But these are all minor matters. In the future, she will simply string gemstone beads with gold thread, such as red coral, jade, pearls, and agate.
Consort Hua said, "What does it matter if they're not durable? I'll have the Imperial Household Department make a few more for you and send them over. Wear them however you like."
"Even if the palace is short of money, it won't lack the little bit you're wearing on your head."
[Hua Pangpang is so charming and has such a domineering presence! I'm totally smitten!]
[Being good-looking is one thing, but being rich is another; and being rich isn't the main point, it's being genuinely generous.]
Sun Miaoqing said with a smile, "Thank you very much, Sister Huafei. I will draw a few patterns and send them to them when I get back, so that they can make them according to these patterns."
Seeing Sun Miaoqing's greedy attitude, Consort Hua couldn't help but shake her head and chuckle, "Of all the people in the palace, you have the most private savings."
"The Empress and Consort Qi combined probably don't even amount to half of what you have. The Sun family is also extremely wealthy, so how did they raise someone like you, who's obsessed with money?"
Sun Miaoqing smiled, not feeling embarrassed at all. She had only experienced that kind of life of luxury, where everything was done for her.
Besides, the richer a person is, the more they like money; otherwise, how could they have amassed such a fortune!
Sun Miaoqing said, "Haven't you heard, sister? The richer a person is, the tighter they hold on to things, and the tighter they hold on, the richer they become."
"My money is all going to be useful, so I can't squander it easily."
Furthermore, the fat orange tree owned 30% of the shares in her dowry shop, although she couldn't mention it to others out of respect for the emperor.
All that money went into the fat orange's private treasury, but it was always spent either on the imperial court or on the harem.
Her monthly allowance is negligible, barely a drop in the ocean. Even if she ate abalone, sea cucumber, and shark fin every day, in fine clothes and accessories, that would still be her deserved reward!
No matter how many times she uses it, or how many times she exceeds the permitted number, it's all perfectly legitimate and justifiable; no one can say she's using it incorrectly.
Consort Hua said, "No matter what, it's all your fault. Shouldn't you be accompanying the Emperor at the Nine Provinces Pure Banquet right now? How come you have time to come here to me?"
Sun Miaoqing said, "The Emperor gave me the ancient elephant ivory that the Mongols had presented as tribute. After making a set of mahjong tiles, there were still quite a few scraps left over."
"I heard that Consort Hua has an ivory ball. I wonder if she brought it with her so that I can admire it carefully."
Consort Hua instructed, "Songzhi, go and bring me my ivory carving of auspicious and longevity symbols and a magical flower."
"Yes, this servant will go right away."
Consort Hua said, "Sit here. Let's make this clear first: you can look at it, you can play with it, but you have to be careful and you can't take it away."
Sun Miaoqing said, "Sister Huafei underestimates me too much. If I were to attack, it would be the Emperor's Nine Dragons Playing with a Pearl, not your precious little one."
Songzhi brought over a brocade box and carefully placed it on the table. Inside, a delicate, exquisitely crafted ball was placed on a red silk cloth.
Just as Sun Miaoqing was about to make her move, Songzhi stopped her, saying, "Please wash your hands, Your Highness."
Following Songzhi's gaze, she turned around and saw Lingzhi and two other palace maids carrying handwashing supplies. She didn't know when they had stood behind her.
Somewhat speechless, he washed his hands with fragrant beans, dried them, and then applied scented balm before sitting back down and taking the ghost ball to play with.
Each layer features six patterns: three blessings and three longevity, with the center decorated with lotus flower patterns and connected by auspicious patterns.
Layer upon layer, each with a different pattern, and all can rotate freely.
Sun Miaoqing couldn't help but exclaim, "No wonder it's called the 'Ghost Craft Ball,' it truly is a masterpiece of nature."
"I still prefer Consort Hua to me. I only see a shadow of the Emperor's other woman."
"That time in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, as soon as he saw me go in, he immediately told Su Peisheng to take it away and put it away. He didn't let me touch it at all, for fear that I would bump it and break it."
Consort Hua remained silent; she was worried too!
Sun Miaoqing played with the pebbles, examining them closely with a magnifying glass as she said, "There's something you probably already know, sister: Yue Zhongqi is escorting Luo Buzang Danjin back to the capital."
"I heard that in his memorial to the Emperor, General Nian praised Yue Zhongqi and several other generals highly, saying that they were capable of great things and had the potential to be excellent generals."
"Sister Shilan, General Nian seems to be quite different from what others say about him."
[Hua Pangpang, tell me quickly, isn't it the same as what I think? He's already discovered Da Pangju's insincerity, so he wants to back down now and wait for another day!]
A man's sweet words are the least trustworthy, no matter who they're directed at!
Consort Hua said, "What do those people outside know? It's all just hearsay."
“My brother is a meritorious official who helped the Emperor ascend the throne. Now he has also pacified the Northwest for the Qing Dynasty and has made great military achievements. Of course, he is easily envied by others.”
"Others say that I am vicious, ruthless and intolerant. Nine times out of ten, those who have died in the palace or been banished to the cold palace are my doing."
"According to them, the one I can't tolerate the most is you, Sister Sun. But Sister Sun knows in her heart how I have treated you, and I have never felt the slightest bit of jealousy."
"Does Sister Sun also believe what they're saying is true?"
[Of course it's true! Although it's not entirely your achievement, you're largely responsible!]
However, while Hua Pangpang may have wronged the other concubines, he has done nothing to wrong me.
People's joys and sorrows are indeed not shared. For example, I dislike the Empress Dowager, but Sister Mei thinks she's wonderful.
Everyone else fears and resents Hua Pangpang, but now I just hope he's doing well...
Sun Miaoqing said, "Of course I believe my sister. I believe whatever Sister Shilan says."
Consort Hua wanted to tell Sun Miaoqing to stop being hypocritical. Even if she didn't hear what Sun Miaoqing was thinking, just looking at her suspicious eyes, she knew that what Sun Miaoqing was saying was a lie.
However, she didn't really intend to hide it from Sun Miaoqing, since it was impossible to hide it anyway.
"There are some things that His Majesty said, but he may not have meant them sincerely."
"How could my brother and I take this seriously? My brother said that there are also talented people under his command. After defeating the rebel army, he specifically told him two stories. Do you know which two they were, little sister?"
Sun Miaoqing shook her head, "Sister Huafei, stop keeping me in suspense. I'm not a fortune teller, how could I possibly guess these things?"
Consort Hua said proudly, "One is the story of Emperor Taizu of Song releasing military power over a cup of wine, and the other is why Guo Ziyi was able to live a life of wealth, fortune, and longevity, and die peacefully at the age of eighty-five."
"After I learned about it, I specifically looked at these two matters again, and they do have some interesting details."
"Nowadays, I have not only made great achievements in health preservation, but also have a lot of insights into the history books of the Tang and Song dynasties."
Speaking of Guo Ziyi, he was truly a capable man. Whether he could have become a general hundreds of years later is unknown, but he would certainly have been a master of psychology.
Anyone who can learn even a fraction of his skills will benefit immensely.
but......
Sun Miaoqing didn't believe it.
[Hua Pangpang has been secretly working hard and improving himself behind everyone's back!]
We promised to be slackers together...
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
