concubines

Li Chen was assigned by the emperor to work in the household department. Because of his wedding, he could take a month's leave at the residence.When he and Qi Niqun came back from the palace in the afternoon, Qi Yunruo was taking a nap, and in the afternoon Tassel asked him to get up to help Qi Niqun tidy up the warehouse.

Qi Yunruo sat up in a daze, there was still a little water stain on the corner of his lips, Tassel wiped him with a handkerchief in disgust, and dragged him up to pack his clothes.Uncle Ziyang and his wife distributed 120 sets of dowry to the eldest daughter, and there were two Zhuangzi, four shops in the capital, the prince's big wedding, palace rewards, and congratulatory gifts from various prefectures. Eunuch Gao led four servants There was also a nanny who personally accompanied Qi Nijun to register.

Qi Niqun's nanny is surnamed Song, and she is about the same age as Cheng Nanny, the internal steward of Dongmei Courtyard. Get on top of her.After the prince came back, he went directly to the study in the front yard. Qi Niqun sat in the middle of the yard, and set up a table beside him. All kinds of treasures, fabrics, and medicinal materials were placed in boxes according to booklets, and they were locked and put into the warehouse. There were still some useful things in the warehouse. Invisible large pieces, such as screens and wood, were also recorded one by one.

What Qi Yunruo was doing was registration work, and every time Eunuch Gao read a sentence, he would write it down on the paper and sort it out later in the evening.

"A red-gold Qingluan spouting beads, a gold-plated walking swing inlaid with jade butterfly love flowers, a white crystal peony walking swing, a gold-embedded emerald long hairpin inlaid with five-color jewels, number A three."

"One white jade bead is forbidden to step, one red jade gold bead is forbidden to step, and the character is number four."

"A set of gilt sandalwood kang screens for the four seasons of Suzhou embroidery, No. 34 C."

"Five 11-year-old ginseng, number B NO.[-]."

"A box of rubies, a box of sapphires..."

Waiting until the lights came on, Qi Yunruo rubbed his eyes, picked out the wick by himself, and suddenly someone said in his ear: "Master, go back, it's time to eat."

Qi Yunruo raised his head and saw that it was Tassel.Liusu and the girls beside Qi Niqun were also busy, and Qi Yunruo saw that her makeup was a bit messy.

"Master Qi, let others come later." Madam Cheng smiled, "The meal will be served soon, what the young master likes to eat, just tell me, the old slave has been busy in the princess's room yesterday, and I haven't seen the young master yet." , I think the young master is a prudent one, don't let yourself be wronged."

"...Thank you, Mommy." Qi Yunruo said.

Qi Niqun had already returned to the main room, Qi Yunruo was not sure if he was going to say hello, he hesitated in the yard, when he came out, Qi Niqun glanced at him lightly, did not ask him to come and talk, he naturally I don't want to discuss this boring.

When Qi Yunruo stepped back into his room, there happened to be a sound of "The prince is back", Qi Yunruo paused, and then he hurried back as if he was afraid of something, startling Tassel who was following him.

"Why are you running?" Liu Fang frowned.

Qi Yunruo asked Xiaoshan to fetch water and wash her hands, but did not answer.

In the evening, two meat and two vegetables were added with a soup, Xiaoshan and Xiaojiu were reprimanded by Tassel, and they no longer dared to eat together with Qi Yunruo unruly, Qi Yunruo felt a little pity.He has been eating alone since he was very young. When the family got together in the uncle's house, no one thought of going to the most remote small yard to call him. He always sat at the small table and ate by himself. One of my own dishes, a bowl of porridge.

After the meal, Qi Yunruo frowned and looked at Liusu, who patted the non-existent dust on his hands and said, "Are you all these things?"

Without saying a word, Qi Yun took back the contents of the small box one by one. A small box contained some jewelry from his mother, the jade pendant gifted to her by Uncle Ziyang, and two musical scores.

Liusu looked at Qi Niqun's dowry in the afternoon, and felt more and more unhappy. No matter what, her master was Qi Yunruo, and Qi Yunruo was the young master of the Ziyang uncle's mansion. No money was given to him.

