The people in the yard were all kneeling in blackness, drooping their eyes and bowing their heads, not daring to look directly. The two maids kneeling in front kowtowed to Chu Jinyao: "Prince concubine, this old slave has wronged, the slave maid taught the prince concubine the rules, accompanied the prince concubine from the Hou residence to the palace, loyal all the way, no matter who can't be sorry to the prince Concubine, you won't be an old slave!"
The two people were talking about their previous credits again. Chu Jinyao didn't take it up, but asked the palace mama, "What's the matter with the two packages in front of you?"
Madam Gong stepped forward and was about to speak when Madam Liu was afraid that Madam Gong would complain to her, so she hurriedly said, "Prince Concubine, this is a misunderstanding..."
"Shut up!" Linglong stood beside Chu Jinyao and scolded, "Prince Concubine asks, how can you interrupt?"
Chu Jinyao raised her hand slightly, and Linglong lowered her head and stepped back. Chu Jinyao continued to nod at Mama Gong: "Mother Gong, let's talk."
"Yes." Grandma Gong glanced at the two people on the ground smugly, and said, "This old servant is cooking soup for the Crown Princess today, and just after coming out of the small kitchen, I saw these two maids holding the package and going out through the corner door. The old slave thought that these two maids had business at work, so he called them from behind and didn't respond. The old slave saw that their expressions were not right, and was afraid that something might go wrong, so he followed up to take a look. Until they hid in a corner and said they would sell the things in the palace for money."
There was a low gasping sound in the courtyard, Chu Jinyao was there, the palace eunuchs did not dare to show any big moves, they only dared to exchange glances with the people next to them in private. Everything in the palace belonged to the emperor. If someone dared to steal something outside the palace, it would obviously be too long. Chu Jinyao finally looked at Mama Liu and Mama Hong: "Do you really take the things in the palace and sell them outside?"
Madam Liu's face was panic-stricken, her eyes were rolling, Madam Hong saw that the situation was wrong, and hurriedly cleared herself: "Prince Concubine Mingcha, this old slave is just taking the body that he has accumulated, and entrusting someone to buy it outside on his behalf, so it's easy to change it. Some old-age money. The old slave knows that this is against the rules of the palace, but there is really no cash available around. It happened that Liu mama said that she had a way, and the old servant followed her. I never thought... It is the old servant's eyelid Qian, for violating the rules of the palace, please punish the Crown Princess."
When Mama Liu heard this, she was furious, and Mama Hong was busy trying to separate herself from herself. Did she put everything on her head? Madam Liu hurriedly said: "Prince Concubine, the slaves have been wronged. The slaves have traveled thousands of miles from the capital to Taiyuan, and after teaching you the court etiquette for a year, they will accompany you to the capital again. It has been a thousand miles away. , the old slave is trying his best to teach you the rules, is the affection in this not comparable to a false accusation from others?"
This is simply Madam Liu's reliance. Relying on her own merits, she takes this as an example every time. They didn't say they were annoying, but Chu Jinyao was tired of hearing it. Chu Jinyao straightened her sleeves and sighed, "I also want to offer my two nanny the grace of my education. Mammy is the first, even when I arrive in the palace, I am not willing to let the two maids do the heavy work. I would rather divide the extra work on the Gong mama, Linglong and others, rather than let the two mammys suffer. Besides, is the reward of the maids the first one in the palace? I sincerely offered the two of you with kindness, but you guys did this kind of thing. You are still my nanny, but you secretly changed the one in the palace. I went out to buy things, but I was bumped by the palace mammy today. If it was someone else, wouldn’t I think it was my crown princess’s instructions? I treat the two of you with sincerity. "
The more affection is involved, the less someone can leave a story behind. The two maids wanted to use their kindness to blackmail her, but Chu Jinyao told them all about it, and gave the two maids a reputation for repaying their kindness and making an inch.
