imitated her and did the same. Then she heard the maid say, 'The red plum blossoms after the snow are so resilient that even the snow in the jar is infused with the fragrance of the red plums. If we take it back to make tea, the tea must be full of fragrance.' Qi Jieyu, isn't that funny?"
"With the climate in the capital, whenever there's a heavy snowfall, there's always a strong wind. The wind is full of sand and dust. The snow that has been touched by the wind probably smells like dirt. How could it have the fragrance of plum blossoms? But Consort Wu believed it."
Another plate of roasted meat was ready, and they clinked their glasses again.
Qi Daiyu felt a bit drunk. Her face was hot, and she was a bit sleepy.
"Not only did she believe it, but she also served the tea made from the snow - boiled water to the Emperor and asked him how it tasted," Noble Lady Qin burst into laughter again.
Qi Daiyu was curious. "What did the Emperor say?"
"Hahaha, the Emperor said, 'Why is there sand in this tea?' Hahaha."
"Pfft!" Qi Daiyu thought about the scene. It was really funny. The well - bred Crown Prince, probably for the first time in his life, drank tea with sand in it.
She said, "I really didn't know about this. I've never even heard of Consort Wu." When the original owner entered the Eastern Palace, there was no such person as Consort Wu in the Eastern Palace at all.
Noble Lady Qin said, "It's all old news. Consort Wu got seriously ill later and passed away." Life is unpredictable. If Consort Wu had held on for another year or two, maybe she could have become an imperial concubine, and at least her name could have been recorded in the royal jade register. Now, apart from those who had experienced it firsthand, who else would remember that there was once a Consort Wu in the Eastern Palace?
Not wanting to think about these things anymore, Noble Lady Qin and Qi Daiyu looked at each other and laughed again.
Their clear and silvery laughter drifted outside the palace with the wind. Just as they were having a good time, they suddenly caught sight of a bright yellow figure. "You're laughing so happily. What are you talking about?"
The Emperor?
Noble Lady Qin immediately stood up and bowed. "Your servant pays respects to Your Majesty."
Qi Daiyu was a bit slow. She stood up, and the alcohol in her body was rising. Her head became even more dizzy. "… Your servant pays respects to Your Majesty."
Jiang Yuan came to Qixiang Palace on a whim.
Today, after finishing reviewing the memorials, Jiang Yuan intended to take a casual stroll to relieve the stiffness from sitting for so long. Suddenly, he remembered that he hadn't heard any news about Noble Lady Qin since they returned from the hunting ground. He summoned Quan Fuhai and asked. Quan Fuhai replied, "Noble Lady Qin took sick leave due to indigestion during the hunting trip. After returning to the palace, the weather has been bad, and the Empress has exempted the concubines from the daily audience. I'm not sure if Noble Lady Qin has recovered. Should I send someone to the Imperial Hospital to inquire?"
Could indigestion last this long?
Jiang Yuan shook his head. "Have the imperial carriage prepared. I'm going to Qixiang Palace."
As soon as he arrived at Qixiang Palace, he heard clear laughter coming from inside, as if someone had encountered something extremely delightful.
When a person under great pressure meets someone in high spirits, their own mood can also lighten. Jiang Yuan couldn't help but smile. He stopped the eunuch who was about to announce his arrival and quietly entered Qixiang Palace.
It was only when he reached the side hall that he found Consort Qi was also there.
Consort Qi was completely different from her usual self.
She was wearing a charming light - yellow ruqun. The waistband outlined her slender willow - like waist. Two blushes tinged her fair face. Her eyes were lazy and blurred, with a hint of dullness.
She looked plumper than the last time he saw her, losing some of her sickly appearance.
A flash of surprise crossed Jiang Yuan's eyes.
He just didn't like delicate and sickly beauties, but he still had normal aesthetic standards.
At this moment, the drunk Consort Qi seemed very beautiful to him.
However, as an emperor, he didn't show his emotions on his face. Instead, he asked, "Are you having wine here?"
Noble Lady Qin glanced at Qi Daiyu and said, "I suddenly got the idea today to invite Consort Qi here to enjoy the snow, warm wine by the stove, and pass the time."
She told someone to move another low stool to the main seat. "Your Majesty, would you like to join us? It's freezing outside. Having some warm wine will warm your body."
