Chapter 21 Sending Clothes a Red Su Xuanyu
The furnishings in Baoyuyou Pavilion are elegant, but there are not many objects, as if no one has lived there for a long time. However, as soon as you enter the door, you can see many precious items placed on the table in the main hall, including glass, porcelain, and jade. They are so expensive and gorgeous that you can tell who is the work of them at a glance.
There is also a pair of green phoenix hairpins.
Qingzan had someone leave behind a few items for daily use, and the rest were stored in the warehouse.
In the past, she only felt that most of the people in the palace had no deep connection with her, and she didn't care about their good or evil, ugly or beautiful, or whether they were human or ghost under their appearance.
Nowadays, if we really want to treat so many people as our own, we have to put in some effort.
Qing Zan sat in the main seat, not putting on airs. "You know, you and I share the same origins. If I were to rule you harshly, I wouldn't feel comfortable, and you wouldn't necessarily believe me. Today, I'm lucky enough to receive some favor, so I can still offer you some protection. If you ever fall on hard times and want to seek a better life, I won't stop you."
The palace maids just thought it was some nice words to win people's hearts, and they just let it go. After all, the beautiful lady was in favor at the moment, so who would be so stupid as to think about other ways out?
Someone who was a bit more clever chimed in, "Who doesn't know that the master is extremely favored? Not only has she been given the title of Sixth Rank Beauty, but she has also been allowed to live in this Chengluan Palace. We servants dare not disbelieve."
Qingzan smiled. She was once the same person as them, so how could she not understand what they were thinking?
"Being an official is not easy, and I won't use any punishment to warn others or to make an example of someone. But if you do a good job, you will receive an extra ounce of silver at the end of each month. This will help you save for your retirement after you leave the palace, or help with your family expenses, so you have more money to spend."
"There's only one thing: we all prosper together. If anyone is here with me but works for someone else, then they are putting everyone in the palace in danger out of selfish selfishness. I will never tolerate that."
The monthly salary of a beauty is sixty taels of silver. It is not tight to set aside twelve taels of silver a month. Besides, she has no place to use the money, and she doesn't even have her mother's family to support. It is better to use it to comfort the palace maids.
The palace maids looked at each other, and only then did they all smile with gratitude, their faces lit up: "We servants will serve our master with all our loyalty and dedication, and we will never have second thoughts!"
Nice words are empty, but money is real.
After Qingzan asked everyone to leave, he left only one person who seemed to have a little more experience.
The palace maid took the initiative to say, "This servant is the head aunt Pingting."
Qing Zan asked, "Which two words are they? But the 'Ping Ting' in 'Holding her steps shyly over the light silk robes, calling her Ping Ting'?"
Anyone who can become an aunt can't be illiterate. Pingting said, "That's exactly these two words."
Qingzan looked at the person from head to toe and said: "I don't think your aunt is very old."
Pingting recalled what she had just said, and fearing that she would be confused later, she simply stated, "I have been in the palace for eight years. But to be honest, Master, it's not my seniority that has made me successful. It's because of a man named Duobao, one of the adopted sons of Xu Dajian, who nearly died of illness before he became successful. I was the one who saved him. Not long ago, I had the opportunity to take the assessment for promotion to Aunt."
Seeing others being frank, Qing Zan was even more frank with her: "Aunt, do you know which of these girls out there is more useful?"
Pingting guessed her intention: "These are all good candidates specially selected by Xu Dajian. I know Doukou among them... But I heard from Xu Dajian that the master has a very close palace maid. The position of personal maid is reserved for someone else, I guess?"
Qingzan had no intention of keeping Suoying under her watch: "I treat her as a sister. If I serve her personally, I'm afraid I wouldn't dare to hit or scold her. I might even have to coax her. I've finally got some help, so I'll just give her a minor job."
"Yes, I understand."
Qingzan had only been in the palace for a few months, after all. She recalled what the palace maid had just said, saying that living in Chengluan Palace was a blessing. However, during her time in the palace, she hadn't heard anyone mention Chengluan Palace specifically.
He asked people, "Is there anything special about this Chengluan Palace?"
Pingting thought for a moment and said, "Chengluan Palace was originally very close to Taiji Hall, but one day a favorite concubine moved in, and the emperor ordered a ten-acre pond dug nearby and planted lotus flowers. This actually blocked the closest path, and the concubine's favor gradually waned. The main hall was renamed Zhaoshui Hall because of the lotus pond, and Chengluan Palace became a place where people looked at their own reflections and felt sorry for themselves. Its reputation has faded somewhat now."
