13, Palace Exam
After Xia Tong left, Feng Yuzhen came out from behind the curtain, walked to Jiang Bilan awkwardly, and called out "Empress".
She didn't dare to blame Jiang Bilan for not standing up for her - after all, she was asking for help. To put it bluntly, helping her is a love affair, and not helping her is also a duty.
But he still stabbed Xia Tong without any pain, "The Empress is too magnanimous. You don't even care about her if Xia is so arrogant."
Jiang Bilan said coldly: "You can say it, go and say it."
The emperor even gave her such a precious jade Ruyi. Does Jiang Bilan dare to ignore the emperor's face? She has to look at the Buddha's face if she doesn't look at the monk's face.
But as soon as he fought, Jiang Bilan felt that Xia was unfathomable. She pretended to be innocent and innocent on the surface, but her words were heart-wrenching - she didn't believe that Xia was really a stone-headed person.
Feng Yuzhen had to give up. The imperial concubine thought this woman was difficult, so how could she dare to stroke the tiger's beard? She had to be temporarily at ease.
Jiang Bilan thought about it, but ignored it. It is important to focus on herself. Speaking of which, Xia Tong is just a talented person, and no matter how favored she is, she is limited. Can she still get over her?
Jiang Bilan was thinking about Feng Yuzhen's secret recipe, "Where did you agree to my things the day before yesterday?"
Feng Yuzhen felt that Xia Tong was very good at making achievements, but Jiang Bilan believed that the emperor was just interested in Xia's young figure, which made her even more precarious. If she grows old one day, it would be even more difficult to walk on this road - she had already fallen out of favor without even being favored, and it would be embarrassing to spread.
Feng Yuzhen smiled wryly and said, "I have asked someone from my family to send it. I guess I will arrive soon."
Jiang Bilan urged, "You'd better get faster!"
Feng Yuzhen looked at the arrogant imperial concubine in front of her and thought to herself that this person was not a good person. She only thought about stealing her things, but she didn't know when she could help her favor.
Of course, Feng Yuzhen would not reveal her trump card at once. She decided to use some simple maintenance recipes to make excuses first - Jiang Bilan is still young and has limited results anyway.
As for those magical drugs that can be transformed and reborn, they are treasures at the bottom of the box, so Feng Yuzhen will not easily entrust her to others. At least, she has to wait until she gets the corresponding benefits.
Holding back on these thoughts, Feng Yuzhen smiled and said, "I heard that the Empress Dowager often summoned the King's Selected Service to speak recently?"
That one was also lucky. Somehow he had a crush on the empress dowager. Wasn't it just because of his big breasts and big buttocks? Feng Yuzhen couldn't help but be jealous when she thought of it. Of course, she didn't want her to become Wang Jingyi's appearance. Wang Jingyi's mediocre qualifications were so that the empress dowager was willing to use her with confidence. Feng Yuzhen didn't want to give up this beautiful face in order to cater to the old lady's aesthetics - the aesthetics of men and women in this world are destined to be difficult to achieve both.
Jiang Bilan said lazily: "It's just a lack of a person to serve, it's not a big deal."
In fact, she could guess the intention of Empress Dowager Jiang. Empress Dowager Jiang always wanted a grandson. In the future, Wang Jingyi's child would naturally be raised by her or Yingyue's knees, which can be regarded as the flesh and blood of the Jiang family.
But Jiang Bilan doesn't like the old lady being good at making decisions like this. If she can, she wants to give birth to herself - no matter how much the children of others are raised, she can't be well-equipped.
It's the best for your biological child.
Wang Jingyi complained that Xia Tong didn't think about her, and she was desperate to seek help from her. In the end, she had no choice but to ask Empress Dowager Jiang for help.
Although she knew that Empress Dowager Jiang had no kindness, she had to bow her head under the roof, and Wang Jingyi reluctantly endured it. She still remembered the story of Concubine De in Kangxi. Even if the first child was not raised by her, as long as she had the emperor's favor and continued to serve the bed, the children would always have it. If she had a little luck, she might be able to become the Queen Mother.
