Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty

"Did the empress dowager say that my brother will come to see my courtiers on New Year's Eve?" Chen Xiuming was a little surprised, but he hadn't seen his eldest brother for a long time.

"Yeah, Aijia thinks that you stay in this palace and can only accompany the old lady of Aijia, who is boring and lifeless. It is not easy for you to go out and walk after recovering from a serious illness. If you catch cold in this year's pass I also stole Fusheng for half a day and lived an uncomfortable life, so I ordered someone to inform Chen Bochu." The queen mother said with a smile.

"Thank you for your kindness, the Empress Dowager. Why would my servants feel bored with the Empress Dowager? It's because the Empress Dowager doesn't dislike being lingering with her when she's sick." Chen Xiuming had been with the Empress Dowager for many days, and knew that the Empress Dowager was actually very lonely.

"Take good care of your body these few days, and you must look good when you meet your brother on New Year's Eve." The queen mother said to Aunt Wan Jing, "Go and get some nourishing ingredients from Ai's private storehouse, and let Xiu Ming Take it home and eat."

"Thank you Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager always gives these things to the courtiers, and the courtiers have to give gifts to the Queen Mother on New Year's Eve." Chen Xiuming laughed, her appearance was shy and nimble like the rabbit being held in her arms.

"Okay, then Aijia is waiting for your gift."

Chen Xiuming found that every time the queen mother gave her something, the red phoenix on the queen mother's body would always fly away from the queen mother's head and fly around her.

Although I don't know why the Hongfeng behaved like this, but the Hongfeng is a manifestation of the Empress Dowager's luck. Does Hongfeng's actions imply that the Empress Dowager protected her under her wings?

After seeing the red phoenix on the queen mother flying around her, Chen Xiuming always wanted to know how her luck was, but she gave up after trying to see her luck with mirrors and water.

Since she can see luck here, maybe other people can also see it, and it is also feasible to ask others to take a look for her when they meet.After all, she might be able to stay in the palace now because of her luck.

Chen Xiuming, who was left by the queen mother for dinner, really experienced what later generations call the royal family's extravagance.

Meals range from eight kinds of cold dishes for appetizers, 36 kinds of hot dishes for formal meals, eight kinds of soups for meals, six kinds of rice for side dishes, and ten kinds of snacks and fruits after meals. Come in, accompanied by the smell of the dishes and the voice of the little eunuch singing the dishes.

It was the first time for Chen Xiuming to dine with the Queen Mother. He used to think that the [-] kinds of meals that came out of the Queen Mother's kitchen were already rich. Now that he saw the battle here, he knew why the royal family It was criticized by later generations for being extravagant and extravagant.

Moreover, the meal here for the Empress Dowager was the result of the reduction in expenses due to successive years of drought in the Kangxi Dynasty.

After the meal, Chen Xiuming chatted with the queen mother and drank tea, and walked outside the hall to relieve the sleepiness of the queen mother, and Chen Xiuming returned to the side hall.

Chen Xiuming went back to her residence, sat on the bed and suddenly felt exhausted.It was Shen time ([-]:[-] p.m. to [-]:[-] p.m.), so Chen Xiuming let herself go to sleep.

After that, Chen Xiuming went to the main hall to pay respects to the queen mother after eating breakfast. This move spread to Kangxi's ears. I went to pay my respects to the Queen Mother.

As for the Laba porridge in the palace, the Laba rice was distributed to the heads of each palace yesterday, and it is fine to cook today. Only a few favored or high-ranking concubines can get rewards from Kangxi at dinner. Laba porridge.

The Laba porridge from the Empress Dowager had been ordered by Kangxi long ago to send rice to be cooked and presented to the Empress Dowager, and the Laba porridge from Chen Xiuming's place was also specially distributed by Kangxi to the Queen Mother's small kitchen.

The time when Kangxi went was exactly the time when Chen Xiuming would stay with the Queen Mother since he went to pay her respects, and it must be said that it was Kangxi's scheming. Since Kangxi had decided to accept Chen Xiuming as his concubine, he had to make contact first.In the past few years, Kangxi has grown older, and he likes to pamper younger and more energetic concubines.

Kangxi didn't go in when he arrived at Shoukang Palace, but just stood by the door and listened to the movement inside.Hearing the Queen Mother's low laughter, Kangxi was also very happy.

A few years ago, the fifth elder brother who was with the empress dowager got married, and he often came to greet the empress dowager when he was out of the palace. I want the queen mother to raise another prince, so that the queen mother can also enjoy family happiness, but the queen mother rejected Kangxi's suggestion on the excuse of old age.

But it was different at this time, Chen Xiuming was not too young, and he would spend a long time in the palace in the future, and he could still make the Queen Mother happy.

Kangxi made up his mind and entered the door.

"Your servant has seen the emperor, and the emperor is blessed and safe." All the maids, maids and eunuchs had already seen Kangxi standing outside the door, and they didn't point it out when they saw that Kangxi had no intention of coming in. When they saw Kangxi entered the door, they all knelt down and saluted .

"My daughter has met the emperor, and the emperor is blessed and safe." Chen Xiuming reacted after hearing the greetings from everyone in the hall, and hurriedly stood up and saluted Kangxi.

