The head office of Neizhu Division is in Ninghui Hall, and to get here, you need to go through the Xihua Gate with golden nails and vermilion lacquer.
On the white jade pillar standing beside the Xihua Gate, there are exquisitely carved dragons and auspicious phoenixes of various shapes, and the cloud patterns on them are also ethereal and vivid.
After a while, Rong Xi arrived at Ninghui Hall.
The reason why he came early was that at three o'clock in the morning, it was time for the emperor to eat breakfast. At this time, the food bureaus of the internal divisions had to prepare meals for the emperor, and the guards were the strictest, and the rest of the people were not allowed to hang around.
And after the time for the emperor to eat, the chariot yard and chariot yard outside the Ninghui Hall are waiting for dispatch at any time. If any master in each palace needs a chariot or chariot, he must come here to inform in advance, and the palace will record the affairs. Unified deployment.
The Ninghui Palace is in charge of various departments, bureaus, and various affairs, so it can be said that it is always busy.
The recorder in the palace only had time to see Rong Xi in the early morning.
People in the palace always spread gossip quickly, and Rong Xi has also heard about it in the past few days. There are two masters in the palace who want her to serve them.
Not long ago, the maid of honor of Concubine Li Gui, Qiu Ju, came to look for her. She brought a brocade bag of golden melon seeds, and stuffed them into her hand with a little restraint, saying that Concubine Li Gui had rewarded her.
The Department of Neizhu has not yet decided on her whereabouts, but Concubine Li Gui seems to be bound to win, and she is sure that she will be transferred to serve the second princess Muqian. He also sent a big palace lady to bribe her in advance to deal with her in advance.
There is a reason for Concubine Li Gui to be domineering in the palace. One is that she gave birth to a son and a daughter for Emperor Muzhen, and she is the most favored.
Second, his father is the chief official of the Privy Council, Privy Councilor, who is in charge of Daqi's military power transfer order, and even surpasses the left and right ministers of Zhongshu.
But Rong Xi knew in her heart that no matter whether she followed Concubine Li Gui and Second Princess Mu Qian, this reward would not be accepted, so she politely stuffed the bag of golden melon seeds back into Qiu Ju's hand.
The little eunuch next to the recorder saw Rong Xi coming, and led Rong Xi into the palace.
The furnace in the hall is full of smoke, the floor is covered with dark red old wood, and the interior is simple but without losing the royal atmosphere.
The recorder, wearing earcups and an indigo official uniform, is explaining important matters to the little eunuch who is in charge of transcribing.
The eunuch who led Rong Xi in cupped his hands, and said in a boyish voice, "Recorder, Aunt Rong is here."
Rong Xi bowed to the recorder Fushen, the recorder nodded, and stopped everything in his hands.
The various divisions in the Daqi Palace belong to the Menxia Province, and the housekeeping is not divided.
The chief official servant under the sect was an official in the previous dynasty, and the most important thing on weekdays was to serve the emperor, and he was regarded as the emperor's close minister.
But after the second emperor of Daqi, that is, the current Qizhuang Emperor Muzhen, came to power, the chief servants under his sect had real power.
In recent years, the minister has done many things such as sealing and refuting, and copying by the review office.
The personnel transfer orders of various departments and bureaus, as well as the trivial matters of Yongxi Palace, were handed over to the recorders of a lower rank.
Rong Xi's whereabouts is very tricky.
The two masters, Mu Huai and Mu Qian, are not easy to mess with, and it has been difficult for the recorder to make a decision these days.
A maid's transfer order is naturally not to ask the emperor or empress, but this recorder has asked the attendant for instructions, and the attendant is well aware of the difficulty of this matter.
The waiter shirked the blame, using his busy schedule as an excuse, and let the matter be decided by the recorder alone.
The recorder in the palace should be respectful on the surface, but he secretly gritted his back molars after stepping back.
Doesn't this offend people
There is only one maid of the Rong family, and she can't be split in half, and one master can divide her in half.
When Rong Xi came to Ninghui Hall, the recorder came up with an unkind way.
That is to let Rong Xi choose the master himself, in this way, if there is any resentment in Yigong, he can't blame him.
If you want to complain, just blame the maid named Rong.
The recording skills are brilliant, and she told Rong Xi about letting her choose the master.
It's also a good name to say that he appreciates Rong Xi, and he thinks highly of her by letting her choose her own life and find her own future.
After hearing this, Rong Xi raised her eyebrows slightly, but her heart was like a mirror, which could see through the bad thoughts of recording things.
Her complexion was still as usual, as warm as a spring breeze.
In the palace, one ranks down one level, and the one who takes the blame is always the one below. She has been in the palace for a long time, and she has long been accustomed to these dirty things in the inner palace.
