border cook

"The previous general was really nothing!"

"What's wrong?"

"Look at what's written in this notice! He indulged his youngest son in robbing civilian women and 'forced' her into prostitution! Fortunately, the newly appointed general was able to find out the identities of those miserable women, and he wrote a note and handed it over to Capital city, ask for the grace of the sage, and let those poor girls go home!"

The notice posted at the gate of the city attracted passers-by to watch, and the sound of discussion reached Jiang Yanyi's ears. She turned her head to look at the notice almost instantly, and her heart was filled with ecstasy.

At this time, the curtain of the carriage was completely lifted, and the person in the carriage looked heroic, even if he was sitting, he looked like an iron tower, with a short beard and majestic eyes, it was Chu who was about to take the coffin out of the city Changping.

The originally high-spirited guard was overwhelmed by his aura, and his voice was three degrees lower: "What business do you do?"

Chu Changping handed over a bulging purse: "The spice business is a small business."

The guard only felt that this man was extraordinary, and the other party was generous, so he didn't make things difficult anymore, and signaled his men to let them out of the city.

Chu Changping nodded his thanks, his eyes swept over the notice at the gate of the city, his eyes were filled with pain, he put down the curtain of the car and was about to look back, when he suddenly saw a short black-faced man jumping headlong into the crowd who were reading the notice.

He tilted his head and squeezed hard inside.

Chu Changping glanced at him, shocked in his heart, only felt that this person looked like his niece.

At this moment, the carriage was leaving the city gate, so Chu Changping had no choice but to lift the curtain of the carriage, and leaned out half of his body to take a closer look.

"What are you doing!"

The guards at the city gate saw that he was about to turn back into the city, shouted loudly, and pointed their spears at Chu Changping.

Seeing this, the cronies dressed as bodyguards put their hands on the handle of the knife at their waists.

Chu Changping didn't see the black-faced man in the crowd, but several men wearing the same clothes as the black-faced man crowded around to read the notice.

He recognized that it was the military uniform of the miscellaneous army in Xizhou Camp. Even if his niece was still alive, she was a boudoir, could she still join the army?

Chu Changping only thought that he was too worried and misjudged. Now the coffin should be transported back to the capital as soon as possible. If there is a conflict with the officers and soldiers and they find the coffin, it will cause a lot of trouble.

He made a gesture calmly, telling his cronies not to act rashly.

Then he cupped his hands and said to the guard chief: "Don't blame the military master, I just saw a person who looks like an old friend, so I left the city."

The head of the guard still had the bulging purse in his arms, and his hands were short, so he said impatiently: "Hurry up, there are so many people waiting behind!"

Chu Changping got back into the carriage, and with the sound of trampling horseshoes, the carriage and several carts left Xizhou City one after another.

At the end of the winding official road, there are numerous peaks. Today the sky cleared, and the carriage was getting farther and farther away in the bright sunlight, until it became fainter and weaker, until it could no longer be seen.

*

Jiang Yanyi squeezed for a long time before reaching the front of the notice. Looking at the black and white letters and the bright red Xizhou Government Seal, it felt like a dream.

If her household registration is also approved, then she will be regarded as a good citizen of the Xuan Dynasty from now on!

If you have your own capital, it is feasible to open a shop and do business.

Several Huotou soldiers squeezed in together.

The people nearby yelled in dissatisfaction: "What are you squeezing?"

"The shoe fell off! Ouch... whoever has no eyes stepped on my foot!"

Several fire-headed soldiers repeatedly made compensations: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."

Others saw that they were also soldiers, so they were afraid of them, so they just muttered a few words and gave up.

Several Huotou soldiers were illiterate and couldn't understand what was written on the notice, but there were literate people reading the notice nearby. After hearing the general idea, they said to Jiang Yanyi with a happy face: "Master Jiang, can you Leave the barracks!"

Jiang Yanyi was taken captive, and the other women heard what she said when she registered on the list of "prostitutes" in the camp that day.

Huotou camp has such a juicy, charming, and well-cooked "prostitute" in the camp. The Huotou soldiers also inquired a lot about Jiang Yanyi in private, knowing that she was not sent here for a crime.

A Huotoujun who was about thirteen or fourteen years old heard what the big man said, and said: "Master Jiang is now a cook on the stove, and it is the same in Xizhou Daying."

He "licked" his lips. Jiang Yanyi's meat pies were delicious, and he wanted to eat them all in the future.

A bearded Huo Toujun slapped him on the head, "Can it be the same? What do children know?"

The barracks are full of men, and there used to be "prostitutes" in the Xizhou camp, even if they were working in Huotouying, others would always point them out, unless Jiang Yanyi had been in Huotouying all his life and never married, but how could this be possible? Woolen cloth?

