[Red Mansions] The Road to Empress Dowager

Lin Daiyu said in shock: "Eldest sister...you think too far."

Xing Xiuyan said: "As long as the development is smooth, it will not be far away. With people and relationships like ours, there are opportunities to make money everywhere. I was thinking about this. The second sister and the third sister are in the boudoir. Settling accounts, drawing patterns, and entering the embroidery workshop Okay, but there are always people who can manage the workshops and shops who can hold people down. The mother is a little less powerful, and the stepmother has more affairs of her own. I have an idea."

Shi Huiyin said: "Elder Sister, just say it, if it's good, how often will we not listen to you?"

Xing Xiuyan smiled and said: "When it comes to managing people and treating people and things, Lian's second sister-in-law is a hero among rouge fans. Even if there are people who steal, rape and play tricks, she can suppress them. Our three sisters should have three-three divisions when doing business. But it’s always too small, so let’s test the waters now. If we want to set up a large trading company for clothing, shoes, hats and supplies in the future, let Lian’s second sister-in-law join in. It’s very suitable for Lian’s second sister-in-law to manage people and affairs. You two Help with the bills later, and take care of Lian's second sister-in-law when the mother and adoptive mother are free."

Wang Xifeng has the side of being clever and being misunderstood by cleverness, but if she opens up her pattern, so that she no longer blindly pursues the false name in the Rongfu family, but seizes the actual benefits, her ability and courage are good.Daiyu, Mrs. Xingli and a few nuns are in charge of most of the affairs now, especially Daiyu, who created her career by herself.Daiyu is also a person who refuses to admit defeat. In the past, she was not convinced in poetry and books. After Xing Xiuyan's guidance, Daiyu, who also regarded these as learning, naturally pursued perfection.

Lin Daiyu smiled and said: "This idea is really good. Sister Feng's ability is indeed stronger than ours. It's just that Sister Feng is in charge of the big family in Rongfu, so I'm afraid there will be no time for it."

Xing Xiuyan laughed and said: "If the second sister-in-law of Lian is unwilling, we will not force it. If the sister-in-law is really so stupid, we can't rest assured that she will be the general manager. It's fine if she doesn't have a chance, and she won't if she has the chance. Keep your eyes on the gate of the house, because if you win outside the gate, you have the final say inside the gate. Inside the gate, you can please the elders and be a decent person, but when you meet someone who has great power outside the gate, Then she is also vulnerable in front of this person. No matter a man or a woman, the economic foundation and political status determine power and interests. Can you get money for nothing in the house, or can you earn money with a woman in the back house? Will the Dou court give you an edict? It is impossible, so Zhai Dou is just a helpless choice for women when they have no other choice. Whenever they have a chance, they still have to try to jump out. Even if they fail in the end, our three sisters are no better than other businessmen. If you have a backer, what are you afraid of?"

That's why she never disdained to fight with other women in the harem, and only focused on Tu Yuanyi and the people and things outside the palace.There is no benefit to tearing up with the women in the harem, only to fall into the endless unjust war in the harem.

But Tu Yuanyi has various advantages in her body, and the affairs outside the palace are her foundation besides him.How stupid she must be, to go and learn from them, to waste time.

Lin Daiyu and Shi Hui were in a daze, Lin Daiyu said: "My sister has been taught."

After talking for a while, it was almost noon again.

Before the meal, the palace servants brought several bowls of boiled goat milk with eggs. The four of them wanted to eat with appetite, but they saw Mrs. Xing and Li clutching her mouth and feeling sick.

"What's the matter, mother? But is this milk smelly?" Xing Xiuyan hurriedly asked someone to bring a basin, and another court lady prepared mouthwash.

Mrs. Xing Li vomited for a long time, Xing Xiuyan couldn't help but had an idea, and hurriedly sent someone to Xuan Li's doctor.

……

Mrs. Xing and Li hid on the imperial concubine's couch. She was still very embarrassed to make such a sudden disturbance when she entered the palace, but her daughter's thoughtfulness made her feel at ease.

Doctor Li examined the pulse for a long time, and then asked an experienced medical lady to visit and ask, and finally the female doctor reported to Doctor Li.

"Emperor Li, is there any obstacle to my mother's health?"

Doctor Li said with a smile: "Your Majesty, don't worry, I'm afraid Ma'am is happy, but the month is too shallow, so I'm a little uncertain about the pulse."

Xing Xiuyan knew that Imperial Physician Li was very good at gynecology, and he was very accurate in feeling the pulse of happiness. He dared to say "I'm afraid there is happiness", and he had nine achievements.

Xing Xiuyan snorted, a little dazed, and murmured: "Mother is going to give birth to younger brothers and sisters! Mother is really happy!"

