On a chilly morning, the maids of Ciqing Palace suddenly became diligent. They opened the curtains and passed messages to each other: "The Crown Princess is back!"

The palace nanny came out in a hurry: "Crown Princess, you are back. It is very cold outside today!"

"That's right." Linglong rubbed her hands and hurriedly let Chu Jinyao into the house. All the maids in the house crowded to the door, some changed the heater, some took off their cloaks, full of lively energy.

Chu Jinyao walked into the house and was warmed by the floor dragon for a while. Only then did she feel alive again. It snowed heavily last night, and this morning her breath turned into ice. Chu Jinyao just went out for a while, and her hands were so frozen that she couldn't even stretch them straight.

Chu Jinyao sat on the window porch, basking in the warm sun behind her, slowly recovering her body temperature. Kikyo sat on the footstool, she did not go out with Chu Jinyao to pay respects today, so her hands were still warm, and now she was using her palms to warm Chu Jinyao's hands. The palace nanny quietly asked Linglong: "There is a sedan chair going back and forth, why are the Crown Princess' hands so cold?"

Linglong was pinching her ears with her hands. After hearing this, she signaled with her eyes: "The Crown Princess went to pay her respects today and waited outside the palace for a whole incense stick of time. Later, Aunt Lanyu came out and said that it snowed heavily last night and the Empress did not sleep well at night. She got a headache this morning because of the air-conditioning. The Empress needs to be kept warm and cannot be exposed to the cold wind, so the Crown Princess was asked to go back first."

This was too much. The Empress was afraid of the cold, so the Crown Princess was not afraid? If she really disliked the cold and did not want to see outsiders, why not arrange for the servants to come and tell the Crown Princess not to go out? They had to wait until the Crown Princess had gone and waited outside for two quarters of an hour before saying that the Empress did not want to see outsiders. The palace nanny was unhappy: "Isn't this deliberately tormenting people?"

"Okay, stop talking." Chu Jinyao stopped in a flat tone. Although the people in the room are all the dowry from the Marquis of Changxing Mansion, but walls have ears, some things are better not to be said. Chu Jinyao felt that she had raised her daughter in the past two years. If she had not returned to the Marquis' Mansion before, she would have suffered a lot.

Platycodon whispered: "The Crown Princess is so hard-working. She takes care of the affairs in the palace and has to..." Being tormented by the Queen.

Chu Jinyao glanced at Platycodon, and Platycodon swallowed the rest of the sentence unwillingly. However, Angelica's words reminded Chu Jinyao. Chu Jinyao asked, "How are the two maids now?"

Nanny Gong said, "It was windy and snowy last night, and there was no charcoal brazier in the backyard, so they were frozen to death. After you, the Crown Princess, went out, I went in and told Nanny Liu as you instructed that Nanny Hong had confessed everything. It was Nanny Liu who instigated the theft and resale. Sure enough, the old woman got angry all of a sudden, scolded Nanny Hong for being shameless, and confessed many things about Nanny Hong."

"Oh?" Chu Jinyao became interested. "What were they?"

Nanny Gong whispered to Chu Jinyao. After hearing this, Chu Jinyao shook her head slightly: "It's really a dog-eat-dog situation. Madam, bring Hong here."

Madam Hong was locked up in an empty house in the backyard. This house was used to store miscellaneous items. There was no smell of people living here, so naturally there would be no charcoal burning. She was locked up for a day and a night. No one talked to her, and no one came to see her, as if she was abandoned by the noisy and gorgeous palace world outside. When it snowed heavily at night, Madam Hong was almost frozen to death, and she had lost all her spirit.

Now suddenly entering the warm and prosperous main hall, Madam Hong was still a little slow to react.

As if in a dream, Madam Hong heard a soft and pleasant voice coming from the golden and jade-filled hall: "Madam Hong, can you read?"

Madam Hong nodded blankly. She was selected from the public and entered the palace as a maid. Once a maid or eunuch entered the palace, they would never leave. Even if they died, they would be buried in the palace tombs. There was a place in the palace where eunuchs and maids were taught to read and write. After all, eunuchs were supposed to help the emperor approve documents, so it was impossible for them not to know how to read. She barely studied there for two years. She was not as smart as other people of the same period, but she could still read and write.

