After coming out of Zhennan King's outer study, Nangong Yue ordered Que'er to go to the side concubine Wei to get the right card.
The pair of cards is divided into the outer court and the inner court. According to the rules, the pair of cards in the outer court is held by the head of the house, while the pair of cards in the inner court is in the hands of the wife who presides over Zhonggui. In the past, when Xiao Fang was still a princess, she naturally held the matching cards in the inner courtyard of the palace. After she went to Mingqing Temple to pray for blessings, the matching cards were handed over to Wei Shi, and it has been more than a year in the blink of an eye.
The right card can be said to be a symbol of power in a mansion. If it is an ordinary person, they would not hand it over easily, but the Wei family is different. Before Que'er has left the house, Wei's big maid Peiyu has come to the Bixiao Hall , handed over a red sandalwood box, and opened it in front of Que'er. The pear blossom wood pair inside had the words "Zhennan Wangfu" written on it.
Pei Yu said bluntly: "Concubine Shizi, the lord sent someone to tell our concubine that the concubine and the eldest girl were going to give medicine, and asked the concubine to try her best to cooperate with the concubine and the eldest girl, so the concubine ordered the servants to bring the matching cards. gone."
Peiyu left, Que'er held the red sandalwood box in her hand, feeling heavy.
After a while, Guanshi Chu, who was in charge of the purchase of the palace, was called to the Xihong Hall of Bixiao Hall, took the prescription given by the concubine Shizi, and took the warm pair of cards, and went to the accountant to collect the money.
Concubine Wei handed over the matching cards to the concubine Shi Zi, and the fact that the prince ordered the concubine Shi Zi to be in charge of dispensing medicine in the city, soon spread in the palace.
A little maid ran into the kitchen panting, and said to a middle-aged woman who was drinking rock sugar water, "Sister-in-law of the Liu family, you... have you heard?"
"Xia Chan, why are you blubbering? It's so hot, drink some iced mung bean soup." The middle-aged woman was wearing a blue brocade gown.
Xia Chan glanced at the sister-in-law of the Liu family with a half-smile, knowing that she was trying to avoid laziness. Anyway, she didn't intend to sue, so she drank the mung bean soup in one go, and then said mysteriously: "It's been hot recently, and the concubine Shizi is going to use medicine to relieve the heat in the city. The crown prince is gone, and now Steward Chu has taken the money from the cashier to buy medicine..." She was speechless as she spoke: Oh, hey, the palace is probably going to be turned upside down again!
Liu's sister-in-law's attention was different from Xia Chan's, she pulled Xia Chan and asked: "Xia Chan, you said that the concubine Shi Zi wants to use medicine to relieve heat? Doesn't that mean that the medicine needs to be boiled manually? Is the manpower from this side or this side?" If you want to use the manpower of the palace, why do you think that the people in their kitchen can't escape this job? If you want to boil the medicine, wouldn't you want to heat her to death
Xia Chan blinked, she just heard other people chatting, so she rushed to the kitchen to show off the news. She shook her head blankly: "I haven't heard of that."
The sister-in-law of the Liu family bit her nails and said, "I have to talk to Madam Xu, this job must never be accepted..."
"What do you know!" A clear and crisp voice interrupted the sister-in-law of the Liu family, and the two followed the sound, only to see a forty-something woman wearing a parrot and a green hang silk skirt standing at the entrance of the kitchen at some point .
Xia Chan hurriedly put down the bowl of mung bean soup left in her hand, and said with a dry smile, "Nurse Xu..."
Nanny Xu is the nanny in charge of the kitchen of the palace, so she is naturally dignified in the kitchen.
The sister-in-law of the Liu family and Xia Chan were a little embarrassed for a while.
Nanny Xu glanced at the soup stains on the corner of Xia Chan's mouth lightly, and didn't bother with her. There is no one who doesn't work in the kitchen who doesn't eat more, just don't go too far.
"Not only can't we postpone this job, but we have to take the initiative to do it..." Madam Xu said slowly.
"Nurse Xu..." Sister-in-law Liu's eyes widened, and she wanted to say, Nurse Xu, you are not stupid, are you? What are you doing to find something for yourself
Mammy Xu glared at sister-in-law of the Liu family. This sister-in-law of the Liu family likes to be lazy and has a stupid mind. If it wasn't for her good craftsmanship, Mammy Xu would have let her go home long ago.
Nanny Xu looked around, and said in a low voice: "What do you know?! Based on what I've seen these days, it may not be so easy for Madam to regain the power of the family..." Madam has lost her order, but now she can't control her. Nanwang favors and trusts, and it is even more difficult to give back in the palm of his hand. In comparison, the concubine's foothold in the palace and in southern Xinjiang has become more and more stable, and she is respected by the prince. Now even the prince seems to have little respect for her. Different trends...
