Force a good concubine

The emperors are all carefully selected elites, and their ability to see people with high eyebrows and low eyes is not much worse than eunuchs.Seeing all kinds of situations in his eyes, Dong Shu kept his face calm, and immediately got concerned in his heart, beckoning to Qiu Rong: "Nowadays, it's not like being in the palace, and the little maids live not far from the imperial tent just like us. These few days I'm a newcomer who doesn't know the rules of the imperial court, so be careful not to bump into the imperial driver at night, or to lose face by doing something wrong. At noon, take a mule cart with me first, and I will teach you first. You and Ruan Niang take one, and she I have an injury on my hand, so I should take care of it first."

Qiu Rong agreed very readily: "If it wasn't for me, Ruan Niang wouldn't have hurt her hand, this is exactly my job, so just rest assured, aunt!"

She really used her ability to serve her aunt, and she was so courteous to Gu Yan along the way. Gu Yan didn't even need to lift her hand. With a look, the tea and snacks came to her mouth, which made her almost dumbfounded: "Such a small injury is not a problem, you Why bother?"

"What small injury?" Qiurong handed the peeled peanut to Gu Yuan's mouth, saw her shake her head, and withdrew her hand and put it into her mouth, "My mother said that the place where a woman's house is exposed to the outside is hurt It's not a minor injury, not to mention you have such white skin, some masters in the palace can't raise it, so it's a pity to get a scar? Besides, the young master is so decent and clean. Not good. There are still five or six days to go, and the fresh wound medicine ointment made by the Royal Pharmacy is very good, I will buy some for you tonight, and when I get to the palace, I will make you a good person with everything."

She spoke categorically. Seeing that Gu Yuan just smiled, she obviously didn't care. Thinking of Cui Chengxiu's words the day before, she hesitated for a moment, and said bluntly: "Niang Ruan, it is said that this winter sacrifice, in addition to banqueting foreign envoys Chen, Cheng Jue Kao and the state military parade, there is still a major event to be done, have you heard?"

Gu Yan was slightly taken aback, wondering if the plan of Lin Yuan and others had been leaked?She leaned over, trying to show astonishment on her face: "What's the big deal?"

"So Fatty Cui didn't tell you!" Qiu Rong looked around and lowered his voice, "I'm going to pick the emperor's husband, isn't that a big deal?"

That matter was not leaked, Gu Yan breathed a sigh of relief, seeing Qiu Rong's serious face, he couldn't help but smile slightly: "Didn't the old empress dowager make a decree that the election of the emperor's wife will be decided after three years?"

"That was when the marriage was consummated. According to the usual practice, the dowry and dowry list have to be prepared right now. Among other things, the weaving of various dragon and phoenix robes has to be started now, and there are corresponding crown robes and shoes. Gold and silverware——It is not a one-time thing to prepare the dowry outside the palace, but it is even more important inside the palace. I heard Mr. Cui tell Aunt Dong that the Queen Mother has ordered that this time Chengjue will be admitted to each house. The children and the young master are about the same age , I want the imperial lord to be careful, to see what kind of person my young master can chat with, and if there is anyone he likes, and then pay attention to it when the New Year comes."

In terms of how inseparable the imperial court ladies and the emperor are in daily life, Si Yi and Dian She are obviously not as good as him, who is in charge of tea, but this decree bypasses him. Is it caring or guarding, or is it just that the queen mother simply dislikes herself?Mingming expected such a day early, and took it for granted, but Gu Yan still felt his heart sink suddenly, and there was some mixed taste in his smile. There was a noise from a distance outside the mule cart. Turning his face away, he opened the curtain and glanced outside, then hurriedly put it down: "I don't know what is shouting outside? Director Cui never told me what you said."

"It must be some big prey caught in the front. It's useless to look at it. You can only find out when you go to the imperial court at night. I watched all the way in front of the window yesterday. We can't see it because we are in this position." Gu Yan's face was calm. , Qiurong didn't have the slightest doubt, glanced out the window, and continued to explain to Gu Yuan enthusiastically, "I just said that Fatty Cui is uneasy and kind! The eunuchs are the masters of fighting for victory, thinking that everyone else is with them. She raised her eyes to look at Gu Yuan, saw Gu Yuan sitting in the same place, just looked at herself with a slight smile, with a peaceful look in her eyes, and sighed, "Aunt Dong told me when you came, you are a safe man." People, if you don't get ahead, don't take care of things. If you are stable, you will be able to get along well. I was still a little worried, but now I know that my aunt's eyesight is really good. You must be blessed if you are so open-minded, and you will be able to survive in the future. !"