"Yes, warm your body," Qi Daiyu echoed.
She knew she was probably drunk and felt a bit nervous. She had never been drunk before and didn't know what she might do. She was afraid of saying something inappropriate. She could only rely on the last bit of clarity in her mind to remind herself to follow Noble Lady Qin's lead. As long as she did the same as Noble Lady Qin, she wouldn't make a mistake.
But after all, she was drunk and couldn't remember long sentences. She only remembered the last few words and repeated them, not realizing that it made her seem a bit silly.
Jiang Yuan glanced at her and sat down. "Alright, I'll have some too."
The three of them sat around the small table. At some point, the snow started to fall more heavily.
Qi Daiyu listened as Noble Lady Qin asked the emperor about the hunting at the hunting ground, and the emperor patiently answered.
She listened to their chatting and laughing, and stared blankly at the heavy snow outside the door. Along with the occasional crackling of the charcoal fire and the warm air on her face, the alcohol went to her head.
She wanted to sleep...
Jiang Yuan stole a glance at the person sitting on his right while pretending to drink. That person was propping up half of her face with her hand, her eyes were blurred, and her head nodded occasionally.
It made him think of the pair of lovebirds newly acquired by Prince Xiang. They also nodded like that when they pecked each other's feathers.
Seeing that her head was about to hit the table, Jiang Yuan instinctively reached out his hand.
Qi Daiyu's half - face fell into his warm palm, and she instinctively rubbed against it.
The smooth and slightly cool skin felt good in his hand. Jiang Yuan couldn't help but pinch it. Then he realized what he had done and coughed uncomfortably. He said to Noble Lady Qin, "Consort Qi is drunk."
Noble Lady Qin smiled lightly. "It turns out she can't hold her liquor. I overestimated her. Since Consort Qi is drunk, could Your Majesty trouble yourself to send her back to Yanqing Residence?"
Jiang Yuan hesitated. "This..."
Noble Lady Qin pointed outside. "Your Majesty, it's snowing so heavily. I'm really worried about Consort Qi going back alone. What if she falls into the snow on the way? Even if there's no accident, going out in the cold wind right after drinking, with Consort Qi's delicate body, it might take half of her life."
Jiang Yuan thought Noble Lady Qin made sense. This woman was indeed very weak. If she went back in the wind like this, she might not even make it through the New Year.
"Then I'll send her back."
As he was about to stand up, Shiliu immediately went to support her mistress.
As soon as Qi Daiyu stood up, she felt even more dizzy. "No, I'm dizzy..." Everything in front of her eyes was blurred, and she couldn't tell who was who. Instinctively looking for support, with her face still against Jiang Yuan's hand, she slumped into Jiang Yuan's arms.
"Shiliu, help me to the bed quickly. I want to sleep," she murmured.
"Your Highness..." The maid was right here! Shiliu didn't even dare to look at the emperor's face.
Jiang Yuan's expression remained unchanged. Looking down, he saw Qi Daiyu's flushed face. She was so drunk that he was afraid she would fall into the snow if he let go of her.
He bent his knees slightly and picked Qi Daiyu up horizontally, then walked outside.
Shiliu quickly went to get the cloak her mistress had left behind.
Watching the emperor carry Consort Qi into the imperial carriage, with the heavy snow blurring the imperial entourage, Puying whispered, "My Lady, why did you push the emperor towards Consort Qi? He came to Qixiang Palace after all."
Noble Lady Qin sat back down, poured herself a glass of wine, and there was not much disappointment in her eyes. "Why be in such a hurry? The emperor didn't say he would stay in Qixiang Palace anyway. Moreover, she helped me once before. I have to repay her."
It's better not to owe favors for too long. It's better to pay them back early.
Furthermore, she had noticed the emperor's expression when he looked at Consort Qi just now. Even if she hadn't mentioned it, she thought the emperor wouldn't stay. Instead, by giving him a push, she could leave a good impression on the emperor.
Noble Lady Qin smiled. "You don't have to worry about your mistress. It's just this one time. Are you still afraid the emperor won't come to Qixiang Palace again?"
She still had this much confidence.
Not to mention what happened next in Qixiang Palace, at this moment, Yanqing Residence was extremely lively.
