"I remember that it has been a year since you entered the palace?" Feng Jin had no recollection of Zhuang Yuyan's appearance when she entered the palace. The only thing he really remembered seemed to be that moment in the peach blossom forest, when her every frown and smile was full of charm.
"It's been a whole year. When I entered the palace last year, it was snowing heavily. When the emperor walked past me, I stole a glance at you." Zhuang Yuyan smiled and leaned into Feng Jin's arms. "The palace rules say you can't look directly at the emperor. When I looked at him, my palms were sweating. I was afraid that someone would find out and drive me out of the palace."
"I am right beside you now, my beloved concubine, please watch carefully," Feng Jin put one hand on Zhuang Yuyan's waist and said to Gao Dezhong who was standing in the corner, "Gao Dezhong, go and get me the list I just wrote."
Gao Dezhong quickly handed over a list with a lot of words written on it.
Zhuang Yuyan didn't know the emperor's intention, so she turned her eyes away and didn't look at the list.
"This is the list of titles I have drawn up, take a look." Feng Jin handed the list to Zhuang Yuyan with a very casual attitude, as if this was not a list concerning the status of the women in the harem, but a piece of waste paper.
Zhuang Yuyan looked embarrassed and turned to look at the emperor with a bitter face: "Your Majesty, this is not something I should look at."
"I showed it to you. Who else dares to say anything?" Feng Jin added nonchalantly, "You don't have to follow those useless rules in front of me."
When the emperor favors a woman, all rules no longer exist; when that woman falls out of favor, her past failure to abide by the rules becomes an indelible stain.
Zhuang Yuyan hesitated for a moment before taking the piece of paper. What surprised her was that it was the list of people who would be promoted to positions after the new year, and there were quite a few people on the list.
Concubine Xian was promoted to Concubine Gui, Concubine Yan was promoted to Chongyi, a third-rank official, and Concubine Jiang was promoted to Guipin, a third-rank official. To Zhuang Yuyan's surprise, Concubine Kong and Ye Ronghua were also on the promotion list. Concubine Kong was promoted to Wanyi, a fifth-rank official, and Ye Ronghua was promoted to Depin, a fourth-rank official. She herself jumped to Xianrong, a second-rank official.
Ye Ronghua was demoted to Ronghua because her sister had a miscarriage. Now that her sister has fallen, she was promoted to Depin as if the emperor had abandoned her. I wonder what the emperor's intention is.
"Concubine Jiang Xian and Concubine Kong have been in the palace for many years. If I hadn't seen them in your palace, I would have almost forgotten about them," Feng Jin took the list from Zhuang Yuyan's hand, "I don't linger in the harem, but I have been on the throne for many years, and there are many women in the palace. Although these two are not my favorites, you and I have a good conversation, so it is appropriate to mention them."
"Your Majesty, please don't do this because of me," Zhuang Luyan's eyes were slightly red, and she lowered her head to prevent the man holding her from seeing her face clearly. "Your Majesty is the ruler of a country and is very busy. For me, as long as Your Majesty is fine, nothing else matters. If Your Majesty is distracted by such things, how can I be happy?"
"You don't have to think about this," Feng Jin stroked her head, "You are my beloved concubine, and it is worth it to worry about you."
The eyes of the person speaking were as calm as water, but the person with his head down did not see it, and the person speaking also could not see that the eyes of the person with his head down were equally calm.
When the New Year came, the Palace Department sent the appropriate share to each palace. The amount that Zhuang Yuyan received was naturally of the highest quality, and no one dared to deduct it. Instead, the Palace Department gave her some gifts as a gift.
This kind of filial respect was received by all the favored concubines in the harem. Zhuang Yuyan did not pretend to be noble. She accepted the filial respect and gave some rewards, doing her best to show her respect.
Ever since the emperor showed her the list of those who were to be promoted two days ago, Zhuang Yuyan felt that she had a heavy burden on her shoulders. The emperor certainly did not do this because he loved her so much that he had lost his mind. Concubine Jiang Xian, Concubine Kong, and Ye Ronghua were all people she had interacted with, and they had no factions in the harem. Soon after she was summoned by the emperor, rumors spread in the harem that these three people were going to be promoted because of her.
