Chapter 78 Concubine Liang came out and forgot about her?
Early the next morning.
In Fenghe Palace.
This morning, the concubines were extremely quiet, not even whispering to each other, simply because Concubine Shen Liang had arrived!
She wore a long dress embroidered with silver-red butterflies, with her hair tied up in a high bun and several gold bead hairpins inserted in it. This outfit made her look radiant.
Concubine Shen Liang stood alone in the hall, accepting the scrutiny of the other concubines with neither arrogance nor servility.
Concubine Xie, who was sitting at the first seat on the left, was the first to speak: "Sister Liang Fei has come to pay her respects today? I thought she had a fright yesterday and needed to rest for a few more days."
Concubine Shen Liang smiled faintly and said, "The imperial physician has examined my sister and she is fine. Naturally, I have to come and pay my respects to the Empress."
"That's true." Concubine Xie's expression was calm.
After a brief greeting, the hall became quiet again.
After a long while, Concubine Xie seemed to suddenly realize something: "Oh, I asked my sister why she was standing all the time? Could it be that you think my sister has taken your place?"
When Concubine Shu was pregnant, the Queen went to the Imperial Court to confirm Concubine Liang's identity, and then asked Concubine Xian to move over.
If it were in the past, Concubine Xie might have stood up and stepped aside.
But now, on the one hand, it was the Queen who asked her to move, and on the other hand, she now has the power to assist in managing the six palaces and is full of confidence. Why should she give in?
If you give in, you will be laughed at and your prestige will be wasted.
Concubine Shen Liang smiled wryly and replied, "Sister Xianfei, you're joking. You're the Xianfei, and I'm the Liangfei. My rank is below yours, so naturally, this seat belongs to you, Sister Xianfei. I'm just standing here waiting for the Empress to arrive. I haven't come to Fenghe Palace to pay my respects for over a year, so today, I naturally have to pay my respects to the Empress."
Concubine Xie smiled and said, "So that's how it is. I misunderstood Concubine Liang."
Concubine Shen Liang's expression was calm: "It's fine once the matter is brought to light."
The two of them looked away and stopped talking.
Not long after, Queen Cui came out wearing a red and golden phoenix robe, with a majestic look on her face. After she sat on the phoenix throne.
The concubines bowed and saluted.
"Your humble concubine greets Her Majesty the Queen."
Queen Cui smiled kindly and said, "Everyone, get up."
The concubines took their seats, and then Concubine Shen Liang bowed deeply. Empress Cui said to the palace maid next to her, "Help Concubine Liang up quickly."
Concubine Liang was helped up by the palace maid and sat down in the second seat on the right.
Empress Cui looked at her and said, "Yesterday, there was a fire in Yaohua Palace, which frightened Concubine Liang. I have already investigated the cause last night. It was caused by a second-class maid in Concubine Liang's palace who knocked over a candlestick."
Concubine Shen Liang turned sideways and raised her eyes to plead: "Since I entered the palace, the maids and eunuchs of Yaohua Palace have been dedicated to their duties. The fire last night must have been an accident. I hope that the Queen will show mercy and not take the life of this maid."
Empress Cui raised her eyes slightly and said, "It's not necessary to take her life, but she still needs to be dealt with according to palace rules."
Concubine Shen Liang nodded: "Of course."
Empress Cui said, "I have already handed over the palace renovation matters to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. My sister will have to live in Zhaoyuan Palace for the next few months."
Concubine Shen Liang smiled slightly and said humbly, "It is my great honor to be able to temporarily stay in the palace where the Empress Dowager once lived."
Empress Cui added, "If there's anything missing, just ask the Imperial Household Department for it."
"Thank you, Queen."
Empress Cui nodded with a smile: "Liang Fei has lived in the palace for a long time and has not come out for a long time. She has not seen the concubines who entered the palace last year and this year. Why not take advantage of today to pay your respects and get to know some of the sisters?"
Of course, they couldn't let Concubine Liang point out the names one by one, so several people stood up after observing each other's movements.
Qin Jieyu, Li Jieyu and Pei Tingyue all belong to the Jieyu rank, so the three of them are in front, and Qu Cairen and Xu Baolin are behind.
