Chapter 9
The shadow falls on the autumn moon, and the cold brings frost in June.
On the last morning of May, before the early morning sun had even crept over the wooden scaffolding by the well, Wen Weili had already risen. She tried to move as quietly as possible, but Duanmu Huaixin still caught the slightest rustle of fabric. He turned over on the soft couch and asked drowsily, "Sister Wen, why did you get up so early today?"
Wen Weili put on a light blue short shirt and walked out of the dormitory. Passing by the soft couch, she touched Duanmu Huaixin's soft hair and said softly, "Go to sleep. I just came out for a walk."
"Um...Sister Wen..." Duanmu Huaixin mumbled a few words in a half-asleep state, and soon fell into a deep sleep again. He was busy dealing with some urgent matters last night, and was busy until late at night before returning to the courtyard to rest.
Despite his busy schedule, Duanmu Huaixin insisted on sleeping on a soft couch outside Wen Weili's dorm room every day. Despite Wen Weili's repeated attempts to dissuade him, he lowered his eyes in frustration, quietly but firmly telling her that he was simply trying to protect her. Wen Weili, in turn, had no choice but to let him do as he pleased.
"Miss, why are you up so early today?" Zhiyun was also a little surprised. Normally, the young lady would prepare the ingredients for breakfast the night before, sleep until dawn, and then make some food for breakfast, and send some to Prince Huai. She seldom got up so early.
Wen Weili didn't know whether to laugh or cry, "Am I such a lazy person in your eyes?"
Zhiyun did not answer, but she was sure in her heart, Yes, Miss, you have to sleep that late every day.
"You're so clever," Wen Weili nudged Zhiyun's forehead, "I just thought of making some food today."
In the small kitchen, Wen Weili took out the winter melon strips that had been soaked last night, put them in a pot, added water and boiled them. When the hot steam lingered in the kitchen, she took out the cooked winter melon strips and put them into the cold well water to cool. Then she took them out and put them into the water, covered them with a lid, and left them there.
Wen Weili took out a handful of slightly green glutinous rice from the rice jar, washed it, added water to the rice and put it into the pot to boil, then turned around and took out a bamboo basket from the cabinet.
There was a pile of loquats in the bamboo basket, each one was bright yellow and round, covered with fine white hairs on the surface, looking a little rough.
Ke Wen Weili carefully removed the skin of the loquat, revealing the equally delicate orange-yellow flesh inside. The fruit's unique, subtle fragrance wafted through the kitchen.
Then, Wen Weili used a kitchen knife to cut a score in the loquat fruit and took out the core and thin membrane inside. After processing a whole basket of loquats in this way, Wen Weili poured them all into a clay pot, added water and rock sugar, and slowly simmered until the sweet aroma emanated from the pot. Wen Weili then served a few bowls of loquats and put them into the food box.
At this time, the glutinous rice porridge also began to bubble up and down, so Wen Weili put the washed and cut duck meat at hand into the porridge and continued to cook.
It was not until dawn that some noise began to be heard in the courtyard. Wen Weili carried the food box and returned to the dining hall.
Zhiyun quickly went over and handed Wen Weili a handkerchief, "Miss, wipe the sweat off your face quickly."
Wen Weili put the lunch box down and wiped her forehead with her handkerchief, only to find that her forehead was already covered with sweat. A gust of morning breeze blew, and Wen Weili couldn't help but shiver.
As soon as Duanmu Huaixin entered the room, he saw Wen Weili shivering and immediately ordered, "Zhiyun, quickly take Sister Wen back to her room to wash and change clothes. Don't catch a cold."
"It's okay. It's a rare occasion for me to make breakfast today. Come and try it." Wen Weili said.
"Wow, Sister Wen got up early today to make breakfast. I'm really looking forward to it."
Duanmu Huaixin couldn't wait to open the food box, which contained several bowls of loquat in syrup and duck rice porridge. He first picked up a bowl of loquat in syrup and took a sip. The syrup tasted sweet. Then he ate a loquat. The sweet syrup was wrapped with the fragrance of the loquat. A hint of coolness spread from his mouth to his lungs, which was refreshing.
He couldn't help but smile and said to Wen Weili, "Sister Wen, this loquat in syrup tastes even more delicious. It's really worthy of Sister Wen's craftsmanship."
Wen Weili accepted the compliment and said, "If you like it, drink more. The weather has been dry lately. Drink a bowl every morning to moisten the lungs, reduce phlegm, and relieve coughs and reduce qi."
"Okay." Duanmu Huaixin happily finished a bowl of loquat in sugar water and ate the duck stalk rice porridge. As soon as he took a bite, he praised it highly. "It's delicious. As soon as you put it in your mouth, you can smell the fresh fragrance of the duck meat and the salty fragrance of the porridge. Combined with the loquat in sugar water, it's neither greasy nor thirsty."
As he spoke, Duanmu Huaixin scooped up another piece of loquat and chewed it carefully.
"Hurry up and eat," Wen Weili pursed her lips, suppressing a smile, "Eat more. Today in the court is the time for you to show off your eloquence."
Duanmu Huaixin said nonchalantly, "Don't they all call me 'The Cold-Faced Immortal'? I'll remain cold-faced today. I'll just leave it to my father to decide."
Speaking of the emperor, Duanmu Huaixin felt a little nauseous, and he felt that the food in his mouth had become less sweet.
Wen Weili put down the bowl of porridge in her hand, walked quickly towards Duanmu Huaixin, and patted him gently on the back, "Drink some water."
Duanmu Huaixin took a sip of tea from Wen Weili's hand, and held it in his mouth, feeling the bitterness of the tea. His eyes were slightly red, and he mumbled his wish, "Sister Wen... I... really want to... kill... him..."
