"Did you spend a lot of money to invite Concubine Cui?"
Ruan Jiading and Second Mistress Ding were open-minded for once and let Mi Niang and Fang Wei Yan talk alone. Fang Wei Yan was ready to comfort her, but unexpectedly, when Mi Niang saw that there was no one here, she asked about this.
He was stunned: "Fortunately, it's not much. The eunuchs received more than Concubine Cui."
After all, Concubine Cui was just a concubine and could not interfere in the important affairs of the court. The eunuchs in charge of the Imperial Household and the eunuchs in charge of the seal were eunuchs who had a say in front of the emperor. If an official wanted to get an official position from them, they would have to pay them ten thousand taels of silver. In comparison, Concubine Cui could get it done with two thousand taels of silver.
Mi Niang pouted and said, "It's still too expensive." But she smiled and said, "Even so, I still want to thank you for taking care of me."
"It's nothing. I know you don't want to go to the palace, so I'll help you if I can. If Concubine Cui can't have a say there, my mother will also speak for you when she goes to the palace during the New Year." Fang Weiyan said seriously.
However, he looked at her proudly and said, "But you can come back on your own, which is better than anything else."
Mi Niang said embarrassedly: "I thought you would feel sorry for the money going down the drain."
Even if Fang Weiyan and his mother were rich, this money didn't come for free. Although this also represented Fang Weiyan's feelings for her, Mi Niang still felt a little guilty.
"What's the big deal? Is money more important or people more important? You are a sensible person. How can you say such irrelevant things?"
As the saying goes, whether a man is good to you is not determined by a few considerate words he says, but by whether he is willing to spend money on you and make sacrifices for you.
From the time she came in until now, Fang Weiyan never mentioned any troubles in getting things done, nor did he show how difficult it was for him. Instead, he was very calm.
Hearing him say that people are more important than anything else, Mi Niang admitted her mistake: "I am obsessed with appearances. In fact, what is good about the palace? No matter how many pavilions and buildings there are, for me, my own doghouse is better than any other place. It is more comfortable and secure for me to sleep in."
Fang Weiyan deeply agreed: "This makes a lot of sense. Wherever my heart is at peace is my hometown."
Just like him himself, even though he was at the top of the government, he still had to deal with many things that were difficult to explain to outsiders. Even the court situation was difficult, and even if you had a lot of talents, you could only do things in a moderate way.
If he asked what was the best way, it would certainly be as described in "Records of Huanggang Bamboo Tower": When the public was retired, he would wear a crane cloak, a Huayang scarf, hold a volume of the Book of Changes in his hand, burn incense, sit in silence, and dispel worldly worries.
"However, having said that, people live in the world and cannot always be out of the world. How can they be out of the world if they don't enter the world?" This means that if you want to live the life of a hermit, without being disturbed by anyone, that also requires capital. Just like if a person has no fame and honor, even if you have a fortune, it can be plundered by others, and even without any effort.
Otherwise, why would traveling merchants always look for a backer? This is also a very realistic thing.
So if you want to have no worries and enjoy life, you have to work hard when you are young!
Otherwise, if you just think about enjoying yourself every day but don't work hard, you will end up living in poverty.
Fang Weiyan made a rare witty remark: "Are you afraid that I won't be able to support you if I don't go out to work in the future?"
Mi Niang made a face and said, "Amitābha, you have figured out all my little thoughts."
Fang Weiyan laughed out loud.
She had clearly just returned from the palace, but she did not mention what happened in the palace, nor did she mention how hard it was for her to get out. Instead, she comforted herself and encouraged herself to enter the world and leave it. In the end, she was so alive. Which pretty girl would make faces? Only a down-to-earth beauty like her would look very, very cute when she made faces.
But seeing that she looked exhausted, Fang Weiyan wanted to say goodbye again: "You came back so early, and you have been busy for ten days. I am afraid you must be tired. I will say goodbye now. You should have a good rest at home."
