While Sheng Weiqiao was thinking, a girl of thirteen or fourteen years old, with a double-snail bun and a childlike look between her eyebrows, laughed and said in a crisp voice: "Do you know about a new kind of powder in the palace? "
"Are you talking about the 'Jade Girl's Peach Blossom Powder [Note]' that the palace servants gave to Concubine Shu?" A girl of about the same age sitting next to her immediately answered.
This girl is wearing a pomegranate red dress, and she is very eye-catching among the colorful outfits of young girls. Her little face was also flushed. Sheng Weiqiao and the other three were sitting several people away from her, and they could smell the scent of powder coming from her direction. She had probably put on a lot of rouge and had dressed up. Now, He said eloquently, "It is said to be an ancient recipe found in a book. It is blended with gypsum, talc, clam powder, wax grease, shell musk and motherwort. It is more delicate and shiny than ordinary pink powder, and it is good for the skin. It's a pity that it is too made." It’s missing, and I haven’t been rewarded yet!”
Hearing this, Princess Huihe asked with a smile: "We've already found out the recipe, why wait for a reward from the palace? Your workshop is used to making these, haven't you tried making it yourself?"
Xu Caikui, who was sitting with Sheng Weiqiao and the others, hurriedly tilted her head and explained to Sheng Weiqiao: "The girl in red is named Fang, and her maiden name is Xinniang. She is the favorite granddaughter of Fang Anshi, the Minister of Punishment, and she is one year younger than me... Her mother came from a wealthy family and was extremely particular about food and clothing. She also attached great importance to things like rouge and gouache. Because she thought the ones sold outside were unclean, she even set up a workshop to collect good makeup and powder recipes. It is exclusively for the use of my female family members, and will be given away during holidays, but it is not for sale."
Then he whispered, "My mother sent someone to give you something last year. The rouge inside was taken from their family's New Year's gift. Because it is used at home, it is said that the raw materials used are the best, so it is better than what is sold in the shop." It's much better... What do you think of using it? If you think it's good, I'll ask her for a few more boxes later."
Sheng Weiqiao was very embarrassed when she heard this. She was not old enough to dress up carefully before going out. She usually only used some facial oil for skin care and lip balm for her lips. When she was lazy, she rarely used Luozidai. Nan's gave it to that There were no additional instructions when it came to the box of rouge, so how could she open it specifically to look at it
Then he choked and said vaguely: "I think the makeup powder specially given by my aunt must be good, so I plan to use it on important occasions... I haven't opened it yet."
"No matter how good the thing is, you still have to use it!" Xu Caikui didn't notice her perfunctory behavior and said with a smile, "This thing won't last long. After a year and a half, it will be useless even if it is not opened."
Sheng Weiqiao was about to answer when Fang Xinniang said: "Princess, you don't know, why haven't you tried it? Not to mention the workshop, my sister-in-law and the others personally took the maids to try it out! However, the finished product, with the I went to the palace to show it to the people around the imperial concubine, and they all said it was far from good."
The girl who proposed this powder suddenly suddenly said to Princess Huihe with a smile: "Our family doesn't have the dignity to ask for this powder from the two empresses Shu... I wonder if Princess can help me get some?"
Sheng Weiqiao laughed secretly when he heard this: "The reason why these two mentioned this 'Jade Girl's Peach Blossom Powder' is to get Princess Huihe to help, and to use Princess Gaomi's status as the emperor's direct sister-in-law to have sex with Concubine Shu?"
However, these two people are going to be disappointed. After all, according to Sheng Weiqiao's observation just now, the mother-daughter relationship between Princess Huihe and Princess Gaomi does not seem to be as harmonious and harmonious as the outside world imagined.
Therefore, Princess Huihe might not be able to agree to this seemingly easy request.
Sure enough, after hearing this, Princess Huihe's face became a little strange. She slightly opened her red lips, as if she wanted to refuse but was afraid of being seen through... Seeing this, the corners of Zhao Taoyi's mouth curved again and again, and the mockery in her eyes became more and more obvious, and she actually planned to stand by and watch. No intention of helping at all.