The emperor brought these three people before him, hoping to start a fight between him and certain groups in the harem?
There are three factions in the harem now, one is the Empress' faction, the second is the Shugui Concubine's faction, and the third is the Rou Concubine's faction. The rest are like her, who are prudent and self-protective. However, the Emperor praises her so highly, I'm afraid that three parts are out of favor and seven parts are out of exploitation.
A woman who loves the emperor, has a sense of propriety, and whose family background is neither noble nor poor, wouldn't she be the best chess piece? Women are strong because of love, and blind because of love. If she really loves the emperor, she will probably think that the emperor really loves her, not just using her.
"Master, I just heard an interesting rumor," Yun Xi came in with a cup of hot tea, "This afternoon, Xu Zhaorong was in the Plum Garden admiring plum blossoms and reciting poems. When she saw the emperor, her legs and feet were frozen and numb, and she fell in the snow. She looked extremely miserable."
Zhuang Yuyan raised an eyebrow. This Xu Zhaorong has to maintain the image of a talented lady as a driver all year round. Even in the winter, she has to dress to look fragile. Today, she went too far. It's embarrassing.
"What did the emperor say?" Zhuang Yuyan understood the women in the harem who were watching the excitement. It was boring in the deep palace, and it would be too boring if they didn't watch other people's jokes.
"I heard that the emperor asked a eunuch to help Xu Zhaorong up, and he also said something. Master, guess what the emperor said?" The gloating expression on Yun Xi's face was too obvious, which made Zhuang Yuyan ask with interest, "What did he say?"
"At that time, the emperor said, 'My beloved concubine, it's winter now, why are you still wearing autumn clothes?'" Yun Xi couldn't help laughing. "When I heard that, Xu Zhaorong's delicate expression froze on her face."
Zhuang Yuyan twitched her lips. This was really exaggerated. The emperor said such words in front of a group of palace maids. I'm afraid he was tired of her tricks.
The emperor's taste will never change forever, so the same face will not let him stay forever. So the most difficult thing in the world to please is probably the emperor's hobbies.
As the master and servant were talking, Fu Bao came in hurriedly. "Master, the eunuch from the Palace Department is here. He said that the emperor gave our palace a lot of gifts."
When Zhuang Yuyan arrived at the teahouse, she saw that there were indeed many things placed in the room. A eunuch in charge of the Palace Department smiled and bowed to her, "Master Zhao, the emperor has ordered that the New Year will be tomorrow. Master Zhao, you have lost a lot of weight recently, so he asked the clothing bureau to make some new winter clothes and asked the servants to send them to you. Do you like them?"
After saying this, he asked the eunuchs behind him to open the box.
Zhuang Yuyan took a quick look and saw fox furs, silk skirts, embroidered shoes and various jewelry inside. The workmanship was very delicate and the styles were all new this year, which showed that the Shangyi Bureau was very meticulous.
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for the gift. I like these things very much. Thank you for the hard work of the Shangyi Bureau and you guys," Zhuang Yuyan waved her hand, and Yunxi and Tingzhu took out the purses and gave them to the eunuchs.
"New Year's Day is coming soon. Please take some tea, eunuchs. I have been very grateful for your care this year." Zhuang Yuyan smiled and took a sip of the teacup. She looked at the eunuchs who kept saying they dared not to do anything, but her smile remained unchanged.
On the 30th day of the 11th month, the glazed tiles in the palace were still covered with thick snow. Zhuang Yuyan got up and looked at the icicles on the trees. As Yunxi helped her get dressed, she sighed, "It's been almost a year."
"It's been a year," Yun Xi said with a smile as she arranged Zhuang Luo's fox fur coat. "When the master entered the palace last year, it wasn't even New Year's Day yet."
Zhuang Yuyan smiled. Yun Xi naturally didn't know that she was lamenting about the time it took her to come to this world.