On this slightly hot morning, golden sunlight shone through the window lattice onto the two people leaning against each other. Duanmu Huaixin didn't say anything. Wen Weili gently hugged this seemingly carefree brother. She didn't say anything either, but just held his hand tightly.
After a silent breakfast, Duanmu Huaixin boarded the carriage for his trip. Wen Weilin arrived at the gate of the palace and watched Duanmu Huaixin rush to his "battlefield".
Inside the mansion was Wen Weili's 'battlefield'. Yesterday, she arranged those concubines who were reluctant to leave in an ordinary small courtyard, removed the gold and silver ornaments, and provided them with ordinary meals of porridge and one dish. Although they were filling, they were not exquisite enough. She was afraid that someone would come to make trouble soon.
As expected, Wan's maid started arguing with the maid who served meals in the yard. Although Huanying, the old woman who managed them, tried to mediate, she could not stand the other concubines' maids joining in the quarrel, so Huaiying had to ask Madam Li for help.
Wen Weili rushed over with her servants and heard the clamor from a distance. "Everyone knows that Prince Huai's Mansion is unparalleled in wealth. To say that the mansion wants to be frugal is ridiculous."
"That's right. My master always wants to cook porridge with new rice and serve it with three or four side dishes, plus some soft snacks, in the morning. You only sent these two dishes last night and this morning. How can anyone eat it?"
"Ladies and gentlemen," Huanying spoke, "from now on, the allowances for the mansion will be these. Past extravagance and waste are not included in the allowance..."
"You old fool, you're talking nonsense. The princess wasn't like this when she was the housekeeper. Could it be..."
"Could it be something?" Wen Weili had her long hair tied up, with a string of glazed ice beads hanging on her bun. She was wearing a moon-white spun gauze dress, a phoenix-shaped jade ring with flowers on her waist, and light cloud gauze shoes on her feet. She came slowly.
Everyone was impressed by Wen Weili's aura and knelt down hurriedly to pay their respects.
The maid was stammering and unable to speak, sweating profusely. She looked around for help. The people who had just agreed with her lowered their heads. She quickly knelt down and begged for mercy, "Please, Madam, spare my life!"
"I didn't say I wanted your life," Wen Weili looked around at everyone. "Today, I'm only saying this once: you are no longer concubines in the palace. You are just ordinary servants. You should eat and use the same food and clothing as servants. Do you understand?"
Madam Shu was horrified. No wonder Madam Li had agreed to let them stay so easily yesterday. It turned out she was waiting here to embarrass them. She steeled her mind and pleaded, "Slave, I have a little silver in my hand. Can I exchange it for some better food?"
"How much silver?" Wen Weili lowered her eyes and looked at her. "Do you know how much silver you paid for a meal when Niu was the housekeeper?"
“．．．．．．．”Everyone was silent and did not dare to answer.
Wen Weili smiled and raised a finger. "A concubine's breakfast costs twenty taels of silver, and a wife's lunch costs fifty taels of silver. Prince Huai's Mansion has some money, but it's not money that comes from mountains and rivers. It's money that Prince Huai earned through life and death!"
"You guys are so bold in using it, but Niu is really brave enough to use it. Is this Niu's housekeeper? I think he's a spendthrift!"
These words made everyone feel ashamed, but some people felt that this was the decision made by Princess Niu, so what did it have to do with them?
Wen Weili seemed to see through their thoughts and said calmly, "So, now I am the housekeeper. I have given you the opportunity to go to the manor, but you insisted on staying in this palace. Then, your status as a stayer is not something you can decide."
She glanced at Huanying and said, "Mrs. Ying, tell them what to do next."
Huanying bowed to Madam Li, unfolded the paper in her hand, and read out: "From now on, everyone will exchange labor for food. Madam Shu is good at weaving and will spin yarn every day. The maids around her who belong to Prince Huai's palace will be transferred to other places, and the maids who bring their own food will share the food. Madam Mei is good at painting and reciting poetry. She will copy ancient manuscripts every day. Her maids will be treated according to the rules. Madam Wang is good at flower arrangement. She will trim the flower garden every day. Her maids around her..."
After Huanying finished reading, everyone was restless, especially the ladies, who were even more anxious. How could they have imagined that Madam Li would be so cruel and ruthless, not only reducing their allowances but also assigning them chores! This was simply an insult. But just as they were about to make a move, the servant behind Wen Weili stood in front of them, holding a thick hemp rope.
Wen Weili still smiled faintly and said, "If you all are dissatisfied, the Prince Huai's Mansion cannot accommodate a big Buddha like you, so we can only invite you outside. However, I would like to remind you that when you were sent here, Prince Huai did not forget to ask for your indentures. It just so happens that there are some gaps in the palace's account books, and I have to find a way to fill in a few..."
Wen Weili didn't finish her words, but no one understood what she meant. If you don't want to do these chores, you will be sold out of the palace.
"But you don't have to worry. The Huaiwang Mansion also has clear rewards and punishments. If anyone does a good job, there will be additional rewards or they will be released from the mansion." Wen Weili looked at their faces that were filled with hope for an instant and nodded secretly. It is true that there are rewards and punishments to show the one who works harder and the one who has a guilty conscience.
Afterwards, the maids who originally served in the courtyard were also divided. Some returned to other places in the palace to work, and some stayed with their masters, sharing the joys and sorrows.
Almost all the maids belonging to Prince Huai's Mansion were smiling happily. When their names were called, they hurriedly packed up and left, fearing that if they were a step late, they would have to stay in this courtyard and work hard.
The maid who followed the concubine into the mansion could only consider herself unlucky and follow her master to work.
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