Did something happen that he didn't know about
Xiao Yi raised his eyebrows, feeling that the atmosphere was a bit weird, and looked at Nangong Yue suspiciously.
These days, Xiao Yi was too busy, he was either in the military camp or in Qingyunwu every day, so Nangong Yue didn't bother him with these trivial matters.
Since Xiao Yi met her today, Nangongxue briefly explained Xiao Fei's loss of the jade pendant at the Great Buddha Temple, and then asked Baihui, "What did Zhu Xing say?"
Baihui reported in an orderly manner: "Shizi Concubine, Butler Zhu said that the old bustard in the Hongxiao Building only knew that the young master named Lu Jiu came here from Jiangnan to travel, and he knew nothing about the rest, so Butler Zhu couldn't find him. Mr. Lu."
After a pause, she continued, "However, Steward Zhu found a shop that engraved jade pendants. It was Huiyutang, a shop in the west of the city that specializes in selling jade ornaments. The clerk there said that the person who engraved was a young girl. Steward Zhu found The artist drew the portrait according to the man's dictation, and it looks like the second girl's maid Ruixiang... I have let the man come to the palace to identify it quietly, and it is indeed Ruixiang."
During the speech, the master and servants had already entered the room, and the room was quiet.
Nangong Yue's eyes flashed, before she could speak, Xiao Yi said calmly: "Ah Yue, just leave these trivial matters alone."
Xiao Yi showed an expression of impatience, these concubine daughters of the father are really troublesome, all of them are restless, nothing to trouble Ah Yue! There is also Xiao Fei, who is such an adult, she lost the jade pendant by herself, and people have an opportunity to take advantage of, so she should solve it by herself!
Thinking about it, Xiao Yi impatiently waved at Baihui, signaling her to back down.
Baihui took a careful look at Nangong Yue's eyes, and retreated obediently.
After the family of three entered the inner room, Xiao Yi dragged Nangong Yue to sit down on the beauty couch, let his son sit on his lap, and embraced Nangong Yue with his left arm.
"Ah Yue..."
But his hand just put on Nangong Yue's shoulder, and the little Xiao Yu who was sitting on his lap couldn't wait to change his posture, and crawled towards his mother while screaming "Yeah"...
This brat! Xiao Yi's face was half dark, and he quickly hugged his son up again, planning to put this annoying little guy to sleep early, so that he would not keep robbing his wife.
But Xiao Xiaoyu was in high spirits and refused to cooperate at all. He was struggling in his father's arms, screaming non-stop.
Seeing the little baituanzi's face flushed red, the mother was so distressed that she hurriedly took over the little guy.
"Giggle..." The little guy turned his face like turning a book and laughed through his tears.
The corner of Xiao Yi's mouth twitched, and he stared fiercely at the little meat ball that buried his face in Nangong Yue's chest contentedly.
This brat was pretending to cry just now!
He must be pretending to cry!
You will be jealous when you are young, but you can still get it when you are older!
Xiao Yi said unwillingly: "Ah Yue, it's getting late, the brat should go to bed too. I asked An Niang, this little doll can't be used to it, and it's time to go to bed when the time comes..."
A window in the inner room was open, only the chattering voice of Xiao Shizi could be heard coming from the room, mixed with the chirping of insects at night, the night gradually deepened...
The lights of Wangfu and Bixiaotang were extinguished little by little until everything was completely silent...
The moon disappears and the sun appears, and the night is gone in the blink of an eye. In the morning of the next day, Xiao Yi accompanied Nan Gongyue to have breakfast, and then went out to the Luoyue City Camp.
Before he left, Nangong Yue asked Baihui to ask some questions, and then Xiao Fei, Xiao Rongxuan, Xiao Rongying and Xiao Rongyu, the girls from the palace came to pay their respects.
After Nangong Yue exchanged a few words with the four girls respectively, she said with a smile: "Sister Fei, Fourth Sister, Fifth Sister, you go to the boudoir school first." Then, she looked at Xiao Rongxuan, "Second Sister, I have I will tell you."