"Okay then." Chu Jinyao handed the item to Linglong, who then passed it to Madam Hong. "Since you can read, I won't have to read it to you. Madam Hong, take a look yourself." Madam

Hong took the paper without knowing what was going on, glanced at it roughly, and was immediately shocked and frightened: "What...what is this?"

"This is what Madam Liu pointed out about you." Chu Jinyao smiled lightly, "Madam Hong, I didn't know you had done so much in private. Madam Hong, you have been in the palace longer than me. Tell me yourself, what will happen if all these accumulated things are handed over to the Ministry of Justice?" Madam Hong shuddered

. What she did was actually nothing. They were all tricks used by the old hands in the palace. But no one would say anything if she did this in private. Once it was brought to the table and caught by the Ministry of Justice, she would still suffer the consequences. Madam Hong really didn't expect that Madam Liu would harm her like this in order to save her own life.

Nanny Hong kowtowed deeply: "Please have a look, Crown Princess. These were all deliberately splashed with dirty water by that old woman named Liu in order to protect herself!"

"Are you saying, Nanny Hong, that these are all fake?"

Nanny Hong was speechless for a moment. Of course, she didn't dare to say anything. She paused for a moment, then kowtowed three times to Chu Jinyao, "Please, Crown Princess, save me."

"Save you?" Chu Jinyao sat sideways, straightened the folds on her sleeves, and said slowly, "How?"

Madam Hong gritted her teeth and said, "That old woman Liu is always sneaky and two-faced. She is a servant but she doesn't do her duty. No matter who she works for, as long as outsiders give her money, she will reveal everything about her master. Crown Princess, how can you believe the words of such a shameless person? If you don't believe it, I can prove it!"

"As long as someone gives her money, she will tell you everything." Chu Jinyao suddenly looked at Nanny Hong, her eyes became sharp, "What did she say?"

Nanny Hong was speechless. After a long while, she stammered, "When the Crown Princess first entered the palace, the Empress sent someone to ask about her temperament and preferences, but except for that time, there has been no more questions since then."

Chu Jinyao didn't say anything, just stared at Nanny Hong quietly, making Nanny Hong sweat profusely. She did not dare to be careless, and quickly fell to the ground, trembling with fear, "Princess, spare me, Your Majesty wanted to inquire about the Crown Princess's personality that time, and I only said that the Crown Princess had a gentle personality and was easy to get along with. Madam Liu also only said that the Crown Princess had a generous dowry. The rest, I did not say."

"No." Chu Jinyao sneered, "You didn't have the chance to say it."

"Princess, spare me!" Madam Hong knelt on the ground, tears streaming down her face, "At that time, people from Kunning Palace came to ask, and I dared not not tell you. What's more, when a new bride enters the house, the in-laws will always send people to inquire about the new daughter-in-law's personality and preferences, so that they can get along well in the future. The Empress is also out of a mother's heart, so she wants to know what kind of person the Crown Princess is."

"Oh, now it's already happened, and you still want to fool me with such words." Chu Jinyao's voice suddenly turned stern, and she said, "Drag her away and hand her over to the Chief Justice to beat her to death. Oh, and to prevent her from revealing news about the Eastern Palace 'out of kindness', poison her throat."

"Crown Princess!" Madam Hong was terrified. She pushed away the maid who was holding her, crawled on her knees a few steps to Chu Jinyao, wanted to pull Chu Jinyao's clothes but didn't dare, so she could only grab her skirt lightly, "Crown Princess, I know I was wrong, and I will never dare to do it again! Next time, if anyone asks, no matter who it is, I will never dare to reveal the Crown Princess's affairs."

Chu Jinyao ignored Madam Hong who was tugging at her skirt, and instead picked up the teacup to moisten her throat. The tea seemed to be a little hot, so Chu Jinyao opened the lid and blew on it twice. Instead of drinking it, she slowly stroked the pattern on the porcelain cup.

In this silence, Madam Hong slowly understood. Her throat seemed to be blocked by something: "Crown Princess, you..."

"Madam Hong, since I entered the palace, I have never stood out, and I have never made friends with the concubines. I just want to live my life in peace, do you understand?"