Of course, these are all later stories. The important thing now is to cure the emperor's stubborn disease, so that you can have a chance to make a comeback.
Wang Jingyi went to Ningshou Palace to beat the old lady's legs for two days, and told Empress Dowager Jiang that there was a prescription for curing the head-on disease in her family. She was afraid that the emperor would not believe it, so she wanted to use Empress Dowager Jiang to send it to Qianyuan Palace - I believe the emperor would still be willing to listen to her mother's words.
Empress Dowager Jiang did not doubt that he was, and immediately agreed. She was worried that she could not repair her relationship with the emperor's son. But coincidentally, Wang Jingyi came here, just like someone gave her a pillow when she was sleepy.
Empress Dowager Jiang praised a few words of filial piety, so she asked Wang Jingyi to prepare her medicinal tea, and chose a close nanny to send it to the emperor every evening. Even if the disease cannot be cured, she will not kill anyone. Empress Dowager Jiang is very optimistic.
So when Xia Tong was accompanying Wang Banhuan, she saw a bowl of calming tea on the emperor's table. She quickly realized that it was Wang Jingyi's handwriting: Although the spiritual spring was colorless and tasteless, it was extremely clear and flowing, and there was no such good water quality in the palace.
But the emperor didn't even look at it, and he was still focused on commenting on his comments.
He was so diligent, Xia Tong sighed and said with a smile: "The Empress Dowager is also kind, why did Your Majesty ignore it?"
Liu Zhang's voice was calm, "I'm not sick."
Xia Tong is very understandable. People who get sick always like to say that they are not sick, and it is also a common phenomenon to avoid medical treatment. However, Wang Jingyi's spiritual spring is really magical. Maybe it can cure the emperor's head disease?
Xia Tong wanted to persuade him again, but Liu Zhang became impatient, "An Ruhai, take it and pour it out."
Xia Tong was busy now. She had seen the effect of medicinal tea. "Your Majesty doesn't want it, so I will give it to me. It just so happened that I was a little thirsty."
The emperor didn't take it seriously, so he naturally had to let her go.
Xia Tong tasted it carefully with the tip of her tongue, and it still had the sweet taste. It seemed that she was right, but she didn't dare to drink too much - although Lingquan can enhance her breasts, the effect is too significant, which can easily cause suspicion. Moreover, Xia Tong also admires the current figure of this girl and how elegant the clothes are in, so she should use it when needed.
Xia Tong quietly poured the Lingquan water into a small pottery jar, sealed it secretly like collecting snow water from plum blossoms in case of emergency.
When he was bedding in the evening, Liu Zhang saw a faint smile hanging on her lips, as if she had a dream of no sign, and he became secretly annoyed.
Although Xia Tong had explained and believed it at that time, this kind of thing was hard to explain after all. Xia and Cheng Yao had known each other for more than ten years, and he had only been one or two months. It was clear at a glance which was more important.
But when he asked him to think of a way to eliminate doubts, Liu Zhang couldn't think of it. After thinking about it, he could only let the woman serve her as a way to sleep as soon as possible: if he got her, the woman's heart would naturally gradually obey. Didn't the older generation have been through this way?
However, Liu Zhang was familiar with the past and the present, but he was still unfamiliar with this aspect and didn't know where to start. He had to take advantage of his leisure time to ask An Ruhai to search for some secret plays and avoid fire, and study them secretly, and practice makes perfect.
An Ruhai looked pleased that there was a daughter in my family who had just grown up, and she was happy. "Don't worry, your majesty, I will do it for you now."
The emperor was willing to summon people to serve the bed, which was a great good news. As long as he could give birth to a child as soon as possible, the empress dowager's wish would be resolved. God knows how hard it is to An Ruhai mixed with the two tigers.