Mother Xu pondered for a while, and said again: "My lord even asked Concubine Wei to give the right card to the concubine. I was thinking that the lord might be planning to give the concubine the middle gift from the palace..."
Let the imperial concubine be in charge of the palace?! Xia Chan and Liu's sister-in-law looked at each other, they were shocked at first, but after thinking about it again, this is not impossible!
In the past, the prince has always disliked the son, and even the concubine, the prince was also somewhat angry, but if the prince changed his view on the concubine, and let the concubine, the future mistress of the palace, be in charge of the palace, wouldn't it be better than the side concubine Wei? Is it justifiable that the concubine is coming?!
Xia Chan looked at Nanny Xu with a look of admiration, and said in her heart: Yes, if the concubine Shizi really wants to show their loyalty, then they have to hurry! How can she show her face to the imperial concubine when she's having a lot of fun! Madam Xu is indeed Madam Xu!
Xu Momo straightened her clothes and said impatiently: "I'm going to Bixiao Hall to meet Shi Zifei..."
"Nurse Xu, I'll go with you too." Xia Chan obsequiously followed.
Nanny Xu and Xia Chan left, leaving only the sister-in-law of the Liu family poking her lips in boredom. Originally, it was hot in summer, and the masters and servants had mediocre appetites. That was the best time to dodge, but ah... hey Now, I am afraid that I will lose a few catties from exhaustion.
The sister-in-law of the Liu family poured another bowl of iced mung bean soup for herself in depression, and drank heavily, while on the other side, Nanny Xu and Xia Chan also went to Bixiaotang to see the eldest concubine Nangong Yue.
Since Nanny Xu took the initiative to invite Ying, Nangong Yue was not polite to her, and assigned the task of boiling medicine to Nanny Xu and Bi Xiaotang's kitchen.
Madam Xu didn't deliberately cover it up, especially after everyone in the palace knew that the concubine Shizi had taken the right card, they all waited and watched the movement on Bixiaotang's side. Madam Xu's movement caused other nuns in charge of the palace to commotion.
Those in the sewing room, those in the kitchen, those in the laundry room...the nurses in charge rushed to the Bixiao Hall in an endless stream, and it was lively until the sun went down.
The matter naturally spread to the main courtyard. Let’s not mention how Xiaofang’s anger was. Now that she has been banned, she doesn’t dare to offend the King of Zhennan anymore. She can only vent her anger by smashing things in her own room. .
From the second day onwards, the kitchens of Wangfu and Bixiaotang were filled with a strong smell of medicine. Madam Xu specially ordered someone to set aside a stove to cook heat-relief medicine, and ordered Liu's sister-in-law, Xia Chan and Another daughter-in-law watched the stove boil medicine.
Throughout the whole day, the palace is filled with the fragrance of medicine...
At noon that day, the barrels of medicinal soup were moved outside the North City Gate——because of time constraints, Nan Gongyue and Xiao Fei discussed temporarily applying the medicine in Xiao Fei's tea shop.
Que'er and Baihui also followed, and after working for a long time, they returned to the palace at sunset to report to the master. Baihui's boring gourd was enough to report in one sentence, and the same thing came to Que'er's mouth , is lifelike:
"Concubine Shizi, Miss, our anti-heat medicine is really a life-saving medicine! Heatstroke is a big problem, but it is not small. Those ordinary people who suffer from heatstroke mostly stay in the heat, scrape and scrape, and wait for it. I'm good, even if I can't make it through, I don't have money to see a doctor... But recently, the big girl's tea shop has been known to everyone in the city. If those poor families suffer from heatstroke, they will come to the tea shop to beg A bowl of herbal tea to drink. The people who came to beg for tea today saw that we were applying anti-heat medicine, so they came and begged for some back... "
Que'er became more and more excited as he spoke, and continued: "When the maidservant first arrived, an old woman came to ask for medicine with her grandson in her arms. The grandson was the only child of their family. He had been ill for several days due to heat stroke. He had been seen by the doctor but he never recovered. , People are already unconscious. After pouring a bowl of medicine from Shi Zifei, people wake up after a short time. It is really amazing. The old woman kowtowed in front of the tea shop, saying that she wanted to set up a longevity tablet for the owner of the tea shop... The six large barrels of medicinal soup were finished within an hour, and those who missed it said that they would come back to ask for medicine tomorrow!"
Xiao Fei was fascinated by what she heard, the corners of her mouth curled up slightly, her eyes sparkled even more, it felt really good that what she did could benefit the people!
"Sister-in-law, shall we go and have a look tomorrow?" Xiao Fei suggested enthusiastically.
Nangong Yue smiled and replied, "Okay."
