"The concubine mother was dizzy from the noise of the three children today. After the examination, the imperial doctor said that she will rest in rest."
When Liu Zhao came back from the yamen, Gu Jiu dragged him to gossip.
"Is the concubine's health critical?"
"It's okay. It's just that the children are arguing so much that it makes her uncomfortable."
The blood pressure is soaring. Fortunately, it is well maintained. Maybe it will cause a cerebral infarction.
Gu Jiu said again: "I told Nanny Fang not to take the child to Chunhe Hall unless necessary in the future. If I bump into my eldest brother and sister Nian again, there will be another crying."
"Has Brother Yu been bullied?" Liu Zhao asked suddenly.
Gu Jiu shook her head, "Why do you think that way? It's nothing. The eldest brother was very curious, so he reached out to poke Yu Geer. Little children, it's not serious, Fang Nanny loves Yu Geer very much. You know her too His face was stern, and he looked fierce.
It is estimated that the eldest brother was frightened, so he burst into tears. As soon as he cried, the two younger ones also cried. The three children cried together, and the sound could blow the roof off. It was lucky that the concubine did not faint. "
Liu Zhao imagined that scene, a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.
In my heart, I was crazily complaining that my own son had no courage, and cried when he was poked, it really was a crying bag. We must strictly discipline them in the future.
He asked: "Brother Yu, did you cry for an hour this time?"
Gu Jiu rolled her eyes at him, "I cried for half an hour, and fell asleep after drinking milk."
"I only cried for half an hour, and I have made progress." Liu Zhao was not stingy in his praise.
It's just a point of praise, which makes people laugh.
"Are you going to keep hiding from me about my impeachment?"
Xiao Jiuxing questioned the teacher, and Liu Zhao replied wittily, "I planned to tell you tonight."
Gu Jiu was suspicious, is there really such a coincidence
"So many censors have impeached me, will something happen? What's your majesty's attitude?"
Liu Zhao said: "You don't have to worry. Just relying on you to solve the livelihood of tens of thousands of refugees outside the city, the imperial grandfather will always protect you. Not to mention, you have increased the population of the capital by tens of thousands, from Jing Zhaoyin to the Ministry of Households to The three provinces all value you very much. That is, Yushitai, they will not let you go."
These days, an important criterion for evaluating officials is to see whether the population is increasing or decreasing.
The increase in population means that the weather here is good, the people live and work in peace and contentment, and the parents are competent officials, so the evaluation is naturally excellent.
The refugees outside the city, because they bought a house, all have a permanent residence in the capital.
It is equivalent to tens of thousands more people in the capital.
what is this
This is political achievement!
Without the cooperation of the government, can the project outside the Nancheng Gate be carried out smoothly
Therefore, it is true that Gu Jiu solved the livelihood of the refugees, and the credit of the government cannot be erased, right
Population increase, such a great political achievement, of course, must be recorded in the government's credit book.
Those censors at Yushitai are pure shit-stirring sticks. annoying.
But these people can't turn the tide.
Gu Jiu laughed, "It's the first time I know that in the eyes of the three provinces and six departments, I'm quite rare."
Liu Zhao said: "Because you are not a man, you can bring merit to them but you will not become a competitor, so you are rare."
"It's realistic enough."
Gu Jiu complained.
Liu Zhao held her hand and said, "You don't have to worry about the affairs of the officialdom, you can do what you want to do. I will bear the ups and downs of the officialdom for you."
Gu Jiu laughed, "In this case, I have to increase your official budget. How about increasing it by half?"
"It's up to you."
…
Ganlu Palace.
Jiang Shuyi knelt on the main hall with a very low posture.
Today, she came to plead guilty to Concubine Xue Gui.
She gave birth to a ghost fetus, and it is impossible to regain her favor.
The emperor will not sleep with a woman who thinks of ghosts when she meets her.
Now, although she is a Shuyi, her situation in the harem is extremely dangerous.
She is young, which is her capital but also her shortcoming.
Being too young means lack of accumulation, let alone foundation.
So young that her natal family still had time to manage a network in the court.