Doctor Li said: "It's not stable yet, Madam must take care of herself."

There is no place to put Xing Li's old face. Although she said she wanted to have a son, she didn't know how embarrassing it was until she was pregnant.This is only a little younger than when Mrs. Wang gave birth to Jia Baoyu.

Daiyu and Shi Hui were even more overjoyed, chatting around Mrs. Xing and Li.

In the afternoon, it was Empress Yang who heard that Mrs. Xing and Li and the two county lords had entered the palace, and asked Jia Yuanchun to deliver an order to invite them to go to the imperial garden to enjoy the chrysanthemums.Empress Yang was secretly slapped in the face by Tu Yuanyi, and Concubine Wu Hui was temporarily in charge of the harem, but he had no intention of abolishing her after all.

Now she has ordered Concubine Wu Hui to assist the queen in managing the palace affairs. In fact, the power is divided between the two.Tu Yuanyi hated the Queen for beating Xing Xiuyan, and now he even exempted her from staying overnight on the [-]th day of the Lunar New Year.But he didn't believe Wu's either.The most beneficial thing for him and Xing Xiuyan is to check and balance, which is the same as the previous dynasty.It was also because of Xing Xiuyan's high temper that she disdained to take care of the palace affairs for him. In her eyes, it was just taking care of the food and drink of his little wives.

And Jia Yuanchun, who had also flattered Concubine Wu Hui, is now two-headed, and life is quite difficult.

Xing Xiuyan said: "Ben Gong's mother is feeling a little unwell, please thank Empress Empress on my behalf."

It was Jia Yuanchun who came to invite people, she lowered her head and said: "Today, the empress dowagers of the two palaces are also here. If the servants return like this, others will mistakenly think that Mrs. Xing and the two county lords have taken over."

Xing Xiuyan himself resigned several times from the invitations of the queen and concubines, only a few times he went to sit and sit, and soon he also said he was tired and came back.But Xing Xiuyan also had to consider the situation of Xingli, Daiyu, and Shi Hui, especially the latter two, who always had to socialize among officials, so it would be bad to have such a reputation.

Xing Xiuyan said: "My mother is really unwell, but I and the two county lords are in good health, and I should go to visit the two empress dowagers and empresses. You should wait outside the palace."

Before Jia Yuanchun went out, she took a peek at the two girls. She knew that one of them was her own cousin, and the other was the uncle's cousin in the uncle's house.Duan is a handsome and romantic person, with such a colorful cardamom age, but she is just living in the palace. After leaving the palace at this age, where is her home? How can she deal with herself?Why is this person's fate so different?I don't know if her cousin of the Lin family will help her.

If the cousin can say a few good words for her in front of the imperial concubine Chen, if she has the opportunity to be transferred to serve beside the imperial concubine Chen, it will be better to get a little favor when the imperial concubine Chen is inconvenient to serve the saint, than to die in the palace like this.

The queen can endure, she has sons and daughters, fame and half the power, but she can't endure, she has nothing.

Xing Xiuyan asked Su Qing to arrange for someone to send Xing Li out of the palace first, so that she could recuperate well, and she would ask Li Taiyi to go to Xing's family to ask for pulse.Mrs. Xing and Li were first supported by the nanny to leave the Lingbo Hall, and the three of them went to the imperial garden of the harem.

There is a little distance from here. Xing Xiuyan asked someone to prepare a carriage covered with red silk veils. The two county lords are of the fourth rank, so it doesn't matter if they squeeze with her. The eunuchs and maids accompanied them all the way .

When they got out of the car outside the gate of the imperial garden in the harem, Zhao Quan helped her go in first, and Daiyu and Shi Hui carefully followed behind.

Empress Dowager Liu, Empress Dowager Zhou, Empress, Concubine Hui, Concubine De, Concubine Gong, Concubine Min, Concubine Wen, and Concubine Jing were sitting in the pavilion eating crabs and drinking chrysanthemum tea, and some low-ranking concubines crowded beside them. joking around.

Sitting next to Empress Dowager Liu was the tenth princess who had just received the golden title as Princess He Xiaochang.Although canonized, she lost her face after all, and everyone in the court and harem knew that she was not very valuable among princesses.

Sitting next to the Empress Dowager Zhou was Princess Hedechang, next to the Empress was the 12-year-old Eldest Princess, and next to Defei Cui was the [-]-year-old Second Princess.

A strip eunuch was entertaining the nobles, but he didn't let Liyuan set up a stage in the garden.

"The imperial concubine is here!" the eunuch shrieked, from the outer gate to the rockery on the inner road, and then to the pavilion.