Madam Hong understood. Chu Jinyao wanted her to say this and convey it to the people on the Queen's side.

This... Once the Queen finds out, wouldn't Madam Hong be courting death?

While Nanny Hong was hesitating, Chu Jinyao continued, "But I won't use you in vain, Nanny. You have been with me for a long time. You have worked hard even if you have not made any contributions. In two years, the sisters of the Marquis of Changxing will be getting married. Are you willing to leave the palace and go to the Marquis's mansion to teach them the rules? If Nanny is unwilling, I can't force you. I have a dowry farm outside the city, and you can live there in your old age."

"Crown Princess..."

"Nanny has been in the palace since she was fourteen years old, and it has been almost thirty years now. I just don't know if Nanny is willing to go outside the palace and live a normal life."

Once a palace maid enters the palace, she cannot escape for the rest of her life except death. However, there are also a very small number of people who are favored by the empress and sent to their parents' homes as a reward to serve as a nanny for the young ladies. It is said that they are educating the young ladies, but in fact they are taking care of them in their old age. After all, the people in the palace are well-informed. If a young lady outside the palace gets such a nanny, which one would not be encircled to help her and be raised in the future by her husband's family. Moreover, Chu Jinyao also said that if Nanny Hong is unwilling to leave the palace and enter the mansion, she can also go to a farm in the suburbs and live the life of an ordinary farmer from then on.

Nanny Hong was stunned for a long time, and finally could not resist the temptation of freedom. She knelt deeply, put her hands in front of her forehead, and kowtowed to Chu Jinyao in a proper manner: "Thank you, Crown Princess, for your consideration. The Crown Princess is gentle, kind, and equitable, and does not like to compete with the world. She does not like to socialize. With such a personality, no matter whose family she marries, she will be a blessing to her husband's family."

"It's good that Madam understands." Chu Jinyao put down the teacup and raised her voice slightly, "Dingxiang, take Madam Hong to comb her hair and change clothes."

Madam Hong stood up in fear and trepidation. She followed and took two steps, then suddenly stopped: "Crown Princess, what about Madam Liu?"

"Liu resold items in the palace and framed people in the same palace, causing disunity in the palace. Such a person should naturally be sent to the Ministry of Justice for punishment. What do you think, Madam Hong?"

"Of course." Madam Hong bowed and agreed. She had offended Liu badly this time. In order to prevent the mad dog from biting back, she had to beat her to death with a stick now. Also, if Madam Hong wanted to fool the people on the Queen's side in the future, then in order to avoid being exposed, she couldn't let the other person exist.

After everyone left, Linglong came over to tell Chu Jinyao: "Crown Princess, Liu has been sent, and the Ministry of Justice has also sent a message. Just based on the fact that she stole and sold items in the palace, she is not wronged."

"Yes."

"Crown Princess, why don't you take advantage of Madam Hong being caught by us to deal with Madam Hong at once?" Linglong thought about it for a long time and didn't understand. Today she finally asked.

"The Queen has been busy arranging the New Year these days and has no time for us. When she is free in the spring, she will send someone to take over. If she finds that the two maids she sent are gone, will she let it go? It is better to use both kindness and force to buy off Madam Hong. Madam Hong came from Kunning Palace. One word she says is more effective than ten thousand words we say. If we go and tell the Queen ourselves, she will definitely not believe it. If Madam Hong comes to corroborate, it will be easy. It's much easier. We are of low generation, and it will be bad for us to go against the Queen. We can fool her as much as possible. Let her not pay attention to us, and live a low-key life, which is better than anything else. "

Linglong felt sad when she thought of this: "Crown Princess, you are really having a hard time. Not only do you have to subdue the various forces in the East Palace, but you also have to deal with the difficulties and temptations of the Queen outside. As a bride from another family, why should you be so cautious?"

"You also said that, that's someone else's bride, am I?" Chu Jinyao laughed, she tapped Linglong's forehead and said, "The Crown Princess is of the first rank. Except for the Empress and the Empress Dowager, she doesn't need to bow to any other woman in the world. Do you think this is for nothing?"

