First Concubine

Chapter 149 Good news from heaven (1)

Since having a small kitchen, Shui Linglong's quality of life has skyrocketed. Look at the dazzling array of delicacies on this table, four meat and four vegetarian dishes, a sixteen-color assorted platter, a cup each of goat's milk and cow's milk, and even the noodles come in three flavors. Who can believe it? Is this just her breakfast alone? Shui Linglong picked up the chopsticks and shook her head. It's true that the wealthy family is freezing to death due to the smell of wine and meat. The life in the palace is too luxurious!

Shui Linglong had a poor appetite, so she ate a few chopsticks of cold fungus, spicy stir-fried potato shreds, and half a bowl of noodles before she lost her appetite. She took a sip of milk, licked the foam from her lips with the tip of her tongue, and said, "You guys, take a sip. Go down and eat.”

 Mother Zhong and Zhifan started to clear the table. They exchanged several looks with each other, and it was Mother Zhong who spoke up: "Why don't you eat more?"

Shui Linglong pressed her dizzy head and said weakly: "I didn't sleep well, so I don't want to eat much."

 Mother Zhong and Zhifan sighed secretly. It was true that they had not slept well, and it was true that they missed the prince. Mother Zhong didn't know about the incident between Guo Yan and Shui Linglong, so she was very angry at the prince's sudden disregard for the family! Before getting married, she treated the eldest daughter as a treasure. Not long after they got married, she imitated other officials and socialized around and neglected their wives. According to her, the prince probably raised a little one outside!

Thinking of this, Mother Zhong felt aggrieved for Shui Linglong. She had known that the world was as dark as crows, so why didn't she comply with the master's wishes and marry the prince? At least I can still be a queen in the future. Mother Zhong was so angry that her intestines were blue!

Zhifan brought the dishes to the side room where the maids were eating. Everyone stood up to make way for her. The look in her eyes was so affectionate! If Liu Lu were here, he would definitely ridicule them, telling them not to look down upon the people of the Shangshu Mansion just because they were maids of the prince's manor, and would also fight with them over and over again with the airborne soldiers. Make a stumbling block! Open your eyes and see clearly who is the mistress of the palace! However, Zhi Fan glanced at it and smiled in an easy-going manner: "Everyone, sit down and finish eating quickly so that you can get to work."

Ah Si and A Ji sat down happily. They didn't know the inside story of the princess poisoning the prince. The news they heard was that the princess offended the old lady and was kicked out of the house by the old lady. But no matter what, the princess was gone, and the prince's concubine was the prince. As mistresses who do their part, as the consorts of the Crown Princess, they have an unparalleled sense of honor!

Bai Ju smiled flatteringly, personally gave Zhi Fan chopsticks and filled the soup: "Sister Zhi Fan, eat first."

 In terms of age, it seems that Bai Ju is one year older than her! Zhifan calmly drank a spoonful of soup, accepting her title of "sister".

Baiju breathed a sigh of relief and began to arrange vegetables for the branches. Bai Mei curled her lips!

After the meal, everyone returned to their respective work stations. Bai Ju and Bai Mei took the sheets and walked to the water room to wash them. They put the sheets into the wooden basin. Bai Ju poured cold water into it. Bai Mei sat on a small stool and took the Apply the soap and start rubbing. The water was cold and her hands were red from the cold.

Bai Ju also sat down and washed with her. He looked at her expressionless face and remembered her lukewarm attitude in the side room. She was confused and asked, "Bai Mei, these times are different from the past. You can't look down on her." The situation in the Qing government is that Zhi Fan is the most capable maid around the Crown Princess. We have made things difficult for her in the past under Hong Zhu’s instigation, but now we have to find a way to have a good relationship with her. "

Bai Mei sneered disapprovingly, "What's the situation in the house? I just saw it clearly, so I'm too lazy to flatter Zhi Fan!"

"Huh? What do you mean?" Bai Ju asked in surprise.

Bai Mei sneered disdainfully: "We won't talk about the inside story of the princess leaving the palace. Those secrets are not something that unpopular maids like us can know. But through this incident, I finally saw that in the palace A princess who has been making waves for twenty years can be kicked out of the palace. How big can a princess who has been in the palace for less than half a year support? One woman in the palace can leave, and two can leave. What is the mistress of the palace today? She may be another one tomorrow. The only ones who are truly standing are the men in the house!"

 Bai Ju was stunned, but it was undeniable that Bai Mei's words were reasonable. The princess and the prince had been married for more than 20 years, and the old lady kicked her out with just one word. Among other women, who is more valuable than the former princess? Bai Ju lowered her head, her hands ached from being soaked in cold water, "The Crown Prince treats us Crown Princess differently."