All the concubines couldn't help but froze, and even the corners of Empress Dowager Liu's mouth could not help but move slightly.Except for the Empress Dowager and Empress, other concubines and princesses stood up first, even Concubine Hui and Concubine De dared not sit while Concubine Chen was standing.Concubine Chen is not only a noble concubine, but "Chen" means the North Star, and the palace pole of the Great Court Meeting can be called Zichen Palace.There are very few titled "Chen" in history.

Xing Xiuyan took Lin Daiyu and Shi Huifu down, and said, "Concubines/couriers, see the two empress dowagers, the two empress dowagers Jin An! See the empress empress, empress empress Jin An!"

Empress Dowager Liu and Empress Dowager Zhou both said, "No need to be too polite, Imperial Concubine Chen."

Many concubines bowed down: "Concubines see the imperial concubine, the imperial concubine is auspicious!"

"Flat body."

The two eldest princesses and the two princesses came to bless the body: "Good luck to the imperial concubine!"

Xing Xiuyan helped the Ninth Princess and the Tenth Princess, and said with a smile: "The two younger sisters have broken me."

The Empress Dowager Zhou said with a smile: "Chen Guifei is also an elder of He De, so it's fine if she doesn't see her often, but she should get close to her when she sees her today."

Xing Xiuyan smiled and said: "My mother really knows me, I have always loved such a cute girl. This younger sister Hede is almost 13 years old, and she is about to meet her in-law's family. It's time for his royal brother to open his eyes." Brighter, find a good husband."

Princess Hede's biological mother was just a beauty at the beginning, she came from a humble background, and was raised under the former Concubine Shu's knees and was shy. Now her main focus of life is to serve the Empress Dowager Zhou besides learning some poetry and books.In the future, her selection of a horse for her will of course depend on the emperor's vision. As a princess, the emperor's imperial decree to bestow marriage is always important.

Tu Yuanyi took care of Empress Dowager Liu, and saw that Empress Dowager Liu had a feminine attitude in the past two months. He did not intentionally tarnish his reputation because of a series of things he did, and caused nobles to criticize him for being mean and unfilial, and he did not embarrass Xing Xiuyan any more. , he canonized the ten princesses as "Princess He Xiaochang" to signify a truce.

The ninth princess was even more ashamed to hear what Concubine Chen said.

The Empress Dowager Zhou said: "The Royal Concubine Chen also has the nerve to bully her a child."

Concubine Chen held the hand of the tenth princess again, and said: "He Xiao has grown taller again. This looks so good that the empress dowager gave birth to her at the beginning. I don't know which one will be cheaper in the future."

Now that it's here, the big show still has to be sung.

Empress Dowager Liu was kind and said with a smile: "You brought your younger sister by yourself, but you came to bully us to be filial and virtuous."

Xing Xiuyan pulled Daiyu and Shi Hui's hands and said, "Heyu and Hemin are funny to me too. That's all I like. If I didn't enter the palace, I should become an iceman. I hold the news of any good girl in my hand. If those families want to marry a good-looking wife, don’t they all have to ask me?”

The empress dowagers, empresses, and concubines of the two palaces looked at Daiyu and Shi Hui and couldn't help being amazed, especially Daiyu, whose elegant and elegant style was not weaker than Xing Xiuyan's lightness and elegance, and Shi Hui's delicate beauty It is also rare in the world to be as agile as the scorching sun.

Empress Dowager Zhou also admired her in her heart, thinking that only in terms of appearance, the two princesses He Xiao and He De are really inferior to these two.

Empress Dowager Zhou said: "These are the two county lords newly appointed by the emperor. They are really excellent talents."

Daiyu and Shi Huifu said: "The empress dowager is too famous, and the courtiers are no more than the willows."

Empress Dowager Liu said: "Since I have received the seal, I can get close to the princesses. The daughters have something to say."

Empress Dowager Liu ordered the Empress to sit with her, but Xing Xiuyan sat down at the same table as Empress Dowager Zhou.He ordered another table to be set up for the princesses to sit with Daiyu and Shi Hui.

Only then did Empress Yang ask: "Why don't you see Li Shuren?"

Empress Yang is not arrogant at all, normal women are jealous, no wonder she, but now she has to endure it, life will always pass.No one in the harem dared to openly oppose the saint. If she wanted to twist it, not only would she not be favored, she would even lose half of her power.

Since Xing Xiuyan saw Empress Yang again, both of them agreed not to mention the past, but they lived in peace.In the harem, thick-skinned, pretending to be ignorant is an essential skill.

Xing Xiuyan said: "Mother is slightly unwell, so the concubine will send her out of the palace first."

Empress Yang doubted: "But why?"

Xing Xiuyan didn't want to talk about it at first, but it was Imperial Physician Li who checked her pulse, and Queen Yang would find out right away if she wanted to.

"Mother is probably... happy."

