Hearing this, Meng Zhi said with an embarrassed look, "What the princess said is true. She is too shallow. She doesn't understand the palace and the prince's temperament. Besides, if you arrange it, it's fine if they can't understand it, but then they tell the prince about you, which would be really bad." After saying this, she sighed, "Ah, if there is someone who is clever and has your best interests at heart, and can earn the prince's attention, that would be great."
Princess Cheng nodded. "Who says not? If we had someone in the outer courtyard who could speak with the prince or his advisers, or at least get a little information from the nuns, we wouldn't be put in such a passive position by that woman."
After saying that, he looked up at Meng Zhi. Meng Zhi was dressed particularly petite today, wearing a light green dress. Although she had started to grow taller, there was still the shadow of a little girl in her eyes and eyebrows.
Princess Cheng suddenly thought and took Meng Zhi's hand, "My dear sister, I have a choice."
Meng Zhi pretended to be surprised, "Who?"
"You."
"I won't be a maid?" Meng Zhi pointed at herself and waved her hands repeatedly. "I won't be a maid. I'm already so old. The prince can only come to my room because of your face. How can you let me go to the outer courtyard? I can't do that."
"Who says it's impossible? Although the prince prefers younger girls, he always needs to change his taste occasionally. Besides, you are petite and cute. You have served the prince for so long, so you know his preferences and habits very well. So it's settled. I will find the opportunity, and you just wait for news. If you get the chance, you must seize it. Bribing one is a good idea, and finding out a few is even better."
"Princess, I can't do this, I..."
Princess Cheng interrupted Meng Zhi, "Okay, it's you. I can't think of anyone else right now. You take over first, and we'll talk about it after those two are trained. I'll find an opportunity after my birthday. Then, you and I will join forces inside and outside, and see how those people can stand against me again."
Meng Zhi was happy in her heart, but she didn't show it on her face. Then she heard Princess Cheng say, "Also, on my birthday, you will be in charge of welcoming and seeing off guests and arranging the seating order."
Meng Zhi exclaimed, "Can I be your concubine? There are three concubines, and I, a concubine..."
"What are you afraid of? If I say yes, it's okay. Just go ahead and do it. I don't think anyone can give you any trouble."
Meng Zhi was happy in her heart. She had prepared everything and hoped that Meng Qi would not let her down.
――――――
"Princess, that little Songzi has been to Huamu Garden twice." Wang Chenghai said softly.
"Who is he close to in the outer courtyard?" Meng Qi stood in the corridor of the main house of Jing'an Garden, looking at a pair of unknown birds hanging there.
She had never thought that Song Chengze would actually listen to her gentle words that day. This morning, Zhang Decheng came into the courtyard with a bird cage in his hand, smiling, saying that the prince had caught it when they went to Puji Temple yesterday. It looked beautiful and had a nice voice, so he gave it to her to entertain her.
Meng Qi was astonished, but Mother Liu was so delighted she almost clapped her hands. She asked Wang Chenghai to find someone to nail a hook under the porch, while also praising Song Chengze. It was simply because the bird was beautiful, better than any the Third Young Master had brought back before. Its chirping was so clear it almost sounded like singing.
Meng Qi laughed and let Mother Liu direct her to hang the bird on the corridor.
Watching the bird flap its wings, Meng Qi suddenly felt that the little girl running outside with a rope tied to the bird's leg was just a memory. The little girl squatting at the roots of the tree, digging for insects and forcing the women to pry open the bird's beak to feed it, was now a blurry image.
Meng Wan was right. How could they be happy when they were bound by human hands? How could they sing so beautifully again? They had lost their happiness, their freedom, and their wings.
Therefore, her decision was right. She wanted to use all her life in this life to make up for the life she had lived in vain in her previous life.
"The two times he went to Huamu Garden, he said that it was Nanny Hai who asked him to go back and get something because something was missing from the eldest young master's yard. The last time, it was Baochun who directly brought it back to the eldest young master's yard." Wang Chenghai looked at the insects in the small box and was surprised that Meng Qi stretched out her hand freely. Without using the tongs, she gently picked up a strip of insect and put it in her palm and handed it to the bird.
Meng Qi sneered, "What favors did our Concubine Lin promise to Madam Hai? They used to argue with each other in the inner chambers, but now they are so nice to each other as if they have been in love for years."
Wang Chenghai withdrew his gaze from Meng Qi's hands, thought for a moment, and said, "I think Madam Hai may have promised Concubine Lin some benefits."
Meng Qi watched the bird eat the breakfast and clapped her hands, saying, "Perhaps. It's a good match. They each get what they need. But according to Lin's way of doing things, humph, she will cry one day."
"Should we just ignore it?" Wang Chenghai said.
"Care? Care for what? She's the young master's biological aunt. I've done my best. As for the rest, I can only care about her. But making others unhappy is a small matter, but it's not worth it to hold a grudge. Just keep an eye on her. I think the young master has gone to the outer courtyard now. Even if they try to take advantage of him, they won't use any too cruel tricks. After all, the young master is now being taught by Elder Lu and Chu Yong, and the prince will test him every day."
Wang Chenghai nodded. That was true. The prince was not stupid. If the eldest young master did something wrong or said something that was not his concern, the prince would definitely not allow it.
"I discovered something else." Wang Chenghai followed Meng Qi and went into the house.
Meng Qi said to San Ya, "Go and serve some mung bean smoothie to Eunuch Wang."
Wang Chenghai was flattered, "Princess, this..."
"It's so hot, running around in the inner and outer courtyards, don't get too hot. You should make some for me, too, back in the west courtyard. If it's inconvenient to go to the main kitchen, just send your apprentice to the small kitchen in Jing'an Garden to get it."
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