Huang Ying rolled her eyes at her and looked up and down again at the little girl who was trying her best to control her trembling hands and smile apologetically. Her gaze fell on the purse in her hand, and for a moment, she felt very complicated. She felt pity for her, "Your purse looks very old, but the material is excellent. Who gave it to you?"
"It's here." Zhao Zhao suppressed the joy in her heart and tried to control her facial expression. She slightly frowned and showed a bit of reluctance. "Meimei's mother's family originally owned a silk shop. But ten years ago, both parents died and the family declined. Meimei was sold to the Mu residence as a maidservant. This pouch was embroidered for me by my mother. It's meimei's only memory." A half-truth half-lie was the most convincing.
"Then won't you have nowhere to go in the future?" For the first time tonight, Hua Mei showed a big expression on her face. She frowned and showed some sympathy in her eyes. Zhao Zhao blinked at the right time. Her eyelashes were wet with tears, but she tried hard not to cry. It was very distressing.
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. What's the use of caring so much now? Let's not talk about it. "She wiped the corners of her eyes." I'll spoil your mood if I talk too much. I'm not talented. I only did some hair and face cleaning work before. What can I do for you? "
Huang Ying looked at herself in the mirror and touched the enamel silver hairpin on her head. "No, it's late. You should go to sleep. I'll go to the toilet. I'll be right back!" She got up and left. Yan 'er was still playing with the silver chain excitedly. Hua Mei silently tidied up the rouge and face powder on the small table.
Huang Ying sneaked back when it was close to midnight. From her rapid breathing and brisk footsteps, one could tell that she was in a very good mood, even excited. She sat by the window and took off her hair accessories with the help of the little moonlight outside. She carefully put them away, then lay down, turned over, and fell asleep.
At three in the morning, oil lamps were lit in every room. All the palace servants began to wash up. Seeing Hua Mei pick up the night incense at the foot of the wall and leave, Zhao Zhao followed closely behind. She caught up with her at the corner and snatched the night incense from her hand. "Sister Mei, let me do it. I've been under your care for the past few days. Let me do these small things!"
Huamei hesitated for a moment. "Then I'll have to trouble you. I'll go get breakfast first."
"Wait, Sister Mei." Zhao Zhao put down Ye Xiang and approached Hua Mei, pulling her hand. She took out a handkerchief wrapped in three taels of silver from her sleeve pocket and stuffed it into Hua Mei's hand. She lowered her voice and said, "I only gave Sister Mei one gift last night. I feel bad, so …"
"No! Don't! "Thrush hurriedly refused." You won't have anywhere to go in the future. You should leave some for yourself, really! "
Zhao Zhao clasped her hands together and said sincerely, "Sister Mei, I'm still young, and I still have a long way to go. Can you take this as a red packet from me in advance?"
Hearing this, Huamei was a little hesitant, but she still accepted it. "Then I'll thank you, sister."
Suppressing her disgust, she poured the night fragrance back into her room. Her roommates sat around a wooden table and ate breakfast. Plain porridge, pickles, and steamed buns were served. When Zhao Zhao saw the plain porridge and pickles mixed together, she couldn't help but recall the scene in the latrine. She lost her appetite and hastily ate a steamed bun before following them to work at the clothing department.
After the bribery that night, Zhao Zhao gradually figured out the general details of these people.
Huang Ying was the oldest. She was somewhat calm, but she had a lover in the music department. She often used the excuse of waking up at night to go on dates.
Yan 'er had a sweet mouth and was a little clever, but she was greedy for money. As long as someone gave her more favors, that person would be her parents.
Hua Mei was usually quiet and had always been bullied before she came. Her parents were both dead, and she only had an old grandfather. Although the palace servants had a monthly allowance, they couldn't touch any real money until they were released from the palace at the age of 25. The palace servants' monthly allowance was based on the monthly allowance reported by the Sixth Bureau. After checking for mistakes, it would be recorded. It would only be distributed to the palace servants on the day they were released from the palace. Therefore, she needed some silver to clear her connections so that she could sneak out of the palace to see her grandfather during her break.
The three of them were already over 20 years old. The youngest, Yan 'er, would be released from the palace by the year after next. In other words, it was difficult for these three people to be used by her. After all, no one would do anything at this critical juncture when they were about to leave the palace.
Of course, because of her filial piety, Huang Ying would come out to defend Zhao Zhao when she was bullied badly. Huang Ying was a bit shrewish and had more seniority. Most of the palace servants would give her face. Occasionally, there would be some who dared to confront her directly. Zhao Zhao looked at the situation and was afraid that it would attract attention, so she smiled and took the job. At first, it made Huang Ying unhappy, so Zhao Zhao hinted her to look at Nanny Cui who had been staring at them.
At least it was easier than before. Huang Ying protected her, and Hua Mei occasionally helped her. At least she didn't miss today's meal.