Xiao Fei didn't ask any further questions, she took Xiao Rongyu and left together. Seeing this, Xiao Rongying had no choice but to get up and follow behind the two of them. When she walked to the door, Xiao Rongying couldn't help but look back at Xiao Rongxuan, her eyes were a bit jealous and entangled, as if she couldn't figure out what the second sister Xiao Rongxuan did to please her sister-in-law.
Xiao Rongxuan didn't miss Xiao Rongying's eyes, her heart jumped for joy, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curl up.
"Sister-in-law," Xiao Rongxuan said courteously, "Brother Yu is still asleep? I'm making clothes for Brother Yu these days, and it's almost ready. How about I try it on for Brother Yu tomorrow? If it's appropriate, I can quickly change it... "
Xiao Rongxuan was talking endlessly, but Nangong Yue didn't answer. Gradually, Xiao Rongxuan felt something was wrong. Her voice became softer and softer, and finally she stopped completely... Her pretty face showed a little uneasiness and timidity. She glanced timidly at Nangong Yue.
The room was quiet for a while, Nangong Yue still smiled slightly, and made a gesture to Baihui. Baihui immediately took out a white jade ring pendant with wish-fulfilling knots from her sleeve, and the ring pendant hung in mid-air and swayed slightly...
Xiao Rongxuan's pupils shrank, this is...
Nangong Yue looked at Xiao Rongxuan without blinking, and asked slowly: "Second sister, do you recognize this ring pendant?"
Xiao Rongxuan's heart skipped a beat, and she denied it intuitively: "I don't know!" After a pause, she probably also felt that her tone was not natural, and she tried to cover up, "This ring looks strange, I don't know why my sister-in-law has such a ask?"
The corners of Nangong Yue's mouth were raised even higher, but the smile did not reach her eyes, and said: "Second sister, since I will come to you, I have already checked clearly. You should think carefully about whether you recognize this ring or not. wear?"
At first glance, Nangong Yue's eyes were as gentle as usual, but Xiao Rongxuan felt like she was sitting on pins and needles, and felt that her eyes were piercing like sharp arrows.
Xiao Rongxuan's cherry lips moved, but she didn't make a sound.
She tried to calm down, but her heart was choppy, and her fists were clenched tightly in her cuffs.
In just a blink of an eye, her mood was already changing, she said to herself, it's impossible, the sister-in-law must be cheating on her! She can't mess with herself...
At this time, Que'er came into the room and said: "Shizi Concubine, Luo Momo and some stewards have come and are waiting outside."
Nangong Yue also stopped looking at Xiao Rongxuan, and asked Que'er to bring her in.
The nuns in charge didn't expect that the second girl was also here with the concubine Shizi, and they were surprised and exchanged glances quickly.
They stepped forward as if nothing had happened, and first saluted Nangong Yue and Xiao Rongxuan.
Seeing that Nangong Yue didn't intend to let Xiao Rongxuan back down, Nanny Luo directly began to report: "Concubine Shizi, some servants and servants are going to open the warehouse today. Something went wrong…”
September 15th is Xiao Fei's Jiji ceremony, and various preparations are in progress in an orderly manner. The Prince’s Mansion had just held the ceremony for the birth of the First Concubine the year before last, so these nuns in charge basically knew what they were doing, and the agenda followed the old routine of the First Concubine, but with a slight reduction. Unexpectedly, just when the preparations started, troubles broke out. .
Mama Mama, who was in charge of the warehouse at the side, was already sweating profusely, and explained stiffly: "My concubine, the tiles on the roof of the West Treasury House are broken. Although it hasn't rained these days, the sun is strong, and the vines in the warehouse The seats were sunburned..."
Mother Ma sighed in her heart: the rattan mat is not afraid of the tide, mildew or insects, but it is afraid of the sun, and the elder girl's Jiji ceremony follows the ancient ritual. At that time, the whole hall will be covered with rattan mats, even if one of the rattan mats is broken If there is a mat, you have to replace the whole large piece to avoid the color difference between the rattan mats.