The young Huotoujun didn't understand this, he touched the beaten head, and said to the bearded Huotoujun unconvinced, "I'm fourteen, so I'm not young!"

The Huo Toujun with the beard laughed and said, "If you are a boy chicken, you are still young!"

Immediately, someone at the side gave him a hard elbow: "What nonsense are you talking about in front of Master Jiang!"

Only then did the bearded man realize that what he said was wrong, and he quickly apologized to Jiang Yanyi: "Master Jiang, I'm a big bastard, I can't speak, don't take it for granted!"

"It's okay, let's go to Zhao Boss." Jiang Yanyi read the notice several times from beginning to end, and was sure that Xizhou Daying was going to let the girls from good families go home. After being ecstatic, his mind was full of opening a hot pot restaurant.

Didn't pay attention to what the fire fighters said at all.

It was difficult to squeeze in, and it was also difficult to squeeze out. By the time they passed through the human barrier, Mr. Zhao and a few Huotou soldiers who were not interested in reading the notice had already drank half a bowl of tea in the tea house.

Before Jiang Yanyi could speak, several Huotou soldiers rushed to tell Mr. Zhao the contents of the notice. Those who didn't know it thought that their relatives were trapped in the Xizhou camp, and now they can finally go home.

After hearing this, Chief Zhao gave a heartfelt praise: "This new general is a good one. Not only has he improved the food of the officers and men in the army, he has also increased their salaries. Now those girls from good families who have been captured can also escape the sea of ​​suffering." gone."

He turned to look at Jiang Yanyi: "Girl, what are you planning?"

Jiang Yanyi could tell that Head Zhao was asking questions for Cook Li. This morning, Cook Li taught her how to cook, and she also felt that Cook Li had taught her as his apprentice.

If she is willing to stay in Huotouying, with the connections that Chef Li has managed over the past few decades, there must be a way for her to stay.

But she didn't want to stay in the barracks for the rest of her life.

Tiredness was the second priority, the main thing was to try to feel comfortable, and what happened to her pockmarked face before made her feel lingering fear.

I was lucky enough to be rescued last time, what about next time?

Cooking for the generals is also with a heart, for fear of being punished if they do not do well.

If you open a store by yourself, you can open it for a whole day if you are happy. If you are not happy or have some urgent business, you can open it for half a day or even not open it.

Everything is decided by oneself, and there is no need to look at anyone's face, and there is no risk of beheading if the dishes are not cooked properly.

If he was more diligent, all the vain money he earned would go into his own pocket.

This is roughly the difference between being a worker and being your own boss.

She also wants to save some money, buy a small courtyard in the Jiangnan area in a few years, raise a cat as a companion, plant flowers and cook when she has nothing to do, so that she can live a leisurely old life in advance.

Jiang Yanyi said: "Touer Zhao, you and Master Li have taken care of me a lot these days in Huotouying, and I have always been grateful to you two. But my father taught me this cooking skill, I still want to Open a small shop by yourself and pass on his old man's name."

Head Zhao nodded: "You are a filial man, since you want to open a shop, have you figured out how to go?"

Jiang Yanyi shook his head.

She has been in the Xizhou camp since she came through, and this is the first time she has come out.

The original owner had never been to Xizhou.

As for the restaurant business, it is natural to go to the more prosperous place the better. The most prosperous place in the entire Xuan Dynasty is the capital, but that is a place of evil, Jiang Yanyi has no guts to go there.

Bao Buqi met an acquaintance one day, and if he was recognized as the male protagonist, he would have to send someone to kill her again.

Since ancient times, the border has been difficult, and Jiang Yanyi was a little surprised that this Xizhou city is quite lively. After sitting in the tea house for a while, she saw many shopkeepers walking on the street in front of them with their shelves alone.

At the entrance of the restaurant opposite, there was a Hu girl holding a pipa babbling and singing, which attracted many men to stop, and a few Hutoujun who rarely came out were also very itchy, and ran to the entrance of the opposite restaurant to listen to the music.

Zhao Tou'er said: "If you leave the barracks and don't have a place to stay, I have a relative who has a shop in Xizhou City, which is connected to a courtyard. The location is very good, next to the Duhu Mansion. .He is in the face powder business, but how many families can afford face powder outside this pass?"

"I lost a lot of money. My wife got angry with him and took her son back to her mother's house in Jiangnan. He planned to sell the shop as well. After taking the money, he settled down in Jiangnan."

Jiang Yanyi was a little moved when he heard it, but when he heard that he could buy even the shop and the yard, he immediately became discouraged.

She waved her hand and said, "Boss Zhao, how can I have so much money..."

The only huge amount of money he has now is the 100 taels of silver, in addition to the [-] taels of silver rewarded by the "Military Adviser" last night, and the [-] taels of money he was rewarded for making tofu, the total is only [-] taels .