Qing Zan looked around and found a place where she could see the lotus pond. She was sitting in a carriage when she came here, and it was dark nearby, so she didn't see it at first.
He casually replied, "How can you blame Lianchi for your loss of favor?"
Pingting was only about twenty-two years old, four or five years older than the others. Seeing that she didn't act like a master, he said, "It's not just the lotus pond. Hasn't it always been like this? When it's prosperous, it's an embellishment, but when it's declining, it's a disaster."
As soon as she uttered the word "disaster", she realized something was wrong and knelt down again: "I have spoken out of turn."
"You are right, how can you say something wrong?" Qingzan pushed open the window lattice, and some small insects flew towards it following the light, and flew onto her face, making her feel itchy. She quickly closed the window again.
He walked back to the front of the crowd and said, "Aunt's name is very suitable for this Zhaoshui Temple and this pond full of lotus flowers."
Pingting was apprehensive: "This just proves that this servant, this palace, and this scenery have all been waiting for a long time to serve the master."
Qing Zan helped the person up: "Aunt, don't be nervous. I didn't mean anything else. There's no need to say stupid things to smart people."
Pingting secretly breathed a sigh of relief: "Since the master has praised me as a smart person, it reminds me of something."
Looking at the woman in front of her with a clear and elegant appearance and a cold yet charming look, she actually began to understand why she was given the title of beauty.
"Being by the water is the best way to soothe melancholy. Grand Supervisor Xu told me that life as a master is not easy, and I must serve you wholeheartedly in the future. This led me to think that perhaps this lotus pond, now and in this place, is neither an ornament nor a source of trouble, but rather... a favor from the Holy Heart."
*
The emperor fasted for three days in the Taiji Hall, during which he could not attend court, eat no meat, or listen to any music. On May 17th, he set out for Fangqiu outside the palace to worship the earth god and the ancestors of Fangqiu.
The Queen has just recovered and for fear of defiling the gods, only officials will accompany her in the worship this time.
Before this dynasty, there was no precedent of women from the imperial court participating in the two major winter and summer sacrifices. However, starting from Daliang, the status of women was slightly improved, and the emperor and empress would occasionally offer sacrifices together at major sacrifices, with the empress serving as the second main priest. This also had the metaphorical meaning of the yin and yang of heaven and earth, and the harmony of the sun and the moon.
At Concubine Hui's suggestion, a small altar was erected in the palace, where fasting and prayers were also held to demonstrate sincerity. Every concubine could go there voluntarily, burn incense, and kneel in worship.
When Qingzan went over, the queen had just finished offering sacrifices.
Qingzan was not surprised at all. The Queen had already missed the opportunity to offer sacrifices together with the Emperor and the Queen. For things like the inner court sacrifices, one must either not attend or must be the first to attend. Otherwise, wouldn't it be even more disgraceful?
That's why she came here specifically at this hour.
The queen turned around and saw Qingzan. Qingzan stepped forward and gave a standard greeting: "Your Majesty, may you be well and at peace."
When she lowered her head, the queen saw the green phoenix hairpin on her temples.
The long green feathers of the phoenix's tail swayed gracefully, standing against its fair face, and it looked stunning with every step.
Because they were outside and there were people watching, the Queen didn't lose her temper immediately, but her anger was obvious: "You are a beauty, and you dare to wear a phoenix on your head? If this gets out, people will think I didn't teach you well enough."
Doukou, who was following Qingzan, squatted down and bowed, saying, "To answer the Queen, this Qingluan hairpin was given to you by His Majesty because you moved into a new house a few days ago. It was specially given to you by His Majesty to match the palace name of 'Chengluan'."
The reason His Majesty bestowed it upon us was, of course, for people to wear it. If His Majesty doesn't think it's beyond the bounds, who would dare to say it's beyond the bounds?
Besides, as Eunuch Xu said, the beautiful mistress is extremely kind, so they, her subordinates, must be brave and courageous.
The Queen's voice suddenly became stern: "My Master is speaking, and a servant like you has no right to interrupt. Fu Cui, slap me in the face."
Fu Cui whispered in her ear, "My Lady, we must be patient."
Qing Zan walked slowly past the Queen, "It's alright for me and my concubines to suffer some physical pain, but taking action during the fasting and praying period, Your Majesty, I'm afraid you should think twice before doing so."