"Okay, but I made a purse when I was free in the palace. I'm afraid you don't like it, and I'm afraid it's against the rules, so I dare not give it to you. I'll just show it to you first and give it to you later, how about that?" Mi Niang took out a purse from her sleeve.
This is a sky blue purse with a white cat embroidered on it. The cat has blue eyes, like a Persian cat transformed from Hu Ji. There is a rattan ball under the feet of the Persian cat, which is very playful and cute.
Fang Weiyan took a closer look and saw that Mi Niang did not want to return the gift as she said. For the first time, he said boldly, "We are already engaged. How can it be inappropriate for you to give me a purse? I think it is more appropriate than ever."
Mi Niang thought to herself, this idiot has finally come to his senses.
She smiled and said, "If you like it, take it, but you are not allowed to give it to others."
"Don't worry about that."
Fang Weiyan was very happy after taking the purse back home. As soon as he got home, he went to Xu's place to pay his respects. Xu was still anxious: "Are you okay, in-laws? Tell them not to worry."
Fang Weiyan said with a hint of pride, "I just sat down when Miss Ruan came back from the palace. I heard that she asked the aunt of the Queen to help her. The Queen took pity on her young age and sent her many gifts."
"Oh, is that so? It's really Amitabha." After Xu finished speaking, she cursed, "This wife of Duke Cheng'en really lacked lifetime eights of virtue."
But in fact, Xu also felt that the girl was too beautiful, and it was not too eye-catching, which would bring trouble to her son. However, this was not what the girl wanted. It was precisely because she was so outstanding that she was very pleased. She also agreed that her son should use his connections to rescue the person, but she did not expect that the child would come out on his own.
She asked, "Has the other girl who entered the palace also come back?"
Fang Weiyan shook his head.
"Then it seems that she is..." Xu didn't say the rest, but Fang Weiyan understood that the girl would be presented to the emperor after the New Year if nothing unexpected happened.
This had nothing to do with Fang Weiyan. After he returned to his room, he found a box and prepared to lock up the purse given by Mi Niang. He didn't dare to wear it outside yet. It wasn't for other reasons. If he wore it outside now, others would definitely blame Mi Niang for not following the rules, which would not be good for Mi Niang. Although he wanted to wear it after getting it, he couldn't bring inconvenience to others.
Unexpectedly, Fang Yaqing, who just walked in, saw it. As soon as she saw the cat, she grabbed it with joy.
"Fourth brother, this purse of yours doesn't look like it was made by a needlework expert. The ones they make are either flowers, or flowers, or fortune and longevity. I think this was made by the girl named Pixiu beside you."
Of course there are people who are good at sewing in the Dong'an Marquis' Mansion, but there are so many masters in the mansion, so they dare not try out any new and fancy things. When the seasons change, is so busy that they can't finish the existing sewing work. For everyone example, the clothes Fang Yaqing and the others are wearing were all made by tailors from outside.
She could never do it herself, and there was a maid who could embroider around her. Anyway, she could only do a few stitches. Xu doted on her daughter and had no heart to let her suffer this. She could only embroider some flowers casually. Even now, she complained bitterly when asked to make a pair of shoes.
But even though she doesn't like doing it, she likes bright jobs.
Anyway, her brother always gives in to her.
But Fang Weiyan said, "This was not made by Pixiu. Please give it back to me. I want to keep it."
"It wasn't done by Feixiu, could it be..." Fang Yaqing suddenly remembered something.
Fang Weiyan stopped him and said, "Don't tell anyone, just give it to me."
Since she guessed who it was, Fang Yaqing of course returned it to him with a smile, but she also exchanged it for a valuable item in his study before stopping.
"Brother, you are really something. You used to give me everything, but now you want to give it to another person." But Fang Yaqing was very happy, because she liked Mi Niang very much.
Fang Weiyan smiled and didn't argue with his sister.
Can she live in such a big courtyard by herself?"
Fang Yaqing couldn't stand the fact that an elder had no sympathy for her nephew and even acted domineeringly when she returned to her mother's home.