After removing these whole things, I only have a hundred or ten copper coins I earned on my private stove.

The shop Zhao Touer mentioned has a good location and a courtyard outside. I'm afraid it will cost 300 taels to buy it.

Head Zhao interrupted her: "What's the hurry? I haven't finished my sentence yet. He won't be able to sell his shop for a while. Now he plans to rent it out. He will pay [-] yuan a month. If you want to sell it The shop is rented out, I will take you there to have a look, and tell him, it is not difficult to lose you a hundred dollars."

After these words, Jiang Yanyi was completely moved.

When she was in Huotouying, she could earn 34 Wen when she worked in the private kitchen at night, and she could only earn more when she opened her own shop outside.

And I have sufficient capital, so I don’t have to worry about making ends meet. I can sell at a loss a month before opening the store. First, I will make a name for myself before thinking about making money.

If Xizhou is too poor and the restaurant business can't go away, she won't rent the shop in the future, and it's okay to start over in a bustling state capital.

Jiang Yanyi immediately said: "Then I will trouble Mr. Zhao to take me to have a look."

Mr. Zhao has been in charge of purchasing this area for decades. He has regular long-term cooperation with vegetable farmers when he buys vegetables in any season. He only needs to send a message, and leave a few trustworthy Huotou troops to watch over him, and he will come back after finishing his work. The inspection is correct, just pull it back to the barracks.

A group of people arrived at the place where they bought vegetables in the east of the city. After negotiating with several vegetable farmers and explaining a few words to some Huotou soldiers, Zhao Touer took Jiang Yanyi to see the shop.

It was quite a distance from the east of the city to Duhufu Street, Zhao Touer stopped a mule cart and took the two of them there.

On the way, Jiang Yanyi found that there were many restaurants, which was a good thing for Jiang Yanyi.

There are so many people opening restaurants to sell food, which means there is a market. If no one goes to the restaurant at all, naturally no one will open a store.

However, the prosperity of Xizhou City was beyond Jiang Yanyi's imagination. She asked, "Boss Zhao, Xizhou doesn't look rich, so why are there so many restaurants?"

Zhao Tou'er said: "If there are women in the family, they must eat at home, but in this borderland, there are not many female mice, and most of them are unmarried. If you have any money in your hand, you have to go to the restaurant. Or they will be coaxed by those women in the Goulan courtyard."

"Besides the Turks, there are also small countries such as Mengshan and Dayue outside Xizhou. There are often caravans coming back from outside the customs. Can the merchants make a fire and cook by themselves?"

After listening to Mr. Zhao's explanation, Jiang Yanyi had a general understanding of the consumer groups who go to restaurants in Xizhou.

Caravans will basically choose inns, and take care of food and lodging, so as to save trouble.

Open a small restaurant by yourself, the business of the caravan cannot be done, and the main target is still the natives of Xizhou.

After driving for about half an hour, the mule cart arrived at Duhufu Street.

Jiang Yanyi saw that the houses on both sides of this street were much more grand than other places, with white walls and gray tiles, and the restaurants and teahouses facing the street were also very high-end and atmospheric. Most of the shops on this street were tailors and shops selling gold and silver jewelry.

Jiang Yanyi asked: "The people living around here are probably some dignitaries, right?"

Chef Li looked at her quite unexpectedly, nodded and said: "The officials and lords all live in this generation, and those local ruffians dare not go to this area to be presumptuous. You are a girl, and you can rest assured living here."

This was something Jiang Yanyi hadn't considered yet. Mr. Zhao was so thoughtful, and Jiang Yanyi felt a little grateful to him from the bottom of his heart.

The shop Zhao Touer mentioned is adjacent to the Duhu Mansion.

The courtyard wall of the Duhu Mansion was more than three feet higher than that of the shop. Looking from a distance, the lintel of the shop was inexplicably low and pitifully low.

In broad daylight, the door of the shop was closed tightly.

Zhao Tou'er wondered if something happened to his relative, so he knocked on the door quickly, and a middle-aged man's voice came from inside: "Who is it?"

"Eldest nephew, it's me, your second uncle!" Head Zhao shouted outside the door.

Jiang Yanyi looked at the name of the rouge shop "Liu Ji".

Zhao Touer called the owner of this shop his eldest nephew, so it can be seen that the owner of this shop is also surnamed Zhao Cai, but the name of the shop is "Liu Ji", which reminds of the shop owner's daughter-in-law who returned to her natal home in Jiangnan. The eldest nephew planned to sell the shop and the house to Jiangnan.

Probably the owner of this shop is fearful, or the daughter-in-law's family is powerful.

While she was still guessing, the door of the shop opened, and a rich middle-aged man came out, his face was somewhat similar to Zhao Touer's, and he also had a mustache around his mouth, but it was much thicker than Zhao Touer's.