Even Tassel is richer than Qi Yunruo.For a moment, Liusu felt that she felt sorry for him.

The internal manager of Dongmei Court is Madam Cheng, the external manager is Eunuch Gao, and there are four other nuns and two father-in-laws under them. If Qi Yun wants to take a bath at night, Liu Su will go to find a fat father-in-law Yuanbao. Hehe smiled and said: "Today, everyone in the courtyard has been exhausted all afternoon, and the boiling water is tight to the princess's side first. If the young master insists on washing, I will ask someone to go out to see if there is any hot water left in the other courtyards. How much is there?" Young master, spread out some more."

Liusu still couldn't understand what he meant, and went back angrily, and didn't look good to Qi Yunruo, saying: "They don't think the young master is not noble enough, and it was only the second day, and those people can see the height of his eyebrows."

Qi Yunruo said: "I want to wash my feet, let's wash my feet."

Liusu didn't want to look at people's faces anymore, so Xiaoshan and Xiaojiu went out, and after a while they came back with the tub in their arms. Qi Yunruo took off his shoes and socks by himself, and sat by the bed to soak his feet. He lowered his head and put his hands on the edge of the bed On the ground, he looked at the surface of the water quietly, the water surface was smashed by small water droplets and made small pits, and quickly disappeared.

In the past, no one was in charge of Qi Yunruo in the uncle's mansion, but now he has to be woken up from the bed by Liufang every day. He changed into a gray dress, combed his hair and hung it behind his head, and let the rest loose, tassels Brushing his hair neatly, he said: "Today is the first day that concubines, concubines and concubines greet our eldest lady, so don't be late."

Qi Yunruo just got up, but his mind was not clear, he asked after a while: "What am I going to do? Is that Ji Huan coming too?"

Liusu's hand paused for a moment before he said: "Mr. Ji Huan is different from you. Mr. Ji Huan is a guest living in the palace and lives in the front yard. You are a dowry wife and can only stay in the back yard."

Qi Yunruo looked at himself in the mirror and said calmly, "Oh."

Qi Yunruo was the first one to go, Liusu said blissfully, "Greetings to Miss."

Qi Niqun smiled, beckoned Liufang to come over, and said with a smile: "How are you doing in the palace these days?" Liusu is her mother's man, she can be trusted.

Liusu hurriedly said: "Hello, servant girl, Miss Xie for your concern."

Qi Niqun raised his eyes to look at Qi Yunruo, Qi Yunruo didn't know how to address him, whether to call her the eldest lady or the concubine, hesitating, Qi Niqun waved her hand and said with a smile: "Third brother, come here."

Qi Yunruo sat beside her somewhat awkwardly, but Qi Niqun was looking at him seriously. She lived in the mansion for eight years, and she only saw Qi Yunruo about seven or eight times. When his father first brought him into the mansion, his mother was so angry On the same day, she remembered her mother saying: "I can bear all that in the mansion, but those dirty and smelly things outside, why can I live in the same mansion with my child, what kind of mother is he? Trick, the good atmosphere of our uncle's mansion will be ruined by him."

When Qi Yunruo entered the door, the mother hated him and was unwilling to talk to him. She didn't ask him to greet him, and she didn't ask him to learn the rules and study. It seemed that she had forgotten such a person. The father apologized to the mother, and he didn't have much affection for the son. , and that's how it goes down year after year.

Until she was married to King Chun, her mother couldn't find a suitable dowry. She was afraid that the girls would be overwhelmed, just like Yunying's second brother's mother. Her younger sister was only Danxia who was of the right age. Well, it's a matter of heart and mind, and the mother is even more worried, until the mother thinks of Qi Yunruo.

It's suitable, it's really suitable, he looks good, his status is fair, and he can't have children. When he is pregnant and needs to be loved by someone, isn't this younger brother the best choice?

Qi Niqun raised her hand to touch her younger brother's head, but she hesitated when she raised her hand. She patted Qi Yunruo's back, touched his hair, and smiled, "Third brother doesn't have a vertical crown yet, so combing his hair like this makes him look younger." I'm young, I'll ask your sister Liubai to find you some little crowns that the prince wore a few years ago."

