Kunyi Palace is simple and solemn, with simple and unpretentious furnishings.

A short ebony couch against the wall is covered with half-worn sapphire-colored cushions and a pair of blue satin back pillows. There is a table next to the couch, and on the table is a small open-carved brass incense burner. Because of the queen's beauty,

If you don't like the strong fragrance, you will burn pine, bamboo leaves, lily grass, etc. to get their fragrance.

There is a glazed screen with a lotus pattern, a pair of red sandalwood armchairs with rattan hearts in front of the screen, and a square table in the middle. On the table are kiln tea cups and assorted small tea hangings. There is also a black lacquer shelf with several 2-3-inch pots.

The high ones are decorated with small bonsais covered with rocks and moss.

The queen was sitting in front of the carved rosewood dressing table by the window, her eyes slightly closed, her brows slightly furrowed, and she seemed to be thinking something.

Yuqiu stood behind him and gently gave her a hair grate, and said: "Your Majesty's headache has been cured, but I didn't want it to relapse due to the overworked arrangements for the Wanshou Festival these past few days. I can give you a hair grate, too."

Reduce the pain."

The queen gently rubbed her temples and said: "Yu Qiu, look at there are so many young and beautiful women. One after another, compared with them, I am really old and wan."

Yuqiu said: "No matter how many girls you have, your Majesty is still the empress of the middle palace, and no one can surpass you."

The queen looked at her slightly haggard face in the mirror and said quietly: "I am just a queen. Your Majesty has long since lost all affection for me."

Yu Qiu said: "Your Majesty has been with the Emperor for more than ten years and also raised Princess Jianing. The Emperor still values ​​your Majesty very much."

The queen sighed softly and said with emotion: "It was so good when I was in the palace at that time. The emperor accompanied me every day, but since he ascended the throne, there have been more and more women around me, and I can't guard against them."

At this time, Huixin walked in and announced: "Your Majesty, the empresses and young masters from each palace have come to pay their respects and are waiting in the main hall."

After the queen heard this, she ordered Yuqiu and Huixin to comb their hair and tidy up their clothes.

In the main hall, seven or eight concubines dressed in various colorful costumes sat on ebony armchairs according to their positions and waited.

The emperor walked in, holding Yuqiu's hand, and all the concubines hurriedly knelt down to say hello, saying neatly: "Greetings to the empress, may the empress be safe!" There was a jingling of rings.

The queen sat on the phoenix chair in front of the main hall, which was decorated with hundreds of birds facing phoenixes. She gently held the red gold phoenix crown on her head, straightened her skirt, and said with a smile: "Sisters, please get up quickly and let everyone

I’ve been waiting for a seat for a long time.”

Concubine Yu said: "For the Emperor's Longevity Festival, your Majesty has worked too hard for the past few days and deserves more rest. It's nothing for me to wait for a while."

Concubine Yu is very pretty, with slender eyebrows and a shrewd look in her eyes. She has slender shoulders and a slim waist. Her waist is as slender as a willow lined with a thin autumn-green Yunyan brocade skirt.

The Queen smiled gently and said, "It was all thanks to the help of all my sisters that I was able to pass this Longevity Festival smoothly."

Then, she looked at Concubine Xian and said specifically, "Especially my sister, Concubine Xian, who worked hard and spared no effort and helped me a lot. I would like to thank my sister for this."

Concubine Xian stood up and said respectfully: "Your Majesty, you are so polite. It is your duty and blessing to share your worries and solve problems for your Majesty."

Although Concubine Xian is only about seventy-eight in appearance, her appearance is quiet and her body is leisurely, her appearance is smart and her temperament is like orchid.

The queen nodded approvingly and smiled at Concubine Rong: "Sister Concubine Rong, you should also thank Concubine Xian. You should have taken care of these things, but Concubine Xian did it for you."

Concubine Rong raised her eyebrows, with a half-smile on her face, and said four short words: "Thank you, Concubine Xian!" Youzi played with the slender red gold-embedded emerald beaded armor on her finger.

The atmosphere in the palace was a little awkward, and Concubine Shu said with a smile: "Yesterday, I heard from Eunuch Zhou, the chef in charge of the imperial dining room, that the emperor tasted a dish of Wensi Tofu in the Queen Mother's Palace a few days ago and praised it full of praise. Suddenly, he remembered

, asked the imperial kitchen to make it, and seven or eight master chefs made more than ten bowls. The emperor tasted a few bowls and ordered them to be taken down. He said the taste was not right, and even Eunuch Zhou was scolded."

Qiao, who was sitting at the bottom, agreed with a smile and said, "There must be a new and highly skilled cook coming to the small kitchen in the Queen Mother's palace."

Concubine Shu smiled lightly and said: "I thought so at first, but later I found out that the Wensi tofu was made by Miss Lu Yuan who was specially appointed by the Queen Mother to bring her from outside the palace. Miss Lu was naturally beautiful, and she was the most beautiful woman in the country. She must not be that tofu.

It's delicious, but the person who made this tofu is so beautiful that the emperor will never forget it."

Concubine Yu said: "Sister Shu Concubine is talking about the one who played the pipa on the boat on the Wanshou Festival?"

Shu Bin smiled and nodded in agreement.

Concubine Yu added: "She was born well, and she plays the pipa well. It seems that there will be another sister in the harem."

A trace of jealousy flashed in Concubine Rong's eyes, and she said with a cold smile: "It's just a small skill and a mediocre beauty, but it's worthy of being so amazing as you."

Concubine Yu was unconvinced and said: "Sister Rong Fei's peerless appearance is naturally not afraid of comparison, but Miss Lu's girlish beauty is beyond the reach of my sister."

After hearing this, Concubine Rong rolled her sleeves and said angrily: "How dare you laugh at my old age?" Then she smiled sweetly and said: "When it comes to age, the Queen is the eldest here. What do you mean?

…….”

Before Concubine Rong could finish speaking, Concubine Yu was so shocked that she knelt down and said, "Empress, this is not what I meant."

The queen's face was calm, showing no signs of displeasure, and she said slowly: "Miss Lu is indeed as beautiful as a hibiscus, and she has both talents and talents. It wouldn't be a bad thing to have such a sister in the harem, and everyone can be more lively."

All the concubines bowed their heads and said yes, but Concubine Rong didn't take it seriously and smiled.

The queen said: "All the sisters have dispersed, I am a little tired."

Then everyone paid their respects and said: "Please guarantee the phoenix body, the queen, and I will retire."

After leaving Kunyi Palace, Concubine Shu followed Concubine Rong in the direction of Yaohua Palace.

Concubine Rong's voice was stern: "Concubine Yu, that little girl dared to ridicule me in person. If I hadn't just been banned for fifteen days, she would have given her a slap in the face! She thought that with the queen's support, she could not put me in this situation.

It’s in her eyes, I’ll give her some color sooner or later!”

Shu Concubine said with a smile: "Don't be angry, Concubine Yu. Concubine Yu is more than smart, but lacks strategy and worries, but that Miss Lu..."

Concubine Rong called Jin Xi, the eunuch in charge of Yaohua Palace behind her, and ordered: "Send someone to keep an eye on the movements in Ci'an Palace secretly. If there is any trouble, report it to me immediately."
Chapter completed!