A concubine enters the mansion? Reborn, three matchmakers and six engagements to marry the Prime Min

When the news of the robbery of grain and fodder in the northern border reached Qianyang Palace, the entire Qianyang Palace was in an uproar.

Some people criticized the Minister of War Yang Wenshi, saying how dare he give such a big task to Chen Ping. Chen Ping was only Li Shizi's deputy general, not a grain and grass escort officer.

Some people also questioned Li Jingchuan, the Prince of Shan, saying that the Li family was responsible for transporting the grain and grass, so how could it be robbed? The place where the grain and grass were robbed was close to the border of the northern border.

But no matter what, the fact that the grain and grass were robbed was true. In addition to ordering the local garrison to search with all their strength, Emperor Xuande could only ask the Ministry of Revenue to raise grain and grass again.

But everyone knew that it would take time to gather food and grass again, and it would also take time to transport them to the northern border. There would inevitably be days when there would be no food.

The northern border is in danger.

Su Qingyu didn't know about the disaster relief in other prefectures, but the disaster victims in the capital were properly resettled.

Starting from the 20th day of the twelfth lunar month, Su Qingyu stopped helping at the disaster relief office. As the New Year was approaching, there were more things that needed her to deal with in the mansion.

On the twenty-fourth day of the twelfth lunar month, news suddenly spread in the palace that the demoted Leng Cairen had been restored to become the Xian Consort again. The power to control the inner palace that had previously been in the hands of Rong Consort returned to the Xian Consort. This year's palace banquet was also fully managed by the Xian Consort.

Su Qingyu was not surprised that Concubine Xian was restored to the throne. After all, the prince was still the prince, how could his biological mother be a talented woman? Besides, Concubine Xian was able to support the prince to the throne, so she was no ordinary person. To be restored to the throne, all she needed was a suitable opportunity.

What surprised Su Qingyu was that the day after Concubine Xian was restored to the throne, she appointed Su Xiangling as the Crown Prince's concubine.

That night, Su Qingyu asked the kitchen to prepare some porridge and some side dishes. She had no appetite during this period and usually ate little at night.

But what was served on the table was not a side dish, but a pot of fish soup and a plate of stewed fish.

She was stunned for a moment, then turned to ask Zhenzhu, "Isn't this a cold-water fish from the Black Wilderness?"

Pearl didn't answer. Footsteps mixed with a man's clear voice were heard at the door.

"You have no appetite these days, haven't you? I specially asked someone to send some fish to Beijing, come and try it."

As Shen Zhixiu spoke, he sat down and served Su Qingyu a bowl of fish soup.

Su Qingyu sat down in surprise, drank a mouthful of soup first, and looked very satisfied.

The fish from the Black Plains can only be transported to the capital in winter, but this year there was war in Liaodong and even the Lin family's manager was withdrawn, so naturally we couldn't eat them.

She had a poor appetite these days, but after drinking half a bowl of fish soup, it seemed as if her appetite had suddenly been whetted.

Shen Zhixiu had been serving her food. She remembered the restoration of Concubine Xian, so she asked casually, "How did Concubine Xian regain favor?"

She thought that Shen Zhixiu would definitely say he didn't know about such a secret of the inner palace, or say that he would send someone to investigate tomorrow.

Unexpectedly, he spoke directly: "On the day of the Little New Year, the emperor held a banquet to entertain the royal family members."

"After dinner, the emperor went to Fenghe Palace, where the late queen lived."

"I didn't expect to meet Concubine Xian, who was wearing a simple plain dress and kneeling beside the koi pond to pray for the late queen."

Su Qingyu sneered, "Then the emperor felt pity for her, and Concubine Xian took the opportunity to seduce the emperor, and the two of them became a couple?"

Seeing her look of disdain, Shen Zhixiu smiled and picked up another piece of green bamboo shoots for her with his chopsticks.

"Madam guessed wrong."

Su Qingyu was stunned. "Guessed wrong? That's impossible. This is what is written in the storybooks out there."

Shen Zhixiu laughed twice, then explained: "Afterwards, a strange phenomenon suddenly occurred in front of Concubine Xian."