Moreover, she was originally from a poor family, and her natal family could not rely on her at all.
He failed to give birth to a son, and he offended several empresses in the harem before, and he was also at odds with Concubine Li De.
Anytime, anywhere, she might die silently in the harem.
She doesn't want to die, so she has to struggle.
Zhou Miao gave her advice, and for the current plan, she had no choice but to return to Concubine Xue Gui's family.
Anyway, she came from Concubine Xue at the beginning. It is not difficult to surrender again, kneel down and surrender.
She also thought it was not difficult.
But when she knelt in the main hall of Ganlu Palace, she realized how difficult it was.
I'm used to living the life of a master, and I can't even kneel down.
And not only kneeling, but also humble enough.
Jiang Shuyi bit her lip, she wanted to cry.
Why is life in the harem so miserable.
Obviously, she was still a master before, and everyone in the harem wanted to support her and flatter her, and everyone revolved around her. Whatever she wants, she just opens her mouth.
Sometimes, you don't even have to open your mouth. With just one look, someone got the job done for me.
Even her natal family's status in the aristocratic circle of the capital has risen. The father and brother were taken out to gain knowledge, as if they were the master and son of a wealthy family.
The whole family waited for her to give birth to the little prince Jigou ascended to heaven, but in the end everything was gone.
Since she gave birth to the ghost fetus, the emperor has not stepped into her bedroom.
The flattering people who surrounded her before all dispersed.
Those who served her carefully in the past dared to show her face now.
Externally, she was obviously having a difficult labor, and the little prince was not kept.
But everyone in the harem looked at her, as if they knew that she had given birth to a ghost and was rejected by the emperor.
In just two or three months, she fell from the clouds to the dust, and really tasted the warmth and coldness of human feelings.
There is no need to send charcoal in the snow, only to add insult to injury.
Only Zhou Miao, who never left her, never gave up on her.
At this moment, Jiang Shuyi's knee hurts.
She secretly raised her head and looked towards the incense burner.
She has knelt for three incense sticks, nearly half an hour. No wonder my knees hurt so much.
Concubine Xue Gui sat on the couch, fiddled with rouge.
The best rouge has been tweaked, not so bright, but just right.
She is already in her fifties, but fortunately she is well maintained and looks young.
The hall was quiet, only the sound of Concubine Xue playing with the cups and plates.
"Forehead!"
Jiang Shuyi made a little noise, her knee was really painful. To show her sincerity, she didn't wear knee pads on her knees.
Knees suffer.
Even more uncomfortable is her heart.
Her heart is suffering Ling Chi.
"Oh, who is this? There is a person kneeling here, all of you, why didn't you know to tell me."
Concubine Xue Gui made a look of sudden realization, as if she had just discovered Jiang Shuyi's existence.
The maids pretended to plead guilty, "The slaves deserve to die. The slaves were afraid of disturbing the mother's elegance, so they didn't report it, and asked Jiang Shuyi to kneel for a while."
Jiang Shuyi knew that this was Concubine Xue's way of teasing her, but she could only admit it.
She knelt on the ground, bowed and said: "I don't blame this sister, it's the concubine who didn't let her report. Madam, the concubine greets you."
Concubine Xue pursed her lips and smiled, "So it's Jiang Shuyi, you are a rare visitor. Why do you come to this palace today when you have time?"
Concubine Xue didn't let Jiang Shuyi get up, so Jiang Shuyi had to keep kneeling.
"Your Majesty, my concubine was deceived by lard in the past, she was complacent, and did many wrong things. Now this concubine knows her mistakes and is willing to repent. Please give my concubine a chance."
After finishing speaking, Jiang Shuyi knelt down on the ground, extremely humble. He completely put himself in the dust and trampled on by others.
Concubine Xue sneered, "Oh, I dare not take it upon you to say that. Who are you, I dare not give you a chance, Mistress Shuyi. Mistress Shuyi is His Majesty's favorite woman, and it is Bengong. Seeing you, I have to be courteous. Don’t you think so?”