Qi Yunruo didn't reply yet, Liu Fang said: "Several side concubines and concubines are here."

Qi Niqun sat up straight, Qi Yunruo also stood up and walked aside, Qi Niqun said lightly: "Let's declare."

Not long after, several beautiful women walked in coquettishly, and said in unison, "Greetings to the princess."

Qi Niqun raised her hand and said with a smile, "No courtesy."

Qi Yunruo looked over and saw that the first woman in the lead was plump with beautiful features, presumably she was the concubine Ji who gave birth to the prince's eldest son, the second one was slightly weak, with delicate features, and the following women were dressed in the same clothes and of different ages.

After Qi Niqun asked to sit down, she said with a smile: "It's the first time I've met you sisters. I don't know what you like, so I prepared some random things. If you don't dislike them, just accept them."

Concubine Ji said: "How dare you despise your things, Wangfei, it's just that we are vulgar and afraid that we won't know good things."

Qi Niqun raised her eyebrows, but did not respond, Liubai, Liufang, Liuyue and Liuling each carried a small tray to a few people, and everyone took one, Jifei said: "Today, I should bring The elder brother came here, but he caught cold yesterday and didn’t get up today, so I will bring him over some other day to greet the concubine.”

Concubine Li said with a smile: "Uncle is at the concubine Ji's place. He either suffers from the cold or has stomach troubles all day long, which annoys the prince all day. Fortunately, the concubine came in. In the future, he will teach the uncle well and he will be able to take care of him properly."

Concubine Ji's face darkened all of a sudden, Concubine Li was not afraid at all, and said with a smile: "I have only been slaved to that girl for two months, if the concubine is willing to teach, it will be a blessing for that girl."

Concubine Wei drank the tea by herself, and after a while said: "My concubine's tea is not ordinary, but what I tasted was the best Lushan Yunwu."

Qi Niqun said lightly: "It's not a good thing, Concubine Wei likes it, I'll ask the servant girl to pack a bag and bring it back for you."

Concubine Wei smiled and said: "I thank the princess first, this, this is the third young master of Ziyang uncle's mansion?"

Qi Yunruo glanced at her, then at Qi Niqun.

Qi Niqun said: "Third brother, please greet the two side concubines yet."

The prince and concubine are ordered by the first rank, the side concubine is from the second rank, the concubine is from the fourth rank, the concubine is from the sixth rank, and the servant is from the seventh rank——Qi Yunruo is white, but since Qi Niqun said so, Qi Yunruo only faces Concubine Ji and Concubine Wei kowtowed and stood up without speaking.

Concubine Wei glanced at Concubine Ji with a half-smile, Concubine Ji smiled and said, "You are so handsome, come and show me."

Qi Yunruo raised his eyes to look at her, walked over a few steps, Concubine Ji said: "I've never seen such a well-groomed child, as expected Ziyang uncle's mansion is raising people."

Qi Niqun said: "The two side concubines laughed at him, he is a child who is not sensible and can't speak."

Concubine Wei said: "It happens that Young Master Ji lives in the front yard of Ji's side concubine's family. You can talk to him when you are free."

Qi Niqun's face was already a little displeased, and Concubine Li Shu hurriedly said: "I have been bothering you for a long time, the princess must have a lot of things to do when she first comes, so I don't want to stay any longer."

Qi Niqun's complexion turned pale, and Concubine Ji's complexion was not good just now, so she was the first to stand up and said, "What does the concubine want, just ask someone to find the concubine, the concubine has resigned."

Qi Niqun said: "Liu Bai, I'll see you off."

After the concubines left, Qi Yunruo also returned to his room, and Qi Niqun sat on the chair with a gloomy face, and Nanny Song said displeasedly: "Concubine Ji didn't even mention the matter of the housekeeper, but also talked about the uncle, What does this mean? Concubine Li Shu seems to be a good one."

Qi Niqun lowered her eyes, her slender fingers casually tapped the teacup.

After a while, she said, "Look, mama, none of them are fuel-efficient lamps."