Everyone can see what the two maids have done these days. The maids and eunuchs in the audience all feel that the princess has done her best, and the two maids are still relying on the respect of the princess to act as demons, which is too much. Chu Jinyao said that the two maids couldn't hold their heads up. They were caught today and got all the loot, and they lost their old faces for several lifetimes. Madam Liu still held on to a glimmer of hope. She was sent by the queen, and Chu Jinyao would just scold her, and she would never dare to be serious with her. With this thought in mind, Madam Liu said: "Prince Concubine, you can't listen to the words of the villain, and you will harm us old heroes. The slave servant was ordered by the palace to come to the Prince Concubine's side to teach the Prince Concubine's words and deeds. Even if the Crown Princess doesn't believe in the old slave, she can't help but believe in the Empress!"
"Presumptuous!" Chu Jinyao raised her voice suddenly, implicitly oppressing, "You slave, you really dare to talk about it, do you mean that you are buying things in the palace by stealing, and it was all instructed by the empress? "
Madam Liu immediately lowered her head: "Old slave dare not."
"It's just daring. Since you said you were wronged, in front of so many people today, I'll give you an understanding." Chu Jinyao turned her face sideways, and Linglong stepped forward immediately, "Prince Concubine."
"Take someone to their house and do a good search to see if she has been wronged."
Linglong took orders and went, after a while, Linglong brought people many packages, Linglong stood sideways on the steps, first opened it for Chu Jinyao, then turned around and showed it to everyone below.
The little palace maids all gasped, these packages were actually full of broken silver. Chu Jinyao sighed, showing a look of disappointment: "I respect you everywhere, I never thought that I would make some enemies. How can you justify these money? Could it be that the Queen's concubine's instructions were not successful? Noble, and you are obviously doing evil yourself, but you have to rely on the goddess! It is an unforgivable sin."
Chu Jinyao's remarks separated the behavior of the two maids from Xiao Qi. She dealt with the mama who committed the crime, not the one sent by the queen. Madam Hong's mind turned fast, she immediately knelt down and kowtowed, and said, "Prince Concubine, these are all her things, and have nothing to do with slaves!"
"Hey you!" Madam Liu was furious and was about to say something when Chu Jinyao waved her hand to stop her.
"Okay, it's okay to bite each other in the palace." Chu Jinyao gestured to Linglong and quickly pulled the two people down. The rest of these words were very useful, and Chu Jinyao couldn't let them say it outside.
Linglong understood, and immediately called the eunuch over and pulled the two away. Madam Liu wanted to intercede again, but was stopped by Linglong: "Shut up, you are not allowed to make noise in the deep palace? Lock them in the empty room at the back and wait for the princess's release."
The two aunts were gagged and left, and the sound of struggling gradually faded away, which made the place more and more silent.
Chu Jinyao's eyes slowly swept over everyone, and finally stopped on Ziyan: "Aunt Ziyan, how long have they been reselling things?"
Ziyan came out in response, and when she heard this, she squatted down deeply and salutes: "I don't know this slave."
"Then the things they sell are things from the East Palace?"
Ziyan was at a loss for words, and did not dare to give a definite answer. The things in the East Palace are all fixed, and Ziyan material did not dare to touch the things in the East Palace. But what if
Seeing that Ziyan didn't speak, Chu Jinyao smiled lightly and said, "Aunt Ziyan, you are the most capable aunt in charge of His Highness. If His Highness trusts you, I will trust you. Aunt, don't you think?"
Ziyan was drenched in cold sweat, she said, just deal with the two aunties with dirty hands and feet. It turned out that today's outing was not for the two wives at all, it was them that the Crown Princess wanted to shock.
Ziyan hurriedly knelt down, and when Ziyan knelt down, the other four maids did not dare to stand, so they hurriedly knelt down. Ziyan lowered her head and said cautiously: "What the Crown Princess taught is that Ziyan will strictly restrain the palace servants in the future, and today's events will never happen again."