Xiao Fei's eyes lit up, and she said again: "Sister-in-law, the six barrels of medicinal soup seem to be a little short, I think I will order the kitchen to add another four barrels later, boil it up tonight, and send it over one after another tomorrow morning. That's it... Manager Chu seems to have to buy another batch of medicinal materials. If the father's one thousand taels of silver is not enough, we will go ask the father for more... It's only late June, and it will be hot for two or three months. !"
Xiao Fei talked eloquently, and already had her own ideas. Nangong Yue listened with a smile on her face, agreed to something from time to time, and then ordered to go on and say that because of the hot weather these days, anyone in the mansion who helps to apply medicine will be charged an extra monthly fee. double.
For a time, the subordinates were all happy and their morale was even higher.
In the early morning of the next day, Nangong Yue took Xiao Fei together from the East Street Gate to the tea shop at the North City Gate after finishing the trivial matters in the middle school.
When they arrived, it was only halfway through the hour, and the sun was not too big.
But the tea shop was already overcrowded, men and women huddled together in front of the tea shop, and more people rushed to the tea shop at the gate of the city.
"Hurry up!" An old woman hurriedly greeted another middle-aged woman, "Yu's sister-in-law said that there are not many medicines to relieve summer heat, and there will be no more medicines when it is late! You lazy woman is always slow in doing things. of… "
Panting, the middle-aged woman picked up her skirt and quickened her pace, and said in a low voice: "Mother, it's not the time yet, so it shouldn't be..." When she saw the crowd huddled together in front of the tea shop, she couldn't continue.
In the tea shop, a girl in a blue dress shouted loudly to the common people: "Everyone, don't crowd, please line up to get them! There are still medicines for heatstroke..."
The girl in Tsing Yi walked out of the tea shop and yelled together with a plump woman to try to maintain order, but there were too many people in the end, the people in front were still lined up, and the line behind was in chaos...
The girl in Tsing Yi tirelessly said to the people who were asking for medicine: "Everyone, don't crowd, please line up to get..."
I don't know how many times she said it, she suddenly fell silent, attracted by a green-covered carriage not far away, no, or rather, by the two young women getting off the carriage.
Two daughters, one is dressed as a woman, and the other is a girl in a boudoir, both of them have clear eyes, calm and elegant smiles, very noble and extraordinary...
The girl in Tsing Yi looked straight at the second daughter, and the plump woman beside her walked towards the opposite side quickly, she was introduced by Tao Yao to the tea shop, so naturally she knew Tao Yao who was next to Xiao Fei, and knew that it was the master who came .
Nangong Yue and Xiao Fei didn't want to attract unnecessary attention, Taoyao stopped the woman from saluting in time.
Nangong Yue glanced at the girl in Tsing Yi, her beautiful face and calm demeanor stood out from a group of ordinary women in Tsing Yi, the problem is--
Why is she here?!
Xiao Fei keenly noticed Nangong Yue's attention to the girl in Tsing Yi, and asked, "Sister-in-law, do you recognize that girl?"
Although Xiao Fei asked about Nangong Yue, the plump woman became more nervous, and replied awkwardly: "That Miss Ye came here on the orders of the prince..."
Father's orders?! Xiao Fei was at a loss when she heard it. Father never cared about such "little things". Why did he order a strange girl here
Nangong Yue was still looking at Ye Yili, with a slight scrutiny in her eyes.
Speaking of which, in the last life, she didn't actually know this Ye Yili, but after Ye Yinming won the first prize, he sent a heartfelt memorial to mourn his deceased sister, and denounced Xiao Yi, who was already the King of Zhennan at that time, for being selfish and cruel , Putting loan sharks to persecute the people and destroy their families.
It was also at that time that Nangong Yue found out that Ye Yili sold herself to a drunk flower house in order to treat her brother's illness and study, and later, in order not to hurt her brother's reputation and future, she hit a wall and died.
It is also because of this that Nangong Yue used to think that Ye Yili valued love and righteousness, was fierce and decisive, and had a somewhat admirable integrity.
But looking at Ye Yili now, I think of the scene when Ye Yili came to Bixiaotang to find her that day, and the fact that she took the initiative to resign from the beauty in the capital... Nangong Yue couldn't help feeling that Ye Yili's behavior was a bit too pretentious, maybe she was not As I thought...
After all, the truth of the previous life is actually unknown.
As keen and intelligent as Ye Yili, she also felt the scrutiny in Nangong Yue's eyes, and looked over without hesitation.
Although she is not as rich and honored as Nangong Yue, but she can also walk out a beautiful road with her own ability. My brother is so talented, and when he gets his title on the gold list in the coming day, he will definitely make Nangong Yue regret treating him like this!
Nangong Yue withdrew her gaze and turned to Xiao Fei to speak.
Ye Yili didn't go forward to say hello, she originally wanted to treat Nangong Yue as a friend, but that day she saw that in Nangong Yue's eyes, she was no different from a servant.
