Not long after, the previous palace attendants came back and told Yun Fenghuang that the newlyweds were waiting outside.
"The sun is so bright today, please come in quickly." Hearing this, Yun Fenghuang took a sip of tea and ordered with a smile.
Soon, a group of concubines in colorful clothes filed in.
The first one is Yi Xingen, who has become famous in the Sixth Palace in the past two days. Although the girl behind her is somewhat eclipsed by the peerless youth, she is still charming and cute. She is the Qu Hongzhuan whom Wei Hengyan mentioned.
Although the next ten or so beauties are all rare beauties in ordinary people's eyes, they are still inferior to Yiqu.
All the Cainv girls had obviously learned the etiquette of meeting the throne. After entering the palace, they lowered their eyes and walked to the foot of Danqi in a respectful and gentle manner. They all bowed down and murmured: "I pay homage to Mao Jieyu. I wish you the best." May Empress Jieyu be blessed with peace of mind and eternal youth!"
"Get up." Yun Fenghuang looked at Yi Xing'en and Qu Hongzhuan with admiring eyes. Not to mention their temperaments, their faces and figures alone were very pleasing to the eye.
As a result, the host, who was not in a bad mood to begin with, said in an extraordinarily gentle tone, "Come, take a seat."
He also called Liu Hong, "Go and get some honey sand and ice to relieve the summer heat for all the Cai girls."
"Yicainv Qucainv." Seeing her pretending to speak slowly, Wei Hengyan couldn't hold back and asked directly, "I heard that the noble concubine and concubine Shu intend to make you a member of the palace. How did you come to Xuanqing Palace?"
She was quite sour when she asked this, because she felt that Empress Ji must be favoring Yun Fenghuang - although this was something that everyone in the Sixth Palace knew, and Yunfenghuang also paid the price, but watching the three palaces and six courtyards fighting for It's a good thing that Yun Fenghuang has a backer to sit back and enjoy the success without doing anything. After all, he will inevitably be envious.
Not only her, but also the silent Yun Qingman thought so.
Who would have thought that when Yi Xingen and Qu Hongzhuan heard this, they hesitated for a moment, but then said in unison: "Reporting to this empress, it was I who asked the queen to arrange for me to come to the Xuanqing Palace!"
These words surprised even Yun Fenghuang himself, and Wei Hengyan was even more reluctant: "Why do you want to come to Xuanqing Palace?"
Is it possible that these women knew that Yun Fenghuang had a difficult time giving birth, so even if they gave birth to an heir to the emperor and were raised by Yun Fenghuang, they would still be treated well? But you fools! Just thinking about the fact that Yun Fenghuang can't give birth to a child herself and can only treat the children born by others as her own, don't you think about whether she will leave the mother to keep the child
By the way, these prostitutes have only briefly met the emperor during the selection process until now. Although Wei Hengyan admitted that Emperor Chunjia was indeed handsome and handsome, and had the ability to make ignorant girls fall in love at first sight - even when he was still a puppet - But falling in love at first sight doesn't mean that you love the emperor completely and are willing to give up yourself to give him an heir, right? !
If Yi Xingen or Qu Hongzhuan had done this, Wei Hengyan would still be able to treat him as if he had met a naive Huaichun girl.
But both of them did this... Could it be that they both used their wisdom from three lives to exchange for beauty in this life
Just when I was full of doubts, I heard an answer that was even more unbelievable than Yi Xingen Qu Hongzhuan fell in love with Emperor Chunjia at first sight and became crazy about the emperor and banged against the wall for the emperor: "Because... because Empress Jieyu has a kind heart." Kind and amiable, the concubines took a quick glance at Xiuzhuo Palace that day and felt that Empress Jieyu... "
In the middle of her answer, Yi Xingen seemed to feel that she had said the wrong thing. She suddenly showed a little timidity and stuttered her words. She nervously rubbed the corner of her clothes, "I... I'm not saying that I'm not good at you, my empress, it's just... it's just... When the concubines first entered the palace, they were not familiar with any of the empresses. They only knew that Mao Jieyu was kind and tolerant, beautiful and virtuous... "
The new prostitutes are still racking their brains to think of words, trying their best to express the reasons why they chose Xuanqing Palace without offending Wei Hengyan. Wei Hengyan, Yun Qingman... including the palace servants serving Huanhua Palace , all looked at Yun Fenghuang silently.
