The rebirth of a concubine: Gong Du will become the Queen Mother

Lu Zhaolin said: "Deputy Zuo Si of the Internal Affairs Department will be executed with a cane. The rest of those who handled this matter will all be punished with an eighty-point cane. Those who survived will be thrown into Yongxiang to do hard labor."

This is not enough.

He added: "Send the order to Wu Desi to investigate the broken bamboo fan in detail. Also, check to see if there is anything fishy about Wang Changliang's leg injury."

This order was based on the suspicion that someone had tampered with the number of just thirty guns.

Yao Xingde received the order and was about to leave to deliver the order when he stopped him again.

"Go to my private treasury and take ivory, tortoise shell, emerald, white jade, rosewood, and enamel for the handle of the fan, and take the tapestry, soft smoke, canopy gauze, heavenly fragrant silk, and heavy lotus silk for the fan surface, and send them to the craftsman's office , and asked them to make twenty-four palace fans for Concubine Chen."

Every time he told a piece of information, Yao Xingde's head dropped a little lower. He thought to himself that this time, the person behind the attack was really impatient. How could Concubine Chen have been favored by Concubine Jade? It is clearly still in His Majesty's heart.

···

Craftsman making department.

Peng De, the eunuch in charge, transported Yao Xingde away. He looked at the precious materials piled on the table and fell into deep thought. He didn't say a word for a long time.

Seeing this, his apprentice Luo Yin said cautiously: "Master? Do we have to start making Concubine Chen's fan immediately?"

Peng Deyun nodded: "We must start immediately."

Luo Yin said: "Then I will invite some masters to come over."

As he spoke, he turned around and left.

Peng Deyun stopped him and said, "There's no hurry."

"Not urgent?"

Luo Yin's face was full of confusion. The Department of Internal Affairs has just been punished for neglecting Concubine Chen. If their craftsmanship department doesn't quickly make these twenty-four palace fans, won't they follow in the footsteps of the Department of Internal Affairs in the blink of an eye? ?

He was enjoying a good stay in the Craftsmanship Department, but he didn't want to be punished and sent to Yongxiang to do hard labor.

Peng Deyun glanced at him and knew what his apprentice was thinking.

He chuckled, touched his chin and said, "Don't worry, your master and I have no intention of risking the head on my neck."

"Then what are you doing?"

Peng Deyun's little eyes were filled with light: "Have you ever thought about what your plans are for the future?"

Luo Yin's future plan is naturally to take over the craftsmanship department from his master and become the most trustworthy person in the craftsmanship department.

But when his master asked him this, he didn't dare to answer truthfully. He only said: "My disciple just wants to follow you and listen to your instructions."

Peng Deyun stretched out his hand and tapped him, laughed twice before saying: "Follow me, and in the end you will be just the general manager of the craftsmanship department. Not to mention Eunuch Yao, not to mention the stewards around the favored ladies. Eunuchs, even if they meet the Chief Eunuch or the person in charge of the Internal Affairs Department, they still have to look at them with a smile and accept them. They are all big eunuchs in the palace, are you willing to do so?"

When Luo Yin said this, his breathing became rapid, and his eyes were fixed on him.

Peng Deyun didn't look at him, but turned his head slightly and looked at the blue sky outside the window: "You are willing, but I am not."

···

In Jingyang Palace.

Jiang Shiying was holding a bowl of sweet cheese, when Xiao Xuanzi came in and sent a message, saying that someone from the craftsmanship department wanted to see him.

Jiang Shiying raised her eyebrows. There were twenty-four palace fans. No matter how fast they were, they couldn't be made in more than an hour.

She placed the bowl on the table, gently wiped the corners of her mouth with a handkerchief, and then said, "Bring it in."

Peng Deyun followed Xiao Xuanzi and entered the palace gate with his head lowered and his back bent.

"Slave Peng Deyun, please see Concubine Chen."

He knelt down and kowtowed.

Jiang Shiying's eyes flashed with amusement, and then she shouted.

"Thank you, ma'am."

Peng Deyun stood up and stood a few steps away from Jiang Shiying.

"Eunuch Peng asked to see you today, but something happened?"

Peng Deyun's face was full of smiles and he said: "Your Majesty ordered the craftsman to make a fan for you. The slave thought that since this fan is presented to you, the empress, it must please you.

No, this slave dares to ask, does the queen have any favorite colors or patterns? What pattern do you like to carve on the fan handle? Do you want the shape of the fan to be round, tung leaf-shaped, or oval? "

"His Majesty assigned Eunuch Peng a job. Eunuch Peng was kind enough to assign tasks to me."

Peng Deyun originally wanted to please Jiang Shiying, but he unexpectedly heard such a sentence.

He was worried and did not defend himself. He just lowered his head and apologized: "It was my fault, please forgive me.

Jiang Shiying stared at him twice, then smiled and said: "I was just joking. Eunuch Peng doesn't need to be so nervous. But this palace fan-"

She drew out her voice, and Peng Deyun waited with bated breath for her next words.

"This palace fan is made every year by the craftsmanship department. Eunuch Peng has been working as a errand for so many years. Do you think he will disappoint me?"

Peng Deyun wished he could swear to the sky: "Don't worry, Your Majesty, I will definitely work hard and never let you down."

Speaking of this, he secretly looked at Jiang Shiying's expression and said, "If your Majesty has other errands to do, just give her instructions. Everyone in the craftsmanship department will do their best to serve your Majesty."

This is very interesting to say.

Jiang Shiying picked up the tea cup, moistened her throat, and then said slowly: "I understand."

Peng Deyun felt uneasy. Did Concubine Chen mean to accept his surrender, or not? Just as he was about to say a few more kind words and show his loyalty, Jiang Shiying asked seemingly unintentionally: "Do you remember that the Craftsmanship Department is in the southwest of the palace?"

Peng Deyun didn't know why she mentioned this, and he replied with a flattering expression: "The empress remembered it well. From the Jiangzhuosi, not far away is the Sixth Bureau, and further north is the Prince's Office."

At this point, Jiang Shiying seemed to have become interested and sat up straight: "Oh? So, doesn't it mean that every time you come back to Jingyang Palace to deliver something, you have to pass through most of the palace? I really owe you a favor."

Peng Deyun's eyes almost narrowed when he smiled: "How can I say it's hard for you to do things for the empress? It's all your blessing."

Jiang Shiying ordered: "Show Eunuch Peng a seat and serve him a cup of tea. Sweat can be seen on Eunuch Peng's forehead all the way here."

"Thank you for your consideration, ma'am."

While Peng Deyun was thanking him, he was thinking in his heart that the sweat was caused by the exhaustion from the journey, but from the nervousness of the confrontation with Concubine Chen just now.

"The Craftsman's Office is far away from Jingyang Palace. From now on, when Eunuch Peng's people travel between two places, they don't have to walk all the way. It doesn't hurt to go slowly."

"Thank you, ma'am. I'll take note of it."

Peng Deyun carefully savored the meaning of her words. It’s okay to go slow. Does it mean that you can go slow for the entire stretch of road, or does it only refer to certain places?

And these places, could they be the prince's residence? Thinking of this, he boldly said: "Drive more slowly, so as not to accidentally disturb the noble man?"

Jiang Shiying nodded: "That's exactly the reason."

Peng Deyun didn't know what she wanted yet, but he knew what he should do next. Keeping this in mind, he added: "The slaves will work day and night to make the twenty-four palace fans for the empress as soon as possible."

"There's no rush, just come one by one. Only slow work can produce fine work."

"The slave obeys."