Bai Mei sneered: "What's the difference? We all envied the princess for finding a devoted husband, but look at how Liu Lu climbed into the prince's bed with her stupid hooves? The prince's concubine just came over, and the prince has something new. Feeling, everything depends on her, but as soon as the freshness wears off, the concubines and aunts in each room take turns carrying her into the yard! "

Bai Ju stopped rubbing her clothes: "Last time, Bizhu deliberately seduced the Crown Prince, and the Crown Prince married her without saying a word. I still feel that the Crown Prince is sincere to the Crown Princess."

"I was sincere then, but now..." Bai Mei paused and smiled strangely, "Did you know that the Crown Princess was busy in the small kitchen for most of last night?"

 Bai Ju shook his head: "I don't know."

Bai Mei dipped her fingers in cold water and dusted Bai Ju's face. Bai Ju's neck shrank because of the coldness, and Bai Mei's smile became even wider: "My former son, the Crown Prince, slept in the study room, and yesterday the Crown Prince cooked the food himself. As a result... the Crown Prince was not on time at all. Come back, in my opinion, the prince is probably tired of the prince concubine, and the prince concubine is trying to win back her husband's heart. Less than half a year after the wedding, there is a relationship crisis. You can tell me whether the women in the palace are trustworthy. ?”

 “This…” Bai Ju fell into deep thought.

Bai Mei glanced coldly and said thoughtfully: "And let me tell you, this matter is not over at all! The woman given by the emperor can be chased away by the Zhuge family if they want?"

Shui Linglong put on her cloak and went to the main courtyard. Today she finally saw Zhuge Shu. Zhuge Shu wore a small white rabbit fur coat and jacket, a bean green skirt with flowers and smoke, hanging jade beads around her waist, a full head of green silk tied into a double-snail bun, two pairs of jasper hairpins, and a necklace hanging on her forehead. The golden Hua Sheng made her petite and lovely appearance look a bit noble.

"These ears are very beautiful. Where did you buy Shu'er?" Qiao Hui asked Zhuge Shu gently, who was not in a very high mood.

Zhuge Shu curled his lips and said: "Miss Dong Jia made it by herself. She is very clever with her hands and can knit many things. My second brother and I like it very much. Sister-in-law, can you do it?" At the end of the story, he blinked and flickered. Eyes, exceptionally innocent.

  Qiao Hui's expression froze, and she smiled unnaturally: "I...I don't know how."

Mrs. Zhen glared at her daughter. After being locked up for so many days, she still couldn't remember it. As soon as she came out, she rushed to Qiao Hui. Looking at Qiao Hui who was slightly embarrassed, Mrs. Zhen smoothed things over: "It doesn't matter if you don't, it doesn't matter. There are plenty of them on the streets, why bother doing it yourself?”

Qiao Hui smiled gratefully at her mother-in-law.

Zhuge Shu asked for trouble and changed the topic: "Uncle, are you feeling better? Why aren't you awake yet?"

 The old lady choked and said, "The doctor said she will wake up soon."

Shui Linglong entered the house and greeted the old lady and Mrs. Zhen. Zhuge Shu and Qiao Hui stood up and saluted her. She smiled and nodded, and then asked the old lady: "Grandma, are you feeling better?"

The old lady sniffed, and the tears that she had finally stopped burst out again: "She said her life was not in danger, but for some reason she still hasn't woken up."

Shui Linglong sat down next to the old lady, raised her hand to wipe her tears, and comforted her softly: "Since your life is out of danger, grandma, you can rest assured and wait for your father to wake up."

 The old lady took a deep breath and nodded: "By the way, I have something to discuss with you."

Shui Linglong glanced out of the corner of her eye and saw the corners of Zhen's mouth curled up. Shui Linglong retracted her gaze and said with a smile: "Grandma, please tell me."

The old lady sighed again and said slowly: "The prince is ill in bed, and all the burdens of the palace fall on Yu'er's shoulders. We won't say what we can do to help him, but we can't let him have any worries. I'm old. I can't do anything except eating sweets and playing cards. I discussed it with your eldest sister yesterday. Someone has to take care of things in the house, what do you think? "

Shui Linglong nodded obediently: "Grandma is right."