The dressing box in front of her was filled with a lot of jewelry, each of which would be worth a fortune in the future. Picking out a cat's eye stone from the box, Zhuang Yuyan suddenly asked, "I heard that Concubine Zhuang was ill a few days ago?"
Yun Xi smiled faintly, "My Lord, I heard that Concubine Zhuang has been ill since the Emperor removed her name card. She only recovered two days ago. The Empress even gave her some tonic medicine yesterday."
"The Queen has always been kind," Zhuang Luoyan said with a forced smile. She and the Concubine had been at odds for a day or two. Yesterday, the Queen gave herself some pieces of Shu embroidery and gave Concubine Zhuang some medicine. She was really fair.
"Jieyu Zhuang is my sister, so I should pay some attention to her." Zhuang Yuyan turned the jade bracelet on her wrist, "I will give my sister the 100-year-old ginseng in my storehouse, so that she can recover."
"My master is so kind-hearted. I will deliver your reward to you right away." Yun Xi bowed and turned to go to the warehouse to get something.
On New Year's Eve, the Empress Dowager had to be worshipped by the ladies of state, and the concubines had to wait until the evening to perform the three bows and nine kowtows ceremony to the three most honorable people in the harem, so Zhuang Yuyan actually had a rare chance to sleep in. Giving 100-year-old ginseng to Concubine Zhuang might be a show in the eyes of others, but in the eyes of Concubine Ma, it would only be a humiliation.
However, she did not forget the contemptuous look that Concubine Zhuang gave her when she was forced to kneel outside the Queen's Palace when she first came to this world.
When I was down and out, you looked at me with scorn. How could you know that when you are down and out, I will return the look you gave me?
Women always hold grudges. Zhuang Yuyan never thinks that she is upright and honorable.
When Yunxi brought two palace maids to Concubine Zhuang's residence, Xieyu, the senior palace maid beside Concubine Zhuang, was doing embroidery at the door. When she saw Yunxi, she was stunned at first, then hurriedly stood up and saluted.
Yunxi is the senior maidservant of Zhao Xiuyi. Zhao Xiuyi has a higher status than her master, so naturally, as a maidservant, she is several levels lower than her.
"Why is Miss Yunxi here?" Xie Yu asked carefully after welcoming Yunxi into the teahouse.
Yun Xi smiled and said, "Jieyu Zhuang is here. My master heard that Jieyu Zhuang was ill, so she asked me to bring some medicine to nourish her body. If Jieyu Zhuang is here, please let Miss Xieyu know."
Xie Yu knew that his master and Zhao Xiuyi were not on good terms, but now he had no choice but to bow his head and said, "Miss Yunxi, please take care of her for a moment."
Yunxi waited for a while, and then she saw Concubine Zhuang coming out with Xieyu's hand, looking unhappy. She glanced at Concubine Zhuang's half-new clothes, and politely saluted, "Greetings, Concubine Zhuang."
"What did Zhuang Yuyan ask you to do?" Concubine Zhuang looked at Yun Xi expressionlessly.
Yun Xi smiled and stood up. "To reply to Concubine Zhuang, the master heard that you were not feeling well, so he asked me to bring some things to you. I hope Concubine Zhuang will not dislike it."
"How dare I disdain something that belongs to the dignified Zhao Xiuyi?" Concubine Zhuang sneered, "If I do, I won't even be able to keep my position as Concubine."
"You are too kind, Concubine Zhuang," Yun Xi said with a smile, "Since the master's gift has been delivered, it is time for me to take my leave."
Hearing the word "reward", Concubine Zhuang's expression changed again, but she gritted her teeth and said, "I thank Zhao Xiuyi for the reward."
It is a fact that she is no match for Zhuang Yuyan now. If it weren't for Zhuang Yuyan, how could she have been stripped of her name and not even be able to see the emperor?
After Yunxi walked out of the teahouse, she heard a bang behind her, as if a box had fallen to the ground.
"Miss Yunxi..." The little palace maid behind Yunxi looked a little angry, as if she was dissatisfied with Concubine Zhuang's ignorance of good and evil.
Yun Xi smiled and said, "Let her be."
Concubine Zhuang's good days are still ahead.