The emperor said with a gloomy face: "I know this, you don't need to tell the Queen Mother."
An Ruhai was stunned, then came over and nodded quickly.
Of course, the Empress Dowager did not want other women to give birth to children before the Jiang girl, but according to the emperor's current attitude of favoring Xia Cairen, I am afraid that this unique glory will still fall on Xia Cairen. An Ruhai decided to find some congratulations by the way. The wind direction in the palace became too fast, and neither side would offend him.
March passed in a blink of an eye, and April was in which the grass was growing and the birds were flying. The climate became more and more pleasant, but Xia Tong's mood did not become better with the weather.
More than a month has passed since the release of the results, and in a blink of an eye, she is really worried.
Seeing that she was worried, Pinggu chose to give her fresh fruit and advised her: "Are you afraid that Mr. Cheng will not do well in the exam?"
Although the rumors are abominable, the Chengxia family are family friends after all. If Cheng Yao is embarrassed in the Golden Palace, Xia Tong, the former suitor, will be lost - the world's psychology is so wonderful.
Xia Tong sighed, "I'm afraid he did the exam too well."
Cheng Yao won the first place in the imperial examination. If nothing unexpected happens, the palace examination will be among the top three. I wonder what he will say to the emperor at that time?
She is not afraid of rumors, but she is afraid of Cheng Yao's slutty actions - what if he publicly asks her in the Golden Palace?
This is an example to help. To go forward several generations, a similar story happened to Emperor Taizong, who was famous for his ability to elect wise men. It was also a talent show in a certain year. The men and women who loved each other were forced to separate. The woman stepped into the deep palace and cried all day long. The man and the husband worked hard to win the championship and won the top scorer. In the Golden Palace, he did not need fame or wealth, and just reunite with his former lover.
Taizong generously gave the man to him, saying that a gentleman did not take away the favors of others. Of course, his official position was still preserved, and he eventually took care of his husband and children, achieving a happy story.
When Xia Tong read this legend in the book he bought, she also cried and talked about it with relish. But when it was her turn, it was not very beautiful - although she and Cheng Yao were not in love, who knew? What people care about is often the topic of talk on the streets and alleys, and it was interesting enough anecdotes. If Cheng Yao got what he wanted this time, she and Cheng Yao would probably be regarded as a pair of fairy couples.
Xia Tong felt angry when she thought of this.
Ping Gu was so excited that she wanted to laugh, "No, Your Majesty is so fond of you, how could he ignore you? You will be blind if you say this!"
Xia Tong bit her finger, her little face was very distressed, "But aunt, you know, I am still intact."
Pinggu was a little dumb. This was a problem. If the emperor really favored Master Xia, why didn’t he have that yet... Pinggu was embarrassed to say those words.
Xia Tong believed that she was just a shield for the emperor to deal with Empress Dowager Jiang. Without her, she would naturally find the next one. But she didn't want to be bound to Cheng Yao in the next life! She would have nightmares every day.
As for taking the initiative to seduce the emperor, she only dares to think about it and never dares to put it into practice. If the emperor doesn't want to touch a woman, isn't she seeking death?
It is more terrible to die than to accept an unpleasant marriage.
Just as he was thinking about it, Chunlan came in, Xia Tongfang grabbed her and asked, "How is the inquiry? Cheng...who is the cousin?"
Chunlan shook her head, "I don't know much. I vaguely heard that I am very tall. Your Majesty is very happy."
Since ancient times, sages have loved talents and sacrificed their unnecessary concubines to win over a high-profile official. This deal is of course cost-effective.
Xia Tong was like an ant on a hot pan. Suddenly, An Ruhai walked into the door with a whisk and bowed respectfully, saying, "Xia Cairen, Your Majesty, please invite him."
Xia Tong became more and more worried, "Daddy, is it about Mr. Cheng?"
An Ruhai nodded with a smile.
Chapter completed!