"You should say less. No matter what the elders say, that is their business." It's not that Fang Weiyan is honest and kind, but the old lady in the family is partial to him. Although Fang Yaqing was full of righteous indignation when she spoke, she didn't have enough means.
Fang Yaqing didn't understand and complained, "Brother is always such a good guy, so kind. Yesterday they were gossiping about Mi Niang entering the palace, so what? You should repay evil with kindness."
Fang Weiyan laughed, "You worry too much. These people gossip about others when they are free. If I were a woman, I would be able to argue with them, but I am a man and I don't see them on weekdays. Am I going to go to their house and have a fight with them?"
But Fang Yaqing still felt that her brother was weak, and couldn't help but say: "Brother is kind, and my sister-in-law is so cute and innocent. If I get married in the future, what will you do? Weijun is a child and doesn't know anything."
After saying this, he looked very concerned about the country and the people, which made Fang Weiyan laugh so hard that his stomach hurt.
Two flowers bloom, each showing its own beauty
Mi Niang came back and rested for a while. When she woke up, Ding Erniang was doing needlework in her room. This scene was very similar to the scene when she was reborn and saw her mother.
She stood up, and Second Madam Ding came over and said, "Why don't you sleep a little longer? Are you hungry? I'll ask Xia Lian to bring you food."
Mi Niang touched her belly and said coquettishly, "I'm a little hungry. I want to eat on the kang table. Mom, you can accompany me."
However, the four dishes and one soup were all made by Second Madam Ding herself, especially the salted pork intestines and pickled radish in pickled pepper, which was enough to eat three bowls of rice. A serving of stir-fried peas and glutinous rice cake fish cubes were mostly Huguang dishes, which made Mi Niang eat heartily. After the meal, she talked to Second Madam Ding about the things in the palace.
"The Emperor seldom comes to visit you. When we entered the palace, we saw a concubine was frightened to death by Concubine Cui. It was said that one of her maids was dishonest and Concubine Cui ordered her to be dragged away and beaten with forty boards."
Second Mistress Ding sighed, "Concubine Cui has so much power."
Mi Niang nodded: "You said it was to assist the six palaces, but I think it was almost the same as managing the six palaces. The queen was weak, and although she wanted to help Li Shuyuan, she had no choice. She gave two hundred taels to Li Shuyuan's family and took her sister to be a palace maid."
"This is inappropriate." Second Madam Ding curled her lips: "Although the Queen has the evidence against Concubine Cui, the Queen has no children now, so she can't confront her like this."
Mi Niang thought that her mother really overestimated the Queen. She did not do this to find any evidence against Concubine Cui. It was purely because of her good character. In fact, Mi Niang sometimes had complicated feelings towards Queen Ruan. She was indeed not a bad person. In some aspects, she could even be called kind-hearted.
It is not enough to say that she is unworthy of her position. Compared with Concubine Cui, the Empress is still quite virtuous.
But she always seems to act in a muddle, that is to say, she lacks the ability to take charge. She seems to be pitiful, but in fact, she is not the one who should be pitied. She said that Fan Yuzhen is already miserable because she has no parents. If you, as the queen, really don't want her to enter the palace, you can issue an order to choose a good marriage for her and send her away in a dignified manner. Fan Yuzhen will definitely thank her.
But the emperor happened to see Fan Yuzhen, but she did not make any plans for Fan Yuzhen. She lived like this day after day, just getting by. What was this?
If Qingfen had not been persuaded by him and Qingfen had not deliberately reached a consensus in front of Liusu, he probably would not have been able to come out.
How should I evaluate him? Probably an incompetent person.
But the incompetent person was in the palace, and the concubines under her were more ferocious than each other. I remember that in her previous life, the empress always warned everyone not to enter the palace, and made a big fuss about what was going on in the palace. But she herself was summoned by the emperor to sleep with him once, and her face was flushed.