It's all strange, it's all because Mrs. Xu who guards the west warehouse is not careful!
Mother Ma really blamed Mrs. Xu in her heart.
Immediately afterwards, You Nanny, who was standing on Luo Nanny's right hand and was in charge of purchasing, said, "Shi Zifei, I can't buy so many snow rattan mats in Luoyue City for a while, do you think it's better to change to another kind of rattan mat?"
The so-called snow rattan mat is woven from a kind of snow rattan that grows on the snow-covered plateau. It is light, delicate, strong, and cool but not cold, which is very rare.
Nangong Yue asked directly: "Where can I buy snow rattan mats?" Since you can't buy them in Luoyue City, you can always buy them elsewhere.
Of course, You Nanny wanted to save trouble, but since Shi Zifei asked, she didn't dare to neglect, and hurriedly replied: "Back to Shi Zifei, the owner of Xiji in the city said that he has to send someone to the snowy plateau to pick up the goods. It is estimated that it will take about 20 days to go back and forth, and the time is a bit rushed."
Today is already August 28th, and the time is really tight.
Nangong Yue pondered for a while, and said to Baihui: "Let Steward Zhu send someone to go to the snow-covered plateau..."
The implication is that it must be a snow rattan mat!
Everyone in the room talked back and forth, as if they forgot that Xiao Rongxuan was still here.
Xiao Rongxuan half-closed her eyes, and sat quietly at the side all the time, naturally listening to these words, digging her fingernails deeply into her tender palm, feeling unwilling: It's just for Xiao Fei's birthday, sister-in-law wants to After so much trouble and effort, even though they both have the surname Xiao, is there such a big difference between the aunt and concubine? ! ... Sister-in-law, did she tell herself these words on purpose
Xiao Rongxuan bit her lower lip, her thoughts gradually drifted away, the surrounding voices seemed to come from far away...
"Second sister..."
Suddenly, Nangong Yue's gentle voice came from the side, which brought Xiao Rongxuan back to his senses.
Xiao Rongxuan shivered and woke up, only to realize that she and Nangong Yue were the only ones left in the Dongci room at some point, and those nuns who were in charge all quit at some point.
Nangong Yue stroked her sleeves, and said lightly: "Second sister, let me ask you again, have you thought about it clearly, do you recognize this ring pendant?"
Xiao Rongxuan's pretty face turned pale slightly, she stood up suddenly, then knelt down on the cold bluestone floor with a plop, gritted her teeth and said: "Sister-in-law, I really don't know anything! I don't know why sister-in-law is doing this Did you come to ask me about your crime?"
As she said that, a layer of mist had appeared in her black eyes, and there was a crystal water in them, she looked very pitiful.
Nangong Yue's expression turned cold in an instant, and even her tone became sharp: "Second sister, born from the same root, why bother with each other, I've already given you a chance!"
Xiao Rongxuan's body trembled violently, but she still didn't speak.
Nangong Yue didn't want to talk to her any more, so she gestured to Baihui.
Baihui took the white jade ring and took a step closer to Xiao Rongxuan, and then stated: "On June 20, the little novice from the Great Buddha Temple came to Luoyue City to return the big girl's ring, and happened to ask for it near the Liji dim sum shop. On the way, I met Ruixiang who went to buy some snacks for you, the second girl..."
As Baihui spoke, she glanced at the little girl in Tsing Yi who also knelt down with Xiao Rongxuan, and that Ruixiang was so frightened that her whole body was like sifting chaff, and she lowered her head even lower.
Baihui continued: "Ruixiang went to talk to the little novice at that time, and only then did he know that the monks of the Great Buddha Temple picked up the ring pendant that the eldest girl dropped in the temple, and the abbot specially ordered the little novice to bring the ring pendant to the palace. Said that he was a servant of the palace, and brought the little novice to the palace with 'good intentions'. The little monk saw that she was a servant of the palace, so he gave her the ring with confidence, so the elder girl's ring came to the second girl. hands." Saying that, Baihui's gaze shifted to Xiao Rongxuan again.