"Your Majesty is very true. What kind of character is Jiang Shuyi on the board? There is no need to apologize. I'm afraid it's not acting."
The maids laughed and laughed at Jiang Shuyi to their heart's content.
Many of them were Jiang Shuyi's companions at the beginning, working as maids in Ganlu Palace together.
In just a few years, flipped and flipped.
I really don't know what happened in life.
Jiang Shuyi raised her head, "Your Majesty, the concubine really knows his mistake. Your Majesty has rejected the concubine, and the concubine has nowhere to go, so she can only ask the concubine to come to the concubine. I beg the concubine to see that the concubine is a person from Ganlu Palace, and rescue the concubine for a while." Bundle."
"I don't dare to be the palace. You are Jiang Shuyi, the most important person in His Majesty's heart. You should go and ask your good sister Li Defei. I think she will be very happy to help you."
Concubine Xue Gui laughed repeatedly.
She said that today's young people are all impatient, too anxious, and will be taught a lesson sooner or later. Do you really think that if you get favored, you can sit back and relax
After decades of life, the women around His Majesty come and go, how many years can they be pampered. He dared to show his face arrogantly in front of her.
It's all right now, the color has not faded, and the love has relaxed.
No!
Jiang Shuyi was completely out of favor.
A woman who falls out of favor is a little bit better than a woman who falls into the cold palace.
Maybe it's not as good as a woman in the cold palace.
"I beg your mother to be kind. A concubine is useful to your mother."
Jiang Shuyi was flustered, but she didn't flinch.
"The concubine knows a lot about Concubine Li De. If the empress wants to deal with Concubine Li De, the concubine can help."
Concubine Xue laughed, "Jiang Shuyi, don't joke, when will I deal with Concubine Li De? I and Concubine Li De are good sisters. Tomorrow, I will invite her to drink tea."
Jiang Shuyi's face turned pale, "What should the concubine do, so that the empress will forgive the concubine."
Concubine Xue Gui looked at her with a half-smile, "What is your relationship with Bengong, why should Bengong forgive you?"
Jiang Shuyi's face froze.
Xue Guifei smiled and said: "Can't you tell? Then please go back. I'm going to rest."
After finishing speaking, Concubine Xue Gui stood up and was about to leave the hall.
Jiang Shuyi panicked, this was her only plan, and she couldn't give up.
She tore off her own face fiercely, threw it on the ground, and shouted loudly: "Your servant is a dog of your mother. When my mother tells me to bark, my servant dares not to open her mouth. My mother tells me to shut up, but my servant dare not bark. My mother It is the heaven of slaves and the master of slaves."
Concubine Xue sat down again, "Tsk tsk tsk! I really didn't realize that the dignified Jiang Shuyi was willing to be a slave."
"The servant has been a running dog of the empress from the beginning to the end." Jiang Shuyi was completely desperate. As long as you can survive.
Concubine Xue Gui smiled, "Since I'm a lackey of this Palace, please bark twice."
Jiang Shuyi raised her head, and the corner of her eyes swept over everyone's faces, laughing, mocking, gloating...the list goes on.
How beautiful and arrogant she was back then, now she is miserable.
She flew so high back then, but now that she fell, everyone wanted to step on her.
"Wow woof..."
She opened her mouth with difficulty.
Xue Guifei shook her head, "Did you hear the noise just now?"
"No."
Jiang Shuyi's face was pale, "Woof..."
This time the sound was noticeably louder than before.
"Jiang Shuyi, what was your name just now? Why didn't I hear you clearly?"
Jiang Shuyi held her breath, and told herself in her heart that she had already walked ninety-nine steps out of a hundred steps, and she must not fall short in the end.
She went all out, and shouted at the highest volume: "Wow!"
"Okay! That's a good call, let's watch it." Concubine Xue Gui laughed.
No matter how arrogant you were at the beginning, now you might as well kneel in front of Ben Gong and learn how to bark like a dog.
All the maids present showed contempt on their faces.
They all secretly scolded Jiang Shuyi for being stinky and shameless. In order to climb high branches and find backers, they don't even want face.
"Thank you for the reward!"