That's right, she is just a commoner girl, so how can she be on an equal footing with the dignified concubine? It's also because she is too wishful thinking...
Ye Yili turned around and was about to go back to the tea shop when she heard a commotion from the official road not far away.
She followed the sound and saw seven or eight ragged men, women, and children walking towards the city gate, staggering. The men carried young children on their backs, and the women held six or seven-year-old children in their hands.
Looking at their ragged and dusty appearance, one can tell that they must be refugees.
Over the past few days, many refugees have come to Luoyue City one after another. Because Luoyue City has properly resettled them, there has not been any incident of refugees stealing, hurting or disturbing the people. I glanced twice.
At this moment, a woman's scream suddenly came out from among the refugees: "Zhu Zi! Zhu Zi, wake up, don't scare your mother!"
The woman's gray dress was full of patches, and her cheeks were so thin that they were sunken. She knelt on the ground, nervously looking at the boy lying softly on her knees.
From the looks of it, the boy must have passed out, and he doesn't know if it was fatigue, hunger, or disease...
Nangong Yue frowned slightly, and hurriedly summoned a woman accompanying her, and ordered: "Go and help the child to the tea shop, feed him some heat-relieving medicine first, and then go get some cold water and food..."
Ye Yili's reaction was faster, before Nangong Yue finished speaking, she had already taken a bowl of herbal tea from the tea shop, holding the herbal tea anxiously, and trotted towards the fainted child.
"Sister-in-law," Ye Yili smiled, kindly and gently comforting the woman in gray, "Don't worry, the child will recover soon after drinking the herbal tea."
While speaking, she also knelt on the hot ground, one hand gently supported the child's shoulder and the back of the head, and the other hand brought the bowl of herbal tea to the child's mouth, carefully Feed him some herbal tea...
In the scorching sun, the golden sunlight sprinkled the entire official road, and also sprinkled on Ye Yili's body, covering her whole body with a light golden halo, and her jade-like skin seemed to be glowing...
Tread Tread...
A sound of horseshoes came from the direction of the city gate, and two steeds galloped out of the city. The leading red horse was a majestic middle-aged man, dressed in a purple silk brocade robe, he was Zhennan King.
Zhennan Wang saw Ye Yili's slender and tall figure from a distance, and saw her concentrating on taking the decoction for the sick child. Elder brother, with such a kind heart, she really is a wonderful woman who looks like a lotus orchid!
At this time, the mother-in-law also walked up to the gray-clothed woman and the child, and said politely: "Miss Ye, the sun is so bad these days, let the servants take the child to the tea shop first."
"No need, I'll just come." Ye Yili knelt there without letting go, and said gently but firmly, "This child has suffered from heatstroke and is not feeling well. It's better not to move around casually. I will feed him after he recovers." drink some medicine..."
"Miss Ye..." The corner of the woman's eyes twitched, she was not afraid of stupid people, but afraid of smart people thinking themselves right.
The mother-in-law knew that Ye Yili was ordered by the prince to help her, and she didn't want to offend her, but she could only offend her under the order of the concubine, "Miss Ye, this person who is suffering from heatstroke should be helped to a cool place first. Then heal."
People of a certain age actually know this truth. The mother of the child, the woman in gray clothes, was also in a daze for a while, so she didn't realize it, and hurriedly said to the woman: "What this elder sister said is that you must hurry up and hug her first." The pillar passed over to hide from the sun..."
Ye Yili showed a bit of embarrassment, but since the child's mother spoke out, she could only stand up embarrassingly and take a step back. The woman picked up the boy and hurried to the tea shop.
At the same time, King Zhennan rode his horse slowly and walked to Ye Yili's side, meeting Ye Yili's eyes who got up.
Ye Yili was a little surprised, and quickly said: "I have seen the prince."
The Zhennan King who was on the horse smiled at Ye Yili, jumped down easily, and threw the horse rope to the long follower behind him.
The King of Zhennan was about to help Ye Yili up, but he immediately realized something was wrong, raised his hand and said, "Miss Ye, excuse me."
Ye Yili smiled and stood up gracefully, "Thank you, my lord."
Not far away, Nangong Yue couldn't help raising her eyebrows slightly when she saw this scene. Thinking of what Que'er heard about Ye Yinming's appointment as Wangfu Shuzuo last time, she was a little stunned.
Ye Yili was willing to sell her body for her brother in the previous life, will she also be willing to be a concubine for her brother in this life
That's pretty funny...
Nangong Yue curled her lips slightly, the palace seemed to be lively again!
At the same time, when Ye Yili called out the word "Prince", the surroundings couldn't help being silent, and there is only one person in the entire southern border who can be called the "Prince"—
Zhennan King!