Several people bowed in front of Concubine Shen Liang: "Concubine Shen greets Concubine Liang."
Concubine Shen Liang curled her cherry lips slightly and smiled: "Get up quickly."
Then several people stood up and took turns to say their names.
Concubine Shen Liang glanced at them one by one and said with a smile, "Sisters are so beautiful that I am almost dazzled."
Li Jieyu politely replied, "The beauty of Concubine Liang is the most stunning in the whole palace."
"Jieyu Li has a really pleasing mouth." Concubine Shen Liang smiled softly and turned her gaze to another person, "Sister Qin, come to Zhaoyuan Palace often when you have time."
Qin Jieyu knelt all night last night and was very upset. She was too lazy to deal with anyone at the moment. She pursed her lips and said nothing.
Concubine Shen Liang's smile froze on her face.
Her original intention was to get closer to the emperor's cousin, but she didn't expect Concubine Qin to be so disrespectful to her, which made her feel very embarrassed for a moment.
It was Queen Cui who came to the rescue: "Okay, there's nothing important to do today, you can all go back."
All the concubines left, only Concubine Qin stayed.
Looking at the frail figure in the palace, Empress Cui's voice turned colder, "You've been kneeling all night. Have you remembered the palace rules?"
Qin Jieyu was extremely upset, but she had to reply. She said reluctantly, "I'll remember."
Empress Cui drew two, and when she saw that she had answered them all, her expression improved. She warned, "If you do it again, it won't be so simple. I will personally decree your rank to be demoted. Do you understand?"
Qin Jieyu was filled with resentment. She wanted to ask why, but then she thought about it and realized that she was the queen and naturally had the qualifications.
She had no choice but to agree.
Empress Cui had scolded her enough and didn't make things difficult for her, so she let her go back.
*
This side.
When passing by the Imperial Garden, Pei Tingyue went to the lotus pond.
It is midsummer, and the pond is full of blooming lotus flowers, with pink flowers stretching all over the sky. When the breeze blows, the branches and leaves tremble, and the water shimmers, like a vivid painting that is fascinating.
Pei Tingyue sat on a small black-sailed boat, rowed by a palace maid, and slowly headed towards the depths of the lotus fields.
She came to pick lotus seeds to make snacks. She had been here several times before. That was why she knew that the water in the lotus pond was not deep, so she dared to pull Qin Jieyu into the water.
It was only June, and there were not many ripe lotus pods, so she had to look carefully.
Pei Tingyue planned to make Poria cocos and lotus seed cake today, and send it to Chengming Palace after it was done to test the emperor's attitude.
Can't we really forget about Concubine Shen Liang once she comes out?
It took half an hour to pick all the lotus pods. After she got ashore, Yun Shu and Yun Zheng hurriedly packed the lotus pods in the prepared cloth bags and brought them back to the palace together.
After finishing her meal, Pei Tingyue instructed her servants to bring an ice jar into the tea room, otherwise the room would be too hot and stuffy to bear.
When the tea room became cooler, Pei Tingyue started to work. She had to work quickly, otherwise she would get sunburned if she went to Chengming Palace when the sun was at its hottest.
Even though she had made it several times, she had to be extremely careful with what she put in front of the emperor. She put a little too little sugar in the first bowl, and the bitter taste of the Poria cocos could be tasted.
Pei Tingyue had no choice but to make a second basket. This time it was successful. There was no bitterness of the Poria cocos at all, only the sweetness of the lotus seeds.
She ordered someone to send a plate to Concubine Song, and she put the rest in a food box and took it to Chengming Palace.
After all, time was wasted. It was the hottest time of the day. Pei Tingyue walked all the way there, her little face sunburned red and her back wet and sticky.
Pei Tingyue had already made up her mind. If the emperor wanted to see her, she would have someone present the cakes to him first, and she would go to the side hall to take a bath first, otherwise it would be bad to sweat too much.
But she didn't expect to see Concubine Shen Liang at the gate of Chengming Palace. Concubine Shen Liang had just leisurely got off the sedan chair and was not as embarrassed as she was.
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