When Zhao Touer saw his eldest nephew, he slapped his head and asked, "Why do you close the door in broad daylight? Don't you do business?"

Speaking of business, Zhao Dabao blushed and said, "Last night a caravan bought all the spices in my shop. I was thinking of selling the shop and raising enough money before going to Jiangnan. Now that I got my money back, I plan to close the shop and go to Jiangnan first.”

After finishing speaking, he saw Jiang Yanyi, because Zhao Touer had been working in Huotouying, he recognized Jiang Yanyi's uniform as Huotouying, and asked, "This little brother is..."

Zhao Tou'er answered for Jiang Yanyi: "It's a poor girl's family who wants to open a restaurant in Xizhou. I think your place won't be sold for a while, so I'll bring her over to have a look."

Zhao Dabao was relieved of the person introduced by his uncle, and he didn't ask any more about Jiang Yanyi, and warmly introduced: "My shop is in a good location, girl, you don't have to worry about running out of business, look at this floor tile, blue and white was used at that time As for the bricks, only Fulai Restaurant on the opposite side of this street uses these bricks..."

Jiang Yanyi took a cursory look, the shop outside had been cleaned up, it was about sixty square meters, and the lighting was good.

She said, "I want to see the courtyard inside."

Zhao Dabao hurriedly led Jiang Yanyi inside, he was just packing up, there were many cages in the yard.

Next to the courtyard wall is a two-foot-wide flowerbed. The bougainvillea planted has covered the entire courtyard wall. The lavender flowers bloom in this late autumn, which is indescribably beautiful.

There are three rooms, a main room, a side room, and a kitchen.

Zhao Dabao asked: "Girl, what do you think? I'm not boasting. If you look at the entire Duhufu Street, you will never find another household that is better than this one."

Jiang Yanyi said yes, and walked into the kitchen, only to find that there was a wide open space behind the kitchen, and the one-and-a-half-foot-high wall on the opposite side was the courtyard wall of the Dufu Mansion.

She asked: "I open a restaurant to cook. After all, the kitchen is used all day long. Will it cause noise to the neighbors?"

Zhao Dabao hurriedly said: "Don't worry about that, now the new General of Xizhou lives in the Duhu mansion, the general is usually in the barracks, there are only some servants in the mansion, the whole Duhu mansion is as empty , and it’s adjacent to the Protectorate’s Mansion, you don’t have to worry about those thieves and robbers if you live here alone.”

Jiang Yan thought that the way the uncle and nephew spoke was weird.

But this shop and yard are really very kind to Jiang Yanyi, and she plans to rent them out.

If there were other officials and eunuchs next door, Jiang Yanyi would be worried that some of them would be lost, but the new general is definitely a good man with integrity!

As soon as he took office, he rescued the "prostitutes" in the camp, loved soldiers like sons, and now let them go home, Jiang Yanyi automatically brought Bao Qingtian's image into him.

When she first arrived in Huotouying, she forgot all the rumors about how fierce the general was.

Jiang Yanyi asked Zhao Dabao about when he would go to Jiangnan, but Zhao Dabao only said that it would only be two days.

Because of Mr. Zhao's relationship, Jiang Yanyi's renting the house was considered to be a solution to Zhao Dabao's urgent needs. He only charged Jiang Yanyi [-] yuan for a month's rent.

Jiang Yanyi gave a hundred dollars as a deposit.

The lease contract will not be signed until Jiang Yanyi officially rents the house. Zhao Dabao is afraid that he will have gone to the south of the Yangtze River by then, so he entrusts Mr. Li to help.

After discussing these things, Zhao Dabao was about to send Zhao Touer and Jiang Yanyi out, but he heard the sound of armor clashing outside.

Zhao Dabao looked through the crack of the door and found that the officers and soldiers had already stood at the door of his house.

He didn't know what happened, so he had to say to Jiang Yanyi and Zhao Tou'er: "You go out later, for some reason, there are many officers and soldiers standing outside."

Jiang Yanyi thought to himself, could it be that the higher-ups found out that she had sneaked out of the Xizhou camp in disguise, and now they want to arrest her for questioning?

After thinking about it carefully, I felt that I didn't have such a big face.

**

Outside the Duhufu Avenue, Xuanjiawei stood from the street to the end of the street, one person every two steps, and even a fly did not dare to fly by, the shops along the street were closed quickly, no one made noise, and no one dared to look around.

A luxurious sedan chair with gold and jade tassels was carried by eight people, and they walked in slowly.

Beside the sedan chair was an old woman wearing an azurite vigilante. The pattern on the cuff border was double-threaded and back-stitched. 』Excellent jadeite bracelet, and the emerald jadeite hairpin on the head.