The old lady was not the kind of person who beat around the bush. Seeing Shui Linglong's frank attitude, she bluntly stated her innermost plans: "Yu'er is already twenty, and there should be several men and children of his age. Your top priority is to get along with him." Yu'er has given birth to some fat boys, and your second aunt will take care of the middle child for the time being. What do you think? "

Shui Linglong finally understood why Zhuge Xi said something like that before leaving yesterday - "The weather is getting warmer, let's move around more, you don't have to worry about getting pregnant, sometimes you are fine, but it's not easy to conceive when you are stressed. Father, you have a lot of love." As a filial piety, I have discussed with my grandma about the middle child in the house, and grandma will arrange it. You don’t have to rush for some things. When Yuer inherits the title, the mistress can only be you. "

Ms. Zhen pursed her lips and snickered. She knew the old lady’s character very well. The old lady wanted to hold her great-grandson in her arms, so how could she let Linglong worry about the trivial matters in the house? Oops, the family in charge of the Prince's Mansion is so prestigious when word spreads!

Qiao Hui was completely shocked. Last night, her mother-in-law told her that the good times for the second wife were coming, but she still hadn't realized it. But now, she saw that her mother-in-law had expected that she would take over the middle income of the palace. But will the sister-in-law agree?

Shui Linglong tucked her hair back from her temples, looked at Mrs. Zhen and smiled gently: "I don't have any objection. I'm busy with my second aunt."

Zhen Shi smiled and said, "I can feel more at ease if I can contribute to the palace!"

These words were helpful, and at least she understood her own position. Shui Linglong smiled even more. She thought for a moment and then said: "What do you say about the Leng family?"

"Hmph!" The old lady pouted one after another, "What can they say? They are not afraid of embarrassment and they can make trouble. Even if they make trouble in front of the Queen, I will still say this, our Zhuge family does not want such a poisonous woman to enter the house! "

Because it was a marriage granted by the emperor, he could not divorce or kill him. The extreme limit was to drive him out of the house. The old lady's attitude was very obvious. Even if she risked disobeying the royal family, she would never let Leng Youru in. The people of the Zhuge family would protect her, even if No one is allowed to hurt his own flesh and blood even if he loses his life. As snobbish as the Zhen family was, they were not willing to "sell" Zhuge Shu to pave the way for Prince An. Based on this alone, Shui Linglong still felt that marrying into the prince's palace was the right choice.

Just thinking of Zhuge Yu... Shui Linglong sighed secretly, chatted with everyone for a few words, and then returned to Mohe Courtyard.

She had just entered the door with her front legs, and Zhi Fan came back rubbing her hands that were red from the cold, with a smile on her face, but she was happy.

Shui Linglong sat down on the imperial concubine's couch, picked up the shoes she had not finished last night, and continued threading her needlework. She looked at Zhi Fan, who was smiling so much that his eyes were almost invisible, and asked, "What's so happy about it?"

Zhifan put his hand on the charcoal basin and roasted it for a while, then said with a smile: "The princess went to find the prince before dawn."

Shui Linglong raised her eyebrows: "Then?" She must have not seen it, and Zhi Fan would not be so gloating about his misfortune.

Zhi Fan laughed so hard: "Then Liu Lu blocked the door! Liu Lu survived the catastrophe this time, and the people in the main courtyard became more and more wary of her. Her words were more effective than Uncle Yu's, so she said 'close the door' ’, the ladies locked the princess out with a bang! Haha... I didn’t expect Liu Lu to have such a majestic day, so relieved!”

Shui Linglong smiled faintly: "It's like what she would do." Liu Lu was a typical person who had the temperament of worshiping others and being a bit vindictive. She just didn't tell her that Shui Minyu was a broken sleeve, so she was upset. After so long of answering, and the princess almost caused her to lose her body, how could she swallow this sigh of relief?

At night, Zhuge Yu still didn't come back on time. Shui Linglong was leaning on the imperial concubine's couch to make shoes like last night. After finishing the work, she placed the shoes on the footboard in front of the bed, and took out the clothes and cut them to make winter clothes for Zhuge Yu. The cold weather lasts for a long time and only gets slightly warmer around March. There are special court clothes for going to court, but clothes for bathing or socializing are indispensable.

Zhuge Yu prefers dark-colored clothing, but Shui Linglong thinks it is too dark, so she chooses Shu brocade with crescent white and light bamboo patterns. He is handsome and looks good in anything he wears. When he is meditating, he is as elegant as the moonlight, and he looks domineering. He is as ferocious as the roaring waves of the sea, but it is undeniable that even with his stinky face, he still looks stunning. Shui Linglong laughed as she thought about it.

That night, Shui Linglong was so sleepy that she still leaned on the couch and fell asleep. When she woke up the next day, she found that she had changed into dirty clothes and slept on the bed again. She looked down at the pedal and saw that her newly made shoes were missing!