Qiu Chan was a little dissatisfied. It was the Crown Princess's upbringing mama who made trouble. It was obviously the Crown Princess herself that was embarrassed, so why should she blame Aunt Ziyan? Qiu Chan was indignant, and Swift held down Qiu Chan and forced her to kowtow together: "Thank you Crown Princess for your favor, this servant does not dare to humiliate her life."
Chu Jinyao looked at the original team in the East Palace to plead guilty, made them kneel for a while, and then announced them to get up: "Okay, get up. I know that you are all smart and capable, and only one of them is allowed. In the future , it must not happen again."
Ziyan stood up with cold sweat on her face, and after they stood up, Chu Jinyao stood up, walked to the door of the palace, and said to the palace people who were under the steps, "Don't think that you beat and scolded the people in today's affairs. The people who do the things are finished. Aunt Ziyan is in charge of such a big stall, how can she handle everything herself, don't rely on Ziyan to be too busy, and try to cheat and fool things. The one who was caught today It's my nanny. Although my heart hurts, I still deal with it according to the rules of the palace. If there are other people who don't follow the rules next time, don't care how decent you are, what kind of doorway you have in the East Palace, and who you are relatives and friends, as long as you If you make a mistake, it will be dealt with by palace rules, and I will never talk to you. Understand?"
"Understood." Everyone was said to be pale and trembling. Seeing that everyone responded, Chu Jinyao glanced for a while, and found that no one dared to move, and no one dared to show impatience. Only then did he feel that today's beating has come. She walked back to her seat and raised her tea to signal the end: "Today's matter is a wake-up call, you should always keep it in your mind. It's almost time, let's go and do your own work."
Everyone saluted Chu Jinyao in unison, then bowed their heads solemnly, not daring to leave first. Linglong and Ding Xiangsui walked through the door and helped Chu Jinyao to get up. After Chu Jinyao's figure was no longer visible, everyone in the atrium dared to spread out slowly.
Arriving at the inner hall, Lilac said honestly to Chu Jinyao: "Prince Concubine, you are really amazing."
Chu Jinyao went to a place where no one else was, and only then did she dare to sit down and drink a cup of hot food to moisten her mouth. After listening to Lilac's words, she couldn't help laughing: "I'm still powerful? Then tell me, how can I be so powerful?"
Lilac was the longest-serving maid by Chu Jinyao's side. Since Chu Jinyao returned to the Marquis of Changxing, Lilac was assigned to take care of Chu Jinyao. Lilac is a dull and honest person, because she is not as shrewd and cautious as Linglong, Chu Jinyao will inevitably rely on Linglong in the back, but in her heart, she still has more affection for Lilac.
Lilac thought about it for a while, and said truthfully: "When the Crown Princess was training people just now, her voice was not loud and her face was not scary, but she was so imposing that people didn't dare to look up."
Chu Jinyao and Linglong both laughed when they said this. Seeing Chu Jinyao smiling, Lilac tilted her head to think about it, and added: "Just now, when the princess was teaching Ziyan, she was like His Royal Highness."
"Nonsense." Chu Jinyao rolled her eyes at Lilac, her eyes rolling, and she smiled.
Linglong stood aside and added: "Prince Concubine, Lilac said honestly, but it's true. You've become more and more like His Royal Highness recently, especially when you're down, you're calm and majestic."
"The two of you are singing together, come over and make me happy." Chu Jinyao didn't take these words to heart, she instructed, "Those two maids, starve them for one night today, and don't talk to them tomorrow except for meals. Say a word. By the way, don't let these two people switch between them, and don't let them talk to each other. "
Linglong Fushen: "Prince Concubine said it long ago, but this slave remembers it. Concubine, how should these two women deal with it?"
"Lock them up first, and don't let anyone talk to them. After a few days, their hearts will wear off. When that time comes, we'll go over and set up other things with them."
"Princess, what are you talking about..."
Chu Jinyao glanced over, and Linglong immediately lowered her head. With the help of these two wives, they were able to inquire about the affairs of Xiao Qi's harem, but these words were absolutely impossible to say.