But the majesty of this old lady is inferior to those old ladies in the official family, not to mention how expensive the people in the sedan chair are.

Behind the old mama were four good-looking servant girls, all of whom wore pomegranate bijia and pleated floral skirts, and the one with the worst hands was wearing red gold bracelets.

The sedan chair stopped in front of the gate of the Duhu Mansion, but the occupants of the sedan chair did not get out of the sedan chair.

The sound of horseshoes came from the long street in the distance, and I saw a person galloping one by one, and the black cloak behind the person was rolled up in the cold wind, like a strong dark cloud.

"Call-"

The visitor tightened the reins at a distance of three feet from the sedan chair, sat down on the horse and raised its front hooves, neighing before stopping.

It was Feng Shuo.

He got off his horse and walked quickly to the sedan chair, "Concubine Mother, I am late to welcome you."

The bearers leaned the big sedan chair forward, and the old mother on the side pushed aside the curtain of the sedan chair, and put a pair of jade hands painted with bright red cardamom on the old mother's hand. The woman in the sedan chair was so beautiful that it was not like ordinary people, with bright red lips. Only two cold words came out: "Kneel down."

The old mother next to her looked at her worriedly: "Mother..."

The empress dowager was unmoved.

Feng Shuo was silent for a moment, then knelt down.

The corners of the empress dowager's mouth curled up coldly, stepping on Feng Shuo's back to get off the sedan chair.

Her robes embroidered with peonies in gold thread stretched out behind her, shining dots of light in the sunlight.

The four maidservants hurried forward to hold up the hem of their clothes.

The Empress Dowager looked at Feng Shuo, who was still kneeling on the spot, with deep disgust in her eyes: "The son of a bitch is also worthy of calling me?"

Nanny Song, who was supporting her with one hand, forced to hide the pain in her eyes, and said softly: "Mother, you are tired from the journey, go to the mansion and rest."

Only then did the empress dowager snort coldly, and Nanny Song helped her into the mansion.

The old housekeeper who was over fifty years old hurried forward to help Fengshuo: "My lord, get up quickly, my lady just fell ill again..."

Feng Shuo looked at the direction where the empress dowager was leaving, and there was something suppressed in his eyes, but his voice was surprisingly calm: "I know."

He turned his head and glanced at the dead Duhufu Street, and ordered: "Let them all retreat, the people on this street still have to do business."

Seeing Feng Shuo's appearance, the steward couldn't tell whether he really didn't care, or just endured it all, and stayed where he was.

Feng Shuo's tone was cold: "Don't understand what this king is saying?"

Only then did the housekeeper give the head of the Xuanjiawei a look, and the sound of uniform armor clashing sounded, and the Xuanjiawei who blocked the entire Duhufu Avenue receded like a tide.

But the doors and windows of every house are still closed.

Feng Shuo glanced at the bright sun above his head, those emotions that he had been deliberately suppressing all this time were clamoring loudly at this moment, but he still didn't show it at all.

He only ordered the housekeeper: "I am good at serving my concubine. Food, clothing, housing, and transportation will all be in accordance with her original habits. There must be no difference. Xizhou has not been peaceful recently. I will go back to the mansion to visit my concubine later."

The housekeeper responded quickly.

Today, the people surrounding Duhufu Street are all his private soldiers. They don't have eyes when they shouldn't see, and they don't have ears when they shouldn't listen. No one will know what happened just now.

Feng Shuo led the horse back. He hurried back after receiving the letter from the empress dowager to enter the border of Xizhou. He didn't even bring his bodyguard Xing Yao.

The horse's hooves stepped on the bluestone floor tiles, making a clear and monotonous "stamping" sound.

He narrowed his eyes, the corners of his mouth raised in a cruel and self-deprecating manner.

The hand holding the rein of the horse was bruised due to too much force, and blood even slid down the rein from his palm and dripped on the bluestone bricks.

Suddenly, a mother and son appeared on the deserted street in front of her. The mother was the empress and concubine when she was young.The child followed the mother's appearance, like a "milk" doll like Yu Tuan'er.

A second ago, the mother teased the child and giggled, her eyes and eyebrows were full of tenderness.

The next second, the mother looked at the man in the dragon robe, she couldn't stop the tears, she bit her lips and raised her hand to hit the child hard, cursing while beating: "The son of a bitch deserves to be called me?"

Feng Shuo looked at the child who was crying so hard, curled up into a ball after being beaten, but still reached out to hug his mother's child, and walked over with a blank expression while leading the horse.

He passed through the mother and child.

The cries of children and mothers in his ears disappeared, and there was no one on the street. Everything was just a childhood memory buried deep in his heart.

***

Royal Palace.

Autumn in the south always comes later than in the north, and the leaves of the ginkgo in front of the Palace of Compassion and Peace are just turning green and yellow.

