Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Pastries
"I'm going to feed the cat." Suo Ying carefully examined Qingzan's wound, then took off the small bag from her waist, which was not very bulging, and spread it out for people to see: "It's so hard to find meat for dinner, but this little crucian carp is not even as big as my finger, and it's full of bone spurs. I listened to my sister and dried it in the sun, so that I can feed the cat more often."
"But the food now is much better than when I was in the palace. Back then, there was no oil or water at all."
There seem to be a little more wild cats in the neighborhood recently. Because they can eliminate rats, the palace has never killed wild cats, but most of them are driven away to remote places.
After hearing this, Qingzan knew what the mud marks on her shoes were.
While lowering his head to apply the medicine, he said, "Did you go to Baixue Garden to feed it?"
Suo Ying was stunned: "How did you know that, sister?"
Qingzan pointed lightly with her eyes: "Earth."
Suoying lifted her foot slightly and examined it for a long moment: "Is there any difference in this soil?"
Although there was no exposed soil in most places in the palace, in order to keep the masters' shoes clean, turf was planted wherever it could be planted.
But it has rained a lot recently, so there are always a few muddy places. Being covered in dirt doesn’t mean anything, right?
Seeing someone trying to wear out their shoes by staring at them from front to back, Qingzan couldn't help but laugh. She smiled faintly, "The entire Baixue Garden is full of plum blossoms, so the soil is different from other places. It's mostly a mixture of sand and leaf mold. Plum blossoms prefer soft soil, and we can't plant grass to stabilize the soil, so it's easier for them to get on our shoes."
Suo Ying was extremely impressed: "How come my sister even knows this?"
Qingzan stood up, smoothed out the wrinkles on her palace skirt, straightened her appearance, and said, "I'm going to the storeroom. You should rest early and get some rest."
Suo Ying hurriedly grabbed her and said, "I'll go take your place, sister. You're already injured, and you should rest. But in exchange, sister, you have to keep the matter of Bai Xue Garden a secret for me!"
Qing Zan exposed the truth and said, "What kind of exchange is this? I think you are deliberately letting me take advantage of you."
Suo Ying pouted and said, "If people knew that a little palace maid like me had extra food to feed the cat, wouldn't they start gossiping again?"
Seeing that Suoying was no longer depressed because of being bullied, Qingzan's mood seemed to be slightly encouraged.
"I'll keep it a secret for you. You don't have to go to the warehouse for me. I don't trust you."
Seeing someone teasing her on purpose, Suo Ying stuck out her tongue at her and said, "Sis, you're making fun of me. Can't I be more careful next time?"
"Then come back and take my place later."
Qingzan lit a bowl lamp, picked up the bottle of golden medicine, and went out with a candle.
In the empty room, Suoying still maintained the posture of watching people leave. Thinking of the obvious bruise on her knee, her nose felt a little sore, and the smile she had been forcing on her face dimmed a little.
Maybe she was thinking wrongly.
Jinyu is not the only one who bullies her sister.
*
Since entering the palace, Concubine Zhao has lived in Chunhezhai of Chengxiang Palace, which is located to the east and west of Zheng Xiuyi's Ruizhu Palace, and is quite far away.
However, the meals that the talented people received were not as good as what she ate at home. In order to get a free meal, she had no choice but to go to Ruizhu Palace every day.
I've complained about this several times already.
After the meal, Zheng Xiuyi gave her two pieces of satin she had used to make summer clothes, and then sent someone back first.
Zhao Cairen got new fabrics but was still unhappy: "Cousin, have you forgotten something?"
Zheng Xiuyi always loved her sister, so she wouldn't forget what she promised her. She said gently, "The Queen has been angry these past two days, so I can't ask her to move you to Ruizhu Palace for the time being. Please bear with it for a few more days and wait."
The news that the Empress had crippled a palace maid and had been personally ordered by His Majesty to exercise extreme caution had spread rapidly throughout the palace. At this juncture, even if he spoke up, he would likely only receive a cold shoulder.
But Zhao Cairen didn't listen at all and turned her face and said, "Why are you so useless!"
She was ruthless: "Others say you're gentle and kind, but you're actually just timid and cowardly, always wanting to put your own family in a difficult position. Yang Quexian has even curried favor with the Queen Mother. If she holds a banquet tomorrow, her status will rise, wouldn't it be so prestigious? And I'm still eating coarse food in Chunhezhai every day."