After a pause, Baihui continued calmly: "On the seventh day of July, Ruixiang went to Huiyutang in the west of the city to find someone to engrave two words on this ring... Ruixiang, the guys at Huiyutang still remember you; Li Ji Regular customers of the dim sum shop also remember that on June 20th a little novice came to ask for directions... "If ordinary people ask for directions, no one will remember it at all, but a seven or eight-year-old little novice will naturally give a lot. People are impressed.
Nangong Yue put down the teacup in her hand, this time, ice scum almost fell out of her voice, and said word by word:
"Second sister, do you want me to find someone to confront?!"
In an instant, Xiao Rongxuan's face turned pale, her cherry lips trembled slightly, and she said awkwardly: "Sister-in-law, I was wrong, I recognize this ring... I also asked Ruixiang to send it to Huiyutang for engraving... But," her eyes were red, "but after engraving the words, I regretted it, but the ring is gone..."
A line of clear tears fell from the corners of Xiao Rongxuan's eyes, as weak and pitiful as grass in the wind and rain.
"Regret?" Nangong Yue read playfully, and asked her in a cold voice, "Second sister, what do you regret? Since you asked someone to engrave your name on your big sister's ring, what do you want to do? The palace raised her." For so many years, you have been taught to read and understand, so don’t you even understand the principle that one prospers all, one loses all?”
"Sister-in-law, how dare I ruin the reputation of the girl in the palace?! Sister-in-law, please listen to my explanation." Xiao Rongxuan defended herself in panic, "I just think that when my mother is alive, it is not for the eldest sister and the cousin Lei of the Fang family. Marriage? I also have good intentions and want to send this jade pendant to Cousin Lei, so that Cousin Lei can use it as a token of engagement to come to the palace to ask for marriage! Sister-in-law, you trust me!" Her surname is also Xiao, how dare she Let Xiao Fei be charged with the crime of giving and receiving in secret, wouldn't that be harming herself
Xiao Rongxuan walked a few steps on her knees, came to Nangong Yue, and said with tears like rain: "Sister-in-law, I really regret it, but after Ruixiang took the ring back from Huiyutang, it disappeared, and I can't find it anymore ...I think it was stolen on the way..." She choked up as she spoke, and looked at Nangong Yue without blinking.
Nangong Yue was not moved, and regardless of whether what Xiao Rongxuan said was true or not, it was always true that she had the heart to harm her sister and took action.
"This girl's family is getting old, so it's inevitable for a young girl to be pregnant." Nangong Yue sighed quietly, "I originally wanted to choose a suitable person for the second sister. Since the second sister thinks Fang Shilei is good, let's marry him."
Nangong Yue said in an unquestionable tone: "I will ask someone to send the Fang family over to propose marriage."
Hearing this, Xiao Rongxuan's eyes were almost wide open in fright, and her whole body almost went limp.
Marry Fang Shilei? ! She doesn't want it!
The third house of the Fang family is in such a situation now, how can she marry into such a down-and-out family as a dignified girl from the Nanwang Mansion? !
Xiao Rongxuan shook her head desperately, and shouted: "Sister-in-law, I was wrong, I don't want to marry cousin Lei..."
Nangong Yue pursed her lips, looked away from her, and picked up the teacup again.
It's too late for Xiao Rongxuan to realize her mistake.
Originally, Xiao Rongxuan was a concubine of the palace, regardless of whether she was close to her concubine, Nangong Yue, as the elder sister-in-law, would arrange suitable marriages for her and the other younger sisters.
As long as the Zhennan Prince's Mansion stands upright, the daughters of the Xiao family will not suffer any grievances in their husband's house, no matter whether they are concubines or concubines!
However, as a daughter of a family, she wanted to frame her own sisters out of a moment of jealousy. This is a matter of morality and must not be tolerated.