After dinner, Zhao Zhao and Hua Mei washed the dishes by the well in the small courtyard while chatting. As they chatted, they talked about what would happen after leaving the palace. Zhao Zhao pretended to be open-minded and said, "I have nowhere to go anyway, so I'll spend the rest of my life in the palace. At least I don't have to worry about trivial things like clothing, food, shelter, and transportation in the palace." Madam Yaohua, Consort Yan, don't you dare chase me away!
"That's good too. Even though you were sent here as a punishment, at least you won't have to worry about your life if you're careful in the palace. If you leave the palace, I'm afraid no one will notice if you die because you have no parents." Hua Mei wiped the bowl in her hand and glanced around. When she saw that no one was paying attention to them, she leaned close to Zhao Zhao and whispered in her ear, "Let's not talk about the distant, but let's talk about the recent ones. Do you know whose palace servant I am, Nanny Cui?"
Zhao Zhao was delighted. The more she knew about the palace's secrets, the more capital she had to negotiate with Bai Suyan. She pretended to be confused and shook her head cooperatively. Hua Mei looked around again and lowered her voice, "Nanny Cui was originally the dowry palace servant of one of the late emperor's deposed concubines. She was the child of the concubine's family. However, for some reason, the concubine angered Madam Ochre, who was favored at the time, and was directly banished to the cold palace by the late emperor. She died of depression not long after.
The concubine's family didn't dare to be dissatisfied with the late emperor, so they could only vent their anger on Nanny Cui's family. Killing her parents wasn't enough to vent their anger. Nanny Cui's brother, who was only seven years old at the time, was sent to the palace to be a eunuch. They even used their connections to make things difficult for the siblings. It wasn't until the concubine's family completely lost power that the siblings' situation improved. "
She cooperated and opened her mouth slightly to make a surprised expression. Hua Mei continued to ask, "Do you know how long it took for Nanny Cui to become successful?" Zhao Zhao shook her head again. Hua Mei mouthed, "Thirteen years." She widened her eyes in disbelief. Hua Mei patted her hand. "Also, don't say such polite words like thank you to Nanny Cui in the future. She doesn't like to hear them."
"Thank you for your advice, sister." Although Zhao Zhao said that, she had other plans in her heart. She had heard from Nanny Zhao about the situation in the palace. The late emperor originally had a deposed concubine, Nanny Liu. Her father was the former first-rank Marquis Jingzhong. After entering the palace, she was also favored in every way. Within a year, she gave birth to the current Prince Yu An and Prince Youan. The late emperor was overjoyed and directly conferred her the title of second-rank first-rank Concubine Shu. She was only second to the then Noble Consort Qian, Nanny Wu.
For a time, it could be said that she was the most favored in the six palaces. However, the cause was that the young Prince Youan overturned the soup that the late emperor had bestowed upon Noble Consort Qian. Concubine Liu was immediately reprimanded by the late emperor and directly demoted to a second-rank fifth-rank concubine. She was stripped of her title and banished to the Cold Palace. The two princes were then brought to the infertile Noble Consort Qian.
Concubine Liu didn't die of illness. Instead, the late emperor had given her three feet of white silk. Other than Nanny Cui, the other palace maids and eunuchs who served her were all executed. Her only daughter died mysteriously. The people who served her also died. She was the only one alive. Naturally, this person became the target of Marquis Jingzhong's family to vent their anger on.
Nanny Cui's parents were tortured to death. As for the only child in her family, Nanny Cui's younger brother, Cui Zhi, Marquis Jingzhong actually sold him to a small brothel. He didn't care about his young age and forcefully received customers.
After tormenting the child like this for a year, Marquis Jingzhong still couldn't vent his anger. He threw the dying Cui Zhi into the palace as a eunuch and used his connections to send him to an old eunuch who loved tormenting children.
For the sake of her only brother, Nanny Cui went to the old eunuch and offered herself as his nominal "adopted daughter." She endured in the palace until the old eunuch died. She endured until Marquis Jingzhong's family was sentenced and exiled. She endured until she became an aunt. After that, under the care of his sister, Cui Zhi also endured until he became a eunuch. However, because of the torment in his early years, Cui Zhi, who was only thirty-four years old this year, lived like an old man who was in his fifties or sixties.
Marquis Jingzhong's reason for being exiled was even more laughable. He didn't teach his adopted daughter well because he was unvirtuous as a father. He secretly set up a torture chamber and beat and scolded his own children because he was heartless. He spied on the palace because he was disloyal to his subjects. Therefore, his entire family, old and young, was exiled a thousand li to Plum Town to serve hard labor. Accompanying the monarch was like accompanying a tiger. The most heartless of all was the love of an emperor. How many innocents were involved in this that allowed the previous emperor to topple Marquis Jingzhong, who had an army of one hundred thousand at that time?