Jiang Shuyi was relieved.
Breaking through her psychological limit, she seemed to become stronger.
Concubine Xue Gui laughed, "You are capable of bending and stretching, you can be both Empress Shuyi and a running dog."
"Thank you for your compliment." Jiang Shuyi said solemnly.
Concubine Xue raised her eyebrows and smiled, "People like you are rare."
Therefore, she was more wary of Jiang Shuyi.
Anyone who can bend and stretch is a person who can do great things.
This Jiang Shuyi is not simple.
Give her a chance, maybe she can get up again.
However, it is impossible for a woman who has given birth to a ghost to win His Majesty's favor again.
Fortunately, Concubine Xue was willing to give Jiang Shuyi a chance.
If Jiang Shuyi just had a difficult labor and gave birth to a stillbirth, Concubine Xue Gui would not even see her.
Concubine Xue Gui smiled softly, "You have been kneeling for so long, get up."
"Thank you ma'am."
Jiang Shuyi got up from the ground, and almost knelt down again because of too many knees.
Her legs were trembling, but she insisted on standing up straight.
Concubine Xue Gui smiled coldly.
Even if you stand up straight today, I can still bend your spine.
"Come here, help Jiang Shuyi go down and give her some medicine. We'll talk about the rest later."
"As ordered."
Jiang Shuyi opened her mouth, swallowed all she wanted to say, and finally said, "Thank you for your kindness."
Her knee was hurt, and she almost died of pain when taking the medicine, not to mention being ridiculed and insulted by others.
She endured it all!
She dragged her injured leg back to her bedroom, Zhou Miao had been waiting for a long time.
"How? Is it going well?"
Zhou Miao took her from the hand of the maid and helped her to sit down.
Jiang Shuyi's face was pale, and she was sweating profusely, "I knelt for almost an hour and learned how to bark like a dog. I finally got Xue Guifei's forgiveness."
"That's not bad."
"Is that not bad?" Jiang Shuyi glared.
Zhou Miao smiled coldly, "No needles, no whips, no knives, no water prison, no starving you for three days and three nights.
You just knelt for an hour and barked like a dog twice, and you got forgiven, what else do you want
Do you want to take a trip to the Lenggong to see what it means to live worse than death
There are so many ways to humiliate people in the palace, let alone kneeling for an hour, even kneeling for a day, as long as you can get forgiveness, it is worth it. "
Zhou Miao unceremoniously broke the net woven in Jiang Shuyi's heart and taught her to face reality squarely again.
Jiang Shuyi couldn't accept it for a while, and cried while covering her face.
"Okay, don't cry. It's good to have the current ending. You can also refuse to give in. You died silently that day, and don't blame others."
"Don't talk about it, I understand the truth. Today, I have already prepared for it. It's just that I will still be sad and painful."
"Which one of the people in this palace is not in pain?"
Jiang Shuyi wiped away her tears, "What shall we do next?"
Zhou Miao rolled her eyes, "Of course I obediently obey the orders of the imperial concubine. If she points east, you don't go west. If she tells you to beat someone, you can't be soft. If she tells you to kill, you have to hold the knife tightly." A knife goes in and a knife goes out."
Jiang Shuyi gritted her teeth and shivered subconsciously, "If she tells me to kill Concubine Li De, what should I do?"
"It's not wrong to kill. As for whether you can kill the other party, you can't guarantee it."
Jiang Shuyi nodded, "I understand. But, do I have to rely on Concubine Xue all the time?"
"if not?"
"Madam Zhao, can you think of a way?"
Zhou Miao sneered, "No matter how capable Mrs. Zhao is, she can't reach the harem."
"But Your Majesty attaches great importance to Mrs. Zhao. If Mrs. Zhao is willing to speak a few words of kindness in front of His Majesty for me..."
"Don't daydream. Foreign ministers are not allowed to interfere in the harem, not to mention that she is the emperor's grandson's wife. In her capacity, if she speaks for you, the problem will rise to a battle for the heir apparent. Do you understand? Then you will If you really want to die, you will be bestowed to die by His Majesty himself."