The Queen herself arranged her residence after entering the palace, but at that time the Queen had just entered the palace and was not familiar with it, so the Queen Mother specially ordered Zheng Xiuyi to help.
So later, when Concubine Zhao heard that she was not assigned to her cousin's palace, she knew that her cousin must be willing to put her in a difficult position for the sake of her own reputation.
Zheng Xiuyi saw through her sister's thoughts and smiled bitterly.
The Empress feared she would cling to power in the palace, so she didn't give her a chance to exercise it. Although she went to Fengzao Palace every day, it was only because the Empress wanted to show her appearance to the Queen Mother. In reality, she just stood there every day, which seemed more like a punishment.
In order to prove her innocence, she certainly could not disobey the queen and forcibly interfere in palace affairs.
But I never complain about these hardships and difficulties to my sister.
"Don't say anything like that outside of Ruizhu Palace. Go back first. Curfew is almost here. Take my sedan chair back."
Consort Zhao glanced at the satin in the maid's arms. None of the patterns were to her liking; it looked plain and old-fashioned. Then, remembering what Consort Yuan had said, she felt even more irritated. "I wasn't wrong. His Majesty hasn't summoned me to bed yet, which shows he doesn't care for you, sister. You've been helping him manage palace affairs for so long, and yet he hasn't even remembered your kindness."
Zheng Xiuyi looked calm, as if she had already gotten used to it.
However, her trusted young maidservant, seeing that her own queen was still as tolerant and indulgent as she was in the boudoir, was furious and said, "Master, that's not how you say it. If it weren't for my queen, you might not be able to stand here and speak today. Besides, if these words get out, our queen will suffer along with you."
The palace has always valued moral character when selecting concubines. It is fine for a woman to be lively and spoiled, but if she lacks manners and has a bad reputation, she will be eliminated in the first round.
If it weren't for Zheng Xiuyi's relationship, how could a woman like Zhao Cairen, who is not presentable, be selected?
When Concubine Zhao was caught red-handed, she became furious and raised her hand to slap her. However, the young palace maid had experience and quickly dodged behind Zheng Xiuyi.
Zhao Cairen was about to drag the person out again: "Cousin, you won't still protect this wicked slave who bullied me like this, will you?"
The young maid now knew what to say to make her mistress want to discipline Zhao Cairen. She hid away, tears streaming down her face as she said, "Your Majesty, please be kind and considerate. I am doing this for the sake of Cairen, and I have no ill intentions. Even the Empress has incurred His Majesty's displeasure, let alone the other concubines. Even if it means risking my own life, I have no choice but to speak up today."
Zheng Xiuyi's voice was stern. "Alright! Both of you get out. One of you is disrespectful to your master, and the other is disrespectful to your superiors. Am I too lenient with you normally?"
She rarely got angry, and the two men who were flanking her from front and back and trying to dodge her were both shocked.
Zhao Cairen knew she was being too much. She only dared to say that because her cousin was a piece of clay. Thinking that she would have to rely on her cousin in the palace in the future, she could only leave in silence.
Zheng Xiuyi called the little palace maid who was kneeling outside back in: "I'm sorry for putting you in such a difficult position, Xiangsu. I know you're doing this for me."
Xiang Su shook her head: "I am not wronged at all. It is obvious that Your Majesty is the one who is wronged the most. But Your Majesty, I feel that it is really not a good idea for a talented master to act like this. She needs to have someone to advise her, and someone that Your Majesty can listen to."
Zheng Xiuyi pondered for a moment: "Who has Ting Guang been close to since entering the palace?"
Xiang Su recalled, "I heard that the talented person and Zhou Baolin were always best friends, but Zhou Baolin also seemed impatient... Oh, and there was also a Consort Yuan."
Zheng Xiuyi smiled gently, "Well, Yuan is quite steady. Let's invite her for a cup of tea tomorrow morning."
"Oh, go to the warehouse and see if there's any other fresh material. Summer's almost here, and I don't really like these two pieces I saw today."
"yes!"
Seeing that her mistress had deliberately sent Xiang Su out, another maidservant who was massaging Zheng Xiuyi's shoulders finally spoke up, "Did your Majesty ask that on purpose?"
The Empress has always cared about her cousin, so how could she not know who she is close to?
Zheng Xiuyi twirled her Buddhist beads, plucking them rhythmically and sighing, "Just because Xiang Su definitely doesn't have bad intentions doesn't mean others don't. She's usually so tongue-tied, and you heard what she said today."
