TPNCQ CHAPTER 44
No one should expect a good time either.
The news of Qianlong and Ling Pin enjoying snow and wine together at the Snow Viewing Pavilion quickly spread throughout the six palaces.
When Dongxue returned and chattered about it, Su Limo smiled.
Enjoying plum blossoms in the frost, drinking plum blossom wine, and reading plum blossom poetry were three pleasures in the snow.
"Sparse shadows slant across the clear water, faint fragrance floats in the yellow twilight." Such a picturesque scene, even she, Su Limo, found it deeply moving, let alone the literary-minded Qianlong.
Jia fei played the emotional card, taking the emperor back to the scene of their first meeting in the plum garden. For a moment, the emperor was touched by the past, and countless thoughts and past affections surfaced before his eyes. In their affectionate embrace, he went back and hung Jia fei's green name tag, and that night was bound to be full of spring.
However, this method should not be used unless absolutely necessary, as it was a one-time skill, and it might not work the second time.
The method she taught Ling pin was different. Qianlong enjoyed teaching others and was also a literary enthusiast. The two of them talked about poetry, exchanging ideas back and forth, making it a continuous interactive skill. If handled well, they could benefit from it for a lifetime.
She knew Ling pin would definitely prepare carefully, but she didn't expect her to prepare so well. She was truly a involutive person and had a clever mind. Her future was limitless.
If Ling pin was just a beautiful and ambitious vase before, then the advanced version of Ling pin gradually began to have a scholarly air about her, cultivating both her inner and outer qualities, and being skilled in romantic affairs. So the question is, who could be more favored than her?
She just didn't know if Jia fei's old affection from the plum garden would win or Ling pin's three pleasures in the snow would win out.
However, this question was quickly answered.
After the "three pleasures in the snow," Qianlong summoned Ling pin to accompany him whenever he had free time for several days in a row. Ling pin also put in a lot of effort and wrote two seven-character regulated poems for Qianlong to see. Although the diction was overly embellished and not very polished, Qianlong was very willing to give her some pointers, and Ling pin also shared everything she knew, even though there were some places she didn't fully understand, but it didn't matter.
To Qianlong's surprise, Ling pin, who had little understanding of poetry a few months ago, could now write poetry and discuss it with him for a few sentences. A person who has been away for three days should be viewed with new eyes.
Ling pin was always gentle and humble in front of Qianlong. Such a beautiful woman, who was also studious, hardworking, and humble, truly tickled Qianlong's heart.
As the year was coming to an end, there were no major events in the court. The two of them enjoyed the snow together, watched the moon together, and chatted freely from poetry and songs to life ideals. This feeling of spending time so freely made Qianlong feel like he had returned to his youth, when he was still the Fourth Prince and had plenty of time to search for plum blossoms in the snow and write poetry in winter.
Ling pin was also very quick-witted and grasped things quickly, so Qianlong's interest grew even higher.
As for the joy of being favored, only those who experience it know.
Originally, in the harem, the only ones who could converse with Qianlong about ancient times and current events were Empress Fucha and Xian guifei, but in recent years, Empress Fucha, as the empress, had been busy with the affairs of the six palaces and was now feeling uneasy about the Seventh Prince. With so many things on her mind, she really didn't have the mood or time to engage in romantic pursuits with Qianlong. Since Xian guifei had taken over the management of the six palaces, every time they met, they discussed the mundane matters of the palace, such as finances, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, and tea. There was no poetic sentiment at all.
Although Shu pin came from a noble family and was quite knowledgeable about poetry and literature, she would never use it to curry favor. Therefore, she had never had such an intimate time with Qianlong.
*
Since the imperial concubines had been summoned to pay their respects to the Empress Dowager some time ago, the Imperial Household Department had selected and recruited one hundred embroiderers. Sixty of them were used to make new clothes for the various palace concubines, and forty were used to make an extra set of winter clothes for each palace eunuch and maid.
With a short time and a heavy workload, Empress Fucha and Xian guifei were so busy counting and collecting silver that their feet didn't touch the ground. Moreover, there were many other matters to arrange at the end of the year, so although the two of them had heard about the affairs of Jia fei and Ling pin, they turned a blind eye and a deaf ear, intending to deal with the current difficulties first.
The other concubines were also used to it. Jia fei and Ling pin had been vying for favor for days on end, and they simply treated it as a topic of conversation to amuse themselves during tea time.
However, Yang Liu, Shu pin's personal maid, couldn't help but feel restless. "Niangniang, Ling pin, with her plum blossom poems and plum blossom wine, has managed to charm the Emperor into discussing poetry and literature with her endlessly every day. If it comes to these poems and songs, there are few people in the palace who can compare to niangniang's learning. When you were a young lady at home, your father often praised your learning..."
"It's not like we're taking the imperial examination. What does it matter if you're well-versed or not? To curry favor in this way is to tarnish those articles and poems. Don't mention it again," Shu pin said, sighing inwardly. If the Emperor had been interested, he would have noticed her poetic talent long ago. Otherwise, why would she have to pretend and become someone she hated?
In Chunxi Palace, Jia fei had thought that since she had finally managed to get her green name tag hung up and Qianlong was willing to summon her to bed, but before she could enjoy her happiness for two days, he was bewitched by that vixen Ling pin. She accompanied him during the day, stayed overnight, and even had breakfast with him the next day, enjoying exclusive favor for many days. It was truly infuriating.