The expression is exactly the same and it’s hard to describe.
After a while, Wei Hengyan asked with a heavy heart: "Who told you Sister Mao... um... who revealed to you Sister Mao's virtuous character?"
How ignorant must one be to place words like virtuous and virtuous on Yun Fenghuang’s head? !
Aren’t you afraid of thunder and lightning
Before, she thought that it was probably the Queen's fault that these two people came to Xuanqing Palace, but now she thinks it is unlikely, because Queen Ji should not be so shameless. Even if the queen wanted to arrange for someone to come over, she wouldn't use this excuse.
"...Some of the first batch of companions who came in for the audience that day fell to the ground." Yi Xing'en replied timidly, "Mao Jieyu sent the palace maid sister to help her."
The other concubines, however, remained indifferent after the emperor offered his pardon.
"That's it?" Wei Hengyan was dumbfounded.
Yi Xingen and Qu Hongzhuan nodded in unison, and carefully explained that they definitely did not feel bad about the other concubines because of this. After all, it was Cai Nu who had committed an act of misconduct before the emperor. It was a blessing that the nobles did not pursue the matter, but they will remember it because of this. Live Mao Jieyu... Well, they firmly believe that all the harem leaders are good empresses with beautiful people and kind hearts!
… But Wei Hengyan was not comforted at all.
"Do you think these women from poor families have some brain problems?" After returning to Yijia Palace and meeting his own palace people, he couldn't calm down. He asked his confidant palace maid, "Such a small favor, you actually remember it in your heart. Not to mention, they actually thought that Xiao Yun was a kind-hearted person... How did they survive until now? Isn’t it said that unruly people come out of poor mountains and harsh waters, and only those in the warehouse know etiquette? "
At this time, the upper-level people's understanding of the lower-level people does not have the view that "the poor people are the most honest and kind-hearted". The rhetoric of "the poor breeds treachery and the rich breeds conscience" is the mainstream.
Noble ladies such as Queen Wei Hengyanji despised the poor and well-off families, but they definitely did not think that these people were innocent and harmless, but that they were too low-born and narrow-minded to be worthy of mentioning. pattern, I haven't learned any rules since I was a child, and I don't know about etiquette, justice and shame, so my morals are worrisome... In short, I am not worthy of being with them.
At first sight, Yi Shi and Qu Shi were just given a steamed bun and followed them. Not to mention Wei Hengyan couldn't figure it out, Yun Fenghuang himself was also suspicious. He didn't quite believe that with so many bad fates, he could achieve this with just a little effort. Waiting for the harvest - she asked Xile Liuhong to go over and help Cainu, it was just a casual word.
Furthermore, the emperor showed tolerance at that time, and even if she didn't, Empress Ji would still speak.
So as the queen's pawn, isn't it natural to take the lead in resolving small incidents so that the selection can proceed smoothly
Anyway, she never expected that her instructions that day would have such a "reward".
The key point is to take a step back, even if these two are really easy to coax and easily moved...
How can the noble concubine Shufei Xinfei and others who want to rob people not give them a good lesson and popularize her great achievements since Mao Jieyu entered the palace
In short, Yun Fenghuang smiled and talked with the newlyweds in an amiable manner, gave them greeting gifts one by one, and ordered the palace servants to lead them to their respective places to rest. He then called Xi Le to come over and asked her to keep an eye on them and inquire about them. Let me tell you the details of these people: "I finally became a concubine with great difficulty, but I don't want to have someone pull me down because of my negligence. When the time comes, I'm afraid you people will also have a hard time."