She walked up the low steps of the altar, lit a stick of incense, offered the incense respectfully, and kowtowed three times. Her movements were smooth and flowing, but she also deliberately wanted people to see her clearly and for a long time, so she moved slowly and carefully.
It was just like the behavior of a noble master who was not inferior to anyone else.
In fact, the Queen had already realized that it was inappropriate to punish people in the current situation when she was pulled by Fu Cui, but when these words really came out of Qingzan's mouth, she felt it was extremely provocative.
Look at her arrogant and pretentious look!
But Qingzan turned around and didn't know how to restrain herself, but instead took the initiative to move closer.
"Your Highness, are you not going to worship again?"
Although she had been a slave in her family for fifteen years, the queen had never heard anyone's voice so smiling.
It's like clear spring water, seeping into my ears through every pore and I can't get rid of it. I feel disgusted but don't know where to put my strength.
It turns out that all her previous quiet and docile behavior was just an act!
Qingzan did not avoid the Queen's angry expression at all, and smiled as she watched the Queen's collar rising and falling due to anger.
Shi Shiran walked to the Queen's side and said slowly, "Counting the number of people who have died at the hands of Her Majesty and your family, I'm afraid just this one bow is not enough. Ask for the God's forgiveness and protection, shall we?"
The queen thought she was talking about the palace maids she had beaten and killed, and forced herself to calm down.
Suddenly, he laughed and said, "You want to tell fortunes about my life? Even if it's out there, it's just a commodity that can be bought and sold at will. Just like you."
"Lady Ying, you still have a long way to go. I will wait and see."
The Queen was about to leave after she finished speaking. Qing Zan bowed gently at her waist to see her off, saying softly, "A longer road is always better than no road at all. I also wish your Majesty a glorious and prosperous journey, and not a short one."
*
Zhao Cairen and Yuan Xianshi witnessed this scene from a distant chestnut tree.
They also wanted to come to offer sacrifices, but they had just seen the queen offering sacrifices, so they naturally did not dare to rush in first, so they simply came here to hide in the shade for a while.
Lady Zhao fanned herself with her handkerchief. "She's truly even more annoying than Lady Yang. You're a fussy person. If you don't find a way to dampen Lady Ying's arrogance, don't come nagging me all day long."
Concubine Yuan really wanted to take a look at the white man, but her family upbringing did not allow her to do so.
If it weren't for the desire to gain Concubine Hui's respect, who would want to pay attention to a brainless person?
She always boasts that she is the granddaughter of a provincial governor. Everyone knows that her grandfather got his official position because his family donated hundreds of thousands of taels of silver to support the military pay when the late emperor was fighting on the border.
Consort Yuan said softly, "Sister, you think too highly of me. I am a worthless person and very timid. I don't want you to harm others or take risks. I just want you to live a safe and beautiful life in this palace."
Even if she wanted to offer advice, she couldn't say it herself. With Zhao's character, wouldn't she be the first to be dragged down if the truth was revealed?
It would be best if Zhao came up with the bad idea out of anger, so that he would not be blamed by others if anything went wrong.
Zhao Cairen was obviously stimulated: "I want to show off!"
She knew that her anger towards Yuan was mostly due to venting her frustration, but she did not intend to soften her tone. After all, Yuan was a pushover.
As expected, Consort Yuan continued to comfort her, fanning her and gently coaxing her, "Sister, think about it. Even if we do dampen her spirit, as long as His Majesty still favors her, she'll have the opportunity to retaliate against us even more. Besides, there will be Concubine Yang, Concubine Ying, and countless more beauties in the future. Don't you understand, sister... it's better to benefit yourself than to harm others?"
Zhao Cairen: "Self-interest? What's your idea?"
Concubine Yuan looked around and saw that no one was paying attention to them, so she pulled Concubine Zhao behind the main trunk of the chestnut tree and whispered a few words to her.
Zhao Cairen looked happy at first, but when she thought about it carefully, she realized that something was not right.
Consort Yuan seemed to know what she was thinking: "Sister, why are you looking at me? This method only works on someone as important as you, someone who His Majesty will cherish. If it were me, I'm afraid it would be useless and a laughing stock."
Zhao Cairen thought about it and realized that she had never seen her do anything out of the ordinary. Perhaps because she knew her status was low, she believed it.
In the evening, at dusk, there was no one around the altar, only a jar of yellow earth facing the sky.
Zhao Cairen knelt on the mat, protecting the incense table and lights on the altar.
Consort Yuan watched from a distance for a while, then said to the maid, "Let's go back."