Let's not talk about the past for the time being. However, Nanny Cui's weak spot was clearly Cui Zhi. As a eunuch, he didn't have the grace to be released from the palace at the age of twenty-five. As a eunuch, he was neither too old nor too young, but it wasn't easy for him to disappear for no reason. Therefore, Nanny Cui racked her brains to bring up Concubine Shun. She wanted to borrow her hand to "punish" Cui Zhi out of the palace so that the siblings could leave the palace and live a peaceful life.
Concubine Shun lived up to her expectations. In a short two years, she had no children and no children. She went from an orphan of the previous dynasty to a glamorous Concubine Shun. However, Concubine Shun forgot her promise to Nanny Cui and didn't make things difficult for her. On the contrary, she sent people to ask for medicine for Cui Zhi and promoted him to be the chief eunuch by her side, firmly holding Nanny Cui in her hands.
At night, the lights were turned off. Lying on the cold and hard mattress, Zhao Zhao turned her body to face the wall. At this time, Zhao Zhao suddenly calmed down and recalled the situation in the palace.
At least for now, it seemed that the current emperor wasn't one to lust after women. The women in the imperial harem had faintly formed a strange balance. Needless to say, Consort Wang was originally the leader of the North Court. Lady Wen Yu and her were cousins. They were the outstanding juniors of Empress Dowager Wang and Concubine Zhen's maternal families. The marriage between Wang Wen and Wen Yu had been maintained for three generations. Not only in the imperial court, but also in the imperial harem.
Now, the position of the central harem was empty. Empress Dowager Wang was still in charge of the phoenix seal, but Consort Wang had been demoted to a concubine and committed suicide. Lady Wen Yu was at odds with her and was even happy to send her on her way. Her only child, Empress Dowager Wang, also recognized Concubine Jing as her mother.
Concubine Jing! For a moment, Zhao Zhao suddenly felt that she had grasped something, but she quickly forgot about it. The power in the palace was still the same as before. Empress Dowager Wang was in charge of the phoenix seal, Lady Wen Yu and Consort Yan were each in charge of half a set of Luan talismans.
After Consort Wang passed away, Lady Wen Yu finally revealed her true ability. However, she was also like a tiger that lazily dozed off in the afternoon. If you didn't provoke her, she would pretend not to see. On the contrary, she would leap up and devour those who didn't have eyes.
Consort Yan, Consort Yan. Zhao Zhao really wanted to eat her flesh and drink her blood. In the beginning, she really wasn't sure that she and Yan Yan were the same person. However, after Lady Yaohua came back from the consort selection, that "Yan Yan" changed. No matter how submissive she was, the original one had the pride of an iron-blooded soldier. The one that came later was too much like a servant girl, so it was wrong.
In fact, it was possible that the two "Yan Yan" had been swapping, but it wasn't as long as later. In addition, her relationship with Yan Yan was average, so she wasn't as close to her as Jing Jing. Naturally, she didn't feel that there was anything wrong. Later, when she met Consort Yan in the palace, her disgusted gaze was exactly the same as Yan Yan's. If that was the case, then Consort Yan and His Majesty probably didn't have a normal relationship between a monarch and a concubine.
After thinking about it, she couldn't come up with a logical explanation. After all, her knowledge was limited. To be able to deduce to this point was already not easy. If Bai Suyan was here, she probably would have a whole new level of respect for her.
Zhao Zhao lay down flat and turned her thoughts to the Nanyuan. This was a bit subtle. They said that everyone was treated equally, regardless of whether it was the selection of talents or the consort selection. However, Zhao Zhao had personally been a Yuanren, so she knew that this was just the ruler's empty words. The concubines of the Northern Yuan looked at the situation of the previous dynasty. Whether they were promoted or demoted, most of the Nanyuan didn't have a maternal family to rely on. They could only rely on the mother to rely on the son. According to the rules of the palace, if one was pregnant, one would be promoted one level.
If one wanted to quickly rise from a sixth-level Yuanren to a first-level Ronghua, the only shortcut was to give birth to six sons in a row. Regardless of whether it was the Northern Yuan or the Nanyuan, they both had the same goal. They were very strict on the issue of children. It could be imagined that most of the popular beauties would be at the bottom of the harem until death. Furthermore, some of the relatively high ranking concubines in the Nanyuan would suppress those below them. Internal strife was laughable.
Thinking about it this way, Yao Shilin, who had no power, no influence, and no one to help her, could become a first-level Yao Shilin and once hold half a Luan Fu. In order to take back this Luan Fu, Bai Suyan had gone in such a big circle. Behind Yao Shilin, could it be that she represented someone's power?
Based on what she knew, Yao Shilin was a serving girl by Empress Dowager Wang's side. Could it be the empress dowager? However, Consort Yan was one of the Emperor's people. Why would she target the empress dowager's people? Was it a battle of mother and son? But even if she took back the Luan Fu, the phoenix seal was still in Empress Dowager Wang's hands. What was the use?
The more Zhao Zhao thought about it, the more confused she became. Unconsciously, she fainted.
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