"The place where Concubine Xian knelt was the koi pond, the favorite place of the late queen. After she prayed, all the koi suddenly came over and swirled around her hand."

"The Emperor immediately said that the late Queen's koi carp was psychic. Since she liked Consort Xian so much, it must be that the late Queen also liked Consort Xian."

Su Qingyu looked up in surprise, "Is that koi from when the late queen was still alive? It's been twenty years?"

Shen Zhixiu shook his head and said, "How is that possible? If someone dies in the middle, new ones will be added."

Su Qingyu thought for a moment and said, "The koi fish are swimming over here. Could it be that Concubine Xian prepared some medicine?"

Seeing that there were some soup stains on her lips due to her talking, Shen Zhixiu picked up a handkerchief and gently wiped them for her.

Then he said softly, "In fact, the emperor is not unaware that there is something fishy going on here. It's just that he has calmed down and is concerned about the crown prince. Since Concubine Xian is willing to give in, we will give her a way out."

To put it bluntly, as long as the crown prince is not deposed, no one can completely overthrow the virtuous concubine.

Su Qingyu said casually: "I have seen a lot of those little tricks when I was in Qianzhou. Some people can even attract a lot of birds. If this happened in the capital, wouldn't it be called a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix?"

Having said this, Su Qingyu was suddenly stunned.

As soon as the virtuous concubine regained favor, she appointed Su Xiangling as the prince's concubine. Isn't this too much of a coincidence?

If it was because she was pregnant, it was not a new pregnancy for Su Xiangling. The baby in her belly was more than three months old now.

Could it be that Su Xiangling was responsible for the restoration of Concubine Xian to the throne?

The more she thought about it, the more she felt that this possibility was high. Otherwise, how could Su Xiangling suddenly become the prince's concubine, and at the time when the virtuous concubine had just resumed her position?

Seeing that she was distracted and didn't eat much, Shen Zhixiu stopped her from talking and told her to eat more fish.

After all, the fish from the Black Wilderness was to her liking, so Su Qingyu ate half a bowl of rice more than usual.

Shen Zhixiu was naturally happy to see her like this, and said that there was a truckload of cold-water fish in the mansion for her to eat as much as she wanted.

The next day, Chuntao came in and reported, "Madam, the New Year gifts you ordered are all ready."

It is already the 25th day of the twelfth lunar month, and Su Qingyu is going to deliver the New Year gifts to the Su family and Yushu Hutong today.

Before leaving, she told Chuntao, "Go pack some cold-water fish. I want to send them to Yushu Hutong."

Chun Tao covered her mouth and laughed secretly, "Madam, why bother? The Third Master had already told the servants to pack it before he went to court this morning."

The population of the West Courtyard was simple, and there were no concubines, so the servants were also comfortable. This was much better than the days in the mansion where the mistresses and concubines competed for favor and there was chaos all day long.

So these girls also reached a consensus that no one could flirtatiously climb into the Third Master's bed. If anyone was found doing so, they would be kicked out.

Fortunately, Shen Zhixiu had selected maids who were all honest and obedient, and he had not found any restless people yet.

When Su Qingyu heard that Shen Zhixiu had already made arrangements, a smile appeared on her face.

Pearl stepped forward again and whispered, "Madam, the dowry for Amber has been packed."

Amber, her old maid, had been guarding the Bishui Pavilion since she got married. Amber got married in the first month of the lunar year, so Su Qingyu brought her a dowry when she returned this time.

After all, they are master and servant, so she has to give her a proper wedding ceremony and it can't be too shabby.

After getting dressed, she went to the door with a few maids. Seven carts of New Year gifts were already waiting at the door.

One of the cars was for the Su family, and the remaining six cars were for Yushu Hutong.

There were also New Year gifts for her maternal ancestors in Yunzhou Prefecture, which she had sent over at the beginning of the month.

She looked at these things and said to Feicui beside her, "Take six carts of New Year gifts and go to Yushu Hutong first."

“I’ll go to the Su family to deal with it and then I’ll be there.”