"My son greets the emperor's mother, and the emperor's mother is blessed and safe." As the emperor, Kangxi couldn't kneel down easily, even if the person he saluted was his aunt, who is now the most honorable woman in the Qing Dynasty, so he just did one thing Half courtesy.

"Why did the emperor choose this time to come? Hurry up and let the embroidered tea rise, the ground is cold." The queen mother has lived for more than 70 years, and has been with Kangxi for 60 years, so why doesn't she know what he is thinking.

"Get up." Kangxi felt a little helpless when he saw the queen mother's smile.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Chen Xiuming and the others got up.

"Sit down, it's tiring to stand up." Kangxi said to Chen Xiuming, and then asked, "I'm still used to living in this palace. If you have any discomfort, just tell the empress."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your concern. The courtiers live very comfortably in this palace." Kangxi saw that Chen Xiuming was about to get up after sitting down, so he waved his hand to signal Chen Xiuming to sit down and answered yes.

"It's good to be comfortable, today is your birthday, and you are not at home. I have sent someone to the small kitchen of Shoukang Palace to make you a bowl of longevity noodles. Even if it is late, it will be a good omen. Let's eat it at dinner." Kangxi said casually while sitting beside the queen mother.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Because of Kangxi's words, Chen Xiuming looked up at Kangxi.Previously, he only focused on the golden dragon on Kangxi's body, but ignored Kangxi himself.

Kangxi is already 60 years old, which is considered an advanced age in this era.

But Kangxi looks like a middle-aged man in his forties or fifties. Except for some wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, there is no sign of aging on his handsome face.

Kangxi's appearance may be due to proper maintenance or it may be born with it, and Kangxi's height is considered tall in this age when the height is generally short, at least much taller than Chen Xiuming who has not yet grown up. Now Chen Xiuming Ming can only reach Kangxi's chest.

Afterwards, Chen Xiuming quietly faced the decorations, and only replied a few words when the Queen Mother or Kangxi asked questions.

Kangxi didn't stay in Shoukang Palace for a long time, and after chatting with the queen mother for a while, it was time to eat. During the meal, Kangxi asked Chen Xiuming to sit and eat together, and even watched Chen Xiuming treat him specially. I ordered the cooked longevity noodles to eat.

After dinner, Kangxi left. Although he will no longer deal with political affairs after he stops writing, how can he be so free as an emperor? From tomorrow onwards, he will start entertaining his relatives and court officials again, and make arrangements for the eve of the Lunar New Year's Eve state banquet...

When Kangxi was in Shoukang Palace, he also observed Chen Xiuming from time to time, and found that although Chen Xiuming was weaker, but his knowledge of etiquette and education was top-notch, and his appearance was outstanding and his family background was extraordinary. After Kangxi contacted Chen Xiuming, his thoughts became firmer.

When Chen Xiuming went back to the side hall and lay on the bed, he suddenly felt less tired.

Chen Xiuming thought it was funny just now when the golden dragon on Kangxi's head stretched out its claws to touch his head when he was using the longevity noodles specially ordered by Kangxi, he was so scared that he almost dropped the bowl.

However, this is because I am no longer hated by the golden dragon, thinking of the time when I was swept by the dragon's tail in Suzhou, Chen Xiuming felt aggrieved...

Could it be that I really can't plot against Kangxi? At the beginning, I thought about it in my heart and wanted to make a good impression on Kangxi's heart, so I was photographed by Kangxi's luck.

If you don't count, don't count, it's good to let nature take its course.

Now that the relationship with the Queen Mother is good, Kangxi thinks that he ordered to cook longevity noodles. Although it may be just a whim, Jinlong is also getting close to him, and he can't feel the breathlessness of Jinlong before. majesty.

Chen Xiuming, who fell asleep after thinking about it, didn't know that Kangxi suddenly thought of her after returning to Qianqing Palace to deal with the matter.

"Li Dequan, go to the library to see if there are any jewelry, fabrics and medicinal materials for the Chen family, and send them there, so as not to disturb her cleanliness."

Kangxi seemingly didn't care about ordering Li Dequan, but Li Dequan who heard this knew that Kangxi was really interested in Chen Xiuming.

This treasury must be the private treasury of the Lord Long Live, and he specially ordered Chen Xiuming to use it, so as not to disturb her cleanliness. The most important thing is to call it the Chen family. Look at it as your own woman, otherwise how can you call a young woman who has not yet left the cabinet.

"Yes, Long Live Lord, don't worry, the slave will hand it over to Madam Su herself."

"You slave, you are still teasing me, if you are told to go, go quickly, what are you talking about." Kangxi glared at Li Dequan.

Li Dequan hurriedly retreated with an apologetic smile, went to Kangxi's private treasury in person, picked out a lot of high-quality items that Chen Xiuming could use, and sent them to the side hall of Shoukang Palace, asking Madam Su not to disturb him. Chen Xiuming, who was sleeping, went back.

After returning home, Li Dequan made up his mind in his heart to see Imperial Physician Wang to understand Chen Xiuming's physical condition, and by the way, asked Imperial Physician Wang to do his best to recuperate Chen Xiuming's body.