All the concubines were taken aback, thinking to themselves how old Li Shu was and had children.Empress Dowager Zhou laughed and said, "This is a great joy!"

Xing Xiuyan smiled back, and said: "When I was eating at noon, my mother felt nauseous, and she is not stable now, so I decided to let her go back to recuperate first, and then come to visit the empress dowager and empress empress some other day."

The queen said indifferently: "There is no need to come to see her specially. Li Shuren has nothing to do with Bengong. It's just that Shuren came to the palace, but Bengong didn't see her. It might make people think that Bengong despised her. Some people said, Li Shuren is also feeling uncomfortable."

Suddenly, the air seemed to freeze.

Xing Xiuyan smiled lightly, and said: "The Empress is in charge of the Six Palaces, she is busy with palace affairs, and her mother is just a third-rank imperial order. The Empress sees her as grace, but not seeing her makes sense. How can she have other thoughts in her heart?"

Although Xing Xiuyan didn't know the women in the harem, she was as talkative as Daiyu.Seeing the queen's attitude is interesting, the queen doesn't like Xing Li's experience, don't mention it, but she said it like this, secretly intending to despise her mother, do you still think she doesn't understand?Xing Xiuyan is also a strange person, she doesn't hold grudges very much about her own trivial matters, but she is extremely defensive.At the beginning in Jia's mansion, she wanted to protect Daiyu who she regarded as a precious lump, and Xing Li was of course someone she cared about.

Xing Xiuyan smiled and said "in charge of the six palaces", but in fact she was insinuating that her empress still shared power with Concubine Hui.

Queen Yang's expression changed as expected, and she finally endured it.

Concubine Jing Shen Man suddenly said: "Speaking of which, the sage has given me a lot of grace. The father of Concubine Chen's younger sister was originally a weaver of the fifth rank, but she received the title of the third-rank chief so quickly, and her mother became a lady. People often say that the husband honors the wife. Concubine Chen's parents are more expensive than fathers, daughters are more expensive, daughters are more expensive than mothers, it's really a good fortune."

Life in Shen Man's palace was difficult, but her county lord's mother also came to the palace to visit, and brought 10 taels, and her life was better if she had money.But her grandfather's family has a lot of face in the clan, which is different from Liu's family.Therefore, she felt that if Xing Xiuyan fell out of favor, she would have to wait to get revenge.

Although Concubine Wen Liu Jingru was educated by the Empress Dowager Liu, her temperament was hard to change. She continued, "It's not a good fortune. A daughter is still able to have children at such an age. It's hard for such a good person to be able to control her husband at such a young age." I don’t know who can learn it, that’s really good luck!”

At this time, Shi Daiyu and Shi Hui couldn't help suffocating, the empress and concubines all looked pale, and the others were either not so stupid, and dared not answer this question if they wanted to go.

Xing Xiuyan didn't show weakness, otherwise others would still treat her as a concubine like a playboy.

So she smiled and said, "Why is Concubine Wen so interested in what happened in Bengong's father's room? This makes Bengong very panic. Bengong's father is just an honest man, and he feels that he does not have such a great fortune to delay so much." She can be her daughter's girl. For an honest man like Bengong's father, that's not shameful. Bengong's mother's family is small, but it's a joke for Concubine Wen's big family."

Xing Xiuyan took a sip of tea, but Concubine Wen's face turned dark. Her father took in two new girls who were only fifteen or sixteen years old at the beginning of this year.She is the father and he is 50 to [-] years old. Doesn't Xing Xiuyan mean that his father is old and not ashamed?

Concubine Wen recalled the tragedy at home, and couldn't help saying: "Concubine Chen! Don't bully me too much!"

Empress Dowager Liu had no choice but to intervene at this time, scolding: "Presumptuous!"

Concubine Wen looked at Empress Dowager Liu aggrievedly, and said, "Empress Dowager..."

Empress Dowager Liu said: "Is it possible that you, a concubine, can inquire about foreign men's affairs?"

Concubine Wen said, "It's Concubine Chen..."

Empress Dowager Liu said with a heavy face, "You are Concubine Wen, Concubine Chen is a noble concubine, remember your identity. Go back to your Fengzao Palace and copy "Nvjie" ten times."

Xing Xiuyan knew that Empress Dowager Liu was only saying this now, and she probably wanted to test it before. She could tolerate everything with Tu Yuanyi, but she hated and despised her after all.

But so what if she hated?If her natal family of Xing Xiuyan was tortured like this, and she was beaten in the face like this when she became the queen mother, she would hate it too much.But the queen mother did nothing to her in the end.

She didn't bother too much, and almost opened the topic and said: "The two empress dowagers, empress empress, and the two county lords are coming back to the imperial garden for the first time, and I want to take them around."