Empress Fucha's legitimate son had overshadowed her sons, Xian guifei had snatched away the management of the six palaces, which had originally been within her grasp, Ling pin had taken away her favor, Chun guifei had used her rank to show off to her, and even that lowly Chen guiren had dared to climb higher and betray her...
One after another, it seemed as if an invisible net had woven these people together, uniting them to make her unhappy.
Good, that's great.
Jia fei was sitting on a brocade couch, fuming. When she saw the little eunuch delivering the budding red plum blossoms, she found it irritating. She picked up a nearby object and threw it at the little eunuch, startling him. With great difficulty, he managed to hold onto the vase and prevent it from shattering on the floor.
"I never want to see red plum blossoms again. Don't let me see any plum blossoms in Chunxi Palace ever again. Get out! Get out of my sight!" Jia fei scolded angrily, her face contorted.
"Why don't you hurry up and get out?" Lamei, a servant girl, urged, seeing the little eunuch kneeling on the ground, terrified.
Hearing this, the little eunuch hurriedly left Chunxi Palace holding the vase.
He wasn't originally assigned to work in the flower garden. Today, he had been given money to deliver red plum blossoms to Chunxi Palace. He couldn't remember the name of the palace maid who looked unfamiliar, but it vaguely seemed like someone from Ling pin's Yanxi Palace. However, none of this mattered. What was important was that the two ounces of silver he had earned would be enough for him to buy some wine and meat to have a good feast.
*
On the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth lunar month, it was time for the palace to distribute monthly allowances and New Year's gifts.
However, in recent days, the Imperial Household Department had been busy with various tasks, such as managing the tribute sent from various regions, listening to the Empress and Xian guifei's instructions on how to spend the money, rushing to make clothes, and preparing for various large and small New Year banquets. In addition to these major tasks, there were also many trivial matters to arrange. Every day, there were hundreds or even dozens of tasks to handle. They had even borrowed manpower from other places to decorate and furnish the palace gardens. Even so, it was still not enough, and everyone was spinning like tops, too busy to touch the ground.
Therefore, it was only in the afternoon that they had time to notify the various palaces to send people to collect their monthly allowances and New Year's gifts.
Empress Fucha, Xian guifei, Chun guifei, Jia fei, Ling pin, Shu pin, and Chen guiren, in addition to their regular allowances, were given extra amounts by Wang Fu, the chief steward of the Imperial Household Department, depending on their rank and the degree of favor they enjoyed. For other concubines, their allowances were within the standard, but it was common for some low-ranking noble ladies and palace maids to have their allowances deducted, and there was nothing they could do about it but accept their fate.
The newly made clothes were also prioritized for the important people, while the clothes for the lower-ranking concubines were still being rushed. The extra set of winter clothes for each palace maid and eunuch was even more urgent. With only two or three days left, about one-third of them had not yet been made. Wang Fu had no choice but to transfer fifteen embroiderers who were idle to work on them.
Since the Empress Dowager had given the order that day, the palace servants had been overjoyed and eagerly anticipating it. Especially for the palace maids and eunuchs who did rough work such as laundry and cleaning toilets, they usually didn't receive any good rewards. They did rough work every day, and their clothes wore out quickly. Having an extra set of clothes to change into was always a good thing, especially as the New Year was approaching. Who wouldn't want to wear new clothes and pray for a better year ahead with more work and better food and clothing?
Upon hearing that the Imperial Household Department had begun distributing New Year's gifts, even though they hadn't been called yet, the head of the laundry room sent someone to inquire. However, the response they received was to wait, with no specific deadline. They couldn't even be sure if they would receive the gifts before the Spring Festival. The messenger even hinted at the need for a bribe. Fang Guigu, the head of the laundry room, was always protective of her maidservants. As long as they were obedient, diligent, and didn't make mistakes, she was willing to protect them. Therefore, when she heard the messenger return with such news, she selected four or five strong and capable maidservants and rushed to the Imperial Household Department together.
"Wang Fu, don't think that just because we're lowly maidservants from the laundry room, you can bully us! The Empress Dowager ordered a new set of winter clothes for everyone. Why doesn't our laundry room have any?" Gui Zhi, a maid from the laundry room with a loud voice, shouted as soon as they entered the Imperial Household Department.
Dongxue was leading a few young palace maids and eunuchs out of the Imperial Household Department with various items they had counted and prepared to take back to the palace. Hearing the commotion outside, before she could react, she heard a stout, twenty-something-year-old maid shout urgently.
Seeing that she was followed by several others, including Fang Guigu, the head of the laundry room, fearing that trouble would break out, she quickly led her people out of the Imperial Household Department and went back to report to Su Limo.
After listening to Dongxue's report, Su Limo pondered for a moment and said, "If this is not handled properly, it could cause a big disturbance. You are quick-witted, so go to Yikun Palace and report this to Xian guifei. This matter was personally overseen by her. If it causes a commotion at this critical moment, no one's face will look good."
Dongxue immediately went to Yikun Palace, but unfortunately, Xian guifei was discussing the New Year's Eve banquet with the Empress in Changchun Palace at that time. She had no choice but to rush to Changchun Palace without stopping.
Upon hearing Dongxue's words, Empress Fucha and Xian guifei understood Su Limo's meaning after a moment's thought and set off for the Imperial Household Department.
When they arrived at the Imperial Household Department, the place was in chaos. The maidservants from the laundry room led by Fang Guigu were very strong. They rushed into the inner room, grabbed a pile of sewn clothes, and either tore them or pulled them apart, scattering them all over the floor. Since the Imperial Household Department looked down on them, and they couldn't get their clothes, the Imperial Household Department wouldn't have a good time either.