The empress dowager was resting on a soft golden silk pillow, and the court lady was kneeling on the bed, beating her legs gently, while the purple and gold beast mouth incense burner beside her was overflowing with smoke.

The Empress Dowager lay on the couch, feeling more at ease than ever before.

She married into the East Palace at the age of 16. Just after giving birth to the eldest grandson of the emperor, the prince was killed by mobs on the way to control the water in the south of the Yangtze River.

Everyone felt that she was going to be the crown princess soon, but the former emperor did not appoint a crown prince until his death, and instead passed the throne to her son.

She had been a crown princess for 22 years with a heart hanging, and she was named queen mother on the day her son ascended the throne.

But she was still uncomfortable, because there was a grand concubine pressing her down, even though it was a crazy woman.

Now it's all over, no one can surpass her in the Nine Layers Palace.

Perhaps it was because she felt comfortable in her heart that her voice was a bit longer than usual: "Ting Lan, did you say that the Ci'an Palace has arrived in Xizhou?"

Her eldest maid Ting Lan said with a smile: "According to the days, it is time."

The queen mother's voice was flat: "She is a blessed one, and my son still wants to take her out."

Ting Lan knew what the Queen Mother wanted to hear, so she chose what she liked to hear and said: "Crazy, how can you be considered a blessed person? Xizhou is notoriously barren, can it be compared with the imperial palace? Let the slaves say, this day The one who is the most capable and blessed is you, the Queen Mother. You taught His Majesty well, so that His Majesty can sit on the dragon chair."

The corner of the empress dowager's mouth deepened into a smile, obviously she was very pleased with the words, but when it came to the emperor, the empress dowager thought of her recent troubles: "The emperor is good at everything, but now he is "fascinated" by that surnamed Jiang. Little bitch!"

Ting Lan said: "Concubine Jiang's appearance is mediocre, so His Majesty just wanted to be fresh for a while. Do you see how the late emperor favored the Ci'an Palace? Didn't he almost die with a cup of dove wine later? On appearance ’, Concubine Jiang is not worthy to carry shoes for that person in Ci’an Palace, and when spring comes, another group of beautiful women will enter the palace, how will His Majesty remember such a posture of pampas grass.”

The Empress Dowager didn't answer the question. Not long after she gave birth to the eldest grandson of the emperor, the one from Ci'an Palace only entered the palace. It is not an exaggeration for the former emperor to favor her as the sixth palace.

The Empress Dowager was struggling at that time, in order to stabilize the position of the East Palace, she put a lot of eyeliner in the palace, but she heard a secret, saying that it was the one from Ci'an Palace, who was exactly like the queen who died of the previous emperor.

The first emperor's empress died in childbirth when she gave birth to the prince, and the empress dowager never saw her mother-in-law.

She was worried that the late emperor would appoint a new crown prince, and she bought the eunuch who served at the late emperor's bedroom, but she learned from the eunuch that every time the late emperor summoned the servant of the Compassionate Ning Palace, she would wear the dead queen's clothes. clothes, imitating the queen's words and deeds, and even asking her to pretend to be a queen, calling herself a shameless vixen, a bed-climbing scum...

The one in Ci'an Palace is going crazy, because he was tortured to go crazy by the former emperor for such a long time.

She couldn't tell whether she was the first emperor's queen or Li Concubine.

That is a poor person, but that poor person has been stepping on her head for so many years, and the son she gave birth has made her fearful for decades, the queen mother can't feel sorry for the emperor and concubine now.

She fiddled with the Buddhist bead string in her hand, and when she thought that the man was no longer in the palace, she felt at ease again: "Forget it, anyway, the Kunning Palace already has one, let her have a good pregnancy, and when the prince is born, This harem woman, who can go past her?"

The one who lives in Kunning Palace is naturally the queen.

"The Ai family heard that Jiang Shangshu will come to see his good daughter in the palace today. You should inform the eunuch who leads the way and beat him. Concubine Jiang has to abide by the rules of the palace when she enters the palace! As a concubine, she even went In the Queen's Palace, I never greeted you in the morning and evening, what a big face!"

*

Cangjiao Temple.

Jiang Yanxi was sitting by the bed, slowly embroidering a royal blue robe in her hand.

Her appearance is not very stunning, but she is very attractive, with a beautiful nose and red lips, delicate and pleasant.

The skin of her body is as thin and white as milk, and the ambiguous bruises on the side of her neck are particularly eye-catching. A strand of jet-black hair hangs down in front of her body, half-covering the traces, as if trying to conceal them.

The maid who was close to her advised her: "You should have surrendered to His Majesty long ago. Your Majesty loves you the most."

Jiang Yanxi's eyes were cold, "Why should I give in to him?"

