Zhou Wuchang looked at Yingbao and said, "I can't recognize her at all."
Now the little girl has grown into a big girl, and I haven't seen her for several years, so I naturally feel a little dazed.
But the little disciple's facial features hadn't changed, his temperament was still the same, and he wasn't afraid of himself at all.
Zhou Wuchang sat down at the first seat and said to Ying Bao, "Sit down."
The palace maids on both sides quickly brought a chair and asked Yingbao to sit down.
Concubine Shu also put her thoughts aside and carefully served tea and water to the emperor.
"Why don't you come to see me when you arrive in the capital?" Zhou Wuchang picked up the teacup and took a sip.
Yingbao: "Master, you are very busy, and I don't have anything important to do, so I don't dare to disturb you."
Zhou Wuchang did not comment, and then said: "I heard that Old Man Wu said that you gave him a lot of fruit, why didn't you give any to my master?"
Ying Bao was startled, then she remembered that she had sent two baskets of fruits to Mr. Wu's family. She couldn't help but smile and said, "My family will send some more in a while. I will definitely present it to Master to taste first."
Zhou Wuchang was satisfied, and asked her some more daily trivia. He stood up and said to Yingbao, "Come with me to the study. I have something to tell you."
Yingbao immediately stood up and said, "Yes."
Seeing that the emperor was about to leave, Concubine Shu couldn't help but feel anxious and tried to persuade him to stay: "Your Majesty, won't you stay for dinner? I have already asked someone to prepare it."
Zhou Wuchang glanced at her calmly and said, "I have something else to do. You can use it by yourself."
After saying that, he turned and left the hall.
Yingbao bowed to Concubine Shu and followed her.
Concubine Shu was so angry that she wanted to smash the cup, but she finally held herself back.
There were palace maids appointed by the emperor in this palace, so she didn't dare to act rashly.
Seeing that there was no one around, the maid Zhuzhu whispered in Concubine Shu's ear, "Madam, why do I feel that His Majesty has a special affection for Jiang Yingbao? Do you want to take her into the palace?"
Concubine Shu was startled, then slapped Zhuzhu in the face and shouted in a low voice: "What nonsense are you talking about! Your Majesty, how can you make up this story? Jiang Yingbao is his apprentice, and he has brought her up since she was a child. She is like your Majesty's daughter. Are you trying to kill me by talking like this?"
Zhuzhu was so scared that she quickly knelt down, crawled on the ground and slapped herself several times: "My queen, please calm down. I know I was wrong."
Concubine Shu sighed: "Forget it, get up."
Zhuzhu then got up, lowered her head and dared not say anything.
Concubine Shu touched her belly and frowned, "Concubine De's pregnancy period is about the same as mine, and we don't know who will give birth first. If she takes the lead, it will be disadvantageous to us regardless of whether it is a boy or a girl. Zhuzhu, what do you think we should do?"
Zhuzhu shrank her neck and whispered, "I dare not speak nonsense."
Concubine Shu gathered her outer garment and said nonchalantly, "Send a message to my father later and ask him to come to the palace."
"Yes." Zhuzhu knelt down and said, "I will go find someone right away."
Let’s talk about Yingbao. She followed her master to the study.
"Please sit down." Zhou Wuchang sat down behind the desk and asked, "Do you have any health-preserving medicine? I want to buy some."
Yingbao sat down on the stool: "Master, how much do you want?"
"A few months' supply. Yes, and some antidote would be even better."
"Okay, I'll prepare some when I get back."
Yingbao looked at her master and felt that he looked much more haggard than before and looked very tired.
Zhou Wuchang rubbed his brows and said, "In the future, you don't have to pay attention to the summons from the palace concubines. I will also admonish them not to harass your family at will."
"Thank you for your consideration, Master."
The master and disciple chatted about family matters for a while, and then Yingbao took Mudan and left the palace.
After returning home, Yingbao went to the greenhouse alone, took out dozens of flower seedlings from the cave, filled several large water tanks with Pupil Spring, and planted potted plants in the greenhouse.
Chunniang came over to help her daughter plant the seedlings and water them, and while doing so she asked her about things in the palace.
"It's nothing. The concubine in the palace just asked me to take her pulse." Yingbao didn't want her mother to worry, so she said casually.
Chunniang was puzzled: "Aren't there imperial doctors in the palace? Why did they ask you to take my pulse?"
During this time, she chatted with Old Lady Wu and others and learned a lot of things, such as that when the emperor and his concubines were sick, the imperial doctors from the Imperial Medical Bureau would go to see them.
Those families with low official positions were not qualified to hire imperial physicians.
Furthermore, doctors from outside were not allowed to enter the palace to treat the concubines at will, otherwise they would be severely punished.
"I'm not sure." Yingbao didn't want to say more. She mixed the pond mud with ordinary soil and shoveled it into the flowerpot with a shovel.
Although Concubine Shu's intentions were unclear, she was her master's concubine after all, so it was not easy for her to say anything, and she could not let her mother be dissatisfied with those people.
Because Shufei or other concubines might be able to give birth to a crown prince in the future.
If they wanted to make things difficult for someone or suppress a minister, it would be very easy.
Seeing that her daughter didn't want to talk more, Chunniang stopped asking and talked about family matters: "Bao'er, do you want to send a letter to your father and ask him to bring your grandparents to the capital?"
Yingbao: "My second cousin has already written back, telling them about Xiaojie's position in the Hanlin Academy. If dad and grandpa want to come, they will definitely send a letter."
Chunniang paused for a moment and sighed: "Bao'er, why don't we go back home? I can't feel at ease here. It's not a good thing for your father to be alone at home..."
Yingbao thought for a moment and said, "How about we go back to our hometown after Mr. Wu's house is finished?"
At this moment, Mr. Wu and his wife are still living in their home. How can my mother and I leave them behind and return home
Chun Niang nodded: "Okay."
The mother and daughter planted dozens of pots of plants, washed their hands, and then returned to the house.
Mrs. Wu saw the mother and daughter going to the flower room to transplant bonsai again and said, "Since your family is engaged in the bonsai business, why don't you invite two flower farmers back so that you don't have to do it yourself."
Chunniang smiled and said, "I feel uncomfortable when I am idle. It is good to move my legs and feet."
I am used to doing farm work and I like a busy life.
If she were to stay in the house all day, she would get sick in a few days.
Wei Xiuxiu and two little girls also came back from the vegetable garden. They put down their shovels, changed their muddy shoes, and began to clear the table and prepare to serve dinner.
At Yingbao's request, several maids went to dig the ground before it froze, and then planted vegetables, shallots, garlic, ginger, coriander, etc. in the ground for convenient consumption.
They are also very well-behaved. Every day, apart from washing clothes, sweeping the floor and cleaning the house, they plant vegetables and water them.
After the planting was done, they felt relaxed. Several girls gathered together to learn embroidery and sewing clothes from Wei Xiuxiu.
Wei Xiuxiu is indeed excellent. All the clothes, shoes and socks made by her are exquisite.
Even with just a piece of ordinary linen, she can make an exquisite skirt.
Seeing this, Yingbao simply gave her several pieces of silk and satin and asked her to make clothes for her brother Jiang Jie and A Niang. Of course, she also let her make clothes for herself.
Wei Xiuxiu lived up to expectations and the robes she made for her masters were all elegant and beautiful.
Of course, while she stayed in the house making clothes, she could also take care of her own children.
After all, it's very cold outside. If you pour a basin of water out, it will quickly freeze into ice on the ground.