"Mother, by the way, I was able to persuade Qingfen because I promised to find her a marriage outside the palace and then go to the empress to plead for her. Otherwise, she is already 20 years old. If it's any later, she will only be a concubine."
You must not go back on your promise to others, otherwise no one will cooperate with you in the future.
Mrs. Ding Er suddenly realized, "I mean, based on the look of Lady Cheng'en. Last time I entered the palace, Lady Cheng'en even talked to Qingfen for a long time. How could she help you? So you want this as a bargaining chip. Okay, I understand. Don't worry, I'll go out and look for something."
Mi Niang said happily: "Then I'll leave it to you. I'll have to find a reliable one for her."
“It’s natural.”
However, after saying this, Second Madam Ding felt very strange again: "You mean the queen didn't make plans with them? For a close aunt like this, unless she says she doesn't want to get married, she has been with her for so many years, so she must have made some plans."
Mi Niang shook her head: "You are wrong. Your Majesty, you are only thinking about that sister of Li Shuyuan. They are not related to you at all, but you are very nice to her. The people around you seem to have forgotten about her and are waiting for her to speak. They are slaves and girls. How can they tell the queen that they want to get married?"
"That's it..." Mrs. Ding didn't know what to say.
But she had seen such people before. It was an inappropriate analogy that some men were very nice to everyone outside and were considered good people in the eyes of outsiders, but they were extremely harsh to their wives and children. Perhaps they attributed all their badness to their family members.
Maybe she is not a bad person, but as the people around her, she is hurt more deeply.
Mi Niang said, "Anyway, I will find a husband for her. If you cannot enter the palace, I will ask Old Lady Ruan to speak to her."
"Then Mrs. Ruan may not agree." Second Madam Ding shook her head.
"Mom, we just need to do our best." Anyway, Mi Niang could only say that she could help with this, but if Lady Ruan, the wife of Duke Cheng'en, interfered, it would be beyond her control.
Since Mi Niang came back, the house has been bustling. Mi Niang deeply regrets missing Guo Yaoyu's wedding. The Guo family and hers have a close relationship because they both studied in the same girls' school. What's more, they are both from Jiangling and are from the same hometown. They also have a very close relationship with Li Tan, the left vice minister of the Ministry of Personnel.
The first time she spent the New Year in Beijing, Mi Niang learned to cut paper-cuts from her mother-in-law. Although her mother-in-law was quite old, she was still very strong. She even said, "Mi Jie'er, when you entered the palace, Mr. Fang came to our house several times to comfort your parents and bring gifts. He was really someone you couldn't find even with a lantern."
"What did you say?" Mi Niang was still a little shy.
The good mother-in-law was an experienced person, and she smiled as soon as she saw him: "You are still embarrassed. If it were me, such a good husband would have to be kept under close watch."
Mi Niang spread her hands: "Anyway, if something can be snatched away, it's not mine."
Mi Niang has had this kind of mentality for a long time. Unless a man is very useful, like the emperor, she has to rely on him to gain status and survive in the harem, then she will put all her efforts into it. But if a man has too many beautiful women around him, or even a rotten man who was taken away by his good sisters after a quick hookup, she doesn't care.
"But I don't think Master Fang is that kind of person. He is a very serious person." The good mother-in-law said quickly.
"Just now I was calling you Master Fang, but now I'm calling you Aunt Fang."
Mi Niang groaned twice, and then saw Zhou bring her some glutinous rice, saying, "It's sprinkled with sugar, eat it while it's hot. If you eat it when it's cold, you'll get upset."
The whole family knew that Mi Niang loved to eat glutinous foods, such as glutinous rice, glutinous rice wrapped in fried dough sticks, and glutinous rice cakes. She even liked plain rice dumplings better, not to mention boiled and fried glutinous rice balls, which were all her favorites.
Seeing Zhou holding such a large bowl, Mi Niang said hurriedly, "I will only eat a little bit, not too much."