"I still feel sad." Linglong lowered her voice and said, "Crown Princess, you have worked so hard to deal with him, but the Crown Prince never mentioned it! How about I mention it in front of the Crown Prince casually?"

"No need." Chu Jinyao smiled and shook her head, her eyes seemed to be shining with a bright light, and Linglong was stunned for a moment, "He knows."

"Ah?"

"He even knew that I had disciplined a maid, so how could he not know how long I would stay in Kunning Palace every day? He just didn't tell her."

Linglong was skeptical: "Newlyweds are the closest to each other. Even in ordinary families, if the wife is wronged by her mother, the husband will feel distressed for a while. If he doesn't tell her on a newlywed day, it will be troublesome in the future. Crown Princess, you are the stepmother-in-law, and the crown prince doesn't say anything?"

"He is not the type to talk about such things." Chu Jinyao was unexpectedly certain, "He never tells us what he wants to do. He must let people guess." Chu Jinyao sighed and said, "I don't know how he developed such a character."

Linglong also sighed. No one in the palace has an easy life. Chu Jinyao at least only had to deal with the empress, and no one else dared to be rude to Chu Jinyao. These were naturally the intimidation that the prince had inflicted on her over the years. How did the prince, who lost his mother at a young age, survive?

Chu Jinyao was about to say something when she suddenly heard a voice outside. She stopped talking and went to the door to pick up Qin Yi.

It was really cold today. Chu Jinyao stood outside for a while and felt it deeply. Qin Yi had to stand in the square outside the Fengtian Hall every day when he went to court, and he had to be there before dawn. It was really terrifying to think about.

Chu Jinyao reached out for Qin Yi's hand and frowned immediately: "It's so cold."

She handed the cloak to the palace maid who was helping her, and stuffed her own heater into Qin Yi's hand.

Qin Yi held her wrist, raised his eyebrows and asked, "What are you doing?"

"Your hands are so cold!" Chu Jinyao glared at him unhappily, "Forget it, if you don't want it, I'll keep it for myself."

Qin Yi refused to use the heater that only women use no matter what. Chu Jinyao despised this person in her heart, but she still warmed Qin Yi's hands with great care. "Your Highness, you have to go to court every day, it's too hard."

"This is the rule, and everyone feels uncomfortable." As the crown prince, Qin Yi cannot miss the morning court every day, and he has to stand at the front, without even a wind shield. But at least he lives nearby, while other adults have to get up at four o'clock in the morning and blow the cold wind at the palace gate for a long time before entering the palace. The emperor, sitting on the steps of the Fengtian Hall, didn't feel any better. It is precisely because of this that no one has the heart to discuss national affairs at the morning court today. They just go through the procedures and quickly disperse.

Chu Jinyao and Qin Yi sat in the inner room and asked someone to quickly change the hot tea. Chu Jinyao held Qin Yi's fingers and blew gently on him.

Every day after coming back from court, it was really addictive to have such a person who knew how to warm and cold. Qin Yi silently watched Chu Jinyao concentrate on warming his hands, and suddenly held Chu Jinyao's palm with his backhand.

"What's wrong?" Chu Jinyao raised her head and looked at her in confusion.

Qin Yi slowly stroked Chu Jinyao's slender fingers, thinking of what his eyeliner had just reported.

Chu Jinyao went to Kunning Palace early in the morning, stood outside for an incense stick of time, and was sent back by the Little Queen without even entering the house.

He used to have no feelings for the Little Queen, thinking that this person was shameless, arrogant and brainless, and had no other emotions except boredom. But now, the Little Queen has successfully made him disgusted.

The author has something to say: On the set of going to court:

In the shot:

civil and military, solemn and dignified. The elders are vigorous and wise, the emperor is high above, the crown prince is serious and diligent, and the other ministers are concentrating on discussing politics.

In fact:

The emperor thinks: I sit a little high, the wind is strong...

The elders think: Someone is abusing the elderly here.

The crown prince: To be honest, the problem will be solved in Wenhua Hall or the inner cabinet anyway, why should I blow the wind here?

Other civil and military ministers: It's so cold, why is the person who made

the memorial so talkative! The historian: I'm not cold, I want to watch who loses his manners in front of me this time! Let me go, I'm not cold!