Chu Jinyao sat on the Arhat bed, Linglong and Lilac both stood beside Chu Jinyao and spoke with her. The master and servant were chatting, and the bead curtain outside the compartment rang. Ziyan came over and said hello to Chu Jinyao with a smile: "Prince Concubine Wan'an."
Chu Jinyao sat on the head and did not move, and in a moment her eyes had swept over the pair of cards in Ziyan's hand. Chu Jinyao kept calm and asked with a smile, "Why did Aunt Ziyan come here?"
Ziyan said: "The servant has been trusted by His Royal Highness and has been in charge of the internal affairs for many years. It's just that the servant is stupid and can't handle many things well. It's just because I didn't dare to live up to His Highness's trust, so I just held on tight. Fortunately, His Royal Highness is now big. After marriage, there is a prince concubine in the East Palace, and the slaves can also retire and leave the internal affairs to the prince."
Saying that, Ziyan was about to hand over the key and the matching card, but Chu Jinyao didn't answer, but asked, "Well, how can Auntie say such a thing? You have been in charge of the internal affairs for many years, and your credit is everyone's. We all know that. Your Highness and I will continue to rely on you in the future, so why does Auntie say such things?"
Seeing that Chu Jinyao refused to take things, Ziyan knew that this was more difficult than accepting them happily. Chu Jinyao deliberately attacked in front of Ziyan today, just wanting to use those two maids to beat her, and the incident was so big that no one in the front hall even came to ask questions. When the crowd dispersed, Ziyan specially asked someone to go to the front to ask, where is His Royal Highness
The eunuch in front sent back the news that His Highness brought back a lot of court affairs from the Wenhua Palace today, and is now in the study for approval. Ziyan's heart sank all of a sudden. She thought that the prince had something to do today and he hadn't come back yet, but now she realizes that he has always been there. Not making a statement is the biggest statement, Ziyan thought for a while, and decided to come to see the princess.
However, Ziyan brought the key and the matching card to express her position, but the princess refused to accept it. If the Crown Princess just refused to accept it, it means that the Crown Princess is eager and easy to deal with. However, she doesn't say good or bad, which is more troublesome.
Ziyan thought about a lot of things, and she answered more and more carefully: "The slaves are stupid, and you can only stay in the East Palace as an official because of your highness. Now that the Crown Princess is here, you are the master of the East Palace. Hand it into the hands of the mistress, and the slaves will take care of it on your behalf, what kind of manners will it be?"
"Auntie's words are too self-deprecating. Your Highness entrusts the internal affairs to you, which naturally shows that Auntie is extremely talented, and Your Highness will never misjudge someone. Since Your Highness trusts you, then I also trust you. Although I say it in front of everyone today. I got you, but our palace has a special status, and I couldn't let outsiders grab hold of the handle, so I reluctantly scolded you together. If you hold grudges for this and don't do it, then you can blame me. "
"How dare a slave maid!" Zi Yan quickly pleaded guilty, "What the Crown Princess said today is reasonable, it is the slave maid who neglected her duties in managing internal affairs, how dare the slave maid take this to heart?"
"That's good." Chu Jinyao personally helped Ziyan up and said, "It's fine if you don't blame me. You are a capable person that the prince relies on, and I am His Highness's wife, so naturally I think what he thinks and use what he uses. You don't need to talk about your resignation today, I just pretend that I haven't heard of it, and I will trouble my aunt in the future, and continue to manage the next palace maid and eunuch for our husband and wife."
Chu Jinyao mentioned the words "we" and "husband and wife" everywhere, how Ziyan still didn't understand, she saluted Chu Jinyao: "Thank you Crown Princess for being sympathetic. The Crown Princess is the mistress of the East Palace and can serve the Crown Princess, yes. The luck of the slave."
"Aunt is too modest. But it's good to say it. Aunt is not allowed to say that she will quit her post in the future. Ciqing Palace can't be without you." Chu Jinyao looked at the key in Ziyan's hand and glanced casually. He looked back, "Auntie, I understand what you mean, take these things back quickly."