Fortunately, Huan Ye was at his side. When he saw this, he covered his mouth and smiled, and said to Fang Xinniang and the girl: "You really only care about yourselves and don't think about the princess at all! I just said that Princess Gaomi is not in good health lately. , the princess is so filial, how can she bother the princess with such a trivial matter?"
When the two girls heard this, their disappointment was palpable, because Princess Gaomi was not in good health for more than a day or two. This news had been circulating for more than ten years... To be honest, since the princess is still here, who knows? What kind of bad idea is this
Anyway, I haven’t seen the imperial doctor from Gaomi Palace every day!
Furthermore, it’s just a matter of ordering palace powder from Concubine Shu, so it doesn’t necessarily require Concubine Gaomi to take action in person, right
Send a valet to deliver a message to the palace gate... Concubine Shu, who has no children so far, would not be stingy with Princess Gaomi in such a trivial matter, even if it were just for the sake of possibility, right
Why didn’t Princess Huihe agree
However, after Huan Yehe said this, Hui and the Princess did not refute. They could only sigh and treat the words as true. They stood up and apologized: "I'm sorry, Princess! Please wait, Princess." We thought it would be great if the princess showed up today! We didn’t intentionally ask the princess to disturb the princess’s rest, please don’t be angry, princess!”
The two of them obviously have high-status backers, otherwise they wouldn't dare to have the idea of Princess Gaomi just for this "beautiful girl's peach blossom powder".
So although Princess Huihe was a little unhappy, she still forced a smile and said: "It's nothing... The main reason why the mother-in-law has not shown up in the past two years is because she is not in good health. Today, she is just like what sister Jingshu said just now. , she was afraid that I would be lonely if I stayed with her all the time in the house, so she forced me to come out. But I was not very relieved, so I went back after sitting there for a while. This matter about the palace fan... Well, if the mother and concubine are in good spirits later If it's good, I will tell her. But if the mother-in-law is tired, I really can't bother her!"
She said that, but everyone could see that Hui and the princess were obviously a little annoyed with the two girls.
In this situation, everyone naturally wanted to persuade, and Huan Yehe also said to the two girls: "You are young, what is the use of thinking about fragrances and powders? You are so naturally beautiful that you cannot give up, but you find it smudged by makeup. What about the color! Not to mention that this 'Jade Girl's Peach Blossom Powder' hasn't spread outside the palace yet. Even if it does, in my opinion, you are just wasting yourselves by applying it!"
But no one agreed with her words, because this "Jade Girl's Peach Blossom Powder" was specially dedicated to Concubine Shu by the palace people.
Huan Yehe said that the two girls in front of him didn't need to apply powder, and if they did, they would be ruining themselves. Although it was true, how could the Shu sisters not be angry if they found out? These two have been favored for more than 20 years. It is when their youth is passing away and they are worried about falling out of favor. The most taboo words are probably this kind of words.
So after Huan Yehe said these words, the room was actually quiet.
Seeing this, Sheng Weiqiao thought that the county lord was an ally of Sheng Sleeping He, so he smoothed things over and said, "That's what the county lord said! We have only started to learn to dress up at this age. Whether it is ourselves or the people around us, this skill is very good." It was very strange. A few days ago, during the Lantern Festival, our sisters went out to look at the lanterns. We saw a young lady who was slightly two years older. Her makeup was very delicate and beautiful. I specially asked you to write it down and plan to imitate it when you get home. But it turned out to be a mess. After a long while of looking at each other, not only did I fail to learn, but I also turned my head and shocked everyone who was serving me! Isn't this a waste of myself?"
However, her words secretly changed the meaning of Huan Yehe's so-called "ruin" from the original "Why do we, such young people, need the old woman Shu Guifei in the Academy to decorate ourselves with makeup?" to "We are so young." I’m young, so I haven’t been exposed to makeup at Yanzhuang’s level for a long time, and my skills are quite impressive.”