The family tradition is not strict, and the disaster spreads to the whole family.
Xiao Rongxuan is almost reaching the age of Ji, it's not like a five or six year old child who is innocent and doesn't understand the world and is provoked by others. She did something wrong and she has to pay for it.
"Sister-in-law..." Xiao Rongxuan was really terrified, and rushed towards Nangong Yue's skirt in panic, trying to hug her leg and beg for mercy.
It's a pity that Baihui and Haitang are both here, how can Xiao Rongxuan succeed, the two servant girls have already grabbed Xiao Rongxuan from left to right, and then Haitang used her palm to point at Xiao Rongxuan's neck Then it fell down...
Xiao Rongxuan didn't even have time to scream, she passed out with her head tilted, and her body fell limply.
Seeing this, Huamei and Que'er at the side couldn't help thinking of how the third princess was knocked unconscious by Haitang at the grandson's double full moon banquet, and they all thought to themselves: Never offend Haitang in the future.
Looking at the unconscious Xiao Rongxuan, Nangong Yue put down the teacup and ordered: "Haitang, take the second girl back to your yard."
"Yes, Crown Princess."
Under the tangled gazes of the maids, Haitang nimbly carried Xiao Rongxuan on her right shoulder like a sack and carried it away, Ruixiang stumbled and hurried to follow.
After the three of them left, the room was quiet for a while, and Ying'er felt that the atmosphere was a bit dull, so she said without words: "Concubine Shizi, do you think what the second girl just said is true?" The jade pendant is real stolen
Nangong Yue smiled slightly, looked at Baihui, and said, "Baihui, what do you think?"
After Baihui pondered for a while, she replied: "Returning to the concubine, I feel that the second girl's statement that she regretted it is false, but it may be true that the jade pendant is lost." Sending Xiao Fei's jade pendant to the brothel is a big deal for Xiao Rongxuan. It's like killing one thousand enemies and harming yourself by eight hundred. Xiao Rongxuan should not be so stupid.
Nangong Yue nodded, and said with a smile that was not a smile: "The mantis catches the cicada, and the oriole is behind. I want to hurt people, but I don't know how to watch my back..." According to Xiao Yi, even if you want to be a bad person, you must Smart people deserve it! I'm afraid the fool would have put himself in the yamen long ago.
Huamei was thoughtful, and said: "Concubine Shizi, that is to say, the purpose of the person who sent the jade pendant to the Hongxiao Building is to ruin the reputation of the girls in our palace!"
Once the news of Xiao Fei's jade pendant appearing in the brothel spreads, it will not only ruin Xiao Fei, but also the reputation of the Zhennan Palace. The girls in the entire Palace may not be able to marry a good family!
Nangong Yue nodded slightly, a cold light flashed in her eyes.
The Zhennan Prince's Mansion is the "Emperor of Earth" in southern Xinjiang. In addition, in recent years, Xiao Yi's power has become more and more powerful. I am afraid that there are few people in Luoyue City and even in the whole southern border who would dare to do such a thing that would harm the family.
The maidservants looked at each other in blank dismay, feeling that the answer had surfaced faintly...
There are only two outsiders in Luoyue City, and their status is not low, Pingyanghou and the third princess.
Nangong Yue knew that Pingyanghou had already surrendered to Xiao Yi, so naturally it couldn't be him, that was—
Three princesses!
"Shizifei, could it be..."
Que'er couldn't help showing three fingers to Nangong Yue, and the other maids also looked at Nangong Yue with piercing eyes.
"Ten chances." Nangong Yue said lightly.
There is a 10% to 20% possibility that it might be someone else, for example, someone from southern Xinjiang is really stupid enough to be an enemy of the palace, or this jade pendant was really stolen accidentally, and then happened to be mortgaged to a brothel...
However, this is highly unlikely.
"Baihui, go and check the third princess." Nangong Yue ordered.
How can I say that Luoyue City is also my territory, if the three princesses really did something, it is impossible that they did not leave clues!