Rong Xi's voice was calm, and he said to the recorder neither humble nor overbearing: "Please allow the servant to think about it for another day. After all, the servant can only choose between these two masters."
In fact, what Rong Xi said was: After all, no matter which side she chooses, she will definitely offend others.
The recorder has been immersed in the palace for many years, so he naturally understands another meaning in Rong Xi's words.
Bianjing, the capital of Daqi, is located in the south. Rong Xi speaks Wu Nong's soft language, with an extremely soft tone.
The recorder secretly felt that although the maid of the Rong family was mediocre in appearance, her speech was delicate and pleasant.
That kind of tone of voice with a little bit of enthusiasm cannot be pretended, and it is not artificial at all, but it makes people feel crisp.
The recorder collected his thoughts.
The maids of the Rong family were all on the left and right to gnaw hard bones, so she agreed to her request, and at the same time told Rong Xi: "Make a decision as soon as possible, this matter cannot be delayed any longer."
*****
The weather in Biandu was very good that day, and the wild geese that were alone during the migration season crossed the clear blue sky, chirping, and the clouds rolling and relaxing.
Rong Xi walked on the palace road leading to the Fuqu Palace, and looked up at the lone geese flying by.
The sun was glaring, and she frowned slightly.
Going back this time, it would be a lie to say that I am not worried.
Rong Xi once guessed in her heart the concubines who secretly tricked Yu Zhaorong to conceive and lose her child. Yu Zhaorong had offended too many people during his lifetime, and Concubine Li Gui was one of them.
Concubine Li Gui is suspected of harming Yu Zhaorong. If she wants to serve the person who killed her former master, Rong Xi will always feel guilty and estranged.
As for the fourth prince Mu Huai...
In the palace road not far behind, there was a lot of noise.
As soon as Rong Xi thought of Mu Huai, she saw the princes and princesses who had returned from school at the Imperial Academy passing by the palace road, and she hurriedly retreated to the side of the palace road.
The first emperor Mu You made a rule when he was still alive that the princes and daughters of the Qi Dynasty should study diligently. At that time, the bell in the Zirui Hall had not yet sounded, so they had to sit in the Hanlin Academy and wait quietly for the teacher to teach.
Rong Xi secretly thought in her heart that what a coincidence, among the princes and princesses passing by, she actually saw the person she had just thought of - the fourth prince Mu Huai.
Because of Mu Huai's leg disease, he seldom went to the banquets in the closed palace. Although Rong Xi had seen him before, he glanced at him from a very long distance.
Today is the first time Rong Xi saw Mu Huai's face clearly.
Mu Huai's facial features were clearly restrained, his eyes were calm and calm, showing a faint coldness and loneliness.
He was sitting in a wheelchair, wearing a moon-white shirt, with a dark ribbon around his waist, and his black hair was tied with a small white jade crown. Returning from studying, the clothes Mu Huai wears are not complicated, but they show the unique arrogance and nobleness of royal family background.
Moon White was originally a light sky blue, but this color made Mu Huai's skin look cold and sickly white, and also made his sharp eyebrows and black hair darker.
When Mu Huai and his party were about to pass by Rong Xi, she knelt down respectfully and lowered her head according to the palace rules, so as not to bump into the noble lords.
I couldn't help thinking of two words in my mind-
Zhilan Yushu, Jiyue Qingfeng.
When I saw him from afar before, I felt that although all the princes in the palace were not bad in appearance, he was the most outstanding and handsome among them.
He looks like a gentleman like jade, but he doesn't have the femininity of those aristocratic princes in Daqi.
Rong Xi knew a little about face-to-face, when he looked at Mu Huai just now, he felt that there was a faint look of viciousness in his eyes.
If it weren't for his leg problems, he might be the most energetic prince in Yongxi Palace.
Although Rong Xi felt sorry for Mu Huai's leg ailment, he had heard early in the morning that this handsome fourth prince was the most cold and surly, and several maids died in the palace.
The emperor, Mu Zhen, was gentle and kind. When he carried out the dead body of the third court lady from Mu Huai's palace, he finally asked Mu Huai to restrain himself and not to take the lives of palace maids at will.
Yu Zhaorong has a bad temper, but when he teases the palace servants, Zuo just swears a few words angrily.
But if she works in front of the fourth prince, her head will probably be tied to her waist.
Thinking in this way, the light autumn wind brushed over Rong Xi's cheeks, and a faint cold fragrance permeated her nostrils.
Rong Xi's heart skipped a beat.
She knew a few perfumers Feng Yu, who knew some spice tonality.
This kind of fragrance should be made from the needles of the rare Shufenghanmei, which smells unique and long-lasting.
She kept her eyes on the little ants struggling to crawl in the cracks in the ground, but the cold fragrance was getting closer and closer to her.