It was night, and she was still sleeping on the imperial concubine's couch. Before going to bed, she washed, dried and hung the newly made brocade clothes in the cabinet. Not surprisingly, when she opened her eyes on the third day, it was exactly the same as the previous two times: human beings On the bed, the clothes were changed, the shoes and socks were taken off, and the brocade clothes in the cabinet... disappeared!

Shui Linglong is so angry and funny! She always wanted to wait for him and talk to him face to face, but she was always sleepy and couldn't wake up from a thunderous sleep. When had she become so sleepy?

Zhuge Liuyun finally woke up on the morning of the 12th. Shui Linglong and others immediately went to the main courtyard to visit him. He was not in good spirits. Everyone only paid him a visit in front of the bed before the old lady took him out. Shui Linglong learned from Zhi Fan that Zhuge Yu was determined not to forgive Leng Youru, but she didn't know whether Zhuge Liuyun was as determined in his heart. After all, the relationship between husband and wife is different from that of an adoptive mother and her son. Judging from Zhuge Liuyun's tolerance for Leng Youru over the years, there is no guarantee that he will not have a trace of compassion or pity in his heart.

Of course, these issues are not Shui Linglong's turn to worry about for the time being. The old lady gave the death order, and Zhuge Liuyun could not get past the word "filial piety". What Shui Linglong was really worried about was the attitude of the empress. The daughter-in-law given by the emperor, the Zhuge family said He was rushed, what did the emperor think?

"Miss, the Queen has summoned you to enter the palace." Shui Linglong was holding a storybook and was lost in thought when Zhi Fan opened the curtain and came in, reporting softly.

 It is indeed here! Shui Linglong put down her script and asked, "Am I the only one?" Is it too obvious?

Zhifan replied: "Three aunts and grandma are also going with us. They said they came to the palace to chat."

Also know to use Shui Lingyu as a cover. Shui Linglong stretched, yawned again, and sighed: "Change clothes."

After several days of heavy snowfall, the sky finally cleared up. The golden sun shone on the bracketed eaves and glazed red tiles, reflecting the colorful colors and echoing the clear blue sky, which was pleasing to the eye.

“Prince Concubine, the snow has melted and the road is slippery, so be careful.” Eunuch Zhang said in a high-pitched voice with a smile on his face.

Shui Linglong blinked, a meaningful wave of light flashed across her eyes, and she chuckled: "Thank you, father-in-law, I will definitely be careful."

 Eunuch Zhang secretly appreciated that it was easy to deal with smart people. As a slave, it was really inappropriate to talk about the master's rights and wrongs in private. He went back to the point and the princess never inquired about it, which saved him a lot of trouble!

Shui Lingyu has already arrived in the Bai Cui Pavilion of Weiyang Palace and is sitting on the carved chair on the right side, chatting and laughing with the queen. The queen wore a bright yellow Bainiaochaofeng palace dress, with her black hair pulled into a very gorgeous flying fairy bun, a nine-tailed phoenix hairpin, and a number of red gold and ruby ​​round diamonds. She wore pointed necklaces on her ring finger and little finger. The gold armor is inlaid with small rhinestones, making it look jewel-like and elegant. From time to time, her hands touched the white jade beads around her neck, and she looked like she couldn't put them down!

"You have performed well in the disaster relief this time. Although the title of Mrs. Sipingaoming is a bit low, there is always a process in everything. You and Governor Jiang have a long way to go, and you are not afraid of not having the chance to be promoted." The queen said with a pleasant expression.

Being able to become the imperial concubine was already an honor that Shui Lingyu had never dreamed of. However, people were dissatisfied. Thinking of Shui Linglong becoming the second-grade princess, Shui Lingyu felt that her own grade was too low. some. Shui Lingyu smiled softly: "It's my honor to be able to relieve the governor's worries. I don't expect anything else."

At this time, Eunuch Zhang led Shui Linglong into the warm spring-like Bai Cui Pavilion. Shui Linglong bowed respectfully and presented a pair of yellow jade braves with both hands: "Happy queen!"

The queen touched the Buddhist beads around her neck, ordered Eunuch Zhang to take the gift, and gave a red envelope to Shui Linglong. Then she said kindly: "If you are flat, I will give you a seat."

"Thank you, empress." Shui Linglong was blessed again. Shui Lingyu stood up and saluted with a warm smile on her face, "Sister." But her eyes glanced at the purse in Shui Linglong's hand.

 (End of this chapter)