Chapter 131 Concubine Zhu's Thoughts
At this time, the housekeeper also reacted very quickly, "You, I asked you to familiarize yourself with the roads in the mansion, but you didn't remember them well. Now you are making a fool of yourself!"
Then the butler turned around and said apologetically, "Please forgive me, sir. I am new here and I am not very familiar with the roads. I also don't study hard. I am sorry to have embarrassed you!"
Chu Zhenxuan nodded and ignored it. Instead, he signaled a few maids to carry the things and follow the lady.
The moment he turned his head, he glanced at Xia Xue without leaving a trace. Xia Xue had a faint smile on her lips and understood what Chu Zhenxuan meant.
Prince Li invited Xia Xue again, but Xia Xue insisted on going to see Seventh Aunt first as Qing Ping asked her to do.
The butler nodded to Prince Li.
"Since my lady insists, I will accompany the Prime Minister to the front hall for tea. The butler will take you there. Also, please go and invite Concubine Zhu over. Concubine Zhu is also an elder in the mansion and can show my lady around." Prince Li ordered.
"Yes!" the butler replied, and winked at the servant behind him.
This time, neither Chu Zhenxuan nor Xia Xue tried to stop him. If Prince Li wanted to cover it up, then let him cover it up happily!
After entering from the main gate, the housekeeper brought Xia Xue to the house in a short while. "Madam, please come in. This is the residence of the Seventh Aunt."
Xia Xue looked up at the dense plum blossoms surrounding the garden, and the corners of her mouth curled up unconsciously, "Seventh Aunt's place is really a rare and wonderful place."
"Of course. The original name of this place was Meiya Garden. It was originally the most beautiful place in Prince Li's mansion. Every winter, when distinguished guests came to the mansion or officials were entertained, they would hold a small banquet here. Later," the butler paused, "because Seventh Aunt liked it, the prince enclosed this Meiya Garden. Now anyone in the mansion who wants to come here to appreciate the plum blossoms must first get approval from Seventh Aunt." The butler told the story.
Xia Xue smiled and said nothing more, but continued walking inside.
She had also heard the story of Mei Ya Garden. The last time she chatted with Qingping, Qingping mentioned that Prince Li doted on his concubine Zhu and designated the public place Mei Ya Garden in the mansion directly as the property of Concubine Zhu because Qingping loved plum blossoms and used to come here to admire them. When it was first designated for Concubine Zhu, Concubine Zhu said very nicely that anyone who wanted to come was welcome at any time. Later, as time went by, Concubine Zhu placed several of her personal maids and guards brought from her natal family at the door, and everyone had to get her permission before entering. Later, even though Qingping and other concubines reported to Concubine Zhu's personal maids, those maids still wouldn't let her in, and she couldn't even see Concubine Zhu anymore.
Of course, these only apply to them. For Concubine Zhu's daughters, her elder sister and second sister, they can come and go freely. So later, the fifth and seventh daughters of concubines also often come here in order to curry favor with Concubine Zhu. But for Qingping, this is a forbidden area.
Once, Qingping sneaked in and was slapped by Concubine Zhu's maid. She was so angry that she went to Prince Li to make a fuss. The maid said that it was because Concubine Zhu had lost a bracelet brought by her parents' home. She couldn't find it in the garden, and then she saw the uninvited guest Qingping. So she took action out of desperation and misunderstanding.
In the end, the head maid was only punished to kneel for three days, and Miss Qingping was completely ignored by the servants in the mansion.
Xia Xue smiled. It turned out that Prince Li had been doing this job for a long time. He transferred the Seventh Aunt and Concubine Zhu to a garden. That was great. It must have been because of the tight schedule that Concubine Zhu had not moved many of her things!
There was a calculating gleam in Xia Xue's eyes.
The housekeeper didn't know what Xia Xue was laughing at, but Xia Xue didn't say anything, so the housekeeper felt a little embarrassed. "This old servant will go and call the Seventh Aunt."
"No need for that. Seventh Aunt is the elder, so naturally it is I who should go. Besides, today, the Prime Minister and I are here at the request of the Emperor to visit Seventh Aunt on his behalf. We dare not disobey the etiquette." Xia Xue suddenly said.
The butler was startled, "Your Majesty?"
If it was the emperor before the coup, these old-fashioned butlers might not have been scary enough, but after the coup, everyone knew that now in Da'an, the emperor had an unshakable position. Even the most powerful prince, Prince Lu, had his property confiscated. As for other princes, if they did not behave themselves, the emperor would only need to say a word to make them do what they wanted.
Therefore, from that time on, all the princes behaved themselves and tried to do 200% of what the emperor asked them to do.
"Yes, didn't the Prime Minister tell you just now? Well, the Prime Minister has been very busy lately and forgets things a lot of the time. Should I trouble the butler to remind the Prime Minister?" Xia Xue said.
The butler's eyes showed obvious disbelief, so Xia Xue gave him a chance to verify it. With Chu Zhenxuan's brain, as soon as the butler opened his mouth, Xia Xue would naturally know how to deal with him.
The housekeeper said hurriedly, "No, no, the Prime Minister must have remembered it, there is no need for me to say anything."
"But that's true. It's okay if you don't remind me. I'll go over and remind you later. After all, who dares to impersonate the emperor? That's a death sentence." Xia Xue said with an exaggerated expression.
The housekeeper was sweating profusely. "Madam, you are right, you are right!"
After Xia Xue finished speaking, she continued to go inside.
The housekeeper looked at the maids of Concubine Zhu standing at the door of the inner room and became even more nervous. These maids have been with Concubine Zhu for a long time and don't take anyone seriously. This maid came today with the emperor's order and they can't afford to offend her. These ladies should not cause trouble for the prince.
Thinking of this, the butler secretly looked back and saw that his men were moving slower and slower. Just now, when the prince had asked to invite Concubine Zhu, he winked at someone to go and invite her. According to the time, Concubine Zhu should have arrived, so why was she still nowhere to be seen?
In fact, the people who went to invite Concubine Zhu had already arrived, but unfortunately Concubine Zhu was angry with Prince Li, but at the same time she couldn't calm down thinking that Seventh Concubine was in her room and might even sleep in her bed. If these people left, she would have to give Seventh Concubine a good beating!
When the servant came to invite her, she was quite happy at first, thinking that the prince wanted her to attend today to accompany a distinguished guest. She heard that the guest was the Prime Minister Chu Zhenxuan. There were so many legends about Chu Zhenxuan, that he was young and promising, handsome and talented, and was the emperor's right-hand man, etc. Concubine Zhu was extremely happy. She also wanted to see the style of Prime Minister Chu, so she hurriedly asked the maids to dress her up.
As a result, the servant girl said that the prince asked her to accompany the wife of Prime Minister Chu.
Damn it!
What do you think of her!
Everyone in Kyoto knew that Chu Zhenxuan had caused a lot of trouble when he wanted to divorce his wife not long ago. Several women of the Zhu family who were of marriageable age were eager to try, wanting to marry into the prime minister's mansion, even if they were willing to be concubines for a few years. If she had not been born a few years earlier, if she had waited until now, with her beauty, how could she have been lucky enough to marry the old ghost Prince Li!