Gongshang Confidante

one year later

"Xia Sha, have you finished washing that basket of clothes? It's just dawdling!" the voice of the old mother shouted. , covered with chilblains, red, swollen and torn, was wringing out his clothes and putting them in a basket to dry.

Getting up suddenly made her eyes dizzy, and there was a tingling pain in her waist. Xia Sha clenched a fist in one hand, hammered the hammer on the back of her waist, and coughed softly twice. place moved.

Xia Sha's face was sallow and haggard, her figure was thin and skinny, she was holding a heavy basket with her teeth gritted, her fingers were swollen as thick as carrots, her hands used to be dexterous enough to embroider the most delicate patterns of clothes, but now she was scrambling Soak in icy water to do rough work like washing clothes.

The four first-class maids around Princess Zhaoning are all talented. Xia Ling is smart and careful, and she can play the piano, chess, calligraphy and painting; The food is even more delicious than those in the Imperial Dining Room. Xia Hua is highly skilled in martial arts and usually keeps silent. Even the Ouchi guards are no match for her.

"After drying those, wash these too," the old mama said arrogantly. She was just a steward of the clothes washing bureau. In the past, in front of Xia Sha, she was always humble and deliberately flattering her, but now she is making things difficult for Xia Sha. Sha knew that if the princess chased her away, she would have to stay in the clothing bureau for the rest of her life.

The figure in the water green dress flashed in front of my eyes, sometimes flattering, sometimes shy, sometimes desperate, I wonder if she is okay in the cold palace?

Xia Sha asked someone to inquire that since the death of the former emperor, all the concubines in the Lenggong Palace have been dismissed. The new emperor is weak, and the Changning Palace has always been vacant, with only two old nuns guarding it. She was the first concubine to be relegated to the cold palace, but Concubine Yu has a gentle temperament and will not treat the little grasshopper harshly.

Thinking of the broken expression of the little grasshopper that night, Xia Sha felt a pain in her heart. She thought that as long as she showed that she had nothing to do with the little grasshopper, the princess might accommodate the two of them, but she didn't know that the little grasshopper was so broken want to commit suicide.

Xia Sha held the clothes, stood in front of the rope in a daze, and threw a piece of soap horn on her head, "How dare you be lazy! I want to be punished!" Said, "You all rest today, let Xia Sha wash all these, and don't sleep until you finish washing!!",

Xia Sha put down the heavy clothes in her hand, took a few breaths, looked at the large barrels of clothes on the ground, and said unhappily, "Are you trying to make things difficult for me?", "Dare to talk back! You are against you! You thought you were next to the princess Are you a first-class court lady? Now you are just a palace maid!", the old mother rushed over angrily, raised her hand and slapped Xia Sha to the ground with great strength.

"Mommy, Eunuch Sun is waiting outside," a court lady said to the old nanny, and glanced at Xia Sha who was lying on the ground.

Xia Sha followed Eunuch Sun to the Palace of the Moon. She had worn out clothes, hands and ears full of frostbite, several cracks, and was about to rot from the cold, her hair was slightly messed up, and there were bright red palm prints on her face. Breathing heavily, accompanied by occasional coughing, "Okay, just wait here", Eunuch Sun glanced contemptuously, shook off the floating dust, Lan Hua pointed, turned and left.

Xia Sha lowered her head, not daring to look around, she only vaguely remembered that the Moon Room Hall was originally vacant, presumably some young master won the emperor's favor and specially bestowed this hall.

"Great Man of the River", the maids on both sides saluted one after another, Xia Sha bowed her head and followed, only to see a green grass skirt with scattered flowers and mist sweeping past her, the familiar water green skirt made Xia Sha's eyes feel jerky, she blinked He blinked and stood still.

Mrs. Xi entered the seat and remained silent for a long time, only hearing the sound of the maid next to her presenting the teacup. Xia Sha rubbed her hands and stood there in a daze, not daring to move.

"Go down, my nobleman has something to say to Xia Sha." A soft and delicate voice sounded, and Xia Sha was shocked when she heard it. She curled her hands and waited until the maids on both sides left the palace before she raised her eyes in disbelief. From the looks of it, she is wearing a falling cloud bun, with golden hairpins swaying on her head, her face after powder makeup is delicate and bright, lined with a luxurious dress, and the emerald green bracelet on her wrist sweeps away the timidity and weakness of that day, her eyes are like a square Looking directly at Xia Sha.

Wasn't it the little grasshopper that was relegated to the cold palace that day, the little grasshopper that once bloomed at her fingertips, the little grasshopper that once watched her almost die under the pillar.

"Little..." Xia Sha burst into tears in two lines, murmured out a word, hurriedly lowered her head, the frostbite on her hand was hot, itchy and painful, she rubbed it vigorously, covering up all her feelings with pain.

"It seems that even if you make a compromise, your life is not good," the man said softly, with a calm voice, no hatred, no resentment, "I did something wrong, I failed to protect you, I made a mistake, I did it Wrong", Xia Sha raised her stiff hand, tears fell on it, she didn't feel much, she just kept chanting like confessing.

"I'm living a good life now. The emperor bestowed the name, Qingxi, nobleman Fengxi." Qingxi stopped Xia Sha's words, and said with her chin in her hands, as if she was thinking about something, and said slowly, "The emperor misses Concubine Yu, When I went to Changning Palace at night, who would have thought that the emperor was drunk and couldn't find a place to return after the ceremony?" Qingxi laughed softly, her eyes sparkling,

"Just broke into the house, I was changing clothes and taking a bath, do you think it's a coincidence?" Qingxi picked up the handkerchief and wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes, "Just like that, after one night, I sealed the talented person, from a servant became a master."