The palace maid understood immediately: "Your Majesty, someone taught her. Was it Concubine Yuan?"
Zheng Xiuyi was about to say something else when someone came to report that Concubine Xue had sent some cakes over.
Concubine Xue rarely socialized with others in the palace. Zheng Xiuyi said, "Welcome her in quickly. This is quite rare."
The palace servant who brought the cakes came in, bowed, and handed the items over. Knowing that her master was a very reclusive person, she took the initiative to explain clearly, "This is the taste of Master Xue's hometown. It's a secret recipe that no one else can make. It's perfect for the current damp and rainy weather. It's not greasy at all. That's why the master thought of sending some to the ladies as well."
Zheng Xiuyi gave her two silver melon seeds with her tea and said, "Your mistress is so thoughtful. Please thank her on my behalf."
"Hey!" The palace maid thanked for the reward happily.
In the Qun Yu Palace.
Concubine Xue carved a line of small words on the bottom of the cake with a bamboo stick, and put it back into the food box. Then she asked someone to send this last piece of cake to Guanju Palace.
The maidservant beside her thought that once the cakes were eaten, the words on them would disappear without a trace, so she smiled and said, "Master, you still have a way."
Concubine Xue stood up and walked to the diamond-shaped window. She looked out at the sky with a wistful look and said indifferently, "Maybe it will be sunny tomorrow."
The maidservant only saw the thin figure beside the night window, which reminded her of the unsuitable plum branches she saw today, which were equally thin and lonely, and only fit to be alone in a deserted place.
He went over silently and put a windproof cloak on the person.
Concubine Xue smiled vaguely and held her hand as she was putting the cloak on her shoulders: "I'm not cold."
She responded to what she had just said, "I have to think more about Concubine Zhaoyi. It's easy for me to avoid being seen, but with the eldest prince as my child, there are so many eyes watching her. How can I not be tactful?"
After a while, the palace people who went out to deliver cakes came back.
One of them was going to Fengzao Palace. As soon as he entered the door, he could not hide the grievance on his face, and his brows were almost wrinkled.
Concubine Xue turned around and called the person over: "What's the matter? Has it been delivered?"
The palace maid was afraid of upsetting her master, so she hesitated to speak: "It was delivered. But, but the Empress gave all the cakes to the servants, and the people in her palace said that the Empress would not eat things of unknown origin!"
Concubine Xue said leniently, "I thought something was wrong. It's okay. My intention is there. How to deal with it is other people's business."
"But you've been busy since you came back, so it's all in vain."
Concubine Xue closed the window, walked back into the room, and began to trim the candles herself, a smile on her face the whole time: "Perhaps the Empress is in a bad mood today, but it's not in vain. Zhaoyi and Xiuyi will surely appreciate it."
Besides, if the Queen could be in a bad mood every day because of something like today, she would be willing to do so even if all her efforts were in vain.
Everyone in this palace serves their own master.
The palace maid had heard about the Queen's plight today, so she stopped complaining and instead boldly asked, "Then...why didn't the Master send a copy to His Majesty as well?"
Concubine Xue's expression changed, and she finally lowered her delicate eyebrows.
Because of distraction, his fingers almost touched the upward-facing flames.
The voice that followed was like a gossamer, making it difficult to hear clearly. It said:
"He has all the delicacies he needs, and he doesn't need a simple dish of porridge."
The palace lady was confused. Wasn't she talking about pastries? Why did she say it was porridge?
This palace maid was doing odd jobs outside, and she only knew that the number of times her master received the emperor last year could be counted on one hand, no, on half a hand!
The master is not like Zhaoyi who has the emperor's eldest son to rely on for life. Why should he be stubborn and refuse to seek favor and make himself suffer?
Fortunately, the master was able to endure the hardship and was kind to his servants, never beating or scolding them, so they were willing to follow him loyally.
The palace maid was quickly pulled out by Concubine Xue's personal maid: "Stop asking questions, don't you see that the master is sad?"
*
In Fengzao Palace, the queen went to bed early today, but she kept falling asleep and waking up again, her mind restless. After this and that, she became very irritated.
The palace servants still remembered the miserable appearance of their companions with blood oozing from their lower bodies today, so they hoped that their master could have a good sleep so that they could have a break.
...If it weren't for your Majesty's words that blood should not be shed, the Queen would not know how to show her power.
