After everyone paid New Year's greetings one by one, Zhennan Wang righteously admonished the juniors, and a nurse in charge saw that the time was almost up, so she asked Nangong Yue in a low voice, asking if the family banquet should start.
Nangong Yue nodded, and was about to ask King Zhennan for instructions, when a sharp female voice rushed ahead of her and said, "How is the princess?"
There was a silence in the hall, knowing sisters like sisters, Mrs. Ji and Mrs. Ling immediately heard that the elder sister's tone was that those who came were not kind, and those who were kind would not come. The two sisters secretly exchanged a look.
Nangong Yue replied nonchalantly: "Thank you for your love, aunt, my niece and daughter-in-law are very kind."
Mrs. Qiao looked relieved, she nodded slightly and said: "There are many and complicated things during the New Year's Eve in the palace. It's really hard for the concubine. I look a little thinner, which really makes our elders feel bad. The prince and the concubine are virtuous and capable. , can be an example of a virtuous woman, but I think that the concubine Shizi is young after all, and she has no one around to help her, and she has no mother-in-law to teach her, so it is not appropriate." At this point, she deliberately paused, and then said, "Mother Chu, you still haven't saluted the crown prince."
An old woman in her fifties, wearing a half-new parrot green dark pattern gown, took a step forward from behind Madam Qiao and bowed respectfully: "My servant has seen the concubine."
It was only then that Nangong Yue noticed that Mrs. Qiao had brought a new nanny over today, while Mrs. Ji and Mrs. Ling's expressions changed slightly, as if they remembered something.
"You are Mother Chu!" King Zhennan stared at Mother Chu and blurted out, "This king still remembers that you took care of the prince before..."
Hearing this, Nanny Chu straightened her chest, bent her knees neither humble nor overbearing, and said, "My lord still remembers my servant, and this servant is really flattered."
Mrs. Qiao calmly said: "Concubine Chu, this Nanny Chu is the old nanny who was left behind by A Yi's mother and concubine to take care of A Yi. Now Nanny Chu is sending a white-haired man to a black-haired man, and her son is gone. Yi. In view of the fact that she took care of A Yi once, our palace should also make offerings to her. Besides, Nanny Chu is also an old servant of our palace. She will stay with the crown princess in the future, and I can give you some advice. .Concubine Shizi, aren’t you?”
King Zhennan slightly nodded in agreement.
Generally speaking, for the old servants who have served the young master, the head of the family will come forward to make offerings and accumulate good deeds.
This Nanny Chu is indeed the person left behind by Xiao Yi's mother, and it is not too much to take care of the young Xiao Yi until the end of her retirement. As for pointing out and helping Yunyun, in the opinion of King Zhennan, the concubine Shizi is in charge of the central government, and she has done a good job, and an old servant can't help her much.
Nangong Yue nodded lightly, and said, "So it's Nanny Chu."
Nanny Chu felt very uncomfortable. I have served the former concubine and the eldest son, so the imperial concubine should be polite to me. It seems that just like Mrs. Qiao, this imperial concubine really does not understand etiquette.
The concubine is the master, and she is a servant, but she can't see the concubine being so rash and disgrace the master.
Thinking of this, Mother Chu gently persuaded: "Concubine Shi, it's not a slave who relies on the old to sell the old. Why is the slave also the old man next to the former princess, and took care of the young Shizi, the slave will give you a full gift, and accept you half a gift. It should be. Poor Concubine Xian passed away early, Shi Zifei, you have no mother-in-law by your side, and no old man to remind you, so you must have forgotten the etiquette. When Concubine Xian was alive, she was chaste, quiet and polite, respecting her parents-in-law, no one would disagree good."
The side hall became even quieter. Mrs. Ji and Mrs. Ling held up the teacups together with ambition, and took a sip of hot tea with downcast eyes.
Xiao Fei frowned, and was about to say something, when she saw Nangong Yue speak unhurriedly, and said, "... Mother and concubine entrusted Fu Chu to take care of the son?"
Nanny Chu straightened her chest and said, "Of course."
The corners of Nangong Yue's lips curled slightly, and she said with a half-smile: "...Back then, when you left the house behind your young son, Mother Chu, did you ever think about the entrustment of your mother and concubine? The mother and son have enjoyed so many years of love with their son. Fu, now that I am lonely and helpless, I think of coming back. It is a pity that the son is no longer a child who needs to be taken care of by the mother."