Zhou was surprised: "Normally, one bowl is not enough for you, and you always complain that Second Auntie doesn't give you enough to eat."
"Oh, I have to save some room for something better later." Mi Niang patted her belly.
The good mother-in-law covered her mouth and laughed: "Eleventh daughter-in-law, don't you see that this girl has grown up? How can she be the same as before? She is afraid of getting fat."
After hearing what the mother-in-law said, everyone started joking.
Mi Niang had no choice but to hide in her room. Mrs. Ding Er didn't understand why and asked her where she had gone. When she heard people say that she was shy, Mrs. Ding Er smiled and said, "Although she is not a shy person, she is still a little girl after all."
During the New Year, everyone's house was decorated with lanterns and colorful lights. Ruan Jiading and Yuheng pasted new couplets outside the door. The doors, windows and courtyard were all swept clean, and the snow outside the door was shoveled clean.
In Mi Niang's room, several maids were roasting chestnuts in the brazier. Although it was chilly outside in the north in winter, the house was actually warmer than the winter in Huguang because of the heated kang.
Roasted chestnuts, fragrant, soft and chewy, accompanied by a cup of fragrant tea, are like a life like those of a god.
Of course, she was not idle these days. Second Madam Ding asked Madam Li, Madam Guo and several ladies of the same age as Ruan Jiading to find a family. The most important thing was not family background, but character and talent.
After all, the marriage proposal is to Qingfen, and it would certainly be inappropriate to ask her to marry into a scholarly family.
I'm afraid that people will dislike her in the future.
But she is the aunt of the Queen after all. She is good-looking, knows the rules, has a good temperament, and is capable.
Mi Niang stayed at home every day. She was too lazy to go to the Duke's Mansion. Second Madam Ding took Zhou to eat and drink for a total of fourteen days. Zhou complained: "I really thought it was good at first. There were banquets every day. Now I really want to vomit. I feel uncomfortable when I smell the smell of braised lamb."
"Come, come, have some tea to relieve your greasy feeling. I've asked the kitchen to prepare some porridge and side dishes. Mother and Eleventh Sister-in-law, please have some." Mi Niang asked the kitchen to bring some porridge and side dishes.
Mrs. Ding's travels over the past few days were not in vain. She quickly found a good family: "This Rong Jiansheng is also from our Huguang. He is a very upright person. Although he has never passed the imperial examination, he is also a tribute supervisor. Although he knows Minister Li, he does not use backdoors. He has always been a top scholar in the Imperial College and is currently holding a position in the Ministry of Personnel. He has been in Beijing for ten years, but he has never been a traitor. If he had not been appointed as a county magistrate this time, he would never have mentioned the matter of marriage, for fear of delaying others."
Mi Niang also thought it was a good idea: "Then you go to the palace tomorrow, but you must tell Qingfen that if she dislikes someone else's official position or something, then you can only say that you have done your best and this is the only way."
The next day, Second Madam Ding followed Old Lady Ruan and others into the palace. She found a chance to tell Qingfen, "This man will take up his post in the spring. What do you think? If you agree, I will tell the Empress right away."
Qingfen listened to what the Second Mistress said and thought, although this man is only thirty-six years old, he has good character, is well-educated, and has become a county official. Although he is not rich, his parents are long gone, and he is a first-time marriage. She is not the kind of person who is too ambitious. Forget about the Emperor. There is also Fan Yuzhen living in the palace, which makes her restless. The Empress has not asked her to sleep with him, so what hope can she, a palace maid, have?
Could it be that she was like Liusu, living in a daze, guarding the empress in the palace all her life?
Although she was loyal to the empress and was willing to serve her at her beck and call, even braving the rain to seek favor for her, she was already quite old. Others saw her as glamorous, but it was not easy for her to find a first-time husband who had good character and was an official.
In a flash, she said without further ado: "Then I'll trouble you, Madam."
Mrs. Ding praised secretly, saying that this girl was decisive. It was just as the saying goes, "trust people when you employ them, and don't employ them if you don't trust them." That's the way it should be.