Xile nodded and promised: "My servant will definitely make the people below me fall in love with you!"
Emperor Chunjia came to Huanqing Palace during the lantern lighting time that night. He went to Huanhua Palace first. When Yun Fenghuang saw him, he complained like a spoiled brat: "Your Majesty, you are just going to welcome a new person today? Why do you still need a concubine?" Are you here?"
Emperor Chunjia said: "Wherever I go, I have never seen anyone who dislikes me like you do."
"Why do I dislike you?" Yun Fenghuang refused to admit it. "Aren't I happy to see you? I just think about you but I didn't come to see you. Doesn't it feel uncomfortable?"
As she said this, she was eating a bowl of Qingfeng rice that had just been lifted from the well. It was so delicious that everyone who watched it was appetized. Emperor Chunjia looked left and right and couldn't tell that he felt a little bit uncomfortable. He just shook his head. : "It's full of lies. It's hard for you to tell the truth every time."
Taking advantage of the situation, Xile said, "Here you have a bowl too, let me have a taste."
Qingfeng rice is prepared with crystal rice, long eye powder, borneol powder, and beef buttermilk, then put into a golden vat, and then served after being dropped into a well or ice pond to cool it down. It tastes sweet and delicious, yet cool and relieves the heat.[Note], has always been loved by women and children.
But for Emperor Chunjia, it was just a matter of eating a few spoonfuls, so he pushed it to the side, took the handkerchief Liu Hong handed him, wiped the corners of his mouth, and said with a smile: "Today a new person is divided. Is your Xuanqing Palace going to be lively?"
He deliberately emphasized the word "lively", obviously implying that Yun Fenghuang had obtained the Yishi Qu clan, and he was afraid that there would be no peace in the future, which was not without the intention of gloating.
However, Yun Fenghuang said lightly: "It's great to be lively! Didn't the Empress Dowager and the Queen Mother say before that the palace has too few concubines and not many heirs in recent years, so it's strange that it's deserted! It's meant to be lively, You are so popular! Your Majesty has just come in, do you feel that I am a lot more friendly in this Huanqing Palace?"
Emperor Chunjia couldn't help but persuade her: "The key is for you, the master, to be friendly."
"If I'm not kind, how could Yi Cai Nu, Qu Cai Nu and the others come to Xuan Qing Palace?" When he mentioned this now, it was as if it was in Yun Feng Huang's heart, and he immediately threw down the remaining Qing Feng rice. , wiping the corners of his mouth and showing off enthusiastically, "It is precisely because I feel that I am kind, tolerant, beautiful, and virtuous that I asked the Queen to come here despite your invitations."
The emperor hadn't received the news yet, so he was shocked when he heard this, and immediately sneered: "I'm just unlucky, so I told you a lie to avoid angering you. I hope you believe it!"
"I don't believe what your majesty said!" Yun Fenghuang rolled his eyes at him and said, "Don't think about it, even if the Queen prefers Concubine, she can refute Concubine Shu's face for Concubine, and she can still continue to do so. The imperial concubine and Yue Jieyu don’t have any respect? These two are pregnant! It can be seen that this is the sincerity of the two concubines, and the empress cannot bear to disobey."
"..." The emperor was quite speechless and turned around to ask around. Seeing that Xile and others proved that what Yun Fenghuang said was true, he was silent for a moment and said with emotion, "Forget it, I will settle in Huanhua Hall today." "
Seeing that Yun Fenghuang was puzzled, he said slowly, "I remember that the first few requirements for selection were no disabilities and no hidden diseases... How do flower and bird envoys do things? They picked two blind men! How can they serve me? ? Forget it, now that I’m here, I’ll just stay here with Jieyu for one night, and tomorrow I’ll ask Yan Yin to deal with those bunch of dog slaves who are bullying you!”
Yun Fenghuang: “…………”
[Note] Published in Tao Gu's "Qing Yi Lu: Food Shame" in the Song Dynasty.