Most of the maids serving in front of the imperial court are cautious in their words and deeds. They think twice about every word they take every step of the way. Gu Yan has a special status, and she has always been treated differently in front of the imperial court. Qiu Rong is still the first to chat with her so calmly. Seeing her carelessly leaning halfway on the side of the car, chatting unscrupulously with herself while peeling peanuts, Gu Yan recalled the scene with Xu Xi and Li Qing back then, and couldn't help but be a little more kind to Qiurong: "What's the matter with you? ? Just finish the task at hand, and I don’t ask for anything else.”

Qiu Rong clapped her hands together: "Aunt Dong said the same thing! She said that the people who can live in the palace for a long time are masters who are patient and calm. That said, those who are not hesitant to be lucky will fall down without luck. The old lady and the young master are both wise masters, and the servants know the good and the bad. As long as they do their errands in a down-to-earth manner, they will not make mistakes in the future. She also said Well, people with poor blessings can’t hold back anything like me, but I really can’t do it if I hold back.” She said with a bitter face and glanced at Gu Yan, “We are the same as Yuqian. Come out, with the same spirit, you have to hide it from my aunt for me!"

Gu Yan smiled gently and nodded towards her: "Let's chat about the housework, and the conversation will end after we finish talking. Who remembers what we said?"

"That's why I said, a person with a big heart like you is blessed!" Qiurong was obviously held back all the way, and without the ban on winter oysters, she immediately opened up the chatterbox impatiently, and counted with Gu Yan with her fingers "Fatty Cui must have received a lot of red envelopes. He mentioned the names of several people yesterday, and asked my aunt and I to pay attention. I won't talk about the princes of the Duke's mansion, although they are all my servants. I've been by my side every day, but I've heard people say that my master didn't give me a wishful hand when it came to the ceremony, so I don't have much hope now."

According to the usual practice in the palace, if the imperial daughter and the ceremonial ceremony give Ruyi to the wife who is watching the ceremony, it means that she intends to marry the courtiers of that family. It is a formal decree, one step at a time, three books and six rituals.Although the previous female emperors had selected their servants or emperor's husbands from their readings, the emperor and the emperor did not reward them in the ceremony, obviously they had no intention of paying attention to the people around them.

Gu Yan had also heard about this incident from Cui Chengxiu before, and it was not difficult to understand. Seeing her nodding, Qiurong pulled down her second finger: "The next group is the nobles from Shangzhiwei, follow Beiwang His Highness accompanied the young master to practice riding and archery, and he met him once every ten days. He was also from the same place as a child, but it was the same as the previous group. There must be something going on. It's just that right now is the time for them to show their faces, so it's not certain which one suits the young master's wishes, and it's also uncertain."

"The third group is those relatives. Although they are not as close to the young master as the first two groups, they are still relatives of the heavenly family and often enter the palace. The third master Han of the Changguo family is the same age as the young master, and is also an old man. The empress's family members are very good-looking, the young master and him are not bad, I heard that they often meet from time to time, talking and laughing, although it is for the sake of the old lady, but who can guess what the young master is thinking? The rest are the ones on the side, although they are not close to the Tian family, nor are they close to the young master, but there are so many people, there are hidden dragons and crouching tigers inside, and there is a chance that you will meet someone who can chat with the young master." She pulled Counting each one with your fingers, he said, "When we were candidates, we met Mr. Han Xiaosan. He was really one of the best in appearance, like a jade boy. At that time, there were rumors that only the young master could match his appearance. As a pair, now I heard that he is not bad, he is honest, kind to others, without the arrogance of those children, if the young master chooses him as the emperor's husband, it will be a blessing for the servants!"