So, taking advantage of the opportunity when Queen Ruan asked her, Second Mistress Ding smiled and said, "I have something I would like to trouble you with, Your Majesty. Is that okay?"
Queen Ruan was surprised. Could it be that Ruan Mi Niang still wanted to enter the palace? She told Second Madam Ding to just say whatever she wanted. Unexpectedly, Second Madam Ding laughed and said, "Just now I saw that the eldest aunt beside the queen was very capable. I wonder if she has promised to marry him?"
The wife of Duke Cheng'en frowned and said, "Daughter-in-law Jiading, what kind of place is this? Why do you say this?"
"I just heard Mi Niang mention the queen's kindness, so I thought the people around the queen must be very good, so I just asked casually. If I am rude, I will apologize first."
There are only a few people at home, and even the maid only has a few confidants left. Second Mistress Ding doesn't think there is anything wrong with what she said.
Queen Ruan was not happy to see others quarreling, so she asked her, "Qingfen has not been promised to anyone yet, and it is I who delayed her."
Qingfen knelt down and said she didn't dare, but her expression was full of expectation. Empress Ruan could see it, so she took the opportunity to ask Second Madam Ding: "I wonder if you know any family?"
Mrs. Ding Er took one look at Qingfen and smiled, "He is a fellow villager of ours. He was the top scholar in Chongyang County and was selected to study at the Imperial College. He was ranked first every year and is now a county magistrate. He once said that he would not get married until he had established a career, and he did not want to delay the girl. He is now thirty-six years old. Although he is a little older, he has a very good character and is well-known."
Liusu curled his lips in disdain after hearing this. Queen Ruan also felt that this man was too old. Moreover, he was only sent to be a county magistrate at such an old age, and his family was poor, so he was not worthy of Qingfen.
So Queen Ruan smiled and said, "Okay, I understand." But she didn't say anything else.
Although Second Madam Ding was somewhat disappointed, she did not dare to ask for too much in front of the Empress, so she had to agree with a smile.
As soon as the ladies like Second Lady Ding left, Liusu started to scold them: "Who are we? Even though we are palace maids, we are not the kind of people her poor family can associate with. How dare a poor old woman like her talk to us? If she hadn't left so quickly, I would have slapped her in the face."
Queen Ruan said with a smile: "You should change your explosive temper. I still have the final say on Qingfen's affairs."
"Your Majesty, I..." Qingfen actually wanted to say that she wanted to get married. She had been tortured by her stepmother since she was a child, and later she was sold into the palace. She didn't know how much she had suffered, because she didn't want to marry someone as a second wife. But she was old, and there was nothing wrong with marrying a man with good character and an official position.
But she couldn't be too angry about getting married, so she had to say tactfully: "I just heard from Madam Ruan that he has good character."
"Qingfen, don't worry. I will have someone investigate this person carefully for you to find out what kind of person he is and whether he has good character." Queen Ruan said with a smile.
But she still said: "However, it would be better if there is a good family, and you don't have to worry."
Liusu also laughed and said, "Yes, Dou Niang's affairs are not yet settled, why are you in such a hurry? The Queen will find you a good husband, don't worry." After saying that, she joked, "The Queen, look at her, she seems to be very capable on weekdays, but she has become stupid here. A poor man has tricked you out, and you don't know what kind of life you will have in the future."
Queen Ruan also felt that there was no rush, and said: "It takes time to choose a good person. Qingfen, if we are really destined to be together, I will definitely give you a dowry."
Qingfen was filled with sadness. The Empress was no longer in power. Who could she ask to find a husband? It was none other than the wife of Duke Cheng'en. Although the wife of Duke Cheng'en seemed gentle on weekdays, she treated her servants as if they were not human beings. How could she carefully find a good marriage for herself? She had pushed her own niece Fan Yuzhen into the fire pit. little ant like herself?
But she still had to smile and say, "Thank you for your grace, Master."
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