However, things did not go as planned. At this moment, the queen suddenly woke up again, sat up in the mud and gold tent, and called out angrily: "Where is Jinyu? Why didn't she come to serve?"
No one in the palace dared to say a word.
Fu Cui stepped forward and said, "Aunt Jinyu seems to have had an upset stomach today. She didn't even touch Concubine Xue's cakes and gave them all to the servants. Is your Majesty cold or hot, or needs some water? Just tell me."
The Queen snorted coldly: "She is pretending to be the master."
The queen took a closer look and suddenly remembered that Fu Cui had been hit on the forehead by her once before. But she had taken it obediently then, unlike the slave girl today who dared to hide.
She was also smart, so she found someone to fill the vacancy and transferred her from the waiting list outside the main hall to the permanent position in the inner hall.
The queen glanced at the small plate of pastries left on the table. The person who brought it boasted that it was a secret recipe from somewhere, but it didn't even have a proper name. Naturally, she would not eat it.
Suddenly she smiled and said, "Good girl, go and give this plate of cakes to Madam Lu, and tell her that I think it tastes good and I want to eat it tomorrow morning."
*
Qingzan was supposed to be on duty in the warehouse today, which was a good opportunity to make up for the work she had missed during the day. However, she didn't expect the Queen to suddenly send someone to ask her to make snacks, and she had to make them taste exactly the same.
Presumably because of the emperor's order, she could only resort to the old methods that tortured her in the past.
She had just met Madam Lu in the afternoon, and it was this madam who was in charge of supervising the kneeling punishment.
At this time, he could only follow the people to the small kitchen, following the snow-covered moonlight.
Madam Lu is one of the strictest maids in Fengzao Palace. It is said that she is a retired female official from the Six Shangs, and she has always been upright and meticulous in her work.
The Queen Mother said that the taste couldn't be any different, so it had to be exactly the same.
Since she didn't know the name of the dessert, Qingzan could only taste it and barely figure out some of the ingredients. During this time, she asked the chefs in the small kitchen twice for advice. However, as for the proportions of the various ingredients, or whether they were actually the same ingredients, she couldn't actually verify them.
Now that the chefs had all gone off duty, Qingzan could only fumble around on her own. Progress was particularly difficult, and bloodshot eyes appeared from her exhaustion. Turning back, she saw Madam Lu still glaring at her.
"Mammy, go get some sleep. I'm afraid there's still some to cook. It'll take about half an hour for this new steamer to be ready. I'll call you then."
Although Madam Lu was old, she was still as white as a wisp of snow, her feet as firm as nails. "It's still early. I'll watch you do it."
The Empress's body was so noble, and since she had to watch over it, she had to make sure that everything the Empress took in the future was clean.
However, seeing that Qingzan's body was not very stable, and he did not complain at all, and his hands were extremely delicate and straight, Nanny Lu changed her opinion of him.
She held up a lamp and kept it lit beside her so she could work without straining her eyes. With a stern face, she asked, "Is your leg okay?"
"The medicine has been applied." Qingzan couldn't help but think that this person was a sharp-tongued and soft-hearted person. If she had a grandmother, she would be about this age.
Her dense eyelashes slightly raised, and she glanced at the person calmly.
At this moment, she saw out of the corner of her eye that outside the small kitchen, Suoying was secretly pushing open the window to a narrow black gap. She was holding a piece of paper in her hand and waving it at her, pointing at Madam Lu and pointing in the direction of the door, and she was very busy.
He was even mouthing words to her, but I couldn't tell what he was saying.
The author has something to say:
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All the plots will lead to one thing~~that is, the female goose will take the throne! There are probably still a few chapters to go, so don't worry.
The current residences of the concubines:
Ming Zhaoyi: Main Hall of Guanju Palace
Zheng Xiuyi: Main Hall of Ruizhu Palace
Zhen Jieyu: Fangxin Palace, full name Taohua Fangxin
Concubine Xue: Qun Yu Palace, full name Qun Yu Shan Tou
Concubine Wu: Changnu Hall of Qingdu Palace
Zhao Cairen: Chunhezhai in Chengxiang Palace
Lady Yang: Guanju Palace and Huying Pavilion
Consort Yuan: Red Leaf Tower, Liyang Palace
Zhou Baolin: Chenhuazhai in Liyang Palace
Have you noticed that dogs are quite nice to the elderly, at least they are all concubines.
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