Xia Sha's eyes were empty, her entire face was dull and expressionless, Qing Xi slowly walked down from above, her waist was slender, she was already slender, her waist was as thin as a willow, as if it would be broken if pinched .

"I know what you want to ask?" Qingxi smiled mockingly, she leaned close to Xiasha's ear, her warm breath rushed over, making Xiasha's chilblained ears itchy unbearably, "The emperor is so drunk, I secretly cut my finger." Qingxi covered her lips and smiled lightly, the smile didn't reach her eyes, her expression changed, "Thanks to you, good sister. It turns out that I didn't feel uncomfortable doing that with a man, besides, I flattered him, For more than a year, from being a talented person to a noble person, there are also rewards of gold, silver and jewelry. But to please you, what have I got? Death!".

The death word spit out from Qing Xi's mouth through gritted teeth, pouring out a bit of her unconcealable hatred.

"Little grasshopper, it was my fault that day", Xia Sha wanted to hold her hand, but her smooth hand under her eyelids made her own hideous hands, she couldn't help shrinking back humblely, and pulled her sleeves.

Qingxi flicked her sleeves, and the satin-smooth sleeves slid out from her fingertips, and said, "You will stay here from now on, remember to call Mrs. Xi, the little grasshopper is dead."

Xia Sha looked at her unwillingly, "You care about me, right? Otherwise, I wouldn't have been transferred from the Clothes Bureau",

Qingxi paused, turned around, and slapped her fair face on the other side with a wave of his hand. He slapped her hard, and mocked, "The Clothes Bureau hasn't suffered enough, and I still have to ask for a lesson here!",

"I don't believe it." Xia Sha raised her hand to cover her face, and looked at her stubbornly, "I don't believe that the little grasshopper doesn't remember the slightest kindness from the past? I don't believe that well-behaved little grasshopper will change!",

Qingxi's eyebrows grew hostile, and he raised his hand to pinch Xiasha's chin, his long nails stuck into the flesh, and said word by word, "I said, the little grasshopper is dead! Do you think I brought you here for a reason?" For old love? I am here to torture you!",

The long nails scratched from the chin to the neck, leaving deep red blood marks, Qingxi looked at Xia Sha with a painful expression in her eyes, and the corners of her mouth slightly raised.

After that day, for three months, Qingxi no longer summoned Xia Sha, and left Xia Sha in the Moon Room Hall. There were a lot of miscellaneous things, but she didn't have to soak her hands in water all day, and occasionally did some needlework. Although the pain was unbearable, but thinking that it was done for the little grasshopper, it was heartfelt.She used to make the little grasshopper's clothes stitch by stitch.

Xia Sha would eavesdrop on the conversations of the maids around her every day, knowing that she was doing well, and the rest of the time, whenever she had free time, she would take out the sewing kit she carried with her and bow her head to embroider purses. In Huanyi Bureau, it is much better.

Thinking of the previous promise to protect the little grasshopper, but now, it falls under her protection.

"The lotus flower in your purse is embroidered well." The person who spoke was the elderly maid of the Yueshi Palace, called Aunt Lin. Xia Sha looked up and saw that it was dusk. Purse, I thought that the two months of hard work were not in vain, and I could give it to the little grasshopper on her birthday.

"If Auntie likes it, I'll embroider another summer yarn for you some other day." Xia yarn took up the end of the thread, lowered her head and bit off the end of the thread, like a satin purse, embroidered with green lotuses by the stream under the moon, the glistening stream surface, The lotus leaves are stretched, the rhizomes are swaying, and red dragonflies stand beside the lotus leaves. It seems that when a gust of wind blows, the lotus leaves fluctuate and the dragonflies flutter their wings. The embroidery is exquisite and lifelike.

"I like it very much, so give this to me first, and you can embroider another one." Aunt Lin snatched it from her hand unceremoniously, and played with it in her hand, overjoyed.

"Aunt! This is not allowed!" Xia Sha stood up, snatched the purse from her hand, and held it tightly in her hand. Aunt Lin raised her brows. She is an old man in the palace. People's respect for her is what Yue Shidian can say.

At this moment, Xia Sha lost face, she couldn't help but pull down her face, and said in a deep voice with an unhappy tone, "If I didn't take care of the Moon Room Hall, would you be able to live in the Moon Room Hall? It is your blessing to see your craftsmanship, you Don't be ignorant!",

"Auntie, I'm giving this purse to Mrs. Xi," Xia Sha said directly through gritted teeth. Aunt Lin was slightly surprised, looking at her eyes full of disdain, and scoffed, "I know you have some old feelings with Mrs. Xi, Mrs. Xi is soft-hearted. Take care of you a little bit, don't be ignorant of the heights of the heavens and the earth. Mr. Xi is the master, and you are the slave, so you must always remember it!".

Xia Sha bit her lip and bowed her head in silence. Aunt Lin grabbed the purse from her hand, picked up the scissors, cut it into pieces twice, threw it on the ground, and spat, "What is your status? Noble Xi won't accept it!",

Xia Sha snatched the purse, held it in her hand, glared at her with red eyes, and shouted, "How dare you destroy it!", and then rushed forward, grabbed Aunt Lin's hair, and began to fight, "Ouch!! Help!! You're hitting someone!!" Aunt Lin yelled in pain, grabbed Xia Sha's hair with her backhand and pulled it back, when several maids ran over, they fell to the ground and wrestled together.