Ziyan insisted, placing the keys on the table beside Chu Jinyao with both hands, and said, "It is a blessing for this servant to serve His Highness and the Crown Princess. Before the Crown Princess had not yet entered, the servant took the courage to take the key for the Crown Princess for the time being. Now that the Crown Princess has come, it is natural to return things to their original owners."
Chu Jinyao persuaded a few more words, and seeing Ziyan insisted on her refusal, she smiled slightly: "Auntie is very polite, Your Highness entrusts you with the internal affairs, as expected. Linglong, this is a piece of Aunt Ziyan's heart, you accept it. Get up."
"Hey!" Linglong responded, and happily took the things and locked them in the cage in the room. Chu Jinyao kept the post of Ziyan, but took the power of Ziyan. In the future, Ziyan will still be the aunt of Ciqing Palace's steward, but when dealing with important matters, she has to report back and forth to Chu Jinyao, the crown princess.
This is the best result. It is easy for Chu Jinyao to slap Ziyan, but after that, who will she take care of? It's troublesome to manage it well or not, it's better to keep it as it is, and let the principal Ziyan understand who to listen to.
It is good that they are old people who serve the prince, and Chu Jinyao is also willing to give them this honor. It's just that they have to know that in addition to the prince, her princess is also the master.
As for Qiu Chan, who was not very respectful to Chu Jinyao, she was just a palace maid, and Chu Jinyao could replace her at any time. A mere palace maid is not worthy of Chu Jinyao's heart. If she dares to be disrespectful to Chu Jinyao again, Chu Jinyao will directly hand over the person to Ziyan and let them handle it themselves.
After Ziyan handed over the keys, she didn't know whether she was relaxed or disappointed. However, Ziyan now understands that they are the Crown Princess, who looks quiet and gentle, as beautiful as a painting.
Ziyan stood for a while and gave up the two positions of kitchen and warehouse steward. These big maids around Chu Jinyao are not in charge yet. Ziyan used to think that she didn't know, but today she doesn't dare to know.
The kitchen is the key point. Food and medicine come out from here. Naturally, they have to be caught in their own hands, not to mention the warehouse. Money is fundamental at all times. Ziyan wisely gave up these two places, and Chu Jinyao also accepted her favor and accepted it happily.
Ziyan transferred her own people to make room for Chu Jinyao. Chu Jinyao thought about it for a while, and arranged for Mama Gong to go to the kitchen, with Lilac as her deputy. Grandma Gong is old and knowledgeable, and she understands the pharmacology and taboos of those women, so it is just right for her to come and watch the kitchen. Although Gongmao was from Old Madam Chu, the interests of the Marquis of Changxing and Chu Jinyao were the same in this regard, and once she entered the palace, Gongmao also understood that she could rely on Old Madam Chu in the future. It was Chu Jinyao, so the Gongmao also did her best to show Chu Jinyao her usefulness.
The two big maids by Chu Jinyao's side, Lilac is honest and the person that Chu Jinyao trusts the most, so Chu Jinyao arranged her in the kitchen to act as a check and balance. As for the shrewd and winking Linglong, of course, he went to the warehouse to check in and out.
After Chu Jinyao made arrangements for her own people, she looked at the sky outside and suddenly asked, "Where's Your Highness? I should have returned by this time."
The others did not dare to speak, so Chu Jinyao stood up and looked out for a while, and then sent a little eunuch to the front hall: "Go to the front hall and ask to see if His Highness has come back? If His Highness is here, tell Eunuch Lin. , said it's time to eat, and hurry up and let His Highness come back."
The little eunuch responded and ran away. Chu Jinyao waited for a while, but instead of waiting for the eunuch who came to deliver the letter, he directly waited for the main lord.
"His Royal Highness." Chu Jinyao walked to the door of Mingjian and took off Qin Yi's cloak in person, "Why did you only come back today?"