The maid thought she was being stubborn, and said: "Your clothes will be ready in a few days. Your Majesty must be very happy to see it."

Jiang Yanxi suddenly dropped the needle and thread: "Who said it was for him?"

The palace maid hurriedly looked outside and saw that there was no one else in the hall, so she breathed a sigh of relief: "Your Majesty, don't talk nonsense in such a case!"

She sewed a man's robe, but it was not for His Majesty. Isn't this waiting to beheaded?

Jiang Yanxi sneered and said: "I was kidnapped into the palace by him for no apparent reason, now I can't even make a dress for my father?"

When the palace lady heard that the clothes were made for Jiang Shangshu, she breathed a sigh of relief and persuaded: "Your Majesty, why do you have to be so twisted? Mr. Lu has been demoted to the border. If you want him to feel better, you can Follow your majesty as much as possible."

Hearing this, Jiang Yanxi pricked her fingertips with the needle in her hand, but she didn't feel any pain, and the overflowing blood beads fainted a small dark spot on her robe.She closed her eyes, and a line of tears fell from the corner of her eyes: "I was the one who hurt Brother Lu..."

The palace maid almost cried in fright: "Your Majesty, it's for the good of Mr. Lu, and for yourself. Just forget about him and don't mention his name anymore. His Majesty will know this, but what should I do?"

Jiang Yanxi closed her eyes as if accepting her fate, "Maybe, one day he will get tired of it and let me go."

At this moment, a maid's announcement came from outside, and Jiang Shangshu came.

Jiang Shangshu was wearing a purple official robe of the third grade, and had a long beard, which made him look more elegant.

The maid hurriedly withdrew.

Jiang Yanxi looked at her father and cried hard.

After crying, he talked about the real reason why Jiang Shangshu was sent to the palace by delivering the letter.

"Father, I overheard His Majesty getting angry a few days ago. It seems that the Chu family has committed something. I'm afraid it will implicate you."

Jiang Shangshu said: "Now the Chu family only has the third master as an official in the court. He takes office in Yongzhou. What could happen to His Majesty? There are many ministers surnamed Chu in the court. My son is too worried."

Jiang Yanxi shook her head: "I heard His Majesty say the word Chu Changping with my own ears."

Jiang Shangshu couldn't help frowning, thinking that he had another daughter who died in Xizhou, his face changed drastically. Could it be that the warrior Chu Changping ran to collect Jiang Yanyi's body on impulse?

He said angrily: "That warrior, do you have to show off your anger for a while and drag everyone into the water before you are willing?"

Jiang Yanxi had an intuition that Jiang Shangshu had something to hide from her, and after some careful questioning, she learned that the emperor's sister was secretly sent to Xizhou Camp as a "prostitute".

Jiang Shangshu heaved a long sigh: "The family is unfortunate, that rebellious girl has been vicious since she was a child, and now she is dead and still disturbs the family's unrest..."

Jiang Yanxi didn't answer. The memory that she was set up by her sister-in-law that day and almost lost her life to the son of the servant of the Ministry of Industry is still vivid in my memory.She originally thought that her sister-in-law was punished by her father to kneel in the ancestral hall at most. After all, every time she was wronged for so many years, this was the worst punishment her sister had ever received.

But I didn't expect my sister-in-law to end up like this.

No wonder Jiang Chushi went crazy.

Thinking of his aunt who had passed away for many years but was often scolded by Jiang Chu, Jiang Yanxi didn't know why she said such words: "Father, if Your Majesty really wants to punish the Chu family, I'm afraid it will implicate you. No...can you give mother a letter to release his wife?"

Jiang Shangshu was stunned, he and Jiang Chushi had been married for nearly twenty years, although they had been arguing and quarreling all the year round, he never thought of divorcing his wife.

Seeing Jiang Shangshu's silence, Jiang Yanxi smiled bitterly: "Xi'er is being disrespectful. No matter what, my mother is the third brother's biological mother. Xi'er's words are out of consideration. If Your Majesty wants to blame you, Xi'er must work hard to deal with it." .”

When Jiang Shangshu thought of Jiang Chu's harsh treatment of Jiang Yanxi these years, and then thought of the eunuch's beating on him on the way here, his heart was cut like a knife.

"My son, my father knows that it is not easy for you in the palace. You have also suffered at home these years. But your mother is now insane. Divorcing his wife at this time for my father will make people feel the spine."

Jiang Yanxi said: "Xi'er is not bitter, Xi'er is just guilty, Xi'er is now in the palace, and cannot be filial in front of his father. Father, Yan Hong is the maid left to me by my aunt, and she is already past the age of marriage. I couldn't take care of her in the palace, and when my mother was angry, she blocked many punishments for me."

Jiang Yanxi raised her eyes: "Father, the only thing I'm worried about now is Yanhong. Please take care of her for me when you are at home... I want to ask you for the title of aunt for Yanhong."