The maidservant was puzzled: "Why is the master trying to win favor for Lady Zhao, but not for herself?"
Consort Yuan fidgeted with the orchid pattern she'd added to her sleeves, lowering her head as she spoke, "The emperor's favor is like a fleeting flower, born and dying in the morning. What's the point of vying for it? Do you think Consort Ming Zhaoyi is favored? Do you think Consort Hui is favored? But what they possess is more reliable than favor."
Besides, if she competes for favor, will Concubine Zhao let her go?
The maid thought about it and said, "But, Your Majesty doesn't necessarily favor Concubine Zhao just because she prayed for blessings and offered sacrifices sincerely and meritorious deeds, right?"
Consort Yuan smiled and said, "Even if she has no achievements, she still has a chance. His Majesty is currently promoting Concubine Hui, so he will give her some respect."
The maidservant actually didn't dare to speak out, but she was really curious about her master's plan: "I heard that Concubine Ying hasn't officially served the Queen Mother yet. I heard that she will soon follow the Queen Mother to live in Hanliang Palace. Before that, who knows..."
"It would be great if Sister Zhao could sleep with me, but if not, then—"
That's even better.
You have worked hard for it, achieved great results and been praised by everyone, but what the emperor sees is still another person. How can you not get angry and make mistakes?
If Concubine Zhao had not made any mistakes, how could she have vacated the position of the number one person under Concubine Hui?
*
Fangqiu was located in the northern suburbs of Shangjing, and it took about two or three hours to go back and forth. Adding the time spent on sacrifices, it was almost night when the emperor returned to the palace.
Xiao Fang did not summon anyone to sleep with him, but on the second day, he heard that Concubine Zhao had knelt down all night to protect the lights on the altar, and had given her a jade-bone fan that was just right for use in the summer.
In Chunhezhai, Concubine Zhao waited until evening with her treasured fan in her hands, excited and nervous. She then sat on the couch and rubbed her aching knees, feeling that her efforts had not been in vain.
She has reapplied her rouge several times.
It wasn't until I heard that the Queen had sent someone to invite the Emperor to have dinner together that I began to lose hope.
However, the news from the Imperial Court was—
Tonight, I will sleep with you in the Luan Palace.
*
Before dusk, Dong'er arrived at Chengluan Palace first.
When she saw Qingzan, she was as lively as ever: "I came to give something to the beautiful master."
He looked around again and exclaimed, "Beauty, this place is really elegant."
Qingzan treated her as usual and invited her to sit down and have tea.
Dong'er was actually feeling a bit uneasy, so she only dared to ask, "Will the beautiful lady blame me..."
Eunuch Xu had initially asked her if she wanted to serve in the Baoyuyou Pavilion, so that he could be more considerate of the beauty. But Dong'er was not stupid. Just because she was willing to get close to Qingzan in Taiji Palace didn't mean she was willing to give up her superior position in front of the emperor.
If you follow another master, you will always be at risk of being implicated in various incidents in the future. But in the presence of the emperor, although you need to be extra careful and attentive, as long as you don't commit any crimes, you will be able to stay out of the palace without any trouble.
Having taken care of Suoying for the past two days, she's become more familiar with her colleagues. Suoying once asked her about this. Dong'er had simply explained, "Connections are only useful when they're spread out. If they're all in front of you, it's a waste."
Although this was true, she knew in her heart that it was just an excuse to cover up the pros and cons.
Qing Zan only smiled slightly and said: "Why should I blame you? A small temple cannot accommodate a big Buddha. I can't afford to support people in front of the emperor here."
Dong'er finally felt better when he saw that she was willing to joke with him without any discomfort.
She pushed the tray she had been given, covered with a piece of red silk, toward the person. "Your Majesty asked me to give it to you, my lady. Now that the gift has been delivered, I'll be leaving. Oh, and your Majesty has four more words for me to convey: 'I'll give you the money... with interest!' He also said, 'I'm sure you'll understand.'"
After saying this, he ran away shyly.
Because she needed to wash, Qingzan's hair hadn't been combed yet, and a bunch of it hung down her back. Dong'er glanced back and saw that the red silk had been peeled aside. The woman sitting quietly shook out the gauze dress, and in an instant, the dress was light and transparent, like smoke and mist. Even through the gauze dress, she could still see the clothes she was wearing.
At another glance, he saw a blush rapidly spreading across the gorgeous face hidden by two strands of black hair, so charming and passionate that it seemed as if it was about to burn.
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