This tone is like a wife complaining about her husband returning late. Logically, this is a bit rude. The crown prince is busy with court affairs, so how can the female family ask questions? As soon as Chu Jinyao finished speaking, he felt a little regretful, but Qin Yi didn't seem to care. He said, "The New Year is approaching, and there is a backlog of chores in the six divisions, which is why it was delayed."
Chu Jinyao secretly looked at Qin Yi's face, Qin Yi let her look at it for a while, then turned around to catch her gaze, and asked with a smile, "What's wrong?"
"It's okay." Chu Jinyao smiled and took Qin Yi's arm, "I'm afraid you blame me for asking too much."
Qin Yi let Chu Jinyao stick around and act coquettishly, and he said softly, "It's alright."
Qin Yi didn't say that since Empress Wenxiao died, no one cared about whether he came back sooner or later for a long time. There is no need to say these words, but Qin Yi discovered one thing, Chu Jinyao is very "upright" on weekdays.
Qin Yi understood in his heart, but did not show it, and let Chu Jinyao take him to the palace for dinner. During a meal, Chu Jinyao served both vegetables and tea, and was extremely attentive.
After the meal, Chu Jinyao asked people to remove all the food. After waiting for no one, she sat next to Qin Yi and hooked Qin Yi's sleeve with her little finger: "Your Highness?"
Qin Yi looked at her calmly, looking at her calmly: "What's the matter?"
"I taught your people a few words today, are you not angry?"
"I'm angry or not, haven't you finished your training?"
"It's not like that." Chu Jinyao moved closer again, dragging Qin Yi's sleeve to explain, "I didn't use your man to cut down, and I didn't want to disgrace His Highness, I just... Look, it's you Where you grew up, the people here are all people you know well, but I don't know any of them, and I suddenly moved to your east palace. I must do something. Otherwise, they won't recognize me. ."
Qin Yi wanted to tease her on purpose, but when he heard Chu Jinyao say "this is where you grew up", his heart suddenly moved. Even if he didn't want to admit it, it was the place that carried most of his memories, and now, Chu Jinyao moved into this memory.
Qin Yi sighed inwardly and couldn't bear to tease her any more: "I'm just teasing you, you don't have to take it seriously. You don't have to be afraid of what you do in the future. As long as I don't stop you, then you can do it with confidence and it will be fine."
"Mother Liu's hands are not clean. I'm afraid that the things in our palace will be taken away by her. I want people to count all the things in the East Palace aside and make a new book. Is that okay?"
"Didn't you say it, you are the Crown Princess, of course you will arrange it."
"Really, you're not angry?" In fact, Chu Jinyao was a little nervous, because Madam Liu was deliberately tricked by her. It was the first time that Madam Liu committed a crime, so Chu Jinyao ignored it and kept her courageous. Getting bigger and bigger, he dared to take the things in the palace. Although Chu Jinyao did this for self-protection, but from the perspective of the East Palace, why? If Donggong really lost something for this, how would the account be calculated
"It's maddening to be angry." Qin Yi said slowly, "I heard Xiao Linzi say today that you are standing in the apse, I don't want to disturb you, so I'll go to the front hall to deal with the memorial first. You are also amazing, I If you don't come back, you don't ask, if you were hungry in the end, would you still not be able to remember me?"
"Why?" Chu Jinyao found that Qin Yi didn't really blame her, and was willing to support her. She had already settled down in her heart, and she would not be afraid of these teasing, "I've been thinking about you all the time. I thought you were in front of you to handle political affairs, So don't let people disturb you, you still blame me now!"
After Chu Jinyao finished speaking, she also sighed in her heart. People are really born with the ability to move forward. She used to be in the Marquis of Changxing, if she was in front of Madam Chu and Marquis of Changxing, how dare she do this. But now that she has replaced Qin Yi, who is more terrifying in theory, she dares to refute Qin Yi's words, and she dares to fight back.
In the past, Chu Jinyao always heard people say that she should keep her duty, and she took it seriously, until it happened to herself, Chu Jinyao suddenly found that keeping her duty was too difficult.
It's her who she is now, if she gets a little bit better, she wants more.