The king of Zhennan stroked his beard, the concubine was justified, this old slave wanted to leave, the palace thought that she had served the Dafang family once, and released her body contract, she didn't put the prince first, but now she still wants to fight Take care of the dead son for several years and get Joe up! What a diabolical slave!
The atmosphere in the hall suddenly changed again.
Mother Chu's face turned blue and white, and she argued: "The maidservant did not leave the house voluntarily, but Madam..."
Nangong Yue interrupted her coldly, "Mama, do you still remember that your master is the prince, the former concubine, and the prince?"
Nangong Yue had looked through the roster of the palace in the early years, and of course she had an impression of Madam Chu, who had served the former concubine and Xiao Yi successively. According to the record in the roster, Nanny Chu was indeed entrusted by the former princess to take care of Xiao Yi, but when Xiao Yi was only six years old, she was taken out of the palace by her son, and she has never been heard from since.
At that time, she disregarded the concubine's entrustment to avoid disaster and leave the mansion. Now that she saw Xiao Yi's beauty, she wanted to use the concubine's entrustment to come back to enjoy the glory? There is nothing so cheap in this world!
Nangong Yue looked at her sharply, until she saw cold sweat dripping from her forehead, and then said casually: "However, what's the matter, the nanny is also an old man used by the concubine mother, in the face of the concubine mother, of course you can Give Mammy a bite to eat."
Everyone in the world sympathizes with the weak, if Madam Chu is allowed to go out and mess around, Xiao Yi's reputation will definitely be ruined.
What's more, I was still worried that I couldn't find the old servant in the former princess's house, so it would be good if Nanny Chu sent it to my door.
As for offering? Dream it!
Nanny Chu wanted to defend herself, but seeing Zhennan Wang's complexion was a bit unkind, she swallowed her words.
Mrs. Qiao's face turned blue and white.
When Grandma Chu was by Dafang's side, she was a very upright and tough person. She didn't even give her face, and even dared to sell the bed warmer she gave to her younger brother. Unexpectedly, it has only been a few years, and it has become so useless.
Hmph, but Mother Chu was left behind by the Dafang family, and indeed she took care of Xiao Yi for six years, Xiao Yi should still have some impressions. For the sake of Xiao Yi and Dafang's, Nangong Yue must not dare to neglect her. Nangong Yue was not taught by her mother-in-law, so she was used to self-willedness, and even her younger brother was deceived by her, thinking that she was a good one. With such an old servant around, she can correct her temperament, so as not to lose face to their Zhennan Palace.
After Nangong Yue made a signal, Nanny Chu was taken down by a nanny in charge to settle down.
"Father, do you think there is a banquet?" Nangong Yue stood up and asked King Zhennan respectfully.
King Zhennan happily agreed.
So, everyone left from the main hall in twos and threes. King Zhennan took his brother-in-law, sister-in-law and nephews to the outer courtyard, while the female relatives moved to the side hall next to the main hall.
There was a table for the ladies, and another table for the girls.
The six girls from the third house of the palace are all here, plus the four cousin girls who are guests today, these ten girls of different ages are like ten delicate flowers, they look pleasing to the eye.
As the eldest girl of the palace, Xiao Fei treated the guests generously: "Cousin Lan, Cousin Ting, Cousin Yu, Cousin Xin, please sit down. Try this plum blossom tea, which is newly made by my sister-in-law and me this year."
Both Mrs. Ji and Mrs. Ling still remembered that during the banquet at the palace last year, Xiao Fei was still cold and ignored common affairs. In just a short period of time, her speech and behavior have the demeanor of a family, and her manners are even more modest in her dealings with others. They all couldn't help but glanced at Nangong Yue, thinking: The concubine Shi Zi didn't intentionally make Xiao Fei mean because of the Fang family.
The maids served plum blossom tea to the girls one by one. They talked to each other and laughed at Yanyan, but Qiao Ruolan's face was gloomy.
On the side, Xiao Fei and Xiao Ni's maids were watching her vigilantly, the last time the cousin girl went crazy and wanted to beat someone was still fresh in her memory, lest she would lose control again.
Qiao Ruolan stared at Xiao Fei and Xiao Ni with unkind eyes, her gaze was sinister.
Xiao Ni frowned, always felt that this cousin's madness seemed to be getting worse...
Qiao Ruolan was enduring, clenched her fists in her sleeves, of course she wished to slap Xiao Ni hard.
But mother, if she wants to get what she wants, she must learn to be patient...
For the person she never forgets in her heart...
Qiao Ruolan's eyes were half-closed, and there was a flash of obstinacy that was almost crazy in her eyes.