At this time, everyone in the room breathed a sigh of relief and expressed their approval. Fang Xinniang and Luo Wanhua even sat closer to discuss makeup with Sheng Weiqiao... Luo Wanhua was the first girl to mention "Jade Girl Peach Blossom Powder".
This was an accident, allowing Sheng Weiqiao, who had been ostracized because of Sheng Lan's resignation, to integrate into the current circle.
Sheng Weiqiao held Sheng Weiwu in his arms and talked to the two girls one after another. Both girls were from good backgrounds. Fang Xinniang was introduced by Xu Caikui, and she was the favorite granddaughter of the Minister of Punishment. She obviously had a particularly good relationship with Fang Xinniang. Luo Wanhua is not bad either. Her father, Luo Pu, was one of Huan Guanlan's favorite students during his time. He is now a bachelor of the Hanlin Academy and has a high reputation in both the government and the public.
Luo Pu's family was poor in his early years, and he got ahead only after studying hard. He got married relatively late, and he didn't have many children, so he doted on his children, regardless of gender.
Therefore, no matter Fang Xinniang or Luo Wanhua, although the two girls are a little clever, they actually don't have much real foresight.
Well, I really can't think of anything like swaying the princess and princess in order to attract some new palace fans.
Even if their father and brother are both the assistants of the Gaomi King.
They are similar in age, have similar status in the family, and have similar temperaments. The only difference is that Sheng Lan resigned from office early in life and has less power than the two fathers, so they quickly became very close to each other.
However, while Sheng Weiqiao was perfunctory with these two people, he glanced at Princess Huihe from the corner of his eyes, feeling very strange, and said to himself: "Even if the reason why Princess Jingshu was very disdainful to Concubine Shu in her words just now, it is probably because she was resentful of her direct grandfather Huan Gong. She was murdered by the Shu sisters, but at least in the current situation, she said this to save Princess Huihe. Why did Princess Huihe not say anything when the room was silent, but asked me to ease it? atmosphere?!"
Others did not dare to accept Huan Yehe's words, including Sheng Weiqiao who misinterpreted the meaning of his words, simply because they were afraid of the Shu sisters' favor.
But Princess Huihe is not like that. She is the beloved daughter of King Gaomi and there is no need to fear the Shu sisters.
Even from a political point of view, they were worried that offending the Shu sisters would cause the two to turn to the Meng family, but Princess Huihe should not remain silent... After all, Huan Yehe was also someone that King Gaomi needed to win over, wasn't he
Otherwise, why would Rong Qingzui chase the county lord all the way to Bishui County in the first place
While Sheng Weiqiao was thinking, a servant girl suddenly walked quickly outside. She stopped suddenly when she reached the threshold, stretched her neck and looked in, as if she had something important to report.
Huan Yehe noticed it, raised his eyebrows and called in: "What's the matter? There are no outsiders here, just tell me!"
When the servant girl heard this, she felt blessed again and said: "County Master, there is news outside the door..."
He paused for a moment before continuing, "It is said that the Queen Mother felt that the emperor was half a century old but still had an empty body at her knees, so she issued an imperial edict to appoint the fourteenth lady of the Meng family as her successor, and to take over Wangchun Palace!"
"..." Many of the people present had actually known this news for a long time.
But when the news was actually implemented, the room inevitably fell into silence.
This is not because they lament that Meng Bijun is only sixteen years old, but he has to marry the fifty-year-old Emperor Xuan Jing. Emperor Xuan Jing is still preoccupied with the Shu sisters and has no interest in his beautiful cousin who is only twenty-eight years old. ; but because, except for Sheng Weiwu, who is the youngest and still ignorant, everyone who can attend the small gathering here today understands that this decree means that Gaomi, who has been fighting against each other for more than 20 years, Wang and Meng will end this long period of confrontation and enter the final battle of life and death!
The winner continues to have the current wealth and glory, and even goes one step further, receiving countless praise and crowns!
The loser... will get nothing!
Not only King Gaomi and the Meng clan themselves, but also... their vassals, that is, everyone present here at this moment, are within the scope of this battle!
[Note] Jade Girl Peach Blossom Powder: It is said to have been created in the Song Dynasty.