Rong Xi gradually held his breath, and what he heard was the rumbling sound of wooden wheels rolling over the bluestone slabs.
Mu Huai's wheelchair actually stopped in front of her.
Rong Xi calmed down, and was a little at a loss when he heard him ordered: "Raise your head."
Rong Xi originally thought that Mu Huai's voice would be that of a clear boy, after all, he has just been crowned, at the age of twenty.
But to her surprise, Mu Huai's voice was deep and mellow, very masculine.
Rong Xi didn't show timidity, although he didn't understand Mu Huai's thoughts, he still raised his head as he said, and said respectfully: "Your highness, my servant, is safe."
Mu Huai's eyes were deep, and without any emotion, he glanced at Rong Xi's ordinary appearance behind the cover, and asked again: "My name is Rong Xi, isn't it?"
"Return to Your Highness, this servant is called Rong Xi."
Mu Huai listened to Rong Xi's delicate and soft voice, pursed her thin lips slightly, and had some doubts in her heart whether this court lady was as loyal and extremely talented as Shun Fu said.
At this time, there was a swaying sound of chariot bells coming from the palace road, and the scene was not small.
After hearing this, Mu Huai pulled the corners of his lips slightly, but there was still no smile on his face, he just said to Rong Xi lightly: "Clean up when you go back, and I will serve you in my palace tonight."
His tone was flat but commanding.
Undeniably tough.
Before Rong Xi could reply to Mu Huai in the future, he saw the second princess Mu Qian arriving in a chariot.
Mu Qian just heard the conversation between Mu Huai and Rong Xi. She has been listening to her concubine Li Guifei these days that there is a maid named Rong who will be transferred to their palace. Serve her.
Mu Qian didn't pay much attention to this matter at first, but seeing that Mu Huai wanted to compete with her for this palace maid today, she wanted to argue with him in her heart.
Mu Huai's mother and concubine, Concubine Yin Xian, was the most favored during her lifetime. When Mu Huai was thirteen years old, there were faint rumors in the court that Emperor Mu Zhen intended to make Mu Huai his heir apparent. The news was not confirmed, but the bedroom where Concubine Yin Xian lived suddenly flooded.
The fire was fierce and ruthless, and Concubine Yin Xian and dozens of palace officials were killed in the sea of flames.
Fortunately, Mu Huai was rescued by the eunuch Shun Fu, but afterwards he suddenly contracted a strange disease, his legs could not walk as usual, and the otherwise handsome boy became disabled.
Emperor Mu Zhennian thought that Mu Huai lost his mother and was disabled since he was young, so he was particularly fond of him.
In Mu Qian's heart, she secretly scolded Mu Huai for being crippled. He was obviously a cripple, but he always wanted to compete with her and her elder brother Mu Ji for his father's favor.
After getting off the chariot, Mu Qian led the maid to Rong Xi's place, and said in a bad tone: "Brother Huang is really unkind, this maid was originally assigned to work at my place, how can you take it halfway, brother?" go?"
These words are not respectful, not like what the younger sister said to the elder brother.
After finishing speaking, Mu Qian stretched out her slender fingers and pointed to Rong Xi, signaling to the eunuch to rob him.
After the two eunuchs got the order, they quickly grabbed Rong Xi's arms, lifted her up, and dragged her towards Mu Qian.
Rong Xi couldn't react in time, she didn't expect Mu Qian to treat her as if she was something, and grab her as soon as she said she wanted.
Mu Huai raised his eyebrows slightly, and tapped the crossbar of the wheelchair with his slender and clear index finger, without saying a word.
Because his legs were ill, Mu Zhen allowed Mu Huai to carry a saber as an attendant when he traveled in the palace.
The attendants behind Mu Huai immediately understood, and drew their swords to block Eunuch Mu Qian.
When the two eunuchs saw the shining silver blade, their faces turned pale with fright, and they immediately let go of Rong Xi.
Seeing this, Mu Qian gritted her teeth angrily, and cursed Mu Huai several times in her heart as a cripple.
In the blink of an eye, Mu Huai slightly rolled his eyes at Rong Xi.
It was extremely difficult for people to notice the subtle eyes, but Rong Xi immediately understood his intentions.
Without thinking too much, Rong Xi quickly walked behind Mu Huai's wheelchair like a ghost.
Mu Huai smiled lightly, following Rong Xi's steps, his eyes stopped briefly on her body.
This court lady is quite intelligent and sensible.
Thinking of this, Mu Huai saw Mu Qian staring at him angrily, and suppressed his faint smile.
His voice was as cold as ice, and he said to Mu Qian, "Her, I'm going to make it."
Mu Qian couldn't believe it, and choked with anger: "You..."
"If anyone troubles her in the future, it will be against me."