Jiang Shangshu didn't expect his well-behaved and sensible daughter to say such words, and immediately reprimanded: "Nonsense!"

Jiang Yanxi's tone also became tough: "Yanhong admires you, and I don't want her to be called around in the moment. You can just treat yourself as a homeless person who eats nothing."

The conversation ended up being sour.

After Jiang Shangshu left, Jiang Yanxi took off the jade pendant hanging around his neck, stroking it with his fingers and weeping secretly: "Auntie, Jiang Chu owes you something, and I will get it back for you little by little."

The jade pendant was given to her by Jiang Shangshu in the early years, and it is said to be a relic of her aunt.

Jiang Shangshu said that her aunt died shortly after giving birth to her, but Jiang Chushi hated her aunt so much, and mentioned her aunt as a scolding, Jiang Yanxi believed that her aunt's death had something to do with Mrs. Jiang.

Jiang Chu cared most about status, so she took away the title of Mrs. Jiang.

Letting one's maid become Jiang Shangshu's aunt is only the first step.

***

Western State.

When Jiang Yanyi and Li Tou'er left, the Xuanjia guards on Duhufu Street had already withdrawn.

Shops along the street also opened one after another.

Jiang Yanyi asked, "What happened just now?"

It was also the first time for Zhao Dabao to see that formation, and he only said that he had never encountered it before.

"It's just a coincidence today, do you think these tea shops and restaurants are not open as usual?"

There was a lot of fear in the words that Jiang Yanyi would not rent a shop.

Jiang Yanyi thought about it, and felt that at this price, he would not be able to find a place like this even if he traveled all over Xizhou City, and what Zhao Dabao said was right, wouldn't other shops still open in this street?

She told Zhao Dabao that she would rent the shop, and Zhao Dabao smiled and gave her a box of rouge.

As a cook, one must have a good sense of taste and a good nose. Jiang Yanyi immediately discovered that the scent of this rouge was similar to the scent of the caravan she smelled when she was at the gate of the city.

Could it be that the caravan bought all the rouge in Zhao Dabao's shop?

Jiang Yanyi didn't ask much about other people's business.

After leaving the shop, Mr. Zhao had to rush back to the east of the city to inspect the purchased ingredients, which would take a lot of time.

Jiang Yan wanted to go shopping, so he parted ways with Mr. Zhao and agreed to meet at the east of the city at Shenshi.

One autumn rain and one cold. Since it rained yesterday, the weather has become colder and colder. Jiang Yanyi woke up several times last night from the cold.

She went to the tailor shop and bought two sets of thick clothes, one for herself and one for okra.

I bought two more cakes of good tea, and planned to give one to Mr. Zhao as a thank you for showing him the house, and one to Mrs. Li to thank him for taking care of me these days.

As noon approached, there were more people eating and drinking on the street.

Jiang Yan wanted to do a wave of market research by the way, so he walked into a restaurant with a good business with big bags and small bags, and ordered their signature dishes.

The elegant room on the second floor.

Several wine jars had already been poured under Feng Shuo's feet.

He finished the jar of wine in his hand like drinking plain water, except for the burning of his throat, he couldn't taste the slightest taste.

Feng Shuo threw away the wine jar in his hand, his voice was hoarse from the strong alcohol: "Little Er, serve the wine!"

The waiter in the shop was startled when he entered the door and saw the wine jars all over the floor, and then looked at the man inside, who was not half drunk, secretly thought that this guest officer is really a huge amount, and quickly moved several more jars of wine upstairs.

Opening the seal of the altar, Feng Shuo poured it with his head up as before, but this time most of the wine spilled out, and he coughed so hard.

He seems... tasted the wine!

At first, he thought it was Huotouying in Xizhou Camp that restored his sense of taste, but he had already tried it in the morning, so it wasn't because of Huotouying.

Feng Shuo's seat was by the window, and when he looked up, he saw the cook sitting downstairs with a painted face, holding a pig's trotter and gnawing on it.

Huotoujun's clothes were already eye-catching, and he had seen Jiang Yanyi several times, so he could recognize her from her coal face.

Feng Shuo frowned.

He went to Huotouying this morning, but he didn't see her, and he deliberately asked the cooks on the stove. The cooks said that she was unwell and asked for leave.

Why did someone on leave show up in this restaurant to eat pig's trotters?

A ridiculous idea suddenly flashed through Feng Shuo's mind.

I suddenly regained my sense of taste, could it be related to this cook?

*

Jiang Yanyi was feasting on pork knuckles when he suddenly noticed that Youdao's gaze was making his scalp numb.

When she looked up, she saw a glint in the eyes of the military adviser that made her hairs stand on end, walking towards her briskly.