Gu Yuan thought of the scene where the emperor of Cishouan and a beautiful young man in brocade clothes seemed to be standing together, and also remembered the man's repeated "brother's future daughter-in-law", and suddenly realized in his heart.Ranked third, with a close tone to the emperor, the same age as the emperor, and such a rare good-looking, it can be seen that he is the third master of the Han family.Sure enough, he looked like a jade boy, standing next to the emperor, as if the pearls and jade were shining brightly, making him think that he was the fiancee of the eleven mother's childhood sweetheart - besides such a good-looking person, who else deserves to stand By the emperor's side?

Although it was just a hasty side, Gu Yan could also see that the third master Han was very interested in the emperor, he was honest and polite, and he didn't have the frivolous temper of the children of the family. Such a person became the emperor's husband and would only serve the emperor wholeheartedly. Gu Yuan also felt that this was a good thing for the imperial court and harem, but why did he feel a faint sourness in his heart when he thought about it?

Gu Yuan smiled shyly. If you like someone, you will always want more involuntarily. No matter how lofty she is, she can't escape these emotions and desires, but the emperor is destined not to belong to her alone. Can't belong to her alone, what else can she do except hide her ears and hide outside the palace?Perhaps, it would be good to go back to the court, she thought to herself in the chat with Qiu Rong, returning to the court, full of unfulfilled ambitions and the responsibility of protecting the living people, doing things with real skills, and also in her heart If you are as down-to-earth as you are, you will not be reminded of the emperor's current love like burning oil and the confusion of falling from the nine heavens after falling out of favor, like in the palace.

Time passed so quickly in the chat, and before you knew it, it was a day.Dong Shu obviously disciplined the little maids all the way, and her voice was a little hoarse when she got off the car. She stared at the backs of the three little palace ladies walking in a row to the tent where they slept for a while, and then nodded in satisfaction: "Finally looking good!" She turned around and glanced at Gu Yan's hand, and smiled at the two of them, "It seems that Ruan Niang's hand is not in the way, and the medicine in the Royal Pharmacy is not bad. I just handed over the words, The young master is still seeing people, let's go around behind the imperial tent and prepare quietly."

The imperial tent is separated by bright yellow curtains, and there is no sound insulation between the people. One end makes the bed and prepares quietly, and the voice of the emperor talking to the ministers and workers is even more clearly audible.The emperor seemed to be in a good mood, with a smile in his voice: "So, it's time for me to reward my cousin, this little monkey?"

A young man's voice that Gu Yan had heard sounded, even in front of the imperial court, he still had such a familiar tone: "It doesn't matter if this little monkey rewards you or not, it's only because Yuncheng begged you for help to move." Hand, if His Majesty wants to reward, reward Yuncheng!"

The smile in the emperor's voice was even thicker: "Then—cousin Yuncheng, what do you want?"

"Chen, I don't want anything." The boy's voice sounded, as shy and youthful as Gu Yan remembered, "As long as your Majesty likes this squirrel, it will be my honor."

The emperor seemed to be in high spirits: "It's very interesting, and it's the first time someone gave me a squirrel. In this way, my cousins ​​are no different than others, and we don't care about rewards. As long as my cousin likes the things on my desk, feel free to ask." Yes, how?"

There was a muffled sound, as if someone had slapped someone on the shoulder, and Han Yunzhi's voice was even more elated: "Your Majesty has never been so generous to others, Yuncheng, you don't dare to challenge such a good opportunity." ?”

"Chen, Chen—" the young man muttered, seemingly at a loss.

Gu Yan followed Qiurong to replace the fragrant pancakes in the incense burner in Boshan, the corner of the golden tent. The bright yellow curtain swelled and swelled beside him. Through the gap in the middle, he saw the emperor sitting behind the imperial case with a smile, teasing with the end of a vermilion pen. The squirrel in the small golden cage on the case, and the handsome young man in the brocade robe and jade belt a few steps away knelt down and looked up at her with eyes full of admiration. Gu Yan lowered his eyes, only to feel that there was a heavy stone in his heart, sinking from his chest inch by inch.

She doesn't know how to look at the emperor's eyes, doesn't know how to please the emperor in this way, can't accompany the emperor to have children and have fun, can't even stand beside the emperor in the name of her family, and won't cause trouble for the emperor except going out of the palace , what else can she do?