Chapter 68 Winter Snake Plague 1
When the ashes in the incense burner were burned out, Song Zhao told Yunshan:
"Go and ask Xiao Fuzi to come in. I have something to ask him."
At that time, Xiao Fuzi was in the courtyard with Zhihua Xiying and the others trimming flowers, plants and dead branches. When he heard Song Zhao looking for him, he quickly wiped the dirt on his fingers on the edge of his pants. Yunshan looked at him and felt disgusted with him for being so dirty.
"Why are you so slovenly?"
The little girl's face was full of disgust, but she still used a silk handkerchief to brush away the dust on the edge of his trousers.
Xiao Fuzi scratched the back of his head a little embarrassedly, staring at Yunshan and smiling foolishly.
Yunshan rolled his eyes at him and said unhappily, "What are you laughing at? The young master is calling you!"
"Oh yeah, I'll go right away!"
He hurried into the main hall, but Zhihua smiled and said to Yunshan, "Sister Yunshan really cares about Xiao Fuzi. Xiying and I got our hands dirty, but you didn't ask us a question?"
Yunshan's face turned red after being teased. "I, I didn't! He wanted to go in to see the young lady. He was so dirty, I was afraid he would be an eyesore to the young lady!"
After saying that, she lowered her head shyly and helped Zhihua and Xiying trim the dead branches.
Xiao Fuzi, who had entered the bedroom to reply to Song Zhao, couldn't help but smile.
Song Zhao looked at him and asked with a smile: "What's the good news for you? Tell me about it."
Xiao Fuzi quickly restrained his smile and said a little awkwardly, "No, nothing. What do you want from me, young master?"
Song Zhao took out the sachet Xiao Changzai had given him and handed it to him, "Take a look, is there anything wrong with it?"
Xiao Fuzi took the sachet and opened it skillfully.
He carefully examined the dried flowers and herbs inside, and said after a while:
"My Lord, these are all things that calm the mind and spirit, there is nothing wrong with them."
Song Zhao was silent for a moment, then hesitantly said, "What are these things? Tell me one by one."
Xiao Fuzi said: "There are mint, velvet tea, white orchid, albizzia bark, snake grass, night clover..."
"Wait, you said there's snake grass in here?"
Xiao Fuzi nodded in agreement and picked out a grass plant and presented it to Song Zhao.
As soon as the thing came in front of him, Song Zhao smelled a strong and strange fragrance.
"I remember this thing is used by snake catchers to attract snakes. Why is there this thing in the sachet?"
Xiao Fuzi explained: "The special smell of snake grass does attract snakes and makes them excited and agitated. However, this smell is not harmful to humans, but has an excellent calming effect.
Now that winter has arrived, the snakes have already hibernated. The fragrance in this sachet will only last for two or three months at most before it loses its scent. When snakes appear in the spring of next year, the snake grass inside will no longer be able to attract snakes, so you don’t have to worry about this sachet attracting snakes.”
Song Zhao pondered for a moment, then fiddled with the snake grass in front of him with his soft fingers, and said with a sneer:
"The snakes outside the palace may hibernate, but the palace is so noisy that people can't sleep well, let alone those reptiles and animals."
As he said this, he threw the Snake Grass back into the pile of dried flowers and herbs in front of him. "After all, this sachet is a gift from Concubine Xiao, so I can't just throw it away. Take this sachet to the warehouse and keep it in an airtight brocade box for safekeeping."
Xiao Fuzi never asked why Song Zhao asked her to do something.
He just knew that Song Zhao asked him to do it, so he just did the job well.
After waking up from lunch break, Song Zhao said he wanted to go to the main hall to pay his respects to Concubine Yao, and took Xiao Fuzi with him.
After the two met, they called each other sister and chatted for a while. Song Zhao smiled and said:
"Yesterday, I heard from the queen that the legs of the yellow pear wood table in the bedroom seemed to be a little loose. Xiao Fuzi in my palace is the best at repairing it. Can I ask him to take a look for the queen?"
"Then I'll trouble you, sister."
Concubine Yao led Xiao Fuzi to the table, and Song Zhao followed beside her. From the corner of his eye, he noticed that she had already put the sachet given by Xiao Changzai on her waist.
So Song Zhao stumbled towards her, and after he got close to Yaopin's shoulder, Yaopin subconsciously supported her.
"What's wrong with you?"
Song Zhao calmed down and said a little embarrassedly: "I was so confused that I tripped myself even when walking on flat ground. I almost bumped into the queen."
When she bumped into Concubine Yao, she grabbed the sachet on Concubine Yao's waist with her right hand, pulled it hard, and threw the sachet to the ground.
At this moment, she looked at the sachet and said, "Xiao Fuzi, quickly pick up the sachet for Concubine Yao."
When Xiao Fuzi bent down to pick up the sachet, he deliberately squeezed it hard in his hand, leaving some of the scent of the sachet in his palm.
After repairing the table for Concubine Yao, Song Zhao took him back to the West Side Hall and heard him say:
"My lord, the scent bag worn by Concubine Yao is the same as yours, and it also contains snake grass."
After hearing this, Song Zhao was a little confused.
She originally thought that Xiao Changzai regarded her as an enemy, so she came up with some vicious way to harm her.
But Concubine Yao had no grudges against Concubine Xiao from the beginning to the end, so why was there snake grass in the sachet that Concubine Xiao gave to Concubine Yao?
Or...
Not only Concubine Yao, but Concubine Xiao also gave sachets to everyone equally?
Song Zhao was increasingly unable to understand the thoughts of the women in the palace.
However, if you have doubts in your mind, it is better to be prepared in advance.
Seeing that it was going to snow in two days, the Queen should stop paying respects to her, and the concubines in the palace rarely went out.
So no matter who Xiao Changzai wants to harm,
Tomorrow, the six palace ladies will go to Plum Garden to appreciate the plum blossoms. This will be her best chance.
Xiao Fuzi seemed to see what Song Zhao was worried about, so he said:
"My lady, are you going to enjoy the plum blossoms tomorrow?"
Song Zhao looked at him with a smile, nodded calmly and said:
"Of course I'm going. If everyone else goes and I don't, then if something strange happens in Plum Garden tomorrow, won't it all be blamed on me?"
The days in winter always get bright late.
The next day, Song Zhao got up while it was still dark.
After washing up, she told Yunshan, "It's very cold today and I have to go to the Plum Garden to appreciate the plum blossoms. Please get me some thicker underwear and shoes and socks."
Song Zhao wanted to wear thicker underwear and shoes and socks, not to keep out the cold,
After all, who knows if a hibernating snake will suddenly wake up, then come out from somewhere and bite her?
Wear thicker clothes where you might be bitten, just in case.
Before leaving, Song Zhao said to Yunshan, "The clothes worn by palace maids are thin. If you follow me, you will be frozen to death."
Then he looked at Xiao Fuzi standing beside him and said, "Let Xiao Fuzi accompany me today. He has thick skin and is not afraid of the cold."
Yunshan was reluctant at first. She felt that Xiao Fuzi was a man after all and was clumsy in serving others. She was afraid that he would not be able to take good care of Song Zhao.
But since Song Zhao was determined to do so, Yunshan had no choice but to agree reluctantly. He pretended to be fierce and said to Xiao Fuzi in a fierce tone:
"You have to take good care of the young lady. If she gets sick after catching a cold, I will not forgive you!"
Xiao Fuzi was scolded by her, but she still had a cheerful face.
"Don't worry, I will take good care of you!"
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